I Like To Ride My Trycycle

Emma has been busy this last week practicing on her bike in the back garden. I had to learn the hard way that you can't take the bike to the park and expect to teach a 2 year old how it all works when there are so many distractions. As much as Emma can be a "one track" she can also be a really good "side track". Too many distracts and other toys and children to play with is not a good learning environment for bike riding. So with the nice weather we are having in February I took advantage of the back garden. I still insist that Emma dress properly with helmet, the right kind of shoes with socks and the right kind of clothing. With a bit of preparation, off come the dresses, sandals and on go the rest. Good habits of safety last a life time.


She wasn't too keen on the helmet but now expects it to be put on which is great. I still get a lot of pedalling backwards and walking the bike. The nice part is she is concentrating on what she is doing and I let her have fun with how the bike turns and pushes. I want her to really explore the bike before I get to involved with "now do this" "now do that" . I grew up with bike riding being really fun and I still love it to this day. I want her to have the same feelings with no pressure only pure joy. Every day she asks to ride her bike and is sad when it gets too dark to go outside and ride some more.
Her Aunt Linda puts it best "Your a cleaver girl Emma!", so I have no doubts that she will be doing circles around me in no time!

Daddy's At Work

Not so shocking to those who really know what an amazing daddy Donald is, but Emma has had a most difficult time with Donald going back to work. After getting laid off last fall and then starting a pretty amazingly great job 6 weeks later, Emma is heart broken. Over the weeks it has gotten a bit better. When Donald first went back to work she would stand at the door and cry for daddy, at night she would want Donald to rock her until she would fall asleep in his arms. Over time it got better, and now it's like Donald is a rock star when he gets home...little girly screams and all! Emma runs to him screaming "DADDY!!!" which is immediately followed by loads of hugs and kisses. She still talks during the day about daddy being at work but the tears have dried up and replaced with understanding and knowledge. She looks forward to the weekends and evenings when we are all together and to our special Fridays. Since Donald's new job is located downtown and we still live in north county, Donald is gone almost 12 hours a day....so on Fridays we drive downtown with Daddy have Starbucks and breakfast in Little Italy, then drop Daddy off at work, head over to Balboa Park for some fun, then maybe Fashion Valley Mall and lunch with Daddy, home for nap, then back downtown to get Daddy and finally dine out downtown before heading home for bed. Emma loves it and she knows that means the next two days Daddy is going to be home! It's a great way to get a jump start on the weekend and get a bit of extra time in with Daddy.

Below is a bunch of photos taken over many weeks.

Morning breakfast at Starbucks in Little Italy

Watching the planes flying into the airport.

Morning coffee at Papa Lecco's by Daddy's work.
Emma picking out a special treat.

This coffee shop is just like having our Starbucks in London back, only in San Diego. Boy do we miss London.

Enjoying her treat.

Lunch at the Spicy Pickle Downtown.

Dinner at the Spicy Pickle
Playing in Balboa Park after dropping Daddy off at work.

Waiting for Daddy to get off work in Little Italy.
I love those eyelashes!

4 days and going strong!!

We are so PROUD of Emma!!

That's right Emma is a big girl and she can do lots of big girl things!! She now has been using the big girl potty for 4 days. Only 2 accidents so far and that was only because we just didn't get to the bathroom fast enough. We took Donald's cousin Julie Ann's advice and got a seat that went on top of a regular toilet and it worked!! (Aunt Linda be proud of you daughter for giving such good advice, it must be in the DNA) The moment I brought it home Emma asked to sit on it and she immediately went pee. Now Emma just tells me that she has to go and just in a few seconds of sitting down she pees. No waiting, no reading books, no singing songs...she just goes!! It's the most wonderful thing. I told my dad the other night on the phone that it was like winning the lottery only better!! After raising 4 kids of his own he laughed and totally agreed with me :). Since I didn't think it would be appropriate to post a photo of the princess on her "thrown", nor is she on long enough to do so, I have decided to post a few wonderful photo of her watching music videos on her iPod. Much more adorable and she won't be mad at me years later for it.


For the concerned out there, Yes, Donald I purchased child headphones that don't go to loud volumes as to not hurt her ears. She rarely uses them as we mostly listen to music through speakers in the house. This was a special treat.