Emma Lou Who is turning 3!

Emma Elisabeth (couple of days old)

Can you believe it? My littlest girl is turning 3. Where does the time go?

These days everything is a struggle with her. She ignores direct orders, she whines, she screams and she acts like she is the ruler of the house all while opening up every single toy and leaving them strewn in all 1800+ square feet of our home.

Of course, she also thinks snuggling should be done often, she gives loads of kisses & hugs, tells us she loves us 1000x a day (doesn't matter that she adds "smell my butt" on the end of it either) and is totally cute with her infectious laugh. She is smart and loves to sing. I mean, she sings 80% of the day. Doesn't matter what. Sometimes she just makes up the songs. I love hearing her sing her ABC's. Or hearing her sing with the Casting Crowns CD in the truck when we're alone.

Emma Elisabeth 1st birthday 7-6-07


I am trying to remember that these days are short. The days where your children think you hung the moon & stars. I try to remember that I will blink my eyes and she will be heading off to her first day of school and then I'll blink again and she'll be off to college. I try very hard to remember not to wish one minute of any day away because I'll be that mom who will miss the chaos and noise. While I dream of quiet some times, I wouldn't want my home any other way. I rather like the chaos, noise, laughter & love that fills my home and I rather like the almost 3yo version of it.

Emma Elisabeth 2nd birthday 7-6-08

I wonder what the next year will hold for us and this little spitfire - our last child. I'm gonna hold on tight because no matter what, it will be quite a ride!

Love you EEK - you're definitely a keeper :)))))

Emmalicious aka Peepee pants girl

I first want to apologize for being so whiny in my last blog. I sometimes wonder if I don't hate being on state insurance so badly that I imagine other people looking down on me. I was very frustrated, however, at how hard it is to find someone who will treat me. I ended up speaking with hubby and telling him that I will continue to see my GP even if I have to self pay. Most doctors give heavy discounts for self pay anyway. Hubby and I self pay our dental stuff as well so whatever.

On to the missy. She is driving me nucking futs. Seriously. She wakes up dry from all naps and nighttime. She poops on the potty 100% of the time. She has, however, taken to peeing her pants almost EVERY day - sometimes 2-3 times per day. I try not to get angry. I try to remember that she isn't even 3 yet and that she just turned 2.5 last month. I just get so frustrated because she waits too long to go. She will say "Peepee" and I will tell her ok, take your pants off and go (which she is fully capable of) and then she will play for another 20 minutes until she cannot possibly hold it in anymore and either pee in her pants or pee on the bathroom floor on the way to the pot. I've tried to make sure she gets to the bathroom on the first "peepee" signal or cry, but sometimes it's darn near impossible to break away from what I'm doing.

I think also that she is strong willed. When I say strong willed, I mean that she will not do what you tell her to unless she feels that if she doesn't do it some bodily harm may come to her. If I start counting, generally she is all about doing what she is told. She pushes EVERY boundary imaginable. Just now, I told her to stay away from the dog. What does she do after I tell her to stay away? Oh yes, you know it...she goes to the dog. She has been nipped more than once. She doesn't learn so we have to generally keep her away from both of the dogs unless we are right there making sure she isn't biting them, poking them, pulling their tails, etc. In the dogs' defense, they have been very, very patient with her. Guinness will let her lay, climb, get in her face, but they both lose their cool after having their tails pulled and being bit. I've now decided that she has to be by my side every waking moment of the day because if not, she is into something or doing something she shouldn't.

I think what this all boils down to is that I'm slowly going insane. I don't think this bus has any more stops either so I hope to meet someone I know in Looney Town. I'll be there soon unless of course Miss Peepee Pants keeps telling me that she loves me like she just did. Then I'll just be sitting here in a pile of melt.

My heart melted

Just had to share that Em may be turning from being a mighty little tank to a somewhat girly girl....

She received a baby doll & stroller from hubby's parents on Christmas. She also had one at home that she received from us last year. I decided to pull out the cloth moses basket that I bought for her to sleep in when she was born so that she could use it for her babies. I also wrapped her babies up like little burritos in little fleece receiving blankets and put them to sleep for her when I put the moses basket together.

Yesterday as I sat transfixed at my computer, she came in (her toys & clothes are still in our room even though she sleeps in the boys' room) and I watched her out of the corner of my eye while she wrapped up her baby (like a burrito) and cooed softly to it. I thought my heart would melt all over the floor.

It amazed me how she learned so fast and how "mother like" she was at the ripe old age of 2 and a half years old.