Have you seen her Butt?

It's the cutest in the world!

St-St-Standing?

(Here's a KISS for you)
Today Miss Priss stood by herself on the grass for like at least 30 seconds. I was holding her hands and let go and she stood! Then she fell to her bottom. But hey she did it and it was great...but hasn't happened again today.
Also the other day at the Store she drank from a straw out of a cup. Which is big for us. Typically she pulls the straw out and wants you to baby bird "feed" her the drink from the other end of the straw. Or she pulls out the straw and plays with it and then throws it on the ground, leaving Mommy with no straw for her drink. We will keep working with this and hope to get that down pat pretty soon.
And bottles are GONE! That's right you heard me. We are working on day 5 of no bottles. In fact I am so confident that we don't need them anymore I packed them in a box and put them in the guest room. No attic yet for them, just in case of crazy meltdown.
We are moving and shaking around here.
Now if I could just get up the energy to tackle the guest room closet of "hell". That would be great. If you are staying with us, I give you fair warning. DO NOT OPEN YOUR CLOSET! If you do you will be under a pile of rubble that consists of old baby clothes, decorations, hangers, gift packaging, boxes, blankets, sheets and whatever else I have stashed in there because I am not allowed to go in the attic alone again, EVER!

Dear Clothing Manufactures

Dear Clothing Manufactures and designers:

Hello, I am a Mother and in my 30s. I am a size 2/4. I do not want to dress like a teenager. Just because I am a smaller size doesn't mean that I am 15. I have my body image issues just like everyone else. Please offer skirts that go down to my knees and don't hug my "jelly" thighs. Give me a shirt with sleeves to hide my chicken wings. If you are going to offer me a Maxi dress, then line it or have it not see through with a mini skirt under it. Also things with speghetti straps and sleeveless...do you really think I have time to shave my pits everyday or that I want my child to pull down my top because I don't have any support up there? And yes its 80 degrees outside..but I am cold indoors where there is AC!
And swimsuits. Why do ladies who are in the size of the Womans department get the bathing suits I am looking for??? I am a Mother who has a toddler who wants to swim and still look at least a little modest. I don't want to show my stomach off (hint, just had a baby and don't have a six pack), I certianly don't want to have to shave my Whoo-Haa everyday and show off my strech marks on my thighs...speaking of things, didn't I mention they jiggle still. My thighs, knees and calf all are one now and I certianly do not care about tan lines anymore. Shoot I am lucky I get to get out in the sun and swim. I want support my ta-tas and a chance to not have my top pulled down by my child when she is grabbing for support too! I want a nice set of support straps, a full one piece (no cut outs) and a skirt or shorts...but I want it all in one piece..you know something I can throw on and go!
Please for the love of everything good. Open up a line where you cater to people like me. Or better yet Ladies of all shapes and sizes that want to still cover their body nicely but have fashion forward clothing, or at least fashionable clothing.
Thanks...a Mom who still wears jeans and tees and tennis shoes because that's all I can find.

13 months and no more steps!

Emery turned 13 months yesterday and since that one step she hasn't walked on her own since. But she is allowing us to help her walk using our fingers and helping her hold on. Her eating is off and on, somedays it will be all fruit, others just veggies then a day or two you can get her to eat some meat. This weekends favorite was BACON! Her Daddy is so proud. She still won't climb up her slide the right way, but has learned to push her Princess car forward while sitting on it the right way.
On Friday Emery got a new toy chest. It is very big and holds all of her small toys. I don't think she likes it much since she can't get inside of it like she was doing with her baskets. And that's the reason for the new toy chest. The wicker baskets we had holding her toys, Emery learned to climb into them and sit in them...hence breaking them up! I kept finding pieces of wood in the living room.
Emery loves to blow kisses and give kisses...now they are open mouth and full of drool, but still its the cutest thing ever. She is using some signs but has yet to use them for asking for anything except MORE. Last week at Story Time she learned the song, When we get together using signs for Friend, Together and Happier, she has since only hummed the song and used the together sign. But hey at least she got one thing!
She is still a T'tot. Growing slowly. Size clothes are still 6-9 months. There are few 12 months that she can wear but they are a little big! She does have a big booty though and has learned to reach her hand around when you ask her "where is your booty?" LOL!
Emery can point out her nose, toes, tummy, booty, hands, head, hair, eyes, mouth, teeth, ears and tongue. She can give Pretty eyes on command and will occiassional smile if you ask her too. But she will also strangely put her hands on the sides of her head as if to "pose" when you say SMILE! She knows Sammy the dog but will tell him "ba dagh" (bad dog) and "ge ge" (get get). She will also blow (aka spit) when you say Blow Em Blow. She can pick out flash cards for Duck, Tiger and Hat. She can make animal sounds for Tigers, Ducks, Cows, Alligators, Dogs. We are working on Cat and Elephants and Monkeys.
Emery loves to babble. She just talks in this language that we cannot figure out. Sometimes we can make out a word, but for the most part its her. And she is serious. She has something to say, she points and babbles and taps her hands down and opens her eyes big and wide. Love it, its adorabale and we caught some on video the other day.
Emery loves being outside and getting dirty. She is very rough and throws things around. She loves playing in her water table and making her little people swim. We cannot wait for the heat of summer to take her to the pool and I can teach her to swim! She ADORES swinging and we are working on the sign for swing, She will point at her swing or ours and sign more over and over. And when you take her out and put her down she cries and whines because she wants to be in it again! Emery likes to work in the garden with Daddy. Mostly becuase its dirty! He is teaching her all about worms and grubs and plants! She tries to eat them so we let her pick the herbs and gnaw on them.
13 months already. In May we are taking her to the Beach for the first time. I cannot wait to see her reaction to the sand and the big "pool"! And then Disney World in Jan! So much to see and do, so much to learn...we love our little miracle!

A STEP!

I just had to post...Emery just took a step! On her own. She let go of the couch and took a step to the other part of the couch! Oh my Lord! Thank you! I can't believe it.

1st Birthday

(3rd cake with your family in Louisiana!)
(second cake at your TX birthday with crawfish)
(Cake 1 celebrating with just Mom and Dad on your Birthday)


Emery, my precious little miracle...you are 1 today. We've been singing you Happy Birthday for days and trying to teach you to blow out your candle. However it comes out more like a zerbert than an actual blow! LOL! You are too funny little one.

When you woke up this morning I couldn't help but sing to you and tell you over and over how happy I am that you are here with us. We went shopping for your party this weekend, a crawfish boil in honor of you! Minnie mouse is your theme and your Nanny made you a beautiful dress to go along with it. Because you will have another party in VP at the end of the month with your family!

Everyone loves you so much and you got many presents and cards today in the mail. You love opening the paper and then trying to eat it. And lots of people called and texted and sent you messages on Facebook to celebrate your birthday with you!

In the last year you have grown and your personality is starting to shine through. You are a determined girl. Even when you get frustrated you don't give up. You may put it aside after fuming but then eventually you go back to it and try your best to learn. You are down to 1 bottle in the morning when you wake up, with milk and very little formula. And food, you eat just about everything. You love shrimp, cantaloupe, grapes, peanut butter and today we learned you love cake! You can crawl so fast that I think the reason you don't walk yet is because you can get across a house in seconds! Your words are coming..so far you have Dad-dee, Mom-mma, Da (dog), Ti (tiger), duck-duck, sometimes it sounds like you say "got it". You can make sounds when we ask for them...duck (quack), dog (ah-mah), cow (mooooo), tiger (roar). And you can point out some of your body parts...belly (you take both hands and pat your belly), Feet (you grab them or stomp them), hair (you pull it), ears (you start in your hair and work down), you can close your eyes and make pretty eyes, you can open your mouth (and stick out your tongue) and today you started reaching for your booty when I said where's your booty! LOL!
You stand and cruise the furniture and you use your toys to walk. But you won't let go and if you do you slowly sit down. We know you can stand and balance, we've seen you do it, but you just aren't ready for it all. So its for split seconds before boom down you go!

Daddy and I got you a cake today to celebrate your birthday. At first you didn't know what it was. Then you tasted it. You thought it was so good that you went crazy smashing it all over your highchair and picking it up in handfuls and and eating it. When you were done it was everywhere, including on me and Daddy, on the dog and the wall too! We loved celebrating with you.

I cannot believe a year has come and gone. You are still small for your age but right there in milestones. I love you more than life itself. I already miss the nights you fell asleep on me. I miss having you sleep in the bassinet next to me. I miss rocking you to sleep. I love that you sleep through the night and that you are very independent, but still so loving and sweet. You will hug and kiss us (lots of slobber and open mouth!). And you will hug your stuffed dolls and say "awww". But you can play on your own with your toys. You love this show called "brainy baby" oh yeah you can say "baby", because it has lots of babies on it and shows little spurts of information.
I love you my darling little miracle. After all the trials to conceive you, all the pain, all the heartache in wanting you and the thoughts that maybe we would never have you...we do have you and you are nothing short of perfect. I cannot imagine my life without you in it. Some nights I wake up and just go in your room and cover you, just so I can be close to you.

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!!

11 Months Old & Happy Valentine's Day

(I love this pic..its like OMG I'm 11 months??)
Emery's First Valentine's Day and her 11 month birthday on the sameday! It was wonderful. Emmie was all dressed up in her pretty gingham and smocked hearts outfit and we took lots of pictures. Em and I got Daddy his first Valentine's Day gift a frame that says I love Dad with a picture of the two of them together! He was very excited.

Emery is letting go of things slowly, she still won't completly let go and stand on her own but we know she can. And she can totally lower herself down into a squat and stand back up. She will take steps holding on to the couch, our arms or her walkers, but will not do it on her own. So we are all guessing its coming soon. She flies across a room when she crawls. Don't turn your back for one min or else she is outta where you want her to be. She also likes to climb and get into spaces she shouldn't be and sometimes cannot get herself out of!

Temper tantrums have started and if she doesn't get her way she rawrs at you and makes a fake cry sound.

Also she is all of sudden eating stuff she likes and spitting out what she doesn't like. She will throw food on the floor if she doesn't want it. And this week she learned to feed the dog from her fingers. And then she cracks up after he eats it. But if he eats it without her giving it to him, she cries.

Emery is learning to say words. Dada, Momma, Dah (dog), Dak (duck), sometimes we think she says "got dit" (got it). She can now be directed to do certain things. Sounds for dog (woof), Duck (wack), Tiger (rawr). She will put her Arms Up if you ask her to, she tries to snap, she claps if you say clap or yay and during the song if you are happy and you know it. She can also give Pretty eyes (she squishes up her little face, crinkles her nose and then blinks her eyes). She will close her eyes if you say Em, close your eyes. Emery will try to point to her nose but gets as far as her lips when you ask where her nose is.

I can't believe its been 11 months. We are starting to plan her first birthday party and cannot wait to be back home with our family to celebrate our little miracle and her first year on this earth!

10 months and 2 weeks

(Protector Dog)
Emery "walked" with her rolling car walker yesterday! She did it all on her own, I wasn't holding it! Our big girl!
She is using her sippy cup a bit more but not a whole lot! But I think she is getting it!
Ok not a big update but I still had to update! Walking with a walker! Whoo hoo!

10 months and 1 week

Well my darlings not much has changed in the last week or so. Emery is still pulling up to a stand and not bending her knees when you try to help her "walk". She is however getting better with recoginzing words and sounds of words and mimicing sounds the words make. So its like she hums the words. She does know Momma, dada, da (dog), ca (cat). She will raise her arms high in the air if you say Arms Up or Touchdown.
Emery is still napping well, two naps a day and about 12 hours at night. And she loves her bath. She will stay in there long after the water has gone cold.
We are still working on the sippy cup. She doesn't go for it or drink from it. But we offer it all day everyday. One day she will catch on, I mean everyone learns to drink from a cup right?

Its been a long time!

Ok not that long but long enough. Emery is still cutting those four front teeth. The top two and one on bottom have poked through, but they are taking FOREVER to grow. So for now Daddy calls her "snaggle tooth"! Poor baby. I really hope she has great teeth, because lord knows I had horrible placement and had to have a lot of orthodonsitry done to make my grill look good!
Her hair is filling in and getting a bit longer. By bit longer I mean she doesn't look bald anymore. But its so light, like almost blonde! Where did she get that from? I am positive it will darken up and it will be a wavy mess just like both of her parents!
Emery has been pulling up to a stand for weeks and is shuffling her feet while holding on to the couch or something. On Sunday she let go of her walker and just stood for like 1 second. And she is consisitanly letting go of the couch and only holding on with one hand. So I am guessing standing on her own isn't too far away and then walking...ohhhhh someone save me!
We are trying to teach Emery words, we do flash cards and videos and reading and pictures. The funniest is when you say, "Emery what does a Tiger say?" she says "rarrrrrrrrr"! She sees the word Hi and usually will wave, sees the word wave and will wave, sees the word clap and will sometimes clap. If you say "Touchdown" she raises her hands in the air and if you say "arms up" she will raise her arms. And most of the time if you say open your Mouth she will.
Emery loves to wave at her stuffed animal collection when she wakes up from a nap. And she in the last week has formed an attachement to this stuffed bunny her Mimi sent her at Easter 2011. She thinks its fun to dump out all of her toys from her baskets and take apart everything. She will unstack or unpack, but doesn't put things back yet.
Slowly she is taking a cup. Not often, but she gets the concept. I am just not sure if she is thirsty since she is still taking in formula. She can eat most foods now, if they are cut up small, but still perfers the stage two purees. We need to work more on getting her to eat what we eat and less on the purees.
Emery you are so funny. You crack your Daddy and I up often. You love your bath time so much! You had your very first ear infection and have been on Antibotics and probotics for the past 9 days. Your poor body doesn't like it and you have the worst diaper rash ever! We feel awful for you and give you oatmeal baths and use lots of ointment and give you pain reliver when you need it.
Well its time for your lunch pookie poo!