NC State Farm Days

Last week I was searching and searching for a suitable Friday adventure, and by Thursday I was still  yet to find one.  Then, at Little Gym that morning one of the nannies there mentioned something called Farm Days at NC State University.  Apparently, it happens several days each year and gives kids the opportunity to see lots of different farm animals.  It sounded like a perfect Friday activity.

So, the next morning, we hopped in the car and trekked down to Raleigh.  When we got there, there were people directing everyone where to park.  I really wasn't expecting it to be such a big deal.  We parked and headed on in.  It did take us a while to get from the parking lot to the entrance because there was a lot of fun gravel, and the walking path was marked off with really interesting ropes. 

Once we did get in there were also plenty of things to interest a toddler.  First, we gobbled at the turkeys.  Then, we headed over to a trough where the toddlers could actually hold and pet a baby chick.  I had to assist Evan a little bit with that one.  We also watched and petted the bunnies.  Then, we moved on to where the larger animals were.  There we got to weigh ourselves on the cattle scale.  (Okay, so the pregnant lady did not get on the cattle scale, but Evan loved it!)  Next we saw a mommy and baby horse, some cows, and some sheep.

(Evan intently watches a baby chick before I help him hold it)

(He takes a quick second to look at the camera before getting back to the sheep.)

(If our pediatrician had this type of scale our visits would be much less dramatic!)

Our day had been going fantastically.  Then, my little vehicle-obsessed little boy saw the tractors.  There were about 4 tractors lined up.  They each had lines of toddlers and kids next to them waiting for their turn to sit in them.  Evan saw them and immediately wanted to hop right in.  21 month-olds really don't understand the concept of lines!  Of course, he wanted to sit in the tractor without standing in line.  He cried when he had to wait, and then, when he had to get out fairly quickly to let other kids have their turn the tantruming began.  Wow, he was upset!  Animals would not even soothe him.

(Sitting in the fabulous tractor before having to make his painful exit)

Finally, after much fussing, I managed to appease him with some free ice cream!  He sat on his hay bale and enjoyed his treat.  Then we hopped back in the car to head home after an even more leisurely walk through the gravel and ropes back to the car.  I never knew you could fit that many little rocks in the pockets of toddler overalls!

(Ice cream soothes the cranky toddler!)

 Evan really enjoyed his trip to the farm!  I'm looking forward to finding some more farms out in our area for Evan to explore!  I'm also hoping I can turn up a tractor that Evan can sit in for as long as his little heart desires!

Glassy

Last weekend we were lucky enough to be invited to Glassy, SC to visit Ian's Aunt and Uncle, Steph and Don.  We headed down on Friday night and met Gram and Gramps there.  It was late when we got in, so we all went straight to bed.  When we woke up in the morning we were greeted with a beautiful sight.  The room in which we were staying had breathtaking views overlooking the South Carolina mountains as the sun came up.  It was lovely. 

(The beautiful view out of our bedroom window)

We all woke up and after a leisurely breakfast and some time for the Grandparents and Great-aunts and uncles to play with Evan, we headed down to the Children's Village for a little play time and picnic.  Evan had a ball, and we sat basking in some more lovely views while we ate a delicious picnic for lunch. 

(Evan really enjoyed the Children's Village!)

(Exploring the playground)

During Evan's nap time I decided to attempt a trek with all of the guys up to the top of the mountain to check out the neighborhood and views.  We investigated a new house that was being built, hiked up a large rock at the top of the mountain, and visited their neighborhood chapel where they were preparing for a wedding.  It was a tough hike uphill, and I was pretty proud of my large pregnant self for making it all the way up the hill and down again.  I can't wait until I can do some serious hiking again!

(The boys and I trek up the mountain.)

(The happy couple poses inside the chapel.)

(Eight and a half years and still happy in love!)

When Evan woke up we did some more playing in the beautiful weather followed by, of course, some more eating.  We were pampered with the food that Steph prepared while we were there...fresh squeezed lemonade, homemade pimento cheese (It converted me into a fan!), chicken rice soup, steaks, asparagus with lemon, a delicious bean salad with homemade pesto, and homemade strawberry sorbet for dessert.  It all suited the pregnant lady just fine!

(What's the use of a belly this big if you can't use it for something??)

The night was capped off with an exciting game of Apples to Apples.  The only downside to a fabulous day was the unfortunate loss of Kansas in the NCAA tournament that night, but we didn't let it ruin our night! :) 

The next day we returned home refreshed and relaxed.  We had a great time, and it was great to have the opportunity to spend some time with and get to know Aunt Steph and Uncle Don.  Their new house is beautiful, and we can't wait to come back for another visit!  We're looking forward to their quick visit next week as they pass through Durham, but I don't think we can compete with their level of hospitality!

(Our wonderful hosts pose with their Great-nephew.)

Go Duke!

So, at the time of this post Duke is still in the NCAA championship, so this entry is a little tribute to our team! 

On Friday, Evan and I spent a little time enjoying the Duke Gardens and walking around the campus.  Although we didn't see as much of the gardens as we typically do on a toddler-less visit, Evan had a great time running around and taking in the sights on his own two legs.

(Evan gets ready to explore the gardens.)

We saw the flower terraces, the duck pond, and the bridge over the pond as well as lots of fields, trees, and paths.  Some of Evan's favorite activities were picking up acorns and gravel on the path, watching a lone heron fly back and forth, inching his shoes into the edge of the pond as Mommy looked on disapprovingly, and running back and forth across the bridge.

(Posing handsomely)

(Watching the birds at the pond)

(He tries to sneak his little feet into the pond.)

(Taking in the view from the bridge)

He wasn't too happy when I put him in his stroller to walk him over to Duke's campus, but we needed to stop by the bookstore, and it was a long way for his little legs to walk.  However, once we got onto campus he had a great time watching the people, looking at the chapel, and just taking in the sights in general.  We even saw a contestant from America's Next Top Model! (He wasn't too excited about that though.)  We made it to the bookstore and completed our mission by buying Evan a Duke baseball cap.  At first, I didn't think they had any that fit my little big headed boy, but he squeezed right into a toddler extra-large! 

It was a great morning, I hope the Duke basketball team appreciates our support and that our good wishes help them in their game on Friday...

Go Duke!

Welcome Back to the Eno

The Eno River State Park was one of our favorite places when Ian and I lived here before.  We loved to head down there on a weekend morning and spend the weekend hiking around with Ripple, throwing sticks for him in the river.  It was one of our favorite things to do.

Last weekend we finally had the chance to get back as a family to hike around.  It's been one of the few times we've been able to get back out there since we've moved back.  Ian had taken Evan the week before, but I had been sick in bed.

So, we headed out to the park.  Evan knew what to expect, so he was excited.  The minute we got on the trail, both boys (Evan and Ripple) made a beeline for the river.  Evan loved to throw sticks in and Ripple loved to hop in after them.  Evan also loved climbing up on logs and trying to walk on them.  This time, he also found stumps and puddles, both of which were great for jumping in, around, and off of.  We were also able to put him in the pack for a little bit quicker paced walking.  Even though I wasn't hauling him, Baby Davis #2 made me pretty tired by the end of the hike.

Apparently there are lots of parts of the park that we haven't explored yet.  I can't wait to get back out there and have fun with my boys!

(Log walking with Daddy)

(Evan, Ripple, and Mommy playing in the river)

(Getting ready to do some stump jumping-I love this picture!)

Alright, who gave him the keys??

Have I mentioned that Evan has an obsession with all things with wheels?  When we head to a play area the first thing he always goes for is the play cars or anything with a play steering wheel.  When we drive down the road he is perpetually looking out for cement mixers, and his new favorite phrase is "I love mixers!"

So, last weekend Ian was loading up the car with yard debris to take to the dump when suddenly Evan found another wheel he couldn't resist.  We're not quite signing him up for driver's ed yet though, and don't worry, those are the keys to the other car in his hand. 

I can't wait until he's a teenager, yikes!

Evan Goes to the Museum

Friday has come and gone and with it another Evan and Mommy adventure.  This time we went to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science in Raleigh.  We had been there once before but hadn't had much of a chance to explore, so this trip was all about Evan exploring things at his own pace. 

We started off wandering the halls looking at all of the exhibits of various North Carolina habitats and animals.  He looked at all of the exhibits briefly, but his favorites were definitely the ones with live animals or buttons to press.  He was especially excited about the buttons that you pressed to hear insect sounds.

The whole way to the museum he had been talking about seeing the "flies" (butterflies) because that's one of his favorite parts of the other museum that we normally go to, The NC Museum of Life and Science.  Fortunately, this museum had a butterfly room too.  He was so excited when we went in.  He kept saying "finger" and holding out his finger in the hopes of having one land on him.  He was entranced by the big blue butterflies and the turtles.  However, I was entranced by the sloth that just happened to be being fed at the time that we visited so we were able to see him slink down to his food and back up to his perch.  I kept pointing, but Evan didn't see why it was so exciting.  At one point we almost had a butterfly land on Evan's arm, but he flew away.

We tried to go to a story time where you are able to see some real animals at the end, but Evan wasn't terribly interested.  I made the mistake of giving him my camera to try to keep him entertained until the animals came out, but I ended up opening a can of worms.  He wouldn't pay attention to anything else and was devastated when I had to take it away.  He was getting tired and this signaled the end of our museum visit. 

We had a great time, and I definitely had a tired Evan when I got home.  I'm looking forward to another adventure with my boy next week, and hopefully I'll actually manage to get another post in before then.

(Our view of the State Capitol on our way into the museum)

(Evan gets up close and personal with a bug.)

(One of the butterflies that Evan found so entertaining)

(The sloth that I found so entertaining)

(A little Evan photography of the storytime-I think his pictures are getting better and better.)

Marbles

When we lived in Seattle, I decided that I would take one day a week and take Evan out for an adventure, something we had never done before.  It was great, we went to markets, museums, all sorts of exciting places.  Since we've been here, we've had a lot of fun, but I haven't really kept up that tradition.   Last week I decided to change that.  So, last Friday, Evan and I headed out to Raleigh to go to a museum that we had always wanted to go to but never made it, Marbles Museum.

It was definitely an adventure, and we had a blast!  Marbles is several stories of toddler heaven!  We started off in an enclosed area with all sorts of things to explore: cars, trains, play kitchens, play post offices, and so much more.  Evan had to run around and drive every car, finding every steering wheel in the place.  Then, he moved on, making friends in the kitchen while he described his cooking methods. 

From there we headed to the water area.  He put on an apron, a little long, but still necessary, and played in some fountains and splashy pools.  All of the toddlers and their respective parents were a little damp when leaving that area.  We also checked out the underwater simulation, the submarine, and the pirate ship.  It's always interesting to see how the bigger kids react to little kids.  Some just shove them out of the way, and there were plenty of those kids there.  Then, there are the older children that take the time to really help out the little ones.  While we were in the submarine one boy came up and took the time to coach Evan and teach him how to push all of the buttons.  I hope I raise boys like that.

Next we headed upstairs.  The exhibit was on money, so I didn't know how much Evan would like it, but it turned out to be one of his favorite rooms.  There was plenty that was too old for him, but they had ball pits, bikes to ride on, big coins to jump on, and more things to drive.  The contraptions that shot balls out of them were definitely the biggest hit.  Evan had a blast playing with them with some of his friends that decided to head to the museum with us. 

The last room we tried to avoid the older children playing with real world tools and headed over to the drawing station where we colored a dog and pasted some buttons and cloth scraps on him, not as interesting as shooting balls, but it held our attention for a little while.  Then, it was time to head out.  This did not make Evan happy.  He cried all the way to the car then woofed down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the way home.  So ended our first North Carolina adventure.  We can't wait to see what this week has in store for us!

(Evan really enjoyed splashing in the water!)

(Notice how the little apron was folded up at the bottom-a little big.)

(He can't wait until he can reach the pedals!)

(My little bus driver)

(Why didn't I ever think of this method of winning Skee-ball?)

Brush with Fame

A few weeks ago, Evan and I had the opportunity to meet a celebrity-not a musician, not an actor, not a world-class athlete.  This celebrity was bigger!

We headed over to our mall's local Barnes and Noble for story time.  Obviously, word had gotten out that this celebrity was coming because they childrens' area was packed!  Fortunately, we were able to get a seat up front before the crowds really moved in.  There were toddlers and parents filling every nook and cranny of the section.  All the kids were anxious, but the guest of honor wasn't there yet.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, he arrived.  Clifford the Big Red Dog had arrived.  One of his friends read a story about him and then he stood up there to greet his loyal fans.  Ironically, at this point, Evan didn't even know who Clifford was.  He had never read any of his books or seen any of his shows, so he wasn't quite as blinded by the fame as some.  Maybe this is why he wasn't scared at all to meet Clifford.  He took him in from a distance for a time.  Then, he inched closer and closer.  While Evan never actually touched the big red dog, he did do a lot of waving, and Clifford actually waved back!

While we didn't know who Clifford was, we certainly do now.  We picked up a Clifford board book on our way out of the store which has quickly become a favorite. We also checked out a few more books on the famous pooch at the library which we've been reading every bedtime. 

Who knew that Evan could meet such a famous face right here in Durham, NC?

What's in a Name?

The poll that we posted to help us choose a name for Baby Davis #2 has now closed.  Thanks to everyone who voted.  You guys definitely liked some names better than others.  Looks like Rowan was your top pick, followed by Oliver and Brendan.  Seeing the names on the poll really helped us go over each one and see if we really liked it enough.

Well, as time passed and the poll continued, we began to rule names out.  Those had been our favorites, chosen after hours of scouring the baby name books.  However, one by one, they fell.  One we found out was too popular, one was just as common for girls, another had a nickname we didn't like, and several just fell out of favor.  Soon, we were left again with no names!

So, after all of that hard work, nothing seemed quite right.  We still didn't look at any of the names and see the name of our little Baby #2.  We thought and thought and kept suggesting things to each other.  Suddenly, while we were just coming up with suggestions, we hit on something.  We kept saying it, and we kept liking it.  We got a little nervous.  It seems like there's a feeling you get when you have chosen the right name, you get a little nervous about saying it out loud.  That's sort of where we are now. 

Several of you are lucky enough to have heard it.  If you ask, we'll probably tell you.  But I'm not quite ready to put it out on the blog, not until we have seen the little guy and we're sure he looks like his new name.  Now that he has a name, and we've heard Evan say it, it seems all the more real.  We are so excited to welcome little B......  James Davis!

A Day with Daddy at Little Gym

Every Thursday Evan heads down to the Little Gym to learn a little gymnastics and have some fun.  At first, he was a bit wary of all of the kids and adults running around in a small space.  However, now he looks forward to it all week!  He's learning all sorts of new skills like walking on a beam, hanging on the bar, jumping, galloping, and even forward rolls!

A few weeks ago, Daddy was able to make it to a class.  Evan had a wonderful time showing Daddy all around and teaching him a move or two.  Take a look...

(Evan and Daddy run around the gym as a warm up)

 

(Evan jumps on the bouncy mat with some of his friends.)

 

(Look Dad, I can hang all by myself!)

 

(Dad still has some pointers for his son.)

(Can't beat that father-son time together!)