Craft Day

When illness struck unexpectedly after nap time, Mama had to cancel my walk with Lila Puppy and Heather Friend. I was pretty upset, but luckily Mama had a few Halloween art projects up her sleeve to make my sick afternoon more fun!

We turned a cereal box inside out and trimmed it down, then painted it orange.

While it dried, I practiced my cutting skills and made lots of black scraps.  I glued them on the glue dots Mama placed to make a Jack-O-Lantern with a big smile.

When the craft was finished I wasn't done with my art time, though, so Mama quickly came up with another project- she painted a pumpkin shape for me.   I filled it in with orange paint, then made some grass, and gave it a stem (Mama put the curly leaves on).  Mama was really impressed with how well I stayed inside the lines!  When the painting was over, I did my cutting and pasting again (and yes, all Jack-O-Lanterns need ears)! 

Fun at the apple orchard!

Checking out the pumpkin patch.

Cavorting with chickens.

And my first taste of apple cider doughnuts- delicious!

Favorite Elsie Quotes of the Week

Elsie (in Dubuque, while we are sitting on the couch):  "Mama, move please."
Josie:  "Do you need more room?  Where should I go?"
Elsie:  "Get in Kermit Car and drive to Elsie's house."
Josie:  "That is a long way away.  Are you going to come with me?"
Elsie:  "No.  Daddy come with Mama.  Mama and Daddy drive to Elsie's house.  Elsie stay here with Grandma Cooper."

***

Elsie, upon waking in the morn:  "Where Elsie go today?"
Josie:  "Well, what do you want to do today?  We can go to the park, or the zoo, or maybe the Children's Museum?"
Elsie:  "Elsie want to go to TJ Maxx!"
Josie:  "Wouldn't you rather go to the zoo today?"
Elsie:  "No.  TJ Maxx.  Or how about Elsie go to garage sales?"

....and later, in the cart at TJ Maxx, announced at full volume to the entire store:
"Elsie's Mama is Elsie's best friend in the whole wide woooooooorld!!!"

 ***

Elsie (at dinner): "Thank you, Mama, for making lots of good food for Elsie.  And food for Daddy and Mama and Elsie, too."

***

Elsie, while we are debating bedtime duties:  "Mama rock with Elsie and read Elsie stories!"

Josie:  "I'll read you stories, then Daddy can come back to tuck you in and sing you bedtime songs."

Elsie:  "No, Mama sing Elsie bedtime songs!"

Josie:  "Okay, Daddy can read you stories and I will come back to sing you songs."

Elsie:  "No, Mama read stories and sing songs to Elsie!"

Josie:  "Well, if I read you your stories and sing you your songs, what will Daddy do?"

Elsie (turning to Andy):  "Daddy, go to bed!"

Coming March 2013...

...and then there were four!  Looking forward to introducing you to our newest family member!

Bedtime Walk with Daddy- a guest post from Mama

Elsie loves to take an evening walk with her dad.  They bring a basket with them, and fill it with a great bounty of natural wonders.  Leaves, flowers, pine cones, rocks, acorns, and feathers are all fair game to take home to play with and ponder in days to come.  Last night, under a particularly beautiful night sky, Elsie turned to her Daddy and said, "Elsie want Daddy put moon in basket, okay?".  What a lovely thought.

A Tea Party.

As you may remember, I really like having tea parties.  I set up my tea sets, and all my bunnies have to come and have tea and cookies and milk and water.

Well, tonight I got to have an even BETTER tea party!  Daddy made himself and Mama and me all REAL TEA.  I didn't want my bunnies to miss out, though, so I invited them to share some tea from my cup.  Since it was Sleepytime tea, after they had a drink I put them in my bed and tucked them in so that they could "go to bed real tight."  What a lovely tea party!

My Good Friend.

Tonight, Mama read me a story called Take Care, Good Knight.  It's a really good book.  It's about three dragons who have a good friend called the Good Knight.  Mama asked me if I had any good friends, and I said, "Yes.  My potty chair is a good friend."  When she looked a little confused, I added that my friends Miss Adah and Baby Finn are also Good Friends.  She seemed to think those were better answers, but I think she just doesn't understand the true nature of my potty chair.

Singing Patty-Cake with Kitties

Dialogue (for those who are not yet fluent in Elsie-ese):

E: Patty-cake, patty-cake, baker's man!

E: (noticing camera) Elsie want to see Elsie play patty-cake patty-cake baker's man with kitties!

M: What comes after "patty-cake patty-cake baker's man"?

E:  Roll it and pat it and mark it with E, put in oven for Elsie and Kitties!

Guest Post from Mama

Remember this picture of Elsie and her friend Henry from this spring? 

Well, a few weeks ago, I took these pictures of Elsie and Henry playing together again at the park: 

And I recently was sent these pictures from Henry's mom, 

who took them during a play date they had: 

Hmmm...should I be worried? 

:)

Playing with Papa!

Papa came to play with me for a few days last week. What fun was had!

He had a tea party with me

and we drank lots of pretend tea and ate pretend cupcakes and cookies.

We played along the lake

and Papa helped me watch for sailboats.

We went to the petting zoo and practiced milking cows.

Papa held me up so that I could pet a donkey, and he tried to eat the flowers on my pants!

We fed bottles to the baby goats (they were really thirsty!).

And we fed the Mamas, too!

I love my Papa!

Incriminating Puppy Story

Upon walking into the kitchen to see Elsie's food and bottle on the floor...

Daddy: Did you throw your food on the floor, Elsie? 
Elsie: No!
D: How did it get on the floor, then?
E: Puppies threw food!
D: Puppies did it?  I don't see any puppies...
E: Puppies in Elsie's bottle.
D: They're in your bottle?
E: Yes.  Puppies came out of bottle, threw food on floor, go back in bottle.

A long trip

A few weeks ago, Mama and Daddy and I took a long (LONG!!!) ride in the car all the way to the Koch farm.   It was very hot (100+), so I didn't wear my pants most of the time.  Great-Grandma Koch showed me the calves.  They licked my fingers!  Also, Daddy showed me the swing he played on when he was little.  It was pretty nice, but even I thought it was too hot out to swing.

We stayed in a hotel for two nights.  It turns out I don't really like staying in hotels (or long car rides).  They make me not want to sleep.  The first day of our trip, I didn't sleep at all on the way to the farm (7 hours).   Then I didn't go to bed at the hotel until midnight, and I got Mama up at 4am.   It seemed like a good time to get up, plus Mama and Daddy kept telling me we could swim in the morning.

I didn't feel like napping the next day, either.  Daddy got all dressed up and went to a fancy "wedding" while Mama and I tried to nap at the hotel.  The nap didn't take, though, so when Daddy got back from the wedding we went to eat at a fancy restaurant instead.   I fell asleep in the car, but since it was so hot Daddy had to leave the car running for an hour.  It was an expensive way to nap, but Daddy and Mama said it was worth it.  They seem to be under the impression that I get crabby when I don't nap- how silly!

After that, we went to another fancy dinner.  This one was in a big room with LOTS (500+ ?) of people and VERY LOUD music.  I was pretty scared and confused at first.  I may have cried.  Loudly.  If we were there for dinner, why didn't they feed us?  It was a weird kind of restaurant.

Eventually I saw my Auntie Ellen and Uncle Adam, then Uncle G and Kristin, then Grandma and Grandpa Cooper.  Daddy also saw lots of cousins and aunts and uncles he knew.  It was nice to know the WHOLE room wasn't filled with strangers.  Then after a couple of hours we got to eat and I felt better.  Then the really fun part happened- we got to DANCE! It was lovely.   Daddy danced with me all by myself because I am a big kid.

Since I hadn't slept much all weekend, Mama and Daddy made me go back to the hotel at 10:30.  I wasn't tired, though! The next morning, I got to go swimming after breakfast, and G and Kristin Friend came to watch me.  Then we had a long drive back home, which wasn't fun, so I decided not to nap in protest.  All in all, it was a strange weekend.  I really liked swimming and meeting the cows, but I am glad to be back home.
 

Epicnic 2012

A few weekends ago while Grandma RJ was visiting, we all went to Daddy's work. I didn't realize that work was such a great place to be- no wonder he spends almost every day there!

I got to ride in a horse-drawn carriage, and I even got to drive (well, hold the reins)!

We followed the other carriages around this little lake by the Epic Farm.

After the ride was over, I thanked the big ponies for their hard work.

Next we went to the Big Rig Petting Zoo.
I got to climb into lots of trucks and tractors, sit in the seats, and even "drive" them!

Every body wanted to see the construction vehicles, but only I got to go in them!

After lunch we went to the REAL petting zoo-
 horses, cows, donkeys, llamas, chickens, ducks, geese, bunnies, kittens, pigs, sheep...
so very many animals!

There was even a pony for me to ride- not for the big people, just little people like me got to ride him!

A few hours later, face painted and belly full, it was time to go home.  I can't wait to go visit again!

 

 

I can't believe that Daddy gets to go there every day.  Boy, I want to work at Epic when I get big, too!

Singin' in the Rain

After weeks (months?) of record heat and drought, the rain finally came. And come it did! Elsie was so excited about the sudden thunderstorm that she demanded Daddy put on his rain gear and take her on a puddle walk (which he did, even though it was technically bed time!). I caught these pictures of them singing on the porch after their walk, watching the glorious storm!

Going for a walk.

Artin' like a big kid.

 

Lately I have been very into art.  Every day Mama and I do a special project.  Sometimes we cut and paste, sometimes we paint, sometimes we color, sometimes we make puppets, but we always have fun.  Mama took this picture of me using my Big Kid markers to "enhance" a painting I did yesterday.  You might also notice I am sitting at my Big Kid art table.  

Sometimes when I make art I have trouble remembering to use my good listening ears...for instance, I may tend to forget that markers are for coloring paper, not toes, but Mama is pretty forgiving as long as I am working hard at creating.  I hope you can come by for a visit to see my growing gallery!    

The Kinds

Blueberries, green beans, cucumbers, zinnias and bells of Ireland

Have we mentioned lately that we have the best neighbors in the world?  This morning, Don (daddy to Cricket and Lucky Puppy) helped a friend of mine with a car stalled on our street to remove the car's battery, and then he proceeded to charge it for her in his garage.  Later that afternoon, he brought these beauties from his garden to our door, "for Elsie."  Does life get any better? 

Fur!

"Mama's arm has freckles!  Elsie's arm has four freckles (it doesn't).  Daddy's arm has....FUR!"