Adult fun!

The past couple weeks Patrick and I have had some opportunities to enjoy some nights out together!  We love spending time with our daughter more than anything but we appreciate good babysitters! One of the perks of Patrick's job is broker events... and my favorite brokers are the ones that do not forget the spouses :) Two weeks ago we went to dinner with two other couples at Rino's Place in East Boston (http://www.rinosplace.com).  Really, really good Italian! It's been featured on the show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  I think we tried half the menu- it was so delicious! If anyone would like to try it out we would be happy to go back!  Later that week we went to another broker event at a wine shop.  They hosted about ten couples to a wine tasting dinner.  It was a very fun, unique, and informative experience.  

While Patrick was traveling last week Emma and I had a ladies night out!  About once a month we go out to dinner with my friend Amber Jordan (from Ames) and Sarah Trantina (Iowa grad).  We have made it our mission to try a new restaurant each time.  This last place was a little upscale - meaning no high chairs- but Emma had fun playing with us and her toys in the booth between Amber and me.   

We finished the weekend off with a bang!  I had my very first true ladies night out Friday while Patrick and Emma cozied up at home together!  Seven of the nine Great Beginnings mamas were able to get together.  We had four hours worth of dinner conversation to catch up on!  The next day Mark Christensen (Patrick's college roommate) came up from NYC to visit us.  We were anxious for a visit from Mark because he recently moved from the Hamptons into the city for a new job at Salesforce and we were excited to hear all about it.  We took him to the Iowa game watch (ohhh Iowa) and then grabbed another babysitter that evening for a night out in the North End.  

We had another fun visitor in town a little bit ago - Kewhoon Lee!  We used to get frequent visits from Kewhoon when his wife was living in Boston while finishing her anesthesia residency program.  She moved down to Louisville, KY this summer where Kewhoon is finishing his residency program in radiation oncology.  The Lees love and spoil Emma so we try to spoil them with food! Here we are at dinner with Kewhoon and Ryan and Amber Jordan.

My Thursday walks with Kimberly and Suzanne have turned into play dates because it has become so chilly! Emma loves trying out all of Grace's super cool toys!

Lastly, I thought I would share some fun pics (sorry, I took a lot!) I snapped the day after Hurricane Sandy traveled through Boston.  Emma and I walked to the Public Gardens to survey the damage of the strong winds and rain. We were fortunate to have been spared very much damage.  We actually had some really beautiful fall days following Sandy.  Emma loved playing with all the leaves!

And someone got off of work early!!! Oh happy day!

Bye, Bye Scooters!

Wednesday was our last day of Scooters :(  It has been so fun watching Emma grow and develop for the past ten weeks in this class.  She is really starting to get the routine down.  It seems like she knows all the songs now - her face lights up with each of them, especially any that include a lap bounce!  Just saying the words Tic Toc gets a giggle from the girl.  She knows carpet time is story time.  During the last class her friend Gabriella sat right in front of her so she couldn't see the book.  It was pretty funny watching Emma try to peer around Gabriella because she didn't want to miss a page! We met some really good friends in this class.  Here are some pics from the past few weeks worth of classes. 

Rubber ducks are essential to chew on while we sing about ducks!

Three little ducks went out one day, over the hills and far away...

Sensory development day- how many types of sensory balls you grab? Also, try your hand at sticky tape on the foam tile!

Gabriella, are you done with the yellow ball?

 Story time! 

Bubbles!

Yay! We are clapping about something!

More bubbles!

During our trip to the West Coast we missed a class.  Fortunately we are able to do makeups and try any class we want.  We REALLY wanted to try the music class but our schedule wouldn't allow that.  So this week we went to a Movers and Groovers class.  It is the next developmental class in the series.  All the babies were absolutely moving and grooving and already had or were close to celebrating their first birthday!  Emma and I were shocked to find out that the activity for the day was hand painting!!! 

This is the face I get from Emma when it is more than an hour past her nap time!  She may not be all smiles but she was a good sport and didn't want to miss out on the fun!

The finished products.  Emma's painting is on the far left... I am a pretty proud mama!  Of course Emma's first artwork is hanging on our fridge!

Story time with the big kids.

We are looking forward to starting Movers and Groovers in January.  Eight out of the ten moms in our Scooters class signed up for it plus one of our old friends from Next Steps.  Emma can hardly wait to get her move and groove back on! 

Rocky Mountain High

A little backtracking is in order... we have been having a mighty fun and busy fall so I'm ashamed to say the blog has taken a backseat.

On our way home from Seattle, Emma and I thought we would break up the 6.5 hour flight with a visit to Denver.  My grandmother was over the moon happy and excited to meet Emma!  Emma seemed to really enjoy the visit too as she was very happy sitting on my grandma's lap playing and reading books together.  My grandma has a Yorkshire Terrier - doggies are certainly Emma's best friends :)

My parents came out for the visit as well.  Papa surprised Emma and I with a trip to the Denver Zoo!  It has probably been about twenty years since my last visit to the Denver Zoo and it was great to go back!  It is such an impressive zoo with what seemed like all the important animals that a zoo could want.  Emma has grown so much since her last trip to a zoo and really appeared interested in looking at and watching all the animals this time.  She literally was on the edge of her stroller seat :)

It's a giant Sophie! If Emma could only chew on a leg...

Emma was pointing out the wild peacocks to Papa!

Emma enjoyed engaging the lions in a blinking contest :) 

"Mom, I would like to take this big kitty home!" 

Monkey Island!  

Another highlight of the trip was a day trip up to the mountains.  Much to our good fortune the Aspen trees were still a beautiful shade of yellow.  We dined on Beujos pizza in Evergreen (similar to Great Plains in Ames) and had a great time sightseeing!

Love yellow Aspens!

Emma was able to meet my Aunt Margie who also has a Yorkshire Terrier.  It was double the trouble for Emma! 

This little girl got spoiled by being passed from one lap to another lap all day long!  

We love pumpkins :) 

 Four Generations!

So wonderful to see Great Grandma! Always sending our love to Denver!