New Orleans Ain't Just For Grown-Ups

We got back from New Orleans yesterday and I know I'll never get around to developing my photos, so I'm just going to dump them onto this blog here.  If you think I uploaded too many, imagine how many photos are still left on my camera.  Yes, I probably developed carpal tunnel in my trigger finger.

One of a hundred masks Elijah tried on while in New Orleans:

We ran into the same Harlequin/Jester several times during our trip.

Elijah finally warmed up to him enough to take a photo.

Needless to say, Elijah loves the streetcars.

"Is it comin' yet?"

"Yikes, it's comin'!"

After refusing to so much as look at a beignet last year,

Elijah finally ventured his first bite at Cafe du Monde...

and then proceeded to eat a dozen more during the course of our trip.

Streetcars or Beignets?  It's a toss up, as to which is Elijah's favorite.

But notice the glint in his eyes in the right-hand photo below...

and the remnants of powdered sugar:

Day Seven of Beignets and Streetcars:

A beautiful day at Story Land, where fairy tales become life-size:

This year we checked out the Louisiana Childrens Museum, too.  It's funny how customized the playland is to the locality...their grocery store is a Winn-Dixie as opposed to a Dominick's, their cafe serves up Creole gumbo instead of Panera Bread sandwiches, and the hands-on exhibits include not just the standard fire trucks and police cars, but also steamboats and shipping cranes.  The best part was the section revolving around New Orleans' unique architecture.  Rob and I had fun designing our own Creole Cottages and Shotgun Homes...wait, I mean Elijah had fun with it:

And of course no trip to New Orleans is complete without a visit to Audubon Zoo:

...the highlight being, of course, the Cajun cypress swamp.

Crazy, huh?

They've even got albino alligators.  Don't ask; I've no clue....

If you've ever been around Elijah during mealtimes, you won't be surprised at all to learn that he insisted on the popcorn and milk diet the last time we were in New Orleans.  This year it was the beignet and apple juice diet, with occasional popcorn:

A stroll through Audubon Park to end the day:

Elijah wished he remembered to pack his own horn and sax

as he tuned into the music playing on the streets:

Elijah was spectacular on this trip.  Aside from all the kids' stuff, Rob and I got to enjoy New Orleans' history, art, architecture, music--and, last but not least, its cuisine.  Thankfully, Elijah was extremely accommodating, allowing us to dine for the customary two hours it takes to savor every meal served in New Orleans~breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Thanks E (but not for the 10 lbs we gained).