smart girl

Emma is a baby tornado. She's always on the move and leaving a path of destruction. In order to keep her from reeking havoc on the store I've been trying to challenge her.

Cheerios anyone?

Today I gave her a piece of paper and a marker to see what she's do with it. . . well here you go.

It took me a while to figure out what she was pointing at when I asked her if she was painting. . .well check it out. She's pointing at the painting. . . .

The Great Pumpkin Patch

Sunday, we took Em to the pumpkin patch. It was cold, overcast, and drizzly, but we made the best of it.

Em wasn't so sure what to think of the big orange balls littered throughout the field.

"Pop, are you sure they won't eat me?"

The first time I got her close to a pumpkin she had a major freak out. I don't know if it was the mud, the pumpkin, or that the pumpkin was cold and wet. . . but she didn't like it. Despite her horror, I couldn't stop laughing. . . . .. .

It took her a LONG while, but she eventually got to a point where I could stand her by a pumpkin.

"See Em, it's not so bad."

After she realized that she wouldn't be devoured by a baby-eating-monster pumpkin, she resumed her normal activities. . .giving orders.

"No, I want that one over there!"

Even though we were surrounded by nicely plump, brightly colored pumpkins. . . she picked the smallest greenest pumpkin in the patch.
A close-up of her pumpkin.
Family photo with Em holding onto her pumpkin for dear life.
She looks to be saying, "hands off, it's mine!"

Emma's favorite part of the pumpkin patch. . the apple cider afterwards!

Kitty Time

Emma loves to scoot over to the kitties, points, and tries to shove treats through the cage.

Emma says,

Follow me. . they're this way.

Oops, I got a little distracted.

Right this way!

Tour guide is such hard work. Sometimes you just need to hide.

This place is for the dogs. . . .

Excuse me. . is anyone out there reading this?

I've had it with this place!

Its cold. It rains all the time. I'm forced to work 10 hour days with no pay. . .so I'm looking for a change in venue.

Anyone in Florida, Australia, or the Bahamas willing to take a playful 10 month old?

I really don't need much. Just a few post it notes a week . . .

hmm .. . pink flavor.

not bad. . but I actually prefer the blue ones.

Do you have blue ones?

I'm small enough to fit in a regular box. . . so shipping wouldn't cost you too much.

See. . .you could pack stuff on top and nobody would know I'm in here.I'll pack my own snacks for the trip.
Come on. . you know you want me!!
Shh, don't tell mom . . . she says she likes this place. . . .
mountains, Elliott Bay, hiking, green. . . . ..
I don't care about these things
I just want the sun. . . I'm serious!
Well. . .maybe not that serious. I don't hate this place, just ready to go south for the winter.
Oh, and the other thing . . .

mom needs to come too. . .. but she's to big to fit in my box so you'd have to spring for the plane ticket.

That's not a bad deal. . . you get me for the price of a plane ticket. . . now there's something worth thinking about.

Busy Bee

My life has taken quite a turn and my days fly by at the speed of light. Thanks to miss Em, there's always something going on. I definitely believe the most prominent characteristic that she inherited from me is her inability to sit still. She's either racing across the floor, cruising the furniture, or getting her little mitts into something. The only time she slows down is when she's sleeping.

Because she's in constant motion, my morning shower has become an adventure. Yesterday during my 5 minute shower she managed to open the bathroom cabinet, pull/knock/shake coffee cup off of the toilet leading to a coffee flood, and by the time I jumped out was motoring around the bathroom wearing my bra (she had each leg through a strap and was scooting about). As if that wasn't enough. . . during today's shower she managed to unroll the entire roll of toilet paper and then proceeded to toss everything she could get her hands on into the shower with me. . . .brush . . . rubber ducky. . .wash cloth. . . baby shoe. . . and I managed to stop her as she was trying to lift Brian's running shoe over the bathtub rim. All I can say is WOW!

I think she problem solves more efficiently sideways.

Combing Truman for fleas. Tru looks so excited, doesn't he?

The other big thing to happen this week is her obvious development of language. Not only is she trying to tell me what she wants but now she's starting to follow direct commands, understands when she's doing something she's not supposed to (she usually looks over her shoulder to check to see if I'm watching), will retrieve specific items that you call for, and the most endearing. . she is super eager to show customers the two kitties up for adoption.

Ask her where are the kitties and she speeds over to their cage.

Every afternoon she plays peek-a-boo with the girl kitty.

All in all, everything is great! The only thing can complain about is that Em has developed a dairy allergy. She breaks out in a rash, gets an upset stomach, and her poor little mouth swells up. Today I shared a few bites of my lunch with her and within minutes, without reading the label, I realized there was dairy in it. . . Look at her little swollen lips. I felt so bad. She didn't seem too put out though. . . . . . her spirits never faltered.

Feeling bad but still posing for the camera!

Alternate Scoot

Emma has developed a hands free scoot. Everytime she does it I can't help but crack up. The only problem is. . she knows it's funny, so refuses to do it for the camera. You'll see her no handed scoot mid video. . .

Emma Can Crawl!

She just chooses not to. That's my girl.

Not only does she crawl, she seeks out cuddles from Truman. What a pair!