lil' miss fix it

Lately Emma Jane has been "fixing" things around the house with whatever "tools" she comes up with. We've watched her "fix" doorknobs with her crayons and she has "fixed" chairs with clothespins. To further encourage her engineering instincts, we got her a toy toolbox filled with tools. She has had lots of fun fixing all the "broken" things in our house.

on the mend

Emma Jane is feeling much better and actually got to play outside for the first time in days. She and Paul rode the plasma car up and down the cul-de-sac sidewalk over and over again. Every time they'd pass by our house Emma Jane would shout, "Wheee, Mom, look at me, look at me!!!" She has been sitting at her "very own table and chairs" for snack everyday and today she felt good enough to eat pretzels again. Her imagination has been at full speed. She sat in a diaper box today and decided that the handle slots on the sides were mail slots. She asked us for mail to put in and out of the slots. Something this simple will entertain this child for hours. Okay, we're talking about Emma Jane here, so nothing really entertains her for hours, but she did sit there for at least 15 minutes!

sniffling sisters

Our girls have been sick this week. Emma Jane has croup and had to get two steroid shots (one in each leg). The nurse gave her two stickers on her pants legs for being so brave. Even though she was pretty upset about those shots, it was nothing an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie couldn't cure when she got home. Vivi started sniffling this morning, so we hope it doesn't also turn into the croup. She has been in pretty good spirits today regardless of her snuffling. It's hard seeing your kids struggle with sickness, but it also reminds you how lucky you are to have healthy, happy children who just have to battle a cold or a stomach bug every now and then.

snowshoes

Emma Jane has such a wonderful imagination! She has been longingly gazing out the windows at the snow covered yard, but we haven't been able to take her outside since the beginning of the week because she has been sick. So, to show us that she was truly prepared to brave the snow, sick or not, she found herself a pair of "snowshoes" and told us she was ready to go outside. She actually found a pair of Paul's flip flops and decided they were big enough to be snowshoes. How she even knows what snowshoes are is beyond me....we can probably thank Dora or Diego for that!

let it snow...again!

We had more snow this week...between 4 and 5 inches! Unfortunately, Paul had to go to work so taking Emma Jane out in it was a little tricky. I had to wait until Vivi was happily asleep since she is too little to be taken out in the below freezing temperatures. After spending at least 10 minutes getting Emma Jane dressed in a turtle neck, sweatshirt, tights, pants, thick socks, boots, overcoat, hat, and mittens, we only spent a grand total of 15 minutes outside! Our neighbors had attached an inflatable raft to a rope and wanted to pull Emma Jane on it around the cul-de-sac. I thought she'd be all for it, but she chickened out and politely said, "No thank you!" while running in the other direction. I was secretly relieved since getting her to the emergency room would have been a nightmare if there had been an accident. Yes, I'm a little overprotective, but with a daredevil like Emma Jane, you always have to prepare for a possible mishap.

emma-isms

Emma Jane has been saying the cutest things. Sometimes she says things that are hilariously silly and sometimes she surprises us with insightful comments. Here are a few of our favorites.

THE DEEP THINKER...
Paul: You're getting so big!
EJ: Yes!
Paul: How big do you want to be?
EJ: Big enough.

BIG GIRL REPLY...
Renee: Thank you for helping me put your clothes away.
EJ: No problem, Mom!

A LITTLE JEALOUS...
Renee: How much does mommy love you?
EJ: This much! (with outstretched arms)
Renee: How much does mommy love Vivi?
EJ: Little this much! (showing outstretched fingers)

SILLY MOMMY...
Renee: Are you my sweet pea?
EJ: No!
Renee: Are you my little princess?
EJ: No, Mom!
Renee: Are you my big girl?
EJ: No, I Emma Jane!

SWEET LOVE...
Renee: Okay, time to lay down and go to sleep.
EJ: Snuggle with me!
Renee: Just for a few minutes.
EJ: Mommy, I will keep you cozy and safe and warm. (said while grabbing my head, pushing it onto her pillow, and stroking my hair)

THE NEGOTIATOR...
Paul: What do you want for dessert tonight?
EJ: How 'bout popsicles?
Paul: We don't have any of those.
EJ: How 'bout cookies?
Paul: Okay, how many do you want?
EJ: How 'bout five?
Paul: That's probably too many. How about two?
EJ: No, how 'bout three!
*Just minutes after eating her cookies, she spots me eating one.
EJ: Mom, you want to share your cookie with me?!?!?

BACKSEAT DRIVER...
EJ: Faster, daddy, faster!
EJ: Slow down, mommy, you're going too fast!
EJ: Green light means GOOOOO!

MAKING DECISIONS FOR DAD...
EJ (in the car with Paul): Daddy, there's Lowe's.
Paul: Yes, but we're going to Home Depot today.
EJ: No, Lowe's is your favorite store!

EJ (while listening to us tease each other): Mommy, you hurting daddy's feelings.
Renee: Oh? I did?
EJ: Yes, mommy, you tell daddy I sorry!

lil' pouter

Vivi quickly let me know that she was not in the mood for a photo shoot yesterday. She already knows how to stick out that lower lip!

sisterly love

Emma Jane gave a Disney princess sticker to Vivi today. You can see it on the blanket in the picture here. Emma Jane is such a sweet big sister. She notices when Vivi's swing stops playing music and knows how to turn it back on for her. She pats her and kisses her a hundred times a day. If Vivi is crying she will go right over to her and say, "It's okay, baby, don't cry. It will be alright." If only this sisterly love would last forever! We'll appreciate it while it lasts.

let it snow!

We woke up to snow the day after Christmas! Emma Jane wasn't sure what to think at first, but then we couldn't get her to come inside even though she was freezing! She had fun attempting to make snow angels and throwing "snowballs" at us. Vivi made it outside for one quick photo to document her first snow experience. We weren't expecting a white Christmas, so it was a wonderful surprise!

christmas morning

Christmas morning was very special for us this year. We enjoyed celebrating with our two sweet girls. Santa brought Emma Jane and Vivi some nice gifts. This year Emma Jane had lots of fun unwrapping her presents and ours too! She especially liked the plasma car and bouncy turtle from Santa. Paul surprised all of us with winter hats and tiny mittens for Vivi. Attached to my hat was the biggest surprise of all...a pair of beautiful diamond stud earrings! Paul made a delicious frittata for breakfast using the new frittata pan his parents gave him. Little Vivi slept through all the excitement once again. It was a perfect day filled with lots of laughter and love.