2 days

0 naps

1 poo in her crib at Grandma's

All amazing Papa's, Nana's, Grams, and Grandma's

But one Grandma earned BIG brownie points today:)

Sushi?

Emma and I were driving to the butcher today and when we pulled in she asked, "are we getting sushi?!" We were right next door to where Elliott gets sushi and Emma often goes in with him. It was cute:)

Emma, Cooper and Daddy in a smelly dog sandwich!

Emma wanted to paint Daddy's finger and toes, before he went on his trip! Look at how concentrated she is!

Emma found her new winter flannel pj's and wanted so badly to wear them - it was over 80 outside! So, she had to take one leg out:)

Tomorrow I start back to new teacher workshop, and Elliott left this morning for North Dakota AND somehow Emma just couldn't fall asleep for her nap today???!!!! That throws everything off... So we had to get out of the house and went to Papa and Grandma Loerch's for dinner. On the way her eyes were watering and she was yawning and said "Oh, I'm tired!" I asked her why she thought she was tired and she said "I didn't nap, i couldn't sleep" I think it is SO fun to listen to her as she starts to verbalize cause and effect, or consequences - she is growing up! It's the best thing ever....

Great Grandma Visits

I was making pulled chicken enchiladas last night for dinner, and Emma keeping busy was how I got it done! The above picture is how she stayed busy.... 5 wet dish towels, 10 wet dishes and a big silver bowl, dish soap, a big wooden spoon, a LOT of paper towels, and an endless supply of water! I know, not very environmentally savvy, but the enchiladas were really good:)
Elliott has been obsessed with sushi lately and so Emma has been introduced to chop-sticks! She went and got these the other day all on her own so she could eat her blueberry muffin.

Helping Daddy make mashed potatoes! She was scared to death that the mixer was going to be loud and was hiding behind my legs when he first pulled it out. Once he started it we decided, "That's not so bad, huh?" And then she loved it!

We had Great Grandma Hinrichs over for dinner on Tuesday night and Emma just loved her sparkly butterfly pin! It was so sweet to see them together - at one point Emma tried to get on her lap!

Love to all...

Emma, Daddy, and Cooper all watching "Elmo" (Sesame Street) this morning at 6:30 am:)

Emma LOVES to fly!

Yesterday Emma got Tommy on her lap and said, "Mommy, take a picture!" And there was this great big smile!

On a side note, Emma has fallen three times in the past week, walking with her flip-flops on! They are getting stretched out, and she'll be just walking along and take a spill. So now she has a BIG owie on her knee! That means that bath time is a DISASTER! It hurts when you get owies in the water.... So,l last night I had to get down to just my shirt, Emma had to sit on my lap OVER the tub, while I washed her hair - and she still cried almost the whole time! I was soaking wet, she was unhappy - and Daddy took a picture that had Mom's naked bum in it:)

Love to all...

Twin's Game

Today we all went to the MN Twin's game to celebrate Uncle Peter's 33rd birthday - Auntie Becca, Uncle Chris, Papa, Grandma, Daddy, Mommy, Emma, and Uncle Peter! Above is a pic of Daddy, Em, and Papa walking to the Light Rail train... which she was very scared of at first (remember the "train terror" from May?) and then she finally said "I like trains"

Once we got on the train she said "Go fast!!!!"

When we got to our seats they were perfect - right at the bottom of the stairs and right on the aisle!!!! AND Emma had her own personal jungle gym!!! Emma enjoyed an ENTIRE hot dog and some pop, of course. Once she saw the players on the field and the crowd went wild cheering, she got excited. BUT she was exhausted, having a hard time sleeping the past few nights.... So, Daddy took her out to see if they could find a place to sleep (that was deal if she came to the game, that she would be all his, because originally she was going to be with a sitter:)

Sure enough, I called him about 2 hours later and he'd found some sort of commissioner office and she was sound asleep on his chest, and he was watching the game on TV!!!! Priceless...

I had a showing of my choreography tonight and I came downstairs all ready to go in my jeans and a dressy t-shirt that had faint flowers and butterflies on it. Immediately Emma says, "Cute shirt Mommy! Cute shirt!" HOW SWEET IS SHE??? Granted, she usually sees me in plain solid colored tops, but still... Gotta love her

Como Park

Emma, Grandma Loerch and I all went to Como Park Zoo, in St. Paul, yesterday. It is such a great facility that is FREE and they ask for a donation if you can afford it! I used to go when I was little, but it has been years since I've been and WOW, they have really made it into a beautiful facility! Emma especially enjoyed a giant sucker:)

Then we went to see the "Sparky the Sea Lion" show. I thought Emma was pointing to something she saw in the show.......

Of course our silly girl was pointing to the GIANT crane moving up and down in the background!!!! That was what she watched the whole time. And if we were seeing animals and she hear a truck or mechanical noise, that is what she was more interested in!

The zoo had a gorgeous butterfly exhibit that you could walk through. There were thousands of butterflies all around us, and one landed on my head!!!!! One landed on Emma's head for just a second too!

Emma was tuckered out after a few hours! It was super hot and humid so we were ALL done. We'd seen giraffes, lions, tigers, zebras, sea lions, monkeys, a baby orangutan, a giant gorilla... We were tired:)

Love to all....

OH! I almost forgot... I've been telling Emma that we eat fruits and veggies to get "strong and healthy", and we take naps and go to bed so we can be "strong and healthy" too. Then, we can do gymnastics, and jump, and play.... The other night Elliott was called in for back-ups getting her to bed. He asked her if she knew why it was time for bed? She replied "So I can be strong and healthy!" TOO CUTE!

Tonight we were getting Emma ready for bed, in her room putting on lotion, pull-ups, pjs, getting ready to read books, and Emma was sitting on her Daddy's lap. All of a sudden she goes "I love my Daddy! I love my Daddy!" And of course I started tearing up and El started laughing, so we egged her on... But SO cute! She's never said anything like that before!

Emma in her hot-pink Converse and hat, all ready for the "puppy park" as she calls it!
Emma "helping" Daddy give Cooper a bath!

So Emma is doing great with her potty-training! No "real" accidents for a couple of weeks now. However, she often forgets (or she waits too long, so she is in a hurry!) to take down her uns and shorts before she goes! And she wants to be so dang independent that we often try to let her go on her own.... This time El was just a bit too late!!! She was already "all done"!

I had a work meeting last week and Emma wore herself out at Grandma's house. She fell asleep in the car on the way home by 1pm - pretty early for her. When we got home she had her juice resting in between her legs and a big piece of granola bar in EACH hand - and she was sound asleep! Cute girl....

On a side note, we'd noticed about a month ago that she had probably grown a bit height wise. Well today I checked, and she has grown over three inches in four months!!!!!! She was just over 36 inches at her 2year appointment and she measured at 39 inches last week!!! BIG girl... Sweet girl....

Love to all....

Say Cheese!!!!

Today I had the distinct pleasure of going school clothes shopping (I am desperately in need of decent attire for my new job, and life in general) for 5 hours ALL BY MYSELF!!!!! My mom so kindly offered to let Emma nap at her house and then take her for dinner. Boy, was it wonderful and relaxing!!! I was at the Mall of America and it was packed. I would hear a little girl that sounded like Emma and think how much I missed her, then the next minute I'd see a mom chasing after her kids and think, "Oh, I am so glad I am here by myself!" Ha ha.... Anyway, the point of my story was Emma's nap time.... I guess Papa Loerch went in to get her up from her nap and there she was, sleeping under her pillow, with her SNOW-PANTS on, pulled up to her chest!!!! We assume she managed to pull them off of her little shelf and put them on before she fell asleep. Needless to say she was VERY sweaty:)

Love to all...

Yes, this picture really is what you think it is!!! Emma LOVES her Daddy and if he isn't working, he barely gets a moment to himself:) You will notice she has a magazine too. Last night while I was waiting for Emma to potty I had my arms crossed with my chin resting on my palm and I looked over at her - she had her chin resting in her palm - TOO CUTE!!!!
This is how Emma sleeps - UNDER her pillow! She actually got this from her Daycare lady, Carol, for Christmas and she just LOVES it! I think it is adorable and kooky - just like Emma.

Love to all...

Water Park with Daddy

Daddy took Emma to the water park on Sunday, and Mommy got some time at home alone!!! She came home happy as a lark and told me when she was going to bed that she wanted to go to the "water park tomorrow with Daddy"! The above picture is how she loves to swing on her own.
Getting kisses from a puppy

Pink Panther ice cream!!!!!!!!

Camping 2

Proof that I was camping, a bit blurry!
This was the second morning we were there... I was exhausted as Emma slept in between Elliott and I, it POURED rain most of the night, and I had to PEE!!!! Wouldn't you know it I'd left Emma's potty chair outside in the pouring rain - it was seeming like a good option!
The view of Lake Peppin from the park
Emma and Auntie Becca getting ready for a walk

Camping 1

We went camping Thursday-Saturday with Grandma and Papa Loerch, Auntie Becca and Uncle Chris, and Uncle Peter and his caretaker Clement, and Cooper!!! This was Emma's first camping trip, and we hadn't all been camping in many years. So, I was a bit hesitant - Emma is a very busy girl and I wasn't quite sure if I was ready for it! BUT, we had a WONDERFUL time! Emma was totally in her element and had such a blast. With the help of Auntie Becca and Grandma too, Emma was always "covered":)

Here she is getting ready for a pancake breakfast Friday morning.
Here very favorite thing to do was play in the pebbles, especially with Daddy.
The campground was infested with Daddy-Long-Legs spiders and Emma was entranced! She even picked them up with her bare hands and said "here mommy".... I said "no thank you!"
Going for a walk with Grandma Loerch, Daddy, Baby Noel (that's what she calls her doll now), and Cooper.... They only got about 15 more feet!!!!