My kid drinks the pool water.

Another crazy weekend! In addition to our zoo trip yesterday, we had a busy Sunday! We walked in the March for Babies walk this morning, on my cousin Tasha's team. She organized a group of about 25 family and friends to walk in her youngest daughter's honor (Erin). I so wish I got a team pic! I know others did, so I'll post once I get it. We all had "One in a Million" shirts with a picture of Erin when she was in the hospital. Even Great Aunt Laura (on the other side of the fam) joined us since she was in town for a brass concert.

After the walk, we cooked out at our house for Mia's birthday. Good eats :)

It reached a high of 87 today, so we got Emerson's pool out, and he went for a dip! He has a BLAST in the water! He's always loved the shower and bath, and had a great time in Florida in February. He was crawling from one end of the pool to the other, and quickly discovered if he put his face in, he could slurp up some water. He is seriously the funniest kid I've ever met. He would slurp and crawl. And then slurp and crawl. He even started burping b/c he was drinking so much water!

"OK! I'm ready!"

This is the orange ball he chased all over the pool.

Looks like he's trying to take a bite out of it!

I love this pic.

I was cracking up as I was recording it, and I crack up every time I watch it!

He starts drinking the water and trying to scoop more of it into his mouth.

The kid LOVES IT!

Em, I don't think you'd want to be crawling on the brick. Especially naked.

After a perfectly unhealthy weekend, we thought we'd top it off with pizza with Jess. But we had salads too, so they cancel each other out, right? Emerson enjoyed some tastes of pizza, but what he loved the best was drinking out of the big cup! I've only let him drink out of my glasses of water a couple of times, but he instantly knew what to do. He mastered the sippy cup around 7.5 months, and I think he's onto his next cup adventure! He knew just what to do! I'd put a little bit of water in it, he'd throw it back, and then look at us with excitement!

Emerson wishes his cousin Kendall a happy 2nd birthday today!!!

Lions and tigers and bears!

Interestingly enough, we didn't see any lions, tigers OR bears. We decided a couple weeks ago to head to the zoo today, and with amazing weather, so did everyone else in Columbus! No matter. We had an amazing first trip to the zoo for Emerson. We got our family pass, so we'll have lots of time to see those lions. Tigers. And bears. We started in the reptile exhibit. Emerson wasn't really interested in the snakes. I think he had a hard time realizing they were anything special since they just lay there. The turtles were another story. They were swimming all over the place, and he loved them! We visited the manatees. A lot of time was spent with the gorillas too. I think if they could have, they would keep Emerson as one of their own. They were doing some especially gross things today, perhaps because of the heat. Emerson had a great time watching the animals, but also loved watching the people. When Emerson is older, Jason and I will tell him that the zoo was one of our first dates.

I know you've only been awake for 90 seconds and I'm taking pictures, but it's your first zoo trip!!!

Sunscreen makes his eyes water...but man, are those eyes blue!!!

"What am I looking at here?"

"Whoa! Did you guys see that thing?"

See. They tried to keep him.

Games!!!

Emerson is true to form, and puts on a show regardless of setting. We celebrated Easter the Sequel, now known as Equal, at Jessica's house last weekend. We had some delicious lamb, fun Easter baskets, and good times with Mia, Poppy, Uncle Jared, and Great Grandma Lineberger. After entertaining us all for a while, he even took a nap midday in the living room.

For those of you that regularly spend time with Emerson, you learn very quickly that he has a similar sense of humor to me and Jason. He knows he can make you laugh, and loves playing games. The most recent is me chasing him around on all fours telling him I'm gonna get him. He cackles and cackles and crawls to get away. He gets SUPER excited and goes as fast as he can in any direction. He's a total wildman! He's finding his voice and has become a bit of a squeeler. Usually no cause for it, just flexing his vocal muscles. He also regularly sings "dah-dah-dah-dah-dah". He has narrowed that to two syllables for Jason.

We listen to a lot of music in our house, including a favorite, Beyonce's "Single Ladies"...and when she sings "Put your hands up", we show Em how to put his hands up. This has carried over into a high chair game. While chowing on macaroni and cheese spirals (a current favorite) Em loves to throw his hands up and crack up at our responses.

He also loves playing with a huge bouncy ball. And he may only be 8.5 months, but I think he gets the concept of "catch." He will pick up the ball and bounce it toward you. You roll it back to him, and he does it again. He'll do it with other balls too, but his favorite is the gigantic pink ball.

I guess he has a few favorites right now. He still adores the cardboard tube. He understands how to make sounds by talking through the tube. He does it so much though, that the end gets drooly and I have to cut off an inch or two. The favorite cardboard tube gets a little shorter every day.

Em LOVES his play football. He will search high and low through the toy bins for the football. And then he'll drag it around everywhere he goes. This of course makes Jason very happy!

"Hey, Jason...can you change Em's diaper why I finish making dinner? Thanks."

First Baseball Game

Yesterday was opening day at the new stadium, Columbus Clippers vs. Toledo Mudhens. We scored free tickets (thanks Auntie Jessi and Tom Katzenmeyer!) and had the most perfect weather for a baseball game! Emerson had all the right gear. Baseball hat...CHECK! Mudhens shirt...CHECK! Sippy cup and lots of puffs...DOUBLE CHECK! We walked from Jess's house (5 minutes) and had tickets for the perch deck, which was great with a stroller. Emerson was a trooper, and really had a great time with all of us. It was helpful to have 4 people to take turns with him since he couldn't be down on the ground playing. Uncle Jared loved playing Em and we ALL had fun watching the game! We went pretty early with all the opening day festivities, and probably could have stuck it out a bit longer, but we left after the 5th inning. We hope to go to more games this season. I realize Emerson won't remember all of this stuff, but he has a blast, and so do we!

The statue man was trying to get Em to look forward...ah well.

A boy and his Dad at the all american game

A boy and his momma

Em is getting into the spirit! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!

He looks like he's trying to get away here, but he was bending backwards

so he could get a better look at Frosty.

Paying close attention

I love that Em is doing all this cool stuff with family.

He looks like he's so into the game here!

Sisters. I actually think we look alike here. Which doesn't happen very often.

(We got free Clippers hats...SCORE!)

Headed back to Jess's after the game. What a great day!!!

Hippity Hoppity!

Emerson, Jason and I spent Easter weekend in Toledo. We had lots of fun time with cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncle! Emerson had a great time! We all did, really. It's so nice to spend a weekend with everyone, and watch Emerson interact with cousins. He adores them! And although we don't get to Toledo as often as we want, it's so important to us that Emerson get to spend time with his extended family. And he got enough puffs and snacks to last us a while! And Jason gets to take all the candy from our basket to work. I don't even like candy, but for some reason, if it's there...I'm eating it.

Emerson got some naked time while I was packing things up on Friday. I try to let his butt breathe a little now and then.

On Saturday morning, at his grandparents' house, Emerson decided that he was going to start climbing stairs! He got up two without any assistance. There isn't a picture of that because I was behind him waiting to catch him. And the little dog you see in this pic is the one he likes to give kisses. At prompting he'll lean in and kiss him. He prefers to kiss the dog much more than kissing mommy or daddy. And you better believe that "dah" is his first word! Every time he sees his toy dog, or Sheff, or one of his grandparents dogs he says "dah" and leans in for kisses.

Why wouldn't I put him in the Easter basket?

On Saturday afternoon, we got some playtime at Auntie Mel's. Spencer, Kendall and Macy are all so great with Emerson. They all want to play with him, and LOVE to get pictures with him. Even though he's a little grabby when he gets excited.

"Give me that camera, Mom!"

Super Emerson!

After mass on Easter, everyone came to Jason's parents for an egg-hunt and a yummy meal. Emerson got to have a snack with his cousin, Kendall. He gets so distracted by her "CHEESE!" that it's impossible to get a picture of both of them looking at the camera. Too funny!

Emerson got to find a couple of eggs during the Easter egg hunt. The poor kid was way overdue for a nap, but unwilling to go down until all the excitement passed. He slept for 15 minutes in mass, but woke up once we left. Holidays are tough to stay on schedule. Oh well, should only take a couple days to get back to routine.

I think Emerson is trying to figure out how to get up there and be a part of the action.

I didn't think of getting a picture with Emerson is his cute little easter outfit, vest, khakis, white button down, etc. I may just have to recreate it all next weekend when we celebrate Easter with my family in Columbus!