October 2014

Emma's sprung into a new big kid stage with new interests and mastering or working on skills. Extremely into helping in the kitchen or watching what I am doing; she uses her little weaning table as a standing surface so her chest is at counter height and helps peel garlic, mix batter or fill the muffin tin. She's been preparing her own snack by peeling a banana, slicing it with her butter knife, and applying peanut butter to the slices. What a rewarding activity!

Everything is a horse lately. We saw this before but especially after the Rotary Club horse show  where Emma rode an Appaloosa she has been imagining every thing is a horse. Stumps, rocks, trees, piles of leaves, our sectional sofa, pumpkins. I should compile all her horse pictures into a post! Sometimes Emma pretends she's pulling the horse along with her so we can take it with us. Other times she "scoops it" and it somehow shrinks into a palm size horse that she can carry home. Scooping items is also really big right now; characters or animals in the background of books, EVERY PLANE, the moon, anything she'd like but can't get. If there's a distressed character in a book Emma is especially concerned and will scoop it up to take care of it. 

Emma has been brushing her own teeth without being asked (she's just into it lately!) and using our Tom's fennel toothpaste. She spits as best as she can into the sink. She can get her underwear on without help, and get some pairs of shoes on and off. I think I need to give her more time to practice and build on these things or rather present her with the opportunity to instead of helping her through it. Of course, if she needs me, I'm there. 

Saying "something [else]" when I need to keep guessing what word she is saying. She told me at bedtime she used her toothbrush on "deen" .. Deen? 

-Something.

Train?

-Something.

Teen?

-Something. Deen! In bathroom sink.

She gave me a clue and Ahah, it's Drain! We do this guessing game occasionally and it always end with me thanking her for giving me the chance to figure out what she's saying. Gosh she's a great girl! (By the way, she was not using her toothbrush to clean the bathroom sink drain, she almost did but I gave her the drain brush just in time!)

Emma's also telling amazing short stories lately, but more on those next time ;-) they need a post of their own.

Emma stiring our noodles, so careful and focused 

She painted this for the moon :-)

Leaves are falling all around..

Fall is full of color, crafts and appreciation of nature as we transition into the colder months.

Yep. No shortage of Fall here. Emma is enjoying making nests in leaf piles, running through them and watching leaves drift down in the breeze. We've started eating our hot cereals for breakfast again and having a cup of tea every afternoon for a warming up. We're also rediscovering how extra cozy it is snuggling up on the couch with a few books and a blanket on a cold day. There have been some cold days (50s) both out and inside but Emma hasn't minded. A lot of the time she tells us that she wants to be cold and will protest putting on a sweater. 

Grandad and CoCos visit

Last weekend we had two special guests, Grandad and CoCo! We all had a great time at our home, their hotel, and some local spots. We've seen Emma being very adventurous and engaging with her environment in different ways, during their visit especially. Definitely moving out of her comfort zone lately. Or is it that the comfort zone has broadened? She is speaking more confidently and has a lot to say, to everyone and about everything. Sometimes she has so much she needs to say at once it comes out as the same two or three words over and over again as she struggled to remember every detail in queue, and with a lack of verbal dexterity. To me it seems like that would be frustrating, because I know Emma's comprehension is far beyond what she is able to express, but she remains the patient and calm girl we've gotten to know the past couple of years. I hope that by repeating some things she tells me she feels I'm understanding what she means and also others can better understand her. Someone else's two-year-olds voice is not always decipherable! 

Emma doesn't like being put on the spot, but if she's got an idea everything else seems to be blocked out. Like galloping down the hall to my parents suite shouting "Come on, Emma! " Same with playing on the steps of the hotel pool; she could have had a thousand viewers but she would have been so focused on her imaginary game as a sea lion or feeding the fish that she wouldn't have taken notice.

Emma having the opportunity to go swimming at the hotel in Tarrytown where my parents stayed and explore water and her own buoyancy was amazing. She was letting go of fear just enough to laugh about it but still clinging on so tight to Patrick or I, or the handrail as her body started turning horizontally. It's a little different every time we take her swimming, always an adventure!

After my parents departure Emma still has a lot to say about them. Even today seeing a plane had her informing me that Grandad and Coco were on it. Little things remind her of their visit and she states sometimes made-up facts about them, or tells me about swimming or going to Muscoot with them. The whole visit made quite an impression on Emma. 

My mom got this great shot which I love; on the way out Emma climbed up into a barstool and ordered a drink to go! A milk shaken with a cherry, on the rocks. She looks so pleased with herself, that's the big smile I live for :-)

Hello, this is fun!

Floors messy from feeding the animals. Movements larger than life. Wearing dolls in blanket carriers. Bread transforming into camels at tea time. Toddlerhood is absolutely wonderful.