Playgroup at the zoo

We had such a good time at the zoo in Alamogordo last month, we decided to go again with our Monday playgroup. Picture overload ahead! I think there was something on my camera lense because there is a smudgy spot on just about every picture...so annoying.

Three generations - Mom, myself, and Emma.


Jill & Jude

Liam feeding the ducks.

Pretty little girl

Another pretty little girl, Michaela

Liam, Mason, & Carden doing some climbing.

"I love my Grandma."

"I think I also love Jude."

*WARNING...GRAPHIC MAKE-OUT SESSION AHEAD*

Oh boy. I don't think Brendan has seen these pictures yet, but I wonder if he will have a word with Jude's dad, Nat, when he does, haha!

Monopoly

I bought Liam Monopoly Jr. at the Fort Bliss garage sale yesterday and he has gone crazy over it. He has somehow managed to win every time he has played it thus far. I can tell he takes after me in his competitive spirit when it comes to board games. He likes to really rub it in that he is the winner, haha! I wanna rematch!

Chicago, the musical

Today Brendan and I went to see Chicago at The Plaza Theatre. El Paso is definitely no Broadway, but thanks to the renovation of this beautiful old theatre in downtown, I get to pretend it is several times a year! I love it! Back in 1986, some wonderful people saved the building from demolition and it took 20 years to finish the restoration. I've been in quite a few theatres over the years and this one is by far my favorite. It is beautiful. One really neat thing about it is the "sky." There are more than 800 twinkling "stars in the sky" of the Plaza Theatre - and they are astronomically accurate! (They are illuminated by just two light bulbs and a lot of fiber optic cable.) They reflect what you would see on a clear June night in El Paso. Many famous stars frequented the Plaza back in its prime, such as John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Elvis, and they say Clark Gable came to the Plaza almost ever week when he was stationed at Biggs Field with the Army Air Corp. I digress a bit, but I am just so excited that El Paso has this wonderful piece of culture in what otherwise is not the most cutting-edge city.

SO - thanks to Grandma - Brendan and I got to go to the matinee today! Woooooooo hoooooooo!



Here is Emma singing the score to Chicago. Isn't she advanced?! Since she doesn't crawl or pull up yet, and she still has no teeth, she had to excel somewhere, and show tunes really seem to be her thing! "...and allll thaaaaat jaaaaaazzzzzz...."


Grandma said Emma was a very happy girl and took a very nice nap while we were gone. Yay for Emma! Guess she wasn't too mad at us for not taking her to the show. ;)


Here are a few more pictures from today...




"I'm so happy my mommy is home. And her necklace."

Grandma

Grandma's here! We've been keeping really busy, so here are a few pictures from the past couple of days. Emma and Grandma had lots of fun on the swing set. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!









These next two pictures were from breakfast yesterday. Liam likes to sit right next to Emma at every meal, so this often leads to horse play. The second picture makes me laugh because they both have the exact same expression on their face! Must be a sibling thing.



Red, the color of the day, apparently!

Liam McShea, Paleontologist

The shirt says it all...

Paleontologist, Dinosaur Specialist!

Doubles, anyone?

Dahling...my crib or yours, lets get together for some tennis.

Nap time

Emma is starting to roll over in her sleep. She started out with the blanket covering her and her laying on her back. She is still not crawling, but is certainly starting to wiggle around!



Good morning, Mommy!


Bed head!

Pool Party

Our friend, Michaela, turned 4 on Saturday and celebrated this morning with a fun pool party. This was Emma's first time at the pool (besides when she was 6 weeks old and I dunked her feet in and she started screaming...whoops.). I could not get her to smile for the camera no matter how much jumping around I did or how silly I acted. I think she was just taking it all in! Of course this is just bathing suit #1 in Emma's summer lineup. I had trouble choosing one this morning, as she has quite a collection! This one is courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa McShea. Love it!




With the birthday girl, Michaela!


Liam has definitely gotten braver - this giant waterfall didn't even phase him.




Mommy & Emma


Emma holding onto my friend, Michelle's, hand. How sweet.


Toesies in the water! She liked it!


Michaela getting ready to open gifts.


More friends. Caleb, Thomas, Mason, Carden, and Liam watch the present opening. Why do I get the feeling they were all thinking the same thing? "This would be so much more fun if these presents were for me!" Put some smiles on, boys, you're at a birthday party!


Selda and Zachary Stewart - our long time friends. Selda's husband, Chuck, and Brendan were classmates at West Point.

Caden Alexander Olson

Caden has arrived! My sister, Jen, and her hubby Dylan welcomed their third beautiful boy on April 16th. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 6 ounces and was 21 inches long. We are anxious to meet you, little Caden. Welcome to the world!

Beauty

I'm on a picture-taking spree today! Just had to share this one of my little beauty.

I DID IT!

I, Emma McShea, slept through the night last night - wooooo hooooo! Mommy and Daddy could not be more proud of me. They are hoping I make a habit of this, but I haven't decided what I am going to do yet. Time will tell. ;)



My brother was proud of me, too. Take a look at our early morning shenanigans.