A First Birthday.... and a Day in the Country

I'm in Oxford.... Ohio, this week. Noelle Kathryn is one year old and I came to celebrate. And we discovered farm animals together. That's one of my first loves so it seems very appropriate.

I was raised on a dairy farm in Alaska and mostly remember Holsteins- the black and white milk cows but all farm animals smell like home- or money! as my dad used to say. Baby animals and the fragrant turning of the cool dirt means spring to me and pumpkins and petting farms say autumn all over the midwest.

So Happy  Birthday, our sweet autumn baby girl.  We're glad you're here and part of our family.

These grandchildren just get cuter and cuter. I'm a blessed woman.

"These are balloons, Noelle! Fun, aren't they!"

"Can I help!!!!" says big brother. "She's not even paying attention to the presents...."

"I LOVE these little people"

I also came to visit my favorite grandson. My "grandma name" is Bebe but he calls me "Bee". He can call me anything at all.  I'm putty in his hands.

And today we were off to the farm!

"Noelle, this is a goat."

"Goats are fun!" 

"Meet your first horse, Noelle. You laugh but he's trying to eat your skirt"

This sheep will stand still for photos, unlike a one year old!

Cuties in the corn bin. We found it in their pockets at home. :)

Total concentration

As a little girl, my daughter wanted to grow up and live on a farm.
She's older and wiser but don't they look great there? 

Ended the farm day on a hayride to the pumpkin patch. Tons of pumpkins and we were able to leave the field without buying one or having a meltdown scene. A perfect end to the day.

"Happy Birthday, baby girl!"

I love the memories of my farm childhood and I'm grateful my grandchildren can at least be exposed to American farms.  I want them to understand where our food comes from, the hard work it takes, the special families that do that work.   This was a good first step.

Going home after a wonderful day at a farm.