Where is everybody?

We're back from our adventures down south and had a wonderful time. The weather in Hilton Head, SC was beautiful--mostly sunny and HOT! We spent our days relaxing by the pool, sitting on the beach or playing in the sand. It was great to spend time together as a family and get away from our normal routine and relax. Emma did phenomenally. I was very nervous about the drive from Ohio to South Carolina--14 hours--but she surprised us and did awesome. She slept, watched videos, colored, and read lots and lots of books. She loved being with all of her aunts and uncles and grandparents and especially loved her 'Ogan' (Logan). I think she said 'hi' to Logan 100 times a day. It was precious to watch her standing over him, patting his back and maybe not so precious to catch her stealing his pacifier. Every morning she would wake up asking for someone: Mindie? Matt? Logan? or she would say "Where is everybody?" Nate and I both enjoyed playing with her in the pool and at the beach. One night, Matt, Mindie, Logan, Nate, Emma and I went back to the beach after dinner as the sun set. Emma started walking through the tide pools and ended up crawling through them. Needless to say, she got soaked so we stripped her down and let her go. She was thrilled to play with the mud and the water and wasn't even hesitant about the salt water. She had a blast and we took way too many pictures of her!
We had a great time, but we are glad to be back home!

Summer thus far...

It is unbelievable how quickly the days go by during the summer. I cannot believe that it is already July. Our household continues to hum. Nate has been busy working with a local drywaller and is quickly racking up the hours (and the extra paychecks, too :)). Emma and I are trying to enjoy all that summer has to offer. We've visited the zoo a few times, taken several walks, and spent some afternoons in the kiddie pool in the back yard. We are gearing up for a family vacation with the Wiechel side of the family in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Everyone needs a break from the daily routine, but I don't suppose that it will be a relaxing vacation as we are used to with a toddler.
Emma continues to amaze us. Her vocabulary is astounding and we are surprised everyday by the new words she uses. I am constantly reaffirmed in the importance of reading to your child. We read TONS of books in our house and she has learned so many things as we have read them. She can identify a walrus, narwhal, platapus, hippo, etc. by looking through a book. It is so fun to talk with her and carry on a conversation. This afternoon she said to me..."listen" as she heard an airplane flying overhead. I asked her what it was and she said "airplane." Amazing. She can walk, but is not yet convinced that that is the best means of transportation for her. She can get most places much faster crawling than walking. We just recently discovered her love for the sand and water--it will certainly be fun to watch her in South Carolina.