Episode CLXXXII: Holidays 2021

This year for Thanksgiving we visited California. It was our first visit in nearly 2 years!

Elliot's 1st trip with his own luggage. The kids were champs!

Lydia's face when I told her we made it to California.

We did lots of favorite SoCal activities, including volleyball and the pool. We also enjoyed the parents' new backyard fire pit.

Elliot was living the dream with a houseful of new (to him) toys.

We visited GG for a Thanksgiving Dinner.

Our traditional walk around the block with GG.

For Christmas we were back in Dallas, and had our own little family celebrations.

Driving through the Dallas Zoo with Christmas lights

Horse-drawn carriages nightly visit our neighborhood en route to neighborhoods with fancy Christmas lights

Lydia's 1st Christmas, and she's loving it

Episode CLXXXI: Cabin #6

 To celebrate Labor Day, the family took a trip to "Cabin #6" near Glen Rose, Texas.

On the way we stopped in Fort Worth to see the water gardens:

As well as the Fort Worth botanic gardens:

The cabin had a number of important features, including a giant bed for Elliot:

As well as a giant stuffed animal (elk?) on the couch that we befriended. 

The highlight of the trip was a visit to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, an animal sanctuary that you drive through and animals walk right up to your car. For example, here is an addax (nearly extinct in the wild) just walking alongside us.

Elliot viewing the giraffes

Meg feeding a giraffe from the car window

Meg feeding a giraffe through the moonroof

On Labor Day itself we visited the Paluxy River, at Big Rocks Park. Elliot had a blast.

This was the first Norris Family road trip as a family of four. Both Elliot and Lydia did a great job!

Two good car kids taking a nap

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Episode CLXXX: Lydia May Norris

Lydia May Norris was born one month ago today, on July 18, 2021. Here is a brief photo album of her first month of life.

Week 1

Sweetly sleeping in the hospital

Six pounds, four ounces.

Baby's first cuddles

Big Brother's first look at Baby Sister

Week 2

My parents stayed with us (for weeks!) to take care of Elliot during the delivery, and then to hang out with the new baby.

Baby's first bottle (Lydia is a very good eater)

Week 3

Later, Meg's parents came to visit the growing family.

Week 4

Lydia was born right around the Olympics, so we watched a lot of niche sports together. Here she is practicing her high bar routine. She's pretty strong!

Week 5

Happy One Month Birthday, Lydia!

Episode CLXXIX: Cabin #5

We took advantage of the extended 4th-of-July weekend to visit Waco, Texas, and to stay in "Cabin #5."

Note that the cabin is  structurally attached to a stable!

On the way we stopped by Cleburne, TX to visit the Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum. Elliot enjoyed the tipis, and was *transfixed* by the blacksmith shop.

Our cabin was located on a horse farm just outside of Waco. From our porch we could see cows, horses, and a surprising number of buzzards.

We visited the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, and enjoyed some Dr. Pepper Floats.

We also visited Baylor University. Apparently they house real life bears (the university mascot) on campus!

Watching a bear sleeping in its cave

Usually Elliot's favorite part of a cabin is playing race cars on the cabin floor. And indeed, he enjoyed race cars at cabin #5.

But race cars were no match for what he experienced at the Dr. Pepper Museum: a real life model train! He was awed and amazed, and was disconsolate when we finally had to leave.

 

But even a real life model train couldn't hold a candle to Elliot's very favorite part of the trip: The Brazos River. We made an impromptu trip down to the river, and Elliot convinced us to stay... for 2 hours. He literally sat there for 2 hours, just watching the ducks, boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and logs float by. He sat there watching the river till it was time to go back to Cabin #5 and go to bed.