8 MONTHS

THIS PICTURE OVERLOAD IS BY REQUEST FROM MELISSA....HERE YA GO!

The months just seem to be flyin' by! Here she is at 8!

I can't wrap my head around the idea that not long ago she looked like this....

and this.....

and now?? She's doing this....

and this....

It's not very often anymore that she'll fall asleep in our arms, but when she does I hold her forever to take it in! So precious!

She's so serious! I saw this picture and for the first time I saw a hint of Brklacich in her, though I can't pick out just what it is that makes me think that! Anyone else see it?

Can you guess who spent the night by the camo on the hat?? Yep, Uncle Bridger!

Uh, this is what happens when she sneezes carrots! She sneezes a ton...always has! And does at least once or twice when she eats. I wasn't fast enough to cover her face this time! Um, I had to change clothes too!

Emri has one Baby Einstein video..."First Signs." She loves it....and sits so still when it's on! I couldn't even get her to look at me more than a split second for a picture!

Gma and Gpa Anderton came for a short visit! We sure loved having them here...next time you have to stay longer! We contemplated boycotting the drive to the airport!

Emri sportin her first pair of Nikes! How cute are they? Gotta love hand-me-downs!

These days this is the only way to keep her contained!

Having a playdate with Abigail and Averi (all born within weeks of eachother)!

Learning the proper toothbrush technique for when those chompers start to come in! Still no teeth!

Loves her sippy cup! I keep thinking she's going to hurt herself...she whips her head back so fast when she wants a drink!

Just workin' on some toning of the deltoids! ha ha!

• According to my home scale I think she's weighing around 20 1/2 lbs.
• She talks all day long and loves to say ma-ma-ma and da-da-da, but never to the right person!
• Has overcome her fear of green beans and eats any baby food we give her....but when I grind up fresh fruits she spits them out!
• She gets where she wants to by rolling....I feel like she'll be crawling so soon though. She loves to rock on her hands and knees, but usually ends up pushing backwards.
• She's perfected the push-up, as pictured above!
• She loves to play with Heather and Isaac when I work.
• She gets so excited to see dad come home each day and cries when he leaves the room to put his backpack away!
• The best way to get a laugh out is to startle her! Must be a nervous laugh?!
• She is such a happy baby and I can't get enough of her one-dimpled, open-mouth smiles!
• Sleeps from 8pm to 7 or 7:30am. Takes 2 naps a day.
• She sat in the front of the shopping cart for the first time and thought she was big stuff! (I'm not a fan....I totally Clorox wiped the whole cart down first. TWICE. ...and was still not loving the fact that she was sitting where so many dirty hands have touched.) She just doesn't love her carseat all the time now.
• Some of her favorite toys for the moment are mom's spatulas and measuring cups

We HEART Visitors!

Back it up to September (i finally got the pictures to work)!....

My BFF I've known forever is ANGI! At 3 years old, we started dance class together (taught by her mom), lived 3 blocks away from eachother, grew up in the same ward, had the same group of friends all throughout school, moved away to college together and were roomies for a couple years (till she got hitched), and still have a wonderful friendship! She is the best! And, I have to say I look up to her so, so much! She's pretty much SUPERWOMAN! She has 4 stinkin' cute little kiddos (ages 4 and under....yes, I told you she's amazing)! When we found out we were pregnant with Emri, Angi made plans to come visit after the birth. Well, then she found out #4 was on the way and had to postpone the trip, but just for a few months!

Angi's sweet hubby gave her 2 thumbs up and she and baby Ty (3 mos) were on the plane to Ohio, while he played Mr. Mom to the 3 other kids at home! We had such a fun time while they were here!

Ty didn't mind sharing Emri's pink chair! In fact, I think he really enjoyed himself in it!

We spent one day at the Columbus Zoo....and the kids had a riot! ha ha!

Ty zonked out most of the time; he is such a mellow little guy! E chilled with her feet up and enjoyed the ride! She looks HUGE in this picture!

We did a videochat with Angi's hubby and kids at home. Her twins didn't know what to think of it! I'm not sure if it was a great idea.....after the fact Brock called saying one of the girls was crying because she wanted to see Emri more! So sweet! I know they missed their momma too!

Emri and Ty are 4 months apart. You can tell it in the size difference of their thighs!

We spent a day out at Easton shopping. Emri blew out of her diaper before we even got out of the car! The onesie went right into the trash can! Not that we have the kind of cash-flow to throw out her clothes whenever they get a little "soiled", but EVERY SINGLE TIME she's worn that particular shirt it has happened, so I'm guessing it was cursed?!?!

The kiddos loaded up in their carseats! Don't they look thrilled to be dragged around with us?! I was rounding some things up before leaving and I looked out the door to see Angi carrying both carseats and kids out to the car at the same time. I couldn't stop her! I feel like such a wuss because I'm always saying how much stuff I have to lug around for ONE kid! Yeah, I won't complain ever again!

So cute! I love babies in jammies! I could just snuggle them all day!

We also took Angi and Ty to see the "Shoe" where the Buckeyes lose (I mean play), and to the Columbus Temple!

It was so perfect to have Angi and Ty visit us. It was actually during Brett's finals week which worked out great so we could do our own thing and not bug Brett while he was trying to study!

One night Angi and I watched a chick flick and stayed up way late (till at least midnight!!) talking and reminiscing! We did the "remember when" game and laughed till the tears were flowin'! Most of the stories were classic memories of living together in the dorms. The best was the time that Angi fibbed (not lied) about me having food poisoning so we could get out of going on a double date with some boys we weren't "in to!" Silly! I'm sure the guys totally believed us! ha! Ang, thanks a million for coming! It was so great to have you guys here! And Brock, thanks for playing Mr. Mom for a few days so I could hang out with my BFF!

Who's been your best friend the longest??

Emri's Day in Pictures

Today we had lunch at the dental school with our favorite student! I have to say I felt really out of place walking across the young, hip, OSU campus pushing a stroller! I don't feel "old" on most days, but for some reason today, I did! I was totally out of my comfort zone....and as I watched all the students around me, I quickly glanced over my outfit too and wondered if I totally looked like a MOM?!?! Uh, not that it's a bad thing....but you know?! It was so fun to see dad where he spends all of his days! He showed Emri his locker....

This is what happens when Emri decides to head-butt the spoon that feeds her! And then she acted like her feelings were hurt when I couldn't stop laughing at her!

Emri had a little wrestling match with her lotion for her afternoon activity!

She took her first turn on a swing at our neighborhood park and wasn't too sure of it at first.....

She just had to get warmed up.....

And then she thoroughly enjoyed herself!

We even got a few laughs out of her...which is usually quite the task!

****OH, and I have to give a quick plug for my cousin's little business....She made this darling "HATT" that Emri's wearing! Check out her website HERE!****

She read her books with daddy before bedtime

And tried to perfect the splits....she's getting closer! I know she doesn't get her flexibility from her mama!

Here's a video from today....she tries oh so hard to clap! It usually ends up like this....wildly flailing her arms about! She cracks me up!

Emri Loves Her Puffs

I wasn't able to put 2 videos on one post, so here's the 2nd one.

She's also getting so good at her manual dexterity skills!

Wow, did that just remind any of you other WSU hygiene grads, slash, previous applicants of that stupid manual dexterity test we had to take....before they stopped making it a requirement? How fast can you screw in these 25 bolts to this piece of wood? It will decide if you will be a good hygienist! Sorry for the tangent... Anywayzzzz....

Emri picks up her PUFFS like a champ! I think she will definitely be right handed. Even if a puff starts out in her left hand, she quickly makes the transfer to the right, and then to the mouth!

Alum Creek Camping

Thanks to Brett & Meg for the spontaneous camping adventure a couple weeks ago! The boys finished finals Thursday...we hadn't planned to do much other than some yard work and spend time together while Brett had a whopping 5 day break (which included the weekend). On Friday after work, Meg called and said, "Let's go camping!" In a little over 2 hours we were on our way! Brett packed everything while I got our dinners and Emri ready!

Brett N. got the fire just perfect for our dinners to cook on (with the help of Rusty)!

I had planned to make a casserole for dinner, so instead we turned the ingredients into tinfoil dinners and they turned out pretty good (chicken, swiss cheese, cream of chicken, stove top stuffing)!

You would have thought a killer moth flew down Meg's shirt! It was quite the dance!

The weather was awesome! Just enough cool in the air to need a sweatshirt (and my fun headlamp that I HEART)!

Emri dozed off pretty soon after we got there...which made setting up camp and cooking dinner much easier without having to keep a 7 month old entertained!

Enjoying our tinfoil dinners!

Brett enjoying his S'more. A golden marshmallow sandwiched between two E.L. fudge-striped cookies....the only way to go if you ask me!

Kind of a scary picture! Just snuggling at about 7am when E woke up! She slept in her pak 'n play with fleece jammies, like 7 blankets and a beanie! She looked so cute! I forgot to take a pic...she slept great!

Emri with her "gloves up!" Watch out, she has a mean left hook!

Meg made us an amazing breakfast hash somethin' somethin'....hasbrowns, cheese, eggs, ham.....it was soooo soooo yummy! We played Sequence after breakfast. The girls kicked butt!

Our cute little camp site! The camping is a little different than Utah style....there are tons of trees which is nice, but you still have cell phone service because you're basically still in city limits??? The camp sites are all pretty close to eachother. There isn't a canyon to drive up or steep winding dirt roads to travel on. There were flushing toilets (which we used) and even showers (which we didn't use....c'mon, that's not roughing it)! I love the idea of sleeping in a tent, but having the option of running water and an electric outlet if needed is a bonus! Alum Creek is only about a 40 minute drive from home!

Emri eating her cereal and fruit for breakfast

Alum Creek was actually hosting a hydroplane boat exhibition the weekend we were there and we didn't know it beforehand. We watched some of the boats cruise for a while. All I could think about were those Most Amazing Video Clip TV shows when they show these boats lifting off the water and totally crashing. We didn't see any wrecks though! They were cool to watch....and very loud.

Our fam at the lake!

After lunch Brett made a dutchoven peach/bluberry cobbler. MMMMM! Camp food is just so dang good!

E and Meg hangin out! We had a great time! It was fun to be spontaneous....we definitely need to do it more often! I'm bummed we didn't get out camping this summer other than this trip...next year for sure!