birthday blessings

Yesterday was my 35th birthday. It was a wonderful day filled with family fun and lots of sweet cards and phone calls. This was my first birthday away from my family and friends in Panama City, but Paul and Emma Jane made sure I had a great day. We spent the afternoon at Congaree National Park. Emma Jane enjoyed walking down the boardwalk picking up leaves and either "giving" them to her mama or trying to eat them. We had a little "picnic" on a bench along the boardwalk. Emma Jane liked dipping her crackers in the homemade pimento cheese spread that Paul made. When we got home, Paul cooked a delicious dinner and baked cupcakes for me. Of course, Emma Jane devoured hers, but not before having fun sticking her finger in the hole left by the candle. After a day like this, who could help but feel very special (even though I was told by a dear friend that 35 is halfway to 70!).

our lil' pumpkin

Emma Jane met her friend Kaitlyn at the pumpkin patch this past weekend. I'm sure this will be the first of many pumpkin patch trips this month. Our lil' pumpkin loved checking out the BIG pumpkins and tried to climb them and use them as seats! She "accidently" broke a stem off a pumpkin (or two!) but she tried really hard to put the stems back on! It was a nice afternoon of family fun.

picnic chicks

The weather has been so nice that we decided to have a picnic with the girls this week. We met at Saluda River Club (thanks, Sara!) for playtime and lunch. Paul and Walker were even able to join us for a little while. Addie, Kaitlyn, Lily, and Emma Jane had a big time running in the grass chasing bubbles. These girls know how to have fun! My sweet friends also surprised me with an early birthday treat...Krispy Kreme donuts...yum! Emma Jane had her first taste of glazed paradise and couldn't get enough!

think pink

Emma Jane and I joined our friends for the First Ladies' Walk for Life today. It was a beautiful day and the walk took us along some of the scenic (and hilly!) streets of downtown Columbia. It was really cool to see how many people showed up to support a cause that is very important to our family and the families of countless others. I walked in honor of my special survivors...Grandma Walker, Mom, and Aunt Linda. Emma Jane was very proud to wear pink (including the handmade hairclip I made her!) and she was a trooper on the walk. She even got to meet Spiderman!

2 parks in 1 day

Emma Jane is one lucky girl. We usually go on two outings everyday. One in the morning and one in the late afternoon after her nap. Today we spent the morning in library class and then met our friends at Virginia Hylton Park. The girls love the slides and swings there. As you can see from one of the pictures, Emma Jane has already picked up one of her mama's bad habits....coffee! Don't worry, the cup was empty, but she was trying really hard to get at least a drop out. Later this afternoon we went to another walking park with Paul and Walker. Emma Jane only enjoys sitting in the stroller for a short time these days, so our walks always end with some run around playtime. Today we brought the ball!

movie magic

Okay, I don't think I've ever seen a movie that has gotten me THIS excited! Emma Jane loves her Baby Einstein movies. Since she was just 3 months old, she has giggled hysterically or stared in awe while watching her favorites. I took some pictures of her today as she watched "Neighborhood Animals" in our playroom. Even though she has seen it countless times, she never seems to tire of it. It's so much fun to watch her enjoy something so whole-heartedly.

late night ice cream

We decided to be fun, exciting parents tonight and took Emma Jane to an ice cream shop after dinner. She thought this was pretty cool. Lucky for me, she preferred Paul's butter pecan over my mint chocolate chip. More ice cream for me in the future!

little gym

Emma Jane's sweet friend Lily invited us to "bring a friend" week at Little Gym today. As I knew she would, our little monkey loved it! She enjoyed almost every part of the class with the exception of the parachute ride where all the babies sat in the middle of a parachute while the parents held the sides and walked around in a circle. She was the only baby who wouldn't sit down, so she unfortunately FELL down a few seconds after the chute started moving. She does NOT like losing control and immediately started crying. It was pitiful to watch her cry while we pulled her around and around in circles with the other happy babies! Don't worry, she got over the parachute trauma quickly. Emma Jane's favorite parts of the class were the bubbles and playing with the balls. I was surprised to see how quickly she caught on to the concept of walking along a balance beam (with mama holding her up, of course!). Yes, I was very proud of our little gymnast!

it's all greek to us!

Marlene and me in Santorini, Greece



Marlene and me in front of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece



Not exactly Greece, but as close as we can get right now!
Greek Festival in Columbia, SC





We went to the annual Greek Festival today. Emma Jane really loved watching the young Greek dancers perform. Paul bounced her up and down while she happily clapped to the music. She also made friends with a cute dog! Unfortunately, it was VERY crowded so we walked around for a bit and headed to our favorite Greek restaurant instead! Emma Jane LOVES pita bread with hummus! In honor of today's Greek experience, I am adding a few pictures of my trip to Greece with Marlene a few years ago. One day I hope to go again...it is an amazing place!