Happy St. Patty's Day

Happy St. Patty's day everyone, well, everyone that celebrates it!  Then again, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day.  This past weekend was a busy one for us.  Cori and I bought Emma a new big girl bike since she is slowly outgrowing her tricycle.  She is super excited, and tells me every day how much she loves her princess bike.

Sunday was the annual Somerville St. Patrick's Day Parade, with fun filled festivities all day long.  I made us a breakfast of pecan raisin french toast with bacon, while corned beef cooked all day long in the crock pot for dinner.

When we got to the parade, all Emma did was cry that she wanted to go home (it was cold out).  Once she ate lunch, pushed through her tiredness from not having a nap, and the parade actually started, she had a blast.  Here she is in her wagon.

 

After the parade, it was off to the Knights of Columbus for free beer, hot dogs, and fun times listening to the bag pipes and watching Daddy have fun dancing!  Here's a great shot!

Emma had no nap during this entire time, and she was such a trooper.  I even got her to sit with Nana for a picture, but of course she wasn't looking! :-)

On Monday, I had the opportunity to teach Emma's class at daycare about Ireland, St. Patrick's Day, and how to make Irish Soda Bread.  The kids had a blast, and it was so great to be able to spend that time with her.  What an awesome break in my morning at work that was.

Spring is just around the corner, and we are all looking forward to getting outside a lot more, taking walks and playing at the playground, and just enjoying some great time as a family.  We'll also be starting a small kitchen renovation project in the next few weeks.  I will definitely be posting some before and after pictures of that!

Where is the time going?

We're 1 month and 11 days into 2011 ALREADY!!! Where is the time going?  Anyway, I have these ideas for some family valentines celebrations that I plan on doing this weekend.  We'll see how they all turn out!  Here's what I have planned

• Heart shaped mini calzones for dinner Sunday (making the dough myself even)
• Heart shaped donuts from Dunkin Donuts for Monday AM.  Emma will love it!
• Baking banana muffins
• Crafty time with Emma to make Cori's valentine's cards
• Hopefully some alone time with said husband.
• Just some all around family togetherness and love all around.

Cori and I have never been huge valentine's people, never really doing anything outlandish to celebrate.  This year, I bought him a replacement wedding ring as his was accidentally lost while removing carpet from our basement a year ago.  It wasn't a big deal that he lost the ring, it's not like he did it on purpose, we just have not been able to replace it, and lately he's been asking about it.  We've been having some rough patches, with trying to get our "roommate" to move out, working on our relationship in general, and trying to find alone time with each other so I wanted to show him how much he means to me and how much I love him and am committed to working through our problems and getting to a better place.  We have good days and bad days, but I know eventually we'll get to where we want to be with each other.

Other than buying him a new wedding ring, we're not doing much to celebrate Valentine's as a couple (maybe dinner together at home after Emma goes to bed).  We bought Emma two small gifts for her, and we're really trying to make the holiday about our family, and how much we all love each other.  I don't think this said "Hallmark" holiday should only be about the couple, but should rather about love in general; love towards significant others, love towards your children, parents, friends, and family.

Here's to hoping your Valentine's day is not only as special as it can be for you, but that you get to spend the day with all the people in your life you love and who love you!

Wow

So much has happened since I last posted on here in October of 2010.  I know, that was only 3 months ago, but a lot has gone on.  The most important is that my sweet little Emma has turned two!  We had a big party with family and friends and she had a blast.  Her Aunt Sarah (godmother) and my Aunt Meghan even got her a dozen #2 donuts for her birthday.  When she woke up that morning, she was so excited to have donuts just for her.  Here are some pictures (notice the lovely hair we have to deal with every morning!).

A donut in the shape of the number 2, just for our baby girl!

Yummy, donuts!

 

Emma and Pop Pop at breakfast with Santa

After the celebration of our baby girl turning 2 died down (and believe me, we celebrated for a week with her party, her actual birthday, and then her party at school) we were able to focus on the holidays.  This year was much different than last, especially since I had a job while last year I had been laid off.  Emma was able to get into the holiday spirit more this year, helping decorate the house, turning the outside lights on every night, and searching the house every morning for Guinness.  No, not the beer, but her Elf (we purchased an Elf on the Shelf this year).  She loved it, and was actually sad when he left Christmas Eve to help Santa deliver presents.  Santa, on the other hand, she could have done without.  Every place we saw him this year, either by accident or on purpose at Breakfast with Santa, she screamed, ran in the opposite direction of him, and at some points even cried.  She was all for him coming to our house and bringing presents, but she didn't want to see him, and told us his reindeer were not allowed on our roof.  Emma even loved all the winter and holiday related celebrations at daycare.  She picked out her own outfit for the winter celebration party.  I have quite the budding fashionista on my hands!
 

All dressed up for the daycare holiday party (she picked out the outfit herself!)

Christmas Eve and Christmas morning are a blur to me now, but as they were happening, it was amazing to watch Emma have so much fun and enjoy the magic of Christmas.  I don't want her to grow up and some day know that Santa doesn't exist, but for now, I will cherish the memories we made this year.  It was even great to see her with her aunts and uncles opening gifts.  Here's a great shot of Emma and Uncle Shane after she opened her very own digital camera.  Uncle Shane was the hit Christmas Eve with that gift!

 After Christmas was over, I spent the week in between Christmas and New Years at home, taking a much needed vacation from work.  Cor and I decided since we were both home we would try potty training with underwear (pull-ups or diapers at nap and bed times).  After 3 days of accidents left and right, it suddenly seemed to click with her, and we've been almost completely accident free since.  She spent the first few days in nothing but a shirt, underwear, socks, and her Hello Kitty rain boots (at her request).  Here is a shot of her watching daddy shovel the 12+ inches of snow we got on Dec 27.

Why can't I go out there, I'm dressed?

All in all, we've had a great three months in the Burd family.  Now it is 2011, and we're looking forward to another great year.  Happy New Year to everyone, and I look forward to updating you more often this year.  It's one of my new years resolutions, it just took me a bit to get started on it!

Weekend update

We're having a fun weekend visiting with Nana, Pop Pop, and Uncle Matt down the shore.  Yesterday was dinner at Calloways, where Emma likes to sit on top of the pool table and roll the balls into the pockets.  This morning was the Chowder Fest on LBI...quite an interesting thing.  I am used to local festivals, parades, etc. from growing up, but this was crazy.  Hundreds of people, sponsored by Budweiser, bands, food, chowder, vendors, etc.  Emma enjoyed it.  When nap time is over, it's on to the last boat ride of the year out to the bay and back.

Anyway, time to go make meatloaf and a menu for Emma's 2nd birthday party.  Yikes, she's going to be 2 next month, where has the time gone?!?!  And when are we going to have baby #2???

KidsStreet Fun

This past weekend, Cori and I took Emma to KidsStreet, this awesome playground in our area.  It is this huge wooden playground that has so much stuff to do and climb on.  I felt like a kid again, climbing on this with Emma, going down slides, running around, and sweating my butt off!  I forgot how much of a workout kids get when they play.  Emma and Cori had been there once before, so Emma really liked showing me around and showing me everything she could do on the bigger climbers, etc.  It is definitely my new favorite place to go with her to have fun.  Here are some awesome shots I got on my phone.

She had only taken a nap for maybe 30 minutes that day, so she was a bit tired when we first got there and didn't want to look at me for pictures!

Driving Miss Mr. Daisy!

One of the many slides.  This one I kept racing down with her!

Speed slide from the Pirate ship!

Tandem sliding with Daddy!

We had such a blast, and I can't wait to go again.  This weekend is a visit from Nana and PopPop and a dinner with GG (great grandma) Gibson on Saturday and apple picking on Sunday (finger's crossed it doesn't rain).

In other Emma related news, we had poop on the potty at daycare this morning!  Woo hoo!  She has been doing it off and on at home, but she seemed so proud of herself this morning to do it at school with her friends cheering her on!

Goodbye summer

Goodbye summer, hello fall.  I am so excited for the fall.  Among the fun filled activities we have planned, like the LBI Irish Festival, the Chatsworth, NJ Cranberry Festival, and pumpkin and apple picking, I am super psyched about being able to leave the windows open for the next month or so.  I love fall weather...wearing comfy sweaters and boots, sleeping with a cool breeze coming in the window, Pumpkin Spice and Chai Tea Lattes!

To say goodbye to summer in style, Emma and I traveled to Nana and PopPop's house to spend a 4 day weekend soaking up some sun, playing in the pool, riding around on the boat, and weathering Hurricane Earls wrath, or at least what the weather men said we would see.  We had a lot of fun, Emma even decided to wear some big girl underwear that Nana bought her.  For 2 of the 4 days, she wore her Elmo undies, without a single accident.  Of course, we know she can hold it for a long period of time, and she'd only go when she was swimming, or wearing a diaper/pull up at nap and bed time.  She's a stubborn one, but she asked to wear the undies, so I was not about to say no.  Next weekend we travel back down for the LBI Irish Festival...time to get drunk with my fellow Irishmen and get Emma a new Irish sweater!

Here's a priceless pic of Emma soaking up some rays!

Aminals Mommy!

That's right, I said it, Aminals.  Last weekend, we went to the Turtleback Zoo with Emma.  This was her first time at a zoo, and we all had a blast.  Cori and I thought we would start small, especially since Emma still takes quite a lengthy afternoon nap, going to the Philly or Bronx Zoo would just be way too much.  Turtleback zoo is small, with lots of animals, most native to the area, but the entire thing can be done in about 2 hours.  Perfect for young kids!!

Emma kept telling us all morning we were going to the "oo" to see "aminals".  It was the cutest thing ever.  She was so excited, and when we got there, she totally enjoyed seeing all the animals she reads about in her books, as well as lots of new ones.  She even fed a sheep, although she freaked out when all 10 started coming towards the fence to get food since no one else was feeding them at the time.  Had they been, she probably would have spent a lot of time feeding the one sheep she started to feed.  She squealed every time it stuck its head through the fence and ate out of her hand.  It was such fun to watch!

Here are some pictures of our fun filled morning!

She loved the indoor snake area, and refused to take off her glasses.  My girl knows she looks good!

 

 

This is right about the time that 10 sheep came over at once and it freaked her out.  Unfortunately Daddy didn't have the camera out when it was Emma and I feeding the one sheep!

Sitting in the egg shells

This was the best shot on the camera we got, although we have an awesome one from our phones!  It is my background on my phone and she asks to see the giraffe daily.

Emma loves her penguins