She Just Won't Do It!

Emma is so close to crawling, but she just won't move forward. I have been working with her every day. I thought the bribe of the toys might work. I keep moving them farther away in the hopes she might go for it (Just like I used to back away from my swimmers when I taught lessons). I really want her to crawl before I got back to school next week. I have strict orders that no one can tell me any of the cute things she does while I am gone. That way they never happened, right?

Happy Birthday, Cousin Hannah!

Hannah Kay is three years old today! We can't believe she has grown up this fast. Hannah is such a big girl now. She is going to be a big sister this fall. She is very proud of that. Hannah loves to play with her dolls, especially her friend, Hoppy. Happy Birthday, Hannah. We miss you!!

Kickin' It Old School

Emma cashed in on an old toy from my school this week. One of our teachers retired this year after 46 years of teaching and there were many things for the taking after cleaning out her room. Miss Kimes was like Mary Poppins and all her students adored her. The staff adored her, too. Emma loves sitting in this little wagon. I am thinking she can push her dolls in it some day. The wagon is a treasure!

Pinwheel Memories

I found this video on You Tube and it brought back a flood of memories. I used to watch this show at my grandma and grandpa's. They were the first people I knew who had cable and I thought it was magical.

Happy Birthday, Papa!

Happy Birthday, Papa! We love you very much. Hope you have a fantastic birthday!!

(Your gift is in the mail. Honest!)

Sitting Pretty

We finally got out Emma's high chair from storage. She loves it! Every time she sits in it, she squeals and babbles with delight. Emma's favorite part is when Daddy scoots her around the room. I love it that her little feet barely stick out right now. She looks so tiny in it!

Worn Out!

I know we have all been this tired at some point. Playing is just so hard!

Group Shot

I forgot to post the family group shot. Pretty good considering there were 4 kiddos involved. Grandma and Grandpa Veith would be proud.

Family Reunion

This past weekend we went to Spring Mill State Park to gather with the Veith Family (mom's side). The weekend was filled with many adventures and most importantly, laughter. The park has a pioneer village and many caves to explore. We made it to one cave after climbing 300 steps to get to it. My cousin's three year old was the brave one and made it in the dark cave. I didn't make it that far! We enjoyed hanging out and playing board and yard games. We voted on planning a scavenger hunt for next year. Emma had a blast watching the little cousins play. Next year she will be in the middle of it. She really liked the Smokey the Bear in the lobby the best. We stopped in Bloomington on the way home to show Emma where she will be going to college. Of course, we had to buy a few new I.U. shirts. What a fabulous weekend it was!

Growing Up So Fast!

I am trying to figure out when Emma grew into this little person. She has so much to say and is aware of everything. Emma is a pro. with her sippy cup and has discovered finger food. The girl loves to eat (just like her mommy and daddy). Emma makes us laugh every day!

"If I Ran the Zoo"

Emma took her first trip to the zoo today. She loved every minute of it. Cousin Hannah announced, "This is so much fun!" the minute we walked in the entrance. I think Emma's favorite animal was the giraffe. She couldn't keep her eyes off of him (he was very close)! My favorite part are the baby elephants. I even got to make a new pressed penny for my collection. The Koala exhibit was fascinating. Koalas sleep 18-22 hours a day. One Koala opened its eye for a split second for us. Emma really loves her stuffed Koala that Mimi got her as a souvenir. All in all, it was a great day!

Beautiful Sky

We were out watering the flowers last night and saw two hot air balloons floating through the sky near our house. They were so close you could hear the gas blowing to keep it afloat. It made for a beautiful sky.

So Curious

Emma is so curious these days. She is always grabbing for things, peeking over edges and corners and watches things very closely. She loves being outside. There is so much to see! Her daddy is good about showing her new things and letting her test out things like the grass on her feet. We love watching her learn!

New Wheels

Here is our new ride, the Saturn Vue. We cashed in on the zero percent financing and got a good deal. I love the XM Radio. Matt loves the tires and the sunroof. He always thinks everyone is looking at him driving it. I hate to burst his bubble...

Shakin' in Chicago

We spent the Fourth of July holiday with my brother's family in Chicago this year. We had a nice, relaxing time hanging out together. As you can see, Carter loved being with Emma. He tried out some of the baby things practicing for "his baby" who will be here later this summer. I took a trip over to Oprah's new store. Even though I lived in Chicago for 5 years, I never checked out the famous corner. We also had a great time at the park in the swings and on the slide. Carter always took us home from the park en route of the White Hen to get an orange Push-Up pop. Oh, the little things in life are the best!

I'm Healed! (Well, Mostly)

I made my final visit to OrthoIndy today. Dr. Schwartz said he hopes to never see me again. As much as I like Dr. Schwartz, I hope I don't have to see him, either. My back is healed for the most part and I don't have any more restrictions. I did learn an interesting fact. A damaged nerve heals 1 millimeter a day. On average, nerves take up to 18 months to heal completely. If I had paid more attention in my anatomy class at I.U. I probably would have remembered that. Anyway, it feels good to be cleared!