Mama's in the Kitchen with Emma

Dinner comes together one of a few different ways each night. Some evenings I have the kitchen to myself and I work while listening to the music Emma makes as she plays in the other rooms. Other times I am bombarded by requests to be held which isn't possible when I am opening and closing the oven or sautéing vegetables. In the case of a demanding toddler at my feet the easiest way to get the job done is to let Emma share in the preparation. I've mentioned before that Emma is interested in helping in the kitchen. She is sturdy and strong enough to complete many tasks. Or practice. Pretend. 

Peeling: check. 

Ready to mix! (So ready, let's do this!)

Above: Emma was stirring as I added ingredients for our salmon's lemon butter sauce. She's so careful at the stove. One day she is going to shout in my face "Mom, I KNOW!" when I have said for the billionth time that the pan/lid/fire/handle/steam is or could be hot. Because I will remind her until that day comes! 

Worth a little risk I think. There is so much that working in the kitchen can teach a child, beyond safety, and anything can turn into a lesson. (Boiled water turns into steam. 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water yields 3 cups of cooked rice. Vocabulary: incorporate; roux.) not to mention all the gross and fine motor skills we use when we measure, whisk, pour, and decorate. 

It slows the process. 30 minutes of prep can easily become an hour or more but it is so worth it in all that is gained. When Emma comes to me wanting to help because playing with her toys just ain't cutting it, I try to see it as just another opportunity to learn presenting itself. 

"It is about the journey, not the destination." Enjoy it. Be present. Laugh, learn, embrace now. Respect the process. And try so hard to never, ever forget these special little moments. 

2.5

I'm Emma is officially two and a half today, not almost or just about.

Here's to a memorable half way mark day :-)

Emma's room at 2 1/2

This post is to document how we have Emma's room set up and what she has in it.

And I'll have to come back with photos of the fourth corner (whoops!) containing a potty and some books, basket for stuffies and a digital clock on the wall.

2015 we are (getting) ready for you!

Christmas time has gone too fast. Even with weeks of talking it, singing it, decorating it, picking it out and wrapping it, and celebrating it.. We will miss it. Emma was my helper with wrapping, picking out the gift labels and even addressing a few. Christmas morning was magical and we also had Patrick's side over the following weekend for dinner so we really did have a complete Christmas. 

Getting back into routine here now that holiday craze is behind us. More time indoors and no naps are adjustments for us and I'm realizing that I need to get into gear here and organize our week. Having some predictable markers throughout the day and week will help both Emma and I. I want to have a nursery rhyme and spoken story time each day; I'd love to try yoga together and to have that or similar activity the same day each week; I want to have a day with the focus on art activities especially now that Emma's interest in it is growing. It would be nice to set an afternoon aside for my own activities or chores I need to complete (sewing, crafts) while Emma has a special project along side me. These are just some things I'm considering as we form and fall into our winter rhythm. 

Need to keep up.

Need to stay ahead.

Emma with her Mimi and Poppop

Milking her horse!

Hello

Just popping on during this nap time to write a little about what Emma is up to.. Being very helpful in the kitchen (lately by picking up scraps I drop, peeling carrots) and expressing herself clearly and calmly. She makes little 'jokes' or pokes fun occasionally while we move through the day. She's so bright and interested in everything going on and SO good at vocalizing it. Such a joy to have around. 

Our Christmas tree is up and nearly fully lit with ornaments to come this weekend. Emma takes it upon herself to crawl under the bottom branches and check the water level in the basin and let me know when the tree "is thirsty" and I fill a bottle with water for her. She does a little crouching shuffle back under and carefully pours it all in. Last time when she was done one bottle she said she needed more water, and I asked if she thought the tree needed more water. She replied, "No, not more water for the tree, need more water for Emma" with a pat on her chest. And so I got her a glass of water and they drank together.

No pictures of this because Emma's often enjoying some topless time around the house, or bottomless, or both, she's two! Whatever! 

*had to come back and add a fun story emma was acting out for me yesterday :-)

Emma was using a long stick like a fishing pole and catching fish then releasing them in different parts of her room. So she'd catch one in the blue water of her rug then let it go on the ice which was the medallion in the center and say that the fish really like being on the ice. Then she stopped and looked me in the face, and said "they not biting it, they just hang on!" And she repeated it to be sure I followed her, 

so I asked "how are they hanging on?"

And she replied "they hang on with their fins!" Making a hanging gesture with her hands on either sides of her face, and I can just imagine what she must be imagining; the fish holding on to the end of the stick (also note that the stick forked off and the fish only hung onto one part, never the other part which must have had a different use) as she humanely catches and releases it. Too much, Emma 😍

Emma got a head start on hanging a few baubles which all graced the same small, low hanging branch. I wonder what will happen next?

Backtracking here, to when we picked our tree over the weekend at an upstate tree farm with MiMi and Pop Pop

Back to nap time chores..

Sleepy head.

Short stories by Emma

I thought I would collect a bunch of these short narratives Emma recites during play but honestly it has become too hard keeping up with all of them now. Her sentences just go on and on, and on (and on!). But a month ago, here are some things she was acting out. These are her own words.

--------—

I live in a hole by the sea. I sleep all winter in my nest, then I wake up. It is snowing; we have to get birdseed!

Emma looks up and sees a rook. He lands on a pillow. I put him on a leash; he's tethered. Then a horse comes and steals the rook away. 

Last night something sprung out of the bedroom. It said, "GO EMMA!" And tumbled over. 

Emma has a bite on her leg. Bug came along and bite, "Bite!" 

 "..huh?"

I'm itchy, I have to scratch! The bugs like to bite bite bite.

------

Also Emma loves comparing things sometimes relevant to what we are doing and other times completely random. 

Bubbles live in water. Snakes also live in water.

I say, Some snakes live on land.

They have to get a boat and go in the water!

In the car on the way home from NH after thanksgiving, from the back she announces "some people are tall, and,.. Some people are not tall!"

I'd better go because she's sanding Catrick

Thanksgiving snow

What a happy visit for thanksgiving we had with Patrick's side of the family. We left a night early to get ahead of the bad weather and its a good thing we did, it began snowing Wednesday morning and it picked up to cover us with a foot of snow or more. 

Here comes the snow!

And it snowed... 

Story time with Pop Pop

And it really snowed! 

The next morning we played outside, before the sun even touched the ground. Emma, in her new snowsuit loved laying on, jumping in, and sliding down the snow. Eating it was also a popular thing with her and she'd say she was an animal in a nest and the snow was her food. 

First icicle! 

Snow baby 

As soon as we got home we got right back into our snow gear and got the sleds out from the shed to have some more fun. Emma really is loving winter as an active and adventurous two-and-a-half year old!

Also big and special was Emma's connection with her Mimi and Pop pop this visit. Sometimes she would be eating a snack and decide on her own that she would bring some to Mimi and Pop pop and would immediately spin around in her chair and slide off to the floor, setting out with a handful of cracker crumbs or pieces or dry cereal while stating confidently 'Pop pop loves penguins!(crackers)' or 'Mimi will have some!' Sometimes she'd go looking for them, and if she didn't see them on the first floor of their house she'd start asking, 'where's Mimi? Where are Pop pop?'

 'Where are him?'

On our last night there (Friday) Emma gave Mimi and Pop pop both goodnight hugs and kisses. So very sweet to see our little girl knowing and loving our family outside of our little home.