Daddy-Daughter Weekend

So a couple of weekends ago I had the pleasure of having a daddy-daughter weekend while Ellen was away for some continuing education classes in Nashville. It was a blast and exhausting at the same time. This would be the longest I had ever had her by myself (3 nights) so I wanted to make sure we stayed busy and I documented it with pictures (sorry for the poor phone quality). We tackled a lot...

It was a special time for us and I relished the opportunity to get to spend some great one-on-one time. I will keep this short because I know my favorite thing about blogs are the pictures. Just like a man huh? - with Ellen you get great insight, incredible wisdom and sweet little stories. Me, you get pictures!

Thursday we had dinner at Chipotle, probably the worst self portrait ever.

A great one of her through the front door of her doll house.

We went to the park for World Day, where they had vendors and booths from all over the world (she dressed herself by the way, so cute).

Enjoying a massive fried cheese stick…from Mexico.

Then we when to Ikea after her nap to get another bookshelf for her growing collection of books and I thought it would be fun for her to play in the kids area. Of course we had to partake in a cinnamon roll! We shared it and she was eating it so fast so I started eating fast also because I didn’t want her to eat too much so she took a bunch at the end and stuffed her face. I thought it was hilarious.

Sunday after church went up to my brother’s house and to hang out with the cousins and Grandma and Poppy (they came it town just to see everybody). Em and Joseph - they could be brother and sister.

Doing a puzzle with Sam.

Jen made some popcorn with coconut oil, which I was really skeptical of by the way.  I have to admit it was pretty amazing. My mom, Jen and I killed a huge bowl of it standing right at the kitchen island.   

Finally Sunday night before heading home we went to eat at a Taco place in Birkdale. It was fun  & they had these games the kids could play right there on the table. 

Overall the weekend was pretty exhausting but it was really great and the highlight was some point at Ikea Emerson said to me "Dad I really like hanging out with you!" That's when I realized - wow I am hooked... 

Terry Michael Jerome Bruce

Introductions

Emerson wanted to introduce you all to the newest addition to our family (don't worry - still in-utero, it hasn't been that long since I blogged)!

Here is her baby brother!

We are so excited, and let's be honest, I'm a little nervous, about this baby boy!  I know what I need to know about raising little girls and feel a bit intimidated about raising a boy...but then again, I guess I didn't know anything about raising a little girl before I had one!  This guy is already turning out to be a true Bruce baby, when we went for our ultrasound, his weight was 'supposed' to be 3.5 ounces, and he is already measuring in at 9 ounces.  And no, that is not a typo.  And no, they did not change my due date.  Just a BIG baby.  What a nice way to ease me into motherhood little 6 lb 5 ounce Emerson was...now here's the real deal!

That little girl has got some big personality and the biggest heart.  Below this picture of my hipster daughter wearing her daddy's sunglasses and Saturday post-nap play clothes (we think a baby brother will fit in just fine at our house!) are some quotes I sent to family this week in an email from some adorable things she said this past weekend that have melted our hearts.  Enjoy!

Sunday morning while eating breakfast Emerson told me out of the blue, "I want to play with my cousins today."  That morning,  Chris and Jen were running late for church and decided at the last minute to come to Elevation instead - we got to have lunch with everyone and had such a fun time!  At lunch, in the bathroom, little Em was sitting on the potty and said, "Mom, I told God thank you for letting me play with my cousins."

While we were setting up breakfast for the band, she asked me, "Mom, what does God say to me?"  I asked her what she meant, and she said, "What does God say to me when I am in heaven?"  I told her He said He loves her and is so glad that she loves Him too!

Later, walking through the basement of the church, you could hear Pastor Steven through the intercom preaching, she stopped and said excitedly: "Who is that?  Is that God talking to me?!"  

Sometimes at night, she asks me to 'sing shh' to her like when she was a baby - she asked for this last night and while I was doing it, she said "God tells me 'shhh' sometimes too."  I said, "He does?  When does He say that?"  She told me, "He tells me 'shh' when my heart is feeling worried."

This morning eating breakfast together, she said, "Mom, tell me I am amazing."  I had no problem telling her how amazing she is :)