Backyard Fun

Todd and his Dad spent Sunday at a Tigers game, which left Em and I home alone and lots of time to play outside. However, the night before, we (finally) set up Em's picnic table / sandbox toy. It's an outdoor play table with a picnic bench on one side and a sandbox attached on the other side. It even has an umbrella to put in the middle of the table -- it's very cute! I was excited to see how she would take to it and wanted to capture she reaction for Todd since he wasn't home to see her. I figured she'd be very reluctant in the sandbox due to her dirt issues, but really get into the table side since loves chairs that are her size. So, as I got Em outside, I wanted to try to capture her reaction when she first noticed the new table/sandbox.

She didn't know quite what to think at first. She was grinning, but very slowly approached the table/sandbox. To my surprise she walked right table the bench side and immediately stepped into the sandbox. I should also note that this came with 2 mini shovels & pots. She went right for a shovel and a pot, grabbed both, and then promptly got out of the sandbox to take her new toys away to play with. I guess we could have just got her the little toys that cost a bucks, oh well, hopefully she'll warm up to the rest of it later and actually enjoy being in the sandbox.

After playing with the shovel & pot, Em ditched those as well and went to explore the flowers. First, she picked at the iris' and then "helped" plant some new flowers. She was so thrilled that there was a handle on the container and that she could pick it up. So, lots of pick it up and put it down, pick it up again, down again and so on.

And, finally, topped off our time outside with running down one of the hills in the yard...