Weekend in the Windy City

The best part about going to Chicago in the winter are the Macy's Windows! This, of course, was Emily's favorite part of our walk on Saturday! You couldn't tell from this picture...she was in the middle of whining because she wanted to eat...which, btw...uncle Rob detoured from where we were wanting to go, to a McDonalds that was a few blocks away!

Seen this advertised on the TV and had to go see it...Millenium Park. It was so amazing. Have pictures of the kids underneath it on the other camera...the one that I do not have with me at this moment! Down below, by where you see the buildings, was where the ice skaking rink was. We got to watch them go around and resurface it while we were there. The line to ice skate wrapped around the rink!

Emily patiently watching the ice skaters! This was her first time wearing the coat that my aunt got her for Christmas...Thank you Aunt Lynn!!!

Emily's favorite part of the entire weekend...the pool! She woke up in the morning, grabbed a little swimmer diaper, walked over to me and said, "Mommy, we go swimming in the pool now?!" It was too cute. Luckily she got to go swimming 3 times while we were there.

And one of the best things about living in southwestern Michigan...only a 2 hour train ride to get to Chicago! Didn't have to use gas, drive around in crazy Chicago traffic, or pay for parking...which btw was $47 a night! OUCH!

We had so much fun this weekend. Got to have deep dish Chicago pizza, first train ride, first taxi ride, and just a weekend to relax and have fun with the kids! I am already wanting to go back!!!

Reflecting on 2008

January: Wearing the sweater my grandma knitted for her...she LOVED it!

February: And I thought we were going to be potty trained!!! HAHA!! But she looked too cute in her panties, t-shirt and her uncle Rob's shoes!

March: She was finally into the whole easter egg hunting this year!

April: First trip into Chicago. We have flown into Chicago a few times, but never actually went into the city. She had so much fun!

May: Oh the sunny weather returned! (Looking for it again already!) She got to play on the playset this year. Uncle Rob put some boards up so she wouldn't fall.

June: First trip to the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo. She had so much fun, but was completely worn out by the time we got done.

July: First trip to Canada and first trip to a zoo! She is so well behaved. I am such a lucky mom to have a daughter who loves to travel.

August: First stay in Kalamazoo. She had so much fun playing in the pool!

September: Having fun being a princess. She loves my sunglasses!

October: First "snowk" of the year! She hated it last year and would scream whenever she got near it. This year she runs out to play in it!

November: First time actually playing out in the snow this year.

December: My princess turned 3!!! It has been an interesting learning experience this year. She has changed so much and has taught me PATIENCE!!! Oh has she ever taught me patience! We shall see what 2009 brings us!!

Christmas Morning!

Christmas Eve making reindeer food! Kenneth, Tina and Emmy each got a turn to stir the food and then they got to stand at the front door while Jen threw the food out in the front yard to attract the reindeer to the house!

Emily and Tina got the cookies ready for Santa...and of course the girls had to taste their work!

Out of all of the presents that she got....the socks were her favorite to open! My child is extremely weird!

My mom wanted to make sure that she got a Cabbage Patch doll because my sister and I each had one when we were little. She couldn't find them back in Oregon, but we had tons back here. So, she sent me the money to get it for her, which left me with picking one out! Of course I had to get the blonde one because Emily is blonde! She doesn't look so thrilled here, but she is only upset because I made her stop playing to take a picture with it!

When I finally got it out of the box, she LOVED it! She fed it, pretended that it was crying, gave her hugs, and took her for a walk. Her imaginary play is growing more and more every day.

Jen and I seen these small purses at the store and decided that the girls needed them! I am sure they will find tons of things to hide in them!


And last but not least...the outfit that Emily's great grandma...my grandma...got her. It is made out of fleece and it so warm! The hat and gloves aunt Jen and uncle Rob got her! I just loved this face and decided to post this picture...it is the classic Emmy attitude!

Now I am dealing with the attitude over being overwhelmed with all of the gifts! Luckily, I get to go to work in 2 hours!!! Good luck uncle Rob and Aunt Jen!

Oh so much has changed

Hard to believe that 3 years ago today that I gave birth to this little miracle. So much was going on this time 3 years, not knowing if Emily was even going to make it.

Here she is on her 1st birthday driving her uncle Rob's car home! She was so tiny then, I still can't get over how much she changed that year....or even how much she has changed now since then!
And here she is on her 2nd birthday...kind of into her presents, but no so much....she still looked cute!

And this evening...having the time of her life and enjoying every little bit of that cake! How far we have come in the past 3 years. I can't believe all of the lessons she has taught me and the amount of patience that I have acquired with her...even though sometimes I feel like I don't have so much. I am a very lucky mom to have been blessed with her little spirit. She has gotten me through so much and has made me want to be a better person. If it weren't for this little girl, I am not sure where I would be right now. Happy 3rd Birthday my little princess...thank you for making my life worth living...you mean more to me than you will ever know.

Happy 3rd Birthday Emmy!

The ENTIRE baby set that my parents got for her! She loves it. Almost all of it fits into her princess castle that they got her last year for Christmas except for 2 pieces...and even then she can't get in with it!

I got her this learning laptop. It teaches letters, numbers, spelling, etc. Uncle Rob was sitting on the couch using his laptop and Emmy just got up right next time him, with a pillow as well, and started using her lap top right along with him!

And of course cake! She loves her cousins! Took the greatest pictures of her lickign the frosting out of the container after I got done frosting the cake with her face covered in it, but those pictuers are not on this memory card!

She was extremely spoiled today and had a great time. Getting her to go to bed, however, is a different story! She was on a whole bunch of sugar from the cake, and very excited about her new toys that she didn't want to go to bed! This year was fun because she couldn't wait to tear into her presents. Last year, she would pick at one for 20 minutes and then only want that gift. Had to beg her to open the others! This year, she opened one, looked at it, set it aside and went for the next one! She had so much fun. Thank goodness I am now done with her birthday for another year...now just have to get through Christmas!!!

FINALLY!!!

Ever since I found out I was having a girl back in August of 2005, I have been looking to get these wooden letters and do her name so I could hang them in her room. Sadly, every place that had the letters, NEVER had a "E". And then this past Saturday...just days before her third birthday, Wal-mart FINALLY had the "E!" YAY! I got all of the letters and finally got to sit down and paint them today, with a little assitance from my princess of course! I was just so excited, I had to take a picture of it!

FIrst Dentist Appt!

First thing to get done....X-rays!! Oh my goodness...poor little thing was so scared she didn't want to open her mouth so they could x-ray the back teeth...so they just took the front x-rays and moved on! Went into an examining room and I told the dental assistant that I had been worried about her front tooth because it came in with a dark line down the middle of it. Well, come to find out that the enamel hadn't completely covered the tooth and that is what that was. Solution: to put a crown on it! AHHHHHHHHHHH! And when were they going to do be doing this crown? Oh today!!! Why not make the first dentist appointment a great one! So, we moved into another room after they cleaned her teeth.Which, btw...when they put the fluoride on her teeth, about 5 minutes later she got sick! They said it was completely normal for younger children. No one warned me of this, so for all of you first time mothers out there, your child may get sick from the flouride...F.Y.I.! The hygienists were so awesome, I couldn't have asked for a better experience with them. When we got into the room where they would be putting on the crown, they laid her on the table and let her touch ALL of the stuff...the spit sucker, the water hose thing, the black thing that they put in between the top and bottom teeth to keep your mouth open, and even a mask. They wanted to make sure she was knowing what was going to go in her mouth. She freaked out when they put the needle in her gums to numb the gums and tooth and then they let her sit for 10 minutes. She was very calm and talking to me about how she was a princess and that she wanted to eat! Mind you, I didn't let her eat breakfast before we left because I didn't want her to have dirty teeth! The laughing gas they gave her was strawberry flavored! It was the neatest thing ever! She kept it on her nose the entire time! Then the dentist came in....and the screaming began. I got to sit by her feet while the dentist fit the tooth for the crown and the two hygienists held Emily still. She screamed the entire time. My eyes filled with tears and all I wanted to do was take her away from them, but I knew that she needed this done. It was horrible! As soon as they would turn off the spit sucker, Emily would quit screaming...hmm...I think the only thing that bothered her was the noise. After they were all done, I immediately sat her up and kissed her and asked how my princess was doing. She replied with, "I ok mommy, I cincess!" (aka princess!) She got to pick out 4 toys from the treasure chest because she was so good. I think I did worse than she did!

This is about 5 minutes after she got her crown put on...poor little thing...I still feel so bad for her.
And about 10 minutes after we got in the car, she passed out! I think she needed the sleep so badly...poor thing is probably traumatized!