Emma Claire is not Afraid of Worms

Backyard Fun

Rollerblading with Dad

I bike, pulling Emma Claire in the Burley and Brad rollerblades.

http://eckadue.shutterfly.com/1600

Red Hot

Our day started off with a bang. As I am making Emma Claire's breakfast, she comes running over to me, mouth open, red faced, holding her tongue saying "owie, owie, owie". Brad and I came to the conclusion that she had probably bitten her tongue. A few minutes later, we discovered the real problem...cayenne pepper. Yep, red hot pepper all over her little table. No wonder.

The day looked up from there. Park - Puppet Wagon - Target - 3 hour nap - bike ride to dinner - DQ.

Emma Claire said "bunny", "Pepper" (the neighbor dog), "flower" and an enthusiastic roar when she saw the lion in her book.

More Fun Photos

George Marshall Bailey

I am linking the Baily Family blog for this one. There are some sweet pictures there. George Marshall is a teeny thing. About the size of "Calin" (Emma Claire's baby doll), Greta says :-).


We are so happy that George Marshall made his entrance into the world. We welcome him and can't wait to hold him.


http://baileyfamilyms.blogspot.com/

First Field Trip

Emma Claire's class took a field trip to Brookview Park. This was Emma Claire's first field trip...a big day! They traveled there via the 6 red seater buggy.

Her "Playful Little Pirate Daily News" report...
Emma Claire had a great day! She had lots of fun on our picnic in the park. "The Flyers" sang a choo choo song that Emma Claire liked. She was dancing as she ate! The wooden train whistle he had was pretty neat and not as scary as the real thing!

"Re Re"

Emma Claire is a dog lover and an animal lover in general. She especially loves her pups. She wakes up in the morning and calls for "Re-re" (aka: Rudy). She will not go to bed until she has told each "nigh-nigh".

Baby George Marshall

Is on his way...3 weeks early. Greta is being admitted to the hospital tonight! Can't wait to meet him. Only wish I could be there.

Summer Weekends

Summers in Minnesota are much different from those in the South. Although we do get hot/humid days, they are nothing compared to the 100+ degree, sweltering summers in Mississippi and Alabama. I have very happy memories of those days. They really feel like summer. However, I have adapted to the much more mild Minnesota summers. This summer has even been cooler than usual. Few days that got to 90 and many days in the 70s.

We had a great weekend. Dinner on the deck Friday, a jog with Emma Claire and the pups Saturday morning and fun at Brookview Park; a family walk to DQ (via little red wagon + pups) for blizzards Saturday night; sleeping in (to 7 am!) Sunday morning and fun at the pool; splashing around in the plastic yard pool; an evening with the Grodnicks at Loring Park + Joe's Garage. Jonah and Emma Claire chased each other around, squealing and giggling. Emma Claire was afraid of the Basilica bells at 6pm.

It is just fun to get out and play! Having Emma Claire forces us to do just that.

Up and Down

Emma Claire is definitely into the "climbing" stage. She is a fairly cautious toddler in general, but seems to have no fear when it comes to the climbing thing. We have found her nearly to the top of the ladder for the bunk beds a couple of times, on top of her kitchen stove multiple times, up and down off the couch, etc.

She now loves to climb up the ladder or steps for slides and then go down on her own. Hard for me believe this is possible. She can even climb the tall rope ladder at the playground. Have to be on guard all of the time. She is quick!

http://eckadue.shutterfly.com/1587

"Be-Be"

We took a nice bike (Brad on roller blades) ride to the Thursday night church service this week. It is a very laid back outdoor service. Dinner is served beforehand, so we go early to eat and set up camp on a picnic blanket for church.

This night, (coming off our Alabama trip, where Emma Claire learned that there is a "be-be" in Auntie G's belly) Emma Claire pulls up her Dad's shirt (during the sermon), points to his belly and says "be-be".

Brad has decided to go on a diet.

1-2-3 Jump

Emma Claire started swimming lessons again last week, this time at Lifetime for 4 weeks. Her favorite thing tonight was jumping from the side of the pool. One skill was to climb out of the pool on the side and jump back in with help. We did this over and over and over. She can nearly climb out without assist. When it was time to move onto the next skill, Emma Claire squealed and screamed and reached toward the side of the pool, saying "more". She apparently likes to jump.
Emma Claire is getting braver and busier by the day.

Mommy forgot to Leave Extra Clothes at School

Dropped Emma Claire of in a cute pink embroidered bubble and mary janes...picked up in a onesie, someone else's pants (a couple sizes too big with the kid's name written on the leg in sharpie), and her pink water shoes, pigtails gone. (she got wet in the rain and dirty in the sand)
Maybe I should get my act together and leave some extra clothes there!

What I am Learning at School July 13-17

I thought I would try to keep track of what Emma Claire has been learning in school by sharing the lesson plan on the blog (can you even read it?...maybe I should scan it in...still learning).
Thought it would be fun to look back at someday. They stay busy!

Bedtime Prayers

Bedtime routine is pretty much the same every night....bath-PJs-teeth-comb hair-books-songs-prayers and night-night. After the books and song part tonight, I told Emma Claire that it is time to go night night and we should say our prayers. She clasped her hands in prayre and then guided me to do the same.

At the end, Emma Claire will now say a-men. We were going through some words at the end of the prayer (Rowie, Opa, Auntie G, etc...) and I asked Emma Claire if she could say Jesus. She answered by clasping her hands in prayer position again. Priceless.

Up North with the Knauffs

We feel lucky to have gotten the invite to our friends cabin for a real "up North" summer cabin experience. This is what people do here in the summer...escape to their cabins/lake places "up North".

The only thing better than having your own cabin, is having friends with a cabin that are nice enough to invite you up every so often. Our friends, the Knauffs', families both have cabins in the Detroit Lakes area (near Fargo)... Dom, Suzanne and Addie. Addie and Emma Claire have quickly become best friends. They met in ECFE when only weeks old and have been friends ever since. Fun to see them play together lately. Did they ever have a good time at the lake!

It was coolish up there...70s during the day and 50s at night (I actually love that weather...what is happening to me?). Beautiful days. The girls played in the water, but never actually wore a swimsuit. Mostly only in diapers and birthday suits. Emma Claire got to touch her first real live fish (she poked it in the eye and stuck her finger in its mouth). Addie's grandfather gave the girls wagon and wheelbarrow rides. We grilled out and sat by the fire; played bean bag toss; visited the local establishment "The Hotel"; lounged on the pontoon; slept until 9am (yes, Emma Claire slept in 2 of the days); and just laughed at the girls. Couldn't have asked for a better weekend. Hope to do it again someday. Thank you to the Knauffs and their lovely families.

"Up North" Photos

Fourth of July

A recap of our Fourth of July this year... breakfast at Marjorie's, a bike ride with the Burley to Brookview for a picnic, an afternoon of working in the yard, an inpromptu gathering at the Hansons' (dogs included) followed by fireworks viewed from the top of the parking garage next to the neighborhood.

I am "borrowing" Whitney's blog post. The slideshow is outstanding!

http://thebickersonsblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/independence-day.html

More Pictures: http://eckadue.shutterfly.com/1372

Fathers Day Picnic at Calvary

Root Beer floats and some fun in Calvary Park with Daddy after school...

Fathers Day

Fathers Day at Como Zoo

Emma Claire gave her dad a set of pink and purple golf clubs (for her) for Fathers Day and a book (for her) entitled "If My Dad Were a Dog". She has been practicing with the clubs (mostly tormenting Rudy - Rudy hates Sticks). Also broke out the finger paints and made daddy a lovely card.

Be-Be

I feel like I need a camera on me 24/7. Emma Claire is changing so quickly and always doing something hilarious (to me, anyway...I think most everything she does deserves a laugh - which is no doubt going to come back to haunt me some day). She is just a different person now. Very much a little girl. Lots of high pitched squeals and giggles. She and her pal Addie like to follow each other around and giggle-squeal-giggle-squeal. Endless source of entertainment.

Emma Claire has recently taken to "Calin", her doll. It has taken some time. She was not so fond of Calin before. Now, however, Emma Claire is very into babies "be-be". Everything in a stroller or wheeled non-motorized vehicle is a be-be.

She, out of the blue, fed Calin her little bottle yesterday. Tonight, Emma Claire laid Calin on the floor in her room (as we were winding down for bed), patted her on the back, covered her up with a burp cloth, and said "night-night". This one of those moments I would give anything to have on video.

New Fun Photos from today