We were out enjoying the nice weather on our bikes, so we took the opportunity to visit a park that we don't usually get a chance to visit. Emma had a fine time playing on the new playground equipment, as well as partaking in her usual people watching that she likes to do at the park. She met a nice little boy who came over to ask if she was okay after she fell down. Emma was smitten, and wanted to follow the little boy and his family home when they left the park. And so it begins...
Emma was in pure heaven this weekend. She loved playing in the sand, and chasing puppies on the beach. Ken and I actually thought we might be able to cure Emma of her thumbsucking habit, since her hands were almost constantly covered in sand. She was a little upset with her sandy thumb at first, however, she got used to the grit in her teeth pretty quickly. 
We got up close and personal with some of our ocean friends. When the tide went out, we were able to walk right out to Haystack Rock, and explore the tide pools. The starfish was our coolest siting by far. Emma didn't seem to really care too much about the fish, but did enjoy running barefoot in the sand, and getting her hands dirty!
We had the pleasure to spend a night on the Oregon Coast this weekend. The weather was beautiful and the sunset was fabulous. This was Emma's first overnight stay in a hotel, and she definitely loved our balcony that overlooked the "water" and "puppies".
Sure Packer games are fun to watch...but the real smiles from daddy and Emma surfaced when we were served up a plate o' sausage, crackers and cheese. Hmm...do you think she takes after Ken at all?
Emma helped mama blend up a fruit slushie this afternoon (she was pretty fascinated by the power she had when she pressed the blender's buttons). We enjoyed our fruity creation on the front porch, as I envisioned a scene such as in these photos, and decided an outdoor clean-up might be easier. I just wish it would be socially acceptable for everyone over the age of one to enjoy their food this much. (Oh...and that is my ID badge from work that Emma is wearing. She likes to play dress up as a Providence employee from time to time. Silly girl!)
Emma enjoyed splashing around at a water park in Happy Valley last weekend. The intermittent spraying was a little scary...but splashing in a puddle was right up her alley. Emma didn't seem to notice she had an admirer, but this little boy seemed to be quite intrigued with our little Emma Bear.
Emma turned the big 1.5 today, and we decided to celebrate with a nice chocolate cupcake (right before bed!) Emma has learned her way around a piece of chocolate cake since her first birthday, and had no problem digging right in. The lesson learned for mama and daddy on this joyous occasion was to celebrate 1/2 birthdays with a BREAKFAST cupcake, and not one before bed. We realized the error in our ways when we were still trying to convince Emma that she was in fact tired-- AT 9pm.
Emma's universal word seems to be "duck". This can mean anything from "sock", "coat", "snack", or really anything ending in a hard sound. Today lent the opportunity to actually see a duck. We headed up to Trillium Lake for some picturesque views of Mt Hood (which didn't quite work out due to the cloud cover), but we did get to see a duck family up close which was a treat for Emma. The clear view of Mt. Hood from the Timberline Lodge was a treat for Grandma and Grandpa.
Grandma taught Emma the secrets behind preparing a good stuffed pepper for dinner. Emma let Grandma know that she was the cheese expert on site, and would be more than happy to help out with the cheese grating for the dish.
Emma had a visit from her Grandma and Grandpa T over labor day weekend. Emma was showing off her musical talents, by playing her harmonica and maraca at the same time. After band practice, she had to let loose with some dancing with Grandpa.