Move over Mr T, Here comes Miss E

Here's Emma acting like a girly girl, something we don't see often! Wearing necklaces and putting on makeup. She even let me paint her fingernails and toenails last week.

We also have discovered a bird nest built into the wreath on our front door. There are four eggs, kind of pale green or blue with brown specks. The mother bird flies out when I open the door, and I think she is a cardinal. Some research online tells me the eggs are supposed to hatch 12 days after being laid so they should hatch any day now. I have put some orange survey tape across the top of the stairs that leads to the front porch so hopefully the birds will have some peace.

The Good News II

Mom’s birthday is today. Last week she decided she wanted to go on the boat over to Conrad’s Upper Deck for dinner. We were all supposed to meet at the boat at 5:00. Chucky was running late, then the battery in my van died because I left the door open all afternoon. So we didn’t get there until 5:30. Joseph didn’t get there until 6:00. Okay so finally we’re off!

Emma didn’t like wearing her life jacket so I told her we could go in the cabin and she could take it off. So we are riding along and we start to slow. Good, I’m thinking, we’re almost there! Then, bump bump, bump grind, BUMP, GRIND GRIND. Uh-oh. Either the propellers are stuck in the mud or we are stuck on the bottom. Probably both. OK! Dad even called ahead to the restaurant to see if the channel was okay and the tide was right, so he is just slightly irritated. Someone comes along in a skiff and tries to pull us but that doesn’t work.

Then Dad gets on the phone and calls the restaurant. I don’t know what that conversation is about but it gets us nowhere. Mom says we will just sit there until the tide goes up. That will probably be 3 or 4 hours and Emma is cranky already. Is she serious? I am not looking forward to the rest of the evening. But things like this happen and I’m sure people have been through worse so I’m not upset. Then Dad calls the Sea-Tow. They have to come from Gwynn’s Island and will be another hour or so. Then another boat comes along and tries to pull us out but that doesn’t work either. They offer to take some of us to the restaurant. Dad wants us to go but we don’t want to leave him. He and mom decide to stay on the boat and the rest of us go the restaurant. We watch the boat and eat our dinner (which is not good). Chucky keeps saying “I think he should have . . “, and if this and that had happened and blah blah we are all irritated at this point. We get mom and dad some food to go and by the time we finish the sea tow is there. After pulling the Good News into deeper water, it comes to the dock at the Upper Deck to pick us up. Chas and Emma put the life jackets on and we all make it safely back into the boat with mom and dad, $890 later. Maybe we should have waited for the cheaper tide. I declare I wish I had my camera. Geez. Joseph drives us home while mom and dad eat their mediocre dinner. Happy Birthday Mom!!! I officially welcome Chucky to the Gaskins family. We have been married almost 5 years and this is the first time he has experienced one of our trips with a disaster in it. [Can’t believe we got through the Homestead with no incidents.]

Such a big girl

Emma is no longer a baby. She's a kid. She uses the potty, blows her nose and can open the door to walk right out of the house. And she has bangs! She's just as sweet as ever - says "bless you mommy" when I sneeze. And says "sorry mommy" after she swats at me with her little hand, so angry then all of a sudden so sweet.

She still gives big bedtime hugs and kisses and when I put her to bed she wants me to puff out my cheeks with air so that she can poke them and all the air will come out of my mouth. That's funny stuff for a 2 year old.

When Chucky uses the weed-eater, she gets out her lawn mower and helps him cut the grass. Of course when he rides, she rides.

We filled up a small pool on the back deck that she gets in and out of and waters the plants and splashes mommy. Kind of relaxing for mommy just to sit there and watch her.

She asks me if I need something, like at dinner last night it was a napkin. She sticks her neck up, her chin down and her eyes up at me and says in a fast, light voice, "Mommy need a nakin?"

I told her she needed to clean up her golf clubs before we went upstairs and she said "Oh!"

We went to Water Country saturday via the colonial parkway. Thank goodness for the viewing stops, because we pulled over in one and Emma peed in the grass. I didn't think she would go for it but she acted like it was totally normal. And the rest of the day instead of asking to go potty, she'd say "Mommy, I need to pee in the grass!"

Like all the times I said before, this is my favorite age.

The Homestead

This year is the 125th anniversary of the Virginia Press Association. My grandfather was the president of this associaiton many years ago and this year my father was installed as the President. We traveled to the Homestead in Hot Springs, VA to attend the convention. Mom and Dad drove up Thursday morning. Thursday afternoon Joseph, Susan and Chas joined Chucky Emma and myself in our minivan. We all had a good time. It was colder than I expected so I wasn't dressed warm enough, but that's typical. We went for a carriage ride, fished in the little pond, ate lunch outdoors, went bowling, and went to the dinner dance. We left Chas and Emma with a Homestead babysitter and they did great. We ate well, tipped well and did not sleep well. Chucky played a $235 round of golf. Always good to return home.


President PopPop




Carriage ride, Emma and Chas with Sue-Sue




At the Homestead Fishing Pond, Emma & Chas