Thank You, Grammy and Poppa!

Emma learned how to drink from a china tea cup.

Emma and Grammy had multiple tea parties together.

Words cannot express our gratitude to Grammy and Poppa for all of there help surrounding Jonah's birth. Grammy arrived on July 5 and helped with Emma until Jonah was born. Poppa arrived on July 11 to help as well. They took care of Emma, cooked meals, cleaned, did the grocery shopping, and snuggled with Jonah. Emma had a wonderful time with them and we were all sad for them to leave. It was very special to have that time together. Thank you, Grammy and Poppa!

Jonah is Here

We are excited and blessed to welcome Jonah to our family. He was born July 14, 2010 at 3:55 p.m. and was 8lbs, 4oz and 21 1/2in long.

To follow Jonah you can click on the link to his blog in our blog list to the right.

Saturday

Here are a few moments from our day...

We purchased a placemat for Emma today. She is now sitting at the table with us and has been making quite a mess of the table, so we went on an excursion to Target today to get a special placemat. She was able to use it for lunch and after her nap she brought it into the kitchen and said something that I did not understand and I agreed (I know better than that). A few minutes later she was really quiet and I went to check on her. She had taken her placemat to use with her little people. She set up the table and chairs on the mat and was quietly feeding them dinner.

As I was preparing dinner tonight, Emma asked to put on her apron like Mommy and dug out her play butcher knife and asked to get up on the counter to help. She picked up a potato and started "slicing". A very sweet moment. She was confused that her knife was not doing what mine was but she enjoyed "helping". I let her do the rinsing and that was all she needed!

Emma had her first corn on the cob experience this evening. She LOVED it. She went through one cob and asked for more. Very fun!

Mommy and Emma Time

39 Weeks...Come Out, Come Out, Baby!

This week has provided some great opportunities for us to spend quality time together before this baby arrives and rocks Emma's perfect little world. Today we went to the zoo with Emma's friend Margot. Earlier in the week Emma and I spent time with some friends and played outside at the park and at Aunt Amy's. Yesterday she and I went to Panera for a bagel which was a huge treat! In addition to that, we have had some great snuggle time as well as good lunches together at her little table in the kitchen - and NO, there are not any pictures of me sitting in her little chairs. I have been so thankful for this time with Emma to enjoy her and enjoy giving her my full attention.

Yesterday Emma looked at my tummy and said, "Baby, COME OUT RIGHT NOW!!!" So funny. So far her bossing the baby around hasn't worked...we hope the baby will come very soon.

Introducing Our New Blog

We have decided to launch a new blog, in addition to this one, to chronicle the life of the new baby through year one. The hope is that it will hold me accountable to preserving memories for the little one just like I did for Emma. Please take a look!

http://morewoodstales.blogspot.com

A Day in the Life this Summer

The weather has been sooo hot and Emma has been stuck in the house with Mommy most days. We did have the opportunity to go to the pool with Aunt Amy and the kids last week and Emma LOVED the pool and playing with all of the kids. Emma has been really fun and has been playing all day long with her babies and animals. Here are a few pictures to capture everyday life around here right now. Along with that, here are a few of the priceless observations/statements that Emma has come up with recently (I really wish I was doing a better job of keeping track of them).

"Mommy, Daddy at work. Jesus at work today tooo."

"Mommy has a boo boo."
"No, Emma. Those are freckles."
"I hold one..."(and tries to pick one off)
"Emma, they don't come off."
"Why, Mama?"
"Because that is how God made them."
"Jesus put them on Mommy's arm."
"Yes, Emma, He did!"

Emma has been putting all of her babies in the corner behind the recliner and playing there all day long. We made a house/tent today for her to play in. She thought that was so funny.

Emma's "House"

Painting with Daddy

I just liked this picture

Dressing up in Daddy's clothes

Emma put all of her "friends" aka her animals behind the chair and declared that it is the zoo. She spent the entire day telling me that she was going to the zoo.

Each time she went to the "zoo" she took her baby "Lucy" in her cart with her purse.

While at the "zoo" she decided that the ottoman was the train and would sit there with Lucy and say Choo-Choo.

Emma has a table in the kitchen now and is able to eat lunch there. During lunch yesterday she got her teddy out and gave him a plate and spoon and shared her broccoli with him.

Grammy and Poppa's

Emma and I had the wonderful opportunity to spend 8 days in St. Louis with my mom and dad. Aunt Erin and Uncle Ben drove us to St. Louis with them and then Daddy came out on Friday and spent the weekend with us and we drove home as a family. We were busy in St. Louis. Over the course of the week we went to the zoo, went on walks, watched the baby robins in their nest, watered the flowers every day, drank chocolate milk with Poppa every morning after breakfast, went to "Poppa's Church", swinging, swimming, colored, played with chalk, bubbles, and on and on. On Saturday Uncle Andrew, Aunt Abby, and Sammy arrived. Emma and Sammy were so sweet together. They love each other so much and had so much fun playing together. It was sad that their time together was so short. We had an awesome trip! Now we are home and preparing for the baby to come join us. Less than five weeks to go!

Emma enjoyed the time she got to spend in the pool on the porch. Grammy had a special duck waiting for her to swim with and between that and her watering can, she was a happy girl.

Emma braved the water and was very proud that she could swim on her tummy and back. I can't wait to take her to a real pool. I think she will enjoy swimming. Bath time has already become much more interesting.

Grammy had a tea party with her special china tea set. Emma had four cups of tea and a piece of chocolate cake. Since we have been home, she has been getting her tea set out for her and her baby and saying that it is a tea party.

Emma has a lemon obsession. Grammy was very happy to indulge that obsession.

Making cookies. Grammy got a little flustered with Emma's constant snatching of the dough.

Decorating cookies with Grammy.

First blueberry pie. Loved it!

Sharing a moment with Sam before church...who knows what was said. They were in nursery together and so very sweet with each other the whole weekend.

Cousins swimming

Emma and Grammy in front of Grammy's beautiful roses.

As they were sitting together on the sofa, Emma leaned over and kissed Sammy. So cute!

Aunt Erin taught Emma and Sammy Ring Around the Rosy with Poppa's help.

They all fall down! The kids loved it!

Emma loved her time with Aunt Erin. The pigtails make her look so old.

Grammy introduced Emma to chalk. She loved it and would draw something then hop three times and skip then draw something else.