Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Fabulous friends and fun

On April 19, we met with a very special group of people at Bellevue park: our Birth Center friends!  The Birth Center does an amazing job preparing their moms and dads for before, during and after birth.  As a result, there are a lot of classes!  We got to know several couples through our Birth Center classes and later when Emmeline was about three weeks old, we started going to mom's group once a week.  Though our mom's group has officially disbanded, we have tried to keep in touch with everyone.  We do see a few of our TBC friends on a regular basis, but it is a rare and special occasion to see everyone.  A few could not make it to the park that day, but most of us were there:

I have known most of these babies since they were newborns.  Since I had not seen some of the babies since before they were walking very well, it was very surreal to see them running around and climbing on the playground equipment.



Emmeline and Elisa see each other on a fairly
regular basis; since Emmeline feels comfortable
enough around her, she was stalking Elisa for
her snack.


Oh, thank you, Elisa.  That is some very good
sharing!




There has been some really nice weather here in DE.  This past weekend and Monday got up to the mid-80s.  For us that means park, park, park (once or twice a day).  The above pictures were taken last week when we were still in the 60s.  Emmeline had fun pushing her baby in the swing and also swinging with the baby.


"Cheese!"


I love her little fingers, here, keeping
her baby safe in the swing.


Emmeline continues to LOVE the swings.  It seems to be the only thing she is interested in at the park. She will swing forever if we let her. She started to say, "Push Emmeline faster, higher!"  When all three of us were at the park on Monday, she demanded, "Mommy, daddy, push Emmeline together!" We must have looked pretty silly both pushing her at the same time.  She has started to pronounce her name perfectly, stressing each letter.  The way she says "together" is so cute but I can't figure out how to spell it phonetically.  It is as if she over pronounces the "th" or pushes her tongue out too far.  I need to get it on tape.

We had Kate, Mike and Milly over for dinner last Friday.  It was fun to show them the renovations to the house and Paul's new baby (a flat screen TV)... you can see it below behind Kate's head.  We are amazed at how fast Milly is growing and all of the things that she can do.  Emmeline continues to be a little bit jealous of Milly, always wanting the person holding Milly to hold her, too.  But she is also completely in love with Milly.  She can't keep her hands off her!  She will be a wonderful older sister some day...but not any time too soon!


On Saturday, Paul and I went to Something Intangable at the Arden in Philly.  It was a wonderful play.  Our friends Kevin, Alison and their daughter, Haley, watched Emmeline for us so we could go.   The girls had a great time playing in the pool and running around their beautiful, large backyard.  We have one more play to go to this season at the Arden but I do not think we will be renewing our subscription.  There are a lot of great Wilmington theaters that we would like to support.  Plus the time spent driving to and from Philly, the parking and the huge chunk of time away from Emmeline on the weekend does not seem worth it.

Happy spring to all!  We hope that wherever you are, you stay healthy and avoid growing a curly tail!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

A short trip to see pa-pa and "nu pa-pa" (great-grandpa) in Washington, D.C.

Today we travelled to Washington, D.C. to visit with my dad and grandpa.  They were in D.C. because my grandpa, who served in the navy during WWII, was sent there as a part of the Honor Flight Network.  The program sends veterans to D.C. to see the memorials, the city and Arlington as a way of thanking them for their invaluable service to our country.  My dad joined his dad on the adventure as a volunteer.  Since they were only two hours away from Wilmington, we couldn't resist the opportunity to see them.  We had a great time but it was a very short visit.  As you can see below, the weather was BEAUTIFUL!

It was a welcome respite from our busy and slightly stressful spring.  In the past three months we have had three or four family bouts of the flu and/or colds, had a flooded house and an under-construction house.  We have been displaced to a hotel and to the welcoming house of friends (Kate and Mike, you are truly angels!).  We have been busy little travelers as we have made two round-tips to D.C. and I had my first weekend away sans baby and hubby to NYC to visit Erin and Shay (both dear high school chums of mine).  Emmeline and I also spent 9 days in a very flooded ND in March.   In terms of careers news, I have recently accepted a job offer for a full-time Assistant Professor of English position at a local college and Paul has started a Master's program in Applied Technology in Education.

Whew!

For now, enjoy these most current pictures from today.  A backlog of pictures and narrative is soon to come:


Two cool chickadees arriving at Arlington


"Ehmine 'cited see pa-pa!"
Translation: I am excited to see
grandpa!


Emmeline and pa-pa at Iwo Jima memorial


All of the vets and volunteers sitting down
in the shade for lunch.  Dad said there were
138 on the plane from Grand Forks!  The vets
came from the surrounding areas in ND and MN


Pa-pa sharing his fruit cup


My grandpa Roy, Emmeline, me and dad


Emmeline handed great-grandpa a flag and
said "Thank you."  I prompted her, of course.


Such a short visit...


...time to say good-bye already.


But the weather was so nice we stayed
at Arlington for a few more hours.


And we stopped to smell the tulips.


And enjoyed the spectacular views of D.C.


And smelled more tulips!


And even more tulips!!


Emmeline especially liked the purple
ones.  In the car on the way home she
kept saying "Ehmine smell puhple ones!"


Sick baby + little sleep + hot day + short,
tease of a visit with beloved pa-pa=
cranky, sweaty baby