The good 'old days

* If you don't wanna read my late-night ramblings, you can skip to the bottom of this for some cute recent pics. I'll understand; I know you all love Emma more than me, I've come to terms with that. *

Well I'm sitting here browsing through some of my older blog posts, and I've come to a sad realization: I'm not very funny anymore. It's really true, my old stuff (especially from our old blog) was such high comedy! Now it's just dull & dry.

Here's my theory: I think the older Emma gets, the more of my good humor she's sucking up. Sure, I spend a bunch of time laughing at her, but lately the trend is leaning more towards focusing my energy on NOT shipping her off to Chinese Gymnastics School for life. (After all, they'd be able to better harness her insanity into something more productive, right?) I love her dearly, but she has rapidly entered that joyful phase of "Too Much Toddler To Handle."

Exhibit A will be coming sometime soon, once I can catch it on tape. You see, she was kind enough to display for me this evening her newly-learned method for getting in & out of her pack'n'play (she currently prefers that to a crib). Yes, IN & OUT. With no aid from an assisting prop, such as a stool or a person - just Emma & the bed. It's really quite something - get excited, people.

Exhibit B would be her already well-developed fickle female mind. I waste SO much time (not to mention FOOD) preparing things for her that she assures me she wants, only to have it swiftly rejected when the final product is presented to her. Every meal, every day, she's asking for something with seeming sincerity & when she gets it the appeal is instantly lost. (Yes boys, I know, women are all the same, hardy-har-har...)

Exhibit C: refer to Exhibit B - but replacing food with toys/videos/books/activites/etc. etc. et infinitum ad nauseum.

• She asks - oh who are we kidding, DEMANDS - to watch a Mickey, and as soon as it's started she's shouting "Wunna Pets!!" Or, "Baby Signing!!"
  
• We pick the "spider book" to read at bedtime, snuggle on to the chair, open to the first page... aaaand she's off like lightning to retrieve the "fruit book."
• Don't even get me started on stroller rides; she wants to ride, she wants to push, she wants to stand on the little toddler stand at the back & there she goes she's jumped off the stand and is trying to climb back in as I'm still pushing the stroller because this has all happened in 5/16th's of a second and I haven't even noticed she's moved. But now I stop and help her in, just in time for her to say "Emma push!" and start climbing out again. Told you not to get me started...
  

At this point I must assume that the ONLY thing she's certain she wants is to drive me crazy!! Don't get the wrong impression here - I end every day wondering if I could possibly love her any more than I do. She's absolutely amazing & I marvel at every little thing she does.

But, SERIOUSLY!!! She's insane! *long sigh* It's a very interesting mixture of emotions that I spend my day balancing.

Okay, rant over. Here's a reward for staying awake through all of that: cute pictures! They're slightly old & have been sitting on my desktop for weeks waiting to get posted. Well pics, here's your moment in the sun.

Not sure that's the right way to sit on that, Emmanema...

Watching a Sox game with Daddy

"Cho-co-late Ice Ceem!" Oh sure, your nutritious applesauce is sitting there untouched, but go ahead & fill your tummy with sugar & cream.

"Happy to, Mommy." Or, "Okay, now the applesauce is touched. Thanks for the ice ceem!"

Oh Emma. (Tomorrow is a new day, tomorrow is a new day...)