Look Mom, No Pajamas!

Guess who learned something new. Suzanne and I went in to Emma's room to get her this morning after a few minutes of mischevious laughter and giggling to find someone figured out how to take off her pajamas. She was so proud of the fact that she immediately stood up and held them out to show us.

Sorry for such a delay between posts. There has been quite a bit going on since mothers day so finding the time to post hasn't been easy. I launched my online store and have been busy doing logos and art for friends. So Emma's blog got a back seat to all the busyness in our lives. But I still have had my camera in hand so I have some photos to share.
Emma's Aunt Andra just got engaged to her wonderful man Kevin. So Emma will have a new uncle very soon since they have decided to make this a short engagement and get married this November. Of course when we went out to dinner to celebrate the exciting news, I did forget my camera. Donald did however get this shot of Emma that night after all the excitement. I do hope to be publishing photos of the happy couple soon!!

Our Sleeping Princess

Emma has learned how to get into her chairs and sit at her table all by herself!! I was thrilled by this and took some photos of my big girl. Unfortunately shortly after I took the photos she took a horrible spill out of the chair, smacked her forehead against the corner of the table on her way to the floor and got an nasty bump and scrape. The very kind nurse on the other end of a frantic phone call, calmed mommy (me) right down and told me that my little lady would be just fine. And of course she was!

Playing at her table with Miffy and Highland Cow

After paper shopping for my online store in San Diego, braving the Nordstrom half yearly sale at Fashion Valley (I got a wonderful pair of wedges that weren't on sale), shopping at the Forum in Carlsbad (got some great clothes from Anthropologie that were on sale!), my new hair cut from Jet Rhys (by Dani and Trisha) eating out at Nordstrom Cafe, Islands, Bread and Cie, coffee at the Coffee Bean and Tea leaf, Starbucks, going to both Barnes and Nobel (Emma through a huge fit so we had to leave) and Borders, playing in Balboa Park, and tons of other fun stuff, we went to a party. Cate had her 1st birthday and Emma got to play with Paulo, Isabel, Giana, and Talia (Cate was a sleeping beauty) and Emma had a blast! I loved getting to chat it up with my friends and even Donald met a car enthusiast and had a great time talking about automobiles (Jeremy Clarkson would have been proud).

Pictures from Cate's 1st Birthday

Emma, Isabel, and Giana

Emma and Isabel

Paulo, Emma, and Isabel

Being Chased by Boys

Cate in her fancy hat getting ready for cake

Still a bit sleepy but very beautiful Cate

Emma and Daddy loving all the excitement

Playing in Cate's tunnel
(we have got to get one of these for Emma!!)

Talia and Giana

A Happy Mothers Day

May Gray

I know I mentioned in my last post about the magical hour , well the nice thing about May gray is that you get that wonderful diffused light all day that you would normally get only in the early morning and late afternoon. So while at the playground today I got more wonderful shots of our little Emma in her ABC jacket that Grandma bought for her in the UK.

I LOVE YOU

Every photography teacher will tell you about something called the magic hour. It takes place twice a day, dawn and dusk and if you have your camera ready you can take the most amazing shots. People look better in that light, animals, plants, well just everything. You don't need to do a lot of adjusting to your camera, you don't need special filters, or a flash...its just the magic hour for taking photos. And today at dusk it really was the magic hour. Donald had agreed to substitute teach a university class on systems thinking for one of his old professors. He loves teaching so anytime an old professor asks, Donald clears up his time to do it. Tonight Donald was off to do a bit of teaching but not before he came home from work to get some cuddles in from his little Emma. I took one look outside and grabbed my camera, it was the magic hour and I know I would be able to get some great pictures of Emma after we said goodbye to Donald. So we walked daddy to the car, I took some pictures along the way but the magic didn't happen until Donald had gotten into the car and was about to drive away. He rolled down his passenger window to tell Emma and me one more time "I love you" and Emma for the first time said "I love you" right back. My heart melted immediately, then she said it again one more time but much clearer, "I love you" right to her daddy. I was thrilled and trying my best to hold back tears watching the two loves of my life say I love you to each other. Donald could barely contain himself, he has been trying to get her to say "I love you" since she was born. He hasn't been able to be there for a lot of "firsts" because of work, but this "first" in our little Emma's life has to be so far the most magical of all. It really was the magic hour

15 Months Old!!

That's right our little lady is now 15 months old and talking up a storm. Most of it is baby babble but she gets some words in that we recognize. She currently says Mom and Dad, Emma, me, I, hug, car, bye, hi, tree, oops, oops a daisy, uh oh, moo, woof, meow, touch, yum, yay, and her favorite "up!" (up is used for just about everything but mostly it means where ever she wants to be which we think is a fantastic view on life already). She is 31 inches tall, and weighs in at 22lbs. The Doctor said that in all his career (which is about 30 years) that he has never had such a social and talkative and not at all afraid of strangers, 15 month old in his office. She will let any one pick her up, runs up to strangers and starts babbling very excitedly, and has to say hi to everyone everywhere we go and gets very confused when they don't return the "hi". She was very grumpy on the way home today because the people in the car next to us at the stop light didn't say hi, not only could they not hear her since her window was up but they couldn't see her since the window was tinted. I tried to explain, but it just didn't do any good. We hope the joy she seems to spread wherever she goes only continues to grow...we love our social happy butterfly!

Emma & Highland Cow

Not every little girl gets to have a Highland Cow as her furry friend!

Emma and Bunny

Emma and her new Shoes

Emma loves shoes!
Daddy picked out these wonderful brown and pink poke a dot shoes

Getting up to no good with Highland Cow

We are so greatful that she hasn't discovered that mommies markers open.

Playing with Daddy before bath
in Emma's Room

On the kitchen floor

Daddy and Emma are great friends, they play chase around the house then roll and giggle on the floor, it's a wonderful way to end the day.