December

December was a busy month for Emry. She got to visit her new cousin in North Carolina. She got to ride on an airplane for the first time. She got a visit from Santa. She updated her "crib". (In this context crib is used like a rapper would use it...because she moved out of her real crib and now has a big girl bed!)   

She is starting to do some big girl stuff now. She is getting pretty good at feeding herself with a fork and spoon. She loves to care for her baby doll--she is training to be a big sister! Her favorite things to do with the doll are to wrap it a warm blanket and to take it on walks in the baby stroller.  She likes to color and scribble - although it gets pretty messy.  She has also started cutting the grass at home too!

Emry is talking and communicating more than ever. She understands the meanings of a bunch of words now and she tries to repeat almost anything we say.  Emry really started becoming interested in books this month. Her favorite books right now are On the Night You Were Born, Twas the Night Before Christmas, Madeline and Christian Nursery Rhymes.

This is what happens when you get blue marker on your hands
then rub your face



Emry didn't even cry when she visited Santa!

E's first plane ride.  And yes, that is a slap-bracelet in her hands.
They still sell them at Target in the 20 year old inventory section.



E's favorite xmas gift, the baby stroller.  Getting
ready to take on some big sister duties!

Emry looking so grown up sitting at her new picnic table



Getting ready to posterize dad with a slam dunk!

Or not...obviously she got mom's basketball skills...



All dressed up for Christmas morning Mass!



Another favorite xmas gift, and this toy has all the built-in frustrations
of a real mower...the pull-start broke on the first day

E's preparing to take on more responsibilities around the house
now that there will be another baby here soon

Such a cutie!

Last night in her crib...saying prayers before falling asleep

Laying down for her first nap in her big-girl bed!
Either her prayers or the bedrails are working...no broken arms thus far!

November

November

Emry has really been imitating mom and dad even more lately. She has become pretty good at feeding herself these days too. She is using a fork pretty well, but still likes to make a mess at every meal. She is becoming more and more interactive everyday. She is really trying hard to learn new words and their meanings. Since she tries to do everything she sees mom and dad doing, so we've been putting her to work around the house.

Raking leaves....

Shooting home movies.....

Helping dad make peanut butter....



 Still "helping" with that peanut butter!

Unloading the dishwasher...

Finally able to relax after all those chores!

October

October

This month was full of new experiences for Emry. She went camping for the first time. She actually got to go two weeks in a row! The second weekend she got to stay in the grandparents camper! Emry got truly experience Halloween for the first time. As you can see, she dressed up as an 80's aerobics instructor and went trick-or-treating at both grandparents' and her uncle's house. She's a lot of fun to watch right now!

Toasting a marshmallow

Helping Gramps move the cooler

Happy Halloween!

Lets get physical, physical!

I work out...I'm sexy and I know it!!

Call on me....Call on me!

Gotta love the leg warmers

September

September

So much excitement this month! Emry got to be the flower girl in her uncle's wedding! We practiced walking down the aisle each Sunday after church for about 3 weeks. She did a great job, and made it all the way down on her own! She also learned where her belly is this month. She has started to notice mommy's belly is growing too! We taught her to point at mommy's belly and say "baby." She still doesn't know that means she has a new brother or sister coming, but she'll figure it out sooner or later.

Cooking a pre-wedding meal in the nursery!

You can see the excitement written all over her face!

After a long day, Emry was wiped out!

Playing with her younger sibling for the first time!

August

August

August was a transition time for Emry. Time to adjust to going back to the babysitter while mom goes back for another year of teaching. Emry loves the babysitter, and did fine even though she wasn't able to be with mom everyday. Truth be told, it was probably harder on mommy. The last few weeks Emry has been really interesting in imitating mom and dad. She started by throwing away banana peels into the trash. Her new favorite things is helping mom clean around the house. She loves wiping down the furniture with rags and the duster.

Sad to see mommy leave on the first day of school

Welcoming her new friend "Liam" into the world!
So happy it brought Emry to tears!

Helping mom clean the house!