Getting out!

Emma's flashes her dazzling smile during Sesame Street Live.

Elmo and gang put on a great show!

The girls post for a photo with the poster.  Julia did not want to get anywhere near the actual characters.

Emma makes a face the first time she sees Rocky Bluewinkle.

Go BlueRocks!  We're so glad you won!

I'm still learning how to post here, but wanted to get another post out on all the fun we've been having lately!  I'm sure you can forgive me if it's not in the nicest layout.

With Emma having more energy lately and her enthusiasm for all things not in the house, we've been taking our crew out and about for some adventure.  Last weekend we took the girls to see Sesame Street Live!  We had fantastic seats on the floor so Emma could enjoy the event, but it was a bit "too close for comfort" for Julia.  So, we split up and Julia and Daddy went into the stands an acceptable distance from the Sesame Street gang and Emma and Mommy stayed on the floor where the characters mingled with the crowds and the Count came over to visit with Emma for a brief period of time.  Julia loved the show as long as the stars were at a good distance and Emma loved the crowd.  This surprised us as we were sure she would love watching the characters dance and sing on stage, but Emma was more into the people.  She thought they were all there to admire her and she kept scanning the crowd and gave them many dazzling smiles.  

This weekend gave us a glimpse of the great weather ahead.  Saturday was a picture perfect evening and so we headed out to the local Blue Rocks minor league baseball game.  Julia immediately spotted Rocky Bluewinkle, the mascot, and asked to go home.  When she realize we were staying, she clung to us until Rocky left our area and kept updating us of Rocky's whereabouts throughout the entire game.  Emma, on the other hand, loved Rocky and all the action of the game.  She was thrilled to be out and about and even stood in line with me to have Rocky autograph the big fan hand that she sported for most of the game....until Julia decided the Rocky-watch as no longer necessary and she needed to "help" Emma with the cheering hand.  Emma didn't mind sharing it a bit.  The game ended with fireworks, which we all love.  We did get a great tip from the dad sitting next to us about watching the fireworks in the parking lot of a local restaurant.  We left the game at the bottom of the 8th inning with the Blue Rocks well in the lead and made it to our car and to the restaurant parking lot just in time to see the beginning of the fireworks show as we were settling into our viewing position in the trunk of the van with the hatch popped open.  Once the show was done, we headed home without the major delay of the parking lot (last time we were in the exit traffic for about an hour!).  We plan to use this strategy again and will certainly check out a few more games this season.

Photos of the events are attached above - since I can't seem to figure out how to post them below!  What you'll notice is that Emma now uses a Kids Rock Fast adapted stroller.  To us it seems more like a wheelchair than we imagined Emma would ever need when we first learned that she has cerebral palsy, but it gives her great support and enables her to interact with her surroundings in a way we never imagined.  And, she gets a great workout on her neck/head as she looks all around her with the added benefit of the chair making it much easier to keep her CI on so she can hear.  All in all, we are thrilled with the stroller even if it is a bit heavy to move in and out of the car.  Of course, we don't keep her in it all that much as Mommy and Daddy still love to move her about.  I've just selected photos to post of her in the chair so everyone can see how good she looks in her new wheels!