That's right, we started blogging one year ago today. Ah, the memories.
In honor of the big day, Emma would like to show you how she claps her hands. Pretend she's clapping for our blogiversary versus her little CD player :)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Evolving
We love Emma's playroom. It's definitely the happiest room in the house. In decorating it, what we really wanted was color, because long winter days can be so dreary. We wanted it to feel like a sunny summer day, but inside.
As she's grown older (not that she's that old!), the room's really grown with her.
There's no longer a rocker in the corner. She's too busy for rocking, unless it's time for a nap or bedtime. Moving it to our bedroom has really opened up the space for her larger toys.
Holiday and "just because" gifts also made us wonder where we were going to store all of her fun things. We snagged this handy (and very sturdy) storage unit at IKEA for under $70.
And, thanks to our kitty's clawing capabilities, the previous foam flooring that was in there had to go. In place of it are rugs that we're so happy with. We decided to put three in the room and to have them not match to keep things interesting to look at. We think it worked out pretty well. Emma can explore and fall as she's figuring out how to crawl and walk and meet the plushness of rugs instead of our hardwood floors. Thanks again, IKEA.
So, those are the changes we've made. Stay tuned, the room is constantly evolving!
As she's grown older (not that she's that old!), the room's really grown with her.
There's no longer a rocker in the corner. She's too busy for rocking, unless it's time for a nap or bedtime. Moving it to our bedroom has really opened up the space for her larger toys.
Holiday and "just because" gifts also made us wonder where we were going to store all of her fun things. We snagged this handy (and very sturdy) storage unit at IKEA for under $70.
And, thanks to our kitty's clawing capabilities, the previous foam flooring that was in there had to go. In place of it are rugs that we're so happy with. We decided to put three in the room and to have them not match to keep things interesting to look at. We think it worked out pretty well. Emma can explore and fall as she's figuring out how to crawl and walk and meet the plushness of rugs instead of our hardwood floors. Thanks again, IKEA.
So, those are the changes we've made. Stay tuned, the room is constantly evolving!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Love At Second Sight
While cleaning out our giant junk drawer basement last weekend, we found Maggie's bed.
It was love at second sight.
Now she sleeps in her bed day and night since it's right next to the heater in Emma's playroom. You may remember she has a thing for heaters during the wintertime (don't we all?). The only disadvantage about being in a baby's playroom is, er, being in a baby's playroom.
Moments like these take a back seat
because "K" (for kitty) is a very important playmate of Emma's. Emma likes to look at books in Maggie's bed
and even pulls herself into the bed so that she can lovingly pet grab "K."
Maggie's really surprised us. Despite Emma getting older and more painful :) to be around, it's as if she knows Emma is learning and gives her a break. Way to go, Maggie Moo.
Blocks
Emma is so busy these days, and her energy is endless!
She rotates between sitting up, rocking on her hands and knees, and rolling around on her tummy. The position she's in definitely reflects what she's doing at the time or what she wants to be doing. If something she wants is in her lap, she sits. If it's close, she gets on her hands and knees and reaches for it. And if it's far away, our baby's on her belly rolling to it. We're literally seconds away from having a crawler.
One of her favorite pastimes is knocking things down, especially her blocks. It's a fun game because the faster we build, the faster she knocks them down. And by the end, there's really no building going on at all because she's figured us out. She's so quick!
Here are some pics of her hanging out in her playroom.
And, laundry? She loves it, too.
She rotates between sitting up, rocking on her hands and knees, and rolling around on her tummy. The position she's in definitely reflects what she's doing at the time or what she wants to be doing. If something she wants is in her lap, she sits. If it's close, she gets on her hands and knees and reaches for it. And if it's far away, our baby's on her belly rolling to it. We're literally seconds away from having a crawler.
One of her favorite pastimes is knocking things down, especially her blocks. It's a fun game because the faster we build, the faster she knocks them down. And by the end, there's really no building going on at all because she's figured us out. She's so quick!
Here are some pics of her hanging out in her playroom.
And, laundry? She loves it, too.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Cooking For One
Making Emma's baby food is something I always intended to do. TB and I love buying local, organic, and fresh food, and if we get to eat it ourselves, we figure why shouldn't Emma get to too?
Then life happened. Busy, nutty, run-around-like-you're-a-chicken-with-your-head-cut-off life. And, baby food making took a back seat to this stuff.
At least it's organic?
Well, once winter break came, we decided we had the time to give making it ourselves a shot. Thankfully, we received a great baby food making cookbook and accessories for our anniversary, and we were already scheduled to hang out with a great cook and all-around helper, my sister.
The menu we decided upon was pretty simple: peas, sweet potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, summer squash, peaches, apples, blueberries, lamb, and turkey.
First we cooked the food,
next we pureed it,
and then we put it into these great little trays (like ice cube trays but with covers) for freezing.
Once the food was frozen, we popped each serving out and into a bag for easy access at meal times.
What struck me most about the food we made was its color! So vibrant in contrast to the canned.
Now, this last picture is special (consider that your warning). It's of meat pureed. And, because you weren't here in person to actually see it, let me assure you that, indeed, it was gross. I'm already a vegetarian, but if I ever had doubts about staying one, all I would have to do is feast my eyes upon this here dead-looking loveliness, and I would be cured. Ok, enough of that. We'll likely pair Emma's turkey with apples or pears. And, we'll probably pair her lamb with prunes or apricots. We're also interested in making her other foods from which she can get protein (e.g., beans).
All in all, baby food making was a blast! Emma's favorite food so far is apples. That is truly amazing to us because she hates the canned version. We think the canned ones taste much more tart than the ones we made for her (Red Delicious). That's an advantage to making your own food, I suppose. You can really tailor what you make to your baby and aren't limited by the options at the store. The food we made will last until April. We're currently using it along with the rest of the canned food that we still have, and we're planning to make more soon. So many good recipes to try!
Then life happened. Busy, nutty, run-around-like-you're-a-chicken-with-your-head-cut-off life. And, baby food making took a back seat to this stuff.
At least it's organic?
Well, once winter break came, we decided we had the time to give making it ourselves a shot. Thankfully, we received a great baby food making cookbook and accessories for our anniversary, and we were already scheduled to hang out with a great cook and all-around helper, my sister.
The menu we decided upon was pretty simple: peas, sweet potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, summer squash, peaches, apples, blueberries, lamb, and turkey.
First we cooked the food,
next we pureed it,
and then we put it into these great little trays (like ice cube trays but with covers) for freezing.
Once the food was frozen, we popped each serving out and into a bag for easy access at meal times.
What struck me most about the food we made was its color! So vibrant in contrast to the canned.
Now, this last picture is special (consider that your warning). It's of meat pureed. And, because you weren't here in person to actually see it, let me assure you that, indeed, it was gross. I'm already a vegetarian, but if I ever had doubts about staying one, all I would have to do is feast my eyes upon this here dead-looking loveliness, and I would be cured. Ok, enough of that. We'll likely pair Emma's turkey with apples or pears. And, we'll probably pair her lamb with prunes or apricots. We're also interested in making her other foods from which she can get protein (e.g., beans).
All in all, baby food making was a blast! Emma's favorite food so far is apples. That is truly amazing to us because she hates the canned version. We think the canned ones taste much more tart than the ones we made for her (Red Delicious). That's an advantage to making your own food, I suppose. You can really tailor what you make to your baby and aren't limited by the options at the store. The food we made will last until April. We're currently using it along with the rest of the canned food that we still have, and we're planning to make more soon. So many good recipes to try!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Guam Isn't Half Bad
So, Emma's finally made it to Guam her crib at night (for the first half, at least)!
Honestly, the process of getting her into her crib went way smoother than we thought it would! We were prepared for some frequent waking and maybe even some crying, but she did great. A tiny bit confused at first, but great. It probably helped that she slept in a handful of places over the course of our Christmas vacation. We took full advantage and started her in her crib as soon as we arrived home so that she wouldn't get used to our room again. That was key, we think.
As for the mama, I miss having her in our room at night. A lot. I sleep with the monitor practically duct taped to my ear, but I imagine that as the days go by, it'll get easier and I'll sleep a little more restfully. Knowing that she is totally ok with it makes it a million times easier for both TB and me.
On the to-do list for this weekend is to drop her crib mattress down a notch because she's learned to pulls herself up! It's adorable and heart attack inducing at the same time.
And, despite still having no teeth, she loves gnawing on her crib railing. How is it that every baby who's ever slept in a crib does it?
We received one of these for Christmas so putting it into place is also on this weekend's to-do list. We're going to stay busy around the house because it'll be over 20 degrees below zero (actual temperature). Try not to be jealous.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Nice To Meet You, Betty
Remember our girl Betty?
As we were leaving town for Christmas, we decided that she was just too big to make the trip with us. We left poor Betty behind, but not without meeting Emma first!
Here's Emma feeling Betty out,
closely examining her,
and deciding that, hey, she's pretty fun!
Now that we're home, Emma is kind of obsessed with her. She can really get Betty rocking! We'll try to capture it on video soon.
As we were leaving town for Christmas, we decided that she was just too big to make the trip with us. We left poor Betty behind, but not without meeting Emma first!
Here's Emma feeling Betty out,
closely examining her,
and deciding that, hey, she's pretty fun!
Now that we're home, Emma is kind of obsessed with her. She can really get Betty rocking! We'll try to capture it on video soon.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Lots of Thanksgiving, Part III
This post is way overdue. It's the third part in a series about our Thanksgiving trip across the country. You may remember that for Thanksgiving this year, our little family traveled to Texas, which is where TB's Dad lives. You can read all about our time there here and here.
The second leg of our journey involved driving home (we flew there), passing through Wichita, the Kansas City area, and Des Moines. It was quite the trip with our baby girl who thinks her car seat can take a hike. Luckily, we have family in all three locations, so the stops were very welcome!
In Wichita, Emma spent some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa, and her second favorite kitty to the Magster, Gracie. Note Emma's cute turkey PJs in her I'm-so-ready-for-bed picture with my Mom - we found some for Christmas, too!
Near Kansas City is where TB's grandparents live. His Mama drove over from Columbia, Missouri so that we could all enjoy lunch together. Here is Emma with her Great Grandma and Grammy.
By the time we hit Des Moines, we were almost home. Des Moines is where my Grandma and sister live. My Grandma has lots of pictures of Emma on her fridge and here she is showing them to Emma.
Aunt Kristen stopped by the morning we left to say hello and keep Emma entertained with tubs of butter and other equally fun toys while we ate breakfast.
And that finally concludes our Thanksgiving trip! We had a blast while we were away and were so thankful to be surrounded by so much family!
The second leg of our journey involved driving home (we flew there), passing through Wichita, the Kansas City area, and Des Moines. It was quite the trip with our baby girl who thinks her car seat can take a hike. Luckily, we have family in all three locations, so the stops were very welcome!
In Wichita, Emma spent some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa, and her second favorite kitty to the Magster, Gracie. Note Emma's cute turkey PJs in her I'm-so-ready-for-bed picture with my Mom - we found some for Christmas, too!
Near Kansas City is where TB's grandparents live. His Mama drove over from Columbia, Missouri so that we could all enjoy lunch together. Here is Emma with her Great Grandma and Grammy.
By the time we hit Des Moines, we were almost home. Des Moines is where my Grandma and sister live. My Grandma has lots of pictures of Emma on her fridge and here she is showing them to Emma.
Aunt Kristen stopped by the morning we left to say hello and keep Emma entertained with tubs of butter and other equally fun toys while we ate breakfast.
And that finally concludes our Thanksgiving trip! We had a blast while we were away and were so thankful to be surrounded by so much family!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
On Absence And Growing Up
As an avid reader of other blogs, there's nothing worse in the blogosphere than an absent blogger.
Pretty much nothing.
So, if you've been checking, re-checking, and checking again for an update, sorry for the long absence. Our little family has been very busy traveling, celebrating holidays such as Christmas and our anniversary (known to some as New Year's Eve), and catching up now that we're home again.
We're back to blogging now.
So much has happened in our absence! Emma has started (might want to hold your jaw in place while reading):
1. Saying "Ma-ma" and "K" (for Kitty). We're working really hard on "Da-da" but we think it may be hard to say. I actually thought she'd say "Da-da" first because I've always heard it is easier for babies to say than "Ma-ma," but a speech pathologist friend said it's actually harder. Who knew?
2. Waving "Hi" and "Bye-bye." Coming and going now takes several minutes because the waving is too stinking much to handle.
3. Signing the word "milk." She's also started getting the giggles when she knows it's time for milk, which is priceless.
4. Drinking water out of a cup, with help. It's what big girls do.
5. Attending Kindergarten in the mornings.
Kidding on that last one. But, really, you'd think Kindergarten was close with how much our baby girl has grown!
She is so sweet and busy and excited.
Pretty much nothing.
So, if you've been checking, re-checking, and checking again for an update, sorry for the long absence. Our little family has been very busy traveling, celebrating holidays such as Christmas and our anniversary (known to some as New Year's Eve), and catching up now that we're home again.
We're back to blogging now.
So much has happened in our absence! Emma has started (might want to hold your jaw in place while reading):
1. Saying "Ma-ma" and "K" (for Kitty). We're working really hard on "Da-da" but we think it may be hard to say. I actually thought she'd say "Da-da" first because I've always heard it is easier for babies to say than "Ma-ma," but a speech pathologist friend said it's actually harder. Who knew?
2. Waving "Hi" and "Bye-bye." Coming and going now takes several minutes because the waving is too stinking much to handle.
3. Signing the word "milk." She's also started getting the giggles when she knows it's time for milk, which is priceless.
4. Drinking water out of a cup, with help. It's what big girls do.
5. Attending Kindergarten in the mornings.
Kidding on that last one. But, really, you'd think Kindergarten was close with how much our baby girl has grown!
She is so sweet and busy and excited.
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