Happy birthday, Grandaddy Neal!
Or as Evie calls him in toddler talk, "Happy Birthday, Dandy!" She's getting better at pronouncing Grandaddy, but it now comes out more like Gran-Dandy.
For those of you who actually know my father, feel free to laugh at the nickname. We all know that Mr. Winston R. Neal -- although he is a gentleman extraordinaire, a rugged individual, a bona fide cowboy, a licensed aviator, and a few more (possibly unmentionable) things -- he isn't exactly the first image that pops to mind when you think of the dandiest person you know. "Dandy" is so very not appropriate for my father, that it just makes it all the more hilarious that his granddaughter calls him that.
For those of you who actually know my father, feel free to laugh at the nickname. We all know that Mr. Winston R. Neal -- although he is a gentleman extraordinaire, a rugged individual, a bona fide cowboy, a licensed aviator, and a few more (possibly unmentionable) things -- he isn't exactly the first image that pops to mind when you think of the dandiest person you know. "Dandy" is so very not appropriate for my father, that it just makes it all the more hilarious that his granddaughter calls him that.
This weekend we traveled down to celebrate Gran-Dandy's birthday.
And he gave us something in return: our little girl has a fully diagnosed case of airplane fever after taking a ride in Gran-Dandy's airplane. It's most definitely genetic, although the same fever hit me a little bit later in life.
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| This may be the first time a frilly pink tutu has been considered acceptable aviator attire. Or maybe not. You never can tell about those silly pilots these days. |
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| "See, Uncle Battle? I'm going to sit there and you're going to sit there." |
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| Sassy little pilot! |
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| Abbott is so excited about his very first plane ride. Can't you tell? |
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| "Y'all strap in back there! This could get bumpy!" |
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| "Um, Mom? They do know what they're doing, right?" |
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| A view of the runways after taking off. |
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| We checked out some of Grandaddy's cows. (The cows would be those teensy little black dots in the middle of the grassiest area - the light green rectangle.) |
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| Different angle, same cows. Grandaddy was showing his passengers the skill it takes to orbit a plane around a fixed point. |
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| She was silent for a while after we landed and taxied the plane back to the hangar. (I was a little worried that the silence meant she was getting airsick, but she proved me wrong.) The minute we opened the door, she got out and turned to look at us and proclaimed, "Evie's a pilot!" |
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| Kissing Abbott after a safe landing!! |
So adorable! She's not lacking personality, is she?
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday (belated) to your dad. And no, he's not dandy. I love the mispronunciations of youth. Jordan called my best friend "Hottie" for awhile. Cindy was a little disappointed when she graduated to "Cinny."
Those plane photos take me back. I can remember sitting on a stack of phone books and having my dad teach me how to fly by instruments because I still couldn't see over the dash.
I have to say you have two beautiful babies.