Rainy Sunday

Today was rainy and cold all day, but we didn't want to stay in the house all day, so we decided to go to Discovery Place in Uptown Charlotte for the afternoon. It's a science and nature museum with special kids' sections to explore water, wind, sounds and textures. Mick and I had been to the IMAX theater section years ago, but never to the museum itself. It was fairly crowded--probably because of the weather--but we were glad we went.

There was a lot going on, and we were a little worried that Emily would be overwhelmed, but she just took everything in and seemed to love all the action, even though she frequently looked up to make sure we were closeby.

She definitely isn't shy, and doesn't always understand that she isn't one of the big girls--she just walks right up and joins in if she sees something interesting!

Emily really enjoyed this area--it was gated off and just for toddlers under 3 years old. There were foam blocks, a bridge and playhouse, and this funhouse mirror that she liked prancing in front of a few times.

There was also an aquarium section--nothing as big as a standalone aquarium, but just enough for Emily to be able to explore and see some water creatures!

There were a lot of exhibits that were especially designed for kids, which was nice because even Emily could reach things.

She seemed to love looking at everything in the water.

This was one of her favorite things--each of the little "pebbles" was a light that changed colors, and she was just fascinated with it.

We definitely felt like we made the most of a rainy Sunday!

Perfecting Her Walk

Emily has gone very quickly from a tentative cruiser to a very confident walker almost overnight! I remember one of her teachers at Gateway saying "when she lets go and starts walking, you'll never catch her!" Boy, was she right--Emily is so thrilled with walking that she doesn't want to stop. She'll almost run through the house when she has something to hold on to, but will also walk (a little more slowly, but very solidly) on her own with nothing to hold.

We have a room in the front of the house that we don't use much--we have a lot of her infant toys stored there until we decide what to do with them. The room has kind of turned into her play room because there's so much open space for her, and lots of windows, which she loves.

More Signs of Spring

We've had some really nice weather, reminding us that Spring is right around the corner. The daffodils in the front yard have already started blooming, so Emily and I went outside to pick one the other day. Unfortunately, it didn't last long.

Clapping

This week, Emily started clapping for the first time. She usually likes to hold our hands and clap them together, but now, she's doing it on her own.

It surprised us a little that she didn't clap before now because she's so good at using both of her hands, but she has certainly kept them busy figuring out toys and books!

Chatterbox

Emily is really outgrowing the baby phase and turning into a toddler right before our eyes. She loves to talk, and can now say Mama and Dada--she doesn't always use them correctly, but just hearing the sound melts our hearts! B is probably her favorite letter right now, but she'll copy just about any sound we make, and should provide entertainment galore at her birthday party later this month!

11 Months Old: What's Happening

Emily is growing into such a sweet little girl, and she has the most energetic personality. She is constantly on the move, and although she has walked on her own some this month, she still seems to prefer holding one of our hands or touching something (the wall, our legs, or even Bella) as she walks around the house. Her teachers tell us that she practically runs laps around the classroom at Gateway!

She loves riding in/on anything, including her stroller, the laundry basket or her pink pony on wheels, so we know we need to get her a wagon or car of some sort for her birthday. Climbing is also a favorite activity. We have already bought her convertible car seat--the infant seat can only be used up to 1 year or 22 pounds, and she's almost at both of those. We haven't yet put the new seat in the car, but Emily has been enjoying it in the living room floor for now.

After we realized how much she loved swinging this month, we took her to a different park, where she enjoyed the swings and the slide!

She even made a friend at the park who wanted to push her in the swing.

She loves being outside in general--it seems to excite her and calm her at the same time. She points to everything that interests her as we describe the trees, grass, sky or clouds. We can hardly wait for the spring when she'll be walking around outside and helping us plant flowers in the front yard!

Emily is still working on her eight front teeth. She loves using them--not only to try new foods, but also to chew on just about anything she can get in her mouth!

It's just crazy to think that over the next month, we'll be planning the first birthday celebration!

Sweet Sleep

Finally! Last night, Emily only woke up once, very briefly--and she slept until 7:00 this morning! She was in a great mood when she got up, so we let her climb around and play in our bed.

The sleep was good for all of us, and got our weekend off to a great start!

Long Week!

This has been a tough week for all of us! Emily started waking up several times each night over the weekend, and by Monday morning, we knew something was wrong. She was fussier than usual and seemed uncomfortable. We took her to school Monday morning, but didn't feel good about it, so I called the doctor as soon as they opened to schedule an appointment for her.

Mick went to pick her up, took her to the 11:00 appointment, and found out she had an ear infection in her left ear (it was her right ear last time). They prescribed her amoxicillin again, and had to increase the dosage because she weighs 20 lbs. 14 oz. now! Mick filled her prescription and came home with her for the day.

On Tuesday, I stayed home with her and she had a good day--Emily is such a trooper, and tries so hard to play and have fun, even when she doesn't feel well. It makes us feel even worse for her when we know she's sick.

We had decided to take her to school on Wednesday, but were up with her most of Tuesday night--and she had a fever of 102.3 at around 2 AM, so I stayed home with her again on Wednesday. She was really starting to improve some by Wednesday night, but was still having trouble sleeping. Her cough and congestion (which probably caused the ear infection) seem to be what's keeping her up now.

Thursday, she went back to school and had a good day--this was her transition week to the Beginners class, so we really hated for her to miss so much time, but felt like it was more important for her to be at home and rest. Now we're all getting desperate for some rest! It has really been a long, tiring week.

Time for Spring!

Today was the most beautiful Saturday we've had in a very long time, and we were ready to get outside and enjoy it! We went into the Dilworth area of Charlotte, parked, and started walking.

we strolled several blocks and stopped for lunch, where Emily made a complete piglet of herself. We think she might be getting ready for a growth spurt, because her appetite is increasing dramatically.

Then we went down to Freedom Park--they have a playground with swings, which we thought Emily would really love. We were right--she smiled from ear to ear the entire time!

It was a wonderful day, and we're all ready for spring!

Blueberry Pancakes

Emily is not a picky eater at all, but she has some favorites for sure. This week, I've made blueberry pancakes for her a couple of mornings, and she loves them!

I'm beginning to think she just likes foods that make a huge mess :).

A Scare

Yesterday, my phone rang around 12:15 and it was Gateway. My heart always sinks a little when I see that number on my caller ID--a hundred things run through my mind, and I'm instantly worried about Emily because I know they typically only call when something is wrong.

Julie, the Assistant Director, called and said "Emily is fine, but she fell and busted her lip a little while ago." She transferred me to her classroom, and I talked to Ms. Christina (one of Emily's regular teachers). She told me that Emily was playing with the books, attempting to climb over the book case (it's a small, one-shelf book case that she loves to play with), and as they went to pick her up, she took a nose dive and fell face first on the tile floor.

When I got there to pick her up, her nose had bled a little, and there was a cut on her top gum that looked bloody, but she acted fine. Christina told me there was a lot of blood, but once they stopped the bleeding, Emily took her pacifier and calmed down pretty quickly. She ate well the rest of the day too, so we knew she was okay.

It was a scare for sure, but she's doing great, and doesn't even act like it's sore.

Bubbles

Emily has really started loving bubbles. Her teachers told us several months ago that she got upset when they blew bubbles for the first time, and was still really hesitant, even after seeing them several times.

Sometime over the past few weeks though, she has changed her mind! You probably remember that we are using an all natural bubble bath that helps with her congestion, and it comes with a bubble wand. When she really wants to play a little longer in the bath, we blow bubbles sometimes.

Last night, she was in a playful mood, and even caught one of the bubbles!

As she does with everything, she tried to eat it--so of course, it didn't last :).

Hungry Girl

Emily has decided that black beans are another favorite food. The funniest part is that she gets them all over everything--including her face--which makes it look a little like she has a 5 o'clock shadow!

Our Valentine

Here's the beautiful little valentine Emily made for us at school!

Little Valentine

Emily didn't sleep well last night, and we got up around 3 AM with her--she was really congested and could sleep much better sitting up, so I held her until about 4:30, when Mick took over so I could take a shower and get ready for work. He was able to put her down on our bed, where she slept until almost 7 AM! She's normally already at school by then, but I decided to let her sleep a little extra, and I went in to work a little later.

She woke up feeling great though! She was in a terrific mood, as she normally is in the mornings, so we took some extra time for playing and snuggling :).

Baby Einstein

We really try not to keep the TV on much around Emily, but when it's on, it's usually Baby Einstein! When Emily hears the sound of the TV coming on, she stands up and starts dancing, or gets in a cozy watching position. She just loves it!

This was Sunday afternoon, when Mick and Emily were both mesmerized by Vincent Van Goat :). Gracie wasn't quite as amused.

Helping

Emily loves to be right in the middle of whatever we're doing--Sunday, after we got home from the grocery store, I was putting everything away and had the refrigerator open. I turned around and this is what I saw!

She loves her veggies--she's reaching for the carrots! I think broccoli is her all time favorite food (she'll bypass anything on her tray if there's a floret in sight), but carrots are yummy too.

First Step!

Emily wants to walk on her own so much, and she's getting really close. Yesterday, she pulled up in her room, then let go and took a step by herself! She's pretty steady on her feet, and I think she could keep going, but she seems to surprise herself when she realizes what she's doing. She normally looks around, then either grabs ahold of something or squats down on her knees to start crawling.

Any day now...

Learning "No"

We're trying really hard to reserve "no" for a few very important things (electrical outlets or cords, dog bowls, etc.) just so Emily doesn't hear it all the time. She definitely understands what it means--she normally will turn around and smile the first time she hears it. Then she'll go back and try once more--when she hears no the second time, it's a little more forceful, and she'll either stop what she's doing or she'll stick out her bottom lip and start to cry. She did that yesterday, and Mick felt so sorry for her that he picked her up and apologized for hurting her feelings! Uh-oh, Emily and her Mama have a long road ahead :).

Moving Up

Emily's teachers at Gateway told us the other day that she would be moving up to the next classroom ("Beginners") within the next few weeks. The class she's in now ("Infant 2") is the one she started in, and is for babies between 6-10 months. The ages vary a little based on the individual child's development, and they move up as there's room in the next classroom. There are a couple in her class now who are a little older, and are ahead of her to move up.

It's a little sad, because we've really gotten attached to her teachers, and Emily is so happy with them. On the other hand, it's exciting too--we know she's ready to move up, and we're sure she'll be just as happy in Beginners. It's funny to see the new babies moving up from Infant 1 into her class now--they can't quite sit up on their own, and aren't yet crawling or moving around yet. Just a few short months ago, that was our little Emily!

She's now a speed crawler, and can stand on her own for 10-15 seconds without holding anything. She can walk like a pro by just barely holding onto something for balance, and can now go all the way up the stairs on her own. She hasn't mastered going down though, so one of us stays close behind her.

She also has more new teeth coming in! She now has four coming in on the top, and they seem to be bothering her a little more than the others have. She's been waking up throughout the night some, and we can't figure out any other reason for it. Her favorite remedy seems to be cold water in her sippy cup!