Little Chatterbox

Public places are a riot anymore. Really we couldn't lose our little Emma if we tried...not that we would :) But we definitely have the loud one! Who knew that the little girl who would not leave the "pouch" when she was a tiny thing would shove off and try (a little too) hard to make friends with every living, breathing thing her size. She doesn't have a lot of words, "this", "that", "bop" (her word for everything), "bup" (up), "dada", "mama", "bath", and a myriad of animal noises.....but she certainly has a lot to say. She'll read "Hop on Pop" cover to cover if you ask her to. And she's very diligent about not skipping pages :)

Grandma and Grandpa Grupp came out for a visit. A lot has changed since they last saw her in July. She's a talker for one and has developed a special bond with her fruity little video friend, Madame Blueberry. But it was like they didn't miss a day because Emma warmed right up and loved every moment of their visit. We ate donuts and cider at the cider mill and Emma ran around in circles, pointing out every ceiling fan and apple she saw (perhaps a little too much sugar in that cider!).

Mama took Emma on a special field trip to the petting farm too. Those poor chickens didn't know WHAT was going on. Emma couldn't stop giggling and imitating them (especially the rooster) and just wanted SOOOOO badly to touch them. She also loved the bunnies and the big cow as well as the little piglets. She talked to each of them with their sounds (all those noisy farm books have been great practice). Only one little meltdown when mama told her she was not allowed to lick the stall of the sheep. After a little temper tantrum and a timeout, she was refreshed and moved on to see the ponies. What a fun day!

Just three short months until this little girl becomes a big sister. Until then, she thinks mama's belly button is "yuck" but laughs at it all the same. And she relishes in the one on one time at her baby gymnastics program. What a cutie. Hard to believe she's so big! She also enjoys her new "big girl" rides on daddy's tractor! I think daddy enjoys them even more!

Mama and daddy took Emma to a little farm in Saline to pick apples (very cute hidden place). Turns out Emma thinks apples are the greatest thing in the WORLD and ate three and a half!!!

By the way Niki, we looooove the video (IT HAS A PLOT!!! AND IT'S FUNNY!). It's so cute, and Emma is now learning how to sing along to it!