WE HAVE MAMELONS!

Yep, it's true....that gummy smile turned out to be a little less gummy on Thursday!! Her cute little mamelons on tooth #O have finally made an appearance, and she's been sleeping better already!

Of course, there's NO WAY on earth she'll let me take a picture of them.... so this is what you get! ha ha! Stinker!

UNMOTIVATED

I have a million things I should be out doing to prepare for Christmas and our trip, but instead I am sitting here at the computer (while Emri naps and Brett is finishing up finals) dreaming of hot summer days. I have a feeling it's going to be a long winter if I'm hoping for sunshine and it's only Dec.9th!

Right now Columbus is under a high wind warning. I'm pretty sure you don't have to be told that the 60 MPH wind is here! It sounds like our windows are going to rattle out and I can hear the rain pounding against them. I'm surprised E is still sleeping. There's no way I want to take her out in this nastiness when she wakes up. It's only about 45 degrees out, but the wind cuts to the bone! Wish me luck as I try to tie up all my loose ends that I'm supposed to today!

And, enjoy this funny video of Bridger being tossed about like a rag doll out on the lake this past summer!

Anyone else longing for summer already? Or is it just me?!

And This Isn't Even All of Them....

So, you know you have a great PHOTOGRAPHER when you can't decide which picture to send with your Christmas card because you love them all!! Thanks Kara! I added several of my faves to this post, each for their own reason. Kara captured so many of E's sweet characteristics!

For instance:

That belly....

those chunky legs...

the open-mouth, no-tooth grin....

her mischief....

her curiosity...

her happiness....

the pure sweetness....

and of course, those beautiful blue eyes and her dimple flyin' solo!

LOVE THIS LITTLE PEANUT!

The rest are the whole fam....and a couple of silly ones! You can vote for your faves, but the cards are already sent (yeah, look at me being on the ball)....so it won't change anything! ha ha!

not loving her teacup :)

REALLY not loving her teacup!

love my silly hubby!

so so precious!

THE END....well, more like OUR ENDS.

9 Months & Turkey Day Swim

At 9 Months Emri is so full of energy! She has such a cute little personality and does silly things all the time to make us laugh! It's crazy to me to think she's been physically in our home now just as long as she was inside of me.....the nine months here has gone by much faster!

At her well check she weighed 20lbs.15oz. (81%) and measured 27in. (34%). Her head circumference is 18 1/4 in. (93%)! All percentiles keep going up....except her height! ha! Must run in the family! We were finally able to get her 1st doses of H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines. I'm a little nervous to travel to Utah next month due to the huge outbreaks they've had. I don't think Ohio has been AS bad.

At 9 months Emri:

• is now crawling everywhere and has attempted climbing a stair or two a few times.
• pulls herself up to stand at anything she can get her hands on...which resulted in a couple weeks of rough naps when she figured how to stand at her crib. She had a harder time putting herself to sleep.
• loves to clap!
• gets really excited when she sees Brett or me get water from the fridge....she thinks it's always for her!
• likes to get into the kitchen drawers.
• likes to dance (rock back and forth) when music is on.
• has started to speak a new language! It's the funniest thing I've ever heard. She talks to herself all day!
• thinks it's funny when I turn on the lights.
• thinks it's funny when I curl my eyelashes before putting on mascara.
• is a good eater! Her new favorite food/snack is sharing a yogurt w/ mom or dad.
• is beginning to let go when standing and will stand unsupported for about 5 seconds before dropping on her bum.
• Sleeps around 11 hours at night and normally takes 2 naps a day.
• leans in for us to give her kisses....and they're usually wet from her end!
• is such a happy baby! I love being her momma!
• is a Buckeye Fan already! Here she is cheering against Michigan! (she's always doing that with her big toe!)

For Thanksgiving this year we did something more on the "untraditional" side! We spent the holiday in our swimsuits at Fort Rapids indoor waterpark with a couple other friends and their kids! It was a blast! We swam Wednesday night....and Thursday morning/afternoon then had a Thanksgiving Buffet at the hotel.

Fun at the pool

We called gma and gpa Brklacich to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving....it was only 6:30am in Utah!

They had these cute little swings in kiddie area....E loved them! She loves the pool....I think she thinks it's just a huge bath for her! She loves to splash and doesn't care to have water in her face....I think that came from being at the pool a lot last summer.

Dad and E

Emri swinging with her friend Reese (3 days apart). They had waterslides and a lazy river for the adults....we all just took turns going on the slides...guys, girls and couples! I felt like a kid again!

Our turkey day feast with the Williams' and Dansies

E's first Thanksgiving! She did eat some turkey and potatoes/gravy, green bean casserole and even stuffing! She loved it all!

The Williams Fam. Thanks for such a fun time! Maybe we'll make it an Ohio tradition and go again next year!!

We have so much to be thankful for in our family! Not only at this time of year but all year long. I'm so grateful for a loving husband that is working so hard in school so he can have a career to support our family. I'm grateful for the education I received as well. I'm grateful to have an eternal family. I'm grateful for a healthy, happy baby and the opportunity I have to be at home with her. I'm grateful for our families....who support us, love us and pray for us while we are away from them. I'm grateful for friends that are like family to us. I'm grateful for our membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and for the joy it brings to our family. I'm grateful for a loving Heavenly Father and for his Son who sacrificed His life for me and you and for the wonderful plan our Heavenly Father has created so that we can live with him again one day. It's hard to quickly sum up how thankful I am for the big and little things I enjoy each day. I am one lucky girl!!

NO REGRETS

Looking back over the past several years I started to realize how antsy I always was to be done with the "part" of my life I was in....for instance, graduating from highschool so I could move out and do the college scene.....getting married so I didn't have to deal with the drama and heartaches of dating....graduating from college so I wouldn't be bogged down by studying, and actually get paid for my hard work... going back to the somewhat carefree days of hygiene school so I wasn't stressed about providing for my family... looking ahead and wanting 9 months of pregnancy to be over with (even though I couldn't really complain about my pregnancy) so I could stay at home with a baby... (However, I was always grateful to have a career and be able to help support our family while Brett was still in school). Sometimes I regret that I didn't live more "in the moment" and enjoy each day for what it meant to my journey.

I have to say that after Emri was born it was really hard and weird for me to be at home 24/7. I almost felt guilty for being home all day and not out making money for our family. After working full time for a few years I had really gotten into a routine....I liked it, though I admit I didn't always love it and sometimes wished for other things. When Emri was 11 weeks I started back to work part time....many of you may remember THIS DAY!

Fast forward 6 months....After lots of contemplating, prayers, and consideration I feel like right now, the best thing for our family is for me to be a full time momma. Brett has been such a wonderful hubby and wanted me to stay home from the get-go, but was also supportive of my concern and want to work. The past 9 months have been a transition, but it has been so, so rewarding to be able to be at home with my baby! She is hard work, that's not even a question...and I can' t just clock out at 5 pm and say I'm done for the day, although somedays that sounds nice :) A real paycheck would be nice, but a toothless grin and slobbery kiss from Emri is all the payment I need to make the hard work worth it!

I feel so lucky to be able to have this "job" of being a mom and caregiver because I know that many people have not been blessed with the opportunity (yet). Emri is such a sweet gift we've been given and I definitely don't want to "wish" this part of my life away just to get to the next stage, as I have so many times before. If anything, I find myself everyday telling Emri to stop growing already...I want these days to last!

While I worked one of my amazing friends Heather and her sweet boy Isaac tended Emri. They loved her like she belonged in their family! Basically Emri thinks this is her "other" mother and older brother! She LOVED being with them and never cried when I left (I was always the one with tears)! Actually just recently while I was picking E up, Isaac went out the front door to leave for school and Emri started crying! She didn't want me....she only wanted him! She loves her buddy Isaac! These pics are a few months old, but Heather took them for me while I was working and I never posted them!

Isaac and E snugglin' in their jammies!

Heather and E!

Isaac is so sweet with her....he is going to make one awesome big brother in just a few short months!! Thanks a million you two for taking such good care of my babe!

A friend recommended this book to me a while ago (thanks Bre). I did start reading it....though, I haven't finished it yet due to my (lack of) love for reading, but what I've read so far I've really enjoyed! If there are any stay at home moms out there not feeling like what you're doing is important, you need to read this book!

When Brett and I moved away for dental school his parents came to visit us a couple months after we were settled in. They brought us a wall hanging that says, "Happiness is the Journey, Not the Destination." I'm coming to realize the truth of that saying more and more each day. My hope is to enjoy the journey we're on....no regrets....no wanting the past....or hoping for the future...just live for today!

team JACOB anyone??

Most of you know that I'm really not a pleasure reader. In fact, I only read about 100 pages of New Moon over a year ago and never finished it! I liked Twilight (at least it interested me enough to finish it) and the movie was ok....I know, what's wrong with me, right?!

Brett was so sweet and stayed home from Thursday night basketball so I could go out with the girls! So, a dozen or so friends went to dinner last night, saw Twilight in the theater at 9pm, and then New Moon at MIDNIGHT!!! So fun! Yeah...the last time my eyes were open at midnight for a movie.....can't remember....oh yes I can, last year at this same time, with several of these same friends!

Me, Sarah, Amy...gotta love the blinding close-ups!

They were showing New Moon in 7 of 9 theaters! I called Brett while we were waiting in line to get into the theater and there was so much squealing, excitement, and cackling, and screeching in the background he said, "Whoa, it sounds like a bunch of hens!" It really was madness!

We took plenty of candy to keep us awake!

I think this was close to midnight....when nothing makes sense anymore, and everything makes you laugh!

I stayed completely awake through both movies (this was the first thing Brett asked me about this morning) which is SO unlike me! On our way out of the theater I saw this guy that was so freaky looking...pale face, long black hair that you could almost see through, black trench coat....I grabbed Amanda to tell her to look at the vampire behind us! We turned around and I couldn't see him ANYWHERE! We both started screaming! I felt like I was in high school again! I didn't get home till 2:45am and was so wired I thought about blogging last night! Finally around 3:30 I zonked!

I LOVED New Moon! It was so much better than the first one! I don't know, MAYBE it had something to do with the hot-bod Jacob jogging around shirt-less during 90% of the movie?! I still can't get into Edward...he's weird and his teeth bug me!

So, how bout you? Have you been to the movie yet? Are you for Edward or Jacob or is all of this a little too out there for you?

Emri Graduated

"Yeah, I like my infant seat okay....although when I sit in it it makes me look like those people who try to stuff 20 lbs of mud in a 5 lb sack, if ya know what I mean?! Some overflow goin on! And, sometimes I stress out when I get buckled in and throw a tizzy. I think it's time for an upgrade!"

"Wow....this is like riding first class! I'm thinking I will really like this new seat! There's so much room to chillax! I could get used to this!"

"Okay dad, just buckle me in and let me see how it feels.....do you need some help? Yep, you got it, just like that!"

"OH YEAH! This is nice! Yep, it's a keeper....let's go ahead and send in the business reply card saying we love it!"

LOVE these blue eyes!

Just a little shot into our lives of what happens when mom leaves before Emri is dressed in the morning! Dad thinks it's funny to get creative and dress her in the most MIS-MATCHING, bright colored, random clothing in her wardrobe...complete with crazy hair....and paper to munch on! Look at that face....it's like she just saw herself in the mirror! ha ha! She knows I've taught her better!

It wont stop her from having fun though!

Little Scooter!

Poor babe caught some little bug and was up half the night into Monday morning then ran a temperature of 101 all day yesterday, so she was pretty mellow. Today she still is running a fever but is more active and has the energy to scoot around, so I thought I'd catch her crawling! So glad yesterday is over. I felt so bad for her...although, she was extra cuddly so I didn't mind that! Hopefully whatever she has will go away soon.

Hallo-WEEK

It feels like Halloween lasted more than just a few hours this year.... We carved our pumpkins Wednesday. I had Brett carve out some leg holes in the big one for a cute picture of E in it.

Here's our cute picture! It makes ME want to cry! As soon as we sat her down she freaked! I don't think I've ever seen her so sad (of course I snapped a couple photos)

I don't blame her....it was cold and slimey and smelled like raw pumpkin guts! Sorry Emri.

Our neighborhood "Beggar's Night" (aka Trick-or-Treat) was Thursday. It's a weird thing Columbus does, but I guess it makes it safer for the little kiddos to do it during the week and only from 6-8pm. Emri made her big debut as "Bumble-E!" I got this awesome brand new costume for $5 at a yard sale! Sweet!

We took E around to a few houses and let everyone oooh and aaaah over her cute little cheeks stuffed into that hat!

Here are some of our neighborhood friends: Boston & Tate, Emerson, Taylee, Isaac and Emri

We let Emri suck on a chocolate bar....we figured if she worked hard enough to actually get to the chocolate then she deserved a taste :) Despite her efforts, all she ended up with was an unopened wrapper full of melty chocolate.

Friday was my last day of work--YAY-- (more to come later) and we went to a fun Halloween party of some friends in the ward. This was E's cute Halloween outfit!

Saturday morning the Ward Mission put together a trunk-or-treat at the church. I went to pass out candy, but Emri was napping so Brett stayed home with her!

Satuday night we went to Alli J's 1st Birthday Bash/Halloween Party! It was really fun and everyone dressed up! This is the birthday girl (minnie mouse---soooo cute) and Emri. Don't they just have the cutest squishy cheeks?!

We played some silly games....this one we had to stand back to back while trying to feed eachother powdered dougnuts and get the fastest time. We got 2nd place! PS....do you know how hard it is to swallow a powdered doughnut really fast?? VERY HARD!

Our family went as......The Beekeeper and his Bumblebees! Thanks for the fun party Beckstroms!

Love her!

AND...today at church Emri hit a big milestone....she finally coordinated her hands and knees while we were sitting in Relief Society and now we have a crawler! Time to baby-proof!