10 Months

 To say that Emmarie might be getting opinionated would be like saying that a hurricane usually brings a little rain.  While feeding her last week, Mom tried to get her to eat her squash.  She likes squash.  I would venture to say that it might be one of her favorite vegetables.  The problem was that Emmarie was not interested in having any vegetables at that moment.  So with every bite that we made her eat, she would let out a piercing scream that would put a banshee to shame.  Mom decided that as a grandma it was her prerogative to switch to fruit to see if that would suit the complex palette of the baby a little more favorably.  As soon as mom gave her a bite of the applesauce, she was instantly transformed into a smiling baby.  I.  AM. NOT. EXAGGERATING.  Instantly, she was transformed.  We thought this was funny, so we decided to try another bite of squash. She started screaming again like we were beating her.  Then we gave her a bite of applesauce and she laughed out loud at us.  Finally I made her eat another 6-7 bites of her squash and told Mom to give her the rest of the applesauce and be done with it.  Spoiled is an understatement.

She also does not particularly enjoy eating meats.  If we want her to eat turkey or chicken mixed with vegetables, we have to bribe her with Gerber Puffs.  Two puffs=one bite of food.  Every once in a while if I have her distracted, I can sneak in a one-to-one puff-turkey ratio.  If you are sensing a pattern, don't feel bad, we are too.

Although the previous paragraphs may seem to contradict this next part, it is completely true.  I am proud to announce that we have our sweet Emmarie back.  Or our version of sweet anyway.  After being sick, it seemed to take a toll on her little personality.  Long gone was the smiling-go-lucky baby of the past, and in her place was a clingy mini-monster who wanted to be held 24/7.  I say all this in the most loving motherly way possible.  She is finally starting to want to explore on her own again and not feel like she needs to be a ruler length away from me at all times.  I could not be happier.  I am so ready for her to be adventurous again.  Although I love that she wants to snuggle and be held all the time, I also want her to learn how to play independently and self soothe.  Anyway, I am glad that the sweet baby is back.

Emmy has finally moved to the Nursery II class at daycare. I was a little sad that she was going to have to part with her teacher ( I would swear to you most days that she loves her more than me), but it was time for her to move.  Several times I came to pick her up and she was trying to climb into the bouncer with some of the little babies.   Her new class is like a fantastic adventure.  There are all of these big kids that she gets to follow around and try to copy.  There is also a whole new room full of toys that she hasn't tried.  I think that this is going to be a spring board for new skills for Emmy.  I will keep you posted on this front.

Emmarie and her new favorite toy!

St. Patrick's day was a day of fun.  The Collins family came to El Campo to visit us.  We had a great time playing and taking pictures all day.  Below is a picture of my little Irish baby (even her eye brows are red).


Vocabulary update:  She says Ma, DaDa, Uh Oh, and a ton of other one syllable sounds.  She likes to jibber jabber like she is holding a conversation with you...luckily for us, we cannot understand her yet so we do not know that she is insulting us.

She loves: Pushing her walking toy all around the house, riding in her stroller outside, being pushed around in her car, climbing/pulling herself up on stuff, crawling out of the room and hiding around the corner to see if anyone misses her, singing songs, reading books, playing with her dinosaur toy, walking around the furniture, LAUGING (oh how I missed this last month), sitting on the floor and playing with toys, daycare (I missed this too), snuggling, music, being the center of attention (you should have seen her at Kari's birthday party...can you say in her ELEMENT), and dancing around the house.

She hates: Being told no (gets a shrieking cry every time), waking up by herself, being put in her baby bed (don't know how to fix this one), the dark, getting her diaper changed, having her nose wiped (allergies are getting bad right now), drinking from a sippy cup, being forced to eat her vegetables if she wants fruit or Mum Mums, being picked up by "strangers" (or people she doesn't recognize), and being ignored/not picked up when she is ready for you to pick her up.

She eats: Mashed Potatoes (ate a whole restaurant serving twice in a week!), refried beans (I feel a little guilty about this one), Carrots, Peas, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Vegetable Chicken Dinner, Turkey and Mixed Vegetables, Turkey, Chicken, Beef, Applesauce, Bananas, Mixed fruit, Puffs, Mum-Mums, Apple Wagon Wheels, and baby Milk.








Her first couple of nights in her bed were really rough.  I checked on her so many times during the night, and a couple of the times that I checked on her, she was sleeping sitting up sniffling.  Saddest thing I have ever seen. :(

I sitll need to add her 43 week picture, but it is on a different computer. :)


Posing with Aunt Kari at her party.