Super Epic

Seriously.  We have had an insane couple of weeks, but I've finally found the time to update.  Earlier today, Abby generously pointed out that I have not posted pictures of my kid in at least one week and she was worried I sent her to live outside.  I did not, no worries.  But I did consider making everyone else live outside.  More on that later.

First, Rob's parents (Gigi and Deets) came to visit.  They came in on a Thursday night and stayed to Monday morning.  Since we had a work "thing" to do on Friday, they got bonus time with Em!  Rob and his dad golfed while Gigi and I took Em shopping and to the coffee shop. 

Deets got yard tools as a belated birthday gift.

Em plays in her crib with the dog that Gigi and Deets gave her for Christmas.

Out for dinner at The Pita Stop.  No word yet on why I look GIGANTIC and Em looks TERRIFIED.

Alex also joined us for dinner one night.  

Em fell in love with him pretty much immediately and wouldn't let go of his shirt. 

 The men grilled pork chops outside, and I made salad with berries, homemade mac n cheese, and a blackberry/peach cobbler.

Em also thought it would be nice to take Gigi and Deets to the park to show them the swings.

 "In the next episode of, "Dad, You're So Silly!"...

After the park, we went for fro-yo.  That's not what this picture is of.  I'm just saying.

While Rob's parents were here, Em developed a terrible cough.  I caught this plague from her and was sick all week last week.  I coughed until I puked, seriously, not joking.  I had to skip runs and everything!  Luckily Em and I are both feeling better now.

In the meantime between visits with family,  my asshole cats did this:

Yes, they have spilled straight pins all over the floor in the laundry room.

Really, guys?  Considering what a TOTALLY LAID BACK person I am, you probably know I was not even a little worried about Em eating ALL THESE PINS and there being a catastrophe.

I swept them into an envelope and threw them away.  It's been a week and Em is still alive, so I'm guessing I got them all.

Then, this past weekend, we went to visit my parents (Memere and TPa)!
Rikki brought Tye (2.75 years) over, and my stepsister Kristen brought Christian (3.75 years) and Eli (8  months).  We tried to take a picture of all of them together.  It went a little like this:

Left to right:  Bells, Em, Eli, Tye, Christian

Step 1.  Look at Dog.

Step 2:  Em beats Eli in the face.

Who gave her that bottle anyway?

Step 3.  Eli has had enough and decides to leave.

Step 4.  Em convinces Eli to stay.

Step 6.  Both babies decide to leave and random people try to keep them from killing themselves.

Step 7.  Tye and Christian, pretty good at pictures by now, decide to kick and wave.

Step 8.  A decent shot that we'd best be thankful for.

Then there was some more madness as everyone kind of did their own thing.

Em got some quality time in with Gammy.  And Grumps, but he's not in any pictures somehow.

This reminds me of that scene in "The Aristocats" when the girl kitten says:

"Because I'm a LADY, THAT'S WHY!"

Memere and TPa help Em celebrate her Florida heritage by giving her a flamingo!

(MUCH cuter than jean shorts as dress clothes)

And she loves it, like she loves everything else on the planet.

TPa also picked out this Florida Gator headband. 

They DO say that it's great to be a Florida Gator...

Or maybe not.

 Em got over it though, and she and Eli had a snack together.

Oh, this is just me and my mom looking the same as each other, as always.

Em's eyeballing the kiddie pool...

Em's first time swimming!  We started in the kiddie pool. Tye and Christian made it a little dangerous...

Tye was so sweet to keep checking on Emerald. I love that kid.

Tye and Christian relaxing in the sun.

Made in the shade.

Em and Eli have fun under the sprinkler.  

That grass on Em's face makes her look like she has an evil eyebrow.

 TPa with the little babies.

Em is getting ready for her first trip to the big pool!

This is the best shot I got of her in her teeny bathing suit.

OHMYGOD it is the cutest thing I swear.

Em with me, Memere, and Aunt Rikki at the big pool.

Look at her face, she is so excited.

And FINALLY, a video!  Em's first trip to the pool.  I swear this kid had so much fun.  It's rather unfortunate that she loves the water and being outside as much as she does with that strawberry blond hair and peaches n cream skin. I was a little scared to hold her in the water, because (as you may know) I am not very aquatic.  But she and Rob had fun together.  Just ignore the conversation about the earplugs that's going on between me (behind the camera) and my mom (somewhere in the pool).  Many concerns about the ear tubes.  And in light of the Olympics, I just had to post my own video of my kid going swimming.

                                      

Okay, Happy Tuesday SuperEpic Blog Post Day!