Santa Claus

On Saturday I took Emory to the mall to get her picture taken with Santa Claus. I was a bit nervous and unsure how Emory was going to react to him. While we waited in line she watched all the kids take their turns sitting on his lap and would wave and tell them hi. Then it was Emory's turn. When I put her on Santa's lap she cried for a second or so but then stopped once he started talking to her. She wasn't much for smiling and I could tell she was very unsure who this strange man was all dressed in red. But after a few goofy faces we managed to get a little smile. So here is Emory's first picture with Santa.

After Santa Emory and I finished our Christmas shopping and then came home and played. Emory also decided last week that she no longer likes to crawl and LOVES to walk. I do not think she crawled once this weekend. She apparently thinks that she has mastered walking because she started running on Saturday. The running still needs some work, but she is so cute doing it.

11 Months Old

Yesterday Emory turned 11 months old. She has really changed over the past two months or so and is looking more and acting more like a toddler.

- She is still wearing a size 3 diaper

- She wears 6-9 month, 9 month, and some 12 month clothes, which are still a little big.

- She wants to eat whatever Bradley and I are eating

- She gives hugs and kisses which I adore

- She has learned to drink from a straw

- She is walking more and more, but is still a little wobbly at times, especailly when wearing certain shoes

- She loves her stuff animals and her blankie bear and gives them big hugs when she sees them

- She loves to point at something and say "dat" and then wait for us to tell her what it is she is pointing at

- She can say daddy, dog, dat (that), oh, iwuvu (I love you), hello, hi, bye, mamamaa (mommy) and I think duck.

- She has started to pitch little fits when she does not get her way but is starting to learn that those are not going to work!

- She already understands the concept of the telephone and puts her shoes, toys, etc. to her ear and says hello. This is our new favorite game to play.

Emory asleep snuggling with blankie bear

This was this past weekend at our hotel in Fredericksburg. She loved spinning around in this desk chair. She then decided she would stand up in the chair. This was her expression when I told her to sit down.

She did not listen! This is her expression thinking she got away with standing in the chair.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

We had a very fun and busy weekend, which included cutting down our Christmas tree, decorating it, and attending the lighted Christmas parade. Every year Bradley and I go to a local Christmas tree farm and pick out our Christmas tree. Emory seemed to enjoy picking out the tree and really liked it when it fell to the ground. We yelled TIMBER and clapped for daddy who cut it down. Later that evening we went to the Christmas parade which had over 100 lighted floats. Our town is the oldest in Texas and its history is celebrated during November and December through the Nine Flags Festival. The floats in the Christmas parade have to represent at least one of the nine flags that have flown over Nacogdoches and of course Christmas. Emory really seemed to enjoy the parade but got a little sleepy towards the end. On Sunday we decorated our big Christmas tree plus a little one for Emory’s room. I started a Santa ornament collection for her and her little tree is decorated with Santa’s. Emory also surprised us again with her climbing abilities and took it upon herself to climb the 6 foot ladder I was using to decorate the tree. She sure is strong for such a little thing and does not seem to be afraid of heights. All in all we had a wonderful weekend and I think Emory really had fun! Now I have to get busy wrapping presents!

Our Christmas tree!

She was quite proud of herself after she reached the top.

This is the tree we picked out. It is 10 feet tall!

One of the floats!

Emory loved the horses!

Every parade needs Elvis singing Christmas carols!

I thought this float was cute!

Emory had a good time watching the Christmas parade!

Thanksgiving & Garage Sales

We have been very busy since my last post having had two Thanksgivings and a garage sale. The weekend before Thanksgiving we celebrated Thanksgiving at Bradley’s parents and Emory got to meet her great uncle and second cousin from Colorado and California for the first time. We also learned that she will soon have a new cousin and are very excited to report that Aunt Rachel and Uncle Andrew are expecting a baby in July. YEAH!! Then Thanksgiving Day we loaded up and headed to my parents house for our second Thanksgiving and a garage sale. Yes, my mother had a garage sale the day after Thanksgiving, which turned out to be quite successful given it was the busiest shopping day of the year. My parents are moving or have sort of moved to El Dorado, Arkansas. My dad took a position there with his former company so we had the garage sale to get rid of things that they did not need or want to have to pack for the move. Emory especially enjoyed playing with my mother’s beanie baby collection which is now quite smaller thanks to the sale! She also liked playing and inheriting Noah’s toddler toys, she especially enjoyed being pushed on the tricycle which now resides at our house. All in all we had a great Thanksgiving Holiday and our very thankful for all the blessings we have received this year.

She thinks it is funny to squat!

Emory thinks her sunglasses are hilarious.

Ready to ride!

She loved being pushed on Noah's old lawn mower.

10 Months and More

I am a bit behind with my blogging due to being sick, swamped at work, and away from home. Emory turned 10 months old on November 15, 2009. She is growing by leaps and bounds and I swear she discovers something new daily. Her new favorite thing to do is point. I know pointing is not very lady like, but in doing so she is learning and discovering new things, so it is okay for now! Emory also likes to play “Where’s Emory,” which is our version of peek-a-boo. She has been standing all by herself for a few weeks now and is walking 6 or so steps at a time by herself. Another game we have invented is “this way or that way.” Emory gets to decide which way to go by pointing in that direction and then we go there and start the whole this way or that way process again. Very exciting stuff! We are also working on the “give me five” game and Emory has mastered putting her finger in the hole, which is her favorite part! She can say daddy, bye, hi, I wuv you, dog, and sometimes mamamm, which of course means mama. She says “dat” and points, so I think she is saying that. I also think she said duck last night but that one is still debatable. We think she is working on tooth number 9 and she is as curious and active as ever. She is a strong willed little thing and already wants to do things herself, especially when it involves eating. She is an absolute joy and we love her dearly!

Emory, Cameron, and I went to the Veterans Day Parade. She really enjoyed watching the bands and fire trucks.

Just checking everything out!

Emory Update

I feel like Emory is growing and changing every second. She officially stood up all by herself Sunday night and was proud of herself for doing so. She has taken two steps by herself a couple of times, so we feel like she will be walking soon. She loves to explore new things and try new foods. Emory is really into eating with her hands. She has tried cheese, bread, tortillas, beans, peas, carrots, apples, noodles, ham, and bananas. We have also started to use baby toothpaste when we brush our teeth, but that is still a work in progress.

Emory tried spaghetti noodles last week and loved them.

 She is just like her mommy.. loves carbs and cheese! It must be the Italian in us!

Exploring the kitchen cabinets.

Um, what is under here!

She's been climbing again. She was telling me hi!

It's SUPER EMORY!

Our Little Ladybug

If you are wondering why a 9 month old needs a Halloween costume the answer is to look cute of course! Emory showed off her cuteness this year as a ladybug and I think she was the cutest ladybug in Texas! Bradley and I took Emory downtown to Scare on the Square and I think she enjoyed herself. She saw a miniature horse at the petting zoo, which I am sure she thought was a dog, because all animals are "DOOGS." She also seemed to enjoy looking at all the costumes and people and handled herself real well given the huge crowd of people. I on the other hand was a little perturbed at all the high school and college kids that showed up to Scare on the Square this year, which is suppose to be for little kids. I mean why does a high school/college kid need to pay a dollar to throw a bean bag sack into a big pumpkin in an attempt to win a little prize. BEATS ME! Oh well, Emory seemed to have fun and that is all that matters.

Here is our little ladybug!

Looking for the dogs before we left.

Too cute!

Wow, what is this stuff!

That's a BIG DOOG dad!

This was just after I took her hat off and look at that hair! She is laughing at me laughing hysterically.

What's that mom, I have hat hair! OH MY!