The Day After

Emme and I spent the night in NJ and enjoyed fresh waffles for breakfast courtesy of GG and Emme. She loves helping in the kitchen and always knows where to get her bench to assist. Grandpa and I took Emme outside for her first roller skating lesson and she seemed to like it. She "skated" for about 15 minutes and only fell once. After she enjoyed playing ball for a bit before retreating into the house to warm up.

Turkey Day

Emme seems to have enjoyed her first Thanksgiving. The day was spent with her grandparents and other family members she had not previously met. She provided the decor for the table in the form of her stuffed paper bag turkey she made with matching hat. Per usual she looked around for a pair of heels to don and this time it was her Grandma Gail's backless mules. I tried to explain to Emme that a lady must always check herself before going out because pantyhouse (or tights) stuck in the back of your dress is a fashion faux pas even when there is a cute little bear on one's tushy. She dined on turkey and cranberry with some apple tart for dessert. She even helped make the fresh ice cream! A lovely time was had by all. She even helped GG work off some of the yummies by practicing her Zoomba dancing. The only thing missing was Uncle Marc who was in Barcelona visiting his girlfriend.

Thanks and Giving

Days like this are tough. I cried en route to NJ thinking about how blessed I really am not just with the addition of Emme to my life but in general. In these tough times in the world you have to take stock and appreciate what you have and not what you don't. In snapping one of many photos this one sums it up pretty well for me. The photo Emme is looking at is one of our first beach trip. She struggled to get it off the chest it sits on in my father's entry to the house. After managing to get her hands on it, she brought it into the family room, propped it up and was just staring at it. Shortly after she clutched it to her chest proclaiming, "my mommy". I am indeed.

Commissioned Watercolor Portrait GIVEAWAY!!!!

How cool is this? The only good thing about sick days is finding things like this. Commissioned Watercolor Portrait GIVEAWAY!!!!

I HAD a little dreidle

...and mommy took it away (to put back in the china cabinet). Since no one really has Hanukkah props or backgrounds we brought a snow globe and dreidle with us. Emme had her beautiful portraits done a few weeks ago and I was utterly thrilled at how they came out. My friend told me to go to the cheap place since they do a good job. So since Emme has a Christmas dress for that day with Ra-Ra and family, I decided she needed a Hanukkah dress too. Today we went to "that" place and had Hanukkah pics done. I only liked ONE shot. It wasn't the same level of service or quality as what I got last time but it's not bad for fill in pictures since you can't be doing this ALL the time. Anyway enjoy my $30 photo shoot.

The "Shoot"

Emme was part of a photo shoot to promote adoption yesterday. The photographer was absolutely lovely and Emme had a lot of fun working with her. It will probably be a few weeks until I see the photographer's shots (she took hundreds) and I am hoping she will give me some of the good ones on a CD. She was kind enough to take not just Emme but the two of us and even did a few of Emme and nana. We were welcomed with a fabulous breakfast spread and had some time visiting before it was our turn. I snapped a few shots in the loft while we were hanging around. Most were just candid shots of typical Emme expressions and her debating whether or not to share her animal crackers with nana. The eye blink shot is one of her very well known "attitude" expressions and from it she usually opens them hysterically laughing. Twinkie accompanied us and she was telling him to be a good boy while she said "cheese"

Deck the halls with loaves of challah

We couldn't find Hanukkah Harry anywhere today and since my father said Emme needed her picture taken with Santa, we tried today. Here is the outcome.

Spring Fashion Preview

Please enjoy a preview of the latest in spring fashion about to hit the runways. Always make sure your shoes and purse match, especially when wearing bovine couture. (even if they are your pajamas)

Proud Mama

Age two and a half, home four months, Second time in the big pool. Need I say more?

Mazel Tov

Yesterday Emme and I attended baby naming of a friend whose daughter is 10 weeks old. She was a good girl sitting through the bulk of the long service, studying the prayer book and sneaking a peanut butter cracker here and there. Her date for the celebratory event was her new dog "Twinkie" Afterward we dined at a luncheon to honor baby Abigail and Emme thought the balloons were the highlight of the affair. I am sure A's mommy and daddy think otherwise. Emme was so sweet in her dress from her Auntie Lisa, her pearls from China and her little purse. I'm a proud mama for sure.