Fun with Grandma and Grandpa

Happy Monday - sorry it has been so ling since we have made a post!

Grandma and Grandpa Loerch (my mom and denny) got in thursday evening and we had to stop on the way home to feed Emma (she was in her carseat for almost 4 hours the poor thing!).

We've pretty much been working outside on the lawn/gardening/landscaping since they got here. Grandpa has been on Emma duty a couple of afternoons while we worked. He did great of course. Emma has been showing off her tongue to them, as that is her new "thing". We even got to watch a movie the other evening, which almost never happens anymore! So that was good, and I had a beer, that was good too:)

Yesterday the men went on a journey to Mount Rainier, that is what a couple of these pictures are. Us three women went to the nice outlet mall about 15/20 minutes away from here. We had a good time, and Emma was able to get to sleep in her stroller (after some tummy carrying time). Of course Emma got some new clothes (in addition to the 8 outfits Grandma already brought her!), but they were all sale items, so that made it OK:)

Guess that's about it for now, will try and post ina couple of days. Grandpa goes home tongiht, and Grandma on Thursday. It has been wonderufl having them here... love to all...

Cutie Patootie

She is a cutie patootie and she has a new "thing"... She likes to stick out her tongue. Of course the first time I thought she was doing it to me, because I would do it back to her, then she'd do it back to me. But alas no, she is simply either exploring this new found sensation or it feels good on her gums. I don't know, but it is SO CUTE! I need to work on getting a picture of it soon. She's just be smiling or sitting there and she sticks her tongue out.

It seems that she might have had her first giggle last night too, but no one else heard it! She was sitting facing me and we were tlakign or something and she giggled I swear, but I coudn't get her to do it again. So we'll keep working on that.

Not mcuh else new. Bed time and afternoon naps have been very challenging lately. I can just walk with her into her room and she'll start fussing or crying a little! Poor thing... She seems to be winning the battle, if we are keeping score. However she does sleep in her crin through the night, so I guess I can't complain that much. I've heard first hand from many parents about driving around the neighbor hood, the freeway, over and over again, just to get their baby to sleep! SO, we can count our blessings:)

We had a lovely time with Aunt Judy, and that is where these pictures come from. Her cheeks are all red and pink because she got a little rash from sucking on her fingers so much - she is obsessed...

Grandma and Grandpa Loerch come tomorrow, so we are excited for that!!!!

love to all...

on the move!!

I don't know if you can tell from these pictures or not, but this is little emma on the move in her crib! she started the beginning of the night at one end of her crib and when I wake her in themorning she is all the way at the "bottom"!!!

aunt judy made it here about 4:30 pm last night and we've had a wonderful visit thus far. we are going to go antiquing in snohomish later today, as she and kurt had been many years back, so that will be fun.

emma had a rough night last night, kept waking up until about 11pm. so the sleepy bones slept until 9am!!!!

ok, off to visit with judy... love to all

company coming!

yup.. lots of company! my aunt judy is coming today to stay for two days, and then my mom and denny come on thursday!!!! so very fun. we also got to visit my sister-in-law Holly's dad and girlfriend this weekend. we always have a lovely time with them.

so all in all a good weekend. i even got to watch a movie friday night!! i think the first fulll length without a child attached to me:) saturday and sunday were mostly cleaning. we (me and emma) had a VERY challenging morning yesterday. we were both exhausted and she had an upset tummy. the poor thing was just bawling and after a while i was almost crying... it was rough, but we made it....

here is a picture of her really staring to play with her platmat. she is grabbibg and puling at things now. it's so fun to watch. dad tried putting her down for a nap last night - but he keeps laughing!!! he thinks she is so funny with all the sounds she makes and faces she puls. and he thought he was gloing to be the disciplinarian!! ha:)

ok... off for a nap... love to all

Playing..

Here are a few pictures of Ms. Emma. On her stomach I think is so cute, and she can actually life herself up a little higher than this, but was about ready for a nap when I took this picture so she is at the "end of her rope". The other is of her looking at her mobile in her crib getting ready for the nap. As it ends up I had to move her to the other end of the bed becasue she was so into the mobile that she was getting frusterated that she couldn't fall asleep!!

She is really starting to "play" with things. This means she will really grab at things now and hold on to them. She loves playing with the toys that hang from her carseat. And on her playmat, this morning was the first time that she really grabbed and pulled at things, so that was exciting!

Other than that not much else new here... love to all

So talkative!

The poor thing, it must be so frusterating, becasue I just know she is trying to tell us things! In the picture here of her lying down you can see how her lips are kind of pursed? She was just talking a mile a minute - so cute! She is wearing an outfit she got from John and Allison (Allison, really, huh?) - cute pink pants and an offwhite top. The pants fir great, but she is built like her mom on the top half (poor thing!), which means she has a really wide rib cage. SO, she can have the top button done up, but the middle two have to be undone becasue it is too tight around her ribs:) That's my girl.... She is still in her 3-6 month clothes, and 6 month for the Carter's brand. I am just waiting for the day she is in 9 month Carter's brand, becasue I don't think it is far off!!!!! We have a baby yetti - just kidding (that's what ehr dad calls me, if you've looked a tmy feet you'd know). She goes to the Dr. on Aug. 1 so we'll know her height and weight. She is just a big girl, no way around it.

Not much new here otherwise... Sleeping in the crib is going well and I am learining to sleep through the night:)!!! She is up like clockwork for her 6:30 feeding, but I can handle that.

Guess that's all for now... Love to all

just in time!!!

Seriously, I just barely took her out of the bath and into a diaper when I heard a noise.... the noise of poo.... THANK GOD!!! I am just waiting for the day that she does it in the tub. I'm really glad today wasn't that day:)

We got up early this morning and went to a Dr. apt, and she really didn't go back to sleep well, as she usually goes back to bed. After that we headed to the gym. She did good right up till the end. I was walking down the hall towards the Kids Center and I heard a cry that I recognized. The poor thing was SO tired and a little hungry too. So I gave her a bite to eat and back into the car seat she went, fast asleep. We stopped at Quizno's to get lunch for El and brought that to his office. He's been working until about 9pm all week preparing for his interview in San Jose tomorrow, for a sales position within the same company and still based her in SEattle, but just has to travel there for hte interview....

Em and I got home about 1ish and she dlept for a while. She got tired again about 3pm and we took a nap together. She woke at 4pm, ate, did some "thinkgs" around the house,played a little, then she was tired aGAIN!!! So she has been alseep in her crib since about 6:15..... Um, I don't know if I should go wake her now? Is she going to go to bed tonight? Is she Asleep for the night??? It is all very confusing. BUT, she is alseep in her crib and that is all that counts:)

Guess that's all for now.... Here is another infamous picture of her and her thumb. Grandma Loerch will be happy to know that it was her LEFT thumb yesterday:) Love ot all...

the joy's of the mobile

Oh man, what a better day today! We all three worke up early as Elliott had a 6am conference call (I told him he made a mistake and accidentaly set his alarm an hour early!!! but no he said, he had a call). Well, when I went into Em's room at 6am she was already bright eyed and sucking on her thumb. She is so dang cute and happy in the morning. So she ate in her room, then I was going to put her back down but she was jolly and happy. We joined Dad downstairs and the picture posted here is of her sitting in Dad's lap while he is on the call (the joy's of the "mute" button).

She started getting fussy so I took her for a while and then decided after about an hour of being up that is was time for her to go back to sleep. For some reason she often needs just that little bit of awake time (although who knows how long she was quielty awake in her room?). Once I put her in her crib she was just smiley and looking around. Thank God for Dad!!! He has a special way of rubbing her head and tlaking to her, anyway, I let them be and when I came back she was alseep! Yeah for Dad....

We went to the gym this morning/afternoon and she did good there. She slept for a little bit there and on the way home. We ate ay home and I made certain to spend time holding and playing with her. About 3pm I noticed her rubbing her eyes and getting fyssy. Once in her crib I made the mistake of showing her the mobile..... Oh my gosh..... I stood with her for a good half hour while she went crazy over it (mind you she was still yawning nd rubbing her eyes) - kicking her legs ike crazy, big eyes, talking and whooing to it, making facs. So dang cute! And it was actually kind of cool to see her progression from tired to asleep. yes, it did eventually get to sleep:)

all for now.. much love to all

afternoon nap = screming

poor baby.... the afternoon nap in the crib is not going so well... she was screaming this afternoon like when she got her shots. well, that just isn't right!!!! so, she is sleeping in my arms right now. i would assume that this is ok every once in a while? she had done it for 3 1/2 months and then all of a sudden she hasn't done it for a whole week. so, maybe she needed it, and really me too. although i was going to make a good dinner! i guess we'll just eat later than i intended:)

besides the whole napping fiasco we had a good day. we went to costco and she rode in her bjorn facing forward. i think she liked it but she looked really tired when i put her in the car. i guess that is a lot of stimulation. we broke in the "jeep" jogger this afternoon. she was getting close to her breaking point at the end!

here she is in her "buggy", loaned to us from john and allison. she really likes to be standing so we thought she might be ready for this. she can go for a while in it, but mostly she just likes to suck on it:)

love to all....

good monday morning to you!

What a great weekend we had... Sunday especially! Saturday we got things done around the house, and then had a BBQ for friends that evening. IT was great having everyone over as that doesn't happen very often. Emma wasa little wound up though, so from about 8:30 on her and I went up to the bedromm so she could unwind a bit and finally I got her to sleep about 9:45pm.... WAY TOO LATE! Least to say I went to bed while people were still here!!!!

Sunday was great. I just decided I wanted to hang out with Emma. Since she hasn't been sleeping with us, and nappin gon her own, I feel like sometimes I don't see her! So, we pretty much relaxed, no work, and played together all day. She is just talking a mile a minute and so expressive.

This morning I had to wake her up to eat at 630 because I was leaking:) She just didn't want to go back to sleep right away, and I got video of her being SO talkative. Anyway, we went back upstairs to try and get her to sleep about 745, but she wasn't having it. El came in and tried his magic for awhile. Even though she was rubbing her eyes and arching her back and batting her eyes, she was still jabbering at him a mile a minute. FInally she got fussy, but El noticed that she was realy just fake crying!!! At 31/2 months!!! Anyway, once I got to her it was pretty real and she was demanding food. It had ben two hours:) So finally she just got back to sleep. It's nice though sinc eI am a morning person and I can get stuff done now. I may go out and weed a bit before we go to Costco and maybe to the gym, but I may try running around the pond/lake today using Emma's "Jeep Running Stroller"...

Happy Monday to all and much love...

she rolls!

Yup, she rolled to one side while El was watching her in her crib last night!! I came in to check on them and saw her do it, he said she'd done a whole bunch of times in a row! So it's official, she throws her leds in the air and uses them as a folcrum, and rolls to the side!

I was so proud of her yesterday... She still has seemed to be eating about every two hours, and that is just killin' me time wise. So we went to the Dr. (to look at some spots on my ears, yes mom, I went), and she'd eaten at 2pm, then we went to the gym and she'd fallen asleep in her car seat, it was 4pm. I dropped her off at child care and said to page me if she woke up hungry. At 5pm when I went to get her she was happy as could be, so I said OK, let's try the ride home (in rush hour traffic) and see how it goes... Well, as soon as we got to Jason and Holly's road, where the traffic is stop and go,I heard a big poop.... GREAT. She didn't start getting fussy until about a mile before the river bridge. So, I drove with one hand on the wheel and the other helping hold the pacifier in he rmouth. Eventually she spit it out and wanted her hand instead.... BUT, my point is that she calmed herself and made it 4 hours betweens feedings!!! So, it was a great afternoon.

She also napped well in her crib tat morning, and I was able to weed outside a bit before a WONDERFUL thinderstorm rolled through. We almost never get those here so it was a real treat.

About 7pm lst night (that's when the pictures are from) she was seming sleepy. But it seemed to early to put her down to bed, but she was tired, so what do I do??? Anywya, we tried to put her down.... She's konk out for like 10 minutes and then wakeup screaming.... It was a very long process of holding and soothing and little bites to eat and talking and fans and changing diapers and clothes and feeding..... We origiaonally put her down at about 730 and by 900 El just brought her intot he bedroom for a while.... She was happy as could be! So, I don't know if she just didn't want to go to bed yet because she wasn't tired, or she was too tired, or still hungry.... WHO KNOWS! It is all very confusing. But, we'll just keep at it. Once she finally did fall asleep at 9:45pm she slept until 6:15am, straight through. Of course I woke up numerous times!!!!! I had to go check on her, and she was just sucking away on her thumb. It is cute though, becasue some how she manges to squirm her way down to the bottom of the crib...

Ok, I hear her stirring now.... love to all

Houston We Have a Problem...

Well, actually it is not really a "problem" per say. You'll just notice that Emma is sucking her thumb in the picture!!!! She doesn't do it constantly or anything, just whne she is trying to calm herslef, she is tired, or a little "bored". It is actually better than a pacifier, because if she looses the pacifier then what? SHe can't put it back in to make herself feel better. ANYWAY!

How cute is she in her Seattle Mariner's outfit? She wore it in celebration of Dad going to the game last night (against the Detroit Tigers!).

We had a good day. Emma was sleepy, so I was able to get a lot done around the house, run errands, go for a walk, even read a bit. Then we met Allison at the Mall (since the men were at the game). We went walking aorund inside the mall where it was cooler, then for dinner at Panera's. Emma did pretty good, but once I picked her up that was it! So I pushed the stroller while I carried her:)

I wanted to get home by 8ish so we could practice Emma going to bed at a"bedtime" in her bed..... Well, that went down the drain. She didn't fall asleep until 10:30 pm, and it jsut didn't go well. Although "not going well" for her isn't really that bad probably compared to some other babies. She doesn't bawl or anything, she just basically wasn't tired and couldn't settle down....... I was exhausted by the time she was finally ready to sleep! Anyway, she slept in her crib,a nd I slept in my bed - the first time we've really been apart like that!!!! Least to say I barely slept....:)

Ok, more later, gotta pick up dog poo before it rains....

CRIB!!!

Yup, it's true.... Emma slept in her crib last night! Of course, I slept in the room with her:) I decided yesterday that it was time, as she keeps falling asleep while she is eating and it seems that might be the reason she is still eating so often becasue she can't get enough when she does eat. SO! I pulled out the "lull-a-baby sleep plan" book, that Great Grandma Hinrichs gave us fro christmas. IT was such an easy idea.... First of all, make sure that you put them inthe crib during the Window of Opportunity (age wise) and she is ripe for it! THen basically you set them in the crib when they are sleepy-awake, then "charm" them (talking soothingly).... Well, Emma must have been ready... She cried a little, but I stayed with her and she was fine, woek a few times, got herself back to sleep just fine! She did wake to eat, although the book says that she should be able to go for 12 hours, so we'll work on that AFTER we get this under control...

YIPPIE!!! But, I miss her:( We'll be fine though:)

Guess that's all for now... Here is the cutie "sitting" in her stroller while I was working around the house a bit... Love to all...

Ok, Here are the goofy face "boy" pictures

SHe does look like a boy, huh? But who dresses their son in these clothes??? Oh well, I think she's dang cute and that's all that matters:)

So I had a revelation this morning... I've been having a really hard time because there is never a set time when I can work outside or get things done, because she is not on a schedule (by my choice). BUT, she does sleep in later than me ususally now (although she has consistently been waking up once inthe night to eat) if I let her. SO, I am going to get up and work in the early morning, as it has been very warm and sunny. DUH! Why did it take me so long to figure this out? So, tomorrow moring I think. Granted I am tired, but I can always nap with her later in the day.

We went to the gym again yesterday and we both lasted 15 minutes longer than the time before! Then she fell asleep.... We ran errands, took some things to the Goodwill also. She basically slept for 2 1/2 hours!!!! I had already done my cleaning in the morning and SWORE I was not going to do anything else. So I worked on her scrapbook a bit (I am on week 5).

Not much else to report.... She was a sleepy bug in hte afternoon, talkative as usual, and smiley (but I have a hard time capturing it on the camera as it is old and has quite a delay!!!). Today we go to the dentist, then maybe groceries and another run to Goodwill.... Love to all....

does she look like a boy??

Ok, seriously!!!! What mom dresses their boy in pink and off white whinnie the pooh??? People are always saying what a cute little boy - when she is clearly wearing pink - what whatever happened to asking? The lady at the store yesterday just went on and on about what a cute, big, deep voiced little boy - seriously.....
Then I tried to take some pictures of her in the outfit to post, and yes, she had goofy boy faces:)

she is becoming quite the vocal little bugger... high pitched squeaks and squeals and longterm talking that sounds very close to whining... but cuter:) she has also been waking up to eat once during the night. maybe I need to make her bedtime later, but i'm tired!!

today we'll go to the gym, then run a couple of errands probably. that's about it for now. love to all...

sunday

good morning.... we've had a great weekend thus far, and today only looks great! YEsterday we went for a walk in the beautiful warm weather. THen the three of us got in the car and went and ran errands (spent and hour and half at the dmv only to learn that we didn't have all the info. we needed!!!!). We got some things done around the house, returned and then got new luggage at Costco (we'd only had it 5 months and the handle actually broke off!!!). El made rotisserie chicken, scallop taters formlast night, and cauliflower, so a really goo ddinner! We watched a movie and didn't get to be until 11pm....

Poop Emma though had a tough day. She just wasn't really happy all day! SHe never really cried hard, she just fussed and almost whined all day long! She never really fell asleep, and took her pacifier twice (which she hasn't really wanted lately, would rather chew on her "finger fries"). SHe didnt' fall asleep until we went to bed. SHe did have a major puke in the night, and EL took her to the bathroom to change her at Costoc!!!!! He said he got a number of "atta-boy"'s while doing that:)

Emma seems to be wanting to sit and stand more, so we are helping her with that. Otherwise that's about it. We might drive to SNoqualimie falls today, a 300 ft. waterfall about an hour away, just to have a little break...

The picture of her in pink is on her 14th week birthday!!! Our little girl is growing up:) love to all....

gym=major blowout

Yup, we finally made it to the gym yesterday! I was a little nervous to leave em at the daycare... when i took her out ofher car seat to hand her iver she felt a little sweaty. but no, it wasn't sweat, it was poo. i swear she purposely waits until i put a new outfit on her and then get her in the carseat and on the road, before she is ready to poo!!!! so, i got her all cleaned up and clotyhes changed, the lady had bags for me to put everything in - ha ha! thank god her car seat cover is washable..... i did alittle running - let's jsut say i am way out of shape:) el told me no tot hurt myself:) i'll get there though. i've been doing sit-ups and push-ups with my wokout ball too, and the situps are HARD! crap... oh well, i'll just keep pluggin' away. and emma did great at the nursery, didn't cry a bit. theyt will page you oer the intercom if theyt need you and i had my ears glued - but nothing:)

here's rachel and her kid's with em, nick and tosh with her, and caine and jo w/ her in the outfit jo gave her... cute!

nothin' much else is new... missing everone, friends and family around the country... love to all...

Happy Post 4th!!!

Wow, what a great day we had. We all relaxed in the morning and I got the house vacuumed. El wanted Emma as soon as he woke up, so that helped out a lot:) It was beautiful, warm, and sunny all day. We headed over to Allison and John's Aunt and Uncle about 1pm. They live inWoodinville on a fairly nice sized pond, it was so lovely in their backyard, and really good potato salad too!!! One of these pictures is John with Emma (in the outfit that Elliott picked out for her to wear!!!). Here eyes are still gray-blue, with a darker circle outlining them. We hope they stay that way becasue they really are striking (I am biased though!). We enjoyed everyone's company there, as John's family is always so welcoming, funny, and gracious.... And always wanting to hold Emma!

AFter that we headed over to Uncle Jason and Aunt Holly's (this is AFTER Elliott made a stop off at the Firecracker store - holy crap is all I have to say). They had their backyard set up so lovely with room and food for everyone. I seem to be able to eat food ANY time lately... Em and I watched as dad worked hard getting fireworks set up and fused together and drilled down onto the wood board (yes, it was that big of a production, but it was so worth it in the end as the fireworks were REALLY good and entertaining). Afew people held Em and she did pretty well. She sleep fpr about an hour in her stroller, and her feet needed to hang out the end becase she is so tall already! She didn't mind the fireworks at all, and even I jusmped, so she did great! But once it got dark there were too many mosquitoes so her and I went inside to watch. We had a great time and as always Holly and Jason were gracious and warm hosts. I forgot to say that Emma was talking up a STORM last night! Just constant hooing - LOVED it! HEre's her and Uncle JAson too..

I guess that's about it from this end. I think we will head to the gym today for the first time (yikes!!!). She can go to the nursery there while I work out (I am already having anxiety over that!!). So, wish us luck.... love to all

two peas in a pod...

El and emma that is!!! i had a dentist appointment yesterday morning and so em stayed with el. i got home at 9:30 and they were still sleeping (hence the picture!).. i got the lawn mowed and things done around the house. finally at 11:15 i had to go wake up emmma to eat!!! the moment i did sge just started crying (she often does this when sge's slept a ong time and wakes up starving).

we enjoyed a great day together. el and em did a little reading together - so cute!!!!

she is still sleeping well too; usually through the night as long as i don't move her and just let her sleep! if i do move her and she wakes up then she'll want to eat. poor elliott, when he came to bed he asked to move her to the middle of the bed, finally i said ok (i didn't want to wake her up!!!), but don't talk to her! i felt so bad, but if you taklk to her a touchher she wakes up, and that means me too!! poor el, i said soory and just tyold him to whisper:)

today we are off to john and allison's family and then jason and holly's - 80's here today!

the pictures of slc are cute emma in the heat!!
love to all...

HOME

WE made it home... el and emma were so happy to see eachother. el couldn't believe how big she is!!! just a wuick note here, becasue i have a million things to do after being gone a week, and em is sleeping with dad right now, so i want to take advantage of it. here are ac ouple of pictures (for the grandparents probably crazy to see a recent picture!!!!). i'll write more soon... love to all