Emma: Eight Months

One word: busy. Both Emma and us. Emma has reached the stage of getting into everything, can't sit still and moving from thing to thing every 30 seconds. We joke and say she has baby ADD. 

She is not scared to try anything! All of a sudden one day she started climbing up the stairs at my parents and a couple days later she started trying to climb on other things. Last week she started scooting on her knees with her walker and then hours later she was taking steps with it! I couldn't believe it. What happened to the little girl that would just lay there and lay on her play mat? 

The lovely (note sarcasm) teething process is still a struggle. She cut her second tooth and since this photo was taken, she cut a third. There's one more tooth close behind that should be through this weekend. Her teething effects her feeding on certain days, but nothing terrible. After trying to teach her to pick things up herself and feed herself for what seemed like weeks, she just got it one day and now picks up her puffs, crunchies, etc. and puts them in her mouth. I don't know what it is about seeing a baby feed themselves that is so funny, but it is quite amusing. 

Emma went through about a two month phase where she would only moan and grunt. I'm not going to lie, I was growing concerned. Then just one random day she started talking again, squealing and clicking her tongue. This last week she will mock us if we click our tongue or squeal, she finds it hilarious. She loves being able to FaceTime with Matt lately because she will usually chime in on our conversations. 

Enjoying a nice day (finally!) at the park with friends. Emma, 7 months; Taylie, 6 months; and Harper 10 months.

Kisses with her friend Cole. Matt had a talk with her after this. 

March Madness

"We interrupt this marriage to bring you basketball season"

This sign is a true representation of our life right now. I saw it a couple weeks ago at the Hoiberg's house and couldn't help but laugh. All of us wives that were there agreed that we all needed this in our house. It is "March Madness" and that means we hardly see our husbands. In the last 15 days, Matt has been home five of them. Thank God for my family and friends in the area for their help with Emma and my sanity :)

Matt's job is extremely time-intensive, demanding and at times, stressful. During season, he works seven days a week for roughly five months of the year. But, what he is doing now is what he has lived for, what he has dreamed of doing. His job has taken him (and us as a family) to some pretty amazing places and get to experience once in a lifetime opportunities. Today he gets to experience another memorable trip, as him and the team leave (yet again) to head to New York City to play at Madison Square Garden in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament in hope of making it to the Elite Eight. This opportunity for him and his career is huge and I am so excited he gets to experience this, even if it means it takes him away from us.

Because I get asked a lot what Matt actually does in his job, I figured now will be as good as time as any to explain. Hang with me, it's long. A sports information director, or SID, serves as a liaison to local and national media, usually the first point of contact to all media inquiries. All interviews (newspaper, radio, tv or phone) he schedules and makes sure the players and coaches know about them. Did you see him on tv after the Big XII tournament or after their last game in San Antonio grabbing coach and players to get them to interviews quickly? Matt is also responsible for everything from stories on Cyclones.com to social media accounts to statistics to historical records. He is in charge of press releases, media guides, game programs and game notes. Those Big XII weekly player awards? Matt nominates his players based on their game that week. Plus, he then works all home games and travels to all away games and post season tournaments. Whew, told you it was long.

Hope everyone is able to tune in on Friday night to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the UConn Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen! Go State!

With Naz Long and Georges Niang at Selection Show Sunday.

Trying to get packed to head to San Antonio for the NCAA tournament.