The world is a monkey bar playground!

As you know, Emma loves monkey bars and can turn most anything into them, whether she's hanging off the pedestal sink, the kitchen table or any other such thing. Here she is turning the treadmill into her own personal monkey bars...like Gary says, it's nice to see SOMEONE using the treadmill for exercise!lol

Pool fun!

As I've mentioned before, Emma is a real water baby. Thomas loves water, but Emma LOVES water. She loves being in the rain, swimming pools and wading pools, taking a bath, washing her hands, jumping in puddles, running through the sprinkler, even dipping her hands in toilet water!lol If it's water, she wants in! Anyhow, she plays in wading pools practically ever day, weather permitting, and over the last few weeks, we've probably been to about half a dozen friends' pools - real ones, not the wading pools like the lovely blue rubber one Emma has. Anyhow, each time she goes into a swimming pool, Gary or I are with her and she's pretty much in our arms the whole time - playing, but always securely held. Today, the kids and I went to play at my friend Kai's pool. Gary wasn't with us and the psoriasis on my ankle was really acting up so I didn't want to get in the water and Emma doesn't go to anyone but mommy and daddy so she wouldn't go with Kai in the water. We put little floaties on her and off she went! The child is fearless (okay, other than with strangers, she's fearless!lol). Anyhow, Emma was in the pool before Kai and the kids and she kept trying to jump in and float away, I kept having to grab her by the ponytail and pull her back to where I could reach her!lol Once Kai and the kids got in the pool, I let her go since they could reach her and off she went! She's floating around on her tummy and on her back, kicking her feet, just hanging and as relaxed as can be! I swear by the end of our playdate she could swim as well as me - okay, that's not saying much, but still!!lol

Here's Emma just floating on her back and relaxing!

Here are Emma and Heli in the raft - if you look carefully at Emma, you'll see that she's now standing and ready to ditch the raft... not enough action on there for our Emma!lol

Here are Thomas and Gabriel, just relaxing!

Here are the girls, just floating about! Heli is just over 2 years old and she's great in the water - she can swim anywhere she wants - amazing to see!

Then and now!

Here are pictures of Emma. One is from her 2nd day as part of our family (Halloween 2005) and the second if from today, almost 9 months to the day later... wow, has she changed!

Taking it easy!

One of Emma's favourite places to relax is on this backyard swing... life is good!!

Backyard

Here are a couple of pics of the kids playing in the backyard. There's our Emma who can turn anything into monkey bars and Thomas showing that he still fits into the house we got when he was 2, it's just that now he can't stand in it!lol

China purchases

Gary and I aren't great shoppers (well, I'm pretty good when it comes to shoes and strollers!lol) so while in China, shopping wasn't up there on the list, it was barely on the list. We picked up a few gifts for family and friends and did some damage at a jade store, but overall, we bought very little. One dinky little thing I picked up which has become a favourite is this: little silk dresses that go over wine bottles!lol Yeah, they're tacky, but much more original than the typical bag or box in which you'd put a bottle a wine that you're bringing to a friend's... I only got six of these little guys, wish I'd gotten more!! So tell me, what's your favourite little odd thing you brought back from China??

Can't keep a good gal down!

You can dress her up but you can't keep her out of the dirt!lol Emma's a hands on kind of gal!lol Here she is helping me fix the daily raccoon mess that is our lawn and then at the park. When we got to the park this morning, they'd just dumped about 6 inches of new sand down and it hadn't been spread yet so Emma had a blast in all that nice new thick sand - she definitely needed a bath...and all this was before 9:00am!!lol And Gary wonders why she sometimes goes through 3-4 changes of clothing per day!!

Fun!

We spent the afternoon and evening at friends, swimming and having dinner. The kids had a great time, but I think by the time we were coming up our front steps, Emma had had enough excitement for the day!lol She didn't even wake up while Gary got her changed for bed!lol It's nice to know that occasionally, this little Energizer Bunny does indeed need a rest!lol

Only ONE!

Okay, so Judy wants to know if I could have only ONE stroller (I feel faint at that very thought!lol), what would it be. Well, really, it's a question of lifestyle. If you're someone like me who uses a stroller daily, your needs are different than someone else who maybe drives everywhere and only ever needs a stroller for trips to the mall and such. Anyhow, if you're someone who does do a lot of walking and shopping in your neighbourhood, then I think you really need 2 strollers - a big neighbouhood one and a small lightweight one to keep in the trunk of your car to use for visits to friends, vacations, trips to the mall, etc. For a lightweight umbrella stroller, I love the Maclarens and the new Silver Cross umbrellas,which are very similar to the Maclarens. For a heavyweight, pray you never have to try to stuff it into the trunk of your car stroller, I do like the big Pegs - you can't beat the basket - it's not actually a basket but a wire platform below the stroller which will fit every beach bag, sandtoy and cooler you want to bring along with you!lol It'll practically be too heavy to push, but you can fit it all in. I just wish the front wheels swiveled to make them easier to maneuver...hopefully on the new models,they do! If I REALLY had to only have one stroller, I'd pick the Peg Perego P3 - (not the P3 light). It's small enough to easily fit into the back of a car, but it still has a comfy seat with a full recline, a snack and drink holder, a cup holder for mommy and a rather small but workable basket...to me, the P3 is a cross between a neighbourhood and lightweight umbrella. Also, DH is 6 foot 5 and I'm 5 foot 5 and it's hard to find a stroller that is comfortable for both of us. The Peg has extendable handles and Maclarens have high handles so that we can both push without discomfort.

Smart cookie!

I mentioned in an earlier post that Emma loves the number 2. She loves things in pairs and loves to say 2. So, if you ask her questions where the answer is "2", well, she looks like a downright genius!lol So, last night, Gary was asking her, how many hands do you have: 2; how many feet do you have: 2; how many eyes do you have: 2, and so on. He then says: how many noses do you have and Emma of course says 2. Gary points out that no, she only has one nose at which point Emma takes both her pinkies, stuffs them in her nostrils and proudly says TWO!lol

Another fun day at the beach!

Carolyn and I took the girls to the beach again today. Both were in the water before we even had a chance to put their swimsuits on...oh well, they had a blast playing in the water, making castles, feeding seagulls and chasing a family of ducks. :-)

Raccoons!!

In May, we had some sod layed in our back yard. I've dutifully watered it and have spent lots of time trying to get it to thrive - but it's dying - guess why - see this mess?? Almost without fail, during the night, the raccoons turn over the sod. Apparently they're looking for grubs - we've had it checked, there aren't any, do they really need to confirm this night after night??lol Anyhow have any hints on how to keep the raccoons away from my sod long enough to get the sod to take??

My name is Julie and I'm an addict!lol

I was speaking to a friend today who called to discuss strollers...she's looking to buy a new one and wanted some input. You see, I have a stroller addiction so people have been known to call me to discuss their stroller needs and get suggestions - friends also know they never need to bother to load their stroller in the back of their car when they're coming to visit - they'll have their choice to borrow from!lol Anyhow, this friend jokingly dared me to post a pic of my strollers and come out of the closet as a stroller addict...and then earlier tonight, I'm reading another adoption blog and the topic of strollers comes up and it turns out I'm not the only stroller addict out there!lol Let me first say that I'm a walker...I tend to have a more European shopping style in that I'm usually out and about with Emma every day getting our groceries for that day. We also walk most anywhere we go in the neighbourhood and almost daily enjoy walks on a neighbourhood nature trail. The strollers get used a lot. So, how did I end up with this fine collection??lol Let's start on the left: That's the Bebecar stroller and it's the first one I bought for Emma. I wanted a stroller with large wheels to handle the nature trails and I wanted the front wheels to swivel for ease of use. Voila, stroller issue resolved. Well, next thing you know, Emma is home and Emma pretty much cries hysterically anytime I try to go for a walk with her - Emma MUST see mommy at all times and this stroller does not reverse - Emma has to face forward as I push behind the stroller. So, on to the 2nd stroller in the pic. I head up to my fave baby store and tell them I need a stroller with a reversible handle, where Emma can sit in the stroller and face me or face out. Well, they don't have many current options other than the Bugaboo which I personally dislike (I find the handle to be a really uncomfortable fit for my hands) but eventually the owner mentions he's got a big Peg from last year that's on clearance - did I want to see it. Well, if Emma can face me while we walk, I want to see it. This thing is huge but it's comfy as can be for Emma, great for napping, and I could easily fit a month's worth of groceries in its huge metal basket!lol Okay, so I'm all set now, right... but wait, these 2 strollers are huge and heavy and the 2nd one doesn't even fold - it's a bassinet on a frame - what do I do when I'm out and about with the car? I need an umbrella stroller - enter the orange P3 stroller. A little heavy for an umbrella, but full recline, space for cup and snacks, etc, good all around out and about and vacation stroller. Well, now we must be done...oh, no, but wait... what about those wet, snowy, windy days; what about those really rough nature trails we sometimes go on - well, how about this M3 - it's on clearance and it's got an amazing fitted plastic hood that will protect Emma from the elements and it's got BIG wheels that will go over anything - it even rolls smoothly at the beach!! And now our last one... I think it doesn't really count since it's from Thomas' time (yes, I did have a stroller addiction back then and owned a whole 'nother collection of strollers for Thomas - all given to a womens shelter when he outgrew them, which is where Emma's will go as well) but this old Maclaren is good to leave in the back of Gary's car so we don't need to schlep the Pliko from my car to his...it's a little worn, but I'm good with it - oh but wait, I just saw the cutest Maclaren with a polka dot pattern - what's a girl to do!!!lol I'm kidding - I will not get it... I have to say, the new Maclaren is made so much more cheaply than the one we have...can't believe what's happened to their quality - although Emma sure would look cute in that polka dotted seat!!lol So, anyone know if there's an AA for stroller addiction??lol As for Gary, he hopes one day to be able to fit a CAR in the garage!!lol

Piggies

It's totally hot here these days...even went out and bought a fan today - and yes, we do have AC, but by the time it reaches 3 floors up to the back of the house to our bedroom, well, at best you get hint of a breeze coming out of the vent!lol Anyhow, Emma's head sweats like crazy so I attempted pigtails today to keep as much hair off her as possible...she's cute as can be I think, even with her uneven piggies!lol Also here's a pic of her playing in the pool... give her a couple of cups and she can literally play for an hour, pouring from one cup to another - if there's someone else in the pool with her, then she'd rather pour on the other person!lol

Cooling off!

It's over 100 degrees today so it's really nice to get a little wet, even if it is only in our ever so huge back yard wading pool! Here are pics of the kids playing in the pool and then Emma just lying in the water, cooling off...she's such a fish, LOVES water!

Wine anyone?

We have a wine rack on either side of our kitchen island. The wine bottles of course have moved to a new destination since Emma's arrival - can you imagine - Emma and glass bottles within reach - it would not be a pretty picture!! Anyhow, Emma is now trying to use the wine rack for other purposes, such as climbing...except here she got stuck!!lol She kept looking over at me and saying "help mama, help"... I did help, but not before pulling the camera out to take a pic of course!

Ready for potty - yeah right!

Emma always insists on coming to the bathroom with me. A few months ago, I got a potty for her so she'd have somewhere to sit every time she follows me in. The last week or so, she keeps asking to go potty. I've pretty much ignored her as it's obvious she's not ready, but today she was pulling her diaper off and was very insistent she wanted to use potty. Anyhow, got her set up and waited and waited and of course, nothing happened!lol I somehow doubt this will be happening for real for a good long time yet!! We didn't potty train Thomas til he was about 2 and 3/4, but within a weekend, he was fully trained. I'm not interested in being in the training stage for months so until she shows she's really serious, potty will remain somewhere to sit while she follows everyone else into the bathroom!lol Anyhow, I'm not sure I could find underwear to fit her tiny tushie at this point!lol

Elmos!

Here's our lovely Emma showing off her "elmos"!! She can pronounce the letter B perfectly, but she insists that it's an "elmo", not an "elbow"!! She doesn't watch TV so she's not familiar with the "real" Elmo, but I'll soon have to introduce her to him and see what she thinks!lol Oh, and notice she's standing in the recycling box... wonder if anyone would take her if I put her on the curb?lol

Hanging with friends!

Carolyn and Rebecca popped by for a visit today. Since it's a hot day, I set up the pool for the girls.

Here are Rebecca and Emma cooling off. Emma is "swimming"!lol

After a swim, it's always nice to have a snack!

Here's Rebecca's lovely new haircut, before Emma poured a cup of water over her head in the pool!! Oops...sorry Carolyn!!

Pebbles or BamBam??

She may have a Pebbles Flintstones hairdo, but our girl is all BAM-BAM!!lol

TWO!

Emma is big into "two" these days...give her one of something, she keeps asking for another, Two, Two, TWO. Here's a picture of her with 2 cups of water this morning...give her a cracker, she wants 2, etc...she's pretty funny. She's not speaking in sentences yet, but she's good at stringing words together. Let's say she wants to read a book before bed in her rocking chair, she'll say something like "sit, book, read, light, Emma, Mama" and then she'll go to her bookcase, pick out a book, climb up on her rocking chair, turn on the light on the nightstand next to it (it's a touch light, it's one of her fave toys!lol) and invite Gary or I to join her! She's such a little character and she knows what she wants!

Big appetite!

Here's Emma enjoying her first ever strawberry shortcake. Does this girl have an appetite! Tonight for dinner we had a chicken and veggie stir fry with steamed rice. She had 2 helpings. Then I gave her a strawberry shortcake which she demolished. Then came a handful of blueberries and kiwi. Still hungry - out came a couple of crackers and cheese. She's still asking for more but I told her enough is enough... she eats way more than her big brother!!lol

Reading Buddies

Thomas is away at camp during the day and Emma keeps asking when he'll be back...she misses her big brother. Here he is reading to her upon his return home today.

The Emma-nator!

We occasionally refer to Emma as the Terminator - or the Emma-nator - of course that's sometimes because of the odour that emanates from her rather than her antics!lol Anyhow, today I pulled a little craft desk that had been Thomas' out of the garage and thought I'd see if Emma was ready to use it as she seems to really be into drawing and stuff these days. Well, for the first couple of minutes, all went well. She was very excited and checking things out. A few more minutes go by, and there's our sweet delicate flower of a child, having torn the top off the desk and climbing into it!lol The Emma-nator strikes again!

Back to the swimming hole!

So, the swimming hole is a concrete wading pool, but we city folks have to take what we can get! Emma and I met a wonderful former neighbour for a walk this morning and we meandered into our old neighbourhood park so Emma could pop by for a dip. This former neighbour is from another generation, having raised her kids and enjoying her grandkids now, but she's fun and wise and it's always so interesting for me to spend time with people who really live and enjoy life, putting themselves out there and taking risks. This lady is well into her 60s yet last year she went off with some friends to spend a month in India...I doubt I'd do that now, forget about when I'm well into my 60s! She's always trying out new things and she has a great spirit...hope I'm that open to new experiences in 25 years!

Here's Emma doing her balancing exercises!lol The fun (and sometimes frustrating!lol) thing about Emma is that she has yet to meet an item which only had a single purpose to her...sure a ball if fun to throw, but look, it makes a great chair too!

Can you tell from the look on her face that she's debating whether or not she should throw that water at me!lol

More Thursday fun!

Emma had so much fun at the wading pool this morning that when her nap turned out to be a rather short one, I took her out to another wading pool to give it a go. Here she is outside in her bathing suit with her "blankie"... she did understand that blankie did not want to go for a swim and had to stay in the car!lol Hey, look at the cool hat she found at the pool! I swear she spent an hour sitting in the wading pool, tranferring water from a little cup to this big bucket! So, it would seem that what I need to keep Emma in one spot for more than a minute is a wading pool... wonder if Gary will go for it when I tell him our back yard needs to be turned into a wading pool!lol

Water baby!

I took Emma to play at the park this morning. I'd forgotten that the wading pools in city parks had all opened this past weekend but as soon as we got to the park and Emma saw water, that was it, she wasn't going to play on any swing or slide if she could be in the water. There were only one or two kids around, so the lifeguard was kind enough to let her in just with her t-shirt and regular diaper. The water was freezing but that didn't faze Emma one little bit...she was in there in a flash and I had to pull her out about half an hour later when her diaper, now probably heavier than her, was threatening to fall off!lol Thankfully we had a blanket to use as a towel and her diaper bag always has a change of clothing in it. From now on, I'll have to be sure to enclose swim diapers, swimsuit and towel so that we're ready any time we unexpectedly find a body of water!lol

Biking!

Here's Thomas biking around the neighbourhood...think he'll be needing a new bike soon - he's growing so quickly!!

Emma in the process of being strapped, velcroed and zipped into her new wheels!

Emma trying on her new helmet...she wasn't overly fond of it but once she got on the bike, she was great! She loved being on the bike and cried when we told her we were done. I look forward to exploring many of the local bike trails with her and Thomas. Where's Gary you ask...well, Gary and bikes just don't get along!lol

Wild hair!

Wild "after nap" hair!lol