Half a year. Half a year!?!? It
seems like a blur and yet it’s a half a year full of wonderful memories.
This month’s milestones were
biggies. She started sitting up, can grab her toes, developed object permanence and started canonical/reduplicated
babbling. The babbling was just in time for this post. Last week she started
making the /f/ sound with her gums and lip and was pretty impressed with
herself. Then a few days later she discovered how to add her voice and make the
/v/ sound. She got a kick out of playing around between those sounds and I had
fun showing her all the bilabials (sounds made with your lips). She would just stare
intently at my mouth and watch me make each sound (I just have to say, I put equal emphasis on [dadada]
as I did [mamama]). Then on her half birthday she started babbling with /b/ and
/m/. It’s just so darn cute!
Emerson is at that ‘classic baby’
stage, sitting but not 100% stable (she still throws herself back when she
laughs sometimes and a rogue toy gets the better of her now and then), she’s
making those cute babble sounds, she’s putting everything in her mouth and
reaching for everything in sight with her sweet chubby fingers and wrists. Oh and those cheeks. They're just so kissable!
She is 18 ½ pounds and 27 ¼ inches
long. She fits in 9 month clothes the best and usually 6-9 months. Some 6 month
clothes still fit, but they’re getting pretty tight. EJ is still on the first rise of her BG 4.0s but now there are three snaps open in the middle. She still fits in her
co-sleeper, and has a little bit of room left. I’m surprised but glad that we've been able to
use it this long. We find that we carry more toys than burp cloths now and although she can still entertain herself she sure loves it when we talk back to her, stand her up and jump her around. She also really prefers that we stay within line of sight unless she's very into what she's doing... but may or may not be too happy when she finds out you're gone. We busted out the Johhny Jump Up and after a few days of warm up, she just loves it (I know, the horror.. they're a little controversial but we used them as kids aaannd we're fine. While I don't love that logic for everything... we're using it in moderation).
She has also started napping a little longer, although not consistently enough for that to disappear now that I've said it online ;). Sometimes we even get two, two-hour naps in a day.
People always comment about how much she observes. She really checks out the room, people and actions very thoroughly, and notices new details every day. She really checks out a new person before deciding if she'll smile at them (she usually does) and is pretty reserved until she's familiar with a situation.
As always, I reflect on my time with her as pure heavenly joy. She is such a treat. I love seeing her learning, growing and exploring. She's our sweet P and she lives up to the name.
And now..
There's that cool hand again.
And those awesome feet!
Look at what I have!
Yawn!
A quick nap
Just-woke-up smiles
Love those pudgy fingers
Looking in the mirror
I'll try to sneak the dress up into my mouth slowly, maybe then mom won't notice...
Watching Daddy
And here are a few out takes from our Christmas pictures:
This year we had the honor of hosting Thanksgiving. We usually rotate between my mom's family every three years (my mom and dad's house, my aunt and uncle near Seattle and my aunt and uncle in Idaho). This year it was my Idaho relative's turn, but we live almost the same distance from everyone 4-6 hours and agreed that it would be nice to have it in the middle of everyone.
We had a full house - 16 adults, my cousin's 5 year old daughter and Emerson. It was so fun! This was also the first year that everyone has made it. Usually work, weather or something gets in the way of one or more of us but this year we all made it, including two new significant others! Here are some pictures of the weekend.
The kids, Joie and Emerson
Joie, Emerson and Uncle Jared
Poor Emerson, it was rough having so many people loving on her ;)
My Aunt Lesli (far left) made everyone aprons! So cute! As the host, I got two! A turkey one, and an everyday one.
Cooking away
My mom and Joie making pie crust
The guys (and EJ with Papa) talking about guy things (guns, I'm sure)
Ready for dinner
Blake cooked the turkey on our wood pellet grill. It was SUPERB!
I mean really, it's hard work being this adored. Good thing no one in my family enjoys her.
The whole family.
L-R, Back row: Older brother Jared, mom and dad, Aunt Sandy and Uncle Rodney, Aunt Lesli and Uncle Dave, Cousin Kalen
Middle row: Jared's wife Theresa (chair), Danielle and Jed (cousins), younger brother Jordan and Kalen's wife Brandie (chair).
Front row: Blake, me, Emerson, Joie (Jed and Danielle's daughter) and cousin Macey
