Thankfulness

For weeks, I've been reading up on Amber's blog, especially on Mondays when every week she counts her blessings (literally). I have decided to join her by intentionally setting aside one day a week to write about that which I am thankful. Tuesdays will be the day as this will work best with my work schedule.

1. I am thankful that at an early age, I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

2. I am thankful that my mother and father love me unconditionally and provided a warm, nurturing environment for my siblings and me.

3. I am thankful for my dear hubby, Jeremy.

4. I am thankful for the Christian home he grew up in and for his loving parents.

5. I am thankful for my grandparents.

6. I am thankful that I am not an only child. My brother and sister are two of my best friends.

7. I am thankful for my health--to wake up, feel good, and have no pain.

8. I am thankful for my house that provides shelter for me on this cold, rainy day.

9. I an thankful that Emily now sleeps 11-12 hrs. at night so Jeremy and I can get rest.

10. I am thankful for my baby, Emily. She is beautiful, healthy, and strong.

Wow. That was easy and I'm just getting started. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Special Quilt

After bath play time

Ticklish Baby

Emily received a very special homemade quilt from Aunt Jen for her birthday this year. I've been meaning to post some photos of Emily playing on her quilt so here they are! Thank you so much Aunt Jen! It is beautiful.

Emily learns to use a spoon

October

My little EK legacy at Homecoming 2010

Happy Baby Bennett!

Bath Time! After a full day of travel, Bennett was ready to for a good bath.

Hanging out with Bennett

Emmy and Jeremy: Homecoming 2010

My favorite...

I love fall in KY! I don't know if I would ever want to live somewhere without seasons (although I do think I could live without 3 months of winter.) After a hot summer, the milder temperatures are a relief! I can finally enjoy long walks and trips to the park with sweet Emmy! We spent the first part of the month with Jeremy's parents in Hilton Head. When we got back, it was time to show off Emily at Georgetown's Homecoming festivities! It is hard to believe that I graduated from Georgetown ten years ago, but then so much has happened since then...PT school, first jobs, engagement, wedding, new house, and BABY!

We hosted the Cullum family for a couple of days during their whirlwind KY trip. It was wonderful to finally meet Amber and Sam's little boy, Bennett. I miss them very much. I'm hoping we will be able to visit them this winter or spring in Florida. We had dinner at our home one night, a late night of girl talk on the couch, and a trip to the park and then it was time to say good-bye. (They headed to Lexington to see more family and friends there.)

Last weekend, we went to Bowling Green to visit our family. We finally got to make a trip to the pumpkin patch at Jackson's Orchard. (Well, we made it to the orchard, but bypassed the actual pumpkin patch!) This is a family tradition that I can not miss! Sometimes we go to Huber's in Indiana, but one way or another, I have to go every fall! Last fall Emily was only 2-3 mon. old and not able to sit up unsupported yet. This fall, she was walking around everywhere and we could barely get a photo! Jeremy tried forever to get a shot of her, but she is always in perpetual motion unless she is asleep or in our laps with a book. We were finally able to hold her attention long enough for a few shots in the orchard.

Jeremy and I enjoyed a few hours of hiking in the Mammoth Cave National Park while mom and dad kept Emily for us. I love to hike and unfortunately I only go a few times a year. The trails were well marked, the weather was perfect, and the trees were beautiful. I was so happy to get to spend a few hours with Jeremy all to myself!

Cooper and Hunter are growing up so fast. Cooper is now 6 mon. old. He's doing his own special "crawl" which is kind of an army crawl combined with lunging for whatever he wants. The 7 week difference between Hunter and Emily has all but disappeared. They are into the same stuff and both of them love to walk, run, and climb. Hunter started saying "uhh, oh" when he drops something or gets into trouble which is SO cute. Mom and Dad bought a fire pit for the outdoor patio. We got to break that in and make some s'mores, except Dad ate most of the graham crackers before we had a chance so it was mostly just marshmallows and chocolate! lol.

Vacation 2010

Prior to vacation, Emily developed a stomach bug that lasted about 1 week. Luckily, she didn't get dehydrated and it didn't seem to bother her that her poo was like liquid! She was still a happy baby for the most part, but Mom and Dad were really starting to dread the diapers! She was pretty much back to normal by the time we had our vacation in Hilton Head Island, SC. We stayed for seven full days! We had a wonderful time. Unfortunately, we had two full days of rain and one cloudy day. The other days were gorgeous. On our first rainy day, we went outlet mall shopping. Emily got hooked up at the Carter's outlet and we bought new black Mary Janes at Stride Rite. On the other rainy day, we enjoyed a long bike ride before the rain settled in for the day. I got a relaxing pedicure and Jeremy and I had a date night that evening.

Emily was SO much more fun at the beach this year compared to last year as a 7 week old baby! She loved the beach. She enjoyed walking up and down the coast in search of whatever treasure she could find to give to whoever her walking partner happened to be at the time. (We all took turns walking with her.) Grancy and Poppy packed a green beach chair for her that was perfect! She loved to climb in and out of her chair or she would steal someone else's chair if you got out of your seat. It was really precious to see her walk confidently on the beach and wave to all the strangers, pat the dogs, or chase after sea gulls. From time to time, she would find a shell on the ground, pick it up with those tiny fingers, and hand it to me. Moments like that made the THIRTEEN hour car ride worth it! This year, I rented a bike with a toddler seat on it. The Shipyard section of Hilton Head has miles and miles of wonderful bike trails that meander through trees, lagoons, golf courses and neighborhoods. It is a wonderful way to experience the island. One day, we rode our bikes on the beach during low tide which made me feel like I was in a movie!

Speaking of travel, Emily did pretty well, but it is just a long drive for everyone. We had to make more stops for diaper changes, mini melt-downs, or just to let her stretch her legs (which added 1-2 hrs to the trip, easily.) We tried to let her run off as much energy as possible at all of our stops. She did take long naps and she always fell asleep by 7:30 or 8 pm when we were still driving. Jeremy and I debated about whether we should have driven through the night to get there. It would have been hard on us, but I believe we could have made much better time as she would have slept almost the whole way (She sleeps 11-12 hrs at night.) We elected to not do that, but maybe next time, we will be brave enough to pull an all-nighter.

Vacation was wonderful and we were thankful to be able to take a trip and have grandparents' help us with Emily (4-1 ratio of adults to baby is good!) With every trip, I'm reminded how different our life is now with Emily. She brings joy to our lives and old activities feel new again as she experiences things for the first time. I also miss my one on one time with Jeremy and the vacations we used to share with just the two of us. I do hope that one day, we will be able to take a romantic trip again...maybe for our 5th year anniversary!!!

Emily's New Trick

After weeks of showing Emily the "all done" sign, she is finally starting to use it and it is really funny. She uses it more to say "I don't know" than "All done" but sometimes it is interchangeable. Here is the video.

Weaning Emily

Emily has been pretty much weaned now except for the nursing session before bedtime. I'm having a hard time deciding on a last day. The past year has gone by fast and other than the first couple of weeks of learning how to breast feed, it has been really smooth. At this point, she is ready and I am too....almost. Every time I think, "OK, this is it baby girl" she will fall asleep in my arms all snuggled in close and I think, "Well, maybe another week!" She is SO precious and sweet! I love our cuddle time before bed. We leave for vacation in less than two weeks and I told myself I would wean her by then. I don't want to try to do any big changes while on vacation or a few days before we leave. So I'm left with cutting her off this week or after vacation. I'm not ready for my baby to grow up, but it appears that she has anyway.

Here is how I weaned Emily:

Breast fed exclusively for 5 1/2 mon.

Started solids at 5 1/2 mon (rice and wheat baby cereals)

Started slowly introducing veggies and fruits at 6 mon.

Added yogurts at 9 or 10 mon.

Introduced other meats/proteins at 10-11 mon (she still doesn't eat meat that well, but likes beans, cheese and eggs)

More and more finger foods after 9-10 mon.

Started supplementing some formula after 10 mon (3 breast feedings/day and one formula bottle)

At 11 mon, dropped another breast feeding time (2 breast feedings/day and two formula bottles/day)

At 12 mon. dropped another breast feeding time (1 breast feeding/day and 16-20 oz/day of whole milk by sippy cup or bottle)

So here we are at 13 mon. Time to say good-bye to the boobie Emily. Mama loves you!!!