18 Months

Happy 1 1/2 birthday, Emma Kate!

Emma loves running around and playing outside. She stands at the door screaming for it to be opened. I think we will be spending a lot of time outside this summer!

Big girl on the slide

Emma's first whole hamburger! She just giggled with delight!

Emma was 18 months old on March 19. Emma had been very sick with a virus the entire week. Her fever spiked to 105.1 on Monday which caused us to spend 3 hours at the pediatrician's office. After we ruled out the other options, the doctor determined that it was just a virus and Emma spent the next 3 days with a fever. To celebrate feeling better (and to get us both out of the house), Emma and I went to the zoo on Friday. It was a wonderful time with Emma. The zoo is her favorite place to go and she just enjoyed it so much. After her nap, we went to the park with Emma's friend Margot. Emma showed Margot how to run around and how to go down the slide. It was a fun day together!

Big Sister

Emma got to come along with us to see the baby on Monday. Because of the snow she didn't have a sitter and accompanied us on the adventure to see her brother/sister. She just kept saying "baby baby" and of course loved all of the pictures of babies at the OB's office. We are excited to meet the new addition to our family in July and will be launching a new blog to officially capture his or her first year in place of a baby book like we did with this blog for Emma. We will keep this blog going with updates from our family. Enjoy the pictures from the ultrasound. We especially love the one of his/her little hand sticking up. Precious!

Shopping

Such a girl! Emma loves to walk around the house with her baby in the cart, her purse on her arm, and a bow in her hair while wearing articles of my clothing. She has started "shopping" in my cabinets and filling up the cart with food. It is so fun to watch her sweet little mind work and see her creativity come out! She is so fun!

Aunt Amy's

For the time being I am working on Mondays and Emma stays at the Saxby house. She just loves going there and always has so much fun. Here are a few highlights from their time together this week.

Using Big Girl Paint

Playing with Bel and Sam

Sweet Friends

Emma and Bel's first experience licking the batter!

Thanks for being so much fun, Aunt Amy!

Snow!!!

Emma's first snow experience! We only got a fraction of the snow they predicted, but it was just the right amount for Emma.

Is this what you do with a snowball?

Daddy showed her the real meaning of snowballs.

Daddy and Emma built a snowman!

When it was time to come in Emma threw a terrible fit. The only way we could get her to stop screaming and arching her back was to ask her if she wanted some cake...it worked. She never gets treats like that so she quit crying and raced up the steps to the kitchen. Very fun!

New Pics

Here are a few new pictures from the last weeks.

Emma likes to cook in the kitchen and make food for her baby.

The sweetest thing is that she consistently uses her cup and her plastic butcher knife to feed her baby. She stirs the knife in the cup and feeds the baby saying, "Numma Num."

Emma has begun to insist that she take her purse with us when we go shopping. She grabs it off of her hook and throws it on her shoulder and off we go. She insisted on taking it to church last week. One of our friends was asking her what was in it and she just looked at her and said, "bows". Sure enough, she has been stockpiling her bows in there. I put them in her hair when she asks and then they disappear. Now we know where they have gone.

Emma has discovered that if she puts her stool up to the sink she can wash her hands. It is her favorite activity all day long.

Emma found this blanket in her stroller and brought it upstairs to her baby and immediately wrapped her up and looked at me and said, "Warm".

After wrapping up the baby, she picks her up and hugs and cuddles her.

Grammy and Poppa came to visit for a few days in January. As part of their time here Grammy made Valentine cookies with Emma. They had so much fun!

In addition to the cookies, Grammy and Poppa took Emma to Graeter's for ice cream. I think they fed Emma more ice cream than I ate. She of course thought it was awesome.

Helping Grammy in the kitchen...they made dinner together, soup, rolls, cookies...

January Snapshots

Emma has very much enjoyed having a highchair for her babies and George. She puts them in, folds their hands to pray and then gives them "food".

She loves her Curious George.

First attempt at finger painting. She really enjoyed it.

Second time around she was more adventurous and there was even paint in her hair.

Can you say bed head? Emma's hair in the morning is always a treat, but it was especially amazing on this morning.

Emma is becoming more and more independent. She has recently decided that she would prefer to feed herself which has been quite interesting. She has just about mastered the use of a fork and spoon and does not like when we have to help her with it.

So proud of herself! She just giggles while she is eating. She is so fun!

Our most recent activity has been to get up on the stool and watch the birds, squirrels and cat for extended periods of time. She giggles and talks to the animals outside...so sweet!