Emily 41 Weeks

I've been working with Emily on clapping her hands. She finally did it Monday! And then I was telling Patrick about it when he got home. Well....she heard my say clap and she started clapping. I was so impressed that she knew what the word "clap" meant!!

We've been pretty lazy this week....just hanging out. Emily has had more floor time...and she can get around all over the living room. She is spending more time on  her hands and knees and rocking back and forth.

She has tried a fruit cup of diced pears this week. And she finished the entire cup....I was impressed that she was able to eat them. So no more baby food for her. Even though she has no teeth to help her eat table food. I'll finish the baby food we already have on hand, but I'm not going to make anymore.

Emily finally says "Momma!" So excited! It's usually when she's crying and whining....but she has said it several times now. She must know that it gets me to hear quicker when she's saying my name so pitifully.

It's really been hitting me that she's not so little anymore...my little baby is growing up. So sad to me.

She is now exclusively on formula. I haven't nursed her in 4 days.

I love this silly grin of hers.

I love these 2 goofy kids.

So Emily wasn't happy that I wasn't holding her anymore...so Elliott is here trying to make her happy. Sweet boy.

And then it was over when I laid her on her tummy....so not happy with me.

My peace offering. The one "toy" I NEVER let her have.

It worked.

I'm pretty sure she's ignoring me.

One of my favorite looks!

After we were done taking pictures, she was all smiley on the floor...so I had to take 1 more.

Katy Triathlon

Not me, silly! Gosh....

Brock came into town this weekend. Him and a few of his friends are participating in the Katy Triathlon. We were able to spend a little bit of time with Brock on Friday...but he had to be at the race at 5 am...so he stayed with a friend that night. We were able to follow him around to each leg of the race the next morning. He did a really good job. He said he really enjoyed this race and it was perfect for him because he was taken on a tour of the town he grew up in. The swimming was at the high school, then the bike portion took him by the elementary and junior high school. He was able to run by our old house and church building. Seeing him so active is giving me more motivation to get my behind on the treadmill.

Here's Brock and his buddies.

Almost there....swimming was Brock's weakest leg.

Done!

Every time we saw Brock...this is the effect he had on Emily. She'd burst into tears. So weird. She goes to strangers at church...she never has a problem with others...but Brock. It was pretty funny. Apparently Emily didn't get the memo that Uncle Brock is suppose to be everyone's favorite.

Brock & his buddy Brett. We didn't hang around to get a picture of them and Zak.

 He did such a good job and he placed 2nd in his age group. He lost to 1st by 8 seconds!!

Brock came later on to our place late afternoon on Saturday. Apparently, when he was driving down F.M. 529....lightning struck an oil storage facility and caused an explosion. He said 100 foot high flames shot up and there was a mushroom cloud and caused his car to shake.. I teased him that he exaggerates way too much....but later on he told me wasn't exaggerating. It was a 2-alarm fire and 529 was shut down for quite a while. We enjoyed Ritters later on and we had fun hanging out until he had to head back home Sunday later afternoon.

Thanks for coming to see us Brock!!

Emily 40 Weeks

40 Weeks.

It's so silly to describe Emily's age by weeks now....she's 9 months though.

While taking her pictures this morning, I thought I wouldn't have very many good ones. But I was surprised when I took a look at them. Several of them are silly...and funny...and just plain cute...so I couldn't cut it down.

Emily is getting really good at eating finger foods. Just a week or two ago she couldn't handle the puffs and would gag on them and only ate the yogurt melts. She certainly has the hang of the puffs now and she's on the munchie snack sticks too. 

It's fun as Emily is getting older to see her personality emerge.

She's such a sweet girl. She loves to give me hugs. She loves it when anyone approaches her to pick her up. She loves "attacking" your face if you get close enough. She loves food! She is quite mobile considering she doesn't crawl yet. She is almost there though...her knees were red when I got her out of her bed yesterday. She's also rocking more on her hands and knees....and she just started that a few days ago. I love enjoying each little phase she goes through.

Now that she's a pro at sitting up...the corner of the couch pose is getting more difficult...she doesn't want to keep still.

These pictures just made me laugh....she was being so silly. I see that one eye peeking out....

This is similar to her shy look. I love it when she gets shy. When someone comes up to her and talk to her...she smiles big and then ducks her head into me. Too cute.

Classic Emily here.

Who said Boys are not high maintenance!!

This boy of mine. He's all boy. Geesh...he is getting hurt way too much! About 4-5 days in a row he bonked his head good....slipped in water he spilled, fell by the foot of the stairs, hit his head on the banister. Then he tripped in the driveway while bare foot and the top part of his big toe ripped off. Then...today happened.

I was on the treadmill...and the track felt different...I thought a belt somewhere was going bad. So I looked behind and there was Elliott. I panicked and couldn't even remember how to turn the treadmill off for a few seconds....so I pulled the string. Then I yelled at him for playing with the treadmill. And then I tended to him...I didn't realize how hurt he was. Later on he told me he was just feeling the treadmill track...then his little hand got stuck and skinned ripped off the bottom of 2 of his fingers and part of his thumb. Poor thing. I had him soak his hand in water, while I got the first aid supplies. He kept saying in between sobs, "You're not a doctor, Mommy." I said, "Today I am!"

This is day 2 when we changed out the bandages. When I first bandaged him up, I didn't take off the excess skin because he was so upset to begin with and I didn't want to hurt him more.

Pretty yucky, huh?

This boy....I hope he stops hurting himself!!!

Dallas, Texas Temple

We were in Dallas visiting Patrick's dad. We go to Dallas several times...and we never thought to drive by the temple. Patrick has never seen it, so we went by Saturday morning.

I've always thought how simple the Dallas temple is....and how it's not the most beautiful temple. But when we drove in the temple parking lot...I was overcome by how beautiful it really is! I was also overcome by how strong I felt the Spirit even in the parking lot!

This was the temple we went to when I was a youth. The Houston temple was built when I was in college. I was reminded the dedication and sacrifices my parents made monthly to attend this temple when they still had kids at home and the temple was 4+ hours away. I have kids at home now and the temple is less than an hour away...

Emily 9 Months

Now that Emily has been rolling over for a month now...she is quite mobile. Not crawling yet (but very soon!)...but she can get around just about anywhere she wants to. She's good at rolling over and scootching and really good at turning around.

She can sit up for a really long time now. And she knows how to get out of the sitting position...she hasn't figured out how to get into the sitting position yet though. 

I took Emily in for her 9 month appointment. Doctor said we need to get Emily to wave and clap. We've been working on it and she thinks it's so funny. She will open her hands when I clap her hands for her.

9 Month Stats:

Height: 27" (30%)

Weight: 17 lbs 6 oz (23.8%)

Head Circ: 17.5" (65.5%)

Doctor said her weight has dropped again slightly (not as much as before)...but she's not that concerned. But it has motivated me to start weaning her from breastfeeding...and to give her more formula. I'm done. And I've felt this way for the past month and have been on the fence about it lately. 

She still loves to eat though!! Doctor has given Emily the green light to try more table foods...even though she has no teeth yet. She'll be way excited about that. She LOVES eating the puff snacks...I give her a tray full when I'm cooking dinner to keep her occupied.

Love this little girl so much. Can't believe how much she is growing!!! I love all the silly faces she gives me. A few weeks ago she started to cuddle with me...and she gives me hugs...I love it! She is such a Daddy's girl too...she gets so excited when he gets home and only has eyes for him!!