Emma Kate is 6 months old!!

After you pick yourself up off the ground because I am actually updating my blog... I know you will be shocked... I'm a little late w/ my monthly updates!!

Emma is 6th months old!! I LOVE THIS AGE!!! It is the absolute best... although I keep saying that. I love watching my sweet girl become more and more independent and uniquely her own self. Her personality is shining through all the baby babble!! She is a sweet, laid back, loving girl who likes to laugh and have fun!! :) It is just going to be pure joy to watch her grow up!! Between her and her sister... I am one lucky Momma!! :)

This is what sweet Emma Kate(cake) accomplished during her fifth month:

* she does an incredible "super baby" boy is she strong. She has fantastic gross motor skills!!

* She eats avacado and apples w/ her baby cereal. She's not the best solid food eater and she really DOES NOT like apples. I hope that changes!!!

* She is scooting and rolling all over the place!! I can hardly keep her still!

* She is a little over 14lbs and 26" long!!

* She is laughing and taking up a storm!! She loves to hear herself... and I think it is pretty sweet too!!

* Loves to play with her toys. It's fun to watch her grab at things...

* Sitting up in the Bumbo... only a bit away from sitting on her own.

* Graduated out of the car seat in the stroller. Now is sitting up on her own.

Here are some pics for you to enjoy!! :

Ruthie's happenings...

Ruthie has been talking up a storm... she's always talking (she gets that from her daddy!) But just recently she's really trying to communicate in sentences!! I love to watch her try out language, especially when she learns a new word's meaning.... She repeats it a bunch!!

She's been saying recently:

"oh, I didn't know that" (what gets me is that she uses it appropriately)
"spib" (spit- as we're working on spitting out fluoride toothpaste and not swallowing it!)
"Tony" "Teresa" "Babe" "Honey" (she's been using all our names... it's so funny. She tries them out and then looks at us to see if it's ok!! It's really hard not to laugh because she so stinking cute!)
"dad" "mom" (ditto above)


She's also graduated into a big girl bed. We have just a mattress and box springs on the floor for now. Didn't want her to fall out too far!! She's done great with it.. except for getting out of bed!! It is crazy. Some nights after we finish our night time routine (which has been the same since she was a little baby) she goes right to sleep... as if it were easy peasy. Then other nights, it takes both of us working in tandem two hours to get her to sleep. She just seems to FIGHT it. If we say do it this way, she does it that way. UGGG!! She's doing well sleeping in the bed, and doesn't fall out. But, some nights I'm tempted to install a safety system that includes duck tape... or at the very least velcro!! :)

Her first night in a big girl bed!

Emma Kate is 5 months old!!

Well our little Emma Cake (as Ruthie calls her) is 5 months old... and yet again, I'm totally late in posting it!! :) She has done great during her fourth month and hit a lot of milestones!! :)

* she started eating cereal (rice) I didn't think she was quite ready for it, but after sleeping about 12 hours through the night, she began to wake up to eat every 2 hours. The doc said that she was hungry. So we started w/ cereal and that seems to have done the trick. She's back to sleeping well again each night!

* She has rolled over both ways now (tummy to back, and back to tummy!) She will be a rolly-polly soon!

* She continues to suck her fingers and love on the lovie... she particularly likes this one, but has a second favorite that she loves too!

* she started taking her baths w/ Sissy...She really likes that and it makes bath time oh-so-much easier!

* She graduated out of her bassinet and went into her crib!! (Means that Ruthie moved from her crib to a big girl bed... )

* She is a little smiler and loves to laugh. She is ticklish and it is soooo much fun to hear her belly laugh. What a sweet little girl who is very easy and laid back. She just wants to be with you... enjoying life!



Going night-night in my big, roomy crib!!



"What? you want me to roll over? Well, I'm sucking on my fingers... I guess I can do both at the same time!" Part 1


Rolling over part 2


Rolling over part 3



Ruthie and Emma

Ruthie goes to DANCE!!

Ruthie had a wonderful morning at her first dance class. Her teacher, Ms. Jane, is fantastic. She's the right combo of encouraging and clear with her expectations!! Ruthie was SO excited to go. She loves to "dance" around the house! My sweet little girl did a great job... although she made me chuckle at her spunk, individuality, and her love of "RUNNING"!! I know she will love this even more as the year goes on.

She goes once a week, and is in a Combo class, Tap, Ballet, and Acro!!

At home before we head out:




Super Excited!!


Her w/ her teacher, Ms. Jane, and her other classmate!


Walking into class, on her own... what a big girl!


Ruthie doing a summersault w/ Ms. Jane's help!




All done!! She had sooo much fun and worked so hard!! I'm proud of my little dancer!

Emma Kate is 4 months old!!

oh, my sweet Emma... you are 4 months old and you've been for at least 2 weeks. How is it that time flies so fast? Emma turned 4 months old on the day we left for the beach... So we were with out our computer for a week and then, well, life just starts running!!

But, I want to update you on what she's accomplished during her 3rd month...

* She rolled over!! From tummy to back!! I can't get it on picture because she always does it when we're not looking... the little stinker!!

* She is talking up a storm!! She uses different vocal sounds, levels, and totally holds a baby cooing conversation.

* She is 12.2lbs and 23 3/4 inches long!!

* She is supper strong at holding up her head... crazy!

* Loves her fingers. No more binkie for Emma!!

* Loves her lovie. She has to have the blanket!!

* Loves to be with people. She doesn't have to be held but doesn't want to be left alone in a room!

* She is such a sweet natured, good baby who makes it a joy to be her mom! It's crazy how much I love this little girl!! :)

Here are some pics:

Build A Bear- Birthday Weekend!

Ruthie's birthday fun continued the next day! After church we went to Cheesecake Factory to eat lunch... I love that place! And then on to Build A Bear to use the gift cards Aunt Mardi and Uncle Jack and Aunt Judy gave her. She's been eying this horse there for weeks. Every time we go in she goes RIGHT for the Horsey! She just loves it. And, each time we walk out without the horsey and say, "bye bye horsey" and she does so well with out throwing the littlest of fits.

So- finally for her birthday- we walked in and she got to make her own horsey and take it home. Ya' all she is in love. When we got to the area to pick a name we gave her several choices. Buttercup was top of my list. But, my daughter has a much better sense of naming stuffed animals and so her animal will forever be named, "Horsey Pony". I thought it was very original!! :)


She picked out some clothes complete with panties... we're in the potty training mode... and some accessories for the beach. I mean- what is a horse supposed to do w/ out a towel and sunscreen at the beach? :)

As tired as she was (no nap) she had so much fun and completely soaked in the experience. She loved making her Horsey Pony. And now, we have a third child, named Horsey Pony. She takes her everywhere!! :)

In the mall on our way to Build A Bear


Finally able to pick out the horsey!!


Kissing the heart before she put it in!


Stuffing Horsey Pony


Bathing Horsey Pony


Dressed, named, and paid for... now it is hers... and she's not letting go!!


Completely worn out and ready for BED... Mommy even gave in and gave her the binkie....


Totally happy after a wonderful, full, fun birthday weekend. Ruthie and Mommy with ALL 3 Ming Mings and her Horsey Pony!!

Ruthie's birthday party!!

Ruthie's party was held on her actual birthday because it fell on a Saturday!! The thing Ruthie most loves is WONDER PETS!!! SO, we had a Wonder Pet pool party!! We planned it down to the very last detail... it started at 2 perfect timing for Ruthie to take a nap PRE party. Of course, she had other ideas... I guess she could tell that there was a lot going on and so she didn't sleep!

We started out on Friday night at my mom's house preparing for the big day. Uncle Matt and Aunt Rachel came for the party and were there Friday night to help! After Ruthie went to sleep, we started working on the capes. You know, all wonder pets have to wear their capes. We (Rachel) made them out of plastic table cloths... and they turned out perfect! Uncle Matt was put to work blowing up all the pool toys... and he got a little dizzy from the lack of air (although he usually never lacks in the hot air department!!) Tony was put to work getting art work off of the internet for various projects and for preping the PHONE!!! (as in The Phone, The phone is ringing!!) That was going to be our art project- making the phone out of cans and string! Mom and I were helping everyone and also working on the food. We didn't get home until about 2 am... we were a little tired to say the least!

What I forgot to tell you was that BEFORE all of that hard work started- Ruthie decided we would take a trip to Pediactric after hours emergency. She was running in my Mom's house and fell... and hit her forehead on the corner of the wall. A HUGE bump immediately formed and protruded from her forehead about 2-3 inches. It was so scary. Tony had to hold her down so that I could put ice on it. We decided to play it safe and get her looked at to make sure she was ok. By the time we got there and the doctor came in she was as bubbly as normal and it was as if nothing happened. But the evidence of her little accident is ALL over her b-day pics!! (Anyone remember what happened last year?)

The morning of her birthday we woke up to Thunder... not a good sign for a day at the pool. But the Lord was gracious to us and the rain and thunder held off until after the party. We got to my mom's at 10 am. I made the frosting and decorated the cake. We put Ruthie down for a nap (a.k.a. playtime in the pack-n-play) around 11 and Tony and Matt set up the tables and covers outside.



Once the guest started to arrive they went right to the craft. The kids chose a cape color (Ruthie wore green for Ming Ming, of course) and then they sat down to make the PHONE!

First group of kids making their "phone"


Ruthie and Patrick, her cousin


Abby and Bell (cousins)


The birthday girl


With Luke and Bailey (cousins)


Me with my sis in law, Rachel


Rachel and Bryan (Tony's bro and his wife)


Aunt Holly


Grandma and Paw-Paw Z and Aunt Judy and Sandy! Smile!


Family pic minus the birthday girl who is already in the Pool w/ aunt Rachel!!

We had tons of great food (hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, mac and cheese, watermelon, chips, drinks, and of course, birthday cake)!!!

Uncle Matt bringing some yummy food off the grill!! (Matt and Tony were manning the hot grill!)



Once they were done with that they headed to the pool!!

All the kids swimming!! By the end of the party the Big Kids (aka ADULTS) were taking over the pool and the fun!! Good thing we had beach balls to play with for the adults!! :) I'm so glad everyone had fun!
Pictured here are many of her friends from church: Gracie, Abby, Kylie, Adian, Victoria, Alex, not pictured is Patrick and Lucy!!


Singing Happy Birthday


Ruthie swiping the icing!! :) She took, "it's your cake" literally!


At the very end, when all our guests except family had gone home, a huge storm cloud rolled in. In about 5 minutes flat we had to tear everything down, clean up the pool area, get it all to my mom's house and try to keep all the non-wet things dry. We almost made it. When we came racing in.. this is what we found:


My mom hadn't made the other pictures because she was so busy working behind the scenes. But, with out her it would not have been a successful party. She volunteered to take my kiddos in for naps around 4:30-5:00 when Ruthie had fallen asleep on the pool deck!! I guess grandma was tired too!

Sweet Emma


Daddy and Ruthie going through all of her gifts... she got a lot of things to use in her new kitchen, build a bear gift cards, and MING MINGS!!! :)


Ruthie LOVES Ming Ming


After her nap she got up and opened her present from Mommy and Daddy! A Kitchen!! (She says, "Chicken")


We put the girls to sleep again and then the adults played the game PIT!! It had us laughing so hard our tummies hurt and we were literally YELLING across the table to be heard!! :) IT was so much fun!

Happy Birthday my sweet girl. I hope you loved your Wonder Pet Party. You are a joy to be with and Mommy and Daddy love you very much!! We pray this year is even better than last!! (It will be hard to beat!!)