Fun in the sun

 The weather was hot this week so we started off at the waterpark.  Bobby wanted nothing to do with me and insisted on almost drowning himself under the fountains.  Emmy was very good and listened well (thank goodness).  Bobby couldn't be naughtier....he thinks he is about 10 years old instead of only 1.  He is a daredevil and is always trying to climb up onto the slides.  I saw many parents giving me looks of sympathy as I struggled to corral him at the waterpark.

  Then we ordered take out pasta.  The kids had a great time making a big mess!  Emmy tried to fit as many noodles in as possible and Bobby wore most of his meal.

Today Emmy went to the ranch with her grandparents and her buddy Mason.  Bobby and I went to the Elks pool and had a little time together just the two of us.  It is much easier to play and take care of Bob without Emmy along too.  We had a great time swimming and splashing.   Later Bobby found another hiding spot in our cupboards.  Emmy loves this spot too and they often fight over who should be in it....Bobby is taking full advantage of his sister being at the ranch. 

Our cute Bobby

Robb sent me some pictures he had taken with his camera phone.  One is Bobby settling in to his hiding spot in the couch.  The other is Bobby at the amusement park the day Robb took him along with Stacy and Mason (Emmy and I were at the wedding rehearsal). 

When Grandma Candy and Grandpa Bob are in charge the kids always have a great time.  We were sent this photo by them this past week of Bobby enjoying some ice cream with Grandma.  Emmy has informed us that her she is grandpa's girlfriend now too!

Team Eckert on Team Mr Squeegee

Robb's softball team paid for all the kids (28 total) to get softball T shirts.  They all looked so cute.  Emmy was so proud of her shirt.  They had Robb's number 4 on the back.  Here are most of the kids wearing theirs (with some dads too).

Kids blowing bubbles in pool

Loving my time with the kids

Today Bobby, Emmy and I went to the park and then crossed the street to share a strawberry ice cream sundae.  Bobby ate more than anyone.  On the way to Emmy's soccer practice I gave the kids a little snack bag of crackers.  One of my favorite things to watch (though I can't watch too closely since I usually am driving the car) is the kids in the back seat sharing snacks.  Bobby looks at Emmy and asks for "More?" and reaches his little hand out and she gives him a few crackers at a time.  They share so nicely and Emmy helps him to make sure he doesn't eat too much at a time.  Bobby just really worships Emmy and is always trying to play with her, do what she is doing and give her hugs and kisses.  Later tonight Emmy and I were reading a book in which the Care Bears are sharing with each other and at the end I ask her some questions about times when she shared.  She told me that she shared her treats with Bobby and if felt really good.  We also have been saying special prayers to God about Grandma Shirly this week as she passed away this week from a stroke.  Emmy told God tonight,"God please watch over Grandma Shirley as she flies up to Heaven on a balloon to live with you and be in your big heart."  This was not prompted by me saying anything to Emmy although I did tell her that Grandma Shirley was going to live up in Heaven with God earlier in the week.  Emmy talks about God a lot and it always makes me smile.  A few days ago we were at the hospital and she saw a man with long light brown hair and yelled out to me, "Mom, I see God....Mom, there is God!"  I did have to laugh but explained to her later that some people just look like God, but God lives up in Heaven.  She understood that and then last night she met Kylie Unterseher's fiancee who again has long light brown dread locks......"Mom, he looks just like God!" she yelled out.  He looked over at us and said "Yes, I know what she is talking about"  and I had to say back to him, "Well, there is some resemblance there and really it is the ultimate compliment!"  He seemed amused by Emmy's observation (I hope?)  Anyhow I have had some good laughs courtesy of Emmy this week in spite of having to say good bye to Grandma Shirley.  Bobby has been busy learning new words.  This week he asks for "ananas" that he sees on our counter.  He has a banana a day now (sometimes two).  He also likes to take the camera and try to take pictures of us saying, "Cheese, Cheese!"  He can repeat almost any word I say to him and is really good at getting my attention by saying, "up mama" when he wants to be held and "more" usually regarding second helpings of food.  It is fun to see him be so communicative.

More fun in the sun

We set up a few more toys in the backyard and the kids had so much fun.  Mason came over too and joined in the fun.  Robb set it up to have warmer water run into the toys which made it better for kids.  Bobby practiced blowing bubbles like he learned in swimming lessons this past spring.  He made sure to stick his face directly in the spray and then would laugh and cough.

Big brother in charge...daddy on duty!

Robb shared a picture with me that he was a little nervous of what my reaction to it would be.  I wasn't pleased with the situation that occurred here while daddy was on duty but I thought I'd better preserve an accurate description of Emmy/Bobby history.  Poor Emmy!  No wonder she prays every night asking God to keep Bobby from pulling her hair, spitting at her, etc!  Oh sibling rivalry has started already.  Disclaimer:  Robb insists no Eckert children were harmed in this photo or in the shenanigans that are ongoing when he is watching the kids play together.  Directly after he took this photo he freed our Emmy from the plastic box that Bobby had trapped her in.

We also set up the bubble maker in the garage on a day when it was rainy outside.  At first Bobby was unsure while Emmy jumped right in and started dancing in the bubbles.  Soon, Bobby got into popping bubbles too and really enjoyed himself!

What the Eckerts did this week.........

I bought a new sprinkler toy for the kids and they played with it outside this week.  The water was ice cold coming from our basement hook up but I could not get the kids to want to come inside and dry off.  Emmy finally came in shivering but Bobby had to be dragged out even though he was so cold.  My brave boy!  He insisted on getting as close to the shooting sprinklers as possible and letting them spray directly in his face and at his body.  Emmy was a little more mischievous and as you can see she opted to spray the hoses right at poor baby brother.

Bobby's newest words

Bobby can repeat a lot of new words lately.  Just this afternoon he asked me to read him a "Book" and he says all the names of our family member including Grandma.  He loves to say, "Hi, Bye, Bobby"

Emmy's prayers

Emmy now does our two standard prayers and then makes up her own prayer.  She basically talks to God.  Sometimes the things she talks to God about really make me laugh.  Tonight she started out with thanking God for her cousins and asking God to "not let Bobby spit or hit me or pull my hair because then I have to spit back at him......and God I would like to be a kitty cat.....does that make sense God?"  She usually rambles on like this for a while before I have to tell her that I think she's said enough to God for one evening

Finally running free with her best bud.  Mason and Emmy found the gymnasium after wards and ran around chasing each other and holding hands.  Bobby joined in later on chasing them around. 

Emmy did an excellent job going down the aisle and taking her place on the stage.  The other little flower girl dumped her petals and took off the other way.  Once Emmy got to the stage she looked up and saw Grandpa Kelly and Mason sitting together.  She forgot everything she was supposed to do and yelled out, "Grandpa Kelly - TICKLE MAN!"  Then she tried to run right past me (in the front row) and get to them.  I snatched her up and bribed her with snacks so she would sit still the rest of the time.  It worked and we made it without problems after that.

Poor Robb had to wrangle a restless Bobby.  Both of my guys were dressed up and looking great but I didn't see much of them since Robb had to take Bobby to the baby room since he would not sit still

Here is the bridal party. Emmy danced and sang songs to herself almost the entire time that pictures were being taken.  I tried to keep her out of the way by giving her a small section of the stage that she could dance on.

Flower girl

Cheyenne and Slade's friend Ashley did Emmy's hair and she did sit like a good girl for quite a long time.  Here she is posing in her beautiful princess dress!

Emmy, Grandma Launa and I all went to Beulah for the Wedding and rehearsal of Cheyenne Unterseher (now Shriefer).  Emmy was a flower girl and was pretty excited.  The first thing we did though was take advantage of the pool!  Emmy had a blast and was more excited than she was at Xmas over the pink goggles that Grandma bought for her.  She splashed, jumped and also told some older boys that they should come and play with her in the big pool...not shy my Emmy

Gymnastics shenanigans

Emmy had a hard time focusing on gymnastics today.  I had to stand over by where class was going on and remind her to listen to her teacher.  She and another girl were yelling back and forth to each other, "No, I AM THE BEST!"  I let this continue for a while because I thought it was funny.  The other little girl couldn't keep up with how emphatic and loud Emmy can be though and soon looked like she was going to cry.  I told Emmy that it was not nice to yell at her friend and Emmy quickly apologized and gave her friend a big hug.

God's clouds

Emmy told me today that God made a cloud in the sky that looked just like a dinosaur roaring loudly.  I told her that was really impressive and looked up to where she was pointing.  She told me, "Yes mom God is REALLY AWESOME!"

Ready for swimming time!  The first Monday that I started part time work for the summer was a great day.  After nap time I got the kids ready and we went to Elks Pool (where I used to be a life guard).  The kids were SO excited.  Bobby was such a show off once we got there.  Running into the water (driving mom crazy with anxiety), and putting his face directly into the shooting water fountains and laughing.  Other parents kept coming up to me and asking me how old he was and saying, "wow he is brave" or "he has NO fear".  Yup, I know...that's our Bob-Bob.  He had such a great time running around those fountains and playing in the water.  Emmy enjoyed herself too.  Of course she made some new friends and played in the water and fountains with Bobby.  She listened really well to me which was important since she had to stay near us and I had to go wherever my little daredevil wanted to run (and sometimes he wanted to run away from me)!  We had a great time together and I felt so grateful that I get to spend these afternoons with my kiddos.  The next day Bobby got a high fever and so we've been battling that ever since.  Robb and I have had some interrupted nights of sleep trying to keep his fever down and he has been attached to my hip.  He did let the grandmas watch and play with him a little so that I could get some work done though.

Emmy has been making me laugh on an hourly basis lately.  She tells me the funniest things.  She requested I take this photo of her hugging her bear the other day.  She started gymnastics class and is not is the class where parents don't come out and help.  I was so proud to watch her make new friends (she goes directly up to other little kids and asked them their names and tells the kids her name).  She looked over at me a few times and smiled and I did once have to go over to her and remind her to listen closely to her teacher.  All in all though she was so well behaved and remembered so many skills she was taught before.  It was a milestone to see her be so independent and I am almost going to cry just writing about it!  She told me the other day when I was driving her to her hair cut..."Mommy, you are SO AWESOME......because you gave me this great snack to eat in the car."  Oh, thanks Emmy....I think?