The Dogwood Parade

Mommy and I arrived in Illinois on Wednesday, May 1. We have had a lot of fun so far (but we definitely miss Daddy). We’re in Quincy this weekend visiting my great grandparents. Today we got to go see the Dogwood Parade.

Ready to get this parade going!

Running around in the street before the parade starts.

Sitting with Grandma for the parade. It was cold and rainy weather, but we are one committed parade family!

My parade-watching peeps.

The start of the parade. Finally!

Grandma’s lap was a great vantage point.

It was a little wet.

Kind of a strange look.

Great-Grandma got me a basket for candy. What a smart woman!

Waving my flag!

We got a shirt for Daddy!

And a medal came with the shirt. Too bad, though, that Daddy is slow. He only got 3rd place. In a walk. In 2009. Interesting.

Someone came to give me a special sucker.

I didn’t want to let it out of my sight.

This basket is starting to get full.

Hmmm…someone switched out my special sucker for a smaller, Lainey-sized sucker. They are very tricky.

What?! You’re supposed to eat this thing? I was thrilled holding it, but….I’m in!

I tried biting it first, but that didn’t go very well.

Starting to get the hang of it…

Hard at work.

This is Brittany’s (my cousin) junior high marching band.

She is in ninth grade, so next year she’ll move up to the high school marching band!

She plays the clarinet. All Mommy managed to catch was her ponytail on the far end of this line. The drums were playing at this particular moment, so we didn’t get to hear the band play, but they did a great job with their marching!

Okay, now back to this sucker.

And the sucker is done! There goes my first sucker in the history books!

There was lots of clapping and fun!

I spent some time in Mommy’s lap, but I was definitely happiest with Grandma.

After the parade was over, it was time to check out these goodies. A full basket! It’s so hard to be this cute (and get all of this candy because of it), but someone has to do it.