Picture Time!!
Okay, I have over 6 weeks' worth of pictures to post. Mommy has been slacking! Without further ado (and in time for Emma's second birthday next week, which I'm sure will mean lots more pictures), here is a recap of the past 6 or so weeks!

We went to visit Emma's honorary grandparents, Ginny and Alex DeSantis, on Easter Sunday. Here, Emma is playing with Ginny while Alex looks on in the background. Ginny also made a most delicious chocolate cake for dessert that afternoon! Emma loves to go and play with Ginny, and go for walks in Highland Park with her too (more on that later...)

A few days after Easter, we went to the zoo with Omar and Sofia and their mommies. Emma really likes to hold hands with her friends these days, as she tried to do with Omar and Sofia that afternoon.

Emma loves to play on the "uhputer" whenever and wherever she can - this computer was at the children's museum. Also while at the museum that afternoon, Emma made some music on the steel drum, drove the truck at the Clifford exhibit and even had some up close and personal time with the Big, Red Dog himself. After hugging him, Emma gave Clifford a big smooch on the nose, which was very cute.

As soon as the weather started getting nice, we headed out and about! We spent an early April afternoon at the playground, where Emma the daredevil zipped across the rickety bridge and gave a beauty queen wave from the bouncy thing (what do you call that thing anyhow?). Emma has also mastered climbing the "rock" wall at the park, which means that Mommy gets to climb the wall right behind her as a spotter!

Another nice weekend afternoon was spent at Springdale Farm, where a good time was had by all the Smiths. Emma was a little uncertain about petting one of the miniature horses at first, but with Daddy's reassurance, she made her way closer and before we knew it, was petting him and saying "Hi, horse!" Emma had a chat with Daddy as we strolled around the farm, and later she took off on her own to go see what she could find. (Of course, Mommy and Daddy were right behind our Little Miss Independent!) The highlight of that afternoon's trip was when we saw one of the workers bringing a horse in from the pasture. Emma went right up to them and started petting the horse without any hesitation at all this time!

While we were in NJ in April to visit Emma's new cousin Kirsten, Em also spent time playing with her cousin Hunter. We went with Mamie (Aunt Amy) and Hunter to White Oak Park, where Mamie took Emma on the tall, twisty, tube slide. A few seconds later, they reappeared at the bottom - Mommy was glad Amy was brave enough to do that slide, because she didn't dare try it herself! After a hard day of playing, Emma and Hunter needed a bath, so into the tub they went! They had a lot of fun in the tub, playing peekaboo and splashing each other, along with a little bit of actual washcloth use, too.

Emma decided to give up using her high chair in April, and now sits like a big girl in her booster chair (aka the "BEEEGGIRL CHAIR!") at the table with Mommy and Daddy. She is getting good at using a fork and spoon, too. Another big girl skill she has mastered is how to hold a popsicle on her own to eat. (Before, Mommy and Daddy would have to cut it up into pieces on her high chair tray or hold the stick for her.) She loves "OPS-ikkels" when she is teething, and she's been cutting molars for a while now, so popsicles are a pretty regular thing lately. She tries to jam the popsicle as far back as she can to hit those sore spots!

Since it has warmed up now and spring has finally sprung, we've been going on walks with Ginny at Highland Park (site of the Lilac Festival) to see all the flowers, not to mention all the dogs that also go for walks in the park! Emma especially enjoys seeing the Emma-sized trees - perhaps they make her feel like a giant? Emma likes to smell the flowers and makes a funny, squinchy face when she does. She loves to be outside! Ginny helped Emma pick some flowers that Emma held onto the entire time we were at the park. She has a great time playing outside!

On Mother's Day, we took advantage of the nice weather and went up to Lake Ontario to walk around the beach and park. Emma took off towards the water as soon as she saw it, which was a change from the last time she was on a beach, last summer! (She did not like the sand or water very much at all when we went to Coney Island last year.) Emma and Daddy found some sticks that they took down to the water's edge to throw into the water. Well, Daddy threw his stick into the water, but Em decided to hold onto hers and use it for digging in the sand instead. Emma had a lot of fun playing in the sand and was very sad when it was time to head back to the car.

Now that it is summer, Emma gets to enjoy unlimited Gymboree classes again. She loves Gymboree and especially her favorite teacher, Miss Teresa. Miss Teresa plays lots of cool games, like feeding the bear puppet which made Emma laugh a lot. Miss Teresa also blows LOTS of bubbles for Em and the other kids to pop during bubble time. Emma can't wait to take Gramma Bindert with her to Gymboree class when Gramma comes to visit next week!

Last but not least, it is Lilac Festival time again! Emma and Mommy met up with Daddy at the park this afternoon, despite the cold and blustery weather that seemed more like early March than mid-May. Daddy took Emma on the pony ride which Emma has been wanting to do since she saw the ride last year at the festival. Emma had a very tight grip on Daddy's jacket the entire time! She had a great time riding on the pony and then going to hear Mr. Mike, the Story Time guy, tell stories and sing songs at the pavilion, despite the cold, cold wind.
- posted by Heather @ 11:27 PM