Fashion Friday: Brown is so the new black...

You'll be noticing a lot of brown in Emma's wardrobe this fall. I'm so drawn to it for some reason. And brown and pink... well, you just can't go wrong!

No Instincts

So when I was pregnant with Emma, I was sure I was having a boy. Not sure why, but I was certain of it. I was drawn to blue and "boy" things, and had my mind set on football games and a huge appetite. The only indicators of girl were the fact that "Emma" just sounded so natural to me. Like I was meant to have an Emma. That, and my two dreams that revealed girl. Of course, I ignored those signs and was totally floored to hear "It's a girl" when Miss Emma arrived. I was so excited, but felt so silly for calling this poor baby a "he" for the 9 months she was in my belly!

So on to this baby...

Again, our girl name (Kendall Faith) just feels right. But maybe it's because I can picture a sweet face and bouncing pigtails more easily now. Either way, it sits well with me, and I know it is the perfect name if we have another girl.

Now, my "gut" says boy because 1. these kicks are really, really strong and 2. My dreams have been boy. And while we're not set on a boy name just yet, our top choice at the moment -- Austin Bernard (my maiden name) -- is starting to feel right. So I am back to football games and a stocked fridge.

BUT...the last few nights I've had two dreams and both clearly showed I was having a girl.

What the heck? Do I have any maternal instincts in me at all?

Small Talk with Emma

Mommy: Emma, are you full? Or would you like some more eggies?

Emma: Noooooooo, I'm fine this minute.

Mommy: (blank stare)


Can someone tell this girl that she just turned 2 a few weeks ago? And the little attitude I detected in her tone really scares me. Oh does it scare me! :)

Fashion Friday: For Daddy...

Okay, so there has been some intense "discussion" around here the last week about the golf outing Daddy is supposed to go on tomorrow morning. The girls around here aren't too happy about this, and we don't exactly keep our feelings to ourselves.

However, after Daddy's peace offering last night -- a pedicure for Mommy tonight while he puts Emma to bed -- we felt it only right to provide our own peace offering.

So here is Emma in her preppiest outfit, showing (a little) support for Daddy and wishing him a good game. (And smiling as hard as she possibly can!)



Besides, who could stay mad at this guy:




*Pay no attention to the drink of water gone bad on Emma's shirt. It is an illusion.*

She can see!

So Emma had her first bang cut today. I won't go as far as to say it was her first haircut, since there wasn't much hair actually cut. But something had to be done about those bangs, especially with my sister's wedding coming up in September. Plus, I'd like to get her 2-year photos taken next week.

I wasn't sure where to go since we all know Miss Emma's personality, but then I spotted an ad for a new kid-friendly place super close to our house. I wasn't doing anything drastic -- we were just trimming some bangs so the poor girl could see -- but I knew I needed a place with lots of distractions.

I purposely scheduled first thing in the morning so it wouldn't be busy and ended up with a really sweet girl named Sarah that didn't seem clueless. Actually, I knew she'd be okay when she said that she often tries to convince parents that bangs don't need to start at the back of the head and that only a few are necessary. Bingo!

In fact, I knew I probably could have attempted this trim on my own since it was only a few bangs, but with Emma's many colics, I thought it was best to trust a professional.

So off we went this morning. We talked about it all morning, but I'm not sure Emma really knew what was going to happen. She loved the place at first glance though. There were toys and balls and a choo-choo train. When it was time to pick her chair, she didn't seem interested until I showed her the firetruck that she could drive and that had a bell. Plus it was in front of a TV.

She didn't want a cape on until I bribed her with some crackers and convinced her it was a bib. She accepted, and Miss Sarah started the trim.

About 1 minute later, we were done. Sarah was nice enough to put Emma's "lock" of hair in a baggie for me, although there wasn't much at all. I opted out of the first haircut photo and certificate because I didn't think it really counted. We'll do that next time.

Of course, then Emma didn't want to leave. We walked around for a few more minutes, playing ball and moving the cho-cho down the tracks. Then I finally convinced her that it was time to go home and play outside. She wouldn't say "bye" or "thank you" to Miss Sarah, but talked about her the whole way home and at lunch. Go figure.

Here are a few shots of our little experience this morning. Later this afternoon is our 24-month check up. I'm hoping a good nap will make this as easy as the haircut!

The Latest on Baby Seth

I just found out from my girlfriend that Baby Seth has started chemo. The tumor hasn't grown, but he is losing weight and has been running a fever. They also have him on a feeding tube. The most difficult part is that this couple's first child was very premature and had to have a feeding tube, so this isn't the first time they've had to deal with the fear or worry of losing a child.

Please continue to pray for Seth's healing and for peace for his loving parents and family. I can't imagine how hard this must be for them.

Fashion Friday: Baby B at 30 weeks

This Made My Day

http://www.sonnyradio.com/OverTheRainbow.html

(Make sure the Kleenex is nearby.)

To My Little Spitfire

Well Miss Emma, Happy 2nd Birthday! It's taken me about 4 months to get to the point where I can admit that you are actually turning 2 years old. Of course, you have given me more than enough clues that you are ready to turn 2. I, however, am still trying to get used to the idea.

Last year's birthday letter was a bit mushy—which is fine by me—but as I get to know your personality more and more, it only seems appropriate that this one be a little less flowery and more to the point.

I think the only word that could come close to describing you is "spitfire." You are one busy lady, and you definitely like things your way. You have an unfathomable amount of energy that begins the very moment you wake up...at 6am. No cuddling, no "easing into the day." Nope, you are up and ready to play the second those eyes pop open.

From there, our days are usually filled with lots of activity. You are extremely physical and love to play "Ring the Rosie," catch, and "Chase You." There are a few other crazy games you and your Daddy play, like running into a pile of pillows on his chest; flipping over his head; and tickle wrestling, but with Mommy's belly getting bigger every day, we save those for when Daddy gets home.

Outside is one of your favorite places to be, whether we are going for short walks to visit the porcelain "hop hops" down the street or taking a trip in your wagon to get the mail. Of course, you insist that we "snap, snap!" you in every trip and that you have at least one baby or other furry friend with you. You also love driving your Dora vroom vroom "to the store," only to quickly return with an "I'm back" and a big hug.

You have recently grown very fond of your sandbox, which keeps you busy for quite a while on hot days, as long as you have a couple of buckets of water nearby. Mommy especially enjoys these days, when she can sit and read a book or magazine as you play.

And the park. Let's not forget about the park. The "wee slide" is by far your favorite part of our trips, but you also enjoy climbing up the steps and will even go for a short swing if other kids are threatening to use it first.

You are certainly not shy, but I wouldn't exactly call you friendly either. Strangers work hard to get you to flash a smile, but you usually just turn away or look right past them. I admit that I used to get upset about it, but now I know this is just your way. But for those you know and love, you are more than happy to share a quick kiss or hug, although most of us would like to hang on a little tighter and a little longer. You love to play with kids, and seem to prefer those who challenge you. Although you like your way, you also appreciate a little conflict. This makes Mommy very, very nervous…

What I would call our downtime consists of building towers with Daddy, reading books, and watching your beloved 30 minutes of TV a day. Your favorite shows include Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Wonder Pets, as well as your Elmo, Bob & Larry (Veggie Tales), and turtle (The Pond) videos. As active as you are, I know you would be more than happy to sit in front of the TV all day long. This is why you are limited to one show a day on my clock, if at all.

One of your very most favorite things to do is take care of your baby and Minnie. These are truly your buds. You make them meals all the time, take them for walks, rock them when they cry, put them "night night," feed them bottles, and bring them with you anywhere I'll let you. They are truly your best friends, and you love them with such intensity that my heart literally wants to burst. You are going to be such a great big sister. This I know for a fact.

You are extremely sharp and soak up new information like a sponge.
You can:

Sing your ABCs, as well as a dozen other songs

Recognize and name almost all of your letters

Easily count to 15 (although 13 is often missing for some reason)

Name your shapes and colors (although we often mix up red/pink and blue/green)

Communicate in sentences that blow my mind

And the biggie… go potty on the toilet! This one truly took me by surprise, but once you set your mind to something, I have a feeling there is no turning back. (At least I hope!) I wasn't expecting you to be in" big girl pants" before your second birthday, but then again, that is exactly why it happened. You often like to remind me that we run on Emma's clock, not mine.

Eating is still one of your favorite things to do, although you are getting pickier by the day. You love your whole-wheat noodles, beans, and turkey hotdogs from TJs, but lately, any other protein needs to be "dip-dipped" in ketchup. You like green beans, peas, and corn, but won't touch potatoes for some reason. You love fruit of all kinds, especially purple "bapes," '"nanas" and watermelon. You haven't had any real junk food yet, so your indulgences include the occasional banana cookie and Kix cereal. We typically stick to the good stuff, and you seem just fine with that.

You sleep as hard as you play. You take a 3-hr nap every day and sleep about 10-11 hours at night. This is like clockwork unless you are sick. Mommy loves this about you! HOWEVER, if for some reason you don't get all of this sleep in, you can be pretty darn cranky, and the rest of our day is a struggle. Mommy doesn't like this part, but I also realize I can't have it both ways. So a strict schedule it is!

I know I am still #1 in your life, but we certainly have our share of power struggles. You have taught me to be very creative when giving directions and have forced me to pull patience from places I didn't even know existed. In fact, you may be solely responsible for improving my prayer life! ☺

Truth be told, your zest for life leaves me with very little energy at the end of the day, but it is worth every second as God gives me glimpses of the woman you will become: Assertive, successful and energetic, yet loving, caring and passionate. A wonderful mix that only our Creator could come up with.

As the next year unfolds, you will certainly have a lot to deal with: A new little sister or brother, (hopefully) a new house, and lots of new milestones. But with your strength and determination, I know you will be just fine.

Mommy, on the other hand, might just need a few more snuggles to get through it all…

Happy Birthday, sweetie! I love you more than you'll ever know.

Remembering...

Exactly 2 years ago at this time, my water broke. Little did I know that just 3 hours later my entire life would change with the arrival of our Little Miss Emma.

More birthday posts to come...

THANKS AUNTIE NENNI AND UNCLE TODD!!!!!!!

In case you can't tell, Emma kinda likes this outfit... and so do I!

Potty Update

I thought I'd keep the title pretty straight-forward this time so that those of you who don't give a hoot about Emma's potty training can skip this. I realize it is really only of interest to 1. my family; 2. mommies who are either going through it or about to attempt it; or 3. mommies who want to laugh at (with?) me and remember those days! :)

So I have to say that we are doing pretty darn good. No more diapers around here except for during "night, night" times, which include nap and bedtime. And to be honest, even those are pretty dry.

She tells me every time she has to go and chooses either Emma's potty or Mommy's potty, whichever she prefers. Usually #2 is in Emma's potty, which I can't really blame her. Bearing down while hovering over the black hole doesn't sound too fun to me. I'd rather be closer to the ground! ;)

Anyway, the few accidents we've had have been at home and usually because she either 1. misjudged how long she could hold it (she told me, but then decided she could "pee pee later") or 2. didn't want to stop playing.

We haven't ventured out a ton, but I have decided to go all underwear, no diaper, even on outings. So far, so good. No accidents yet. She tried to go potty at Sam's Club for me, went three times at church (#1 and #2), went several times at a family party at my in-laws' house on Sunday, AND all morning today when my mom-in-law watched her for me. I'd say that's pretty good. She even got out of the bath tub the other day to pee. That's my girl!

She does have a few quirks... The first being that we go #2 in stages. In other words, she doesn't like to continue her duties unless the potty is empty. I'm hoping this is temporary, as it makes the whole process long and sometimes, messy. She likes to bring toys with her, which is a little gross, but I'd rather her think the fun can continue than feeling like it is a total inconvenience. She also isn't crazy about washing her hands afterwards. Again, I figure one thing at a time, but I insist that we do it after she goes #2.

I honestly think it has become second-nature to her at this point, although I know we will still have our share of accidents as we start our usual errand routine. But as long as we have an extra pair of Elmo panties and some shorts, I think we'll survive this potty training thing after all.

Praise God!

Fashion Friday: Tennis Anyone?