Don't go

This picture just melted us when we took it. The look on her face captures how we all feel when Roger is away from us. We're very proud of his hard work, but we miss him so much.

Well, if you really have to go, maybe I can help you pack? You need to bring your hard hat and your first aid kit, because we want you to stay safe!

Can I come too?

Highlights

Emma has reached a few milestones lately. She can now roll from tummy to back and back to tummy. She is sleeping great at night - but even better, she is now consolidating naps! My catnapper has reformed! She now has a 1-2 hour nap in the morning and another 1 hr nap around 1pm and another half-hour nap in late afternoon. She goes to bed around 7-7:30, wakes up once to feed around 2am, and back to sleep until 6:30-7am. I really can't complain.

She's also exploring her world through her mouth and loooves being outside. She always gasps when a big salty breeze of ocean air hits her face. She can replace her own pacifier! I wish I could play a recording of her voice - she's particularly fond of squawking like a bird. She loves standing and sitting upright (with very little assistance). Still a huge fan of bathtime, and now has her rubber ducky friend to play with in the water. She can chase him all around with her hands, corner him and chew on his tophat to her heart's delight. Rattles are her favorite toy - especially if they have a little rubber teether section.

As for stats, she's on the petite side. Her last weigh in at the doctors showed her weight for 4 months 23 days as 13lb 11oz. Height is 25" so she's tall and skinny, like her dad. She does have a moderate case of eczema that we have been able to control using a litte regimen of moisture: warm mist humidifier, cool baths, and a calming cream/aquaphor at night. It seems to have really taken the edge off.

We'll start with solids officially after her next appointment (6 months). I have a feeling she'll be ready. This child doesn't refuse anything so far. In fact, she starts flapping her arms whenever we prepare her bottle. She even sucks down the occasional motrin drops (for teething) and reaches for more. What a riot.

She's our little gem, already so full of personality. She smiles at strangers and giggles when Parker accidentally bops her with his tail.

Ok, how's that for prose?

Self-portrait

How is this my child? About the only likeness we have in common is our rosy cheeks. :)

Oh, and she loves being kissed. Every time we kiss her, she does her best papparazi smile.

A picture is worth a thousand words

I haven't been typing out long explanations and I apologize for the lack of witty verbage. These days it's just easier to throw up a few pictures and a quick caption. I think pictures are way more fun to look at than rows and rows of text, but I understand that a little narration might be helpful too. I'll try to cooperate. :)

The leaning tower of baby

She starts out sitting unassisted.....

Whoa, I am on my own!
Hey, this is fun!

Ummm.....something's happening....

Here I go!

Ahhhh......this is relaxing after all.

Hey mom, what's that?

She's starting to notice the camera.

Daddy's little girl

How do I love thee? Let me count the names.

Feliz dia del amor to our little buttercup, pigeon, biscuit, chipmunk, peanut, doll baby, cha cha, choo choo, emma bear, chicken, stinky toes, sugar, shuggies, butterfly, lampchop, princess, sweet pea, gumball, squirmy worm, lollipop, chickadee, sweetbreath, buttertoes, baby bird, angelwing, rudy toots and most recently.....cupid's bow.

Wednesday's Word of the Day

Ululate:

Pronunciation Key - [uhl-yuh-leyt, yool-] –verb (used without object), -lat·ed, -lat·ing.

1. to howl, as a dog or a wolf; hoot, as an owl.
2. to utter howling sounds, as in shrill, wordless lamentation; wail.
3. to lament loudly and shrilly.

Used in a sentence: Emma's latest trick is to demonstrate her mastery of ululating! :)

Rice cereal is a hit!

She ate it up! What a little maniac. :)

Easy like Sunday evening

We took our usual walk tonight to the beach, and I managed to capture a little of what it feels like to stare out on the great pacific ocean. Our neighbor Michael joined us, and he brought his ukelele, which he played for Emma. She was mesmerized!

Parenting 101

Valentines Day Card Photo Shoot

I couldn't resist my first valentines photo shoot. None of these made it, so you'll just have to wait and see which one did!

Our latest photo shoot

Hooray for my new lens! It's getting kind of scary how much of myself I am beginning to see in her.

The most delicious thing in the whole world.

What a difference three months makes!

Three weeks.....

And three and a half months. She's not my squishy newborn anymore! :(

Her first roll!

And I caught it on camera! We were in the middle of a photo shoot, when I stuck her on her stomach to get a better look at those blue eyes. Well, this was the moment!

From tummy......

....to back! ....and still thinking about what just happened.

My big girl is growing up. :( Next thing I know, she'll be slaloming down a double black diamond in Austria. Well, a mom can hope anyway.

What girl doesn't love the spa?

I've decided that Sunday nights will be Emma's "spa night". Tonight, we started the tradition with a nice long bath, fingernail trimming, full body massage and a little gentle ear cleaning. She loved it! In fact, next week she asked me to exfoliate her pores. I just hope we're not creating a monster.....

She was so relaxed, that she crossed her own legs in this picture. :)

Do they make fleece underwear?

The downside to living in San Diego (and this might surprise you east coasters) is that it DOES get cold here. Especially living by the water. This is a picture of the temperature in our room this morning (it's the one on the left, and no the rest of the programming has not been updated yet, sigh). Yikes!

Looks like a trip to Home Depot today for another space heater! (don't worry, we have one in Emma's room). :)

Our New Year's Resolution...

....is to never EVER let the lawn get this ridiculous!

Big girl's seat

Emma has "graduated" to the big girl's seat on her stroller. She LOVES it. So we took a walk today to break it in. Even though it was chilly, she was well prepared in her new hat.

Monkey on my back

Literally!

This was emma's Xmas gift from Aunt Rachael. I think they're already best buds!

We love our new camera!

Just some test shots: