emerson is...

...such a great helper. She fed Pete his breakfast and then packed his bag on Tuesday when he spent the day at Grammy's.

... stubborn as a mule, particularly when it involves going to the bathroom. She'll literally dance around for 15 minutes denying that she needs to go, just so that she can have things on her terms.

...really getting into playing "girl" things, like dress-up and babies. Granted, she uses her stuffed animals as opposed to baby dolls, but that's just logistics. She got a "Christmas" present this week (you know, the ones I've had tucked away in the basement for when we have a week of subzero temps) and it's a mini stroller, pack & play, high chair, potty seat, diaper bag, and monitors. Just perfect for her menagerie of buddies.

...is prone to giggle fits of epic magnitude. Especially around 6:00 pm. She laughs so hard that a.) you can't understand what she's saying and b.) she forgets what was so funny in the first place.

...has reached some milestones this week. Gone are the bedtime binkies (YEAH!!) with absolutely no fuss whatsoever. And we graduated from her car seat to the booster seat this week. It's SO much easier for me. I can unhook her without ever going around to that side of the car. Score!

...is a tyrant. She refuses (and by refuses, I mean has a knock-em-down, drag-em-out temper tantrum) to wear a shower cap. A freaking shower cap! I certainly never saw that one coming. But due to a skin condition, she's now taking showers instead of baths, and since I don't need to wash her hair daily, shower caps are becoming part of our routine. Do you hear me, Emerson? They ARE becoming part of our routine, at least every other night.

Love that kid. She certainly keeps me on my toes!

This picture of the 2 of us was taken last week during the Great Blizzard of 2011. She's standing on a snow pile that used to be a tall grass bed next to the driveway. And we're both wearing ski goggles because the snow hurt when it pelted you in the face!