Gage Park

In anticipation of a busy weekend and lots of sitting, we decided to have a night just with our little family. So we got some Chinese food and went to Gage Park to let Emma play. They have obviously made lots of improvements and gotten new toys since we were kids. For those who don't know, this is a large city park just down the street. Across the street from the zoo is a large kids park/play area....there are slides, swings, diggers, and a weird knotted rope 3-D diamond thing to climb on. They also still have the large concrete animals to climb on, although  now they have squishy artificial ground underneath them...yay for no/less mud! We had a good time, and are excited to go back again.

Emma was getting off so the other girl could get on.

Climbing the shoe.

Going down the pole

Poking the gorillas eye.

Peeking out of the alligator's eye.

Chomp, chomp!

Waving from the top of the boat.

She thought it was too dark inside the whale...guess she better go where God calls her! ;)

Standing on the monkey.

Climbing the camels.

Chasing Daddy.

All done!

Daddy, there's a ballerina on your head

So, there is an old video of Emma with a beanie puppy on her head when she was about 9 months old, and Grace was making her laugh by saying... "There's a puppy on your head, Emma, you have a puppy on your head. " Anyway, Emma loves to put things on our/her head now....or just climb up herself. On this evening, obviously a couple weeks ago, Daddy was helping Emma stand on his head after dance class while skyping with grand and grandpa. And don't let his straight face fool you...this was his idea. ;)

Hold on tight!

And of course I don't have a picture of her standing up, but she did, just not for long.

Emma's plane ride

Technically Emma has flown before, last year, but obviously she doesn't remember. We woke up early Saturday morning and headed to the airport. She was a great traveler. Everything went smoothly, she seemed to enjoy it. She loved to watch the people outside the plane. We explained everything to her and she just took it all in. She loved sitting like a big girl. I gave her some snacks and set her up with the iPad, and she was good. Daddy and I got a chance to rest our eyes. After our first flight she started getting a little  wiggly, but we let her run around and then got her situated again. She was pretty tired toward the end, but managed to stay awake to see Grandma Joy and Papa Steve, eat lunch and chat for an hour before she fell asleep. 

We gave her back her binky for the trip...she was super excited.

Tunnels and forts

Tonight Daddy and Emma made an addition to her fort...several actually. It's pretty elaborate, we will have to have some friends over to play. Daddy even went through the whole thing with her...putting his confined space skills to good use.

There is a box that goes from her fort, behind the kitchen and into her tunnel.

Bubbles with Emma and Pepper

I tried to take a video of Pepper chasing the bubble....it is ok...she was much more excited before I started the video. But she still looks pretty happy.

Emma fun

The alternator in our van is going out, so Emma and I were pretty much stuck at home this weekend. I was bummed at first, but we actually had a fabulous weekend...I think Emma especially enjoyed it. Yesterday we skyped, played blocks, ran, walked to the shoppette to return a movie, got a new one and some movie snacks. On the way home we stopped at the park and played for an hour. Then we came home and had lunch. Unfortunately nap time is still difficult, but we tried to at least have some quiet time. Then we ate dinner, watched our movie and laid on the floor reading books until bedtime. Today we walked the the shoppette and church. It is so nice out, we have really been enjoying the walks. She had a little better nap than yesterday, but still is waking up inconsolable. So we went to see Daddy, then came home and watched a little Curious  George, had dinner, skyped and played blocks again. Oh, and how could I forget...when we let Pepper out Emma blew some bubbles. Then I blew the bubbles and Emma chased them...so did Pepper. She tried to eat them, and then Emma tried to eat grass like a cow. My life is never boring.:) all in all, it was a good weekend with my girl.

She is all ready for her movie...even put her snacks next to daddy's on his stool. We watched Paddington...it was silly, but fun.

Fwimming suit

It was warm enough to get out Emma's pool today. She was reluctant at first, it seemed too much like a bath. But she decided she liked it.