Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

"Come near this turkey leg, or I'll go ninja baby!" is definitely the quote for this picture!

She had a blast with all the fun and colorful foods on her little tray. I have to give my bestie Nicole a shout out because she bought that little blue high chair specifically for Emersen so she could sit at the table with us on Thanksgiving! I nearly cried, and realized for the millionth time this year that it is my friends who I am truly thankful for. They've supported me in more ways than I can think of. It's not easy having a baby while away from your family! My friends have stepped up and become my family, taking on Emersen as their own surrogate niece! Playing with her so I can just take a shower, or fold the laundry! This Thanksgiving, I am truly thankful for all the people in my life!

Here she is actually eating the whole shebang! She liked my stuffing the best, and of course the sweet potatoes. The turkey was a close third and for some reason mashed potatoes are not her favorite. She'll eat them, but not as willingly as sweet potatoes!

This is baby and daddy after a bath at Nicole's house! After being so in to her dinner, she definitely needed hosing off!

The whole day was awesome, we had a great day and for the first time in awhile I felt like I wasn't missing out on anything at home, because I was spending time with people who we love and who love us back!

On Friday, Nicole (the brave soul that she is) and I went shopping! We hit WalMart first! I couldn't believe the things I saw once five a.m. hit. Video game consoles flying through the air, and a rush for digital picture frames that would have the people in the running of the bulls screaming for sanctuary. It is all very disheartening when you think about all the poverty in this world, while you are watching others around scramble for the last V-Smile baby video game console. However, I kept my head down got what I wanted (A newborn cabbage patch doll) and we got out of there by five after five. Next we hit up Toys R Us, Gymboree, JoAnn Fabric and the Navy Exchange. We were home by eight! Paul and Emersen were both still sleeping soundly!

All in all, we had a blast and I ended up getting all the things I was really wanting for Emersen's first Christmas and birthday.

Here is Paul and Emersen getting some much needed housework done on Friday morning! She loves doing anything she thinks she isn't supposed to, so helping daddy do the dishes was a huge treat for her! (Or so she thought!)

Emersen's buddy Jake came over on Friday night because his daddy was playing poker with Emersen's daddy and some of their friends. They both gave me the same look when I said "Hey Babies!"

Well, this is all for now. I have some house cleaning to avoid and some laundry folding to procrastinate on doing!

Everything will be better soon!

This has been a week of "mommy can't fix it, but it will feel better soon." YIKES!

Emersen acquired her first bruise by trying to reach for a toy, and since her whole body followed behind her as she reeeeaaaached when she missed her forehead smacked into the toy. It was so sad, and I felt so awful! She just fell to the floor, and cried with her head down on the floor. Had I the presence of mind to grab the camera, I would have. The way she just lay there was so pathetic, it needed to be on film (well, you know what I mean). I scooped her up (instead of grabbing the camera) and cuddled her to me. I said "Mommy wants to fix it, but I can't! It will feel better soon, I promise!"

You can kind of see the remnants of the bruise on the right of her forehead. It's all but gone now, and although I'm sure she's forgotten how badly it hurt. I'll never forget the look on her face when she realized it hurt!

Cooper has also had his fair share of the down side of life lately. Suffice to say, and to save you a lot of rather gaggy moments...he's going to be fine but is on antibiotics and prednisone along with the rather fashioable cone collar he has to sport until his bum is healed. The most pathetic portion of this whole episode is the fact that he won't even move an inch without one of us helping him. He will stand there until I lay him down, or if I send him out to pee he'll just walk around trying to sniff the ground and getting his conehead stuck face down. Life can teach some pretty cruel lessons! Something both baby and dog have learned this past week.

If you click on this picture, you should be able to see Emersen's first tooth! It's so tiny still, and hasn't really stuck all the way out yet but it is definitely there! If I tap my finger nail on it, it makes a sound! That qualifies it as a definite tooth!

We've also learned the joys of a diaper box...thanks to Nicole S.

I love all my friends so much, they don't mind entertaining my baby while I shower! Of course, if I don't shower and we go out in public together the smell may get to them...so it's most likely in their best interest to let me bathe!

You can't really see it in the picture, but her shirt says "Miss Behaving!"

Father Daughter Moments

Yesterday Paul came home for a minute to look for something he thought he left at home.

I was holding Emmie, and she lit up when she saw him! She knows what time he usually comes home, so if he shows up any other time it's like Christmas to her! (Even though she's never had a Christmas!)

I know Paul appreciates these precious moments as much as I do. When your baby just throws her arms around you as far as she can and lays her sweet head on your chest ten seconds longer than you think she will it's heartwarming!

That's it for today, short and sweet! :)

Happy 5th Anniversary...To US!

That's right folks, we have been married for five years! It's a huge milestone! We "celebrated" by spending yesterday completely separate from each other! Actually, we did not celebrate but we each did something we love doing. I painted ceramics with Nicole S. and Paul went to play poker! It was so nice to be able to get out of the house without Emersen. I love that baby, but once in a while I like to relax and paint and get involved in something that is not baby.

Paul did get me five gorgeous red roses, one for every year we've been married. They are so pretty and smell fantastic!

Speaking of the center of my universe, here she is getting into some crazy mischief! She is standing on her car seat, trying to get at something I told her she could not have on the ottoman! The look on her face says "What mom? I didn't do it!"

Lately she's been getting more and more confident with standing and trying to walk. She does not yet want to stand up on her own, but she has taken a few practice steps toward something. I'll count her first steps when she takes them in the middle of the living room!

Lately these two have been inseparable. Although, that cup does have some baby treats in it, and wherever the treats go...Cooper's nose is sure to follow! She will lean over to him and try to give him an open mouthed kiss, and he licks her first then she giggles! It's so adorable!

I love it every single time she laughs! It brings the happiest tears to my eyes. Our baby laughs! Our baby is happy! Whatever we are doing, we're doing it properly because she seems very secure in who she is.

Her hair is starting to have the most curious wave to it! Am I going to have a curly haired red head?!? I hope so, because that face could only be made cuter with curls! I guess we'll have to wait and see! Her hair is getting thicker by the minute, and it seems like every morning I pick her up and see more hair!

This video shows just how many faces she can make in 25 seconds!

Short (But Sweet) Visits From Grandma

This past weekend, Dena (Paul's mom) came to visit! We had a great time. It started off with the Chaplain Corps Anniversary Dinner on Friday, and not only did it mark the 233rd anniversary of the Chaplain Corps but it also marked the first time I left Emersen with a babysitter who wasn't a relative! Nicole Smith (I know, but still...no relation!) is a very dear friend of ours and she was Emersen's first babysitter! I was naturally nervous, more so because I wasn't sure how Emmie would handle having someone else there to comfort her. Someone who wasn't Paul or myself. Turns out, all concern was for naught. She did really well! Nicole played with her, and had a grand time. She was upset after Valerie left (she brought my dress and stayed awhile) but all was okay after Nicole fed her one of her favorites foods...a pickle! I don't yet have any pictures from the dinner, but it was a fantastic night. We met Admiral James Simons, and his Chief Of Staff! Chaplain Brown ( a man near and dear to our hearts, we were stationed with him at Cherry Point) met Dena and insisted she and I meet the Admiral. What an honor! This is not normally bestowed upon sailor's wives and moms! Shortly after dinner, there was a cake cutting ceremony and man the cake was tasty! Once we had eaten our cake and made the rounds, I was ready to get back home to my sweet girl and my feet were KILLING ME! Stay at home moms don't typically spend the day in four inch heels you know! Although, I was feeling like such a lady in my dress, heels and freshly manicured fingernails. (Thanks Mom!)

Saturday we spent shopping! Well, at least a little bit of shopping, and some printing of portraits for Mom to bring back to Texas with her.

We also found a skosh of time to spend hanging out on the floor with everyone's favorite tiny friend. She was more than willing to ham it up for the camera! I know that doesn't shock a single person out there who also knows this baby's mom! Emersen really took to her Grandma! It wasn't long before they were hanging out, laughing and playing with her Elmo that she loves more than any of the other thousand toys she has! (Although my old cell phone is a close second.) We went to lunch at Famous Dave's where Emersen ate and ate and ate! Apparently, she really likes barbeque! Hmmm...there must be some of Paul's genes in there after all!
On a completely different note, Emersen has a deep love for Arrowroot cookies, and since we ran out before Nana could ship us some...I broke down and bought her Biter Biscuits. (They have a few too many chemicals for my liking, but hey...they keep her entertained for about twelve minutes!) Although Nana did save our lives a couple days ago by shipping two boxes of the naturally made practically chemical free Nabisco arrowroot cookies. (Thank You Nana! Even though you are in Cabo San Lucas right now, swimming up to a bar in a pool and we are freezing our bums off in the rain!) As you can see from the grime on her face, she had a great time with the biscuits, chemicals and all...and I had a "great" time scrubbing her cheekies!


It's that time again! Most of you will remember that every so often I take Emersen's picture with her Build-A-Bears. The most recent addition is Chilly The Penguin and his little friend. Build A Bear sends coupons, or we'd never even entertain the idea of purchasing these overpriced, but incredibly adorable and soft friends. I believe this is the fourth or fifth picture in the series so far. I can't believe how my tiny baby has grown! Those bears used to be bigger than her! Then there was the picture where she looked like one of the stuffies! I'll continue to mark her growth with these bears as long as she'll let me!
Now, I know you can't see her precious face in this picture...but her face wasn't the point! The purpose of this photo was to show you her first pair of shoes! Real shoes, with rubber soles and velcro (God Bless the inventor of that stuff!) to keep them on! They are precious, and just a size two! They were also on sale, so I bought another pair in the next bigger size! Nothing like the realization of your little girl growing up than watching her walk around a store with her shoes on! My how time flies when you are having a blast!

Well, it's this mommy's bed time! I have to be careful with bedtimes because I never know when my little monster (sweet baby girl during the day, monster at four a.m.) will wake up!

The Stanly Lane Pumpkin Patch

I've always known that babies enjoy making fools out of their parents. Mom says one thing, baby does another. Dad claims one thing, baby proves him wrong. Well Emersen does this to me constantly! I thought taking her to the pumpkin patch would freak her out. I thought being put down around pumpkins would be something she'd absolutely hate! Boy was I wrong. She loved it!Here we are sitting on this huge pyramid of hay, in front of some corn. What you don't see is the fact that there were almost fifty kids jumping up and down on this structure! It was totally insane. I don't know why we thought going to the pumpkin patch the day before Halloween was a good idea! Of course, it's been awhile since any of us (Mom, Dad, Paul and myself) have been students at a school that took field trips! Regardless of all the mayhem, we had a wonderful time.
I know the sign says no climbing, but the employee said we could sit her in it, I swear!

That day we also went up valley to see Grandma Neuman. We stopped at Dean and Deluca to show Emersen some of the finer things in life! She enjoyed smelling the cheeses, and picking out honey with Papa.

And here is one last picture, because there are so few of Paul and I being affectionate toward each other!

Back from Papa and Nana's house!

We had a great time! Fortunately, Emersen's rash didn't stick around too long. Here is one picture to satisfy (most of) you.You must click on the picture to get the full effect! Her face is PRICELESS!

More tomorrow because right now I'm just so exhausted! I'd go in to it, but then I'd end up staying up for another hour and I don't want to!

:)