September 2012 - 11 Months Old

Fall is here (even though it doesn't quite feel like it in Phoenix yet) and Emma is almost a year old!  She is getting so big and it seems like she learns something new every day. As of today she weighs 22 pounds.

Emma started standing on her own this month.  It's so funny to watch because she'll use something to stand herself up and then will let go, but once she realizes she's not holding on to anything she sits down.  She uses her push walker to 'walk' around the house now too.

One of Emma's favorite things to do is to play with her doggies, Winston and Jersey.  She talks to them, follows them around and even stands herself up on Winston.  Just this morning she played with each of them for at least 10-15 minutes and it never got old!  They are so patient with her.  When Winston is laying on the couch, Emma will stand in front of him and open up her mouth for kisses.  Mommy and Daddy get kind of grossed out by it, but she loves it!

It is a busy time of year as we get ready for Emma's first birthday, Halloween and a trip to Moline, Illinois for Brendan and Jenny's wedding and to see the John side of the family.  We are doing a Minnie Mouse theme for her first birthday party... she loves the giant Minnie Mouse doll at her daycare so we thought she'd like that.  For Halloween (we're keeping her costume a surprise so check back at the end of October!) we'll get Emma dressed up and take her Trick or Treating for the first time.

Sending love your way from the John family!

August 2012 - 10 Months Old

Emma had a big month in August... it was back to school time on August 8th!  She is back in the Infant Room at the Early Childhood Campus.  One of her teachers is the same as last year, so it was nice to have someone she already knew. During school she plays, listens to music, swings, gets stories read to her, and of course gets her naps in!

Sweet little Emma Grace now weighs 21 pounds and is growing up so fast!  She loves eating her puffs and recently started eating little bits of cut up fruit, like peaches and bananas. We have learned she has quite a sensitive stomach, so we are introducing new things pretty slowly.

Emma is crawling all over the house these days and continues to get faster and faster at getting where she wants to go. She loves standing and pulls herself up on anything and anyone.  Her favorite place to stand is in front of the refrigerator when the door is open!  She also loves cruising around the house in her little car (walker).  Emma learned to clap this month, and when Daddy brought her to 'Meet the Teacher' night at Mommy's school she was clapping as all the teachers were introduced.... it was so cute!

Daddy got Emma her first swing for the patio last weekend and she absolutely loves being outside swinging in it.  She cries when we take her out!  Speaking of Daddy, her favorite word these days is Da-da.  When Daddy gets home from work she squeals Da-da, Da-da and gets the biggest grin on her face. It might even be her favorite time of the day!