Pre-toddler a huge help in the kitchen

I am really lucky to have all of this help in the kitchen. Lola is motivated and prepared for all things kitchen related. She's got the asparagus steamer out and ready even when we're not going to be steaming asparagus. Thanks Lola, you are always on top of things! Maybe I have a little Martha Stewart (minus the illegal shenanigans but plus the huge cash) in the making.

And posted below is another super cute video of Lola walking my way to pick up a choking hazard, the cookie monster hair clip. Which by the way she is not wearing today, it would look ridiculous with this outfit, she's got a flower in her hair instead.



P.S. A couple of you have asked about my twitter thread. Apparently "twittering" is the new rage sweeping the internet, all the cool people do it. When I'm not at my computer and I have something to say I send a text message and it will post on my twitter page & this blog. Rowan's Daddy is the cool dude that hooked me up. I saw that he was doing it and was fascinated! So here I am sending a shout out to him for giving me internet crack. Thanks Jeff, I'm now addicted to this fascinating yet almost retarded internet rage.

sleepy time sock drawer

Runner has a new favorite place to sleep, Daddy's sock drawer! It works out pretty well for him since Aaron never shuts this drawer. Last night as I was sound asleep I woke up to not Lola crying but a faint scratching sound. It was Runner trying to fit his big kitty body into a drawer that was only open a few inches. He managed to make it in there. I wonder what Runner likes best, the solitude or Aaron's socks.

The below photo was taken when Lola was about 4 months old. This was their first interaction caught on camera. Pretty cute stuff!

Lola is all about Mommy...

...when Daddy is nowhere near

Lola is pretty much a Daddy's girl right now. They say the kids go through phases and since she was in a Mommy phase the first 10 months of her life it's only fair for Daddy that she's currently all about him.
As luck would have it she's all about me when he's not around and since I am the one that picks her up from school each day I reap the benefits of super excited greeter!
In the below videos you will see Lola greeting me when I picked her up from school yesterday and the video after that shows Lola feeding Daddy spaghetti for dinner (yes, she only has on a bib.. cut me some slack, we were eating spaghetti).

Stone Path Unearthed

un·earth
1. To bring up out of the earth; dig up.
I spent last weekend cleaning up the yard. We have plenty of yard work to do to last the next forever. After Aaron and Ian picked up a truck load of mulch for me I started working in the little garden on the side of the house. I got it all cleaned up and mulched. I then moved to the back of the house. As I was cleaning up the stone outside the back door I realized this stone isn't the only one so I kept on going. Soon enough I discovered I was digging up a little stone path! Of course I'm so excited thinking it's going to lead to great things I've not yet discovered in my yard! Like there's some undiscovered building out there, duh Emilee... I'm hoping for at least a little stone patio but no luck. We ended up with a super cute path to the carriage house as well as a path to the old water pump. Aaron took the kids to Aila's 3rd birthday party that day so when they got home they were just as excited to see this awesome little pathway! Yay!
In Lola news she has transitioned into the PRE-TODDLER room. Hello, a pre-toddler! How did this happen so fast? She is doing really well in her new room and her new teachers seem great! So far so good! I'm happy it's going so well.
She is walking all over the place and attempting to run. She hasn't mastered walking so I think she's jumping the gun by attempting this running business but apparently she's in a hurry. Here she is strutting her stuff in the backyard.
Nice bathing suit Lola. Too bad the diapers make her look so crotchy. (sshhh... I haven't told her. When she asks "Mom do these diapers make me look crotchy?" I say "No Lola, you look great!")

She's had a couple busy days visiting with her friends. Someone has some sharing issues. Rowan came over for a nice visit and soon realized his friend Lola was a little on the demanding side. Apparently if Rowan was going to sit on her green chair then she was going to sit on it regardless if he was on it or not:


Click HERE to view more recent photos.



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School photos are in!

I got my school photos back yesterday. Mom wanted to buy the entire package but Brody's Mom was there to keep my Mother in line. Brody's Mom is all about scanning and making copies.... whatever Mrs. Vanderwoude.

Speaking of Brody's Mom I don't think we've mentioned the great news, Brody is going to be a big brother! Just like Ian is a big brother! yay Brody! Since his Daddy is off on business Mom got to go with Mrs. Vanderwoude for her 8 week check up. She took this cool video of the little heart beat.

Congratulations Brody & family!

Summer Fun!

Lola and I are having a great time this weekend visiting friends! She finally got to meet Sam, one of my best friends from high school. His daughter is 8 so he really enjoyed spending time with a baby again.

Today we went up to the lake where Lola went on her first boat ride! She wasn't as impressed with the boat or the ride as she was with Dr. Hammerlings keys. Unfortunately for Lola I didn't pack a bathing suit so she looked like a PWT baby as she ended up going for a naked swim. Thanks Olivia for taking Lola in the water, she had so much fun!

Click here to view more photos from this weekend.

Adiós spoons

Thank goodness for bumper stickers and the facts they provide. There is a highway of knowledge out there.

After reading this one we have decided to remove all spoons from the house.

P.S. Dad - I was not driving when I took this photo, the car was parked in a parking lot and I was walking. We are all safe.

Lola LOVES H2O

Lola's teachers provide the children with small containers of water to play with on Fun Friday's. Some babies wear swim suits and some simply wear their diaper. The babies love their H2O time!
I guess no one told Lola not to get in the water. Oh Lola! It's like a cat trying to squeeze into a shoe box.

More photos from the week here.

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pool party!

It was a crazy fun time this afternoon when we got the big pool from Ooma out for the kids. The Banzai Wild Waves Water Park is frikin awesome!!!! Ian and Lola LOVE it!

Aaron and I are a little bit concerned that we may have ginormus children since the box clearly shows six children playing comfortably at the Wild Waves Water Park. There would be some serious over crowding if six children the size of ours were playing at the water park.

Welcome baby Sam!

Congratulations to Joe & Melissa who welcomed their first baby yesterday morning at 8:41. Sam weighed 6 lbs 9oz and is 19.5 inches long. I got to meet Sam yesterday and I have to say... a wave of emotion came over me. I was back at the same hospital where I delivered Lola just over a year ago and it's such a comforting feeling to be visiting that hospital again. Those few days were so wonderful getting to know our baby girl before bringing her home. A year has gone by so fast and here we are with another new baby friend who in no time at all will be a year old himself.
It's true that time does fly!
Below Lola demonstrates to the new dad what he has to look forward to. She says "Check me out Lt Beck, now that I'm one I can do all sorts of things. I'm so cool!"

Even though Lola hasn't met Sam yet (she stayed in the waiting room with Katie - THANKS KATIE for entertaining Lola at the water fountain!) she has something to say about the new baby, we're just not sure what it is.

uuummm Lola... this isn't the Girls Gone Wild party bus

Lola attended Brody's first birthday party this afternoon and was the only child undressed. I dubbed her The Wal-Mart Baby. Lola showed up to the party in the appropriate attire however took playing at the water table to a new level when she decided to climb right in soaking her pretty party dress. I, of course, was mortified at her behavior! She ended up borrowing a water diaper from Brody and spending the day between the baby pool and the water table. Lola was the only baby who took advantage of the baby pool, apparently all the other children in attendance thought the girl who got into the water table was a nut and kept their distance.
Poor Brody wasn't feeling the party spirit today. He woke up at 2am with a temperature of 103. He was asleep when we arrived. He did make a birthday appearance but I could tell he just wasn't feeling that great. This is not the way to ring in your first year. We hope you feel better soon Brody! And Happy FIRST Birthday!
Click here to enjoy the party photos.

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