Horsin' Around

Emma's friends, Olivia and Jack, stopped by for a visit while in Beardstown over the Thanksgiving weekend. Princess Olivia gracefully trotted on her royal horse as Emma followed in tow. Jack jubilantly galloped on his wild colt, and again, Emma was in close pursuit. Don't you just love the girls' sweet hug!

Christmas At Thanksgiving

Emma's cousin, Sydney, travels many hours from North Carolina to visit us every Thanksgiving. We all gather at Grandma Connie and Grandpa Ross's house in Beardstown. Since the family is all together, the girls get to celebrate Christmas early. The tree is trimmed, the stockings are hung, and the presents are wrapped. Sydney loves Tinkerbell, and Emma is into Fisher Price Little People. The grandparents, Great-Grandma Charlotte, great aunts, and great uncles got in on the gift-giving action, too, with books, ornaments, DVDs, and PJs!

Great-Grandma Helen

Last weekend we took a trip to visit Great-Grandma Helen. She lives at Masonic Point in Sullivan. Emma loved meeting and entertaining her G-G Helen. She danced and talked and blew kisses.

Fancy Nancy

Borders held a "Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Holiday Celebration" event on Saturday morning. It was an unusually warm day, so Emma wore a skirt for the final time this year. You may have noticed that she has been making a cheesy face more often in pictures. What a funny girl!

105.1

Have you ever heard of a 105.1 temp? I didn't think it was possible! Well, according to our ear thermometer, Emma spiked this terrifying temperature on the Friday before Halloween. She was on fire and shaking uncontrollably, so we went immediately to the ER. They moved her through check-in very quickly and a doctor entered the exam room right behind us. After a battery of tests (blood, urine, chest X-rays) and a few hours of waiting, the results all came back negative. Tylenol and Motrin finally brought her temp down to 101.5, so they sent us home. The official diagnosis was a possible ear infection/sinusitis/flu. Scott had taken her into her pediatrician earlier that day, and he said that she may have an infection in her throat. She had no other symptoms other than the fever and being cranky/needy and lethargic. I think it was just some virus, not necessarily the flu or otitis media. It took a few more days before the fever broke. That meant that all Halloween festivities had to be cancelled. Luckily, she bounced back and is a happy camper again!

Jack-o-lanterns

Construction paper + scissors + glue = FUN! Mommy and Daddy cut out the facial features for a family of jack-o-lanterns. Emma helped arrange the pieces and rearrange the pieces. Tearing off the eyes and mouths before they were completely dry was entertaining as well.

BPL Halloween Story Hour

When Grandma and Grandpa Foley found out Scott was taking Emma to the morning Bloomington Public Library Halloween Story Hour, they just had to see little Emma dressed up as a ladybug, so they drove all the way up that very morning! Emma the ladybug and Scott the entomologist started out on the top floor of the BPL to take part in the children's parade. There they both met their hero, Curious George! After the parade, all the children worked their way down to the story room on the main floor, where the kids delighted in a Halloween-themed story. Emma loved checking out all the other kids and putting on a cute show for Grandma Connie and Papa Ross!

NPL Halloween Story Night

The Normal Public Library always puts on spectacular events for children, but they outdid themselves with the Halloween Story Night. All of the employees were dressed up and, along with the stories they read and songs they sang, had a room full of games, activities, and treats for all the little ones. Emma loved seeing all the fun costumes and fluttered about from station to station, just like a real ladybug! We dressed up as entomologists and wore lab coats with bugs hanging out of the pockets. Emma was our prize specimen!

Art Time

We were looking for an art activitiy appropriate for a 15-month-old, so I tore up pieces of construction paper like leaves for Emma to manipulate on a torn paper tree. Then we showed her how to use the glue, but sealed it up before letting her "glue" her own pieces. She LOVED it!

P.S. This is our 250th post!

Borders Spooktacular

Borders' Bookstore held a Halloween Spooktacular for little ones on the Saturday before All Hallows' Eve. They read aloud books, held a mummy wrap competition, gave away candy, offered coloring pages, and paraded around the store for customers. Ladybug Emma preferred to flitter around and explore the books and toys. Corny, the B-N baseball team mascot, posed with us for a picture as well.