iPhone Photo Dump - April

Meeting baby Isaiah...

Celebrating Sarah's birthday...

On Papa's shoulders...

Playdate with Andrew...

Practicing the basket weave...

Making off with snacks...

Thirteen months

Thirteen months came and went quickly for Emeline. It feels like just yesterday we were celebrating her first birthday. Unfortunately, Emeline spent her 13 month day sick with a fever and a cold. This was her first really high fever, and she has been such a trooper. Smiling and playing, despite burning up and not feeling good. You could tell she wasn't feeling well as she toddled around with poor balance, but she just kept on going. Thankfully, after a few days the fever cleared up and she is on the mend.

13 months is not much different than 12, just more of everything. If I had to sum it up in one word, I'd say: walking. If I had three words, I'd say: walking, walking, walking. That's not to say that Emeline just started walking, she took her first steps around 11 months, and by 12 months was definitely walking to and from objects, and even started walking out into the room. But between 12 and 13 months, wow...she is a toddler now. Even though it's been a slow progression, I still watch her with amazement. This little person who joined us as such a tiny being a year ago, is now doing laps in our living room. Amazing.

The other thing that seems to come out more and more as time goes on is talking. Not in English, or Spanish, or any other language she's been exposed to really, but in her own language. Yet you can tell it's intentional, and she means something. I can't wait to figure out what she's been saying all this time. She is also signing more. That's also been a slow progression starting a couple months ago imitating us, but now initiating the signs on your own. Watch out, communication here we come.

Here is a little collage I like to call "All you need is love, not pants."

Dance moves

Here's a couple videos of Emeline's little dance moves. She got a little barn toy from her aunt, uncle and cousins for her birthday. It plays music when you put in animal puzzle pieces or when you push the button on the top. It's a fridge toy, but she likes to carry it around like a boom box, stop, press the button, and do her little dance. Here's a sample. Watch carefully, her dancing is very subtle :)

And here she is dancing to the ABC song at her musical table.

I love this girl!

Bouncing, walking, eating

Learning about gravity and bouncing.

Emeline likes to do a cute little dance, bobbing up and and down to music. It started out a few months ago dancing to the ABC song on her musical table, but now she also dances to music playing. I was trying to capture that here, but it was a fail. But instead you get to see her toddling around.

Apparently this is the age where we're supposed to let Emeline try feeding herself with a spoon. Wes got brave the other day and let her try it out. She did a great job! She does better when the food is less runny and sticks to the spoon. She's ready to keep trying, now we just have to be more patient with messiness :)

Easter

As Easter approached, we decided to get Emeline a few gifts. We went to a bookstore to pick out some books, and there was one we looked at called 'My First Easter'. Then I realized...this isn't Emeline's first Easter. It feels like it, because she is much more aware and active than she was last Easter, when she was one week old, and still four weeks from her due date. Last Easter was memorable in that we were grateful for Jesus, Emeline gaining weight, and we took her first picture with her lamb, showing her amazing growth.

This Easter we are again grateful for Jesus, and are amazed by the little girl Emeline has become. Here's a picture of some Easter presents from Mom, Dad, and Grandma Chris. She loved her Easter ducky!She loved her new books and shape sorter, which you can see strewn around in the picture. And she loved her sunglasses. Daddy would put them on her, then she would take them off and follow him around to have him put them on again. Fun game! After church, we celebrated with an VERY impromptu Easter dinner with some friends from church. And I mean VERY impromptu. The day before, we realized we didn't have any plans, so we invited over a few other friends who also didn't have plans. Saturday morning, there was no dinner planned, but by Sunday afternoon we enjoyed a feast of roast pork, chicken, potatoes au gratin with artichoke hearts, deviled eggs, orzo salad with grapes and pistachios toasted in walnut oil, tomato, mozzerella and basil salad, green salad with feta walnuts, berries, and more, homemade lemon cheese cake, bread, and wine! It was a wonderful last minute party. Here are some photos. All the food. Helping Daddy with the meat. Sharing toys with Noah. Friends talking. Smiling with Michelle.And thanks for the pictures Terah!

First Bike Ride & After Dinner Antics

Mommy and Daddy have been looking forward to getting back on their bikes, and now that you're one we were finally able to make use of the second hand bike trailer we got. For your birthday present we got you your first bike helmet so you could tag along with us!

Today was a beautiful afternoon, so we decided to test out your new ride. Unfortunately, you got pinched a bit when we put on the helmet so there were some tears.

But you persevered and we went for a short ride.

Turns out you are still a little small for the helmet, so you spent most of the ride with your head tilted funny. You were tired, and we thought you'd sleep, but you didn't until the end. So all in all, I don't think you had much fun, but you humored us, and hopefully we know what to do better for next time!

This evening you had a super appetite for food and for fun, so we took a video of some of your antics.

And some photos of your sweet face. You know how to make us smile!

Sunday afternoon picnic

We are now in full sun, and it's wonderful after a couple weeks of rain and winter colds circulating our family. We took the opportunity to go for a picnic on Sunday afternoon to enjoy the amazing day. We went up to Picchetti Winery, where Wes proposed, and enjoyed some food on the grass and watched Emeline enjoy watching other children. It's amazing to me that four years ago we sat there celebrating our decision to get married, and now our family has grown so much. Here are some pics of our afternoon.

Lunch on the grass. Emeline showing off her favorite face these days. She looks sour, but she's just playing.

Contemplating.


Chewing.


Smiling!

After having lunch at Picchetti, we drove up to Ridge Winery to enjoy the view.

Mommy loves poppies. Ridge has some of the best poppy scenes I've found. I love them strewn among the grape vines.

Will baby love poppies as much as Mom?


Baby on a wine barrel.

Galloping around with Daddy.