8 months old

Wow, I can't believe my sweet girl is 8 months old. She is growing way to fast for me! She is sitting up pretty good and to my happiness that is all she is trying to do right now. I'm hoping she'll fall in her brothers footsteps and wait to crawl and walk until after her first birthday. we'll see....

She has started eating more lately. We recently went with my Dad on a trip to the mountains to get our Christmas tree and had so much fun. After we got our tree we went out to eat at this yummy country restaurant and Emma had her first taste of cornbread and loved it! I was so surprised at how well she was at picking up food. I have to keep reminding myself that she is old enough to eat some table foods, I keep thinking she is younger than she really is, but she was picking up that bread like a pro. So, I started giving her some more things like cheerios and puffs and she does great. I think she really likes eating with us at dinner time, I believe she was feeling left out before.

Today is huge though, I decided that I really needed to try to work with Emma on her naps and just lay her down which usually results in major crying. Today is Chris's day off from work so he was here to help keep me from going in there and it worked she is napping while I type. She cried on and off for about 30 minutes, but finally gave it up, yippee! Hopefully I can keep this up for her afternoon nap! I seem to have been worse with Emma than with Aidan when it comes to things like this, I guess its because this is my last baby and I'm hanging on to all the little things like snuggling and holding and rocking her. I'm sure to spoil her rotten! ha! well, here are some recent pictures of us on our Christmas tree trip and Thanksgiving at my Dad's and Aunt Bonnie's house the next day.

my cousin carter!

hanging out in my room on my rocking chair

me and my stinky brother

me and mommy at the tree farm I was so snuggly I feel asleep!

having fun at Aunt Bonnie's

trying to take a picture of the cousins

ready for thanksgiving!

me and my cuz riding in the car

Here's a video of all the cousins together, we were attempting to take a picture of all of them together, it was too cute.

7 months

Emma is changing so much everyday, I can't believe she is already 7 months old. She has her 2 bottom teeth, loves to stand on my lap, and has almost mastered sitting up. She is so busy and very curious of her surroundings. She already seems to be doing things so much faster than I remember Aidan doing them. Even though its hard being at home and trying to look for a new job, I have also enjoyed our time together. I love spending some alone time with her just to snuggle, nurse, play and relax. She really is an easy going baby and already loves her brother and laughs at everything he does. Its really so sweet watching them together, esp. when they don't know I'm looking. We had our family pictures taken today and I think they turned out okay, I only got to see them briefly, so I can't wait to see them again and hope to find one that Chris and I both like. Here is a video I took of Emma today in her exersaucer, she really has so much fun in it.


Here are some recent pics of my sweet girl.

Me and Daddy - Do I have him wrapped or what?

Having fun with my brother!

This is my silly face!

Check out my teeth! My hair is finally starting to grow a bit!

Blue eyes!

So much fun!

6 month checkup

Emma finally had her 6 month checkup even though she will be 7 months on Monday. I can't believe she is almost 7 months old, isn't that crazy! I have really enjoyed the extra time I have gotten to spend with her, the circumstances are the best, but I am enjoying my extra mommy time anyways and looking for a job as well. I'm trying to stay optimistic about the whole job thing because that is me, I'm a very optimistic person and I know that something will work out eventually. :) Emma had a pretty good appt. except for the shots, ugh poor thing got the "snubs" as my cousin Julie likes to say! She also got this look of worry on her face for the first time with the dtr. she started sticking her bottom lip out as if to say I don't think I like you messing with me! She weighed in at 18 lbs, 9 oz and 28 1/4" long, which I think puts her in the 97% for height, but about 75% for weight. I went back and looked to see what Aidan was at 6 months and he was about the same, 18 lbs, 12 oz and 29 1/2" long. She is really starting to do more things lately, she really trying to sit up on her own, I've got a video of that below, I've also got a video of her trying some sweet potatoes for the first time too. Her two bottom teeth are really coming in now and she has started saying Dada, so I guess that is going to be her first word, Aidan's was Mama, so I know that is making Chris happy.

Its a rainy Saturday afternoon and the house is momentarily quiet. Aidan is taking a nap and Chris is downstairs rocking Emma to sleep. So, Momma has some time to herself to update blogs and surf the net and drink coffee, yum! It wont last long so I'm going to add the pictures and video while I have a chance.

Here is Emma sitting up in the highchair like a big girl eating sweet potatoes! If you look closely you can see her teeth coming in on the bottom.

Trying to sit up

Wearing some adorable leggings that my friend Ashley made.

Emma's new laptop

Emma saw Carter's new laptop and just had to have one herself! Well, Nana went out and got Emma and Aidan one to play with and I took some pictures of her checking it out. I also had some "neked" time on several blankets and she loved it and didn't have any accidents either. I took a few pictures of that as well. She is really starting to roll all over the place now. I have to be really careful where I put her now because she is on the move. She is wearing me out not sleeping lately, whew! I can't think straight half the time! I put her to bed and I go to bed and what feels like a few minutes really was an hour or two go by and she's up, I nurse her back to sleep make sure she doesn't need changing, fall back into bed and 2 hours later back up again and we repeat this until its really time to get up. All I can say is I'm sleepy! :) Here are some pictures.

Emma doing her daily sit ups! She is always trying to do this when I lay her on her back!

All smiles! I love being naked!

Enjoying her naked time!

A new hat I bought her off of Etsy.com I love it!

Another view of the hat.

Emma's ready for school in this new outfit or maybe just ready to play with her new laptop.

Hmmm...what is this mommy?

Okay, I think I know what to do with this.

Oh yeah, this is cool.

What else you got for me, I figured this out quick!

1 minivan, 1 tooth, 1 layoff...

Well, I can't believe what my MIL discovered yesterday! Emma has a tooth coming in! One of her bottom teeth has broken through the skin. How in the world did I miss this? I can't believe it, it makes sense now why she has been so cranky this last week or so and every time she would bite down on something she would scream. I just thought she was getting frustrated at the toy she was playing with, man I need to pay more attention. But, then again I have been consumed with other things going on in my life. I recently got my notice at my job and my last day is in two weeks. So, needless to say I'm not happy about this and I'm not sure what I'm going to do next. Of course I am sending out resumes and starting the job hunt, but I dread it all. On the other hand, I am looking forward to spending a little quality time with Emma while I'm searching for a new job. I keep trying to tell myself these things happen for a reason and hopefully something even better will come along. ugh! I just need to win the lottery! ha!

I swear I going to post some new pictures of Emma soon. I've just got to get myself together. One good thing did happen recently, we got Honda Odyssey and I love it and my car payment is cheaper too, which is a real good thing right now.

Emma is getting so big, we had her pictures taken at the Vanderveens on Wednesday and she was so cute smiling and laughing. I can't wait to see the pics again, they showed them to me briefly and as usual I'm going to have a tough time deciding! While I was there I picked up some pictures from our last visit and wow she has changed so much, she doesn't even look like the same baby. Its amazing how much they change in their first year, job or no job I am getting her pictures done a few more times this year. I can't not get her pictures made ya know! She loves being naked, we did some pics with her in the buff and they crack me up with her little rolls! I need to get a "naked blanklet" like my sister has for Carter so Emma can roll around and move easier, I know she would love it. I still can't believe my baby has a tooth and she just turned 6 months, isn't that early, seems early to me. Aidan had his around 7-8 months. Oh well, hopefully this isn't a sign that she's going to do everything early, yikes!

Where does the time go?

Today is my 4th wedding anniversary, I would have never thought that 4 years after our wedding we would have a son and a daughter. It seems so crazy but wonderful! I was sitting in Emma's room the other night rocking her and I started thinking about how she is growing up too fast and I feel like I'm missing it. I felt this way with Aidan too, I guess it has something to do with working full time and really only seeing your babies at night and on the weekends. Its hard, but what can you do. I feel like Aidan's first two years have flown by and while I sat rocking and nursing Emma in Aidan's old rocking chair I thought, this is moment is going to be gone in a second. I have to enjoy every little moment with both of them. I feel guilty at times b/c Emma doesn't get the full attention that Aidan did as a baby, but that is something that can't be helped being the 2nd child. Part of me is so excited to see her get bigger and start doing more things and then the other part of me wants her to stay in the snuggly cute immobile stage she is at right now. ahhh...I know I can't stop time, so I'm doing my best to drink it all in and remember all the little moments.

The one thing that is so neat about siblings is there instant love for each other. The other night Aidan had been at home with his Daddy for a while before I got home with Emma and as soon as I put her down he rushed over and immediately started "talking" to her and loving on her, it was so precious! She just looks so adoringly up at him too. I know this will change as well when they get older and start getting on each others nerves.

Emma wants to sit up so bad it is killing her. Whenever I lay her down she immediately starts pulling her head up like she's going to do a sit up! She is going to have a six pack before her 1st birthday! ha! She has also started rolling a bit from back to front and front to back, not much but when she's in the mood. I finally started putting her in an entertainer and she likes it for brief periods of time, I think she likes the different view of the world and watching her wild brother run around. She still loves being on the changing table and getting her diaper changed, I think she feels "free" without any clothes on and she can really get her toes in her mouth without all those clothes in the way. hee hee! She is also very ticklish and has the cutest laugh. She's growing so fast, she'll be 6 months old in a week. The 1st year just flies by so quickly!

On my 4 year Anniversary I look back and am so thankful for a loving husband and wonderful father and two beautiful healthy children and how quickly it can happen. I remember being in my late twenties before I met my husband and thinking I am probably never going to get married or have kids and then BAM here I am married with 2 kids....life is a crazy wonderful thing!

5 1/2 months

I just wanted to add some new pictures. We recently went to my Aunt Bonnie's over the weekend and hung out with the family. My sister was in with her little boy Carter. It was great to see her and him, he has grown so much! Here are the pics:

Emma hanging out in her cousin Matti's stroller

Swinging for the first time, she loved it!

I like these straps!

Swinging with my cousin Matti! Aidan enjoyed pushing them both!

Me and Emma relaxing at the Lake

Blowin Bubbles

Aunt Bonnie and my cousin Carter

Emma and Carter

Back from Vacation & 5 months old!

What a trip! I've never seen so much rain thanks to the tropical storm. Emma of course didn't notice a difference and still had a good time. She is growing way too fast, but so far isn't doing too many new things too fast. She had discovered her feet and loves to hold them. She can roll to one side, but not all the way over. She's still pretty vocal and loves to watch and observe everyone, esp. her brother. She has such a good disposition and is always so cheery and happy. She is even use to her brother when he has a tantrum, if she is nearby she gets this quizzical look on her face and will look at me, like what is wrong with him mommy? The loudness of him doesn't seem to phase her unless he does it suddenly. I can't believe she is 5 months Today! She is at the stage in nursing where she is so easily distracted by anything, its quite funny at times. Sometimes when I'm nursing her I might watch a little tv or be talking to someone and then I'll look down at her and she stops nursing and gives me the biggest milky grin. So cute!

The drive home was the hardest part of the trip. The drive down we did at night, which worked out beautifully b/c they both slept most of the way down. The drive home we did during the day, Emma did fine, but Aidan got tired of being in the car very quickly. Even after we had almost been in the car for 9 hours I would look over at Emma in her seat and she would just grin at me. She was probably the only one still in a good mood by the time we got home.

I didn't take as many pictures as I normally would b/c of the weather. The only thing I really did want to get was a family picture of all four of us. Its just so hard to do for some reason. The few times we did try Aidan wanted to do something else and I didn't want to have a picture of him screaming b/c one of us was holding him or Emma wanted to eat, the timing was never right. We could have done it if the weather had held out for us. We did try inside too, but the best we got was pics of either me and Aidan, Chris and Emma or three of us never all four. Oh, well, can't do anything about it now. We'll have plenty of family shots soon I know. Lori got some cute pics (I think) on her camera of Aidan and Emma sitting beside each other, I can't wait to see those. All in all it was a good trip and so good to see everyone, hopefully we can convince Uncle Gary and Aunt Julie to come up for a visit sometime! :)

You can really see her hair in this one, its finally starting to grow a bit.This one cracks me up, she is memorized by her moving hand! It turned into a freaky picture too!

I love holding my feet!

Sitting in the bumbo seat. This is blurry b/c I turned the flash off so I could get her with her eyes open, poor thing automatically closes her eyes now when she sees the camera.

This one is blurry too, but I thought it was cute!

Emma and Uncle Gary
Emma was rocked by her Uncle Gary a lot and loved it!

Sweet Girl!

My cute chunky monkey

Emma chillin by the lake in her tankini!

Here's a video of her playing under her gym:

Here she is on her tummy:

Here is one of her kicking and swatting at the toys in her gym(I'm not sure why my camera goes out of focus while I'm filming, drives me crazy!):