Grandma's Visit

My mom recently moved to North Carolina and came to our house for a visit. Isabella was very excited to see her. She arrived last Thursday. That Friday Grammy came over too and we took Isabella shopping for school cloths. Grammy bought Isabella wonderful school cloths so she will look great! Thanks Grammy!!!

Last Sunday we went to see my mom's friend Michael sing. Raymond was so sweet! He watched Michael so intently and clapped when he was done singing. It was super cute! Here is a picture of Michael and Raymond.

Michael is singing at a fundraiser for Raymond in September. If anyone is intersted in going, send me an email for all the details.

Later in the week we visited Lake Tobias Wildlife Park. It is a great place to take a family. The first thing we did was go on a safari. It was fun!

Isabella got to feed the llama's. FYI, Mommy doesn't like llama's. I let Grandma help her with that!

Raymond even got to feed the animals! When this steer stuck it's big tough out towards the wheat cracker he was holding, Raymond's face was hysterical! Too bad we couldn't get a picture from that angle. Also while we were on the safari we saw a few white tailed deer. They were kept separate from the other animals behind a high fence. The safari guide asked if there were any hunters on the tour. Isabella was the only one who raised her hand. The guide laughed and said "Okay!" I asked Isabella how big the last deer she bagged was and she stretched her arms out as wide as she could. Daddy would have been proud!

After the safari we walked around the zoo part of the park. These rat like creatures are called capybara's. They have extremely large teeth and I told Isabella the sign said they may bite so not to put her hands up to the fence. She was thrilled when she noticed the baby capybara's. They were really cute. We spent a lot of time looking at them and even made a second pass on the way to the reptile show.

The reptile show was next. Isabella told Daddy all about how "Cuddles" the porcupine stomped his foot and shook his quill's. She was very impressed with him.

I liked the two-toed sloth. There were two people doing the presentation. While the once lady was talking the other girl got out some fruit in a plastic container. She had her back to the sloth and he really wanted a piece of the fruit. She didn't notice his attempts to get her attention for he took his nails and pulled out her ponytail. I thought it was pretty funny. That what she gets for taking too long : ) When it was time to talk about the sloth everyone was warned not to walk too close to him on the way out because he likes to grab purses, backpacks, hats and pretty much anything he can get his "hands" on.

We also visited the petting zoo and fed the miniature horses our leftover cracker's from the safari.

We had a very fun day at Lake Tobias. We were all really tired afterwards so on the way home we stopped for pizza. Grandma stayed a few more days then went back home.

When we took Isabella to the dentist, Dr. Miller told us to buy her a spinning toothbrush. Ever since Isabella has been reminding us of this. Isabella saw a commercial on tv for a spinning toothbrush that you decorate yourself. So off to Walmart we went and found one. Isabella decorated it tonight and used it for the first time. She asked me if she could show it to all her new friends she is going to make at preschool. What a cutie!

As all of you know, we are participating in the Eastern Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Center's 11th Annual Buddy Walk. Our team name is "Ray of Hope". I am bringing this up because the walk is in jeopardy of not happening. This walk is the center's biggest fundraiser of the year. Thus far, with only a little over a month to go, there hasn't even been enough money raised to cover the cost of the walk. The center is having an emergency meeting next Saturday about the walk that I will be attending. I am asking everyone who said they would like to walk or donate to do so now. Please do not wait until closer to the walk. If you do it may not happen. Please sign up as a member of our team to walk. It's a wonderful experience! Also, please keep in mind that the center is so important to so many people with Down Syndrome and their families. They are a major support system and advocate for our children. So please donate what you can and sign up to walk with us. We would love to see you there! Thank you so much to those who have already donated!!! Follow this link to our team page -

I want to support Raymond and Team Ray of Hope!!!

On a side note, we were out shopping for sneaker's for Isabella on Sunday and saw a car with four tires that looked like this...

You need new tires!!! Yikes!!!

Also for those keeping track, I went to the doctor and had an ultrasound done and they only saw one baby. Sorry babe! Better luck next time : )

That's all for now!

Until next time!

Lots of Love,

Erica