9.5 Months!!!

Bryce has taken off this month: crawling, speaking, eating... you name it. He zips around and pulls himself up, although he has little interest in walking. He clearly says mama and dada and managed to throw out a papa and ball here and there. Baby food is outta the picture, he will only eat big people food, although we are keeping it simple. He adores Emerson, taunts the dog and is still the happiest kid around. Always curiously and a little devious, he is amazing!

The Bunny vs. The Bug

Emerson wouldn't go to sleep the night before Easter. I wish it had been from the excitement... but it was more so from the onset of the flu. Bryce had it the weekend before, so she was bound to get it... but on Easter? Boo. So we still hunted for eggs, but a little slower and we still opened the buckets (I am anti basket... too dirty...), but with a little less excitement. Emerson scored some art supplies, softballs and a new leapster game, while Bryce received a few books and balls. Emerson got Bryce a sweet singing book and Bryce got Emerson a talking alphabet/ clock apple. Emerson and I stayed home and ate a veggie tray while Bryce and Dad went to the Pope's. At least it wasn't her birthday... that woulda sucked more.

Eggs and Hunts

While Bryce napped we dyed the eggs. Emerson has become more speed oriented with the dying of the eggs. There is no longer wonder in her eyes, but instead the desire to mess around with the colors and leave eggs in them for days. Oh well. Bryce will bring back the excitement next year. On the other hand, Emerson had a crazy amount of excitement for the egg hunt at Hambden Park. Except for the mud, it was perfect. She was in the 4-7 group and managed to score a few good eggs, although more precise than greedy. Bryce was more content to sit in his stroller and eat puffs... or nap... depending on the moment (he was getting over his first temp/ cold).

How does your garden grow?

For her birthday, Emerson received some really cool seeds from Barb at the Melting Pot. We decided to start a few inside so we cracked out a tub, some peet pots and dirt. At first Emerson wanted nothing to do with the dirt and then after watching me do two, she had to get into it. Right now she has princess flowers and sunflowers starting and, hopefully, in another month or so we will be able to start the rest outside!

FOUR!

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Emerson had an awesome birthday. She picked cookies and OJ for her school snack, made goodie bags for everyone in her class and was line leader. She then went to the mall with daddy and saw her teacher there (imagine... teachers go to the mall)! After a few more stops, she made it home to find her new princess bike and scooter! Funny enough... she didn't even see the princess bike on the fireplace. It took her a few minutes to see it! She loved hanging out with her "friends" and opening her presents. She also enjoyed redecorating her cake and instructing everyone on how to make their own pizzas (yes, she picked make your own pizzas along with sweet potato fries and baked beans). Emerson also insisted on playing games. We played "Kiss the Frog" (pin the tail style) and spoon races. We thank everyone who sent cards and the like! She loved opening mail and we are working on thank-you notes with a trip to the post office soon!

9 months ago...

Bryce has had an amazing month. He now crawls for real... forward... and fast. He also learned how to pull himself up! He understands how to say and who is mama and dadda, although he tends to scream mommmm more often. We don't do baby food anymore since he insists on eating at the table (no more highchair... we have moved onto the booster) and eating with his hands. He loves balls and cars and screaming and bouncing and playing with his sister. When Emerson is not around he crawls to her end of the room and pulls out all the kitchen stuff to play with! He is still one happy baby who really needs a haircut!

I had forgotten about this.

I really did forget about how big of a mess a "new eater" can make. Bryce has sling shot food into every area of the kitchen. I really don't think Emerson was this messy. Once we ditched the baby food and opted to go all self feed it was game on for him.

Randomness!

Emerson is the queen of projects. She always wants to create something outta something! One day she wanted to make a tree... so we made a tree. Another day she wanted to be a pirate, so we dressed up as pirates and turned the couch and fireplace into battling ships. Her drawing is improving (although the picture is less than accurate at showing that) and she loves to draw on the big dry erase board in the office (like the floods?). She has one big imagination and isn't afraid to use it!

Good Night

I remember Emerson being an easy kid to get to sleep, but Bryce wins the prize. He is such a good sleeper that I can't believe it. The picture is from nap time. Give the kid his frog and hippo, turn on the dog and he leans over forward or to the side and rests on a blanket and OUT. At night, same thing, but he rolls over onto his tummy and curls up his knees and OUT. No crying, no rocking, no bottle. Just kiss, him, put him in the crib and walk away. The same applies in the middle of the night if he wakes up. He will talk and play by himself and then pass back out. AMAZING!!! This totally makes up for the first two months of non-stop screaming!