Here ye, here ye...Emarie is 7 months old!

Soooooo.... where did October go?  I'm amazed at how little I remember about October.  This weekend is Halloween, my little Rudy dog will be 7 years old, and Emarie is another month closer to her 1st birthday.  

At the Pumpkin Patch

This month here's what E's done:
1. She's crawling on her tummy, and will stop at nothing to touch a dog paw, a cell phone, a remote control, or a laptop.

Looks like she's plotting something.

2. She's eating new foods: yogurt, pureed meat {yuck}, mashed potatoes, and carrots.

3. She's a wobbly sitter and usually falls over in a matter of seconds.  Unless she's kickin' it in a high chair at a sushi or mexican restaurant {that's the two places we've been where she rocked a high chair sans car seat}.

4. She pulled herself up yesterday for the first time.  She wanted her daddy's "adult beverage" and pulled herself up using his shirt.  Wish we had gotten it on camera.

5. She's babbling more and more.

6.  She's taught herself how to blow bubbles, or spit.  Not sure, you can decide from the video.

Her {unofficial} weight this month is:  about 15.8 lbs

How funny is this?

Her most favorite things these days are:

1. Her Panda.  She will fixate on him/her until I bring him/her close and then she will grab and hug him/her with all her might!   It's cute.

2. Izzy dog.  She just sits and laughs at Izzy.  You'd think this would give a dog a complex, but not Izzy, she KNOWS she's awesome.

Iz-Bear

3.  She really likes going to the grocery store.  People tell her how cute she is and there's so much to look at.  Who wouldn't like that.

Shopping in the kitty shirt, thanks Grammi!

4. She still really enjoys the bath.

Eating bath toys

Time has really flown by, but that's to be expected right.  Over the next few months we are looking forward to time with family and friends, some college football action, and the holidays!  I will post some Halloween photos next week!  Happy Fall Everyone!

~tara

Half a year already?!?!?!?!

First things first... finding time to mommy blogging is hard.  I haven't been on here in a LOOOOOONG time.  I need to do a better job of documenting E's life.  Would day-by-day be too much? Overboard? Psycho? Hmmmm.  I think so.

Well, it's been a whopping 6 months and 2 days since my little sweet cheeks was born.  Everyday has been a miracle and a challenge.  Life is so full of smiles now that she's in our lives.  Oh and don't forget the frustrations too.  Who knew every day could be so sweet and make you realize how lucky you are, then one second later, make you want to pull our hair out.  Awww, kids!

So here's a great video of the good times.  E's little laugh is so cute.

Her measurements from 4 mo to now:
@ 4 months-                                    
ht: 23 3/4 inches
wt: 13 pounds
head cir: 16 inches
clothing size: 0-3mo and 3-6 mo
diaper size:  2

@6 months-
ht:  26 inches
wt: 14 pounds 14 ounces
head cir: 17 inches
clothing size: 6 months
diaper size: 2
                           
Her likes and dislikes:
Likes-                                
a bath                                    
wearing hats                          
sweet potatoes                      
bananas & apples                                    
doggies                                  
going on walks

Dislikes-
bedtime
wearing socks
squash
peas
getting dressed
the stroller (she'd rather be held)

mom love:
this is were i want to gush about my cuddle bunny.  she's a smart and silly little girl.  i can't wait for her to crawl, her first steps, her first tooth, her first words (better be mama or someone will get hurt, just kidding, or am I?), her first friend, her first day of school, her first everything.  I think you get the picture.  When babies are this young it's impossible not to wonder what they will grow up to be.  E has the strength of a toddler, the will of an adult, and the smile of an angel.  i bet she plays sports, but if she doesn't that's fine.  i want her to follow her heart and be what she wants to be.  i used to want to be a smurf, so maybe she will have higher aspiration than i did.  her father wanted to be an architect (what an over-achiever), so let's hope she leans toward that and not a small blue animated thing.  when i look at her, i know time will go so fast, that soon she'll be sixteen, then in college, then married... whoa, whoa, whoa.  mind slow down please.  i look at her as she is sleeping and realize when (if, haha, i can retire at 29, right?) i go back to work, i will miss spending all this time with her.  these are memories that I am so lucky to have.  she will probably not want to take naps with her momma before too long.  so, right now, as she struggles to leave my side, i cherish it.  i'm sorry to those who get tears when you try to hold her, but those tears remind me that she thinks i'm the best thing since sliced bread.

tara

it's a girl, her dad, and some rice cereal

today we dove into a new tasty treat called rice cereal.  i tried to be a nice wifey and get the grocery shopping done, so we didn't have to fight everyone and their dog over the weekend, and i grabbed some Gerber rice cereal for E.  i figured now is as good a time as any to see if the girl can eat like her momma.  and.....(drum roll......).... she can.  makes me so proud.

i attempted her first introduction at lunch, four bites, not all that interested.  would rather take her bottle.  i didn't push it, since the handout from the doctor's office said it's good to ease into it.  whatever that means.  how do you ease into eating cereal as a 4 month old? anyway, i told myself i'd let her try it, if she was ready great, if not, oh well.  so after my attempt, i figured it wasn't her time and we'd have to wait a few more weeks.  i sent ryan a quick pic of his sweetness trying cereal for the first time, then curled up on the couch with my darlin' and took a siesta. what a great friday!

when the man of the house came home, he was eager to try the cereal with her.  i think guys like when their kids first learn to eat because it's messy.  he just wanted to see how messy she could get without me getting antsy and pulling out the steam mop.  for whatever reason, today i didn't care about a mess.  i think i'm too tired this week to even care about the tidiness, or lack there of, of my house.  i say this after i swept the kitchen, vacuumed the carpet and couches (thanks dogs that shed like there's no tomorrow), and did all our laundry.  guess i cared a little, huh.

but i recorded this 'real' attempt at rice cereal with her dad.  moms out there, ever feel like you do all the dirty work all day, and sometimes can't get your kiddos to do/try anything, then dad comes home and they are all for it?  that's how this new adventure went down.  dad had the magic touch with the cereal.  i see a new full-time job for ryan in the near future!!!  he will hear me say, "but she likes it when her daddy feeds her."

here's the video and some photos of our neighbor Sophie.  she's just a couple month younger than E and she's wreaking havoc and mayhem on her parents as well.  she's such a sweet little thing.

have a great weekend!

Sophie:

More E:

ps- i just set up a youtube account and this video was only 3 minutes, but it took forever to get it uploaded. sheesh, when E wants to do a music video to make it big like justin beiber, i'll be waiting forever to upload that.  

pps- i'm sacrificing good sleep for this post...what am i thinking. 

my first day as a 4 month old -posted by EMARIE

alright, so i can't type, yet, so i'm telling my mom everything i want to say.  my mom is like my personal assistant.  i really couldn't live without her.  you know like famous people have people do everything for them, well that's kinda like my mom.  if i liked coffee, i would have her get me a vente white chocolate mocha from Aspen Coffee in Stillwater, OK.

i am actually going to start my story by telling ya'll about yesterday... i had to go to this place called the doctor.  my mom swears my doctor is a nice lady, but all i remember is those pokey things {shots}. Wowsers!  it all began like any other day, i woke up, i was in my usual good mood, had some breakfast. next, i played in my exersaucer (picture of me in action to follow), mom got me dressed, then strapped me into my car seat and with a smile on her face said, "you ready to go bye-bye?  my library books are ready to go pick up and you are almost out of formula."  sounded like fun.  i'm up for a car ride anytime, i just don't understand why the cars have to stop so much.  i would quickly learn that she conveniently left out the trip to a little place called Healthcare for Children, or the most awful place on earth if you ask kids.  thanks mom.  i've got your number lady.  i will remember this.  you like sleep right... well, i'll be sure to get you back.

anyway- i took a catnap while mom drove around running errands, and the next thing i know, i'm naked, in a cold chair, with a paper napkin stuck to my bum {the scale}.  when i saw that stranger, mom called her a nurse, i knew i was in for trouble.  i tried to cry to keep her away, but it didn't work.  she'd later get me good.  the stranger put a ruler around my head and made me lay on a table as she stretched my leg off.  it was pure torture, you guys.  then she left.  did the tears work?  no time to celebrate, another stranger came in.  she had a warm smile and a nice voice, but i cried anyway.  i thought i would get some relief because the doctor kept saying nice things as she stuck a flat wooden object in my mouth and a funnel thingy in my ear.  how could she expect me to like that? she even said i have a perfectly shaped head.  maybe my daddy will let me be a head model? just kidding,  there's no such thing.  is there? well, my dad says i will play soccer.  play...okay, i like that.  soccer, sure, if it's play, i'm in.  now my results from the doctor (in case you forgot what i was at 2 month, click here):

4 months:
-height- 23 3/4 inches  {up almost 2 inches. call me Yao Ming}
-weight- 13 lbs  {up a little over 2 1/2 lbs}
-head circumference- 16 inches {the brain has grown almost 2 inches too. move over Stephen Hawking}

i have no idea what these things mean or what the 25-50th percentile means, but that's where i am.  all i know is that i'm not a fan of the doctor.  what kind of lady can sleep at night after she pokes a baby like me?

now TODAY!  i had a great day.  i napped, played with my toys, napped, got in my swing, napped, played some more, had a few diaper changes, and napped.  i ate too.  i can eat 4 oz at one time.  sometimes 5.  i'm getting big.  i walked around the house with my personal assistant {mom} and took pics of some of my favorite things. here's what i'm into these days:

this is pressley the pachyderm, i eat his nose sometimes

i love the nuk fatas...aka pacifiers

my cousin aubriana taught me about spongebob

my mom's cool pillows. i stare at them a lot.

this is me working out in my new exersaucer

i love to blow bubbles. oh and thanks Matt and Amy Garrett for my cute outfit!!!

my poppa calls me a pwwincess all the time.
P.S.- see my perfectly shaped noggin?  i got my dad's ears. 

emarie

life at home: the good, the bad, & the internet

it is a full on, 100+ degrees, humid as florida summer here in KC, and with a {4} month old, i don't get out much.  so that leaves me to my thoughts.  thoughts about parenting, how to stay excited about my new full-time job, and who's turn is it to make the bottle.  i wonder why some women choose to stay home, while others choose to return to work.  as a new(ish) mom, i have a fair amount of time to think up my answers to all my questions, but i know i'm not always right.  this post will be devoted to my thoughts on staying home, being a parent, how Ry fits in, and the internet, my new BFF.

life before a baby centered on ME...and ryan, and what me we wanted to do at each moment of the day.  we were both working, making money, spending money, taking trips, eating out, going to the movies, and exercising.  everyone knows that when a baby comes along, the me focus has to change to them. call me captain obvious.  oh, and i'm not complaining.  not at all, just stating some facts thoughts i have. now, i realize staying home doesn't work for everyone.  and i'm not trying to force my thoughts on anyone else, because i am the first person who will tell you to raise your kids/plan or not plan your family how you want to, and always, always, always do what works easiest/ best for you.  staying home just works for us.  for many reasons: childcare costs an arm and a leg (literally), i couldn't convince myself in 37 1/2 weeks that someone else would love all over my kid the way i do, i grew up going to daycare (and turned out just fine) so i wanted to see the other side, i wasn't in love w/ my job, and almost peed my pants (not literally) thinking about staying home with E.   there are pros and cons to our situation:

Pro
-i don't miss the little changes she undergoes daily
-we have already built a strong bond
-i get to cuddle her, even if she'd rather i not
-i can maintain a clean house
-i can run errands (early in the morning) otherwise put off for the weekends
-she gets to fall asleep and wake up at her house (familiar is always good)
-ryan and i can create whatever schedule we want her to be on... right now, there is no schedule
-the dogs get to go in and out all day (in more than out, we have weird dogs)
-laundry doesn't (usually) get backed up
-i can cook dinner... or fix it from a bag, whatever :)
-i can, and sometimes do, stay in my pj's all day (ry thinks it's hot)

Cons
-i have champagne, no i have good wine taste, on a Natty Lite budget
-daytime TV is crappy
-i can, and sometimes do, stay in my pj's all day (gets depressing)

all my cons are pretty minimal, i think.

all in all i feel blessed, lucky, thankful to have the opportunity and support to stay home.  i also am human and a girl, so it's hard to think like my new strengths are washing bottles, wiping a precious hiney, doing laundry, and having a clean house.  you definitely don't feel like a goddess when you get spit-up on multiple times a day, forget to brush your teeth until 3pm, or staying up all night rocking a fuss-a-saurus rex (that's what we call E when she's a handful).   being a mom is a tough job.  there's many old there that would disagree, so i'm only saying i think it's hard.  there's a lot of pressure out there to be the perfect mom.  don't let your kids sleep in your bed, they will have attachment issues, only breastfeed or your kid won't be healthy, put them on a schedule from the beginning, swaddle them, yada, yada, yada.  there are so many 'rules' out there, how can they all be right?  as you all already know, i don't follow a schedule and i do what works for us instead of what all the 'experts' say.  good, bad, or indifferent, that's what i choose.  i wish i could tell you that my method is the best, but i still have a fussy kids sometimes.  a kid that doesn't sleep through the night.  one that cries when a stranger holds her, and one that is only on formula now.  i'm not the best mom, but E thinks i'm pretty darn close to it.  that's what matters to me.  if my kid is happy and healthy, is taught good manners, treats people with kindness and respect, and doesn't cheat or steal, then i've done my job. now, she might sleep in our bed til she's 10 or 40 (i told my parents i'd sleep in their bed til i was 40)?  she might not do well at her first sleepover, and call me to come get her (i did).  she will throw a tantrum at the most inopportune time, that i'm sure of.  it's a given that she will catch colds and get germs.  i can only be there to cuddle in bed with her, pick her up when she wants to come home, teach her that tantrums don't get you what you want, and nurse her back to her playful self when she has a bug.  this is how easy i make it sound in my head.

so this next thought is a wife's perspective on how my hubs feels.  these thoughts are probably somewhat accurate or could be totally way-off.  i'll let ryan post a response to this if he wants.  i'd like to know his perspective on fatherhood... i know he loves it, but i want him to spill his guts on his fears, what he wants for his daughter, how good/bad he is at all things baby, and how he sees me after a c-section, stitches, and big panties (TMI??? sorry).  i'm not sure i can convince him to share all this, but i promise to try.

i think ryan is a great dad.  he's a great dad in a very attentive-doesn't want her to be uncomfortable at all-  tries really hard to help me in the middle of the night- isn't scared to get dirty-wants to provide for her every need kind of way.  he'd buy her the moon if she wanted it.  remember how i told you he uses 20 wipes per diaper?  well, he is so concerned that she'll get a UTI that he wipes every inch of her tushy.  he's concerned about her sun exposure.  worries about if she's getting enough sleep.  leaves the house early so he can come home early to see her.  is a little picky about who holds her (if you've held her, you know you met his standard, or maybe he talked about you after we got home :)  ).  he might not know at what age we start cereal, what diaper rash looks like, or what food allergies are, but he's in it.  he's willing to learn whatever it takes to help her grow up big and strong.  because he wants to be all in this, that's a great dad.  he doesn't leave the hard stuff to me.  he says we are a team.  and did i mention, he uses 20 wipes to clean her bum.  oh i did.

now on to my new obsession.  the internet!  when i should be napping as E naps, i can't pull myself away from facebook, pinterest, younghouselove, Just Us, pickyourplum, yahoo, zulily, shabbycreekcottage, couponsuzy, babycenter, and as of today, joss and main.  i've gotten sucked into decorating and diying things for our house on the cheap...well, i've gotten sucked into at least thinking about it.  i've also decided to organize and clean out all the clutter in our house.  we are getting lean and mean, and only keeping things we need.  we've decided we waste a lot, we have stuff that we don't need or use, and others can get better use out of it.

another goal is to save money where we can.  cut coupons, don't spend money M-Th, and check out books from the library.  i hope i'm not making you all think we are financially struggling, because if you know my husband, you know he's socked away his whole life, so this save money challenge is simply to see how much frivolous spending we can eliminate. what we save will go to E's college fund.  she might sleep with her momma until college, but the girl is going to college.

now, if you want, share your thoughts on parenting with us, tell me your favorite websites, so maybe i can get hooked into a few more, and leave any tips that have made life easier for those experienced parents out there.  again, none of my thoughts are meant to make anyone feel like our parenting style is better than anyone else's.  i just needed to share my thoughts, since E doesn't quite understand what i say to her.  thanks for being my outlet tonight.

tara

opps...belated independence day!!!

(does it count as late as long as i post in the same month as the actual holiday?)

i have to document this holiday, because at three months old, E will never remember this first 4th of July.  this was probably one of my favorite holidays growing up.  the 4th always meant HOT weather, the lake, BBQ's, swimming in the pool, and shooting off fire-crackers.  i also can remember being so excited when my dad said we were going to get firecrackers.  now, with a baby, it brings thoughts of loud bangs, booms, and whistles that will wake my kid up.  am i a scrooge or what?!  E actually did fine, to my dismay, but when at 11:30pm fire-crackers were still going off, R and I were annoyed.  i think it constitutes annoyed when your husband puts a post of FB asking who the "d-bags were shooting off mortars".  making friends right and left, huh?  he's like sarah palin, momma grizzly bear, when it comes to little e.  love him.

i feel like a party pooper writing this blog, but it's true.  i was trying to think back to when i turned into a dud, and it occurred to me... i've kinda always been a dud.  1. my sister preferred to take my childhood BF to Bell's to ride the rides because i was a chicken (that's you Sheena). 2. in college i didn't want to wear my sorority sweatshirt into a bar for fear of being disrespectful... my BFF called me out on it, leading to a messy fight, but we have since reconciled (thanks Katie).  3. i now am not a fan of fireworks.  there's a lot more stories of tara-the-lame, but in an effort to save my self from belittling, i'll stop there. :)  guess i need to fun it up, or my kid will think i'm lame.  it does make me feel a little better that my husband's friends referred to him as "grandpa" in college... two-peas-in-a-pod. two-lame-peas-in-a-pod.

Anywho, back to the 4th- we started off festivities on Friday, my parents came into town.  since they live 4 hours away, they are like kids in a candy store when they come visit, and my kid is the candy.  it's so sweet how much they dote on her.  she loves it already.  the cooing has since turned into odd sounds of happiness and she really wanted to tell my mom something the entire time she was here.  probably things about my parenting style :)  i'm getting sold out by an infant.

Friday we lounged and had drinks on the deck with our neighbors and ordered our traditional Minsky's pizza.  a great way to end the week.  Saturday we lounged some more,  ate breakfast burritos, and watched the casey anthony BS, i mean trial. R and my dad tried to win BIG at the casino, but no such luck.  Sunday we grilled out with our neighbors and my parents, and Monday i took pics of the fireworks pre-11:30pm.  E was already asleep, but thanks to our neighbors, brennan and luke, i got some good shots to show her.  all in all it was a lazy independence day at our house.  Here's some pics of E's first 4th:

tara

three months already

i'm writing this post as i watch Marley and Me with ryan, while glancing at the baby monitor often.  it seems like yesterday we were at our 37 week visit when the doctor thought E was too small and needing to make her grand entrance sooner rather than later.  friday march 25th was a day like none we've ever experienced.

three months later we are learning her likes and dislikes... dislikes are easier to figure out.  we've noticed she is following her hands all over the place.  she tries to help hold her bottle, she smiles every time one of us looks at her, and we have broken every 'rule' out there for raising kids.  i like the help she gives me during feedings, i love the smiles, and i enjoy breaking the 'rules'.  we are pretty sure she's going to grow up happy and healthy, so we don't care if she somehow figures out that she wants to suck her thumb or sleep in our bed (a king size bed is in our near future, i feel it in my bones).  we will however draw the line with bad attitudes, selfishness, and lying.  in our book, that's makes us pretty good parents.

a few more milestones:

1. the hands thing :)
2. she's wearing size 1 diapers
3. she's fitting into her 3 month clothes
4. she's getting used to the car seat
5. she likes her swing...when she's tired

a few 'rules' we've broken:

1. we let her suck her hands
2. she still sleeps in her pack-n-play in our room
3. we've also let her sleep in our bed... and we like it!
4. finally, we let her watch TV... should this be under milestones?  haha

now here are some pictures of our little 3 month old-

she loves t.v.

PS- Marley and Me has successfully made me cry like a small child that has lost her favorite toy.

PSS- actually, both of us are crying... this is a super sad ending that we knew was coming and we are still sobbing.

count 'em, 3 years! that's 21 in dog years.

and what an uber fantastic three years it's been!  June 21, 2008 i married my sugar-daddy... i mean, my dreamboat!  i thought it took me forever to find someone like ryan... and now time is whizzing by us.  i hope to be the little old(er) lady sharing about our 50+ years of marriage someday.  i bet blogs will have changed by then.

anyway,  here's the story of us... a love story-

once upon at time, in the land of aggies, God's country, stillwater, OK, a romance blossomed.  WAIT... i am leaving out the best part of the story... you see the story actually starts back in high school. i played basketball for a high school power house {go redskins}, and ryan caught a glimpse of his wifey-to-be when my team dominated his school's girls team.  (he told me years later that he knew who i was in high school... stalker, j/k).  he had no idea then, but i'd steal his heart in four short years as seniors in college.  now fast forward 1 year, katie and i are causing some mayhem at a date party {sorry, john somebody for affixing a hula girl to your tv permanently}.  we even knocked on several doors in the fraternity and introduced ourselves... ryan's door was one of those. (again, he remembered me...i didn't really recall shaking his hand that night...oops). still we didn't make a connection.  again, fast forward another three years, i had just returned from a student exchange program, and ryan was pursuing an internship in tulsa during the spring of our senior year.  kelly, katie, and i moved into a duplex next to ryan and all his friends.  since ryan was off being responsible, i had to scope him out in pictures at his friends' house.  even asking who was that strapping blond gentleman.  finally, we meet!  in the driveway of my next door neighbor.  fireworks went off... okay, just kidding, but i did think he was {like totally} cute!  that semester we go to date parties together, hang out and talk on his roof, and he kissed me, then... we graduate and move thousands of miles away from each other.  not what you were expecting?  well, that's what happened.  i chalk it up to him being shy and me unsure of how he felt.  he says i was the hard one to read and he wasn't waiting around. ok, i added the part about him not waiting around.  but anyways,  he takes a job in Houston, then KC, and i go to grad school, then move to OR. before i left for OR i call ryan.  i knew he'd be so proud of me for landing a great job.  one summer evening, i picked him up at his parents house, we drive to sonic for a 'drink'.  we talked a lot about what we hoped for in life after college.   back in his parent's driveway, i asked why we didn't work out.  bold huh? i really just wanted him to know i was still {REALLY} interested in him.  he seemed unsure of a long distance thing, and he was about to get of my car, then he turned back around and planted one on me...and the rest is history.  we did the long distance thing for a year, although, there were some rough patches along the way and some "hate email" got sent (from me... he's too sweet to do that).  but now we are happily married with one perfect little girl and two doggies.  every morning i wake up to an amazing life.  i realize everyday how great i have it.

Here's some pics of our journey together:

the engagement:

the wedding:

this hand shake sealed the marriage! 

i wonder what the rest of life will bring our way... great things I'm sure.  Happy 3rd Anniversary to my better half!  I'll keep you around for another, oh say, 100 years.  Here's to making it that long and not being senile.  Love you Mr. Burger! 

Tara