Canton is becoming quite the animal lover!  Enjoy this clip of Canton on 7/19/2010 feeding giraffes at the Brevard Zoo!

Feeding Giraffes from Mike Murphy on Vimeo.

On July 19 we headed to the Brevard Zoo.  I had an AMAZING time.  It was a beautiful day, hardly any people around, and lots of shade!  I saw so many neat animals and I was able to get so close to them!  I rode a train around the park and got to see rhinos, a cheetah, monkeys, but the giraffes were by far the best part!  Can you believe that I did something with animals again that mom was afarid to do?!  I fed the giraffes!!  I was sooo brave and got a huge kick out of feeding these graceful animals.  Melvin, my favorite giraffe, let me feed him several times.  I stayed over four hours at the zoo and only got fussy a few times.  Grandma was proud of how I stayed interested in all that was going on.  As soon as we got in the car I conked out and took a 2.5 hour nap!!  That’s pretty huge for me!  Mom and Dad might need to bring me here more often!

On July 15 we started our journey to visit Grandma in the Sunshine State.  I sure didn’t like the car ride to FL. We had to make many many stops, but mom and dad we’re okay with that, especially after they got some super cute pictures of me posing at the Georgia sign.

And here I am playing in the driver seat to stretch out my legs…

In just a few days Canton has learned to sign ‘please’ and ‘more’, he’s definitely learning to communicate more! 🙂

Here’s Your Sign from Mike Murphy on Vimeo.

I had a great long weekend visiting family and enjoying some outside time. I traveled down to Great Falls to see Mal and Pap and wander around their neighborhood, I even got to ride in a golf cart! I had a great time with Grandma and Grandpap. They took me around outside, showed me how to water the garden, and took me to the fireworks. Mom said there is no greater viewpoint than watching fireworks through her big man’s eyes (the 27.5 seconds I watched them that is). I mostly ran through the field and turned when I heard an extra-loud band, look out next year though I’ll be right there instead of a few miles away.

Canton is loving swimming, with the exception of being on his back–he’s just not in control during that stroke. Enjoy!

Swimming! from Mike Murphy on Vimeo.

Mom and Dad FINALLY took me up to the pool at Great Oaks and I LOVED it! I climbed in and out of the kiddie pool and loved swimming on the noodle with Dad in the big pool. I’ve also started swimming lessons. I’m learning how to blow bubbles and have my face in the water. My favorite part is just splashing. I don’t like being on my back too much, but I’ll get there.

I’ve also learned to not only climb onto the couch, but to climb on top of the couch and chair–fun for mom.

It is hard to believe mom has to be back to work in six weeks or so, the summer is going soooo fast! We’ve had a great time together, I don’t think mom has ever enjoyed her summer so much. Pretty soon we’ll be going to Florida, can’t wait!

Ride ‘Em Cowboy from Mike Murphy on Vimeo.

Boy, Mom and Dad sure are lucky to have friends like Mrs. Cromer.  Jessica and Grady invited us over for dinner, but more importantly, I got to check out lots of animals!  I got to see some really sweet dogs, but I also saw chickens, a donkey, and I even got to sit on a horse!!  Jessica led me around so well, she even calmed down Mom when the donkey came running toward us.  She showed me some funny roosters, but I kept calling them ducks, and she let me touch and feed the donkey.  Then, after eating some of her yummy green beans, Grady got the horse and I SAT ON HIM!  I was sooo excited!  I grinned, laughed, and rubbed her mane.  Mom is so lucky to have such a remarkable friend to show me the ropes and teach me how to be a true Floyd man.  🙂

Oh my goodness!  I could not have had more fun than at the zoo!  I saw so many animals, I was pointing and talking up a storm!  Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpap, and Aunt Beth were sooo proud of me!   Even though is was over 100 degrees I didn’t cry the WHOLE time.  Mom said all other zoo trips will be downhill from this one because I’ll never be as good as I was this time!  I’m quite a troooper! 

My favorite attraction was the Small Mammals House, I saw lots of interesting animals and it was inside.  The apes were pretty cool too.  They climbed across a rope 40 feet in the air without a net!  One even pooped from overhead right near us!  Mom and Dad will never forget the look of excitement and curiousity in my eyes and my squeals of delight, it is one of the best feelings they have ever had.  Thanks Grandpap and Grandma for a trip Mom and Dad will never forget!