The Zoo with the Jacksons

Last weekend, Solomon spent the night with us and we had so much fun! I do think we need a bigger bed if we intend on all sleeping together though. I absolutley love that Sol always runs in and heads immediately for the piano. It cracks me up every time. Also, he slept all night playing with Uncle John's earring. It was pretty adorable.

Saturday morning, we got up and headed to the zoo. I love our independent kids and how grown up they think they are!! And they love Baby Rose. The bears were a big hit, as usual. This was the first time that the grizzly bears were out there really playing so they loved that. Then we went to the all time favorite polar bear exhibit. The kids were down front and the polar bear would look to make sure they were there and then dive down and "surprise" them. Those kids lost their minds!!! It was precious. They would all jump back and scream---every time he did it. It was great!!!

St. Patrick's Day

We headed over to the Salinas’s to celebrate St. Patty’s Day this year. Not only did we have green mashed potatoes, but we made green cupcakes too! So exciting. And Lucas took Emmy on a ride on his green John Deere tractor!!

Cubbie Hole

Here is a picture of our darling Cubbie Hole. And yes, she is always naked. I think Emmy Ruth feels that clothes really restrict CH in her day to day activities.

 

The little darling...

Yesterday, Emmy and Cubbie Hole were playing in the living room and Emmy put Cubbie in her stroller and brought her to me. She said, “Here, Grandma, you watch Cubbie Hole, I am going to watch Dora.” I suppose I would be Cubbie Hole’s grandma but I am so not ready for that yet!!!

 

After the rain passed, we went for a walk in our raincoats and boots.  It was the whole family, John, me, Emmy Ruth and Cubbie Hole, in her stroller. Emmy has been watching Cinderella lately and kept calling me “Stepmother” as we walked.

 

We are going to have to have a long talk soon.

 

 

I wish I had a dollar...

... for every time I heard John say "Emmy, where are your clothes?" or
"Emmy, why are you naked?" or "Emmy, put your panties back on!". I
don't get it.

We are having a really hard time in the mornings lately. John has
started going into work earlier and riding in to work with a friend that
lives a few houses down from us. This lets us sleep in a few extra
minutes but the change has thrown Emmy's routine into a tailspin. She is
having a really tough time waking up now. Every morning she pulls the
covers back up over her face. Some mornings I try to pick her up and
take her in the living room to wake up while watching cartoons but
usually she will fight her way out of my lap, run back into the bedroom
and pull the covers back up over her head. Yesterday, I got her fully
dressed and she got back in bed and pulled the covers back up over her
head! John's band Filthy Diablo had a song with the lyric "I'm not
ready!!" and every morning, she cries out "I'm not ready!!!". I am going
to have to figure out a way to record her saying it and then lay it on
top of John's recording of that song.

"Ladies and gentlemen"

Last night we were the guests of honor at an impromptu concert by Emmy Ruth. She ran in and sat at the piano and announced, “ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls…. The amazing Emmy Ruth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” and proceeded to play. I am not sure where she got the intro but it was hysterical. I rushed to find the video camera, as she did it about twenty times, but of course there was no charge on it.

 

The day before, she pulled out a drum of John’s and sang “Twinkle Twinkle” while pounding away. Now that she has found his drum, her little toy drum set will never work for her again.

 

 

 

 

She's my girl...

When I was little, the first name I ever gave my baby doll was "Chester Drawers". I have a sweet spot for the name Chet now, in honor of Chester Drawers, and lobbied for Chet as our boy name. I tried to push it off as a great name in honor of great guitarists to John, but of course, we found out we were having a girl, so the name Emmy Ruth won.

Emmy was playing with her baby doll the other night and when I asked what her name was, she said "Cubby Hole". I didn't think it would stick but today, she told Nana Alice and Daddy the same thing. So, I guess Cubby Hole is it!

If naming baby dolls after furniture is a trend for us, I only what Emmy's kids will name their baby dolls.

Too much Cinderella?

Emmy loves all the princesses equally, but apparently, Cinderella has really stuck with her. When we were at the Children’s Museum with Maggie Grace and Solomon, she put on this dress in the stage area. She is trying to carry the front of it like Anastasia and Drusella do in the movie. It is hysterical to watch her be such a ham. Maggie and Sol were delighted to be on stage and Sol entertained everyone with his breakdancing skills. He has mad skills.

 

Last night, she was saying grace and she said, “God is good, God is grace, let us thank Him for our shoes. Amen.”

 

I often wonder where this child gets it.

 

Quote from Emmy

Yesterday we were driving home from Little Rock and Emmy Ruth was playing in the backseat with her baby doll. And I quote…

“Why are you crying? You have to be patient.”

 

And to think, I didn’t think she listened to me.