What a fun life!

Is this not a face that would keep you on your toes? I am amazed everyday at how fast Emma is learning and developing. Just this week alone, she has waved bye-bye and started making new babbling sounds (Waa,Waaa). I also believe she has seriously started to teethe, which cuts down on the fun we have been having.

She loves to stand. Emma has no patience with sitting or laying down. This girl wants to be on the move. This morning she stood for quite a long time holding on to a rocking chair of all things, not the most stable thing around.

Gotta love those bunny ears! She has always done well with hats, but she is starting to grab them off. So you always have to keep a look-out for missing clothing! Add that to looking for socks and what else do I have time to do?

She is also pulling up to standing in her pack-n-play. You should be relieved to know that we have taken this raised part out. She started bending down to pick up toys, standing back up, and throwing them over them edge, then proceed to try to dive head first after them. That only appears to be fun... actually experienced, it would result in catastrophe and a possible heartattack for Momma.

We are so blessed to be able to do so many fun things. Just a few weeks ago, we had the priveledge of taking the Seniors from the school Bryan teaches at to Florida on their Senior trip. The car ride was not Emma's favorite or mine, but we had a good time otherwise. Emma got to stand in the ocean and she was not impressed. The water was way to cold for her tastes, but she did look cute in her little suit and hat! She was way more impressed with the sand of which I am sure she ate at least a handfull.

What a bathing beauty! We were loaned a tent to set up on the beach to keep Emma out of the sun. What a great idea!

At Universal Studios, the only ride Emma or I could ride was the Dr. Seuss carousel. But we both enjoyed it thoroughly.

All ready to get on the boat to go to the beach. Emma slept most of the way on the boat, but it was so amazing because we were able to see several pods of dolphins jumping and showing off for us. God really is amazing. It amazed me to look at them and know that was just a glimpse of all that really exists that we never see. God created the world for his amusement and glory, He only allows us to see pieces of it and marvels at our amazement.

I love this picture. She was so happy just strolling around and watching everyone around her.

Back at home, we find amusement from all sorts of things, like swinging from the chandelier! This girl is not to be contained.

She loves her food. Now we are getting into the age where she can really start exploring with food. She loves it!

Singing with Daddy. I love to watch Bryan play with Emma. We need Daddies for a reason. He will do things wih Emma that I would never do...but she loves! Thank you God for my amazing family and all the things you allow us to do!

P.S. We find out next Friday whether we are having a boy or a girl. I will try to post and let you know. The computer at the school is working now, so I should be able to post more often. Sorry for the long spans before updates!

Tales of a Baby

It's me this time (Emma). I wanted everyone to know what life has been like lately. I am getting bigger and bigger everyday. I think I am already big enough to eat what Mommy is eating and to walk, but I think they may make me wait. We'll see. My Mommy keeps calling me a mess, but I don't understand. They only time I am a big mess is when I eat. But she says it all the time.

Daddy is fun. He likes to do funny things to me all the time. We were at the pond with my Aunt Valerie the other day and he carried me around like this. We both thought it was funny.

They finally let me have some real food! I like to eat my graham crackers all the time. This one was especially good because I got to eat it outside and I didn't have to wear a bib because everyone was being messy.

I get sleepy a lot and just sleep where I land. I really like to sleep with my Daddy. We both were very tired.

We got to visit this fancy hotel the other day called the Greenbrier. I didn't care about the hotel, but the outside was really fun. Daddy put me in the tree, but I think one day I may climb one on my own. You can see a lot from up there.

We got to slide....

and swing. It was such a fun day!

O.K. Now I want to let you know some of the things that have been frustrating me. There are all kinds of fun things out there and Mommy and Daddy just won't let me have them. I get paper for a little bit and then all of a sudden, there are hands in my mouth trying to get the paper I put in there. I want the camera, but Mommy won't let me have it. Doesn't she want a picture of herself?

Because I am getting bigger, I have learned to hold my own bottle. So now sometimes they just lay me down to let me eat. I just hope they don't lay me down and forget about me. This growing up is hard to do, I have to learn new things everyday just to keep up.

Here is my new sippy cup and my new highchair. I like them both. I may get frustrated sometimes, but I really like this growing up thing. I am working on standing up and crawling right now. I also like to talk. Mommy writes for me now, but pretty soon I will be doing my own writing...you just wait and see!

Sorry for the delay!

Technical difficulties have gotten in the way of an update for a long time. I send my sincere apologies and the cutest pictures I could find. I know I am a couple of weeks behind in the weekly pictures, but I send what I have. We are having a blast with our lovely Emma. She just gets more entertaining everyday. She is learning to hold her own bottle and loves to drink out of our glasses, take a bath, play naked, take off her socks, practice walking, eat bananas, eat books, eat cell phones(her favorite toy), eat socks... well, she likes to eat just about anything. She is talking more and more and has figured out how to make vibrating noise when her daddy pats her mouth ( a wawa noise). She is interested in everything going on around her and wants to be involved. Our days are filled with excitement and new things. But a year from now, our days will be filled even more. We are expecting our second blessing from God. Yes, we were surprised but extremely excited. Baby number 2 will be here just a few weeks after baby number 1 turns 1. We will have our hands full, but I keep telling myself that "God's grace is sufficient" even when taking care of two small babies. Even though time, money, patience, and space may not be sufficient, God's grace abounds.

Loving the bubbles. I don't know if you can see, but we cracked up because she has a bubble beard. What fun!

Playing cards. Toes are good for all sorts of fun.

Cell phones...gotta love 'em!

She is so proud of her accomplishment of taking off her socks..one at a time.

Smiling at Daddy.

Dancing with Cinderella.

All dressed up for the wedding!

Drinking water.