To Daddy, From Cora

Hi Daddy. It's Cora. We've been missing you around here for the past couple of days. I thought I would go through some of my favorite pictures of us together. Mama has a million! It was hard to choose. So I just picked some of the most recent ones. I love you!

Look how tall I am!

This is the ball that you bought the day you found out that I was going to be a girl. Now I'm big enough to kick it!

Smile

I've heard this song many times but it really caught my attention recently. Cora always makes me SMILE. This song takes the words out of my mouth. I am so blessed to have such a precious little girl in my life. I'm including the lyrics of the song "Smile" by Uncle Kracker. The lyrics are simple but they are perfect. The next time you hear it, think of those in your life that make you SMILE.

I love you little Cora! -Mama

Smile

by Uncle Kracker

You´re better then the best
I´m lucky just to linger in your life
Cooler then the flip side of my pillow that´s right
Completely unaware
Nothing can compare to where you send me
Lets me know that it´s ok yeah it´s ok
And the moments where my good times start to fade

You make me smile like the sun
Fall out of bed sing like a bird
Dizzy in my head spin like a record
Crazy on a Sunday night
You make me dance like a fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Ohh you make me smile

Even when you´re gone
Somehow you come along
Just like a flower poking through the sidewalk crack and just like that
You steal away the rain and just like that

You make me smile like the sun
Fall out of bed sing like bird
Dizzy in my head spin like a record
Crazy on a Sunday night
You make me dance like a fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Ohh you make me smile

Don´t know how I lived without you
Cuz everytime that I get around you
I see the best of me inside your eyes
You make me smile
You make me dance like a fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild

You make me smile like the sun
Fall out of bed sing like bird
Dizzy in my head spin like a record
Crazy on a Sunday night
You make me dance like a fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Ohh you make me smile
Ohh you make me smile
Ohh you make me smile

Whirlwind of a Weekend

We have had a very full weekend. We started at 10am on Saturday morning. We went to Will's birthday party at the Natural Science Center in G'boro. I have not been there since I was a kid- wow! things have really changed! We had such a nice time. Cora really enjoyed seeing the animals. As a part of the party, Will's guests got to touch a black snake, a rabbit and a hedgehog. Cora was a champ! She touched all but the snake and I think the only reason she didn't touch it was that she was distracted at the time.

After the party, we went to Aunt Kay's house and got to visit the baby goats. They were so cute! It only took a minute for Cora to warm up to them. She was very comfortable feeding them from her hand.

Our next stop was the Easter Egg Hunt at Thompsonville. After about 45 minutes, we realized that Cora was just a little too young yet to truly enjoy the festivities. We left and returned to Aunt Kay's to visit with the aunties and Ge. Our Saturday ended with presenting quilts to April, Jenny and David. (I'll post more about this later.)

We finally made it home before too late. There was packing for Coy to do to prepare for his trip.

Sunday started early. After breakfast we dropped Coy at the airport, came home to play with Oh-wo a while and then we were off to Thomasville to spend a little more quality time with our people.

I'm exhausted! :)

Sunday Lunch in T'ville

Look at those smiles! Cora, Morgan, Laurel Ann and John Marshall

Will, sharing his toys with the little kids.

Fun time with the cousins!

The Egg Hunt that Wasn't

Cora and Tannar enjoyed each other's company more than the egg hunting. Actually, Cora didn't even stay long enough for the actual hunting part. These two played together while all of the other kids played relay races and such. We'll have our big family Easter Egg Hunt in 2 weeks. I CAN'T WAIT!!! SO MUCH FUN!!!
Oh no, you can't tell that they were bored at all. Tannar walked around with a basket over his head and Cora insisted on keeping her paci and blanket with her most of the time.

Cora and Tannar

Feeding the Kids

Cori was so patient with Cora.

Will's Birthday Party

Cora and I both loved the hedgie! Misty and Coy with their girls :) he he

cousins, starting at the left: Carson, Morgan, Tannar, John Marshall & Laurel Ann

Sooooo not afraid of the animals...

The birithday boy is in the blue shirt.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This is a terrible picture of me but Cora looks adorable in this one. I love her piggies!

Dress Up

Check out this fashionista! Please note that the green "shirt" used to be a dress. I am trying to dig up a picture of her wearing it as such. It used to be well below her knees. This was just one morning. She does this all the time.

This and That

Cora is growing so fast. I wanted to post some recent pictures- not a special occasion. Sometimes those are the most special times. We were just out in the front yard on one of these beautiful spring mornings. Life is good.
I have no idea what she is doing here.
Good save!

1st Zoo Trip

Yay! We're at the zoo!

We Allens are high society- NC Zoo Society, that is. Cora's Ge (this is my mom's new name- Cora named her) gave her a membership to the NC Zoo Society for her 1st birthday. We've lost count of how many times we've used it at the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores but never at the zoo. Two weekends ago the weather was so beautiful so we thought we'd try it out. Cora loved it! I can remember being a kid and all of the animals seemed so far away. No doubt they were trying to get to the only shade on the far side of the fields. This was different. The weather was perfect and the animals were so close! We had a fantastic time! Thanks Ge!Cora wanted to study before we got to the zoo.

BUS!!!!!
One of Cora's favorite parts- a parking lot full of buses.

Coy dropping my baby down a huge leaf sliding board. The playground there is so neat! It's like you're in a huge garden and you're the size of an ant.

My monkeys in a gourd

Some of the baboons were not very modest... We liked the baby ones the best.

The giraffes were beautiful and SO CLOSE!!!

Huge eggs in the elephant exhibit? Maybe I missed a day or two in biology class... Never mind, Cora enjoyed them.

a loving embrace-
I just happened to snap the picture at the right moment.

Honda- Our Favorite

Come to find out, he was there when I was a kid. He's an old guy.