She's Got Legs, She Knows How to Use Them...

Another milestone tonight in the Stouder house...Emmy pulled herself up and stood for the first time!  I snapped some pics and got some video....I love technology!  She tends to panic a little after standing for a few seconds, as she has not learned how to sit yet.  When I put her to bed tonight, I figured this might be an issue, and it was.  About 15 minutes after putting her to bed, I heard a distress cry, and when I checked, she was standing in her crib, grabbing the rail, and obviously had no clue what to do next.  I also realized we need to put the crib mattress down to its lowest setting tomorrow.  

By the way, what do Emmy's jammies remind you of???  Bonus points if you get it right!

Stray Cat

We have a little stray cat that has adopted us...she was one of two kittens born this summer in a flowerpot by our shed.  Its momma was a stray, and she ultimately abandoned this kitty, and her sibling disappeared too.  So, she lives under our deck, and often sits on our backporch to peek into the window.  I think she went into heat recently, as she was doing a rather dramatic dance routine outside the door, and our 2 male (but snipped) cats were quite interested.  Emmy often sits by the door and watches the kitty...and kitty plays with Em.  Here's a pic...

I got in touch with an Animal Rescue group locally, and they are helping me trap this kitty in order to get her spayed and get her shots.  I don't mind if she lives outside, but I don't want any little surprises coming to the door, and I want her healthy.  We'll try to trap her Tuesday, and will take her to a mobile neutering clinic nearby...should be interesting!

Snow, Anyone?

It snowed just a bit yesterday, so we went out and took some pics.  Keith got this cute video of Emmy trying out some snow.  She looked so cute with snowflakes in her hair & eyelashes!

Hello, Again.

It's been a while...nothing too exciting to report around here.  I started my new job at the first of the year, and it's been a lesson in patience.  Not much orientation to the system, lots of computer issues, and lots of waiting around.  Ugh.  It's amazing how little you can get done when you don't have a functioning computer.  How dependent we are!  I think the work will be interesting, and the short commute and better hours have been wonderful.  I do miss getting to see my buds though...after 5 years of working with people, it's hard when you don't see them anymore!  

Em is sprouting yet more teeth...she's working on #9 right now.  It's on the bottom left, and a little farther back.  I'd imagine that one probably hurts a little.  That may explain why she kept waking up last night.  At midnight, I heard her over the monitor saying "Da-da" over and over.  Not in distress, more like, just trying out the syllables and seeing how they sounded.  She's babbling like crazy, and will try to repeat words now.  She's said "juice" (with a cute little lisp), book/"ook", kitty, mama/mommy, dada, and does lots of pointing now.  She will wave bye-bye after some serious thought, but has only said "bye-bye" one time.  She pulls up onto her knees, and will walk around a little on her knees...but she has utterly no interest in standing up yet.  I suppose when you crawl very efficiently, standing is just more effort than it's worth.  She is starting to get frustrated by not being able to reach things, so I see standing in the near future.  We have witnessed a little "hot-headedness" in our dear daughter...Keith thinks that must be an inherited Loehmer trait...I dunno, but the kid's got a temper!  

Her first birthday is in 3 weeks, and I'm trying to figure out her birthday plans.  It's on a Friday, so I thought I would bake cupcakes for daycare and have a little lunchtime party.  Nothing big, just cupcakes and singing.  We'll probably have a cake on Sunday at church, but again...not really a party, just cake.  A party might trigger sensory overload and then meltdown would ensue...no one wants to see meltdown!  I want to do something special to begin as an annual birthday tradition...anyone have any good suggestions?  

I'll attach several pics...as she looks so different now with all those teeth!

Happy New Year

The first week of January went by quickly, and I'm just getting around to getting my first post of 2008 out there.  We had a quiet New Year...went out to our favorite Asian place for dinner and then home to be lazy for the evening.  Not a bad way to ring in the new year.  

As you read previously, I'm (gasp, gag!) running now.  I did 12 minutes yesterday, and decided my resolution for this year would be to run the 5K at the Komen Race for the Cure this year.  We've walked it a couple times, but I think we'll both run this year, and have Emmy in the jogging stroller with us.  We'll make it a family resolution!  (I have a loooooooong way to go!)  Wish me luck!