Tons O'Trucks

Each Spring the Township has the Tons O'Trucks show in the parking lot of Dakota high school. It's mostly for the kids - fire trucks, police cars, garbage trucks, salt trucks, utility trucks, police motorcycles, big rigs, ambulances and some construction equipment - all available for the kids to climb on, sit in, and generally have fun in.

We rode our bikes over with our neighbors, the O'Bryans. It was a beautiful day. Not too hot or muggy. It was really crowded too. We got to do mostly everything - some lines were longer than others. We decided to do the train ride last - it was a really long line. Unfortunately, before we could do it, the skies opened up, and it started pouring. Oh well. It was still fun. Emily is still talking about getting to sound the horn on all the big rigs. She also liked getting to squirt water out of the fire hose. Pretty cool.

For you southerners - this is a salt truck. Emily knew exactly what it was when she saw it. A pretty common vehicle on the roads this year. They may make our cars all yucky, but without them, we would be slippin' and slidin'. We love you salt truck!!

And then there's this little bundle of cuteness. She has a new trick - standing, pretty much by herself. And talking, talking, talking. She is so darn adorable, I just want to squeeze her.

Pollyanna

I am so sick of bad news. It's everywhere. I used to be a faithful watcher of the evening news, and the Today show. Now, I only really watch the Today show when they are talking about positive things or fluff - which lately, has not been too often. I think I have counted at least five different segments where they say how bad living in Detroit has become. Wow, that does such great wonders for the value of my house.

Can we focus on the good? Is that possible? I am not saying censorship - but do we have to dwell on things as much as we do? Say that something may be really bad - and before you know it - it's bad.

So in the spirit of spreading some good news, and focusing on the positive - it's Friday. It's much warmer than last week. Paige woke up much later this morning. Lost was totally mind-blowing and oh so good. I finished "The Memory Keepers Daughter" yesterday...and it was really good. Eric got tickets for the July 9th Tigers game - tickets I, for some strange reason, was unable to get a couple days ago.

What is positive in your world?

BTW: Pollyanna was one of my most favorite movies when I was a kid. I loved the part where they won over the old man, and made all those rainbows all over his walls. So innocent. So pure. So much needed in this day and age. If you have never seen it - you should. You'll get a cavity from the sweetness.

Happy Birthday

to my adorable little sister! Happy 25 Sister Girlfriend!

Ten Months (lots of pictures - watch out)

Paige was 10 months old on Saturday. Ten months. Wow.

At ten months she is not talking in any language that we can really understand, but I can tell that she is doing her best to imitate sounds that she hears. She has now officially added "Mama" to her sound bank - so that's exciting. I swear that I have heard her say, "All done" and "Hi" - but not in any regularity. She has learned to wave hello and goodbye.

She is a SUPER fast crawler. No kidding. I am amazed at how she can get into and out of a room. She loves to go up the stairs, and she's quite fast at that too.

Her new favorite thing to play with is Emily's Vet Care center that we keep in the family room. She loves to open the bottom cabinet and get out all the vet supplies. She carries them with her as she crawls into the kitchen, or anywhere else.

She is getting very good at using her little walker. She did not have very good control when we first gave it to her - about a month ago. But since then, she has learned to walk with it quite well. She can stand completely on her own for about 10 seconds now, and even pivot a little bit.

She loves bananas, grapes, strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, cheese, goldfish crackers, puffs, and ANY dessert. She is not real big on vegetables that are not pureed. I do keep trying though. She has tried and not hated chicken, black beans, turkey and mashed potatoes. She may just be my picky eater. Oh, and no big surprise here - she loves french fries. She does pretty much pick up any little thing from the floor and put it in her mouth...Eric thinks we should just put peas, carrots and green beans on the floor for her to eat......

And my new favorite thing - she has learned to give her stuffed animals hugs. It's just the cutest thing. She even does the "Awwww" sound when she does it. Melts me every time.

Other than Paige growing everyday - we are deep into landscaping around here. We got 5 yards of small cobblestone delivered on Friday, and Eric has been working very hard at re-doing all the flower beds in the front, side and back yards. We even removed some of those red barberry shrubs in the front - now you can actually see the green box woods. Much better I think.

I joined the Michigan Memorial day tradition of planting all my summer annuals. This year we (My Mom and I) did some Zinnias, Verbena and some mini-petunias in the two pots flanking the garage.

In the small pot in the back yard, I planted some pretty white and purple daisy looking flowers - I forgot the name of those - and this plant called - I kid you not - Wandering Jew.

In the two pots under my kitchen window, we planted some more mini-petunias. This year I went with an orange variety. I think they look nice in those pots. They will be overflowing in no time. I have one more pot to fill - which I will be doing later in the week.

I also added some hostas and some other pretty plant that I can't remember the name of, to the front yard - both perennials. We will be doing some more stone on the side of the front door, and adding a couple hydrangea bushes. I am very excited about that. I hope I don't kill them.

Paige spent quite a while in her new swing this weekend. She loved it.

Some other pictures from this weekend:

Yes, it was that hot. The top temp is outside, bottom is inside. Long time coming - and most welcome. No complaining here. I swear. Didn't even turn on the a/c. Yes, it was 82 degrees in my house. Felt good after many months of 66 degrees in the house. Bring it on!!!

My Little Shadow

I was looking through all the pictures that I have taken this month, and something is missing - Paige. Yes, of course, she's in quite a few, but I don't have nearly as many as I usually do. Why is this?

Two reasons - Number one: she's very attached to me at the moment, so it's hard to sit her down away from me and take a picture. Number two: when she does decide to leave my side, she's not likely to sit very still.

I took a few of her this morning while she was playing in her room. It's my most favorite place to be with her - not much trouble in there. Her new thing is taking all the books out of her shelf, and removing all the toys from her basket. Basically, making a mess. But it's all good.

She's going to be ten months old tomorrow. I can't believe that in a couple months she'll be a year old. Amazing.

Still her most favorite book - Hello Bee, Hello Me. I love her feet in this picture. I do the same thing when I am reading.

Her other favorite book - Little, Big.

I told her to smile at the camera, and this is what I got. Just kidding - she's trying to stand.

Things you would not have heard 30 years ago.....

When I went in this morning to wake Emily up for the day, she was not having it. I tried to get her to sit up, and she says this: "Mom, I can't sit up yet. I am still loading."

I had her repeat it because I was sure that wasn't what she said - but no, that is EXACTLY what she said.

I swear, she doesn't spend that much time on the computer.........

Weekend Catch-up

Emily got a new bicycle helmet. It was about time, her other one was way too small! And just so you know, this was the ONLY one without a licensed character on it. What is up with that? Can't we just have a bike, helmet, backpack, or a diaper without a Princess or Dora on it? I feel like I am a walking billboard for Disney or Nickelodeon. But I digress......



This can't be good. Are plastic bags on her diet? I guess it's better than the dog food or the coffee. Or maybe not....She is such the little explorer, and with that come lots of trouble. I have pulled out of her mouth today: dog food, Emily's little Pet Shop toys, a piece of rock from outside, paper, a puzzle piece.....And it's not that we keep these things within her reach. She just waits until you are not looking and then BAM! Grabs it. Smart little girls. Sneaky. We're in for it. I know. But gosh, she's DARN cute.



Emily reliving her baby days with Paige in her crib. They roll around and crack each other up. It's very cute.


And finally - we got a new sticker thing for Paige's wall. It really pulls her whole room together. Hopefully she won't peel it off the wall. I may just steal it from her, it's so dang cute.


Other than that, it's been unseasonable cool and rainy here (note the long sleeves on the baby). I hear that it's supposed to be in the seventies this weekend...keeping my fingers crossed. We may be doing some traditional Memorial day planting, and there's some talk of a BBQ.

Have a great week!