Daddy's Birthday, The Great Outdoors and a Trip to Athens

Well, Libby's Daddy turned 30 on Thursday!

To celebrate that day at home, Libby helped me pick out the perfect fluffy croissant for her Daddy to eat for breakfast along with scrambled eggs and some fruit to start his day off right!  (Usually cooked breakfasts are saved for the weekends at our house, though Libby has started making some changes to that a couple of times a week.  I feel like I'm constantly preparing, feeding (or eating) and cleaning up food/the kitchen!)  Thank goodness I like to cook.

Anyway, back to Daddy.  Libby helped me prepare some of his favorites for dinner - fried pork chops, baked macaroni & cheese and fresh green beans.  And then we had chocolate mousse for dessert!

Yes, the presentation could have been better...

But who cares when you enjoy this sort of adoration?

We rushed through our cards and presents before Libby had to go to bed.

Libby's present was playing with the wrapping paper and envelopes!

Tickets to see Jerry Seinfeld at the Fox!

On Friday night, we were able to get together with a few close friends in the area for a super-quick celebratory dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant.  And this time, I insisted that we celebrate with an actual cake.

Guess who LOVED it?!

So apparently she just needed CHOCOLATE cake for her birthday.  (Although I did try to give her some of my cupcake that day, to no avail.)

With the beautiful weather we've been experiencing lately, it's a good thing I got Libby some real shoes for playing outside.  She wants to go out pretty much first thing in the morning and any time she possibly can.  Libby specializes in carrying sticks, smelling my (nearly dead) herbs, kicking the soccer ball and moving dirt and debris from one flower pot to another.  The best part is that Commissioner is outside with us, of course.

We've enjoyed picnics!

And patio furniture that was once enjoyed by cousins Sarah and Millie!
 

Oh- also Libby is still very Mommy-centric, but sometimes calls for me not in relation to food.  I also think she calls her blankie "Naah."  (I thought that it was asking for a "nap" for awhile, but I think it might actually be the blanket.  We shall see.)

This week we are also enjoying a special visit from cousin Millie.  

Yesterday, since I was off of work and had a helper, we took a little day trip over to Athens!  We wandered around North Campus a bit, ate at one of my many favorite Athens establishments, The Grit, with my friend, Megan, and went to Memorial Park where the Bear Hollow Nature Trail is located.  It's kind of like a little zoo.  

Libby also wanted desperately to climb into the fountains.  No photos of this since we were ensuring that her desire wasn't granted.

The nature trail featured two bald eagles (free to come and go as they please,) a BIG black bear (kind of far away), two alligators, a few turtles, some horned owls and a screech owl (I don't think Libby actually saw this one), a groundhog (not 'out'), some opossums and other various birds.  As I guessed, Libby generally preferred examining the fences and mulch around and between the exhibits.  But it was a nice day, so it was great to get out.  Also, she LOVED the two small brown bears (I think she thought they were dogs?) and the turkeys!  The turkeys gobbled for us and we got them to strut their stuff with their feathers in full display.

Turkeys (not on full display) behind the girls.

Bald Eagles deep in conversation.

So tired, but still semi-content.

Today has been much lower-key and Libby has now been napping for two hours and counting...