Out for a stroll

Today I asked Emma if she wanted to go for a walk. I meant to put her in the stroller, but she got out her dolly and put her in the dolly stroller. And it was so cute, that is what we did. Emma walked her dolly all the way to the park, and she even made her go down the slide and swing in the swing. It was fun. :)

walking to the park

Ready...set...

Go!

Climbing, climbing

Sliding with dolly

Pushing dolly in  the swing

Daddy's Toys

The final piece of Steven's gym came in yesterday. Emma was a good helper while we set it up, bringing us bolts, although she did then try to hide the ones we weren't using like Easter eggs. But we finally got it done, and then she even did a couple reps with Daddy. She loves to work out like him, and even look at herself in the mirror. :)

Steven's gym

His degrees are displayed in here, too. 

 (After October he will have 3 Associates and 2 Bachelor degrees.)

Working out like Daddy

Is this how you do it?

I did it!

Fun in the sun

It has been very hot here lately, but today we seemed to have cooled off a bit. Right now it is almost 3pm and only 96 degrees outside, with a few clouds. So we stayed outside playing for a while. It is nice to have even a little break from the heat. :)

New clothes

While unpacking I found some new clothes in Emma's 'too big' box...most of them fit her now. Here is a pretty little dress we found. She accessorized herself, go figure.

6-9 Months swimming suit

She wasn't glaring, I promise. 

Quiet

Usually when I notice that Emma has been quiet, it is a good sign she is doing something she shouldn't be doing. However, this time she was actually quietly playing in her room. This is how I found her:

Pink Sparkly Shoes

Unfortunately, the battery in my camera has died. I did order a new one, but it isn't here yet. Fortunately for you, however, I kept my other cameras that still work. Anyway....Emma has been growing and so her feet seem to be getting a little bigger...plus I am not sure how her 'wonky' toe fits in shoes. There are some she used to like that she doesn't want to wear, she says they are 'tight,' but I can't always believer her, but I wonder if her wonky toe makes them fit weird. Anyway, she has been enjoying wearing some different shoes. I bought some that were size 5 at the consignment sale in TX before we left, but they are new to her. Every time she wears a new pair and we go to see Steven at the fire station, the first thing she says to him is, "Daddy! Shoes!" and she points down at whatever new pair she is wearing. I also asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she said, "shoes." Her current favorite pair are these pink sparkly ones, which she even wanted to wear with her pajamas yesterday morning. Also, since I am using my old camera, I though I would include some old pictures that I found. :)

Pink sparkly shoes

"CAT!"

So our neighbors (not connected) have a cat, or two. This black cat sits outside sometimes, and as you can imagine, Emma loves it.  She kept saying, "'Mere cat. 'Mere cat," while motioning it to come to her. Apparently it is starved for attention because it came over to her. She loved it, petted it real nicely with Grandma Joy. Then I gave Emma her kitty because she was sad that the black cat couldn't come in the house with us. The girl loves cats.

CAT!

Aquarium on the Bay

After we went to the beach, we drove down to San Francisco, drove over the Golden Gate Bridge, ate at In-and-Out, then went to the Pier 39 and the Aquarium on the Bay. Steven and I have been to several aquariums, and this one wasn't our favorite, but it was the first one that Emma got to go to, so it was more fun than usual. She kept saying, "Wow, wow." (She also said that in the clear/glass elevator at the airport, so whatever.) But it was fun to show her the jelly fish and other fish, turtles and otters. She didn't really have much of a nap, so she did pretty good considering how tired she must have been. Then we drove over the Oakland Bay Bridge, which is HUGE, as is the Golden Gate Bridge, but this one was a lot longer and we drove over it in rush hour traffic. Anyway, it was a long, exhausting, fun day. And sorry, I was driving, so  no pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge. But I am sure you can find some as there were a million people who stopped to take pictures and walk on it. :) I just wanted to get off of it.

I swear she wanted to get in here, but held on to my ear for dear life once we did.

Pictures of San Francisco from the top of our parking garage.

Pier 39

Alcatraz

Stinson Beach

When we were trying to come up with things to do when Grandma and Tory came to visit, it occurred to me that Tory had never seen the ocean. The ocean/San Francisco is about 3 hours from us, so we decided to make a day trip. We finally got there after weaving around and around the mountains and forest, which were pretty, but weren't the beach. It was cool and cloudy and misty, not at all what we had anticipated, although Steven did, so some of us had jackets. It was the ocean though, and Tory loved it. Emma was not so fond of it. She much more enjoyed playing in the sand, and then got hungry enough she decided to eat it until Daddy just took her to the car. Next time, in a very long time, that we go back, we will just make a day of it...and try to come more prepared...with food, more towels, etc.

This is the beach?

Tory in the ocean.

I found your foot, Daddy.

Foggy day at the beach, and in the mountains.

Building/destroying sandcastles with Daddy.

 Sorry about the blurry pictures...I didn't realized my lens was getting wet.

Walking to see the water.

Looking at the water with Mom.

I guess it's ok if you are holding me.

No, I don't like it!!! Mom, hold me!! Take me back to the sand!

Chilling with Grandma, far away from the water.

More fog.

Playing with the sand...before eating it.

Finding Daddy's leg.

Silly girl.

She may have eaten a little sand, and gotten it every where else all over her.