Leavin'

We're going out of town this weekend, so won't have a post until Tuesday probably, unless I have time before we go in the morning. We are going to a friends cabin about 2 hours southeast of here. So it should be fun and maybe a little relaxing?!!

Sorry, no pictures as I am using Ellitot's computer right now..

But, it is official.. emma is sleeping on her stomach. I was SO worried last night! I went in and turner her over twice. But it is an immediate reaction, as soon as I put her in her crib she rolls! I even called RAchel and the pediatrition to make sure it was OK. Basically, there is nothing I can do about it and if she can roll she should be able to breath OK too...

AND she is moving her legs up underneath herself!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CRAP! Exciting, but crap... I think she is going to be crawling soon. I swear she was going to do a somersault tonight when she was lying with Elliott on the bed while I packed. She was pushing up on her head and her toes/feet with the rest of her body off the bed! I went into her room this afternoon and she was sleeping with her knees tucked under her and her bum in the air! So we have a wiggly mover on our hands - all of a sudden! It is exciting, but again a WHOLE new change!

Ok, I gotta get to bed.... I am rambling:)

Love to all...

She's Obsessed!!!

Oh my god... I can't keep her off her stomach! This is not a bad thing, except when I am trying to get her to fall asleep without nursing her. She gets into her crib and IMMEDIATELY rolls over! And in a couple of minutes she is very unhappy with the fact that she has rolled over, and hasn't figured out how to roll back over the other way! Help. It is so funny, and just as they say. Once you think you have something figured out, something new happens.... But I guess htat is what it is really all about. Anyway, she is a rolling queen!

We can also really see her secong tooth coming in and she is constantly chewing. Today she sounded like Elvis when he is chewing on his kong!

the newest battle

Evidently Em didn't feel like taking a nap this afeternoon becasue I went into her room and this is what I found... Her looking at me after having rolled over in her crib. She seemed so pleased with herself, just looking all around and taking in all the colors of her "bumper" and sheets! So, I guess this will be the new battle. Well, really, only if she is fighting sleep. Otherwise she goes down p[retty well, if her teeth aren't bothering her... This afternoona s a matter of fact she slept for 3 hours!!!!! If I'd only known - all of the things I could have gotten done!!! Oh well, I did get videos made and sent out for the grandparents:)

Emma also had her first Oatmeal today. I think she likes it better than the rice becasue she ate every last drop of it this eveing, even though I KNOW she was tired.

I guess not a whole lot else new here... Love to all

Going to the Fair

We went to the State Fair yesterday, it is actually just about 1/2 mile away from us. That let's you know much we live in the boondocks!!! ANYWAY! We had such a good time... Emma started it off with an explosive poop before we ever even got out of the car:) We headed straight for the food once we got in, as we were both startving. We took Emma's stroller (one of these things I thought I woulod never do as aparent and now it is like, how could I not??!!) and she sat in it sometimes and we held her others. We went to see all the animals, she fell asleep once we were intot he goat barn! She slept for about 1/2 an hour I'd say. I fed her infront of a TERRIBLE a capella trio (good singers, terrible songs!), then we were off to see the horses.

I guess that's about it from here - OH! So I tried to feed her cereal last night with formula instead of breast milk... she gagged!!!! Poor thing.... I think partially she was just over tired as she'd only slept that 1/2 hour between 10:30 and 6:45!!! So she actually went to bed at 6:45 and continued sleeping. No cereal though, so she did wake up twice in the nuight... Guess that's about it form here.. love to all...

Ultimate Fighting Championship - seriously

Ok, so yes, this is Emma and Elliott watching Ultimate Fighting!!!! Just for a couple of seconds though, so I could get the cute picture:) I think it is adorable how she is just lounging back on him, her little belly protruding. The other picturte is of her after she ate last night. Again, notice her hand resting on her "grandpa" belly. She was so tired, and you can't see, be she continually hold herself up with her right hand at the base of the highchair. She is eating SO well. She just opens her mouth right up for the spoon.... Last n ight she must have been really hungry, she was fussing and squirming and almost crying during the first part of her meal, and then I think she realized that this was eating and filling her up, because all of a sudden she stopped and she just couldn't get the food fast enough. So I think she is realizing the concept of "food" when we sit down to eat in her high chair.

What else? OH!!!!! YES!!!! I can still dance!!!!! I ended up going to take my FIRST class in almost a year yesterday. It was supposed to be technique, but ended up being the first of a five week session in contact improv/partenring. It was so fun, and I really felt like I had never left, except the fact that it literally kicked my ass...... My legs were shaking when I gopt home! I had to eat some carrots towards the end of class becasue I thought I might pass out or throwup:) HA! In the poast I would have been tired, but the class would not have really affected me, but OH WELL!!! not too bad considering, I would say. ANYWAY, least to say I will be going to take class at least once a week, if not twice - it was AWESOME!

That measn that El got to spend time with Emma, and he fed her cereal for the first time. He said it all went great. I always love to hear all that they did when I get home.

The poor thing, we think her other bottom tooth is coming in too now. She had a hard time sleeping yesterday, but once I gave her the oragel and these homeopathic teething pills that we have, she was able to realx and fall asleep. SO, I guess we'll be dealing with that for a while. OH!!!! AND!!! So mmuch to tell... El went in to get her out of her crib yesterday morning and she was rolled over at the foot of her crib! That is the first time she has rolled in her crib. The other night we were at John and Allison's and she was just rolling and rolling.... So dang cute.

We were hoping to go to the fair Today, but it is raining now, so we will see how that goes... love to all...

Saturday Blues

Good Saturday Morning to you! Not a wole lot new going on here really.... My intention was to feed Emma cereal twice yesterday, but we ended up going to John and Allison's new house for dinner last night, so she only got it once. Ifed her about 2pm and I made the cereal pretty thick, probably like "normal"... and she did so good! So, I guess we've got that down pat! She would even open her mouth to get the spoon in - good lord I just love her! what else? I think that's about it. I am going to go take my first real dance clas sin almost a YEAR today! So dad and Emma will have some time together. WE might go to the state fair tomorrow, so that should be fun too. ALthough of course I can already tell you it has NOTHING in comparison to the MN Fari:) This is the first year I will not have been to the MNFair in a LONG time..... Sad:( I am going to try and add a video clip (nope, didn't work!!!!!), so we'll see if that works! If so, it is of Emma on the day she found her feet a little over a week ago! lovet ot all....

The NEW Pacifier

Uh huh.... It's her big toe!!!! If there is nothing else there, and even sometimes when there are other things there, she prefers to suck on her big toe:) I think it's cute, but maybe that is a mom thing, after all I am certain it is the big toe she inherited from me (my big toes are really big). Anyway!

She did really well eating tonight too - it was her third rice meal. I will continue to make it a little thicker every day. Grandma Jackie, Grandpa Jim, and Great Grandma hinrichs all got to watch her eat a little bit tonight, so that was fun. By the time we finally got it all figured out though, Emma was almost full! The food was just dribbling out of her mouth, as opposed to the "real" eating that she was doing...

Well, I guess that's about it from here. Love to all...

Little Ham

Yeah, that was what I was told yesterday - Emma is a ham!!! I asked my mom back in July if I was a goofy baby, becasue Emma just seems goofy to me sometimes - she said no I wasn't! But I will bet that Elliott was? Anyways, Emma is a ham, smiling and being silly for everyone she seems to come across!

Here she is "eating" her favorite toy at the time, her little "waddle" duck from my cousin Kristen.

We did another feeing last night with the rice cereal and she really seemed to start to swallow the food, so that is very exciting. It seems the process may go a little quicker than I anticipated, so that is exciting if that is the case. She is no longer sleeping through the night often waking up at least once if not twice to eat, so I am eager to get her on some solids as supposedly that should help.

Guess that is about it from here. We will run some errands today, and I am going to organize all of our Emma video footage so we can get going on that for all of the grandparents. We are also going to meet El at home Depot, to get organized aqnd looking at stuff to start on the house!!!! E#xciting....

Well, love to all....

First "Real" Food!

That's right!!! She did it! Well, we attempted it at least. Really, all in all she did a pretty good job. We started her on rice cereal tonight, and will continue one feeding a day for a week. They say at first she only gets between a teaspoon to a tablespoon actually swallowed. They have to learn how to swallow the food, as with breastfeeding it pretty easily just goes down:) Anyway, you can see she has on her "cute as a bug" bib from Great Grandma Hinrichs. She seemed OK with the tase, although it was pretty much breastmilk and only a little cereal. She liked to bite on the spoon!!!

Today we could also feel her bottom right tooth, so the next few days might be rough as it continues to break through the skin. It is funny though, all I want to do is check on the tooth! Our little girl is growing up!!!

Love to all....

I love my truck!!!

Yes, apparently Emma loves the truck!! Elliott was holding her on the ferry ride home from the wedding yesterday, when all of a sudden she caught sight of the shiny silver Nissan sign on the steering wheel. She decided she would have to check it out with her mouth (which is where everything goes these days!). So you will notice the drool running from her mouth to the steering wheel, and that there is already slobber on the "N". It was hilarious!

And in other big news.... We can see a tooth!!!!!!!!!! Yup, her bottom right front tooth is slowly starting to make an appearance. It has not cut through yet, but we can see a little white line!! Very exciting! She has had trouble sleeping today, and we wonder if that is bothering her a little bit? Tonight we finally had to let her cry it out (After feeding, buring, changing, and some tooth soothing gel) because she would not go down. She barely slept a half hour since 1:30! This afternoon I finally just decided to leave the house since she wasn't going to sleep (I thought the car ride might do the trick,but no), and ran errands, got the oil changed, etc.

Tonight we had a family expidition to Costco, then Emma BAWLED the whole ride home! She was SOOOOO tired and wanted food too:)

Well, I guess that's it for now... It was WONDERFUL to talk to all the grand parents and great grandparents, and great aunts over the weekend!!!! We miss and love you all...

Wedding Weekend

Oh what a wonderful weekend! The three of us left about 9am on Saturday moring to go to Bainbridge Island, for the wedding of our dear friends John and Allison. It was such a lovely and touching wedding, and a day you could feel filled with love. Elliott and I both agreed that we loved the ceremony and we both "boobed" (cried)! Here are pictures of the three of us before the ceremony, Emma falling asleep on the way there with my finger in her mouth, and El, em, and Jason before the ceremony.

Emma was a hit! She did SO well! As I said we left at 9am and took the ferry over to the island, spent the day getting ready and taking pictures, and the weding started at 5pm. So Emma took a little nap in the PacknPlay they had brought for Mason. Emma only cried once and I heard one of the other groomsment go "Oh, she's even cute when she cries..." Of course that made my heart soar:) She entertained the other people at the dinner table with her faces and her noisy antics.

And then we headed to the hotel about 9pm as Emma had woken up and wasn't about to fall asleep with all the dancing music. We both agreed we should have just headed home, but who knew in advance how late we would have been there? ANyways, Emma did so good! We laid a few blankets down on the floor in the "family room" of our hotel room and she slept there while we were in the bedroom just adjacent (we could see her through the doorway. We went to breakfast at a great little diner on the island and she was getting alittle fussy so we put her in her carseat and rocked it and she fell asleep (after attacking dad's hand for a while -she SERIOUSLY loves adult hands to chew on and SERIOUSLY attacks them!). I have CUTE pictures I will post tomorrow of her "attacking" the stearign-wheel of the truck on the ferry ride home.

Guess that's all for now - OH! El and I actuallyw atched 2 WHOLE movies yesterday! That's a first in Emma's life:) Love to all....

Best way to wake up

How could you not LOVE waking up to that face? Here is Emma sleeping in her crib this morning, "lounging out". And hersmiling/tongue out once she woke up. She has been sleeping better the past week, so who knows! Only waking up once to eat. We think we are going to introduce cereal to her on Sunday, so that should be "fun":)

Not a whole lot else here. I've been working outside a lot, and we go to John an dAllison's wedding tomorrow on Bainbridge Island.

Anyway, just thought I'd try and get some pictures up as we'll be gone tomorrow and a good portion of sunday.

Love to all...

Toes Too

Yup! She found her toes this morning, well really she found that she could get her toes into her mouth. I was wondering when that was going to come, and it certainly didn't take long at all.

I did some planting and moving of things outside this morning, and Emma hung out in her stroller for just a bit. Then we decided to go to the mall (our first solo adventure if you can believe it) as there were a couple of things I needed to exchange. She is SO good! She jsut sat in her stroller/car seat and took it all in. We went to Panera and I had a bagel while she ate too. Then we headed over to Old Navy and I made another exchange, then to Target.... We never do that much in one day it seems, so it's good to know we can!

We got home and I fedher and she fell asleep so I assumed it was time for a nap. But no, I was very wrong apparently. This new foot thing gets in the way of that. Then, to top it off, if she has something on that she can pull at (a dress or shirt, as opposed to a onesie), well then she explores and plays with that too!!!! She really is a stinker, we might have our hands full in a few months here!!!!

So dang cute though:) Ok, love to all...

She did it!!!!

Yup, the little stinker found her feet today!!!!! She was supposed to be napping, and I was watching her on the monitor as she cried a bit getting herself to sleep. I noticed she had quieted down so I looked again, and there were her hands attached to her feet!!!! Then I noticed she had taken off her sock... Well, there was no way she was going to sleep now that she'd found this new talent. So I went to take a few pictures, and she was chewing on her sock, pulling it in and out of her mouth, letting it snap as she pulled. It was so cute.

I put her on the florr and she continued to grasp them. Later on El and I played with her on the bed and put these little "slippers" on her that Grandma and Granpa Hinrichs gave her. Oh, she LOVED them and concentrated SO HARD on what they were and what she was going to do with them! She hasn't gotten them into her mouth yet, but I suppose that is only a short time away.... It's so fun to watch all these exciting things she is learning!

Love to all...

New things!

HEre is Emma this afternoon, on the floor in her nursery. Notice her tongue sticking out?? This is her new thing. A couple of weeks ago she noticed her tongue and would stick it in and out kind of pointy like. That has now changed into this, where she sticks her tongue out all wide, and repeats it over and over, like she is licking but there is nothing there. It is hilarious and makes both elliott and I laugh outloud. You may also notice the drool - this is a CONSTANT! I usually have to change her clothes/shirt at some point during the day. I think it may be time to pull out the bib! She loves especially to suck on an adults hand (me, el, granparents, uncles, etc.!), and that is when she gets especially slobbery. Guess that's about it for now. Love to all...

Stinker Bear

Here's the little stinker in her 4 month picture (can't remember if I already posted it?) and then another one with Grandma. I LOVE the look on her face in that one - so disgruntled!!

We've had a pretty easy weekend so far. I planted and moved a few things around outside yesterday morning while Emma slept, and she woke up right when I was done, so that was perfect! Other than that we just got small things around the house done.

She has really started experimenting with her voice, ie. SCREAMING! But not in a sad crying way, simply in a listen to what I can do, and listen to how loud I can do it. Holy crap! She has got some lungs on her. And She is starting to use them when she wants attention, wants to be held, wants to eat, or simply just wants to play with her new found talent:)

Not a whole lot else. Love to all...

fun with dad...

Last night was my last night teaching until September, and El and Emma lived it up, so I hear. The two of 'em played basketball, and read, and went for two walks, and practiced crawling (with a lot of dad's help). So all in all they really enjoy their time together - WAY more fun than when she's with me:) Well, we have fun too, but just in different ways!

Here is a picture of her and Mattie sleeping on our bed. Notice her cute jeans! Emma was asleepy bug during the day yesterday, I could barely keep her awake! Then, she woke up TWICE during th enight, so we need to work on that schedule a bit. I hear her stirring now, so let me be on my way...

Oh! And here is Elvis, where I found him yesterday afternoon after I had been upstairs with Emma for a while. Sneeky dog, we have no idea how he does it with his bad hips!!!!

Daddy/Daughter Days

yup, I have been teaching every night this week, so Emma and Elliott have had LOTS of time together. It is SO cute because she is so happy when I get home, not to see me, but becasue she has had so much fun with Dad! Only last night was "rough", she just didn't want to sleep, but was SOOO tired. We know she's tired becasue she rubs and rubs her eyes, and will rub her face against your shoulder or chest (we both LOVE that). I walked in at 8pm to "shhhhh!!! she JUST fell asleep!" Anywya, they made it through:)

Here is Emma in her stylish Ralph Lauren outfit!! Ha ha, and her new "teether ring" which she seems to like. Today we go to the dentist and then one more night of teaching for now...

Guess that's about it for now... love to all...

rollin' rollin' rollin'

Yup!!! She rolled over for the second time today!!! She did it once when grandma was here, and then today again. That means no more lying on the couch... This picture is from right after she did it.

I taught class last night,a nd will all week, so more Daddy/Daughter time! I guess they had a good time last night. A rough hour, until El heard a big ol poo, then she was as happy as could be!

This morning I went to get her out of her crib and she had completly turned herself around! She was facing the opposite direction in her crib than when I had put her to bed. She just was playing, pushing her feet up against the back of her crib. She is such a happy little squaling stinker. And I mean squealing SO loud. I think she is trying out all the different noises she can make.

Ok, guess that's all for now... lov eto all...

Working Day

We had such a great day! We all got so much done, and a little daddy-daughter time in addition:)

El played with Emma while I did the lawn... While I was weeding I heard "Oh My God...." She had a blowout jsut while they were sitiing there. It traveled sloely up her onesie. I came inside to check it out and he was like "I don't know where to start, I don't know if I can do it..." I assured him her could:) And suggested maybe a bath. Of course they got through it just fine. So all the household had baths today, dos too. Then the garage got cleaned out, and other household shores. So we felt very accomplished at days end. This picture is emma smiling at her dad, and her big feet hanging out of her stroller!

Tomorrow night I start teaching at the Dance Studio, 4 evenings this week. So MORE daddy-daughter time!

Elliott also got a HUGE burp out of her tongiht so she could finally get to sleep... That's all for now, Love to all....

GO LIONS!!!

Here is Emma in her Detroit Lions sleeper.... Look at those blue eyes! We hope they stay that color. I think they usually change by 6 months, so we will see if they do. Not much new to report except that sleeping is going better. After a horendous week and a half dealing with naps (she cried and I'd pick her up or feed her, then she'd cry more, she had bubbles, it was a disaster) - thannk goodnes grandma and grandpa were in town. They helped support us in the "old school" it's fine if they cry themsleves to sleep method:) My mom and I sat in the hallway while Emma cried on afternoon for 1/2 hour, then i went in and patted her tummy and she fell asleep. I would not have gottne through that is she hadn't been here! Now Emma has gone to bed two nights ina row without crying at all, and this mornig back down for her nap with just a little whimper. Yesterdays naps were a different story, but I stuck to my guns and she fell asleep. The stinker is SO SMART and knows the minute we walk into her room!!! She'll start fussing a little.

She has also started falling asleep on her side, this is new just the past couple of days. And she sucks on one thumb, and hold onto that hand with her other hand... CUTE!

Today is a big day - Daddy Daughter Day. I am going to a bachelorette party (just the daytime activities) so El and Em get the mornng and afternoon together... yippie!!!!

All for now... Love to all...

Saying Goodbye...

What a wonderful time we had with Grandma and Grandpa!!! Denny went home LATE monday night and we were very sad to see him go. But we sent him off with a big crab leg dinner.

The rest of the week us girls worked on the yard/lanscaping. We also got to see little Ms. Emma roll over for the first time!!! She was lying on the florr and roleld from her back to her front, but hasn't done it again, so may have been a small fluke. BUT we saw it none-the-less.

On wednesday us girls went to the Dr. for Emma's 4 month check-up.... Our little girl is growing up! She is now 16 pounds and 26 inches long!!!! The Dr. came in and said, "wow, you're gigantic!". She is taller percentage wise than she is chubby, so that's good; 98% for height and 96% for weight. Other than that she checked out well. She said a couple more months before her teeth come in. I asked becasue she is VERY drooly and obsessed with her fingers, but I guess it is all just healthy curiosity.

What else? Oh, how could I forget, she had 4 shots.... Her porr little lip just got wobblier and wobblier, but it was over before she knew it. She got a big cry out and I just fed her as soon as possible. About 4pm she had one more dose of Tylenol and that was that. So we have quite the little trooper!!!

I guess that's about it from here... Love to all...