5 reasons

In case you haven't noticed, Emery is getting older. The proof is in these pictures. No pudding here.

Reason #1. Angus can no longer take refuge on my lap because Emery can climb right up and gives him a "gentle" pat on the head. She is a smart cookie. A peanut butter cookie, because Emery likes peanut butter.

Reason #2. She takes nibbles out of apples. Very cute nibbles. I've been giving her all sorts of large food items just so I can coo over all her little munch bites.

Reason #3. Come to mama big girl car seat! Still rear facing until she can meet the weight requirements but it definitely is an improvement from lugging her baby seat in and out of places. We luff luff luff it...Emery sulks about it. What a baby....What an 'older' baby.

Reason #4. Levi and I sleep in. I usually wake up to the sound of Emery scratching the wall, the crib bars shaking, and lot of giggles. She can go a good hour playing in her crib without making a peep. I just LOVE coming into the room and finding this...our little girl standing in the crib grinning up at me. Yes, Em is standing now. I told you she is getting big!

Reason #5. This picture. Eating breakfast yesterday morning looking like a big girl. It's like she changed overnight. My baby is no longer looking like a baby anymore! Those are my reasons. Believe it or not, Emery is the cutest, sweetest, smartest little girl I've met. And we love her. Every last old baby bit of her!

We.Are.Poor.

OK everyone, the rumors are true, us three amigos are dirt poor. We may be poor but we also have managed to be rich. We are just lucky like that. Rich is defined by having plenty of somethings, somewhats, and somewhos. hm mm, check check CHECK! We have a plethora of dishtowels, homework, laundry, and garbage...like boxes! :) We have a heaps of giggles, smiles, and love. And do top our wealth off like a cherry, we have each other. I love cherries.

Emery made a playhouse out of her new car seat's box. She spent the entire evening carefully, ever so carefully, transferring all her toys into the back of the box one at a time. She continues to disappoint me with her reaction to experiences that should be frightening. All i get is giggles as i try to suck her up with the vacuum, blow her with the blow dryer, or shut her into a box. I'm one of those nice moms.

I wish everyone could be a nose scruncher like our Emery Elise.

9 months, Almost 10?

I realized today I can no longer answer baby age questions with last months "9 months old" response. I will now proudly say "she is 10 months in a week and a bit and I CAN believe!" She is growing up so fast and I love it. Turing into an ambitious little monkey has kept all three of us busy and entertained. We have Em proofed our entire little home, except the bathroom, which has made for a happy cruiser.

Where ever I go, no matter what I'm doing, Emery wants to be there to participate. She hangs on the back of my legs as i do dishes, and even continues to do so as a walk from stink to stove. I'm her walker. Lovely.

Dispite the after mess, we love watching her explore. Empting the bookself has been a new favorite. Carefully pulling one book out, looking at the front and back pictures, then tossing it to the side before choosing another, keeps her busy for a good 30 minutes. :)

This would be her high chair after one meal. Changing to finger foods has definitely put our broom to work. She doesn't seem to mind that her second course comes from her tray rejects, and neither do I. We hope as she gets older she will learn to keep her food on her plate. Something, I personally, hope to grow out of as well.

The terror that flaps in the night

I would like to take a moment to congratulate our little Emery Elise on being the silliest, happiest, most mischievous little girl we know. Lately with her lightning like speed she has enjoyed visiting every UN-dusted corner, morsel of food dropped from last nights dinner, and every item that could possibly make the messiest of messes. We love our little nugget, so as long as she is happy and safe,our house is a lovely display of neglect until 6:45PM...bed time.

I've got it down to a science really. Mornings are full of naps, highchair snacks, and possibly a crib tent. (Anything to keep her busy and off that floor. Less time to make the mess means less time needed to clean the mess. Smart!) I have to let the adorable terror lose at some point so the evenings are for exploring adventures, followed by destructive discoveries. My favorite has to be the food scavenger hunt. I always think i do a good job sweeping until i notice her mouth full of goodies. Em does not seem to mind. Last but not least is a messy supper, finger painted on tray, hair, face, and me. Her bath water has become a soup of breakfast, lunch, supper and floor snacks. Thank goodness for drains. Goodbye soggy Cheerios and shriveled grapes. As fun as a day with Emery can be, the satisfaction of seeing our clean monkey, cute enough to eat, snugly tucked into bed, makes you excited for another day at the zoo. After you clean the house that is....

This would be one of her many silly faces. Her favorite time to make this face is when I am changing her diaper, right after a spoon full of food, and now...when she pulls herself to stand and shuffles around her toy basket!