Spoiled Rotten

Free day at the zoo: Two senior citizens and one child.

Grandma and Grandpa Richardson came to visit - and that means one thing: from the minute they landed to the minute they left, Peyton was spoiled so rotten she stunk...more than usual. After unloading presents from their suitcases, we took Peyton to the petting zoo in nearby Reston. She was a little apprehensive of most of the animals, but enjoyed looking at the little caged bunnies.

"These look eerily familiar to that creepy animal Mommy forced me to see at Easter."

Peyton was also a little scared of Grandpa at first - she hadn't seen him in about 4 months. For the first day and a half, she wouldn't let Grandpa come near her. But then a rabid duck tried to attack her at the zoo, and Grandpa swooped in and rescued her. From that moment on, Grandpa was her hero. The two of them spent the rest of the day attached at the hip. As an aside, PK stepped in duck crap and got it on Grandpa's pants.

"Holy Duck!"

"My hero."

New BFFs

Grandpa avenges the attempted attack of Peyton, feeds duck Alka Seltzer

"Little does Grandpa know I already smeared duck poop on his pants."

We also took Monkey to Burke Lake Park, where she got her mow/juice box on and screwed around with her Princess tent.

"Nothing in the world like mowing the grass and throwing back a cold one."

Kisses for Daddy

Happy girl at the park.

Showing off her throwing skills....

And her kicking.

We thought she would love riding the carousel, but as usual during our 16 months of parenting, we were wrong.

"I said I wanted a REAL pony!"

By the time we got around to the best thing in Burke Lake Park, the choo choo train, Peyton was tired and disoriented. She sat dazed and bewildered in Grandma's lap for the duration of the ten minute ride, likely thinking back to the harrowing duck attack that had been her closest brush with death in her short life.

"I could use a nap."

In all, Peyton had a fabulous weekend. She got more treats and toys than any one year old should be allowed in a three day period, and was, as always, the center of attention. Naturally, she charmed the daylights out of Grandma and Grandpa by learning how to "cheers" her drink at dinner, and melted their hearts with every gracious kiss.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for a great visit...Peyton misses you already.