Double Digits

I can't believe Emmy is already 10 months old. Well, she turned 10 months last week but I am just getting around to writing about it. She is changing by the day now and growing into such a fun little girl. A few of our precious 10 month old's favorite things.

Food
This girl can eat! I think we all put on the Christmas 5 (me 5lbs, her 5 oz)! She loves anything she can pick up and feed herself. Her favorite is cheerios but she now loves chicken too. The other morning she ate a huge bowl of oatmeal with prunes, a container of yogurt and a handful of cheerios, more than I ate! You'd think her bowl of prunes was a bowl of chocolate the way she says "mmmmm" the whole time she eats them.

Having a snack with Uncle Marc. I swear she is like a dog, she will do anything for Cheerios.



Talking
She is a talker, that is for sure. Always making some sort of noise. Last weekend she started saying "baby". Not just the sound, when we pointed to a picture or her new doll, she said baby. It was pretty crazy to hear her repeat and understand (I think she understood anyway...)

Animals
She LOVES animals and thinks they are all "dog dogs". The points and says "dog dog" and gets so excited. We don't have a dog and we we not around any often so maybe she inherited her love for dogs?

Giving her "dog dog" kisses



Big Bird
As you all know her security is big bird. She still takes it everywhere. She does drop it when she is ready to go to sleep but otherwise it is in her hand constantly.

This picture is so Emmy. That crazy smile, showing off her chicklets, holding her big bird



She just started rolling over in her crib today. Yes, she was a very late roller, I blame it on that damn harness. I had a feeling it was coming so had Josh lower the crib a notch. It was a pain in the ass to say the least. So he asked "are you sure you don't want it all the way?". I said no it was low enough until she learned to pull herself up and proceed to jump in the crib. Um honey, it needs to go lower.



My BEAUTIFUL little girl

Cherish the Moment

I am not big on New Year's resolutions. People's resolutions are usually on the superficial side like wanting to loose weight, hit the gym more, save money, etc. I do think a new year brings an opportunity to make a change for the better whether it is a change in actions or thinking. I think since it is a new decade it is an even more appropriate time to try and make a change for the better.

I tend to worry too much about the future. I am always worrying about tomorrow, next week or even next year. Maybe this has to do with the fact that I am a media planner so I am planning schedules up to a year in advance. So, it is hard not to think about the future when I can tell you what day of the week your b-day will fall on next year. I also find myself worry about "what if''s", situations that have not yet happened. I know, what a waste of time....

This past weekend Emmy woke up crying around 10p which she never does. So I picked her up to comfort her and get her back to sleep. I nursed her as I always do but then she just lay and cuddled up in my arms. Emmy is not a cuddler so this was the first time she actually let me hold her that close. She just lay in my arms as I hummed a song and she fell asleep. This was one of the most precious moments ever. A time when nothing else in the world matters and the kind you never want to end. I held her for almost an hour just staring at her innocent, beautiful face, thinking I want to remember this moment forever. I never want to miss out on that kind of moment because I am worrying about the next day or stressing about something that doesn't really matter. I am not stating a resolution but am vowing to cherish the moment because they may never happen again.

Merry Christmas!

As expected, we had such a great Christmas this year. It all started with a surprisingly easy drive up to my parents house Wednesday night. My sister was already here and Josh and my brother drove up Thursday and we have all been here ever since. It was so much fun watching Emmy Christmas morning. She was so spoiled with presents but of course was mostly entertained with all of the wrapping, ribbons and boxes.

Here come the pics...

Heading to the park. How cute are those boots? Thank you Summur!

Just cruising

Our family tradition, Christmas Vacation

Merry Christmas!

Pretty girl in her Christmas dress. I keep saying she is not much of a dress girl and she proved me right! She was in it for almost an hour and fussed most of the time. She sure did look pretty :)

Dancing with Uncle Marc

Cool kicks from Auntie Julie!

Her new favorite walker

Christmas in Pine Mountain

This past weekend we took a trip up north to visit Josh's family for an early Christmas. It took a few car rides, shuttle and plane ride but after 8 hours we finally made it. It takes the same amount of time to drive as it does to fly (and then drive) after now doing both, I am not sure which one is easier...

We had lots of fun catching up with the family and introducing Emmy to all of her cousins. There were 10 kids under the age of 5 and we had a white elephant gift exchange with 30+ people so you can imagine the fun chaos. Saturday night Emmy was so over stimulated and hyper we thought we'd never get her calmed down! She was spoiled and showered with gifts (which really came in handy during the plane ride home - thank you everyone!).

A few highlights from the weekend:

Josh re-living his glory days playing soccer



Hanging out with Grandma. So southern California with a jacket and no shoes.



Let the white elephant games begin!



Hanging with Dad and Uncle Zach



After some harmless bribery a picture of the cousins. Yes, big bird made it in almost every picture!



This was our white elephant gift we brought, a blue frog wearing gold pants and sunglasses that dances to MC hammer. The best part of this story is that we actually owned this dancing frog, we didn't even have to go out and buy it. All week long Emmy had a love hate relationship with it. At first she cried then she tried to beat it up until she actually went looking for it. By the end of the weekend I think she had grown to love the little guy. It was kind of sad to leave him behind. Well, at least we know he has a great home with her cousins and I am sure Aunt Amy would be more than willing to give it back :)



Trying to get a last minute picture with cousin Julia and Aunt Genesis. I realize Genesis is not her aunt but Josh's cousin but since she is his cousin on both family sides (his mom and her sister married his dad and his brother) she is pretty close to being his sister! I have always thought they looked alike so it is no surprise that Julia and Emmy do as well. It will be fun watching them grow up together. Is Genesis ready for number two??!!

Big Kisses from Emmy!

It is just a matter of time...

Can you imagine how quick she will be when we give her a toy to push that actually has wheels?!

FINAL Hip Update

We have not been putting Emmy in the harness for the past few months, despite the fact the doctor advised us to. We decided that she was fine as is and that we'd risk seeing what happens later in life (the worst case scenario was that she'd have arthritis in her 50s, won't we all?!). It drove Josh nuts but I couldn't help but kept worry about her having issues in a few years. What if she wanted to be a dancer or athlete but she had hip problems? Something that could have been taken care of before she could remember? So, I made a follow-up appointment. We had x-rays done this morning and her hips are perfect!! We are supposed to go in every year until she is 5 but they look great. Emmy even got to pick out a stuffed animal. She picked a moose wearing a scarf, I think we'll name him Milton.

Counting, counting, counting is so much fun

This is the song I listened to most of the weekend. One of Emmy's favorite toys is a rolling turtle her cousins gave her. Each button has a number and a shape so when you press one it lights up and says the number and shape. The jackpot is the middle button that plays this really annoying number song. Well, after all these months Emmy figured this out and proceeded to push only the green button over and over and then sing along! It was the cutest thing EVER. I caught the tail end of it as she finally decided she'd had enough of the counting song but I was able to catch the button push and singing. Even big bird was involved in the music, he was her drum stick as she wacked her against the garage door.

THE STOCKING IN FINALLY DONE!

After more than a month of blood sweat and tears, Emmy's Christmas stocking is finished! The pictures don't really do it justice because you can't see every last friggen sequin I sewed on. I showed it to her this morning and she got really excited so that made it all worth it. Wait until she is older and understands what it is for and what goes in it and then she will get REALLY excited!





Josh's grandma made us our stockings a few years ago. I was really intimidated by them because the detail is unbelievable. So, I studied them closely before I started on Emmy's and realized they were made from a kit. I think I may have uncovered some sort of family secret because I casually mentioned it to Josh and he was shocked (sorry Artvera!). Considering mine is 100% from my imagination I think it turned out okay even next to our fancy stockings :)

Standing

Once Emmy figures out how to do something it doesn't take her long to get the hang of it. She started pulling herself to standing less than a month ago and she is already standing on her own! She pulls herself up with one hand and then lets go. The real reason she uses one hand is because she will NEVER let go of her big bird. It is her new security blanket, she takes it EVERYWHERE. You will see her buddy in the pictures below. It is pretty cute and at least I can wash it! She started taking steps while pushing a box this weekend. I think it may be a matter of time before she is walking. Doesn't she look like an old lady with a walker? Where did my baby girl go?!

Who needs the bumbo chair anymore?



Checking out the rain



Mom, what's for dinner?

Some pics

I finally found the camera cord so I can put some pics on the blog of our new place. We have a few rooms set-up so have included pictures of those room. Josh is always so ambitious when we move, he wants everything set-up, put away and hung within a few days. I have been trying to remind him we just moved and it is a crazy time of year, but as you can see, almost everything has a place!

Kitchen



Getting into trouble with the tupperware...





Living room (yes we already put up a tree!)



Family room



Emmy's room with all her buddies. We could be across the house and she will crawl all the way to her room. It is really cute



Patio and part of the backyard

The Move

It took two 17' Uhaul trips and about 15 car loads and we are finally moved into our new home! Josh and my dad were troopers, they moved everything themselves. The best part - they work for beer and the opportunity to watch football. Poor Emmy has been very sick with a cold. Fever and snotty nose, the whole nine yards. She was up ALL night Friday before the big day. I slept most of the night sitting up holding her in a chair so you can imagine my enthusiasm to move the next day. It was all worth it out new house is awesome! Emmy's room is so cute with all her buddies lined up and we are enjoying the extra space and central heat :) Pictures to come...

Bath Water

Last bath video - I promise. This poor girl is going to kill me when she is older!

I have been encouraging Emmy to drink water because it will help with her constipation issues but this is going a little too far. Our little fish has now decided she enjoys drinking the water out of the tub. Disgusting! I use a plastic glass to wash the soap of of her hair and she picked it up and took a sip out of it. Gross! That will no longer be in the tub. How do I encourage her to drink juice out of a cup but not bath water. I guess she doesn't know the difference, but you'd think she'd like the taste of sweet juice better. Nope! She refuses to drink juice but will drink all the bath water she can get her hands on. After I removed the cup, she proceeded to lean over a lick the water like a dog. How do I teach her not to do that?!

Holiday Weekend

We had a great Thanksgiving, we headed up to my parent's house for the weekend. My brother met us there and Josh's parents made the trek from Groveland to spend Thanksgiving with us. We ate, drank, laughed and played with Emmy. She is pulling herself up on everything now! We were playing on the floor one day and she stood on her own. Not after holding onto something, no by herself. She somehow went from kneeling to standing on her own and stood there for almost 10 seconds! We were all in such shock, including her, we all just froze. It was the strangest thing to see her vertical, I don't think I am ready... I am pretty sure that was a freak trick because she has not been even close to doing it again, but I guess we'll see. She is freakishly flexible and has a crazy center of gravity. I think she just may be a gymnast...

Other fun events of the weekend:

Can you believe we are all looking at the camera? Marc's friend took this first try. Now that is what I call a photographer!



Riding her new pony from Grandpa and Grandma. What a lucky girl!



Sharing her toys with her Uncle Marc



Thanksgiving Dinner. She absolutely loves her Cheerios and anything she can put in her mouth herself. This girl is an eater!



Rocking in the rocking chair that my mom, my uncles, cousins, me and my siblings have all sat it. Pretty cool.



Hanging with Nannie. Emmy LOVES my mom. Every time my mom looks at her she squeals, it is the funniest thing ever and I know my mom just loves it :)




The highlight, sitting on Santa's knee

Not too sure about this guy.....



Nope, I don't like him at all!

9 months old

Where have the past 9 months gone?! Everyone told me that my baby would grow up fast but I had no idea she would grow and change so quickly. I try and enjoy every stage as much as I can because I know it is just a matter of time before she will be on to the next. Right now she is crawling everywhere. She is quick! And she talks CONSTANTLY everywhere she goes and everything she does, she is mumbling something. I am trying to teach her I am "mama" not "dada". She has mastered standing at her bumbo chair, it is all she wants to do. She is attempting to pull herself up to the coffee table but hasn't quite gotten there yet. She loves to eat! She is not very interested in milk theses days so it is a struggle to get her to drink even 15 ounces, but she loves food. Prunes, peas, you name it she will eat it. I have started to give her finger foods and it occupies her for a while. She so delicately picks up each piece and puts it in her mouth. She is great at illusions because you'd swear she got every bite in her mouth until you pick her up and half of it is in her highchair. One of her favorite things is the bath, she loves it. Splashes away. She even dunks her face in the water, I think we have a swimmer on our hands :)

Personally, I absolutely love being a mom. I know it was my calling. I could spend every waking moment with her, teaching her things and watching her grow. It kills me to be away from her during the day but I know she is in great hands at daycare. She is very happy there with her little friends and the teachers are awesome. Not to pat my own self on the back, but sometimes I am amazed at what I can do in a day. Despite the fact I am working full time, I am still nursing full time, making all her baby food, putting her to bed, getting up with her in the night and in the morning and I have even been making her a Christmas stocking. I have been working on this damn thing every night for weeks now. Sewing every last sequin and bead. Oh, don't worry you will see many pictures of it when I am done! I am tired and overwhelmed at times but I look at that sweet smiling face and it melts my heart. She is worth it all and more. I am so very lucky to have a lifetime of memories to come with my little monkey. Oh the fun things we are going to do.....

She doesn't snuggle often so I had to capture this moment



Concentrating on her cheerios



Loving her prunes



Packing with her around has been interesting...

3 Day Breast Cancer Walk

The 3 Day, 60 mile Breast Cancer walk is held in a number of cities throughout the year. It is held in San Diego every November and the headquarters happens to be set-up at the bay right in front of our house. Every year we walk down and check out it out. It is truly amazing watching all of the people who have committed to walking 60 miles to raise money for breast cancer awareness. This year they raised 9 million in San Diego alone. I have friends who have done it multiple years and I guess there are such a variety of people who participate. Men, women, young, old, people who have lost loved ones and those who have been diagnosed or fought it themselves. The amount of people that come out and support them is also a sight to see. People dress up and decorate their cars with pink, bras, fake boobs, etc. Every year I tell Josh I want to do it and be a part of such an amazing cause. I don't know when but one of these years I am going to walk in it. I think I may have to skip the camping part, I can't imagine sleeping in a tent after walking 20 miles in a day!

We dressed Emmy up in her pink sweatsuit for the occasion, she was a hit :)



These pictures do not do the scene justice. There are pink tents set-up everywhere and tons of people walking and cheering them on.