Daddy's Birthday

Blake turned 32 this year and in true fashion for our little family, birthdays aren't a very big to-do. We're pretty big fans of dinner and a rental movie for non-milestone birthdays.

This weekend, however, we had the treat of Blake's mom visiting. So there were gifts a dinner out and pictures. Emerson came out to dinner with us and she was as sweet and patience as usual. Lets hope she keeps that patience. She ate her fair share of spoons and toys while we enjoy our dinners.

Cool paper dad, let me help you with this.

Wow Grandma, this is a pretty cool box. I love her face :)

Waiting (for over an hour) for a lovely birthday dinner.
EJ was cracking us up with how she entertained herself with the leather handle of Grandma's purse. 

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Happy birthday to the best husband and daddy we could ever ask for. You never cease to amaze us with your unconditional leadership, love, support and sense of humor. We love you so much!

Seven Months

The number keeps getting bigger and so does she. I liked when she was still half a year old or less, but now we're on the downhill slide to one and it's a little sad.

Emerson continues to bless our souls and bring joy to our hearts daily. Our big milestones this month were moving to the next rise setting on the diapers, getting very stable at sitting up, being able to roll both ways and the biggest (and most surprising) milestone was the appearance of teeth! She is 19.4 pounds and 27.75 inches long. She's solidly in 9 month clothes and a week ago we had to break out some 12 month outfits.

We have said goodbye to our good sleeper and said hello to the teething phase and all its sleep disturbances. It comes and goes but there are nights when she just needs to cuddle or eat (or both) all night long. She is also a little clingier and keeps her eyes on where I am at all times during the day. Then there were days when I couldn't put her down period. I can't say that I mind the extra cuddles, even if it means missing the occasional shower.

Emerson changes so fast lately. She's on the verge of moving but hasn't quite gotten it down (thank goodness). She does move very proficiently in a circle, and sometimes a figure eight though. She even moves backwards too. Suddenly all her favorite toys are old news and any non-toys are the best (until they're too familiar too). She's a chatter box and loves to play coy with anyone willing to smile and wait for her to turn her head away and back again with a smile. She started putting her hands up to ask to be picked up and loves to play the game of back and fourth by asking to go from one person to another. Its so cute to see her have a little power over her little world (we'll see how cute it is when she's two). Isn't communication fun?! :)

Teeth were a surprise. We came home from being gone for two weeks over the holidays and I figured we'd have a rough week adjusting back to just two adoring parents and only mom most of the day. She was ridiculously clingy as expected, drooled and chewed like usual but it was her acidic poops that made me wonder if we were dealing with the beginning of teething.. even though she is younger than I expected. So I put on the amber teething necklace just in case. After a few days I told myself surely she isn't teething, she's only six months old. So I took the necklace off.. after about 24 hours she was miss crankzilla again so the next day I put it back on to see if anything changed back (it did). That night as she was fussing deep into the night I reached over in desperation and let her suck on my finger. And when I did... I felt it, that little ridge of a tooth. About five days after the first one, the second tooth broke through. She's been chewing pretty vigorously lately so we'll see if more are on their way.

In her winter outfit from Grandma :)

Not sure what this face is about...

You're funny mommy

And now we're sad.

Trying to get a shot of the teeth but... no way mom.

No way.

What teeth..(rubs tongue on teeth making a funny face).. no teeth here.

She can pull out the Pouty Face and a crocodile tear at the drop of a hat.
I said no teeth momma!

Hi mom

Cool toy mom

So big!

Hi mom, will you pick me up?

Not sure why this is happening?

Telling another story.

These teeth feel cool

I enlisted grandma's help and excellent distraction techniques. 

On the beach getting ready to clam dig.

One of her favorite non-toy toys.

A little comparison.