Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was actually a relaxing day. After a morning of Dora TV and more Dora TV for Emma and mommy and a morning of hunting for Daddy, we went to Ghee and Pop-pop's house for lunch. Susan, Chas, Joseph, Lindsay, Clara and Gus were all there, too. We had a delicious meal and a Thanksgiving show put on by Chas. After dessert I took Emma upstairs for a nap and she and I fell asleep in the twin beds in my old room. Chucky slept on the couch and my dad slept on the recliner. My mom woke us up at quarter to 6. We were supposed to be at Uncle Ed's for dinner at 6:30 so we quickly hit the road. Uncle Ed's was relaxing, too. Emma had a good time receiving lots of attention everywhere we went. It was also my birthday and I turned 30 and that's all I have to say about that.

Susan introduces Chas.

Chas tells us the story of Thanksgiving.

We are thankful for each other today and every day.

Trial Pictures

I've been trying to get a good picture of Emma with the dogs to use for our Christmas cards. It is very hard work controlling three creatures that pretty much do whatever they please whenever they want to. Here are a few samples:












Puppies and pigtails - does it get cuter than this?

Welcome Baby Girl

Welcome to the world, Aubrey Taylor Moore. She was born Tuesday, November 21 at 7:13pm and weighed 7 lbs, 13oz. Aubrey is the daughter of Chris and Kristyn. Kristyn is my very good friend I met in college (she's my sorority sister) and lives in Norfolk. I am really looking forward to meeting Aubrey in person!

What do you want for Christmas?

Emma has been asking for things while we are shopping or telling me about some things she likes. So I told her maybe she could ask Santa Claus for a few things and he will put them under her Christmas tree. I think it is finally making some sense to her. Here is our conversation we had yesterday:

Emma: Mommy, what do you want for Christmas?

Mommy: I want a TV for the kitchen!

Emma: OK, maybe Santa Claus will bring it to you! Daddy, what do you want for Christmas?

Also this week we celebrated Chas' birthday (5!) We made cookies (Emma added the sprinkles, to the cookies, the counter, the floor . . .) and tomorrow she is scheduled for a flu shot. I am not looking forward to that few minutes of our lives.

Spaghetti Night

A Day With Nannie

Chucky's mom babysat Emma yesterday while I went to a tax conference. Here is an email from Martha talking about what they did:
"We did talk about the 2 1/2 but she didn't hit me! We played outside in the leaves. We threw them in the air and let them fall on our heads.We picked up little pieces of paper, etc and put in a big blue bucket. I used the shovel and got some trash out of the woods. Emma told me that I was a good helper."

The Art of Hanging Out

Emma is 2 1/2 and has now mastered the art of hanging out. Here she is eating a pop-tart, lounging in her diaper and watching tv. Oh, to be 2!

We went to the Oyster Festival friday for a few hours. Emma was really cold but would not put on her coat, hat or gloves. By the time we left she was crying and shaking but still would not put any more clothes on. We stayed long enough to see Emilie Smith declared the new little miss spat, then we headed home.

Tuesday the Geek Squad came to the house and set up the wireless router and saved the information off my old hard drive. He was there much much longer than I anticipated but I am just thankful to have it all done. It is so nice to sit in the recliner with the laptop and be online.
Wednesday Emma went to the dentist again. The assistant painted more flouride on her tooth while she cried. When she figured out it was time for her prize she smiled and waved and said bye-bye. Will she ever be a good patient?

Halloween

Halloween 2006:

I leave work early and go to mom's house to pick up Emma and dress her in her costume. She doesn't want to put it on and only agrees to put it on after watching Chas ring the doorbell, say trick-or-treat, and get a treat from Ghee. She wears it for about one minute and cries the whole time. Pictures are not good.

Drive home and pick up Chucky, go to Mom-Mom and Daddy Willard's house. She puts the costume on when we tell her she can take it off once we go in the door. She is not crying! She actually seems happy for a moment. She doesn't say trick-or-treat, but we get inside and she gets some treats and takes her costume off and has a good time playing with Mom-Mom. It is here at Mom-Mom's house that we discover what big boy candy is. She points to a big bowl full of Tootsie Rolls and says "Big Boy Candy!" Ah-Ha! We get is now. Lover's Lane is very busy with trick-or-treaters everywhere and I am wishing that is what we were doing! Looks fun, and it is about 70 degrees, too!

Next we go to Beverly and Tuna's new house, it's their second night there! Emma will only put her costume on if she can leave the headpiece off. That's what we do and we head inside where she gets more candy but still does not say trick-or-treat or thank you. We tour the house and she has a good time slipping around on the new hardwood floors, and being feed m&m's by Brad and Jonathan.

Next we go to Nannie's house. Now it is 7:15 and she agrees again to put the costume on without the headpiece. We go inside and she is done. Too tired to even talk, Nannie holds her most of the time. She gathers up some more treats and we head home.

The Elmo costume is for sale!

Elmo gets ready to trick-or-treat at her first house!

Digging for candy.

Scarecrow Chas