Wordless Wednesday

Back to School!

Emma moved to her new classroom on August 16th. The age cut off for her room was the 16th, making Emma the youngest in her class. She also moved from a smaller room with 6 kids to a big room with 12 kids. She moved with just one of her friends so she is adjusting to 10 new kids and 3-4 new teachers. Overall, I think she is doing great but this move had definitely kick started some unbelievable tantrums (hello terrible 2s!). For all of you veteran moms who want to tell me that the threes will be worse. Can it. I can't handle it. :)

I absolutely adore Emma's new classroom and teachers! I think Emma likes to have all the extra room to run and play too.

One end of the class room. It has two wall

length windows and this one overlooks the

playground and Emma's beloved "big slide"

she already thinks she owns the place :)

strutting her stuff in front of the cubbies

happy dance

Emma's cubby

all the cubbies

eating her breakfast at the table

Emma's place mat (love it!)

"fishy face" (it's her favorite)

Terrible Two 'Tude

Emma's Two Year Stats

Emma had her 2 yr check up this morning. She didn't really want to go at first. I reminded her about the last time...when she got both a sticker AND a sucker. Then she said "Dr. Boel is a nice man." After that conversation, she was 100% on board :)

In the waiting room...(second thoughts maybe?)

She is in the 90th percentile for weight (oh my aching back) and 95th percentile for height (she can reach everything now). She is also off the charts in charm and adorability (yeah. its a word, I checked).

She loved standing on the big girl scale (she used to scream).

A recap from her appointment: 1) Loves her doctor 2) No fear of the needle stick 3) Bandaide induced extreme rage (hello terrible 2s) resulted in blood covered Emma, Mommy, and examine room (yeah, I got my copays worth of work today:).

Some notable things about the world's most awesome 2 year old:

1. She sleeps in a big girl bed (and is very proud)

2. Hears everything, remembers everything, and tells everything :)

3. Emmaisms:

a. I need a pinny (penny)...for her Jelly Bean machine.

b. One more (while shaking her index finger)...for another penny for another jelly bean that always turns into two, three, etc.

c. What'd you DO DAISE? You made a MESS! (sometimes legit, sometimes she frames the dog)

d. We'll come back (as in I'll go quietly this time, but we will come back)

e. NO, I DO IT!, STOP IT!!! (and many other pleasantries)

4. She sings the Barney songs as follows:

a. I love me, you love me.......

b. Her favorite song is itsy bitsy spider, old McDonald, and the ABCs. Counts to 11.

c. Her favorite food is pizza and will lie to your face for chocolate milk (as in no I haven't had any yet today)

and sweet #5.......Is beginning to love the potty.....

She is pretty serious about her art....and her potty.

Just discovered "hide and seek"

although she hides in the same place everytime,

tells me where she is hiding,

and thinks she only has to hide her head
(and the award for best actress in acting surprised goes to mommy)

Random pics

on our way to school

opening birthday presents

Daisy "I want that baby"

Emma: "uh oh"

Emma loves her babies!

Emma is 2!

I know I'm a little late. Why is August always such a blur?? I don't have any pictures to update either :( More of that later.

I have been celebrating secretly to myself for the past two days. It is the second anniversary of "suck it infertility, pregnancy loss, rocky pregnancy, and premature birth....because I WON!!" And I'll be signing that tune and rubbing it in their faces until the day I die :)

Not a day goes by (even the ugly days) that I don't thank God for the wonderful blessing he gave to me. One that is so good and one that I don't deserve.

Happy Birthday Emma! Thanks for two wonderful years of pure joy!

To anyone who is dealing with the aforementioned beasts. Don't give up.

It only took 1 year 364 days

The Louisville Science Center

Today Emma, her Nanny Pam, and I went to the Children's Museum. They had the Sesame Street "Body" Exhibit where we learned all about our bodies!

Emma first warmed up with some

gym fun

Then she auditioned for the "use your head"

game show

We learned about washing our hands

and brushing our teeth

she loves to wash her hands

we learned about stuff the nose does

(this nose would sneeze and spray you)

Then we learned about our organs

Nanny Pam learned about how we

chew our food :)

Emma worked on digesting the food

and well, we learned what that food

eventually becomes....yes...poop.

Then we went to Hooper's Store!

Emma shopped for some produce

and then checked herself out

She made a burger with Nanny Pam

Then did some stocking of the shelves

Emma learned about bugs (and didn't even cry)

She ran through the underground tunnel

Learning about animals

we learned about the beginning of life

(2 months gestation)

And in honor of Emma's upcoming birthday,

this is 7-8 month gestation!

(can you believe this is when she was born?)

Just a girl with her dog

F*%#ing Fiona!

Emma loves loves loves Shrek. Unfortunately she cannot form the "shr" sound. It comes out like "F." She lovingly refers to Shrek3 as "Shrek and Fiona" or what sounds like "F*%@ing Fiona." She can't stop talking about it and I can't stop cringing.

YippY, Woohoo, hurray

Today Dan defended his Master's thesis "An Investigation of Sliced Inverse Regression with Censored Data." I am so proud of my husband whose presentation got glowing reviews. He completed this degree while juggling a full time job, a crazy active toddler, and a demanding wife (that's me!). Also, he did it without an advisor (because he moved to another country).

To celebrate, I arranged for Emma to have some fun time with her babysitter and friends for a few hours.

Dan fell asleep at 6:45pm and I am watching a quiet movie by myself.... and it feels great!