For daddy...

Since Emelyn was asleep when Jake left for work yesterday, and was already in bed when Jake got home from softball last night, Emelyn "made" this video for him... so Jake, this is to make you smile (and anyone else who wants to watch a silly girl belly laugh while jumping on her mom.)

Baking Fun

What do you do on a cool cloudy day to warm up a chilly house? Bake banana bread!

Here's my little helper enjoying the "fruit of our labor:"

In the eyes of our imaginative 18 month old, there are about 12 mouths that must eat at every meal.

2 pieces of banana bread later, someone started acting quite silly!

Week/Weekend pics

Licking the buttery popcorn off of her fingers at the ballfield.

Sitting still while Grandma fixes her hair
Discovering fingernail polish for the first time and having her toenails painted

She is so proud of her toes, constantly exclaiming "Pretty!" as she looks down at her toes

Going on a wagon ride with Grandpa

Scared of the barking dogs so mom had to ride the rest of the way home (or else carry her, which didn't sound appealing either!)

Update...

I just realized with this past busy week that we hadn't updated our blog on Jake... Monday morning his doctor called and postponed surgery. The other partners looked over his file and were split 50/50 on surgery, so they did a scope yesterday and are going to start a new combo of two drugs he's been on in the past to see if they help before having surgery. Thanks to everyone for your emails inquiring about Jake.

In the meantime, we've had family in town for the scope and are having a good time. Will post pics in a few days.

Hair

What happens when you eat supper with friends who have 3 daughters that would love to have a baby sister? Emelyn ends up being in heaven all night long and puts on a hair fashion show for us, sporting multiple adorable hair dos! Here's the last one of the night:

Also, a typical Sunday afternoon pic of Jake and Emelyn - Emelyn making herself at home on daddy's lap with a stack of books!

Friends...

Our sweet friends Matt and Emma were visiting the States this week from England and Emma and Lily came over to visit yesterday morning. It's hard to believe that they've been gone over 18 months now! Little do our girls know the number of walks and talks we had chatting about the future which included a lot of prayer for them! It's so nice to have friends that you can pick right up where you left off - even after many miles and months of separation!

The girls hit it off - they are 6 months apart and had such a sweet time playing together!

We went outside and the girls immediately went to the wagon and bike trailer - when Emma told me that these two aren't common in England (mainly b/c of how crowded it is) it made me realize how much I take our yard, sidewalk, trails and quiet subdivisions for granted!

Lily pulling Emelyn down the sidewalk

The girls riding together - it didn't take them long to see their shadows and start waving at "themselves" - too funny!!

After the wagon ride, they climbed in the bike trailer, so we took them on a bike ride too.

Upon returning, they had a snack and sat in the rocking chair together - it's safe to say they're buds! Lily kept saying "sit with me Emmy!" or "Hold my hand Emmy!" So, so sweet.

It's been a rough/long week - learning of a miscarriage of someone close to us, having a dear friend lose her mother very unexpectedly and then finding out Jake needs surgery in the near future (April 26th.) Despite this there are many high points we can't forget - spring is here and we have a beautiful display of newly bloomed irises, we've had some precious evenings/chats/time with friends lately that couldn't have come at a better time as well as many fun times as a family of three! We're looking forward to a great weekend planned as well!

Picture Review

It's kind of been a long week for us, but when I downloaded the pictures from our camera that we've taken since Thursday it put a smile on my face, reminding me of how blessed we are!

A blurry but funny picture of Emelyn sporting her sunglasses and purse

Getting ready for a wagon ride!
Excited to see the park nearing completion - they just finished a little parking lot and are working on the pond as I type this!

Emelyn's first place to run to at the library - the stairs!

Couches in the toddler area of the library that Emelyn can climb on by herself

Throwing a ball at a friend's house for his birthday party

Daddy and Emelyn swinging

Emelyn helping dad cut up veggies for homemade pizza

We started to notice she'd hand dad an olive, then sneak one in her mouth!

Hope your week has started off well!

18 Month Check up

(I realize most people don't care to know these things, but since this blog is how I look up and remember things about Emelyn, for now, I'm writing this here!)

Today we went in for Emelyn's 18 month appt. She weighs 24 lbs 7 oz (50th percentile) and is 32 inches long (75th percentile.) Since Saturday night, Emelyn has had yet another runny nose, and when we were in today, the Dr noticed a little fluid on both ears so gave us a Rx to fill for an antibiotic if we felt like she needed it. The Doctor also gave Emelyn a new book to read and she immediately sat down and started "reading" it - so cute - the book was about animals, so Emelyn would say "yahyahyah, yahyahyah, yahyah, GGRRRR" Then turn the page and do the same thing for the next animal, only with a different corresponding animal sound with the next page.

A little funny about the book - while Emelyn was "reading" the Doctor shared that there has been a lot of research lately showing how important it is for kids to be outside, playing in the dirt and being around plants, trees, etc... Almost as if on cue, Emelyn looked up from her book and said "YES!" I know it was coincidence, but she couldn't have said it at a more perfect time... we all had a good laugh, Emelyn included!

When I look back at what she could say and do at her one year appointment (3-4 words, and wasn't walking very well yet) I'm amazed at how much she's changed in just 6 short months. Of course she can walk/run/jump etc... now, but I'm more amazed at how much her little brain is learning and absorbing. There's times that she'll ask for something or point out something that I didn't even know she knew the word for. She must be listening more than I realize. Last night we were reading a book and she pointed out the sun in the picture - I don't remember her ever saying that before - or today at the clinic she pointed at the aquarium and said "fish! blub, blub, blub." I could go on and on about examples, but I'm sure you don't care, nor will I most likely when I look back on this post. :)

She also had 3 shots today - MMR, Chicken Pox and Hep A. And of course, this is the 3rd time in a row now that Jake has missed her well visit where shots were involved due to a blood transfusion. After Emelyn's appt we stopped by the hospital and since Jake was almost done with his blood transfusion we waited with him then went to grab a quick lunch before he went to work. The nurses and other patients were so excited to see her and couldn't believe how much she's grown since the last transfusion. They gave her a special, flowering marker/pen which made her day. Poor girl doesn't seem to get any attention these days. :)

Well... it's about time for Emelyn to get up from her nap and I think we might obey Doctor's orders and walk to the park!

Easter

Happy Easter! I think Easter is one of my favorite holidays. It isn't overly commercialized (like some other holidays) which allows us more focus on the real, sacred, blessed and FREEING meaning of the day. We started our celebration with a Maundy Thursday communion service at church to remember the last supper. Afterwards, at home, we spent time thinking about and talking about what went on that day 2000+ years ago. Friday we spent time thanking God for Christ's death and solemnly remembering His horrific death that He sacrificially endured for us. Then Saturday spent some time before bed talking with Emelyn (which I'm sure she understood every word :) about what the disciples and followers of Christ must have felt knowing the man they "thought" was their Savior was dead ... only to see him rise again, fulfilling the prophesies the next morning - today! - realizing their hope was complete, their Savior was here, and that He was and IS still alive! I can't think of a more glorious celebration, can you!?!?

To go along with all of this, Grandpa and Grandma C bought Emelyn the perfect Easter book that said exactly what we were hoping to find in a book - thank you! It talked about all the fun things we can do at Easter (egg hunts, baby chicks, bunnies, food, family etc..) but then asked if that was all that it was about. It then told the story of Jesus and why he was born, later died and then risen on Easter, and explained that this is the true reason for Easter. It shared that the other fun things we do help us celebrate that true meaning. I feel like I have it memorized already since Emelyn asks to read it over and over and over. :)

Emelyn and daddy Easter morning

A horrible picture of me but I want to remember this - Emelyn wanted daddy and daddy only today - as soon as I took her for a picture, she started begging for daddy, which quickly turned into a tear filled, hyperventilating cry.
After lunch and a nap, we gave Emelyn a little Easter basket filled with a few items - hair accessories, necklaces, bracelets, bubbles, magnets, coloring books, a purse and sunglasses...

Such a girly girl - LOVED the necklaces, bracelets and purse!

Notice she needed her purse and bracelet on to put her new magnets on the fridge?

Making Ms. Molly "pretty"

On a funny, sweet note (another one that I want to remember!) Emelyn loves being "pretty." When we put on her dress this morning, she stood in front of the mirror and with an awed look on her face exclaimed "pretty!" and then twirled in it. I'm not sure where she learned to wear bracelets and necklaces, but she absolutely loves to wear them. She also is almost always carrying a purse of some sort around the house - until today she would use a tote bag, bucket - even a grocery sack!

Easter Egg Hunt at the Park

Here are pictures from last year's Easter Egg hunt:

And now this year:

This is Emelyn and her sweet friend Lauren. We meet with Lauren's family every other Sunday night and it's been fun to watch these girls go from itty bitty babies that laid next to each other on the floor to now walking toddlers! Of course, it was next to impossible to get both looking at the camera, let alone smiling!

Eating her first hotdog in a "big girl" chair. It's safe to say that she loved both!

Happy Easter!

Library & Park #3

Thursday Morning Emelyn and I ventured to our library to go to Baby Bookworm. We arrived a little early, so we sat and did some puzzles in the toddler room:

Matching the animals...

After leaving the library, we went to yet another park in Fayetteville that was near the library, where we met a couple of friends. Here's Emelyn checking out the BIG world around her upon arriving...

Imagine this... she went to the slipper slides first!

Since Emmy's friends (two boys) brought their sand toys, we ventured to the swings where Emelyn seemed more content swinging than playing in the sand - at least for 30 minutes or so - then she LOVED being in the sand!