More water park play, Deer Park, a canoe and the beach!

We had to check out of the hotel this morning, but before we did, we got in a quick hour of play at the water park.  I went down the slide a lot more and had a great time.  But too soon, it was time to go.

After checking out, we went to the the "Deer Park".  This is a petting zoo but with a large open area where most of the deer can roam around freely.  Of course they sell deer food too, so Mommy and I knew we were going to have a great time.

There was a small goat area at first when you walk in (they also had rabbits and horses and some other animals), so I got to learn how to feed the goats first.  They were very friendly!

Mommy helped me and I quickly got the hang of it.  From then on, she couldn't hand me food for the animals fast enough!

The deer were also very tame and very friendly.

This one saw me head over to the deer feed box (even though I was just pretending to use it) and didn't want to wait!

Once the deer saw you handing out food, they were instantly your best friends.

After we ran out of deer food, we made our way back to the exit.  On the way they had some giant statues.  Daddy and I said "ROAR" next to the bear!

We left the deer park and went to lunch, where I fell asleep on Daddy's lap.  I was tired!  We then headed back to Fort McCoy to check out the camping area, where they have a lake and some boats to rent too.  We got a canoe, which meant that Daddy got to row us all around.  But not without my help!

Mommy surprised us with a treat, so Daddy rowed us over to a nice shady spot where we had some M&Ms.  I like M&Ms!

After a while I announced that I had enough of the boat, and wanted to go to the beach, so we rowed on back there.  Just like in Mississippi, I started off by grabbing handfuls on sand and throwing them down again!

I was pretty brave, and ventured out pretty deep into the water.  I wasn't wearing a swimsuit, so my clothes got pretty wet.  But at least I'm holding my shorts up!

"Two more minutes, Daddy!"

We left the beach and went back to the room.  It was getting late and we had to pack to leave tomorrow.  This trip I've learned how to operate my window in the car.  They had to put my car seat on one side of the back instead of in the center, so unlike at home, I can reach the window button.  I had fun putting it up and down and up and down!

A full day at the water park

Except for eating, we spent the whole day today at the hotel's water park.  And I spent a lot of it going down the slides.  I was still too scared to go down by myself, by I liked going down with Daddy and Mommy.

Daddy and I got to play a little basketball too.  I'm going up for the dunk...

... and there it is!

I asked him to do this over and over again until his arms were tired.  He got a good workout!

Near the end of the day, Daddy tried again to get me to go down the water slides by myself.  This time he started by standing in the water at the end of the slide, and putting me just a few feet up the slide, as far as he could reach.  I'd then slide the 2 feet down it into his arms, and he'd immediately plop me back down on the slide.  I giggled each time he did this, it was great fun!  After a while he started pushing me a little farther up the slide, then I started pushing myself back up the slide, then Mommy helped a little, and soon enough, when Daddy asked if I wanted to go all the way up to the top myself, I said "yes"!

Notice the tongue is out as I contemplate going down the slide.  I did, and Daddy caught me, and immediately I wanted to do it again.  And again and again!  The only reason we stopped was for dinner, I was having so much fun.  Daddy was having a great time too, seeing me with a big grin each time down the slide, and a big laugh when he'd catch me. 

I was going up the stairs to the slide so quick that I was climbing them like grown-ups - one foot on each step.  But soon I decided I could skip a step, then two steps!  That was a little much, Mommy told me to stop, but not before she took this picture of my attempt!

I told Daddy I wanted to go on the dinosaur slide all by myself, but when we got out there, I changed my mind.  Maybe tomorrow!  We'll come back again in the morning before we check out of the hotel. 

Full day of play with Mommy and Daddy

For our first full day in Wisconsin, we first went to the Ft McCoy recreation area.  They have a lake and playground and campsites and lots of stuff to do.  I saw the lake (with a sandy beach) and immediately ran toward it, remembering the one in Mississippi.  Mommy and Daddy couldn't hold me back - even though I wasn't dressed for the water, I was focused!  I got both feet in the water and walked around a little bit before we were told the beach wasn't open yet as no lifeguard was on duty.  Oh well!

Daddy saw they had a miniature golf course and thought it might be fun.  It was!  I'd never played golf before, but I quickly learned the basics, like proper form.

And if the ball won't go in the hole, just pick it up and put it in!

When faced with hazards, just throw the ball across!

I was very excited every time Mommy or Daddy hit the ball, and quickly ran to pick it up to give it back to them!  It took us a while to finish the course, but nobody else was there, so it didn't matter.  We were having fun!

We went back to the room and had lunch, then headed on down to Wisconsin Dells, which is famous for having lots of water parks.  Indoor ones, too!  We decided to stay overnight at one of the hotels that has a couple of smaller play areas perfect for me.  Once I saw the water park, it sure seemed to take forever for Mommy and Daddy to get checked in, change clothes, and get ready.  I was ready now!

I ran right in the water, but I was a little afraid of the slides. At the end of one I went underwater, and didn't like that at all. So Daddy and Mommy went down with me from then on. Wheee!

We then went outside to the pool.  They had a big dinosaur slide that I thought looked fun.  Daddy told me he'd catch me at the bottom, and I was just about to go, but got a little scared.    So I went down a few times with Mommy and Daddy.

Daddy and I had a lot of fun splashing one another!  I'd dip my hands in the water, splash him, then quickly get away before he could get me

Just before we were ready to leave, I got brave and went down a slide by myself!  Daddy caught me!  I said it was fun, but when asked if I wanted to do it again, said no.  Maybe tomorrow!

We went to Denny's for dinner and I had pancakes and bacon.  All that play sure made me hungry, and I ate a LOT!

After a tough day of play, what else to do but put coins in Daddy's toes?

I can't wait until tomorrow!

Flying to Wisconsin

Finally we headed up to Wisconsin to see Mommy again!  Daddy and I knew this was going to be a really long flight, but we were very excited about it.  We stopped in Paola, KS for lunch at the restaurant on the airport there, and at Grinnell, IA to stretch our legs.  It was over 6 hours of flying and about 8 hours total time, but we made it!

Daddy had bought me a portable DVD player before we left.  It kept me occupied for at least a couple of hours.  I watched "Cars" - one of my favorite movies.

When we stopped at Paola, KS for lunch, I asked Daddy if they had cookies there!  I remembered from the last time we flew to see Mommy, the restaurant in Shreveport, LA had cookies.  So all airport restaurants must have cookies!  (And yes, it turns out they did have cookies.)

It was a very nice flight, no real weather and no big headwinds.  Right at 5:00 PM we landed at Sparta, WI.  Daddy pulled up to the fuel pump and Mommy came out to see us!

I gave her lots of big hugs!

Look at how big of a girl I am!  I pulled my bag all the way to the car.

It's good to be with Mommy again!

"Air-Massion" fluid?

Today I helped Daddy change the transmission fluid in the car.  I was very excited to help, and after I helped him pour in the new fluid, I said I'll have to tell Mommy I changed the "air-massion fluid!"  I was very proud of saying my new word and repeated it several times.

A parade!

Daddy found out that Del City was having their annual parade today, so we went up there to watch.  I quickly made a new friend who was sitting near us, and she even let me sit in her chair and use her umbrella (though it wasn't raining)!

I quickly found out that parades are a lot of fun, especially for one reason - when Daddy later asked me what my favorite part of the parade was, without hesitation I answered "the candy!"  I thought it was great that everybody in the parade wanted to throw me candy.  Daddy even caught me in mid-air trying to get some!

I like suckers, so this is pretty much how Daddy saw me for the rest of the parade.

When I got these two big ones, I wouldn't put them down, even to grab more candy.  I would still try to pick up more candy, of course, but didn't want to put these two down first.  It made it more difficult, but I managed!

My new friend even offered me some of her cotton candy.  I wasn't sure what to make of it at first, but then I thought it was pretty good.

We got to see all kinds of displays, fire trucks, police cars, military vehicles, motorcycles, horses, a band, and all the little trikes and cars the Shriners ride.  It was a lot of fun.  And did I mention there was candy?

After the parade we did some shopping on and around the base, since we were close by.  Daddy even braved going in to the Commissary, and it was super busy.  I was a pretty good girl the whole time.  On the way home I fell asleep, I'd had such a tiring day (and maybe my sugar rush was over).  Daddy got me out of the car and I curled up next to him on the bed - cozy!

I know 33 states!

It has been a while since we did my map puzzle, but Daddy asked if I wanted to do it, and I excitedly said YES!  He counted, and I now know 33 states!  This especially surprised him since we haven't done the puzzle at all in almost a month.

Tornado Warning!

When Daddy picked me up today, he told me we had to hurry up and leave.  There was a big storm coming, so he wanted to get home quick!  And just a few minutes after getting home, as he was in the closet changing clothes, we heard the tornado sirens!  We checked out the weather on TV and saw that there was a center of circulation (not yet a tornado) a few miles straight west of us, headed our way fast, and there was golfball size hail falling outside.  So we got down in the tornado shelter (I said we were hiding from the "monsters") in time to hear the wind really pick up, our trash can blow down the street, and the garage door banging back and forth.  After a few minutes the wind died down and the sirens stopped, so Daddy took a look outside and it was a nice day!  We found out that the system which went over us did create a tornado just a few miles east of us, headed east.

We got out and took a look around.   I noticed all the hail on the ground and immediately started collecting it up and putting it in the birdbath!  I thought this was a lot of fun and got all I could find until there wasn't any more.

It even put a hole in our bird feeder.

After this, it was such a nice afternoon (80 degrees, sunny, and calm) that I rode my tricycle around the block!

Back from Grandma and Papa's!

Daddy came and got me today, and much to his delight, I was very excited to see him.  I missed my Daddy!

I sure had a fun time with Grandma and Papa, and was a really good girl (most of the time).  I even got to try (and find out I liked) a lot of new foods.  Daddy is very happy about that.

Grandma, Papa, and I got to do a lot of neat things.  They are members of the Tulsa Zoo, so we went down there one day.  I wasn't scared of these lions, although I know what sound they make.  RAHR!

They had a petting zoo too!

I got to compare myself with the penguins.

Grandma introduced me to peanut butter crackers.  I've never wanted peanut butter when Daddy's offered it, but when Grandma showed how it could be squished between two crackers, that sure looked like a lot of fun to me!

I got to help Grandma in the kitchen too.  Here we are making some tuna salad.  And since I helped make it, I wanted to eat it!  I preferred to suck on it, though, which Grandma and Papa thought was really weird.

I really like the Dora the Explorer series, and a few times we got to go out back where I could be "Piper the Explorer"!  We got to do a lot of exploring up and down the "river" that runs behind their house.

We also got to float boats down this river!

I had so much fun at their house, that at one point, I was so exhausted I fell asleep on the couch in the middle of playing.

What a week!

To Grandma and Papa's by myself again!

When Daddy told me I was going to go to see Grandma and Papa by myself again, I was pretty excited!  Grandma and Papa were very nice to Daddy and offerred to meet us halfway between Oklahoma City and Tulsa so he wouldn't have to drive the whole way.  He thought this was pretty great.  We met at a McDonalds on the turnpike and I got to have an ice cream cone with Papa.  I was a very happy girl! 

I'll be spending at least a few nights with them.  I told Daddy I hoped Grandma would read to me in bed again!

Saturday fun

A few things to tell about today.

As Daddy was at the bathroom sink brushing his teeth this morning, I called from near the tub "Daddy, I'm taking a bath!"  Since it wasn't bath time (and he hadn't heard any water running fortunately), he was puzzled and looked around the wall at me, and sure enough, I was sitting on the edge of the tub, having taken my pants, underpants, and socks off, and then said "I need help with my shirt."  He thought it was pretty funny, and broke up laughing.

A little while later I told him I had to go potty.  He was in the other room, and it sure seemed to be taking me a long time, so he checked on me as he heard the toilet flush.  Good thing he did, too, because what he saw was the toilet overflowing with a whole lot of toilet paper in it!  Apparently he didn't hear the toilet flush the first time, because I must have been having lots of fun with the toilet paper.  Poor Daddy!

Later in the day we went out on an ice cream date!  Okay, actually a "frozen custard" date.  A local place called "Rusty's Frozen Custard" (he likes the name) sends out coupons every once in a while, so he figured we'd try it.  I got mine with chocolate chips mixed, and I sure did like it!  As usual I ate it at my very slow pace, enjoying each tiny little bite.  I couldn't eat the whole thing, but I passed it over to Daddy to finish.  He didn't mind!

After that we went to a different playground just down the street from the custard place.  Somebody was having a birthday party so there were lots of kids there, and I had a great time.  I made friends with a few other girls and we ran around squealing and chasing each other like little girls do!  Daddy was having a lot of fun just watching us, and sometimes he'd chase me around too (and then I'd chase him).  We were there for a long time, about an hour and a half.  You'd think I'd be tired and take a nap after that.  Nope!

I've also started being silly and calling Mommy and Daddy "Mommo" and "Daddo".  Daddy then calls me "Pipe-o" and I think it's pretty funny!