Emma received the LeapFrog walker for Christmas.  At first it moved to fast for her, but now she has the hang of it.  We walked from front door to back door for 10 minutes this morning. 

Click here to see the video of Emma Claire walking.

Lately, Emma has really been showing us how grown up she is.  She is no longer a baby, but a little girl. 

This morning I was talking to Emma about being a good girl at Nana’s.  I said, “Emma you need to be a good girl for nana.”  Emma’s response: “K”.  Me: You need to take a good nap in your bed.  Emma’s response:  “alright”.  I SWEAR she said, K and alright.

Emma has also decided that she is a daredevil and very curious.  She often bends over with one hand holding on to things and one leg on the ground.  Needless to say, she keeps falling, but that is part of life.  Emma will also go anywhere.  She can push open our bedroom and closet door.  She is looking for what is behind them.  Just a curious little thing.  She has learned what open and close are because she is opening and closing doors and cabinets all of the time. 

Emma Claire is such a silly goose.

Emma LOVES her sister, Darby.  Here are some pictures to prove it. 

More sister love pictures are posted under Emma’s Photos.

 

For those of you who don’t know, Emma’s nickname given by her father is Goose.  Below are some pictures on why she is called Goose…she is a silly goose!

Travis, Emma and I eat dinner together every night as a family.  One night Emma decided she was tired of waiting for us to finish and was exploring different positions in her chair.

  

Today Emma is now officially nine months old.  It is so amazing to look back over the past nine months and see how much she has changed all around.

Looks:  She has gained 11.6 pounds.  Her hair has gone from dark brown to a light brown color.  Her eyes have gone from a blue to a green color.  Emma is 9 inches longer.  Her cheeks have gotten from small to big to smaller.

Ability:  Emma is now crawling and pulling up on EVERYTHING!  If she can touch it she is pulling up on it, pants, beds, couches, fridge, chairs, ottoman, etc.  Emma is also cruising.  Once she has pulled up, she will walk about the object she has pulled up on.  Emma is also a talker.  She is saying mama, dada, nana, baba, etc.  She also knows who mama is and who dada is.  Emma loves to give hugs and kisses.  One of Emma’s favorite things to do at night is to crawl over to Darby and use her as a jungle gym.  The new thing is to pull up and then slide over Darby.  She will literally do a faceplant on the opposite side.  It is so funny to watch.  Maybe one day we will get it on camera.

Eating:  For those who know Emma well, know she has been a very picky eater.  That has also changed this last month. Emma is now eating squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, carrots, chicken, ham, bananas (several variations), pears, apples, apples and cherries, peaches, etc.  Emma also loves the Gerber finger foods.  Puffs, Wagon Wheels, Toast, Bisquits, etc.  She has also tried some table foods.  She LOVES string cheese.  Probably because I ate it everyday I was pregnant.  She also like real bananas and crackers.  We are enjoying feeding her new things and watching the reaction she makes. They are priceless.

So far each month I have thought Emma was the most fun.  It just happens that she is getting more fun everyday.  Travis and I can not picture our lives without her.  She is a bright shining star in our lives.  Emma Claire was our biggest accomplishment in 2006.  We are so blessed to have her as a daughter and we look forward to each day we get to spend with her.  I’ve never been so lucky!  I love you Emma Claire!

**To view new pictures of Emma at Nana house, click on Emma’s Photos then 9 months!**

Today Emma Claire had her 9 month appointment.  I think it went really well.  Emma weighs 17 pounds 14 1/2 ounces.  She is 27 1/2 inches long.   The doctor checked her milestones and was very pleased with everything.  He also said she looks and sounds great.  He mentioned she can start eating table foods.  Whatever we are having for dinner, she can have small pieces of it.  Between 11-12 months Emma can start drinking whole milk…YUMMY!!!

Emma is a very happy and content baby.  She is always on the go and getting into everything.  She wants to do whatever you are doing.  If you drink from a cup, she wants to drink from a cup.  Emma LOVES to play with Darby.  When Darby lays down, Emma uses her as a play toy.  She will pull up on Darby, crawl over her and slid off, pull her lips, grab her toes, etc.  Darby is wonderful and just lets Emma do whatever she wants.  Emma is a very picky eater.  She still loves fruit and cereal.  She is becoming a better eater with vegetables, but they aren’t her favorite.  She definatly HATES meat.  She will refuse any meat you put near her.  I know she will become a better eater with time.  I can’t believe she is growing up so fast.  She is so wonderful and I look forward to each day with her.