Emry at Grandma and Grandpa's

Emry is old enough to remember trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s. (She also has a memory like a steel trap, so that helps…or not.) So, in spite of the long ride, she greatly anticipated everything she would enjoy at my parents.

This year, her cousin Benito (or “Benny” or “Beto”), who is a week short of a year younger than her, was two. And about a half inch shorter, but weighs in a bit more. He’s also way more adventurous…being a boy. I think, at times, she found him a little overwhelming. For while she would join in much of his play, she spent just as much time following him around. And asking me what he was doing. And, since she is a whole year older, she could teach him a few things. Like when Mom and I took the three of them to the library one day and there was a poster of a Star Wars character on a door.

“A snowman!” Beto happily pointed to it.

“No,” my 3-year-old Star Wars encyclopedia replied, “that’s BB-8.”

And when it came to driving his new Power Wheel, she was more than happy to take the driver’s seat. Strangely, he seemed happy to let her. Not exactly sure what that tends towards in their future…

Emry and Beto driving the new Power Wheel.

Even at home, Emry is my little helper. Of course, that typically means it takes me twice as long to do something or simply more work because I have to do the original job plus clean up after her. But she’s learning! It was no different at Grandma’s. She happily helped Grandma Swifter the downstairs hall one day, helped her water all the plants and assisted in the ice cream making. Picking blueberries was by far the favorite chore. Very few ended up in the bowl…

Emry and Ethan picking blueberries.

I did decide I will never take Emry shoe shopping again. Aside from a handful of needed pairs I’ve picked up for her at consignment sales (winter boots, summer play shoes, sandals for church), her shoes have always been gifts from aunts or a pair my mom sends her. I’ve never really asked more than, “Emry, do you like this pair?” when I pick one out. After my sister’s beagle chewed the straps off her tennis shoes, we took her to the store to buy another pair, upping the size so they’ll last her well until next spring. She tried on FIVE DIFFERENT PAIRS!!! I don’t go for character shoes yet, I was trying to watch the price, I figured she would want something different than her last pair (don’t kids usually?) and she needed something that would take a good beating for the next six or nine months. But who knew she was so picky?!?!?!

“No, Mama, those don’t feel right.”

“No, Mama, I don’t like green.”

She had my mom and sister rolling in the floor with laughter as well as another shopper who was amazed at how well she knows her own mind. And when she refused to pick out any of the pairs I lined up before her, I finally pulled off the shelf the exact pair the dog had just chewed and put one on her foot.

“Yes, Mama, I like those.”

Perhaps we should have gone ahead and bought her a lifetime supply of them…

Beto and Emry (wearing the infamous shoes).

My little girl also did quite some growing up while we were there. Climbing higher than she ever has, learning to swing the glider on the swingset herself, forming the letters in her name out of the wood blocks and cleaning up after herself. Like when she had an accident during her “rest time” one day. She was playing and the floor in her aunt’s room is thankfully wood, so she found some wipes to clean it up and even changed her own panties. I would have never known if she hadn’t put her panties on inside out which led me to search for the puddle she didn’t completely clean up. But the funniest moment was one morning at the table as she happily sang her favorite song a half-a-dozen times with Beto joining in as he could: “A, B, C, D, E, F, G…” After the sixth or seventh rendition in slow, regular and super-fast speed, my mom laughed and said, “Emry, now you just need to learn to say them backwards.” A thoughtful look passed over Emry’s face. She’s just recognizing counting backwards for a countdown, so I thought she might be thinking through her ABCs that way. But then she turned around backwards in her chair and started singing the ABCs again. Yes, we all roared in laughter. Smart alleck.

Zoo highlight: feeding the flamingos!

Grandpa caught her a butterfly – she was ecstatic!

 

So happy the adored Unc showed up for a few days, too!