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. 

Emma: Seven Months

This girl is officially on the move and there is absolutely no stopping her. She knows no boundaries. Matt and I call her an animal....she is out of control.

In her six month post, I wrote about her getting on her knees and rocking back and forth. Not even a week later and she was crawling. A couple days after that, she had it perfected. There has been no stopping her since. She does laps around the living room and kitchen while crawling over things that are in her way. Shortly after crawling, Emma started pulling herself up on things: the entertainment center, baskets, coffee tables, the dogs, recliner chairs and most recently, the back door. She's into everything she isn't supposed to be: blinds, cords, computers, baskets, magazines, the list goes on. Emma absolutely loves crawling around (aka chasing) with my parents' dogs, Rylee and Chloe. If they get annoyed with her and move, she just follows them. I told my mom that they are great (cheap) entertainment for her.

Emma FINALLY cut her first tooth and has another bottom one and her two top ones close behind. Poor gums are purple. I don't know how people say their babies did fine with teething. Emma is definitely not one of those babies, she is in pain with constant moaning and chewing on anything that makes them feel better. Speaking of her teething, I am hoping that the little 5:00-5:30 a.m. wake-up calls she was doing recently are because of her teeth hurting. I can handle getting up at 6:00, but 5:00? Not so much.

My favorite thing she has learned: kisses. Oh. My. Gosh. They are the best. I don't care that they are open mouthed, slobbery wet kisses. They are so sweet. She mostly gives just my mom and I kisses, but will occasionally give Matt and my dad a kiss. Baths have become one of my favorite times as a family. When Matt is in town, both of us give her a bath and just watch her play and talk/laugh with us. She has just recently learned to splash the water and is interested in seeing the water go everywhere and the noises it makes. Emma's also trying to be a daredevil and pull herself up on her little bath chair.

I can't even begin to think about what this next month will bring for Emma. If it was anything like the last, we will be busy! 

Emma's 1st Valentine's Day

I may be one of the few that actually enjoys Valentine's Day. Yes, it is a "Hallmark" holiday and we should show love 365 days a year, but it is still a reason to celebrate and have a little fun. Growing up, my mom would always make it extra special for us kids. She would buy us all a balloon, card, candy and a present of some sort. She would stick a note in our lunches (this happened often, not just this specific day) and a treat. My mom always made us kids feel like a million bucks with her thoughtfulness. This sweet gesture has now been passed on with Emma. Mom (and Alaina) came over on Friday to bring Emma her Valentine's Day balloon, card and a book to celebrate. She also made a little craft for Matt and I using Emma's footprints. Although Matt and I didn't get her anything since she received some gifts from my parents (other than lots of kisses and hugs), I can't wait to make Valentine's Day special for her growing up.

Matt and I celebrated on Thursday while Alaina babysat so we could enjoy drinks and dinner at the Cafe. It was so nice to get out and have a peaceful, romantic dinner. Going out to eat is rare treat for us these day between Emma and Matt's busy work schedule. So thank you Alaina for hanging out with Emma so we could enjoy dinner out. On Valentine's night we celebrated by doing what we always do: giving her a bath, followed by some Wheel of Fortune and putting her to bed. We decided to eat dinner once she went to bed so we could enjoy another uninterrupted meal.

{Grow with Me} - 6.5 Months

Emma has entered the stage of being alarmed by people she doesn't know and them getting in her space or voices she doesn't recognize. Case in point: these pictures. She smiled for two, and then it was all down hill. My mom took her yesterday to try again and although she didn't cry, she also didn't smile. They still make her dad and I smile though!

Day 1:

Day 2:

On the Move

Emma is officially on the move! We knew it was going to be no time before she attempted crawling....or whatever this is. Last weekend she started getting up on her hands and tippy toes to try and move but realized that didn't work. So all this week she would roll to where she needed to go. On Thursday I got a text message from Victoria that Emma had "crawled" from one end of the room to the other to get a book that was playing songs. Then this morning while playing in her room, she went after this book! She did it about 10 different times, each time going further. 

I have since ordered a gate for our stairs to the basement :) 

Life (via Instagram) Lately

1. Before and after Emma's first solids: sweet potatoes. A huge hit. 

2. She is seriously the biggest charmer I have ever met. She can't not look at someone and smile. These famous words from Elf fit her perfectly "Smiling is my favorite". 

3. After a blowout at grandma's, a change of clothes resulted in a blast from the past. Wearing aunt Alaina's first bib overalls and turtleneck....18 years later.

4. She is an animal. We use to be able to sit her in her bumbo while we ate and now she does this.

5. Finally got to introduce Emma to one of my very close friends, Mackenzie. 

6. A little play time before dad gets home from work.

7. Lucky that she doesn't mind watching mom get ready for the day

8. Got to see aunt Alaina all dressed up for winter formal. 

9. Emma's first Nike outfit courtesy of Coach Steyer