Party Girl

We celebrated Emma's second birthday today with a handful of friends and family. The birthday girl did not disappoint her guests. She giggled, she sang, she laughed, and, much to the appreciation of her guests, she fake burped for 5 solid minutes. I mean, what else can one ask for at a 2 year olds' birthday party?

Besides the fake burping, my favorite moment was the opening of the presents. Never has a child made each gift giver feel more appreciated than Emma did today. After opening each gift she promptly squealed with delight, insisted upon wearing or playing with the gift, and gave the bearer of her new treasure a hug, a kiss, and an award winning grin.

modeling all of her gifts

sleeping with her unicorn

Pickin Peas

Jay has a very green thumb (as opposed to my very black one), and every year he religiously plants a variety of yummy fruits and veggies in our yard for us to enjoy. This year we have corn, artichokes, onions, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, and peas. In the past we've also has zucchini, squash, strawberries, and watermelon. No matter what goes in, the favorite around here is always the peas. It has surprised me every year to watch Cody, who won't touch peas with a ten foot pole when I make them with dinner, devour pea, after pea, after pea out in Daddy's garden. This year Emma joined in the pea picking and eating, and also couldn't seem to get enough. I guess there's just something about picking 'em, shelling 'em, eating 'em, and throwing the pods on the ground, that is irresistible to children and adults alike.

No Birthday!

Upon first seeing my big 2 year old girl this morning, I greeted her with a hug and a cheerful, "Happy Birthday." Her response was to scowl at me and grump, " No birthday!" OK, so she's not a morning person. I totally get that. So, I walked away, finished getting ready for work and thought to myself, "I'll try again later - she must still be tired." Usually when Emma is grumpy, a little bit of distraction is all it takes to settle her down and get her back on track. Fast forward 30 minutes or so...We're ready to leave and I'm putting Emma in her car seat and giving her a kiss goodbye. I say, "Bye baby girl. I'll see you later. Have a good day...blah, blah, blah...Happy Birthday." Well, she took my face in her hands and turned it towards hers muttering, " Look-a me Mommy." So I did, I looked, and what I saw was not pretty. She had steam coming from her ears, and said in her most I-mean-business voice, "No birthday Mommy!" So I guess it's no birthday for Emma today. We'll try again tomorrow?

I'm Two!

Here we go...

The Last Day She's One...

Today is the last day that my baby is one. Tomorrow I will write my sweet girl her birthday letter in which I will recap the year, tell her some of my favorite memories and some silly stories, make clear how important she is to our family, and generally gush about how much I love her. But tonight, I feel the need to wallow in my sadness a little. Two is bittersweet. Though she will always be my baby, she will cease to have those baby-like qualities and mannerisms that I have grown to adore. With the dawning of two, I foresee less spontaneous acts of cuddling, fewer instances of peaceful rocking, and more time debating, arguing, and tantrum throwing. She has already begun to exert her independence, show her true colors, and experiment with manipulation tactics, and though these things are natural and will help her to shape her personality and become the little person that I am excited to know, I would be forever grateful for a pause button right about now. So, for tonight, in these last moments that she is one, I will spend as much time cuddling, rocking, and soaking up all the gentle kisses, ferocious hugs, and sweet compliments that I can, because tomorrow we will wake up to a 2 year old and we will begin a whole new chapter.

Kindergarten Dance Festival

Every year my school puts on a dance festival. It's a HUGE deal in the community and is often attended by several hundred family members, friends, and alumni of Frontier Elementary. This year I enjoyed the dance festival from the parent perspective and really began to understand what the hype is all about. I tell you what...there is NOTHING cuter than watching your child perform with his classmates in front of an audience. It is particularly adorable when your child is a kindergartner. Here's a glimpse of our cute little kindergartner doin' his thang...

And here's Emma stealing the show while the sixth graders square dance...

Kindergarten Field Trip

Cody's class went to FairyTale Town on a field trip today. Because I have a student teacher and because Jay is on furlough Fridays, we both got to chaperone. Even Emma got to come! It was a great day for kids and adults alike.

The Perfect Pig Class

Cody and his good buddy Edward

Cody and Michael taking a break from the heat

Cody and Anelise...could it be love?