Oh, Emma!

Emma.  Emma, Emma, Emma.  Emma has definitely tested our patience this month.  It's a good thing she is cute, because there have been times where all I could say is "Oh, Emma!" in exasperation while throwing my hands in the air.  The other day a friend of mine couldn't think of what Emma's middle name was but knew with certainty what Lucy's was.  Apparently when Lucy tests my patience I say (yell), "Lucy Anne!" but when Emma tires me out it is simply, "Oh, Emma!"  I guess Emma Elise sounds too sweet in times of frustration.  Either that or Lucy has worn me down to the point where there is no yelling at my second born daughter, just quiet desperation.

I know you will find it hard to believe that the cute comedian below would ever entice me to feel anything but love.  But this almost three year old definitely is capable of eliciting many emotions from her mother, on all ends of the feeling spectrum.

As a matter of fact, it comes as a sort of relief that Will has also been exhibiting Frustrated Parent Syndrome when it comes to Emma's antics.  Lately our routine when Will comes home from work is to take the girls outside to play in the snow while I collect my sanity and maybe even start to make dinner.  The other day Emma refused to put on pants, socks or boots.  In a final act of desperation, Will told her, "Fine, Emma - go outside."  Emma looked at Will with shock on her face, then she looked down at her bare legs and feet, and then back up at Will.  At which point Will asked for the last time, "Are you sure you don't want to put your pants, socks and boots on?"  Emma gleefully yelled, "NO!" and ran outside.  Upon hearing the door open and close way too fast for what I know to be the timeline of getting Emma ready to go outside, I curiously went to the window and saw Emma pausing, barefoot in the driveway, before cautiously and then happily running through the snow-filled backyard.  Shocked at what was taking place and concerned about frost bite I got on to Will for being mean.  He nervously reassured me that she would figure it out and come back begging for shoes.  We both watched with our mouths hanging open for a second (which felt more like ten minutes) and then I started hounding Will to go get her, for clearly she must not be able to feel her feet at all.  Why else would she seem uninhibited by bare feet in the snow?  Will's resolve was fading fast, but he kept telling me she would learn.  Fortunately for us, seconds later Emma slipped on a patch of ice and fell on her underwear clad bottom.  Finally, tears and crying!  Will rushed outside, scooped her up and brought her in.  His message of wisdom to her: "If you had your shoes and boots on you wouldn't have fallen on the ice!"  I would like to say that she has gotten dressed to go outside without a hassle from here on out, but alas, that is not the case.  It appears natural consequences are not the mode of learning for this child.

The other day Lucy came crying to us that Emma broke a bed in her doll house.  When I asked Emma how it happened, she said, "I climbed in for a nap and it went snap!"  A bit of super glue later, the bed was fixed but our sides definitely still hurt from laughing.

Emma was a very shy baby and can still be quite shy.  Lately, we have been surprised by her socialness.  She is always referring to her classmates in dance class as her best friends, and when class is over can be seen being silly and giving hugs to them.  Lucy and Emma started an All By Myself Science Story Time at our library this past month and the other day as I was peeking through the one way glass to see how the girls were faring I saw Emma sitting in the back of the class giggling and whispering to a little girl next to her.  Will and I are both shocked by how she has come out of her shell, and very pleased as well.  Will mentioned that he felt strange that he was proud to hear that Emma was talking during class!  I told him that I felt the same way, and that maybe we are just relieved to see signs of Emma being socially comfortable.  Speaking of socially comfortable, Emma apparently has a boyfriend.  I am happy to report that he comes from a good family and that his mother has already assured me that he loves cooking and cleaning.

Oh, Emma.  She is fast approaching three years old and is known around our house as a wild comedian with a carefree attitude whose favorite thing when she isn't harassing Lucy is to snuggle with her mama.  We are currently trying to get Emma to sleep in her own bed through the night and so I am trying to increase our snuggle time during the day.  It really is bittersweet to finally take a stand and not allow her in our bed as I really do enjoy our cuddles.  However, with my growing belly and Violet's arrival less than four months away, it is time.  So for now, it feels like I have a newborn with the constant sleep disturbances of bringing Emma back to her bed in as gentle a way as possible.  Thank goodness though, that unlike a newborn needing to nurse, Will can and does take shifts with Emma.  Hopefully by the time I write her next blog post we will have made some accomplishments towards this goal.  Here's my little snuggle bunny below, helping me make muffins.  Oh, Emma, you really are our little sweetie!