Tonight we introduced you to kale. I myself was only introduced to kale a couple of years ago when we received it in our Door to Door Organics weekly box. Your dad looked up recipes and ended up making me kale chips. At the time I was certain I wouldn’t like them, but after I tried them I was hooked. I crave kale chips every few weeks or so and beg your dad to make them for me. So I was excited to see what you thought of it. We steamed it and pureed it for you, then served it up. And just like all of the other foods, you ate it all up. It was a little messy because you seemed to be juicing it as you ate it; a little stream of green juice came running out of your mouth and down your chin after every bite.

All smiles for kale

Post-kale comma

This evening when I got home from work you and your nana were out front waiting for me as usual. And today you matched! You both had on your pink Converse shoes, and pink vests, and I just couldn’t resist the photo op. Too cute.

Like Nana, Like Emma

Modeling your new Broncos outfit

Today we met nana, papa, Brett and Kyle at the Museum of Nature and Science. We love this museum, though we haven’t been there with you until today. We spent most of our time walking through the exhibits displaying animals from different areas, and you seemed genuinely fascinated by all of the sights. We also walked through a display of dinosaurs, and you got really excited looking at them, waving your arms and squealing in excitement. We then stopped by one of my favorite areas where you can peer into the laboratory and watch the paleontologists work to clean off fossils. You stood up and looked in, pressing your face to the glass in curiosity, and pounding on the glass with joy. Maybe you’ll be a paleontologist!

Fun with dinosaurs

Family picture outside the museum

Today you went on your first train. It was a Galloping Goose, so I’m not sure if it entirely qualifies as a ‘train’ ride, but it operates on the train tracks and so I think it counts. You really liked it, and I think the soft rocking almost put you to sleep. You had lots more fun today playing with your uncle, cousin and nana and papa.

Emma driving the train

Kyle and Papa exploring at the train museum

Brett and Kyle having fun

Checking out the view from the Goose

We had a fun day just hanging out with Brett, Kyle, nana and papa. We went out for breakfast then went on your first tour of NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research). You had a lot to say during the tour, and so we broke off from the main tour and went on our own mini-tour. You seemed pretty interested in a lot of the displays, and one lady came up to us and said, “It’s never too early to introduce them to science”. I couldn’t agree more!

Kyle gave you a Dolphins’ jersey that used to be his. The Dolphins are one of his favorite teams.

Brett kept you happily entertained playing horse on his foot

Your Uncle Brett and Cousin Kyle are in town, and they came over this afternoon to see you. I was working in my office and the nanny was watching you when they arrived. She came back to let me know you’d all arrived and I came out here excited to see them. They didn’t even acknowledge me; they were so excited to see you.

Kyle hadn’t seen you since the Fourth of July so he enjoyed seeing you crawl, roll around, sit up and try to stand. He is so gentle and sweet with you, and even held you and carried you. He likes all of your toys, and was always at the ready bringing you new toys or laying all of your toys around you.

This evening we all went to the CU game and your dad stayed home with you. But before we left we couldn’t resist taking a picture of all of us in our CU gear.

Ready for the CU black-out game

I returned home from my trip today with great anticipation of seeing you. There were babies on my flight and on the bus home, and so I was constantly hearing them and thinking of you. When I walked in you saw me, smiled, and shook your arms over and over, around and around, with excitement. I grabbed you and tried to hold you close, and you almost immediately tried to straighten your legs to a standing position. You were standing on my hip with your bottom out in the air and your top half being held close to me by my arms. It was an awkward position and I kept trying to bring you in and hold you next to my side, in standard baby-carrying position, with your legs on either side of my hip. You kept trying to stand. I actually was having a rather hard time holding you as you kept trying to do this so I set you down and you immediately scrambled to grab on to me and you pulled yourself up. This is definitely the new move that you’re working on perfecting.

Today was my first full day without seeing you. It is a sad milestone. My body woke around 3 am ready to feed you, and I sadly sunk back into the bed with the realization that you weren’t in the next room and that I couldn’t get up and see you. I cannot wait to get home and see you tomorrow!

Today I received a of you from your dad. You had crawled under the Exercauser and were just hanging out. Now that’s a new way to enjoy that toy!

Another way to enjoy the Exercauser

A recent development is your frequent making of a fishy face. You’ve been doing it for about two weeks. It’s hard to capture a picture because you don’t hold the face for very long, but finally your dad was able to get a snapshot.

Falling down fishy face

You’ve also gotten pretty good at clapping. You often do it on your own, without us prompting you. I took a bunch of pictures of you today with your Emma train set, and you even clapped during some of those.

Clapping for the camera

Happy about the train

Posing nicely

Today was another new food for you and your dad picked out turnips. We were so interested to see what you’d think, especially because they have such a strong and unique flavor. But you gobbled them down, showing as much if not more enthusiasm (gauged by how quickly you open your mouth to signify your desire for more food) than you have for some of your other favorites like avocado, sweet potato, and pears.

Ready for turnips