Growing Up Gratland: August 2009

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Dancing Queen!

Emma has been a dancing machine lately. Here is a picture of our super star dancing away. For those of you who knew me as a young girl, I loved to put the boom box in the front yard and make up dances. For some reason, it sounds so embarrassing to me now but not then! I would put on my dancing gear, crank up the music and put on a show for the street.

I think Emma might have these genes! I know she is shy now in front of other people but man does this girl LOVE to dance!

I had the music on while I was cooking dinner and cleaning up. This is what I saw when I peeked in on Emma eating her dinner and no she does not have any pants on. It is hard enough to get her to keep her panties on in the house, much less pants. Why oh why does my child LOVE to be naked?

So I am not sure where she learned to "drop it like it's hot" ha! Apparently Beyonce will bring that out of you when dance to her music. Hilarious!

We had a super lazy day today! Playing around the house all day. Here is Emma showing how proud she is to be an American. She must have waved that flag and pushed the bird button on that toy for over an hour.... and yes once again, NO PANTS! Ahhh!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

What a difference a year makes!

I was looking through old photos and found pics from last August. Crazy how much kids can grow in a year!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Summer coming to an end!

Emma slept the entire way home last weekend. She spent the weekend on the boat with her Nan and Papa while Ryan and I enjoyed a weekend away together. We were cracking up because it looked like she was saying her prayers while she fell asleep. Her little hands were folded like that the entire car ride home from the lake.

We were back into our routine this week. Emma had another full week of school. She did MUCH better this week and had no tears. Apparently she is the only kid in her class who doesn't know how to use scissors though. Guess that is my fault since I never let her use them. I am so pleased with her new school... she is learning soo much! She even takes Spanish class and told me she painted in rojo red at school one day this week. ha!

We had an awesome birthday party to attend here on Saturday. It was a circus theme and boy was it a circus! They had all kids of goodies... a pop corn machine, snow cone machine and corn dogs. Emma loved the moonwalk, teeter totter, and fishing for rubber ducks. They had face painting, a clown (Emma was TERRIFIED of him though), balloon making and even a pinata! It was action packed but oh sooo very hot!

Enjoying a juice box in the shade.

Somersaults in the moon walk!

Teeter tottering with friend Ella

riding the carousel.... not really liking this one too much.

After the entire house had a nice long nap. We played outside in the back for a while. It has been so hot this summer we have not been able to play much in the back. It was still hot but Emma was thrilled to be playing in "her" house.

It also gave me some time to play with Ryan's camera and try to learn photoshop. Here are the three best pics.

Happy Emma!

I love this pic! How is this beautiful blonde my kiddo? ha!

Found this on my camera when I did the upload. We made cookies a while back and as you can see she was "ready" to eat them!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Grandparents, Aunts, and Cousins oh my!

We headed to The Woodlands on Tuesday night. I had back to school meetings all week and Emma was able to have some special grandparent/Aunt/cousin time!

My crazy child has learned to swim without floaties. She jumps off the diving board and can even pick up her head to take a breath. I love that she is learning how to swim but it makes me so nervous because she has no fear!

Here is my fearless girl jumping off the diving board... I hear she jumped about a hundred times! Atleast she was having fun while I was sitting is meetings all day!

Snowballs with t'Barrett... I am so jealous. There is a great snowball stand in The Woodlands now. Just like New Orleans snowballs!! I didn't get a chance to get one while I was there :(

Lovin on Papa

Cheese!

Showing off her back flip... yes my little entertainer can put her legs perfectly over her head and do a back flip in the pool... .even with pointed toes. Think we need to get her into some gymnastics!

I love this picture... thanks to Kimmie or Barrett who took it!

Taking turns jumping into BB's Pool

BB with Emma and t'Barrett

More jumping

Papa took Emma to pump it up to play on Thursday morning with t'Barrett. These two had a ball. Even Sophie joined in on the fun!

Emma, t'Barrett and "just Barrett"

so sweet! They are the best little buddies.

My child LOVES somersaults

My cousin Barrett is VERY into photography. He has a studio set up in his bedroom. So I took Emma over to see if he could snag some good pics. She was a little afraid and busy jumping around but here are some cute pics that he got. He is going to be one amazing photographer when he grows up!

It is back to the grind this week for me with work and Emma will be back to school. She cried when I took her this morning so hopefully she will get back into the swing of things after being on vacation with her grandparents, aunts and cousins all last week.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Vacation, friends, The Shepherds and a new school...

I have a lot to catch up on! Obviously we have had a busy few weeks! We went to visit family and friends in The Woodlands the first week of my vacation. Emma LOVED being with her family and I loved being able to have some time with my friends too while we were there. I took Emma to Pump it Up one day for open play. She had a ball!! Wish we had one of these in Corpus. Here we are going down the big slide. We went so fast, my dad could not get a picture of us until the end.

Here is our jumping girl! My child LOVES to jump... thinking Santa may have to bring a trampoline for the back yard.

We have also spent some time visiting the aquarium here in Corpus. Emma loves to see the dolphins and turtles...

We have enjoyed going swimming in Calallen with our Stroller Strides friends. Emma talks about her friends everyday and asks to play or swim with them. We are actually going back to swim with them today.

The Shepherds came to visit for a night in July. I need to get some more pics up of all of the kiddos but Aunt Kimmie, Sophie, Jules, "just Barrett" (as Emma calls him) and Claire all came to spend the night. We had a great time but hope they will stay longer next time.

Emma with my cousin Sophie. Emma looks a lot like Sophie did as a little girl, so I guess you could say this maybe what Emma will look like when she is 18! ha!

Someone made a turtle sandcastle at the beach. Emma had to check it out!

Aunt Kimmie and Emma

Emma and Sophie

Our big summer vacation was with my family to Sea World. My parents, and two brothers families all enjoyed a weekend in San Antonio and a day at Sea World.

Here is the gang... minus my parents who had to entertain everyone to get this shot!

We played in our rooms and in the hotel pool too.

Emma playing with Daddy in the pool

SEA WORLD!

I can't wait to go back!

Uncle Max the walrus

Everyone checking out the show. Poor Max... he grabbed the iron the morning they left to meet us. He had a really bad burn on his hand, but he was a trooper and had a great time.

The log ride...my niece Collyn is sitting in front of me but you can't see her! Emma was terrified!

Emma and Daddy checking our Shamu... this was the last show of the night. You can tell we were exhausted.

We went out for a yummy Tex-Mex dinner the last night.

Kyle... she cracks me up! Such a cutie!

Finally a family pic

This past weekend Nana came to see us. Of course we had to take her to the beach!

And out to dinner for her birthday!

Emma even helped bake Nana a cake for her birthday!

Yummy!

On Monday, Emma's friend Ella came over to play while her mom went to a doctor's appointment. These two are two peas in a pod. Hilarious. Here they are both pushing their babies around the house.

Sweet Ella

Emma had a hard time with sharing but enjoyed having Ella over to play. We hope Ella had fun and will come back again!

Emma started pre-school on Tuesday. She absolutely LOVES it. Her teacher is wonderful and I love that she is learning so much. She will go on T, W, Th, all day this school year. It is a long day and has taken some adjusting to this week but overall I am so pleased. She even could tell me part of her bible verse for the week. "The Lord is my Shepherd". Her teacher's name is Miss Cervantes... which Emma calls her Miss Vantes. Apparently she cries when her teacher leaves. (Emma stays for a full day normally until 4 or 5).

Here is a picture of her this morning. It was bring your stuffed animal pet to school. She chose her monkey from the San Antonio zoo. :)

By the way do you love her new shirt? It has a poodle on it just like our dog Bella.

My baby is getting so big! I am noticing how grown up she looks.

Here is Emma very excited about the Shamu show starting!

Emma

RyanPaul