Emma's favorite Christmas present

This year, all Emma asked Santa for was a robot and a dolly. She even wrote Santa a letter asking him for a robot... a letter which he actually answered!

Well, on Christmas morning, her robot was right underneath the Christmas tree. He was sitting there all by himself off to the side, next to a lot of other presents. He wasn't wrapped, so when she spotted him she absolutely squealed with delight!

I have to admit, he is pretty cool. He is a Tribot, and he is pretty advanced for a toy. He has a remote control that you can use to move him around, or he can operate on his own, or go into "guard mode". He is also a little bit manic. He talks almost constantly while he is on, offering a lot of commentary based on what he sees or how you interact with him.



So far, we are all pretty enamored with Tribot. The funniest moment was when I was on the couch, and no one was playing with him; he sat for a while without talking, and then, in an ominous voice just like the Pink Floyd song, he said "Is there anybody.... OUT THERE?" I almost fell off the couch laughing.

Tribot is a hit. He is rated for 8 years old and older, but Emma has had a lot of fun with him already, and my guess is that he's advanced enough that she won't outgrow him very soon.

Emma - Soccer 2008

Flashback: Emma dancing - Christmas 2005

She was so tiny back then! But she seems to have a good sense of rhythm. Here she is dancing in her high chair to ''Carol of the Bells.'' I think this was right near Christmas in 2005.

From last summer's neighborhood picnic

Back to school

Back to school! Emma's first day back to preschool, September 2008.

Fishing Trip - Summer 2008

Today, we took Emma fishing. We rented a rowboat and went out on a local lake, where Emma caught:

the First fish

the Biggest fish

the Most fish

the Last fish

She was very proud of herself, and wasn't a bit shy with the fish... although she thought the nightcrawlers were gross. We spent a few hours on the lake, and rowed back to shore just a few minutes before a big thunderstorm hit. And Emma was exhausted -- she fell asleep on the trip back to the dock.

Not sure why these are showing up at the wrong angle...

More classic Emma lines

Classic line of the day

Emma (to the dog): "Charlie, come play with me. If you play with me I promise I will be gentle. But if you do *not* play with me, I will not be gentle."

This morning I asked her if she would like to have some Cheerios. She got a very thoughtful look on her face, and then said "Yes, I would, in fact."

Earlier today, she said "Mama, I know this is a lot of work to do, but we have to clean up my toys so we can have a party."

Nichole asked her what the dog was doing now. Emma said "He's out in the living room, eating a boring catalog."

Right now she is trying to get the basset hound to attend her tea party, and he is quite ambivalent about it, to say the least. She just said "Come on basset, we're going to have a tea party. I'll lead the way! Come on... concentration!" Then she trotted off, happily singing some made-up nonsense song.

Then she got in a fight with her brother, and told her mama about it. "Mama, he won't say he is sorry. I am going to go make him sorry." Then she stomped into the living room where she attacked him and demanded he apologize, and then told him "No more TV, and no more video games for you."

Emma, at her school picnic

Emma as a pirate

Last week was "Pirate Week" here at our house... which means Emma was doing pirate activities all week: Dressing up as a pirate, walking the plank, playing on her playstructure (the "pirate ship"), and drawing and coloring pirate-themed pictures.

This is Emma's self-portrait as a pirate. The top part in black is her pirate hat. The bottom part is her pirate ship! You can tell it is because she is standing on the deck, as evidenced by the legs. Also, she wrote her own name without any help.

Practicing her golf swing - May 2008

Emma the Ballerina

Emma had her first dance recital the other day. I wish you could see the video of it... it's very sweet, and there are a couple of laugh-out-loud moments.