Big Girl Glasses

That's what we've been reminding Elyse.  She's wearing big girl glasses!  We call them "big girl glasses" because they no longer have those special cable temples that wrap so neatly around her ears (and, as of late, have caused her earlobes to stick out quite noticeably).  We picked up her new glasses this morning, and she has adjusted without a hitch.  They're snug enough to stay secure, so we are thankful for that!  Emily has already given them a good tug, but they stayed on quite nicely :)  I must say, though it was hard to say goodbye to a couple hundred buckaroos, it is great to see her wearing glasses that fit her!  Her prescription has changed a bit, but nothing too significant.  Elyse has a little book entitled "What Will I Be Today?"  Each page is a profession, and of course, she loves the Eye Doctor.  She did inform me today, however, that she'd like to be a boat when she grows up.  Hmm...  

Yay for purple glasses!!!

Eight Great Months

Emily is just not allowed to be eight months old!  Em's had a busy month of learning all sorts of things, most of which keep us laughing.  She lives up to the reputation of being sweet & spunky, and she's always surprising us with the funny little expressions she makes or the goofy things she does.  I'm cherishing these simple months with her (the months that don't yet involve mobility), as I'm not sure how long they'll last.  This month, Emily learned to sit on her own.  That might be the highlight of her month as far as milestones go, but she has definitely been having fun.  She's been rolling over both ways more often, and she'll pull her knees under her, but only if she's getting tickled.  She LOVES her toys.  She will fight for the toy she wants, and she will also let out a nice screech when she doesn't get it.  Her latest antics include bopping to music & pulling off her left sock consistently.  She'll almost always leave her right sock alone, but that left one must have some significance.  She's living up to my mother's "hunch" that all 2nd daughters on our side of the family are left-handed (me being one of them).  We'll see!  She's discovered that she can make fun sounds like, "ra-ra-ra" and "ba-ba-ba."  She's said a few "da-da"'s, but nothing consistent in calling our names yet.  She's back to sleeping through the night after our rough patch, and it does Mommy good!  She's still up by 7am, but I'll take it.  Her bedtime right now is typically around 6:30, and she's still holding on to that evening nap most days.  Speaking of bedtime, she gets all riled up at bedtime.  I'm not sure how this got started, but she thinks that every time she goes down to bed, it's play time :)  She usually just starts laughing, and then she  immediately rolls over to play.  I usually can't resist tickling her a few times, and I always feel badly leaving her there.  Elyse steps in and does her fair share of entertaining, though, so I'm not sure why I feel badly  :)  Emily is a good eater, and I can tell she's going to be a fan of fruit!  She's fairly patient, too, which is handy when I'm getting interrupted by a certain other little girl at times.  Em just has two bottom teeth at this time, but I have a feeling more could be on the way.  Okay, I know they're on the way, but... you know.  Here are some of my current fun's and not-so-fun's for this age:

fun's:
* Em can sit up now in the bathtub!  Let the fun begin!
* I love, love, love going to get her up from a nap.  Smiles galore!
* She still scrunches up her face and most of her upper body when she knows she's going to get tickled :)

* Em still cracks up at almost whatever Elyse does.  Love that!
* She's into clapping things together- the best is watching her face as she does it.. it's like she's holding her breath.
* Em's so ticklish just about everywhere.
* She's not spitting up nearly as much as she used to.  YAY!
* She loves bath time, and lately her newest trick is to eat the bubbles.  Yum.
* She plays with her feet whenever possible.
* Emily still fidgets all the time, which is so funny to me!  Her fingers are always moving.
* This should be under the not-so-fun category, but she gets so startled when Jordan sneezes or coughs (which he's been doing a lot of lately), and it's hilarious to watch her jump!
* She's started twirling her feet like little windmills.  This means nothing, but it's something I did as a baby, too :)  I'm so thankful that I could pass on such a special trait to both of my daughters.  Ha.

not-so-fun's:  
* I'm not sure how intentional it is, but Em is pretty persistent in getting my attention when I leave the room.  If Elyse is playing with her, she's fine.  BUT, if she's alone & figures it out, she is NOT a happy camper.
* As snoopy as she's getting, she's not nearly as much of a cuddle-bug as I'd like :(  When she had the flu last week, however, I enjoyed every minute of the times she'd just crash on me.
* Emily does have a temper.  I'm sure she got that from me, but we can always blame Adam & Eve.
* Emily is starting to get on Elyse's nerves a bit.  Can't say I blame Elyse, but it's just been a good opportunity for Mommy to teach Elyse a lot about sharing.  I have to laugh, as I know it's only the beginning.  Emily's hands just grab at EVERYTHING.
* We about have a world war on our hands when we need to wipe Emily's nose.  2 weeks ago, this was not an issue.  After her recent bout of flu, she has turned on us.  BAD NEWS.
* My baby is getting big.  Seriously, I wish I could bottle her at this age, but I say that about every age :)

We love you, Emily Mae!

You keep us guessing & laughing,

and we love you to pieces!  

Satisfied

I've had a lot of time for reflection over the last 7 days.  Our house has been plagued by flu, and despite the "great" excuse to be home together as a family for the last week, I've found that it's been anything but fun.  You'd think sitting on the couch with my hubby watching a movie after the girls are in bed would prompt the nice, quiet conversation we look forward to on an evening with nothing but time.  Instead, our conversations run along the lines of, "Can you please pass me a Kleenex?" or, "what time did you last take cough medicine?"  Times like those make me so thankful for health on a regular basis.  My girls have been struggling to stay happy & awake, and we've gone through more tissues around here than seems humanly possible.  I've missed talking with my husband, being with others, and I've missed giggles from my girls.  Okay, though this might sound like one big WWWhhiiinnnnnnnee, I must say that times like this have the power to renew perspective.  I only had one day of sickness (unlike my dear husband, who has been laid up for four days & counting), and I found that I genuinely missed caring for my girls during those 24 hours.  Times like this remind me even more of what a privilege it is to take care of my family.  BUT, beyond that.  I am so thankful for the grace to say that I'm not looking for satisfaction in health or happiness.  I've already found it in Christ... and keep finding it in Christ.  Mommy's been doing a lot of singing to her girls this week.  We've been rocking & cuddling on the couch, and I've had lots of opportunities to sing over my girls.  And as I listened to this song by Matt Maher today, I am unspeakably grateful that God sings over me.  Wow.

      Sing Over Your Children

I flirt with the world

It steals my love for You

My fear grips my faith

And I am left unmoved

Your gaze stops my heart

Your voice fills the dark

Your love is the spark that lights this life

So we rise

Out of the depths you cry

"Come and be satisfied!"

Father, you sing

Father, you sing over Your children

You quiet the storm

Inside my shipwrecked soul

Your Spirit will lead

It calls the wayward home

At the sound of Your name

Our sin is washed away

In Christ we're crucified

In You we die, in You we rise

Out of the depths you cry

"Come and be satisfied!"

Father, you sing

Father, you sing over Your children

Let us see through Your eyes

We are Your great delight

Father, you sing

Father, you sing over Your children

And we're singing along

Your daughters and sons

We're singing Your song

We are Your children.

Welcome, Owen Isaiah!

My new nephew arrived this morning, and he couldn't be cuter.  He came just over 3 weeks early, but he seems to be doing just great!  I'm so happy for my sister, as I know her girls will love having a little brother...  just as she and I did many, many years ago.  And, he's a better man because of us.  *cough, cough*  Anyway, I'm so thankful he's here safe and sound.  I can't wait to hold this little guy in April!

More Snippets

* We've had the flu all week.  We're not better.  I'll leave it at that.

* My husband was a wonderful nurse on Monday, and not only did he man the house, care for the girls stupendously, but he also took Elyse to the library, grocery shopped, and even bathed the girls.  I am impressed :)  He also brought home...

Yes, what a guy.

* Elyse had two appointments this week: pediatrician & ophthalmologist.  She did poorly for one, and okay for the other.  I found out she is 75% in both height and weight, and she apparently despises those who examine her ears, nose and mouth.  At the ophthalmologist, however, she requires a new prescription, and she tolerated getting her eyes dilated fairly well.  Who would have thought that someone looking in her ear was more offensive than someone pouring drops in her eyes?

* Lesson learned the hard way: The eye doc gave Elyse a special pair of "disposable" sunglasses to sport around while we made our way home (the sun was shining rather brightly).  Anyone who has had their eyes dilated knows that it can be very uncomfortable to navigate sunshine without sunglasses.  She looked absolutely hilarious in these things (as you can see), but I was determined to make them fun for her, if possible.  We had lots of "don't take off your special glasses" talks on our way out of the office, to the car, in the car seat, etc... and I was almost convinced she would heed my wisdom.  Nope.  As soon as we got on the highway, her glasses were on the floor, and we were a long ways from home.  She was VERY happy when I put them on in our driveway so we could wear them the 25 feet to the house.

* Emily Mae learned to "bop" today.  She's groovin' to tunes & grinnin' like crazy.  Oh, yes, we encourage it!  She may still look a bit like Rudolph with her bright red nose, but she's as cute as can be.

* Tonight, the three of us girls sat down on the couch to sing some bedtime songs.  I started singing "Jesus Loves the Little Children" and at the same time, Elyse suggested, "Away dinda Manger!"  I had already started singing my song, so I continued (I know, so mature).  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Elyse close her eyes slowly and let her head fall dramatically to her chest as she let out a huge sigh.  :)

* Elyse has been telling me "sweet dreams!" as I leave her room at night.  I love it.

* Emily has been giving me sweet dreams by sleeping like a champ, despite being sick!

* I have been stretched a LOT during these days of sickness.  I am reminded of how blessed we are with health on a regular basis.  I'm also reminded of what true love looks like.  I'm learning how sinful I am & how beautiful God's grace & favor are towards me ALL the time.  All he has shown me is grace, love and mercy.  Wow.

* This post is noticeably missing more pictures, but it's for the best.  We're lookin' a little shabby these days.  Maybe the flu shot isn't a bad idea after all?

Suzy's Zoo

I resorted to keeping track of the girls' info/funnies on a calendar hanging in their room.  As I was meandering through the dollar section at Target a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a Suzy's Zoo calendar that was just the style I wanted to use for 2011.  It was only a few days later that the irony hit me.  I often think of my small domain as Suzy's Zoo :)  Here are some of our happenings of late:

* We had such a wonderful Christmas.  We headed up to Indiana to celebrate with my parents, as it had been way too long since we joined them for Christmas.  It was just awesome, marked only by the not-so-fun absence of my sister and her clan... staying put while they wait for the arrival of their little guy, due ANY DAY.  Have I mentioned how excited I am?!?!  

* I've got another niece/nephew in the oven, courtesy of my sweet sister-in-law, Bethany (I guess I should give Seth some credit, too :) !  I am so ecstatic, I can hardly stand it.  

* The girls have LOTS of new entertainment around the house, after such lovely gifts came their way.  Elyse is enjoying all of her toys so much, and as a result, so is Mommy!  Emily is enjoying them, too- she loves to play with just about anything she can get her hands on.

* Em is finally sitting up!  It's so fun to see her sit up so straight with such a concentrated expression on her face.  She has her fair share of topples, but she's doing pretty well.

* Elyse has started asking where "Baby Daddy" is.  What?  Not sure how that came about, but I have a feeling it goes hand in hand with Baby Emily.  Poor Jordan :)  Thankfully, she hasn't made it a permanent label, but it's sure to get a laugh out of Mommy.

* Elyse has another fun phrase, "I like that!"  She will comment that she likes that song, or that cd, or even that breakfast :)

* Jordan so graciously shared with Elyse that Mommy and Daddy "make out."  Thank you, hun.  Today I listened to Elyse repeat, "Mommy?  Daddy and Mommy make OUT, Mommy, Daddy and Mommy make OUT!!!"  Why do I have a feeling that will come back to bite him?

* Emily is jabbering all the time these days.  She's into saying "ra-ra-ra" and has even let out a couple of "da-da" noises.  It's so fun to watch her enjoy her voice!

* Elyse describes everything lately as "little, tiny" OR "big, big, big, big."  She doesn't always get them right, though, and lately our bed has been the little, tiny bed.  The other day she noted that Elyse was big, big funny :)  AGREED.

* Elyse is also into making everything take a nap.  Her milk takes a little, tiny nap, and so does her blanket.  She loves to see Daddy resting on the couch (which doesn't happen very often, much to his chagrin) and note that "Daddy's takin' a snooze!"  

* Speaking of blankets, Elyse has really started to get clingy with blankets.  She doesn't have a favorite, but they seem to be the new companion.  If she's sad, she immediately asks for a blanket.  If we're sitting on the couch together, she MUST have a blanket present.  I'm not sure if this is normal for a 2 year old, but it sure is funny.  Thankfully, we've still been able to leave the house without them :)

* Elyse has also learned to ask us to sit by her.  She says, "Sit-a-by-a you, Mommy, sit-a-by-a you!"  She pats the floor, just to make sure we get it :)  

* Emily is really turning into a clown.  Seriously, she's just waiting to goof off with someone!  I sure am curious as to what personality this little gal will develop.  She seems to be a stinker!

* Em cut her first two teeth while we were up in Indiana (it's always something, right?) - the first bottom tooth on Christmas Day, and the second bottom tooth 2 days later.  It could have been worse, and we only ended up with one night of sadness.

* Jordan and I both got sick on the tail-end of our trip, and we had to delay our departure a day to make sure we were road-worthy :)  Thankfully we made it home in one piece.  Rats, another day at Mom's and Dad's. :)  

* Tonight, Emily was sitting in her high chair, playing with a rattle while I got her dinner ready.  She dropped the rattle (NOT unusual), and Elyse walked right over, picked it up and handed it to Emily.  I make sure I went right over to Elyse to tell her what a kind gesture that was, and how kindness shows love to Emily...  Anyway, Elyse got a shy little expression on her face, reached over for the rattle, threw it on the floor, picked it up, and handed it back to Emily.  Yes, she then looked at me with great anticipation for praise :)  Back to SQUARE ONE.

* We hung out with friends on New Years' Eve until after 2am.  Seriously, that might be a personal record since mommy-hood.  I definitely paid for that later.  These two didn't get the memo that Mommy would have loved to sleep in :)  Happy New Year!!!

Was it really?

Two years ago?  Really?  Did I really give birth to my sweet Elyse Noelle two YEARS ago?  I'm amazed, because it really does seem like yesterday that I held her for the first time in my arms.  I still remember her dark eyes peeking up at me as we met.  I will never forget that night.  If you are incredibly curious as to how we spent Christmas Eve 2008, click here.  For the other 99.99% of you, I'll give you a quick (or not so quick) update on what Elyse is up to these days.  

* She loves to talk.  Can't say enough about how much she loves to talk.  Her favorite phrases are:

- Like that? (said when she accomplishes something noteworthy)
- Wanna bite?
- Be right back! (said as she darts through rooms)
- Hoppu, Mommy?  (I THINK this is a form of "help you" or something like that. . . said when she just can't do something herself)
- Go poopy on potty, get caaaannnnddddyyyyy.
- Mommy, where's Emmie?  What's Emmie doing?  Shhh.... Emmie's taking a tiny nap.
- Be nice, Mommy, be nice!!! (said when she is pleasant in any way towards any person)
- Do not throw, Mommy, do not throw! (said whenever she goes to sleep in reference to her blankets)
- Do not spit food, Mommy, do not spit food! (said whenever she's eating)
- Do not scream, Mommy, do not scream! (said whenever she's tempted to get loud)
- Do not crumble, Mommy, do not crumble! (said whenever she's eating crackers or bread)
- Do not use fingers, Mommy, do not use fingers! (said whenever she's eating applesauce or yogurt)
- I need to OOOOOOBEY! (said whenever she's tempted to disobey)
- Mommy, I see the moon!
- That's REALLY, REALLY, REALLY _______  (hot, yummy, cold, big,...)
- Mommy, when's Daddy get home?

As you can probably tell, she's really into reminding me of how much she remembers about our little house rules :)  She hasn't figured out, though, that when she runs into the kitchen to say "Do not touch computer, Mommy, do not touch computer!" as she shakes her finger at me, that I can usually surmise that she has, indeed, already touched the computer, thus explaining the music playing.  She loves to review our little rules in almost every setting, with great emphasis on what the consequences are for disobedience.  Oh, my.

* Elyse has been taking about a 3 hour nap in the afternoon, and she isn't playing nearly as much at bedtime before she falls asleep.  I wonder if she's going through a growth spurt, because she's eating a TON.  Her favorite foods are raisins, pears, grapes, oranges, peas & peanut butter.

* She loves to play games like peek-a-boo, "I'm gonna get you," and "tickles."  She's into hiding things she's playing with and then asking me, "Where'd blanket go?"  Lately, she's been hiding her food, which isn't so fun.

* She's getting pretty used to having Emily to play with, and Em is the first person she asks for when she wakes up these days.  When Em's sleeping, Elyse is devastated and has even cried :(  She loves to help bathe her in the tub & gets so tickled when Emily kicks at her.  She will get right up in her face and whisper her name over and over again.  Emily (needless to say) LOVES it.

* Elyse still loves listening to music.  She's pretty timid about singing herself, but she'll usually sing a line or two before getting terribly shy.  She loves Happy Birthday, and today we sang happy birthday to Elyse's blanket & Emily's eyes.  The things you do when you're trying to hold off a post-bathtime meltdown...

* Elyse is enjoying her crayons & her play-doh much more.  She will spend lots of time sorting her crayons and trying to identify the colors.  We have a lot to work on in that department :)  Everything is purple.  Shapes are very interesting to Elyse.  She'll point out circles, triangles, and rectangles everywhere.  Sadly, many of them aren't what she says they are, but that's okay :)

* We've read her books to her so many times, she can finish about every phrase.  I think she's just starting to figure out what the "words" mean, and it's fun to see her face light up when she puts two and two together.

Some of my favorite moments with Elyse:

* I am enjoying having her "help" me in the kitchen.  She'll pull a chair over to the counter and watch as I cook or bake.  If I let her help, she's ALL OVER that project.  AND, the project is ALL OVER her :)

* I love hearing her say "let's cuddle" as she drags her blanket over to me.  I pretty much drop everything.

* There are times she wakes up from a really deep sleep during a nap, and she's very distraught (aka "ticked off").  She'll let me rock her for a long time.  I love that she'll just hug me and talk quietly to herself :)

* I love going in to get her after a nap (where she wakes up happy :) and hearing her just jabber randomly about every object she sees in her room... sometimes she'll randomly end with, "Hi, Mommy!"

* This is actually a Daddy-moment, but I love when he bundles her up before bedtime just to take her outside to look up at the moon.  Not only does it melt my heart, but it makes her day.  She'll talk all throughout breakfast the next morning about how she saw the moon and the stars with Daddy.

Some funnies from Elyse:

* She thinks her "body" is her "bottom."  Well, .... Along those lines, every medicine in our house is apparently for her bottom.

* When she has a successful "moment" on the potty, I make a huge, stinkin' huge, deal of it, and I know I say her name over and over again as I praise her.  She will run around saying her own name and waiting for me to hug her :)

* Elyse can make this horrible, fake whining noise when she's just not getting her way, but the best is when I catch her intermittently doing this fake whine and then whispering to herself, "It's okay, It's okay" as if she's soothing a baby.

* She loves to compare things, so if she sees a circle, she'll say, "That's like a sucker!" As we were reading her "Naughty Little Monkeys" book the other night, she pointed out that the naughty monkeys were like Adam and Eve :)

* She loves to see when people are clapping.  It could be on the television, or in person, but she'll always say, "They're crapping, Mommy, they're crapping!"

* Jordan was holding her and she pointed to a mole on his bare chest and said, "That's Daddy's button!  That's Daddy's button, right there!"

Newborn Elyse :) 

Elyse at 6 months

Elyse at 12 months

First Birthday!

Elyse at 18 months

We sure do love this little curly-haired girl.  Every once in a while as I'm sitting at the dinner table feeding two little girls (and myself if I'm lucky) while Jordan's at work, it will hit me just how blessed I am to get to take care of these cutie-pies.  I can't imagine what life would be like without Elyse and the fun she brings to every day.  We pray that someday she won't hate me for giving birth to her on Christmas Eve... and even more, that she'll grow to love Jesus & think of HIM every time we celebrate her birthday.  We love you, Elyse Noelle!  

Happy 2nd birthday!

So, as Jordan put Elyse down for her afternoon nap after the "party," she jabbered on and on about "lotsa fires on the cake, Daddy, lotsa fires!"  

7 months old

Emily is 7 months old today!  She's celebrating by blowing raspberries & playing with her toes.  That's the life, isn't it?  We haven't had nearly as much going on this December (as in years previous), and I've found that I have really enjoyed playing with my girls.  Emily is really interacting with us more, and I've enjoyed watching her facial expressions as she starts discovering the wonderful world of textures, noises, sounds and tastes.  We're well into the food sphere these days, but she eats quite daintily and takes her food in small portions.  She is not a fan of sweet potatoes, but enjoys her green vegetables (for now!).  Honestly, I think she tolerates bananas, but I'm looking forward to introducing her to a wider variety of fruits soon.  She has mastered the art of pursing her little lips with an impish look that says, "I'm done, Mom.  Seriously."  Some of my highlights with her have been during Elyse's afternoon nap; we usually get 30-45 minutes of quiet time together, and I so enjoy playing with her & just trying to make her giggle :)  She loves to watch Elyse still, and I think she wouldn't know what to do without such great entertainment!  Emily is getting feisty, though, and several times Elyse has come up to me whimpering, not wearing her glasses... sure enough, Emily's over on the floor gnawing on them...  It is rather funny to me, but Elyse puts up with it pretty well.  They still love each other to pieces.  Emily has (SADLY) brought back the crack-of-dawn feeding, which saddens me, but I'm hoping it will be gone soon enough.  I am dealing with an entirely. different. personality than my eldest, so I hope to learn a great deal this time around about flexibility and patience :)  For now, I just try to enjoy the times I have with her when everyone else is asleep....  No, I'm not jealous.  I see signs of new little teeth, so I'm hoping they pop through without too much of a fuss.  Emily is trying to sit up, but still topples very frequently.  Her hair is still a crazy mess, and I often see her sleeping at night holding a fistful of hair at the top of her head.  She can almost roll from her back to her tummy, but she hasn't accomplished that yet.  She will scoot around as she needs to, but she still hasn't tried to get up on those little knees of hers.

fun's:
* watching Em play with her toes.  quite possibly the cutest baby gesture out there.
* okay, rubbing her eyes is a close second :)
* hearing her play after waking up from a nap in her crib
* watching her face light up when Elyse comes storming in the room
* bath time is so fun these days - Em loves kicking!
* her faces when she tries new foods... hilarious!
* I've found she's very ticklish!  .. under arms, behind her knees, her sides, back...  the list goes on :)
* she is into making a gargling noise that is just intense
* she's into making silly noises in response to silly noises
* I can tell she's going to be a little clown.  she'll play games with us when we put her to bed & get all goofy over the silliest things!
* pigtails!

not-so-fun's:
* blowing raspberries while eating her veggies (okay, it's kind of fun...)
* *ahem* this special morning feeding!
* she chews and drools on EVERYTHING
* she still won't extend the time between eating much past 3.5 hours
* though she's still a fairly sound sleeper most of the time, she's starting to wake up more often when a certain big sister of hers decides to make some noise :)
* Em loves her toys & gets rather upset if she can't get a grip on her favorite toy
* I actually heard her shriek in anger the other day.  I laughed, but I probably should be scared :)
* she's into that "just-put-me-down" stage... sometimes she just wants her BED.  Not Mommy.

We love you, Emily Mae!

You definitely add so much sweetness to every day.

We're still here...

It's been longer than usual since I posted anything, but we are still alive and well.  Well, three of us are well.  One of us (my sweet eldest) is recovering from a yucky stomach virus.  That, unfortunately, makes all things yucky.  She is breakin' my heart with the "Mommy hugs" as she follows me around the house with her blanket, and I have taken many moments to cuddle with my girl.  We have pushed the pause button on potty training for these days (is it bad that I'm loving the small break?), and I know it's for the best, for many reasons :)  Here are some random things that have been going on.  Most of them are horribly boring.  BUT, they are still on my mind, so perhaps they're worth noting?

* We had our first snow Saturday night.  It really only left us a dusting, but it was wintery and fun while it lasted.  We hit a local parade that evening, and it was quaint to see the flakes falling on our way to the sights. Elyse was astounded by the marching bands (her jaw just dropped), and Emily had the time of her life squealing and squawking throughout the parade (I know it was more about getting to stay up late than the powerful parade scenery).

* I am back at making baby food.  I'm amazed how not a big deal it is this time around.  I am so glad.  Em loves eating and is getting better at it all the time.  Her favorite combo is peas & rice.  Yum??

* Elyse has entered a new phase of spitting food out.  Most of the time, it's just for fun.  She then likes to play with it on her plate.  Seriously, it's SO gross.  She isn't getting away with it, but if I catch her after stepping out of the room, I almost just have to stare at what a strange sight it is.  Wow.

* I am getting so excited for Christmas!  I got a large portion of our Amazon.com order today, and it was so fun to see what came.  I am excited to be with my parents & brother & sis-in-law for Christmas this year. . . AND, for Miss Elyse's 2nd birthday!

* The girls are really amused by each other these days.  Elyse LOVES to get right up in Emily's face and get a reaction.  Thankfully, she's getting smiles in response to that, but someday she might get a smack from Em?  When I watch them, it's like watching little secrets pass between them.  I know it's only the beginning of sister language :)

* I've started giving the girls baths together most nights, and although Elyse doesn't get to have a mountain of bubbles when Emily's in there (I think we'd lose her!), she seems to like the extra entertainment.  Getting the girls ready for bed in tandem is always interesting, but it sure is fun.

* Emily is finding her impatient voice.  It is hilarious, but so LOUD.  Elyse then thinks that she's allowed to be so expressive, and I think she's thinking about how unfair I am... :)

* Bedtime has been hilarious lately.  Emily can now scoot to whatever position is most convenient to watch Elyse's antics.  Sometimes even after Elyse is passed OUT, Em will still be waiting in there for giggles.

* Emily went through this stage just before she turned 6 months old that I don't want to repeat.  She was up several times a night for weeks, and just a week or so ago, she stopped.  Thank you, Emily!  I sure hope it was a growth spurt.  We still see no signs of teeth.  I can't believe she's almost 7 months old.

* Jordan and I enjoyed a nice night out on Monday.  We've started swapping more with A&I, and I hope we can keep it up.  We enjoyed dinner, shopping & a hot chocolate date.  I love my husband.  Seriously, I do :)

* We bought Elyse a new pair of glasses last week, and I about cried when I put them on her.  We didn't have a ton of options to choose from, and though I like the actual glasses, they seem WAY too old for her.  I have a feeling I'm going to say that about any pair that isn't pink with cable temples :)  We still have some "adjustments" to make on them, but she'll probably be wearing them soon.  This pair she's wearing is about to just pop off her head.  She also quit calling "glasses" "goggies," and I'm so sad about that.  She now says "glasses" clear as a bell.  *sigh*

* I can't believe 2011 is right around the corner.  I am amazed by what God has done this year.  He is so very good, in "good" times and in "bad."  I sometimes feel like I'm a little "Emily": just learning to digest the amazing things about him.  Each little taste I have of his grace is such a wonderful reminder that this life is NOT about me.  And, as much as I love my family, it's not about them, either.  It's about Jesus.

Almost 2

I can officially say Elyse is almost two years old.  Where to start?!?  Elyse is very much almost two.  In many ways, I'm reminded of just how big she is getting, and in many ways, I'm reminded of what a little baby she is :)  Jordan and I are both loving this stage so much more than we ever expected.  I just love wondering what she'll come up with next, and she is very good at surprising us!  I'm sorry ahead of time for listing all this stuff.  I just don't want to forget it all!  Here are some of the most recent things she's been up to:

* She tries to count, and each number is long and drawn-out... It usually goes: "Ooonnneeee, tttwwwoooo, sevvveeenn, eeeiigghhtt, nine ten."
* Her new favorite phrases are "right there" (as in, Daddy's nose: right there), "GOOD job, Elyse" (yes, she totally praises herself), "that's okay" when she messes up, "go poopy on potty get sucker" is a classic around here, and "that's a no-no" is repeated often.
* She loves her blankets & any and every stuffed animal.  She'll drag them around the house and can be found randomly cuddling with her blankets in any room.  She's a big fan of cuddling these days, and there's no way I can say NO to cuddle time!
* She loves to put on make-up like Mommy.  Oh, no.  Every little toy is some sort of lotion and can be rubbed all over her hair and face.  I love that you don't have to teach girls this stuff :)  They want to be just like Mommy...
* Elyse's imagination is coming alive.  She loves to pretend to do things, especially when it comes to food.  She'll constantly be asking us if we want a bite of something unknown...?  She has enjoyed her little dollhouse so much recently... perhaps because she's in the process of teaching dolly how to poop on the potty?  I even see her showing dolly how.  Wow.

* Elyse is still very sweet with Emily. Don't get me wrong- we have our moments, but she really does love to watch Emily and make her smile.  I'm thankful, as I know their "days" are coming :)
* She's getting to the point where she'll eat just about anything, and that's fun.  I'm glad she's finally grown to like citrus, as I'm a big fan of oranges this time of year!
* When she talks seriously, she'll wag her finger around and adopt an Italian accent: "Go-a-bye-a-bye" for whatever phrase she wants to say.  I'll see her "teaching" her stuffed animals things about "no-no's" and other important life lessons, all the while, shaking her finger at them.
* She loves to ask for "tickles" and to play "get you" (the game that starts with the phrase "I'm going to get you...!").
* Elyse is genuinely a goof.  I never expected to have a little clown on my hands, but she loves to just be goofy and get attention for her goofiness.  We, of course, are happy to oblige :)
* She loves singing, but she still won't try singing more than a phrase or two before she gets all shy on me....
* She talks nonstop, and hearing the phrases that come out of her mouth make my day.  Most recently, was, "Mommy?  Daddy is busy.  Mommy is busy.  Elyse is busy."  Oh, really?  She has added the word "too" to her vocab, so she loves to tack than on just about anything.  

* She's making some progress in the potty-training department, but we're definitely not THERE yet.  I sure hope she's learning something.  I know Mommy is. 
* We went to the library together for the first time this month, and she really enjoyed it.  She kept reminding me to "be quiet" because "Emmie is sleeping."
* Elyse loves school buses and the moon.  She talks about them all the time, and even reminds me that God made them :)  Some of my favorite moments are watching her face light up when she sees either one. Nothing like seeing the wonder in a toddler's face!
* She loves using adjectives whenever she can, like "big, big, big head" or "yummy, yummy, yummy grilled cheese."
* She would rather be around older kids than kids her own age.  They annoy her for some reason?  One the other hand, SHE annoys the older kids :)
* She is working hard to master walking up and down stairs.  It takes a lifetime to get in and out of our house sometimes, but I know it will be worth it!  She's a bit behind the game on this one AND in learning how to sit in a chair without having to back into it 5 feet out.

* She is working on the art of distraction when it comes to getting caught in disobedience.  She'll usually light up and wave "hi, Mommy!" to me.  The other thing she'll do is just randomly start counting (you know, counting without the numbers 3-6) as if she's doing something productive.  She'll also say, "thank you, Mommy, welcome, Mommy!"  I hope she's learning that those tactics only serve to make Mommy have to hide her smile.  :)
* Elyse doesn't hate her car seat as much now that she is able to recognize things around her.  I usually hear her identifying everything she can from the back seat.  We talk about everything from bridges to trees to birds.
* She desperately needs bigger glasses, but we're trying so hard to make it to the end of the year!!
* She told me today that God made her potty.  Amen.  Let's use it then, dear!

I'm so thankful for this girl.  These 23 months with her have been so fun.  We've definitely had our CHALLENGING moments, but I know that won't end for many many years.  She constantly reminds me of the simple joys in life, and I've learned a lot from parenting this little gal.  I know the fun's only beginning, in many ways, and I get excited about doing this stage all over again with Emily.  I really am going to miss this when they're grown!  We love you, Miss Elyse!  

The wonderful world of solids.

Welcome, Emily!  Enjoy :) 

6 whole months.

Half of a year has gone by since sweet Emily Mae joined our clan.  I am seriously in disbelief.  I have no idea where these six months went, but I have a feeling I will grow to miss them greatly.  Emily has drastically changed the dynamic of our family, but she has definitely changed it for the better.  I have enjoyed watching her grow and change, and every now and then I see glimpses of what she will be like as a toddler.  I can almost predict she'll be a spunky one :)  As I've posted before, Em gave us a crazy introduction to the world of 2 kids, but she has settled into a very easy routine.  I am just starting to see indications that she is getting bored with certain toys that I've abused by giving them over and over to her... I can see that look in her eye when she is annoyed with something, and it makes me laugh.  Jordan and I were talking the other day about "starting over" in training Em.  He commented that it would be much easier if the girls had little USB ports we could use to plug in the latest downloads.  Well, since that isn't happening, I might as well enjoy the next few months with Emily before she gets feisty on me. :)  

Emily loves to put everything in her mouth.  If she can get her shirt, excellent.  If she can get her fist, even better.  Toys will do, too, as long as they're the right texture.  She loves to grab at my face, and I know she's getting close to trying to put that in her mouth, too.  I love seeing her focus on grabbing something... she's trying so. very. hard. to get it - and- oops, missed.  I also love when I see her get distracted and she ends up looking at her own fingers in awe.  Seeing the way her little eyes take in the big world makes me marvel.  I love how she catches her breath when the wind is blowing on her face.  How often I ignore the beauty & wonder all around me.  Emily seems on the small end of the charts to me, still, but I'll know more when I take her in next week for her check-up.  She adores watching Elyse, and Elyse has the most success getting this girl to giggle.  I must say, Emily does not seem quite as free-spirited as her sister was at this age.  She seems much more reserved, and though she loves to "talk" and smile often, she is determined to make us work at getting her to laugh.  I love her flirty smiles and the way she wiggles her eyebrows at us when she's just begging for more attention.  She is still scooting all over her crib, but she has no desire to get on her knees and crawl around :)  She will roll from her tummy to her back once in a while but has not tried rolling the other way yet.

(Don't you love this "I'm sick of pictures" response??  I do.)

Her latest trick is sucking on her bottom lip and blowing raspberries at the same time.  Very funny.  I'll hear her in the next room (where she should be napping) just making her happy noises all to herself.  Though Emily has been a good sleeper, she doesn't like or need to sleep nearly as much as Elyse did, and I'm learning to be okay with that :)  I am starting to believe that Emily has a very high metabolism, as well.  She does not make very many "messes" (if you get my drift), and the pediatrician we saw last evaluated her x-rays and mentioned that Emily just might be metabolizing every last bit of her food.  Little PIGGY.  She would seriously eat all day if I let her.  Not happening.  I still haven't been able to hold her off to four hours between most feedings (which makes me very said if I think about it), but I'm hoping starting her on cereal will help.  Having said that, she has hardly any fat rolls and is just the cutest little string bean out there :)  Hmm... extremely high metabolism seems to run in my family but skipped moi.  How sad.

Here are my fun's and not-so-fun's for this age.  There are so many other things I could list about what Emily is doing, but most of them are details only Mommy and Daddy care about :)

fun's:

* she's ticklish under her chin.  putting her jammies on and zipping them up is always fun :)
* she loves to be teased and lights up when you play peek-a-boo with her.
* I love that she will still fall asleep on me often.  seriously, I could hold her forever.
* Emily has found her thumb, but she still prefers to suck on her index finger knuckle.  strange, huh?
* I love watching her light up when Elyse comes over for kisses or to just say "hi!"
* she holds onto the changing table almost every time she's there as if she might fall off :)
* she loves loves loves to stand (with help, of course :)  this is foreign to me, as big E preferred to SIT.
* she is enjoying "trying" to sit up, but she's still pretty floppy.
* she makes the cutest face when she gets close to a toy with a "face" on it.  her expression seems to say, "why, hello, toy!"
* she can still sleep in the corner of a noisy room, but I know those days are coming to an end!
* I love bringing her into our bed when she's up early- I think that might be my favorite time of day with her, after a long night's sleep.  she is almost giddy.
* My mom has a theory that every second girl on our side of the family will be left-handed.  So far, she's been proven right.  Emily seems to be taking after her mommy :)

not-so-fun's:

* I truly am getting a glimpse of her temper now and then, and it makes me pray hard that she will learn compliance someday soon :)
* I am kind of dreading the start of this food-thing.  I do feel like she needs it, but I will miss the days of not having to pack "meals" for the times we're out.  Welcome back, baby food!
* it's not exactly easy to tote her around in the car seat anymore, especially when Elyse has one of my hands.  THANK YOU, Elyse, for learning to walk, though! :)  I try to utilize my sling or my carrier whenever possible.
* I thought I would have a much easier time leaving Emily in the nursery, or with babysitters, etc... than I did with Elyse.  Actually, it's harder for some reason.  Maybe it's knowing what a dynamic duo they can be :)
* I packed up all the newborn clothes the other day, and I almost cried as I remembered getting most of them only "yesterday."

I have been pondering more and more recently the beauty of this life God grants us.  My girls are such a huge part of God's display of his grace to me and Jordan.  I look into their eyes now and know that someday they will look back at me with older eyes; eyes that have seen more of the world & eyes that know life isn't perfect.  So, for today, I will continue to look into Emily's sweet little wide-eyed face and enjoy introducing her to the beauty of the life around us.  I will enjoy the fact that she doesn't care that mommy hasn't plucked her eyebrows or done her hair...  All she knows how to show is adoration, and I'm fine with that :)  I love being her mommy.  It's been a happy six months, Emily Mae.  You are a treasure!