Catching Up

I've been meaning to do another post these past couple weeks to catch up. But we have been too busy enjoying family time before the start of Matt's busy season of working seven days a week and nearly every weekend until April. What have we been doing you ask? Nothing and loving it. Seriously, we have just been hanging out around the house, running errands, going on walks and just being lazy. I've loved it. Because come January, I am going to be wishing for these quality family times.

So here is a little update via pictures on what Emma has been up to.....

Our little hoarder. 

I love that she just goes back to her room and "reads" books by herself. 

Since when did she start looking like a toddler and not like a baby anymore?  

I promise to get better with the updates. Next up is hopefully Emma's first Cyclone football game! 

Emma's (1st) Birthday Week

"Emma! Do you know what week it is? Birthday week! Birthday week!" Matt started saying this to her when he would get her up for the day or up from naps and Emma would get the biggest, open mouthed smile hearing him say that. (He usually through in a couple hand motions too).

The week of her birthday was extremely nostalgic and quite emotional for me. It's like Emma knew what I needed because she was extra cuddly. She is one that needs to lay in her crib and put herself to sleep, but two nights in a row she laid with me in bed and fell asleep while rubbing my face. Heart melting.

We fed Emma her last bottles and got her completely weaned from the bottle. She handled it all like a champ and didn't even seem to notice anything different.

Matt and I took the day off on Friday to spend it with Emma, but due to weather, our pool day was shot. So we had breakfast as a family while Emma entertained us with her blueberry face and enjoyed a  walk to the park. Later that evening grandma and grandpa Shoultz got to town and took us to dinner. Going to a restaurant is always hit or miss, but luckily on this particular outing she was fantastic and loved charming everyone. Later that evening, Matt and I each wrote a letter to Emma in the journal we got her. Matt had an idea when Emma was a couple of months old to get a journal and for us to write a letter to her each year until she is 18.

Saturday was her actual birthday and we spent the day celebrating! All day I kept reflecting on this day just a year ago and certain moments throughout that day. At 2:52 p.m. I made it a point to go outside to where she was and give her an extra hug and kiss.

We had good intentions of having her party start at 4:30 with the thinking that she would have had two good naps beforehand. Instead she took two shorter than usual naps and that showed. A combination of  bad naps and those dang molars, Emma was a bit crabby but did pretty well considering. We had Matt's parents, my family and family friends Chris and Becky over to celebrate little Miss Emma turning one.

Wagon from Nana and Papa/Car from Grandma and Grandpa

Cake eating went from this.....

to this.....

Which resulted in a full meltdown, followed by a bath and early bedtime. Poor girl had an eventful day.

We are beyond lucky with family and friends that love Emma as much as they do and took the time to come be with her on her birthday.