Happy Halloween!!!!

Hope you all had a great day full of sweets and fun! WE did! Here is our sweet little Pea Pod. In the first two pictures we are with Jessica and her daughter Aliyah, who is two months older than Emma. Emma stays with them in the mornings when I am teaching at The Attic. Emma and Aliyah LOVE to play together and interact. Aliyah was a Lady Bug.

This evening Em helped Dad hand out a couple of treats. Jason and Holly came over and made us burgers for dinner. We ran out of 6 bags of candy by about 7pm! Then the grown-ups watched "VAcancy", a very scary movie. Elliott even said he was sweating:)

Guess that's about it. Got the house cleaned tonight since Jason and Holly were coming over, so we get to rest and play tomorrow - yippie! We will CERTAINLY go to the gym, and then work on Emma's scrap book which I haven't done for 10 weeks! yikes!

Oh - Many thanks to Great Grams Patterson, who helped buy Emma her SWeet-Pea-Pod outfit!

Love to all...

New Toy

Here is Emma with her new "budget" toy. It is hilarious becasue she often would rather just play with the tags attached to her various toys or books, or chew on the blanket, etc. She is a laugh a minute, seriously. She loves these new stackable Fisher Price circles. One of them rattles, so tries to rattle all of them, and she is very often hitting them against herself! This has me a little worried, like there is something wrong with her, but I am sure it is just a "new thing" and it soon too will pass. It is so fun to watch her just dive into her play, there is not much holding her back. She'll reach and screch for what she wants. Still no crawling, but she is pulling herself up to standing when holding onto our fingers. So who knows.

She is quite the bucking bronco too. Another thing that I wonder "Is she normal?" She just honestly goes crazy sometimes! She will bounce in her "Jeep" to the point where she starts to scoot it ocross the floor. Then, when she is either trying to get ehrself to sleep, or not sleepy, she will go wild in our arms, doing her bouncing or rocking, kind of mid air. Meaning, she has nothing to push her feet or knees off of except for our bellies:) Anyway, she really is a ham. She is also :biting" her tongue and going either "nananana" or "lalalala", and this is quite constant. It's hilarious.

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

Dancin'

Emma loves to dance in front of the mirror, she just goes CRAZY! Ignore me though, that me with no shower, etc. etc. Anyway, she bounces like tigger, and then if you hold her just a little off the counter she does a tap dance. So cute!

Yesterday we went to lunch with Holly and had a lovely time. Emma actually fell asleep at the restaurant in my arms! She never does that, I loved it. Then we went to get a few groceries in Snohomish. It was a beautiful fall day so I enjoyued the drive.

Last night Jason and Holly came and made us a great dinner, and we watched a movie.

Today Emma woke up at 6:30 and I was just PRAYING she would go back to bed becasue I just am ALWAYS exhausted. She was still awake when I put her back in her crib and she DID fall back asleep - THANK GOD!!!!! So at 7:30 she said that was enough, but we had to get up becasue were meeting Allison for coffe at Barnes and Noble at 9am. So that was fun, and Emma ate her breakfast there, as good as pie. The two of us went to TJ MAXX and I exchanged some PJ's from Grandma LaVone that were too small. THEN off to Costco! Thank goodness Em fell asleep in the car, and slept the whole time we were in there.

ANYWAY, I don't know what her deal was, but she was a fuss-budget the rest of the day. At one point I took her out on the front porch to watch me mow the lawn and her eyes were watery and red, and she was just kind of staring off into space, FIGHTING sleep! This was after many napping attempts... Poor girl. I think her teeth maybe? Later on today she wouldn't even let me set her down without fussing or crying and she is NEVER clingy like that, so we had a different Emma today:) We'll see how tomorrow goes.

I am rambling... watching RENT at the same time:) El and I had PotRoast tonight and watcehd a movie. Love to all...

Me and Elvis

Here are some pictures El took of Elvis and Em together. All of the animals (Mattie not included) have been SO patient with Emma. And she LOVES them! She follows them all over with her eyes and looks around if she hears them coming, and talks to them CONSTANTLY!

I bought her one of those stackable plastic dougnut toys (where you stack the diffrernt size circles around a tube). She LOVES chewing on them:)

Well, that's about it for now. It is a beautiful fall morning here, foggy and about 35! WE are enjoying a little fire and having coffee together! We are meeting Aunt Holly for lunch and then who knows what else we will do today. Love to all...

Walkin' with Dad

Wow... what a long week and it is only thursday! Here are some pics of El "walking" Em across the floor. She was really tkaing steps, but her socks being slippery helped a lot we think:)

Poor El and Em had a very "emotional" night on Tuesday. I got a phone call at6:30, I could hear Em crying in the backgound and El said "it's been like this for three hours!!!" I was teaching, but he just happened to catch me on my break. I said I'll be right home (Elliott NEVER calls, so I knew he was desperate). He had given her some Tylenol because she was knawing on her hand incesently. So by the time I got there she had calmed and he could get her to eat. When they were done I nursed her, and she went to bed. WELL, I guess she woke up 15 minutes after I left to go back and teach. And she continued to cry until I got home at 9:30 and she had JUST fallen asleep on Elliott's chest, where they were lying on the bed in the bedroom. So I took her into bed becasue Elliott was at his wits end and sweating. I felt terrible for him, becasue I knew he felt helpless. Well, I held Em and she just kept wimpering and then crying and then she'd fall asleep and then wake back up. finally I decided "Ok, let's just start the evening over". So I changed her diaper, changed her clothes.... And in the process noticed that her toe was scrugeled in her sock! The sock was caught in between her pinkie toe and then wrapped around it a bit. The minute I took it off she clamed, stopped crying, started bouncing, smiling, talking............ POOR THING! And then poor El too. SO, who knows if that toe was a whole evening of crying, but it was pretty red and bent "out". She's fine now and has forgiven us. She did just grand with Eliott las tnight and even fell asleep in his arms for bedtime!

Today, she is tired though. I think she seems to be taking two naps on the days that she goes to Jessica's and by Thursday she is EXHAUSTED! It is 3:30 and she is already down for her third nap, I couldn't keep her up to eat lunch even. She wanted nothing to do with it!

Well, El left for Portland this morning, but will be back tomorrow night. Us ladies have been cleaning, and I made spaghetti sauce. We may make a run to Fred Meyer, then home for Grey''s Anatomy and a video conf. with Grandpa jim and Grandma Jackie.

Love to all...

dogs

she loves the dogs and cats... constantly talking to them and watching them!! it;s so fun to watch.

she took a shower with dad the other day and freaked out! it was scary to het. poor dad, she kept reaching for me as i tried to take a picture:(

she slept last night from 6:30-5am! she is like all or nothing it seems:)

love to all

Playing Dress-Up

How cute is she? I am a little biased I know:) Here she is in the outfit she got from Cass and Scott, with little squirrels on it. The other is her puppy outfit from Grandma LaVonne. I thought the one of her dwarfed by the fireplace was SO cute! Like a christmas card or something. ANYWAY!

The stinker has not been too into sleeping lately. Nothing huge, compared to what I know that some aparents go through, but still different for her. Saturday night she didn't go to bed until 8pm, last night she faught it and faught it until 8pm too, then woke up at 6:45 this morning, after wakin gup twice in the night! Tat is very unusual for her. WHO KNOWS why! As soon as I think I know why she'll change again:) Jessica had to take the girls for a drive to get them to nap today.

Marlene, the woman I co-teach with said to day that she looks forward to seeing Emm every day becasue she is SO smiley. That makes me feel so good! And Emma does smile for her constantly. She is just a little ham, a flirt, whatever you want to call it. Wow, I am bragging, huh? Ha Ha! I will try and keep it under control...

Love to all...

Grams Patterson

Here's Emma and Grams Patterson. She watched Em last night (Em was already in bed actually), Holly was over too, while El and I went out to celebrate our anniversary. We had a wonderful HUGE italian dinner, brought half of it home. We bought eachother the SAME anniversary card! We laughed and talked and had a great time.

Tnight we're going over to Jason and Holly's for dinner and to see their Europe pictures so that should be nice.

Poor Em was awake at 6am, her nose is SO stuffy she has been having a hard time sleeping. She finally went back down for a nap now at 9am. Poor girl! Her cough is hilarious though, it sounds like she is "fake" coughing.

That's all for now.. all our love...

Family

Here is Em with Grandma and Grandpa Loerch, and Aunt Becca and Uncle Chris....

Grandma Patterson is here now and her and Emma are having a wonderful time together! They are eating together and playing together.

El and I are going out to dinner tonight after Emma is in bed, to finally celebrate our 7th anniversary!!!!

Emma is still rocking, VERY close to crawilng. And she seems to be teething like crazy - like a puppy dog the way she chews on EVERYTHING!

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

Minnesota

WE made it back from Minnesota just fine! WE had a WONDERFUL time! Emma was slathered with love - and clothes and gifts:) WE are grateful for all of it. We got to see everyone on the Hinrichs side and on the Loerch side, so that was extra nice. I got to teacha class at AVHS, that felt WONDERFUL too. El and I had out 7th anniversary! We were going to go out to dinner, but were having such a good time sitting around the fire and talking with the family and neighbors that we skipped it!


She turned into a "tigger" while we were there... She is SO bouncy these days, all the time "jumping" or bouncing/rocking on her knees.

Guess that's it for now... I am exhausted and have a terrible cold... Love to all

2 Guys and a Baby

Today was Daddy, Daughter, uncle Day! As a matter of fact, Elliott told me I didn't have a choice and he was forcing me to go take some itme for myself! And he was going to take Em over to Jason's to watch the game. After a little coaxing I drove seperately over to Jason's and nursed Emma and then went to a movie!!!!!! The first since she's been born! Of course I thought of her the whole time, but it was good to go. THEN, I went and got my haircut! Well, this was after I made Elliott cut it this morning. I had had enough of it, and he CHOPPED is off, per my orders. Least to say though it needed a little help. So, now it looks pretty good, above my shoulders! I hope I don't look too much like a typical mom:)

Here is a picture of me and Emma going for a walk last night... She is DANG CUTE! Inher booties from Aunt Deb! Love to all...

Books!

Here is Ms. Emma "reading" her book. REally, she prefers chewing on just about anything! I love the one of her looking up at Elliott.

We have had a good weekend. We spent time, all three of us, playing on the bed today. We were just waiting for Em to start crwaling, she is SO close! I think she may be scooting along soon. I am in no rush really, becasue I know everything changes agin then, but at the same time it is so exciting and fun to see her exploring all of these new things.

She must be going through ANOTHER growth spurt becasue she has been so sleepy lately. I am not complianing! It is just the way it is - thankfully she sleeps well, as I have heard NIGHTMARES about kids not sleeping, parents driving around in the car forever to get them to sleep!

Well, not much else for tonight. El and I watched a movie and now I am upstairs getting ready to read a bit before bed. Love to all...

Fingers on Forehead

If you look close at the top picture you can see two red marks on her forehead.... They are her finger prints, still there a half hour AFTER she woke-up from her nap! I guess she was REALLY asleep. As a matter of fact she was really tired today. I assume she was still recovering from the week, the new schedule and all of her playing with Aliyah.

Today we hung out and played A LOT, I cleaned the house, and then we went to get diapers and just a couple other things at Costco...

That's it for now... Love to all...

forgot the pictures

sorry.... here are the pictures:) Emma eating Thomas:)

Exhausted

Oh My God.... I am EXHAUSTED and so is Emma!!!! We've made it through our first week at the Attic, with Emma staying at my dear friend Jessica's. THAT part has been wonderful. Evidently Emma has been great, taking naps, almost convulsing she was so excited to see Aliyah (2 months older than Em), and she's been eating up a STORM!!!!! BUT, she is as tired as I am.

I feel terrible, as I brought her with me to the studio tonight, El is in Portland.... She criend almost for an hour:( I feel like a terrible mom!!!!! But, now I know I will really need to find a sitter I think might ask Jessica, we'll see.

I am sorry, but I am seriously SO tired, I can't write more. Oh... bu tI do need to tell about El and Em last night (he had her while I was at the studio last night). I guess he put her in her "jeep" stand-up bouncy toy and had her facing backwards, then pulled her in it, around the "circle" of the kitchen, front entrance, dining room, and then had the dogs chase them!!!!!! I guess Emma LOVED it, screeching like she does, waving and shaking her arms. I can just imagine how cute that was!

love to all...