6th Anniversary

Today we have been married for 6 years and this is the very first anniversary I have been pregnant! So Shawn surprised me with a night at our favorite local B & B Maricopa Manor. We stayed there just after our wedding (thank you bridesmaids and groomsmen) and then on our first anniversary. It is so cute and quaint and they have a pool and a spa and the room are individual like cottages. Very fun. Shawn requesting a room with a tub so I could take a bath! I think thats the #1 most relaxing thing to do, especially when pregnant and we don't have a tub at home. So I spent yesterday swimming and shopping and napping and taking a bath. It was awesome! No pictures, sorry Emolyn wasn't there to inspire the camera to come out! She spent the night with Jason and Michelle and of course had a blast!

If you ever need a night away check out Maricopa Manor, they have discounted summer rates!

Emolyn's First Bike

Emolyn got a bike from Gigi and Popo (my grandparents) for her 2nd birthday back in february. Well I wouldn't let her ride outside until she got a helmet, and as you can see it took us a while. But we not only found a helmet, its an Elmo helmet.

She also has Elmo shoes and Elmo sunglasses but we didn't want to go too over the top for the first bike ride! She totally loved it! She made Shawn push her the whole time. "Come on Daddy!" Pretty funny to see Mr 6 foot 1 bending down to push the tiny bike!

We have only been able to go out 1 other time because it is so incredibly hot now. But she does love getting all ready to go out and ride.

She is talking like crazy right now saying sentences and asking about all her friends, and even people who aren't her friends. Lately she has taken to asking about her pediatrician, "Where is Dr Leonard?" "What is Dr Leonard doing?" Hilarious.

She is also very excited about baby sister! As we all are. 6 months of pregnancy down!

New York!

So these got a little out of order from our trip but you get the idea. We had an awesome time in NYC! We got to hang out with my cousin Nate (our person tour guide) and his super fun friends. We got to see and things we will probably never get to again so that was extra cool!

We started off our trip arriving late and taking a little our of Times Square, better at night I must say.

We spent the next day at Central Park, had drinks (well some of us) on the roof of The Met with this amazing architectural exhibit. We ate at a little restaurant Shawn has been dreaming about called Shopsins. For extra reference see the documentary "I Like Killing Flies". The food and the man lived up to the hype!

The next day was Brooklyn day! Nate lives in Brooklyn so he took us around to some of his favorite spots. We had a great brunch, went to the coolest flea market, and spent the afternoon at Prospect Park. We had New York pizza for dinner that was amazing after a brief stop at the Brooklyn Bridge.

We spent the next day hanging out with friends eating more great food and ending the night with an incredible improv show at UCB.

Shawn wishes he was still there, it was all a little to much hustle and bustle for me to spend much longer there.

Thanks to my great cuz and his accommodating roommates and friends. What an awesome experience we had!

Good morning

Just wanted to let the 3 of you that read this know that Emolyn is like 80% potty trained. Its very exciting. We ran out of diapers and instead of going to the store we said "you have to wear your big girl panties there are no more diapers" and she did it! Shawn did go buy her Elmo panties which helped but still!

Its fun to think of having another baby in the family. And a little scary of course. I love the baby stage. holding and feeding and cuddling. Im glad Emolyn still likes to cuddle with me.

We have a busy beginning of summer planned so look forward to some vacation pictures while I can still get out of town! Mexico x 2, payson and New York! Shawn and I are taking a 5 day trip in May, sans Emolyn. It should be awesome!

Garden and special news!

I haven't posted about my garden yet! I took this pictures shortly after planting and wow has the whole thing taken off! Shawn created an above ground planter for me from some recycled pavers (Thanks Try family) and we filled it with soil and mulch and were on our way. Our broccoli yielded one delicious stalk.

Our special gardener is very helpful. She loves to tell us when the srawberries are ripe!
And of course help water.

We have had some delicious salads from our 2 lettuce plants. Our onions are sprouting like crazy and our tomato plant is 4 times the size. but only like 3 tomatoes :(. Our bell pepper plants have yet to bring any food but look really healthy and are growing!

And a quick flash back to Easter of last year. Look at this little peach! How precious!

And guess what? By Easter next year she will be a big sister! We are having a baby in October! We are so excited. Yesterdays ultrasound said it looks like another girl! Emolyn keeps saying "sister"! Its pretty fun!

Easter + Emolyn DDS

Emolyn had a great Easter filled with a super cute dress, gloves and miles of candy. But unfortunately due to my need to keep the lights on at home I had to work. So I set out her dress and her little basket, and off to work I went. Cold and alone. And Easter is supposed to be about celebration. But look how cute she looked!

Recently Emolyn has been fascinated with teeth, mostly my teeth. And she has been investigating them.Why she has to pinch my nose I don't know.

But I get a kiss after so its all worth it.Emolyn Kate (as she calls herself) has taken to being very independent. Both with going potty (yes!) and cleaning up. She is also very into candy and cookies, awesome. But she still holds n affection for veggies so we are working on keeping that relationship open! She loves to give hugs and "massages" where she rubs your shoulders for 5 seconds. And while she might be without clothes around the house she is never without shoes.

Emolyn turns 2 (like 2 weeks ago)

So I know I am overdue for a post but i had to document Emolyn's 2nd birthday! And some updates on what its like to be Emolyn at 2. Emolyn had her first party at my moms house. it was supposed to be outside but the rain kept us in.

Emolyn was so glad to have her family there and loved that uncle tyty came even though he had to work.

She was happy to get a meal she could use her fork but mostly her hands. see how much she likes chicken! Emolyn is like the least picky eater ever, its fantastic.

Finally she got her cake. we did a "colossal cupcake" last year and it was perfect. who else at the party eats cake? Plus she got red frosting with her favorite friend Elmo on top. She sings the "elmo's world" theme song pretty well.

And after a time on gluttony, she is done. and she was pretty clear about it.

Emolyn and her family guests had a great time at the party, she really enjoyed presents but I didn't get any pictures of that sorry. The party ended with the need for a nap, which happened pretty shortly after she got in the car to head home. Thanks family for a great 2nd birthday party!

On Emolyns actually birthday (she turned 2 on 2/22) we went to the science center with the Winzelers, because Baby Addie, as Emolyn calls her has a birthday the day after Emolyn. So thinking it was the childrens science museum we got free culture passes from the library (that you city of phx) and headed downtown.

The girls didn't seem to notice my disappointment in choosing the wrong location but hey it was free. The first stop was this construction area about how homes are built well the girls didn't care for that as much as the play house that was there.

Then we went upstairs and found the "wired" area all about energy. The girls found some things but the dads found lots of things!

Emolyn got to play with this air thing that was pretty fun.

Then she laid on a bed of nails.

Then the dads fixed all the rings so the ball went through each of them in a perfect arc.
We decided to head to lunch next at Tacos de Jaurez, where Emolyn fell out of her high chair. After some tears all was well and we parted ways the the Winzelers. We had the 2nd half of birthday to do!

The final birthday event was the evening of Emolyns birthday and Gigi and Popo's house. Gigi made a big dinner and the family came out to celebrate. Emolyn got some very fun gifts. Aunt Marianne gave her a "baby doll" she calls all the others just "babies" but this one is very fancy so its a "baby doll".
And that any good little mommy Emolyn rocks her baby.
Gigi made special lemon cupcakes for Emolyn. Emolyn still clueless about candles and fascinated by the fire took forever till we blew it out.

At 2 Emolyn can:

March

count to 11 (minus 5, she hates 5)

sing parts of ABC's

Dance with motions to several songs also making up motions to songs that do not have any

she has now been a flower girl twice

some hair is starting to show up

she loves the shower

other than several wiping poop on herself incidents we have been getting better at using the potty (we being Emolyn, shawn and I pretty much have it down)

She loves babies, real and otherwise, and always thinks they are sleeping

like apple juice, altoid mints and cheese

likes talking on the phone, which is usually silence

loves shoes and other accessories, namely purses and sunglasses

loves her mom and dad and calls for each of them on a regular basis!

Our little girl is so loved we had such a fun time with family and friends. Stay tuned for more of our adventures!