Emerson is ONE

Happy happy happy first birthday beautiful!

Your sweet, stubborn, silly personality is really starting to show. You know and fight for what you want, giggle at your brother and rest your head while melting my heart when you are tired. 

You still do not like to be away from Mom and crawl to find me when I leave. You say "Hi-ya" and full wrist bend wave to greet people and recently started waving bye too. 

When you have your mind set on something, watch out if someone tries to break up that plan. You love to throw your head back in protest to be sure we know your not happy. You always get food in your hair when you eat and and are absolutely obsessed with baths. 

Emerson, you make our family so happy. 

Happy birthday, Peanut.

Six-Nine Month Favorites

Six to nine months is a wonderful age! You start to see so much personality and a lot more interaction. It is so rewarding after taking care of this eating, sleeping, crying little human for so long. There is more play, more giggles, more free time with out a baby in your arms. Baby food and teethers, rolling around and more scheduled naps. 

Here are a few of our favorites from six to nine months:

ONE // Baby Trend Activity Walker // We purchased this for Jackson when he was about seven months old and he loved it! Emerson has now enjoyed it and it has been a life saver to take outside for a place for her to play (and not get into trouble). The giraffe toy bar detaches and the open table top is great to give snacks and place toys.

TWO // Her Joyful Studio headbands // I fell in love with this Chicago based company!

THREE // Baby Mum-Mum Rice Husks // These teething crackers dissolve wonderfully and Emerson loved them! 

FOUR // Stacking cups // Once again these cups were a strong favorite. 

FIVE // Little People // The set in the picture is one of them that Jackson has. Emerson received the Sleeping Beauty set for Easter. Which one does she always go for...Batman.

Emerson 10 Months

This little screamer grew like a weed this month! I was shocked to see the scale say 18 pounds for her. She is still wearing anything that says 6M and we just moved her up to size three diapers (and they are quite big so we don't need night diapers right now either). She is quite the babbler, often screaming, and says "uh-oh" when something falls.

She recently started allowing us to put her down when she is not quite asleep yet. If she is tired she doesn't cry when you rub her head, say good night and leave the room.

I wish her and her brother would sleep a little later but I guess I'll take the 6am wake up for not waking up in the middle of the night. 

Emerson is definitely still a mommy's girl. She loves to be on my left hip. 

She is known to scream and very quickly have big alligator tears if I walk away. Although I can feel very guilty setting her down screaming to do something (like go to the bathroom even), it warms my heart that her tears and sadness just melt away when I swoop her back up.

I have mastered doing many more getting ready tasks with only one hand. 

She is pretty talented with her feet (although no where near walking). She frequently holds stuff and plays with things by use of her feet while laying on her back. From holding her bottle up for herself to holding extra Legos and moving a different toy to her mouth, is it always quite impressive. 

Water is her other new big love! She does not tolerate Jackson getting a bath without her and loudly protests it ending before she is ready. She loves the splash pad and I can't wait to take her swimming.

Emerson you are growing too quickly. I love when I can catch a moment of you sleeping on me and your hand wave hello is hands down the cutest thing.

Emerson Marie - 9 Months

The day Emerson turned nine months the countdown app in my phone alerted me...three months till she turns one! I paused and stared at it for a minute. I have been counting up so excited for each milestone that she hit that I didn't take a moment to realize that meant she was getting closer to one, to not being a baby. Where has time gone!?!?

At eight months Emerson was a sitter, but she took some good tumbles reaching or trying to look back. Now at nine months she is sitting and reaching to a rocking position on all fours. She reaches again, gets to her tummy and tries to inch forward. She most always opts out of trying to army crawl and instead resorts to rolling each and every way to try and get where she wants. She definitely is never in the same spot as you left her any more.  I don't think it will be long before she is crawling because she is certainly very frustrated with being still. I also think she will be way happier once she can figure out how to go from laying to sitting. I don't think her brother is ready for her to do either of these though!!

She is a curious, active little one who is not taking to naps very well. She loves to laugh at her brother and play with all his Legos. The most mad I have seen her is when I take away a Lego from her that is too small or has separate pieces that she was so proud for just grabbing. I don't recall Jackson screaming with such anger so early when I took things away that he couldn't have. 

Emerson has loosened her strong desire to be held by Mommy all the time. Still, almost every morning that my parents come to watch her and J she smiles at them but when my mom or dad reach out to her while in my arms she reaches quick to grab me. After burying her head in my shoulder for a moment she looks up at them and smiles big. 

One look I never want to forget, and always hope to keep from her, is this complete look of awe that she has for me when I first come home or just finish getting ready for the day and pick her up. Propped up on my left hip she leans back so she can get a better angle to see me. Her eyes filled with wonder and joy, she doesn't release contact till I turn and talk to her. She sometimes grabs at my hair, always has a small smile. 

We love you Emmer!

Emerson Marie - 8 months

Eight months! 

Emerson, you are growing to fast! You have discovered the art of rolling all over the place. Although I don't think you yet understand what your doing, you learned how to drop toys off of your high chair or walker...just so I pick them up again. 

 You are a mommy obsessed little lady. It breaks my heart to hear you cry (and cry and cry) when I have to leave. You truly are saying "Ma ma," for when I am not around, no one hears you say it. And when I set you down, even to go to the bathroom, you say it through alligator tears loud and clear. You melt my heart with those two little syllables. 

Emerson Marie - 7 Months

Hey Peanut! You did some major growing this month! 

She was officially moved to size two diapers earlier this month but they were big, now they fit fine. Emmer is still wearing almost all of her 3m clothes (I just put the first 3m outfit into the storage bin not long ago). When we are out an about people are always surprised when I tell them how old she is. Tiny but fierce, this little one also accomplished sitting up this month!! Don't dare forget the Boppy pillow behind her, but she will sit and reach for toys till she tumbles. 

Day at a glance:

6:00-6:30am Wake up and 6 oz bottle

Play and watch brother till breakfast

8:00ish breakfast of cereal and fruit puree 

Play with some sleep 

10:30-11 time for a 6 oz bottle

12:30 lunch of veggies &/or fruit

Nap

3:30-4 is another 6 oz bottle

5:30 dinner of veggies (sometimes with meat)

7:30 final 6 oz bottle

8:00 usually out within minutes of lying down or snuggling

Likes & Dislikes

She loves to play with Little People

She is not a fan of apple cinnamon oatmeal

She cries when mom leaves (not every time though)

She loves to watch her brother

She hates to have her face wiped, usually signaling she is done with a meal.

She loves to have her head rubbed

Little Emmer, you reach at everything with lightening speed. When it is my face, you reach as if you are telling me something important, and often snuggle your head in to me. You have such a calm demeanor. Your brother is your hero.  You are so very loved. 

Six Month Photos

Oh this little lady!

 Although I am simultaneously planning out her 7 month chalkboard I am beyond thrilled to share some of her 6 month photos. Our amazing photographer Stephanie captured my sweet little lady and some sibling love perfectly. 

She looks like she is excited to meet this new "friend" she sees!

This last photo is the look in Emerson of content because her brother is near that explodes my heart more than I ever thought possible. 

His playful grin, her pure happiness.

Emerson Marie - 6 months

Little lady has half of a year under her belt! 

This month finally brought on a good growth spurt, look at those thighs!

New discoveries:

She is holding her own bottle! The first work morning she did it I was on cloud nine with my extra minutes to get ready. She chugs for a bit and then loves to play with it, usually while splashing milk in her face. She does a better job than Jackson did about keeping it with her (or at least not screaming when it falls).

She is a food lover (hence the new chub)! She has successfully had bananas, pears, squash, sweet potato, peas, green beans, apples, and cereal. 

She is sleeping the night in her own bed (well at least till J starts to stir).

She was finally big enough to prop up in an exersaucer at school.

Emerson is also finally off her reflux medicine and we are so happy to have that all behind us. 

 Emerson started wearing a Docband helmet this month to correct some flattening of her head. More on that in another blog post. She overall doesn't mind it and I am happy to say we are almost half way done too. She gets breaks from it and has now started to just rub her head. It is so neat to see her overall more independent. 

 She LOVES her toes and knows the second she has bare feet to grab and bring to her mouth. 

She thinks her brother doing jumps or throwing a ball is hilarious.

She is much quicker to giggle and is usually ticklish around her neck. 

 Her eyes are this mystifying grey, navy, green. They are deep and pretty and oh so big!

Emerson Marie, you are such a sweet joy to our lives. I absolutely love seeing your personality develop and your beauty grow, both inside and out. You melt my heart with your tiny attempts at a hug and your wonderment of your brother. 

It's been a fast and wonderful half a year and I can't wait to see what the next half brings!

3-6 Month Favorites

Its hard to believe Emerson will be 6 months soon! I wanted to pull together a list of things that have been consistently used and loved, some have really stuck around but in different ways. 

1. Strawberry teether // The thin stem makes for the perfect grip for tiny hands and the leave stand has different textures on each leaf that easily find her mouth.

2.  Wrist rattles // I have actually hardly ever used them on her wrists. The fasten great to play mats, car seat handles, teethers, her Wubanub, you name it. She has always been fascinated with them. 

3.  Lamaze Doll // 

4. Wubanub // She is able to hold on to this much better...now she needs to start finding it at night!

5. Snowsuit // The early mornings can be really cold. So when we are off for the short trip in a cold car to school this has been helpful! She looks so cozy in it!

6. Pink & gold pacifier clip // I absolutely love this pacifier clip! It is a great length and gorgeous colors!

7.  Knotted headbands // These have fit so well because of their thin, soft fabric. I would buy up every color if I could.

This post was seen first on Little Quacklings.

Emerson Marie - 5 Months

Five months little lady!

New Discoveries:

Her feet! The first time I helped her find them she had one grabbed and this look of shock on her face. Then she let go and just lit up with a smile and a pure giggle!

She hates oatmeal! Or at least the first dozen times we tried. First of all she had NO CLUE how to eat it and then would make this face and it would just all come out of her mouth. Going to try veggies very very soon.

Reaching for things you have! Just today I walked into the pantry and without my knowing she grabbed a box of straws almost sending it tumbling to the ground. She reaches for any drink you are holding while you have her and then tries so hard to reach for her own bottle when you hold it by her. 

She recognizes her food and gets really excited/jealous when you are eating thinking she will too. 

She is SO CLOSE to rolling over!

 Sleep:

Hasn't done a full night in the crib yet, but we are getting closer. She looks SOO tiny in her crib! 

Stats:

Still completely in size one diapers but I may have bought my last big box. 

Newborn pants will still fit her. 3M clothes are mostly all perfect.

Her eyes are this deep navy, gray blue. They are so pretty but very different blue then Jackson's.

Five months showed us some great insight to her little personality, overall calm but when she gets mad...watch out. She loves to be with people and is very observant. So happy she is home safe with us (see hospital post) to keep growing.

Love you little peanut! 

Emerson Marie - 4 months

Emerson Marie, you still love to cuddle. 

New discoveries: her hands! She chews on them and tries to suck her fingers. She reaches and grabs with more control although still spastic. She sometimes gets confused that she is holding an object and can't figure out how to release it. 

Favorite things: she LOVES when you talk directly to her. Big smiles flow out. She is completely aware of her brother and does full head whips in his direction. The other day when I picked them up from school she was wide awake in her car seat and Jackson bent down to say "Hi Emmy." Well she lit up in a big smile at him. 

Some stats:

Six 4oz bottles each day, ready to go to 6oz for some

Just hit 10lbs mark

Always puts hands in her face or over her eyes

3M clothes are mostly all still big, some newborn still fit

Sleeps most always 930pm till 5-530am

Doesn't mind baths

Drools a lot 

Still sleeps in rock-n-play

Time is sure flying...Love you little peanut!