Emma is (almost) 15 months!

I am really bad about updating this blog due to spending most of my "free" time with work stuff... however, I wanted to quickly give an update on our little fam. In the past couple of months, Emma's personality is really starting to come out. She is at such a fun age now. (Of course I think I say that at every age.) Here are some recent pics...

Emma LOVES going to the park... she always goes straight to the swings! 

Emma loved the pumpkin patch this year!

More pumpkin patch...

She also loves the slides at the park and is a little daredevil... wanting to go down the big slides too!

We went to Austin to visit friends and she had so much fun playing with her friend Dean!

First pig tails! (Thanks to her teacher at MDO!)

Emma's first time to Trick or Treat!! 

Look at that tail!

She had a blast!!

Emma can say:

• mama
• dada
• uh oh
• jump
• all done

Emma can sign:

• all done
• please
• berries
• more
• waffle
• eat
• drink
• milk

Emma loves to:

• sing and spin to "ring around the rosies"
• do the hand motions to "itsy bitsy spider"
• go to the playground
• go for walks
• pick out her shoes (a girl after my own heart!)
• read! (she will go pick out books from her room and climb into my lap for me to read... the teacher in me LOVES this!)
• explore every house and place we go to!
• climb on everything!
• open drawers and cabinets and explore everything inside (she brought me a bowl from our china the other day... eek!!)
• stomp on leaves outside

Her teacher at school says:

• she loves to read and play outside
• she is very compliant (woo hoo! go emma!!! keep this up pretty please!!)
• she loves to eat (always eats all her food)
• she naps on her mat very well!
• she waves and blows kisses to the big kids when they go by

OK, I think that's all I've got for now... 

XOXO,

Lexi

Happy Birthday Emma Grace!

We made it to a year! Sweet Emma is a daily reminder of how blessed our family is and I am so grateful that God gave us this precious angel baby. We had her party the weekend before her actual birthday because one of my cousin's was getting married the following weekend AND my sister moved to MIZZOU the same day. We had so many friends and family come out to celebrate her birthday. She truly is a very lucky little girl. Here are some pics...

 Emma smiling while we sang her the birthday song.

Emma LOVED the cake that our talented friend Erin made!

All of my "girl" cousins on my dad's side. 

(Emma is the first great-grandbaby so she gets all the attention!) 

Auntie Abby and I with Emma :) 

Emma loved splashing in the pool! 

What a lucky girl! She got so many presents! 

Mama and Dada with our lovie!

I took a million pictures and there are more on facebook if you missed them and feel like scrolling through all 3,000 of them. 

Here are her one year stats...

Weight- 20 lb 13 oz (50%)

Height- 28 1/2 inches (30%) petite like her mama

Everyone always comments on how tiny she is and we can't figure it out because she isn't that small! We contribute it to her small amount of hair and lack of teeth. Emma finally managed to pop out one tooth just in time for her birthday! Hallelujah! We were beginning to wonder... ;)

Just for fun...

Emma loves....

-watermelon

-bringing books to mama and dada to read

-ice cream

-swimming

-her lovies

-her blanket

-carrying things around the house (including her wagon and small chairs)

-Micky Mouse Clubhouse

-waffles

-putting things in and taking them out

Emma does not love...

-when mama and dada tell her "no"

-having her diaper changed

-having her face or hands wiped

-help (she wants to do it herself)

-sippie cups (she prefers bottles, a habit we need to break says the doc!)

Emma can...

-walk! (yay! big girl!)

-clap

-wave

-blow kisses

-sign "more," "waffles," "milk," "eat," and "all done"

-shake her head yes and no (thanks Uncle Jeff for teaching her that!)

-climb on everything (she is houdini in the grocery cart and can get out of every strap... yikes!)

-feed her babies bottles (so stinking cute!)

-point at fun things

I am sure there are tons more... but that is all I can think of for now! 

We love our baby girl and are so proud of her! :)

XOXO,

Lexi

Sweet Summertime

Once again, time is flying by! July is just about gone and August will be here... which means Emma Grace will be a BIG one year old! I'll definitely have to post about her first party. We are very excited and looking forward to celebrating our little one with many friends and family.

Here are some pictures from the last few months...

In May, I got to sneak away to Puerto Rico on a girls' trip for a few days. Here was the view from our hotel room... It was gorgeous! I had a blast with my best friends. It made me feel (once again) so thankful to have so many close girl friends to share so many memories with.

Emma got to go on her first boat ride this summer. (Well outside my tummy anyway...) She loves the water and likes the boat, but HATES her life jacket. We even tried buying a second life jacket to try with not any luck... She was a trooper though and we spent several hours on the lake and she did great!

At the beginning of June, Abby graduated from Keller High School. It was pretty cool to see her graduate from the same high school I graduated from 12 years earlier. I still cannot believe she is off to college. She was beginning first grade when I graduated!

We went down to the bay (Kemah) with Brian's family. It was so nice and relaxing to get away for a bit to such a beautiful place.

Emma loved playing in the fountains on the Kemah boardwalk!

In July, Emma celebrated her first July 4th. We took her to a parade and she LOVED watching all the floats and people. She proudly held up not one, but 2 flags the entire time. She was in awe. :)

After much thought and deliberation, we finally decided to sell our boat. We would ultimately like to get a larger one in a few years when we are done having kiddos and when we can (hopefully) get a larger one. Here is Emma saying one last goodbye! (She is wearing the dress that mom brought her back from Puerto Rico.)

We also went to Brokenbow, OK for a Thornton Family Reunion (or Fiasco as we like to call them). We had a blast and it made me feel very blessed to have so many close family members to spend time with. We made SO many great memories in that weekend alone! ...and I think we have a new board game obsession... TRAIN GAME!

Emma celebrated her 11 month birthday this month as well... I had to share this adorable pic!

Another favorite of Emma's is her water table... (yes she is sitting in it).

That has been our summer in a nutshell! We are loving sharing this summer with our sweet little girl! She took her first steps a few weeks ago and is now up to 20 steps in a row!! Wowzers! She is keeping me on my toes now! She loves to climb on EVERYTHING and stand up everywhere. I am pretty sure she has magical powers, because she can get out of every seatbelt in every grocery cart or high chair. Uh oh! She also JUST started getting her first tooth. Hooray! (We were beginning to wonder if she had any in there???!)

Up next.... her FIRST birthday party!!

Another side note... I am SO excited to share that I have started my own company providing ABA to individuals with behavior disorders (primarily children on the autism spectrum). I am thrilled to be doing something that I love in honor of my brother, Andy. Check out my website if you get the chance! Andy's Voice, Inc.


XOXO,

Lexi

9 months...

I was so excited to start this blog and here I am already falling behind! First and foremost, I cannot believe my sweet babe is already 9 months. I know I say that every month, but where is the time going?!

She is on the move (that is an understatement!) so it is very hard to get a monthly picture now. OK just one more...

She now crawls on her hands and feet, which makes her super fast. I think she is just extra smart and doesn't want to hurt her knees. ;) At her 9 month appointment, she weighed 18 lb 10 oz (50%) and was 27 inches long (40%). The doc said she looks perfect, and I couldn't be happier!

This month, we celebrated our first mother's day together... I feel so blessed and fortunate to be the mama to this little darling. She is the love of my life and I cannot remember life without her. Seriously. What did I do with all my free time?!!  She just started eating chunky food and she loves broccoli. She still prefers purees though. I am pretty sure this is due to not wanting to pick up anything slimy (she will eat bananas by putting her mouth straight onto the tray to avoid picking them up!) She loves banging toys together and any toys with music. She has started dancing on occasion, which is pretty hysterical. We also put a swing outside on the patio and she laughs and laughs!

Next weekend, I have a girl's trip planned to Puerto Rico, I am beyond excited, but a little terrified of leaving my baby for the first time! Eek! Other than that, we are very excited for the summer months! Emma loves to swim so we will be spending plenty of time in the pool and we have a trip planned to the bay in a few weeks. I can't wait to take her out on the boat!

AND, I have some VERY exciting news to share! No, I'm not pregnant. ;) I can't share yet, but hopefully in the next few weeks or so!!

XOXO,
Lexi

Already 8 months?!

I cannot believe my little girl is already 8 months! (On April 9th) It seems like she learns something new every day! I am loving this age... In the past month she has learned to crawl (and by crawl I mean I turn around for one second and she is GONE!), pull up to standing, sit down from standing, let go with one hand, move from one piece of furniture to another, wave, and hold both arms up when I ask her how big she is (as in "SO big!"). She has also started sitting in a high chair (at a restaurant) and grocery cart, swinging at the park, eating pretty much any purees, puffs, yogurt bites, and of course her mum mums. She loves music and singing, and watching "big" kids. She also just discovered Mickey and Minnie Mouse (and okay this geeky show called Sid the Science Kid).

In the last month, she celebrated her first Easter (this was at the Arboretum in Dallas)...

and we went to the Dallas Zoo...

We also started swim lessons this past week! It's actually a "Water Babies" class through the City of Plano. (Twice a week for 5 weeks) She's pretty serious, but she is starting to have a little more fun. Today she loved splashing and kicking!

and no, we still don't have any teeth. Although, this doesn't hold her back much. The girl loves to eat! I am looking forward to the warmer weather months ahead and all of the new exciting things she will learn to do!

XOXO,
Lexi

First fever... and first time to CRAWL!

Last Monday, I got a phone call from Emma's school saying that she had a fever of 101.2. This was Emma's first time to have a fever. I brought her home, gave her tylenol, gave her extra snuggles, and put her to bed early. She woke up in the middle of the night burning up. I was sure I was about to have to rush her to the ER, but after taking her temperature it was only 102. I gave her more tylenol and put her back to bed. The next morning I took her to the doctor. Her pediatrician was worried since she didn't seem to have any other symptoms that it may be a bacterial infection. She took a urine sample (by putting in a catheter), took blood, and gave her 2 antibiotic shots to fight the infection while we waited for the results which would take 2-3 days. The experience was traumatic. For both of us. :( The test results came back on Friday, all clear! I guess that was good news, only now all I can think of was how horrible that experience was for nothing! Meanwhile, the entire week Emma woke up every 2-3 hours and began showing some symptoms of a virus. I think the fever was due to the virus. Poor thing. Poor mama... it was like I had a newborn at home all over again! I was exhausted and had a big weekend ahead...

Saturday- I co-hosted a bridal shower for my friend Erin. I am honored to be a bridesmaid in her wedding on May 18th. :) I have worked with her for the past 3 years and we have grown to be good friends. We had such a fun time celebrating Erin and she got tons of goodies to stock her kitchen!

Sunday morning- After waking up THREE times between the hours of 11 pm and 5 am, I got up and ran a half marathon. Seriously. We drove down to Fair Park, took a shuttle downtown and stood outside in the FREEZING wind waiting anxiously for the race to begin. The first 2 miles were terrible. I had such a difficult time breathing due to the cold. However, I warmed up and finished the 13.1 miles successfully! Not my best time, however considering it was only 7 months post-Emma I am very proud of myself for running. :)

Sunday night- My sister Abby had a senior NCL event to celebrate her time with NCL the past 6 years. I threw on a cocktail dress and heels and tried to walk like a normal human being (my knees were KILLING me!) Abby looked beautiful as did my mother. I was so proud to watch them receive their awards for all the philanthropy work they have done over the years. My mom was actually the co-founder of the Keller chapter back when my sister was only in 7th grade. It brought tears to my eyes thinking of how much my sister has grown over the years into a beautiful and intelligent woman who gives back to the community. I can't wait to see what college has in store for her. I still remember the day she was born, when all my wishes for a "baby sister" came true. How time flies. Uh oh, now I'm getting tears thinking of Emma going to college. :(

Needless to say, I had a very busy weekend. Emma is STILL not back to her typical sleep schedule, but she's getting better. I think I can, I think I can.... ;)

OH! AND, guess who decided to crawl today for the first time?! We were at my Gran T's home (my grandmother) when Emma went for it! It was so fun that Gran T got to witness it! Here is a video.... pay no attention to my baby voice. What was motivating her to crawl? My necklace. A girl has to accessorize. ;)

Looking forward to celebrating our little crawler's first Easter this weekend!

XOXO,

Lexi

Rattlesnakes?!!! Eek!!!

So over the weekend, to celebrate Brian's birthday, we went to Bastrop where Brian's family has a farm to visit with Brian's cousin Kevin and his new bride Rachel. I think I mentioned before that Brian's Uncle Don bought a caboose a few years ago and completed renovated the inside to look (for the most part) like it would have when it was in use. It has 2 sets of bunk beds, a full bathroom with shower, and a living area. It's very cool. We have stayed in it before, however this time we stayed at the home that they have on their land since we had EG with us. Here is a pic of EG in front of the caboose. It was super windy as you can tell from her face... (don't make fun of my photo skills- I'm learning.)

We had such a fun time even though it was super windy (which made it a little chilly). Here are some more pics of us...

There was just one little problem... the last night we were there I went to check on EG (asleep in the caboose) when I walked right up to not one but TWO rattlesnakes. Yes, you read that right. SO scary!! Luckily the boys had their guns handy and they were dead in no time. They were coiled up right by the outdoor patio where we were sitting. Here is a pic...

Needless to say, that may be the last time I go to the farm! ;) All in all, it was a great weekend and EG did pretty well for the 4 1/2 drive down there and back. (I did spend the majority of the trip back entertaining her in the backseat, but she was a trooper!) Brian's birthday also happened to be Emma's 7 month birthday (they share the same birth "day.") I can't believe she is 7 months! I'll have to post her 7 month pic when I actually take it.

OH, AND for all my friends with little ones... a friend of mine, Jenny, told me about this awesome website called Citrus Lane. It is basically like the baby version of Birch Box. You can sign up for a monthly box to arrive in the mail that is loaded with some fun baby toys and products! Even better, you put in your child's birthday so they send toys that fit your child's age. Click here to check it out and get $10 off!

XOXO,

Lexi

Swim lessons...

Today we tested out a waterbabies class at Emler. It was... eh. Emma had a ton of fun, she laughed and splashed, and enjoyed the singing. However, moving her legs and saying "kick kick kick!" and holding her on her back as we swam under a piece of foam that the teacher held up to make a "bridge" while singing "London Bridges Falling Down" was not something that I need to pay $300 to do. (Okay, it was $300 for 14- 30 minute classes.) Let's do the math; $21 a class for something I can do. I mean, come on, I work with kids. :) SO, instead I came home and did some more research and I found a waterbabies class through the City of Plano that cost $65 for 8 classes. Hello?! Way more reasonable! More math; $8 a class. I can pay $8 to have access to a heated pool, sing a few songs, and maybe teach my (almost 7 months!!) old a few things. I'm registered! It may not be AS good, but who knows? I'll let you know. By the way, Emma was super cute in her little swim diaper, but no pics to show since I was the only one there with her. I'll try to get some pics next time.

After our swim adventure, we went to lunch with my friend Erin. Emma did pretty well until she was almost finished with her mum mum in which case she cried big fat tears. Being the good behavior analyst that I am, I gave her another. ;)

We then went to my office to visit some friends and EG got on her hands and knees and rocked... then she moved one hand... then she fell. She is SO close to crawling! I don't know whether to be excited or petrified that my life will never be the same. ;) No, I'm definitely excited. Next purchase? Baby gate!

Saturday is Brian's birthday (and EG will be 7 months!!) so we are celebrating by going down to Bastrop to visit Brian's cousin and his new bride. We are looking forward to getting out of town for a few days. Praying the rain stays away and we have nice weather... It will be Emma's first visit to the Caboose! For those of you who didn't know... Brian's uncle bought a caboose (yep, you read that right) a few years ago and completely gutted it. It's very cool. Pictures to come.

Have a great weekend everyone!

XOXO,
Lexi

Croup.

So last night the girls were over watching The Bachelor (it was Monday night after all) and Emma woke up coughing and crying. I went in to get her and she was wheezing pretty bad. Since I have taken Brian to the hospital with the same thing before only to find out he had very little oxygen (he has pretty bad asthma) I was super freaked out. SO thankful to have 2 professional moms over to help me out! Julie found a place called Acute Kids (kind of like a Care Now for kids) in Plano that was open until 11:00 pm. I threw Emma in the car (it was about 10:00 pm at this time) and raced over there. All of the nurses were very sweet and the doctor was great too. They tested Emma's oxygen and luckily she was at 99% and her lungs were clear. Whew! The verdict? Croup. They gave Emma a steroid and a prescription and we were on our way home in about 15 minutes (much faster than Care Now!) Emma slept in our room last night with the humidifier on and thankfully she seems to already be feeling better this morning. It's so sad when your baby is sick! Now we just wait for the huge bill that will be sure to arrive in the mail in a few days... Oh well, no cost is too much for peace of mind!

Speaking of the Bachelor... what is everyone's guess? NO spoilers please! I don't read RealitySteve! I think my official guess is Lindsay. Sort of sad for AshLee to leave, but she was beginning to be a bit much for me especially when she told Sean what kind of ring she wanted and the size?! I mean, seriously? Pretty sure they have that on some form they fill out to go on the show... eek!

Oh! Remember the teething necklace I talked about in my last post? Emma LOVES it! I highly recommend it as a sneaky way to get your 6 month old to sit still... perfect for church! I just might need another in a different style...

Here is an EG pic for the day. Her first time in a restaurant high chair!

XOXO,
Lexi

I have an addiction...

The verdict is in, Emma loves apples! She didn't really have much of a reaction to apples either, except in between bites she gets very anxious for the next one and gobbled down the whole serving very quickly! This morning I mixed apples in with her cereal and she loved that! Next up... peas! I'm making all of her food and last night I made tons of apples and peas to freeze. The peas looked absolutely delicious all pureed... haha, just kidding! Gross! I'm curious to see if we get a reaction (good or bad?) from peas!

I think I have an addiction... online shopping. I'm pretty sure Brian is going to take away my credit card very soon. ;) My online purchase today was from Baby Steals. If you have a baby and you haven't checked out this site, go now! (Or don't, because you might get hooked.) Today, I purchased some "teething bling."

I liked this one because it wasn't those large beaded necklaces I see all over the place. Also, it's BPA free AND if Miss Emma breaks it, I won't be upset! (She LOVES chewing on all of my necklaces and I just know one of these days she is going to break one!)

Does Folic Acid reduce the risk of autism??  I just read an article that suggests that it could reduce the risk up to 39%.... Click here to read the article. (Source: Autism Speaks)

AND, for all my fellow runners (or athletes)... Here is something fun I just discovered! On March 2, there will be a Badass Dash in Dallas benefitting Autism Speaks! If you enter AUTISMSPEAKS at checkout you get $10 off! Here is the description: 

Each race consists of a 5-7 k course that will boast unconventional, but achievable obstacles that are truly BADASS. And although each race will have a minimum of 15-20+ obstacles, not every race will have the same obstacles and you won’t know every obstacle that is on the course as the element of surprise is BADASS itself.

Each racer has the opportunity to register for one of 2 Divisions:
ELITE TRAINED - Need we say more... you know who you are 
RECREATION – Run, Jog, Walk or Crawl – It’s your personal Challenge.

For those who didn't know... Brian and I are training for the Rock 'n Roll half marathon on March 24th in Dallas, so we just may sign up for this! :)  (I'll leave you with a happy Emma pic...)

Big girl, wearing 6-9 months clothes! Yes, the jeans are a little long... She is petite like her mama!

XOXO,
Lexi