Good Funniness

On Monday the 6th of August we were all sitting around the dinner table talking about our days.  Emma is sometimes reluctant to share what she did and this night was no exception.
Mommy: Tell Daddy what we did with Baby Katie this morning.
Emma: You tell.
Daddy: Did you take her to the auto repair shop and get her oil changed?
Everyone laughs.
Emma: Good funniness!
Everyone laughs some more.  It was quite humorous.

This is what we did with Baby Katie.  Upstairs in our bedroom, I showed Emma how the baby might sleep in the bassinet, using Baby Katie as the stand-in. I showed Emma where I would sit to nurse the baby, how the Boppy wraps around my waist, and where Emma's basket of things to do will be located.  Then we went into the guest room to change the baby's diaper. I showed Emma how she could help- by getting a wet cloth, putting the dirty diaper into the pail or finding a new outfit.  Emma had this look of shock and delight on her face that seemed to say, I get to help?  It was very cute. Then we looked at the bouncer seat and Emma took out some toys to amuse the baby with. Downstairs we put Baby Katie in the swing.  It was a rough run through of course with no crying (on anyone's part!), but I think it helped show Emma how she can be involved. Now we just need baby to get here!

Cedar Rapids

 For Steve's birthday (on Sunday the 22nd of July) we rented a canoe again and this time made a right out of the channel and headed towards Monona Lake. We paddled until we saw the capitol building. Thankfully it was a cloudy and cooler day. It made for a very nice lunch on the canoe and overall canoeing experience. Emma was very at home in the canoe; we had to remind her a few times not to lean too far over the edge!

Emma and I visited Steve in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the following Wednesday. The doctor cleared me for travel and after getting some BOGO free muffins at PDQ we headed off.  Emma was very excited about visiting Daddy's apartment and especially loved that there was a pool right out his back door. We spent two hours at the pool Wednesday afternoon.  When we got in the apartment Emma checked out every door and reported that "the hall closet has a vacuum, a broom and something else and is really quite small."

After tucking Emma in bed Wednesday night she came out into the main room and said, "There is a flashing light coming from the pool. When it flashes I can see the mountains."  Steve tried to explain that it could be the pool lights under the waves. I suggested lightning without really thinking. We both wondered out loud about the mountains since there aren't any in Iowa. 
Back in the bedroom we opened the blinds and the sky was lit up with lightning. We had a spectacular show of flashing lights from all sides that lit up the "cloud mountains." After that Emma fell right to sleep and slept through the louder parts of the storm.
On Thursday morning since it was cooler outside we went to a local park. Emma was excited about the diggers. She wouldn't let me take a picture unless she was scowling. The picture shown is the result of her posing and getting her face just right. (She did approve the picture when I showed her on the camera.)  She attempted the climbing wall, but it was a bit too technical for her. I think she might have done it if I hadn't of been watching.
Emma is looking forward to meeting the baby. She gives us both hugs and surprisingly enough, smiled for the camera back at the apartment that afternoon.
Emma didn't want to leave Daddy's apartment and is looking forward to going back soon!

Chicago in June

At the end of June my cousin Mike and his wife Kathlene and son Owen came out for a visit. We met them on Saturday at Millennium Park in Chicago. Emma was being shy and refused to be in the picture at The Bean, but if you look closely you can see her hiding behind Steve. From there we walked all the way to Navy Pier. Emma only complained a time or two; Owen was a positive distraction! 

On the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier.

On the carousel at Navy Pier.

 At Navy Pier we rode on the Ferris wheel. I half expected Emma to be scared, but she wasn't. After that she had to go on the carousel.  After dinner that night Steve, Emma and I went to Auntie Em's to sleep. It was a late night for all of us and an early-to-rise morning. Even so, we missed the early train back to Great Grandma's. We stopped for breakfast close to the Sear's Tower, which is now Willis Tower I think. Since we had time we bought tickets and rode the elevator up to the Sky Deck. Emma and I braved the glass boxes and saw the ground under our feet- many stories below! Emma said she was scared especially when strangers tried to tell her she was brave. 

Agriculture statue in Chicago.

Yikes! We are really high up here!

In Madison, Emma and I showed Owen and his parents around the main attractions. We went first to the capital building and walked around the observation deck. Back inside Owen and Emma made the bell bong with their hands. We ended the day with a trip to the nature center where Emma showed them how to dip for critters in the pond. Emma liked spending time with Owen!

Cranky Mama

This summer has been brutally hot, and since I am pregnant it has made for some rough days.
A couple weeks ago Emma and I were getting ready to go to the nature center for her camp. As usual it was a trial to get her out the door; sunscreen application was the typical battle. I was near tears when we finally piled in the car. Emma was quiet for a few minutes when suddenly in a timid voice she says, "Mama, I wish we were a family of chipmunks because then the chipmunk baby would grow faster and it could be born today. Then you wouldn't be so grumpy."
I was stunned. The comment made me smile as I said, "I wish that, too, Emma."

Picking and Painting

We went strawberry picking for the first time on the first day of June! Emma was really excited about it. It was a cooler day with a strong wind. The season had just opened but I knew that if we didn't take advantage of the "free" Friday we would not have gone at all. So we met our friends Betsy and her son Truman at a place on the north-east side of Madison along I-94. There were a handful of people picking when we got there, but soon we had the field to ourselves. Emma and Truman ran up and down the rows, Emma carefully stepping over the plants to get from row to row in the middle of the field. Truman's legs were not quite long enough to avoid stepping on the plants.  Emma didn't eat any strawberries until she was that Truman's face was turning red with juice. Even still, she managed to pick 2.1 pounds of berries!  I picked 2.5 pounds to compare.  It was a great day!  Emma and Truman liked the animals they had under the temporary trailer; goats, a sheep, and a potbellied pig. The kids fed the animals some grain and laughed like crazy.  At home we washed all the berries and had strawberry shortcake for dessert. Then we had strawberries on our breakfasts and just for snacking and in a delicious smoothie! Yummy!

For Father's day Emma and I undertook a project described on the blog The Artful Parent. We bought some rubber cement and made our own watercolor paints. First Emma drizzled and brushed rubber cement on several sheets of watercolor paper. When they were dry we started making the paints. Here Emma is mixing up the dry ingredients for the paints. She loves cooking and measuring!

She experimented making different colors with the food coloring colors, and ended up with 10 different colors. Outside she painted 6 pictures, one without rubber cement, for Papa, Grandpa, Daddy, Mommy and herself, plus an extra. Even for Father's day she is thinking outside the male box. :)  She loved painting with the water colors, that stayed liquid throghout the session.  We left the paints on the counter and after 5 days they are finally all completely dry- like the watercolor paints in the store.  Sometime soon we will do some more painting and compare how the paints are dry versus wet. Daddy loved his painting, by the way and temporarily stuck it to the wall above the bed. He asked for a frame even.  Emma noticed it hanging there and was quite pleased with herself.

Non-baby Shower

 Auntie Em decided that we should have a party for my pregnant self and just not have it be a baby shower. So a small group of Emma's aunts (my friends) came over with delicious food and ready to help paint the play room. Aunt Chenoa brought her daughter Audrey so Emma had a lot of fun playing while the ladies did our thing. Aunt Darcy and Holly were also there on June 10th.

Steve set the girls up on the ottomans with a tablecloth. After eating the girls played out in the new sprinklers that he bought. The large ball popped right away apparently; the girls had to come inside and share the news. The other sprinkler kept them happy for a long time. When it was time to be done, Audrey borrowed some clothes of Emma's and hers went in the dryer. It was really cute to see what Audrey chose- a long purple and red hippy-style skirt with an orange shirt.  Emma seemed delighted to share.

During one break, we let Audrey and Emma add their own touches to the garden scene in the playroom.  Audrey filled in a few flowers, and Emma created a group of roses. Later Aunt Chenoa used her artistic talents and added some highlights to really make it look like a group of roses!

Emma was upset at first when we moved things out of the playroom and when I painted the walls a pale green. She even said a couple of times, "I don't want flowers on the walls. I want my room to stay white like it is."  But now that she has seen the wonders that her aunts can do- she is excited. (Except that the room is still torn apart and I need to finish painting....)

Perhaps Emma would say that the best part of the day were the presents that Aunt Chenoa brought. (Auntie Em and I tried to make it a no-gift party, except for the potted petunias I gave to my friends, but Chenoa couldn't resist!)  There was an awesome green and blue big girl backpack with a Zane CD/DVD, baby socks, and recycled plastic tugboat and chew rings. This was Emma's gift for having fun with the baby. She loves the backpack and has kept it filled with things for camp ever since!  The other present was for baby only; an adorable outfit, brag book, and Sandra Boynton book. Emma was excited about reading the book to the baby. So cute.

Sealing

Emma had an unusual Friday at home with Daddy yesterday. I had to be at the nature center all day for training and summer prep.  So this story is coming second-hand from Steve.

While eating lunch, Steve was reading the newspaper and came across an article about our local zoo. Apparently a zookeeper noticed that one of the seal's was exhibiting some pregnancy signs. There was doubt, but 5 days later a baby seal was born. Emma was very interested in the article because she loves the zoo. Steve asked her what a baby seal is called, and Emma said a sealing.