Bad News at the Stouder House

We came home from work yesterday to find a broken window and several things missing. Our new computer was gone, my iPod, the camera and (?) a postal scale. (Um, I guess that will come in handy to measure all their drugs...or to send packages for Ebay?!) Anyway, we could tell they had been in every room because doors & drawers were open, but that's all they took. No trashing the place....thank goodness. Only the outer pane of the window was broken and then they jimmied the lock. So, no interior glass to clean up. Frankly, it could have been much, much worse. I'm most sad about losing video from Emmy's birthday and early 2008 when she stood for the 1st time. I had backed up the photos to the Flickr site over the weekend, but there are some things that are just gone. Sigh. So, we're replacing a window and getting a security system so we can sleep better and not worry all day. Not the best way to start the week (neither was getting a ticket on the way home today for rolling through a stop sign....don't they have robbers to catch?!)

Pig Tail Kinda Day

Em's hair has grown long enough, I decided to give pigtails a try today.  It was so adorable, I thought I'd share the short-lived 'do.

Bye, Bye Bottles

Another chapter in Emmy's babyhood is closing...we're saying bye-bye to the bottles.  She's drinking exclusively out of sippy cups now, and I think we've weaned her from the 6am bottle.  It wasn't too hard, we just don't go upstairs when we wakes up at 6am.  I hear a few "mama, MAMA, MAMA!!"s and then it gets quiet again.  (did I mention we have been spoiled by this kid?!) Keith liked his special morning time with Em, but it was time to break the bottle habit.  Sniff, sniff....bye-bye babyhood.  

Birthday Traditions

I had been racking my brain, trying to come up with a special family tradition for celebrating Emmy's (and any potential future kiddo) birthdays.  Our friends, Jen & Chad, bought a charm bracelet for their daughter, and buy a charm each year that represents something special from the year.  I love that!  I did some research online, and got some great ideas.  I liked the idea of having a special birthday plate that the family member gets to use on their birthday only (mental note...go to local paint-your-own ceramics shop and make one of these!)....or, take photos each year at the same place to document growth (or next to parent, or next to a tree), cool idea too.

I had already decided a while ago that I wanted an ice cream maker so we could make homemade ice cream to celebrate birthdays.  The birthday person gets to choose the flavor.  I'm planning to take a cake decorating class this year so I can be the cakemaker too!  One of my favorite memories of birthdays as a kid was telling mom what kind of birthday cake I wanted each year.  

The big tradition that Keith and I came up with was giving a classic book each year, so by the time Em's 18, she'll have a nice collection!  This year we decided upon Charlotte's Web.  She'll probably be a big fan of Wilbur and Charlotte!  

What are your family birthday traditions?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Emmy got cupcakes at daycare today to celebrate V-day!  

Here she is reading with Daddy and holding onto

the card Nana & Papaw sent her.  Emmy got lots of 

Valentines in the mail from all over the place!  

She decided to cruise around the bathtub a little tonight, as

she was trying to reach some toys.  She's learned how to climb up

the stairs as well!  How much difference a week can make!

Drip...Drop...Drip...Drop

It's raining tonight (yay!), and is supposed to rain most of the day tomorrow.  Let's hope the weatherman finally gets his forecast right, cause it's might dry around here.  I personally think it's crazy that we're in such a terrible drought, and they are piddle-farting around with weenie water restrictions.  Do you really need to go wash your car in the middle of a drought?  Just wash your windows at the gas station and get over it, people!  

Emmy is becoming a toddler, for sure.  She is getting frustrated easily, and I partly blame this on her lack of morning naps (since she decided to give them up last week), and partly on her being unable to tell us what she wants.  She definitely doesn't like it when we tell her no, take something away, or if she has to wait for something (like Mama heating up her lunch!).  The word hissy fit comes to mind.  She is usually easily redirected, although Mama is detecting an occasional "fake" fit, and can see right through it!  (Those special Mommy glasses come in so handy for this!)  

The stray kitty made it home safely yesterday...minus one uterus, and plus a couple vaccines.  She looks pretty good, and was waiting patiently at the back door this morning for her breakfast.  She wore a little patch of fur off her nose while she was freaking out in her cage...poor little thing.  Someday she might actually let me pet her....

Things at the new job seem to be settling down...I've got a routine going, and have figured out much of my role.  I should be able to start working from home one day a week, as I have a work laptop now and can answer email & check voicemail just as easily from my living room.  

If you haven't checked out the photo gallery lately, there are tons of birthday pics of Emmy...babies and cake make for some good photo opps.  I'm working on a DVD of Emmy's first year videos...it's a slow process, as I'm learning the iMovie program.  I need to go to the Apple store and take a free class on this!  

One Year Ago Today...

Let's see, as I write this, one year ago today, at this time, I started pushing....and continued for the next 2 hrs.  At 5:27pm, Emerson Grace entered the world.  I can't believe our baby's not a baby anymore (although she'll always be our baby)!!  We went to the pediatrician today for her 1 yr checkup.  Her weight was 18lb, 11oz, which dropped her from the 50th to the 15th percentile.  She eats like a horse, and simply burns those calories off by all the crawling, standing, and playing she does.  Oh, and this week she decided she didn't need a morning nap anymore (lucky us & lucky daycare!).  As a result, she barely stays awake through lunch (although nuttin' is gettin' between this kid and her food!), and then is overtired for the afternoon nap.  Last night, we put her to bed at 6pm because she was just exhausted.  She was out almost immediately, but woke up at 5 this morning, ready for her bottle.  (Lucky Keith!)  We had a good doctor visit otherwise, and she is developmentally right on track.  Such a good kid!  I baked cupcakes today for her little celebration tonight.  My Dad flew in from Indiana this morning to help sing Happy Birthday to his only grandchild.  (Hmmmmm....Mr Tough Guy has a soft spot for his "little turdie"...how sweet!)  I'll post some birthday pics later this weekend.