kitty cat muffins

Most everyone knows that cooking and baking are not my forte, but I am blessed to have a husband who enjoys doing both. Of course, I do attempt the occasional meal, but always with detailed instructions in hand or ready-made ingredients. Emma Jane loves muffins, so I make the instant muffins once a week for breakfast. You know, the kind where you just add milk to the mix! This morning as I was getting little missy out of bed, I asked her what she wanted for breakfast and she happily replied, "Muffins! Kitty cat muffins!" Okay, what in the world are kitty cat muffins?!? I have no idea how this request popped into her head, but I decided I would try to to honor it!

I used the usual strawberry muffin mix and let Emma Jane help me stir in the milk. As you will see from the picture below, Emma Jane impatiently waited for the muffins to bake in the oven. Then the creative mom in me decided to see what we had in the pantry to magically transform these ordinary muffins into "kitty cat" muffins. I decided to use mini chocolate chips for the eyes, a dried cranberry for the nose and a fruit bar cut into small strips for the whiskers! Emma Jane was thrilled! Of course, after looking more closely, I probably could have come up with something for pointy kitty cat ears, but Emma Jane was ready to eat her muffin!

labor day fun

Emma Jane had a very busy Labor Day. Since Paul had to work, I decided to take her to the zoo by myself. Big mistake! The crowd there was terrible with all the kiddos out of school. I almost turned around to go home, but I couldn't disappoint my girl! She had her mind set on going to the zoo. The highlights of our visit were her first "all myself" Icee and a ride on the merry-go-round. Notice from the carousel picture that I actually trusted her to hold on by herself (just for a few pics, of course!) I'm sure she has been capable of doing this for quite some time, but mama wasn't ready to trust her. On the tram ride back to the parking lot, she laid down on the seat and said, "Nap time, Mom!" I guess our quick zoo trip wore her out!

Later that afternoon Paul and I took Emma Jane for a swim at the neighborhood pool. Paul has been taking her most afternoons when he gets home from work, but this was the first time I went with them. She is becoming quite a little swimmer with the newest floating device and has no qualms about jumping in the water to Paul. I had to add a bathing suit picture of me with a 26 week pregnant belly. Just two months ago that swimsuit top completely covered my belly, but not anymore!

this is my friend george

Emma Jane has been saying the funniest things lately and if I don't document them, I just know I will forget. Here are a few of my favorites...


"This is my friend George!" (said while introducing me to Curious George...she went through all of her favorite stuffed animals with this introduction)

"Mommy, I not screaming, I squealing!" (said in earnest after I chastised her for screaming in the backseat of the car)

"Daddy, sometimes it's hard to leave." (first thing she said to Paul after returning from a friend's birthday party)

"Mommy, I not sleepy!" (trying to postpone bedtime)

"Mommy, I wuv cupcakes! They taste so yummy!" (imagine this statement shouted at the top of her lungs with seriously overenthusiastic gusto)

"Just a lil' bit" or "Just a few mo minutes" (when she's trying to talk me into something I've already said no to)

"Sometimes balloons pop!" (spoken every time she sees a balloon as she remembers the tragic day her balloon popped)

"Daddy, I don't like it. It too spicy!" (said frequently at dinnertime when she doesn't want to eat something)

"Mommy, not supposed to throw toys!" (after she witnessed me taking the lazy approach to cleaning up as I threw a toy across the room into a basket)

"Ms. Bonnie says, not time to touch toys", "Ms. Bonnie says, no touch dolls now", and "Ms. Bonnie says, only teachers touch doors." (these rules are recited anytime I ask her about her new preschool class...she's obviously listening to the rules, but does she follow them!?!)

There are so many more, but it's hard to remember them all. What I really love is how she addresses who she is speaking to before she says something. I can't wait to hear what she has to say tomorrow!