Emerson's 6 Month Update!

Emerson is half a year old! That doesn't even seem possible. Her little life is flying by, yet it's hard to remember life before her. What did we go with only 1 kid?! ;) Life has been busy this past month. Lots of adventures and activities and Emerson has been present for it all! Poor thing cut 2 teeth this month and recently had her shots, so she's been a bit of a grump recently. Hopefully our happy girl will come back soon! Here's an update on our Emerson Faith at 6 months!

           This grump was not having it! 

Weight and Height: Emerson just had her 6 month check-up and she's right at 14 lbs. and 24.5 inches long. She's gained 1.5 lbs. and didn't gain any inches since her last visit. Initially, I was very concerned about her height. I don't think I've ever been to a doctor's appointment for my kids where they hadn't grown any. But the doctor reassured me that it had only been 2 months and now her height was a little more proportional to her weight. Emerson is an itty bitty thing, but very healthy! Our girl is in the 10th percentile for weight and the 20th percentile for height. She's petite like mommy and daddy! I try not to worry, but I always do when it comes to the size of my kids. I just want them to be healthy and like every other kid. Josh and I just don't make big kids and we aren't very big people ourselves, so maybe one day I will accept that! ;) Overall, she did great at her 6 month check-up except for those mean old shots. She is quite the drama queen when it comes to shots! She was screaming from the moment she got the shots until we got to our house. Poor thing!

                  Monthly pictures are a group activity!

Sleeping: Emerson is about the same in the sleep department. She still gets up twice a night most nights. Once in a while, she will sleep 5-6 hours straight, but most nights, she sleeps 3-5 hours at a time. It's tough, that's for sure. I will never fully understand why my babies don't want to sleep through the night, but I know breastfeeding is a (small) factor. Emerson is learning to self-soothe, but she struggles with it. When she wakes up during the night, half the time all she wants to do is be cuddled and then goes right back to sleep. We are trying to let her cry a little and learn to self-soothe, but after a while of crying, she just gets louder and never seems to get back to sleep on her own. I do still feed her when she wakes up a lot of the time. While a part of me knows I shouldn't, she eats a good bit, so I assume she is genuinely hungry. We are still working on her sleeping through the night and I know she will get there one day! While it's frustrating right now, I know this is just a short season. At least I try to tell myself that! Ha. Emerson goes to bed around 9pm (with Grayson) and she wakes up for the day around 9am. She typically wakes up at 1am and 5am. Emerson is taking 2 naps a day now and they are very predictable which I love. She takes a morning and afternoon nap. Emerson only goes 1.5-2 hours after she wakes up before she wants a morning nap. Her morning nap is shorter and her afternoon nap is longer. Grayson and Emerson take the afternoon nap at the same time (most days) and that has been amazing! Even if it's just 30 minutes of them both being asleep at the same time, it's a nice time for me to get something done or even sit down and clear my mind. They are getting more and more on the same schedule, so that's nice! A funny little habit that she has is crying during a nap, getting mommy to come get her believing she's awake, then falling back asleep once we get downstairs in mommy and daddy's bed! She doesn't do it often, but it makes Josh and I laugh. I think she is secretly plotting to get us to bring her to our bed! Haha. Emerson also wakes up much easier than she used to. She used to sleep through anything when we were out and about, but now she immediately wakes up when I get her out of the car or if we change settings.

Eating: Emerson is still breastfeeding like a champ! In fact, it seems to be all she wants to eat most days. Poor thing is cutting teeth and you can just see that she is in constant pain. She cut 1 tooth right before turning 6 months and I'm pretty sure the second one is right behind it. At least I hope! (It is! I found the second tooth today!). She is doing okay with solids. Before she turned 6 months, I was feeding her solids about once a day, just so she could get the feel for it. But I wasn't super consistent. If we had a really busy day or we were out of town, I would just skip the solids. Unfortunately, she makes such a mess, that I kind of dread doing it! I end up bathing her after almost every feeding. But as of 6 months, the pediatrician says she needs to be eating solids 3 times a day just to get the hang of swallowing. Of course, that was right around when the tooth came in, so she's been very uninterested. She is flinching when we put the spoon in front of her, turning her head away from us, crying, and even biting down on her lip, so that we can't even get the spoon in there. (This kind of makes me laugh because Grayson was the same way! He never liked purees.) But it's also extremely frustrating because she needs to eat especially being that she is so tiny. I try not to get too stressed about her eating solids because I really think it will improve once her new tooth comes in and she isn't in so much pain. She is also almost always congested! Her nose is like a little faucet and I know all that drainage doesn't help her appetite either. We are looking forward to the weather making up its mind, so that her congestion finally goes away! Emerson likes banana best, but has also tried peas, yogurt, green beans, a mango, apple, and pear mixture, squash, and sweet potato. I was given a bunch of baby food from a friend, so I am using that in combination with homemade baby food. She is quite an independent eater which surprises me. She wants to hold the spoon herself and enjoys the more "baby-led weaning" style. She really likes these apple rice rusks we bought her that she can hold and eat on her own and she also likes eating bananas out of the mesh feeder. It helps with her need to be independent, but it also helps with teething and gives her something to chew on while getting some nutrition. Emerson is a much more distracted breastfeeder. She gets distracted by her surroundings or touching my face and hair and forgets what she is supposed to be doing. Nursing her with a cover is especially challenging because she just plays with the cover the entire time! Haha.

Clothes: Emerson fits perfectly in almost all of her 6 month clothing while still being able to fit in a few 3-6 month outfits. Despite being small, she really fits in her clothes very normally. I just switched out some of her clothes for the 6-9 month size, but that's all a little big for now. She's in a size 2-3 diaper. She can wear both depending on the brand.

Mood: Our happy and go-with-the-flow girl has been struggling a little more this month! Like I said, teething has gotten the best of her and she is quite moody lately. She still has her smiley and giggly moments, but they have been more rare this month. She has been extra fussy. She is getting more opinionated and will burst into tears if she doesn't like something or isn't happy. Grayson used to be able to take a toy from her or give her a hug and she would care less. But now, she lets us know if she's doesn't like something! She very much prefers to be held and will cry if you put her down. She likes to play with her toys independently for a little while, but then wants mommy or daddy to come get her. She loves to be walked around in someone's arms. Grayson was always so mobile and independent, so it's nice to have a more cuddly baby. Some days, it's frustrating when I want to get something done and she won't let me, but I'm trying to enjoy all the snuggles I can! Overall, she is still fairly quiet and doesn't babble much. When she does, I ask Grayson what she is saying and he insists she is saying "water!", so we will have to see what her first word is! Haha.

Milestones: Emerson is an expert at sitting up these days! She rarely even tips over. This month, she started sitting in the shopping cart by herself and sitting in the baby swing at the park. She loves them both! We broke out the big bouncer for her and she enjoys that too. Although she is only in it for a little while before wanting to be rescued. One of her favorite things is to just sit on the floor and play with her little pile of toys. She has no desire to be mobile or roll, but she loves to sit up and play with everything. She is reaching and grabbing at everything! I still consider her like a newborn in my mind (obviously, I need to catch up!) and have been surprised this month when she would pull things off the table or grab at something on my plate. She actually threw 2 pieces of bacon on to the floor from my plate recently. She is always swatting at everything with her arms! I think she is practicing her defense mechanisms against her brother, personally! ;) She still hates tummy time, but she is getting better and better at it. She has absolutely no desire to roll from her back to her belly! She's never even attempted it. I'm pretty sure walking isn't going to happen until she is 2! Ha! She is extremely present and loves interacting with others. You can sing to her or play peek-a-boo and she smiles and laughs. 

Teeth: Emerson has 2 teeth as of, well, today!

Loves: Like I said, Emerson loves to be held and carried around. She loves mommy, daddy, and especially big brother. She loves to sit in the floor and grab at all her toys. She loves to chew anything and everything! She is always sucking on her bottom lip. She loves to dance with mommy or for mommy to tickle her. She hates getting buckled into her car seat, but then she immediately looks over to Grayson and starts smiling. Seeing their sibling relationship grow has been so fun! They love each other so much. She loves to sit in Grayson's crib with him and play each morning when they wake up. Emerson loves anything musical and brightly colored. She does well in the car once it's moving and likes to be in motion. She loves taking naps with daddy, mommy and daddy's bed, and watching other kids play. She also likes to be outside. Emerson loves when I kiss her cheeks over and over and she loves to scratch different surfaces with her nails!

Mommy Update: (Copied from my recent Facebook post) To be honest -- parenting has felt extremely challenging lately. These two little ones take every ounce of energy I have. They are extremely needy, demand my attention at all times (usually at the same time), and one of them (or both) is crying most of the time. My patience is constantly being tested. The diapers, tantrums, breastfeeding, and doing everything in my power to keep them happy seems endless at times. I am constantly cleaning just to turn around and see another mess. I'm so exhausted (mentally, physically, emotionally) that only months of sleep would allow me to feel truly refreshed at this point. I beat myself up on a daily basis wondering if I am a good mom and feeling like I'm not enough. Raising up little people is HARD work and there are days where I've struggled to find the joy in it. If I allowed it, I could let the hardships consume me and leave me feeling negative and discouraged. But when I am intentional about finding the joy in motherhood, I see it. Clear as day. The smiles, cuddles, sweet laughs, adventures, finally seeing something they have been working hard on click, I Love You's, seeing their sweet sibling relationship form, the quality time, the privilege of getting to stay home with my babies...there is so much joy DURING the struggle! What's my favorite thing about being a mom? Gosh, a million things! But one of my favorite things is just spending quality time with them. I can be playing cars with Grayson and reading him books, cuddling with Emerson and watching her smile and giggle, and in those moments, I just feel so complete and content with life. My heart is so full. Doing the simplest things with my kids and enjoying their presence brings me so much joy! I love just being with them and being that person for them who can make everything better...and they do the same for me! And that's enough -- that's enough to get me through the tough days. So on the days where you want to throw in the towel (You're a parent, so that's not possible! But the idea might sound appealing!), I encourage you to be intentional about finding the joy and the positive in the situation, and I promise you, your day will turn right around. -- In short, this month has been challenging, but I am getting through it and learning to accept that some days things just don't go right and that's okay. Accept the imperfection and move forward. While also learning to be intentional about finding the joy and positives in each day. I am also learning to stop beating myself up for when my kid's don't act the best and realize that my worth isn't found in their behavior, but in Christ. This is a BIG on-going lesson for me and I hope to do a blog post on this soon. 

Until next month!

Grayson's 2 Year Update!

It doesn't even seem possible that my baby boy is 2 years old! These 2 years have seriously flown by and I've loved every minute of it. I haven't done an update on Grayson since he was 18 months old and thought this 2 year milestone was a great time to write another update on everything going on in his world. We love him so much and can't wait to see what this year will bring!


Height and Weight: At Grayson's 2 year check up, he was 27 lbs. 14 oz. and 33.7 inches tall. He was right at the 50th percentile for both categories which was exciting. Grayson hasn't been weighed or measured since his 18 month check, so I had no idea what to expect. He's always been on the small side and he isn't the best eater, so it's encouraging to know that he's growing like he should be and he isn't too shrimpy! (Sorry Gray, you've got small parents! Haha.) Grayson has gained 4 lbs. and grown 1.7 inches since July. He has always been a size behind on pants, but he currently fits in the correct size (24 months and 2T), so I had a feeling he had caught up! He did much better than I expected at the doctor's office. Grayson had to get a finger prick to start off, then height and weight, then checked by the doctor and lastly shots. He wasn't happy during each of those parts, but was as happy as could be in between. He can be quite dramatic, but recovered really quickly after each "traumatizing" event. He kept telling me, "I brave!" and he was! After Grayson's shots, he asked mommy to kiss his leg and then asked for a hug and for mommy to carry him. Poor little dude!

Eating: Grayson's eating habits are still all over the board! Anyone who has followed his updates will know that he's never been a wonderful eater. It really just depends on the day! Eating is definitely more of a necessity to him than an enjoyable activity. (I'm not quite sure how he's my kid!) Right before he turned 2, his eating wasn't going so well, but recently, he is back to eating much more. I honestly think he is so active and engaged in his surroundings that eating is a pain to him. He doesn't want to take a break from the fun! That being said, he is also so active that he is starting to really get hungry and require more food to keep his energy up. I have never said he was picky but moody and that still holds true. Some meals he eats like a champ and other times, he is just uninterested. One day he will love grapes and the next day, he can't stand them. I don't buy anything in bulk for that reason! Ha! I've heard that with toddlers, you have to almost take it week by week instead of day by day. If you look at what they eat in a week, it will typically balance out - some days they eat more and some days they hardly eat at all. But overall, each week they balance out and I believe that's true at least for Grayson. He does love typical kid food -- chicken nuggets (with ketchup!), hot dogs, gold fish, french fries, pizza, and puffs, but he also loves grapes, strawberries, apples, beans, sandwiches, hamburgers, green smoothies, cereal, yogurt, and spaghetti. Chips and salsa (he insists on dipping them in there), popsicles, and fruit snacks as his "guilty pleasures". Yes, I believe in balance, even for children. Bread and milk is still his jam. The boy loves carbs (a plain piece of bread is exciting to him) and a glass of milk. Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets are a real treat for him and he demolishes them every time! He isn't always willing to try new foods, but when he does, he usually likes them. He is definitely a texture person which is something I'm learning to be patient about. I will eat pretty much anything, so it's hard for me to relate, but if it has a mushy or weird texture, Grayson will automatically spit it out. Overall, he is eating more and more and becoming more open to trying new things. We've been trying to make a bigger effort to sit down and eat together as a family at the dinner table and that also helps a lot. Grayson is automatically drawn to whatever mommy and daddy are eating! He also says a blessing before the meal which I love.

Sleeping: Although Grayson didn't sleep through the night until he was a year old, he has slept like a champ since! He rarely wakes up during the night and if he does, he goes right back to sleep after drinking some milk. He has done well with all the changes he's endured including moving and adding a baby sister to the mix. It took about a week for him to start sleeping normally again after we moved and he also went through a time of waking more often during the night after Emerson was born. Thankfully, that didn't last long. He takes 1 nap a day right now typically for about 2 hours in the afternoon. He definitely isn't to the point of cutting that nap any time soon, but he is much less dependent on it and can do much longer into the day before he needs a nap. There have been a few times where he will take a cat nap in the car and that's all he needs for the day. He is embracing sleep a lot more now and will tell us if he's tired and ready to go to bed. Can't argue with that! ;) He knows the routine at this point, so that really helps. For a while, he was going through a phase where he wouldn't immediately fall asleep and then he would call out for mommy over and over again. Thankfully, that passed! He doesn't immediately go to sleep every night, but he knows it's bedtime and just lays in his crib instead of fighting it. Grayson is still in a crib as of now. He sleeps really well in a crib and we aren't ready to rock the boat yet, especially since Emerson is still up during the night. Grayson is also learning about fear and his imagination is beginning to really be active, so he has experienced "bad dreams" in the past few months where he wakes up screaming and afraid. It was really sad at first, but now we've talked about it more with him and he's more calm about it. He tells me, "I have bad dream, mommy!", but then he says, "I'm not scared, I'm brave!". It really helps that we can start explaining things to him and he understands a lot of it! Grayson goes to bed around 9pm and wakes up between 7a-8:30a.

Clothes: Like I said, Grayson is in 24 months and 2T clothing right now. He is still wearing a size 5 diaper. He also wears a size 6-7 in toddler shoes. 

Mood: Oh golly, I could say so much about this! Haha. Since birth, Grayson has been very emotion driven and moody. He can be thrilled one second and on the floor crying the next. He has always been extreme in this department and that has only continued into toddlerhood. It's a combination of Grayson's personality, going through the "terrible two's", and being jealous of his sister/wanting more of our attention, that have made his mood quite unpredictable. He still has the best laugh ever and will laugh hysterically at anything and everything. He literally cracks himself up which I love. He can be so happy and interested in something, but if something doesn't go his way, then a meltdown typically occurs. Although he is getting better at understanding things which helps a lot and he is starting to catch on to the rules. He is very smart and extremely verbal which is wonderful, but he also knows what's going on and understands a lot. You can't get anything past him these days. He has a very specific picture in his head of how he wants things to be -- the blue truck needs to be here, my blocks need to be here, and Emerson needs to be in this corner -- and if things aren't the exact way he wants them, he gets upset. He has never been a go-with-the-flow kid and still isn't. He is still so fun though. He is energetic and all boy! Grayson is so adventurous these days and always into something. 


Grayson is so much fun and so smart these days! He talks like a champ and is so silly!

Emerson's 5 Month Update!

I'm back for another baby update! I'm not going to lie, this month I've struggled to actually sit down and write this thing! (I'm also working on Grayson's 2 year old update. I really wanted to get that written down for my own keepsakes and memories. It should be published soon!) Life is so busy with two active little ones and my spare time is quite limited. But it's so important to me that I document this time of Emerson's life because let's be honest, between the sleep deprivation, quick paced days, and the fact that my mommy brain is taking over, am I going to remember all these details years from now?! Haha. For some reason, Emerson turning 5 months old was tough for me! The first few months seemed long in a way just because she still seemed so tiny and I was adjusting to life with two kids. But this month, Emerson has truly blossomed into a little girl with opinions, new milestones, and a lot more awareness. She's a little person now and it's taken me by surprise. Next month, she will be half a year old and that just seems shocking! I feel like I'm still pregnant with her in some ways and here she is, growing up on me! This month has been so much fun as Emerson is growing and learning new things every day. She is such a joy and such a presence in our family now. I love it! Here's a little bit about our 5 month old:

Height and Weight: I'm not sure about her height, but she is around 13 lbs. now. I weighed her on our scale recently and she's definitely in the 13-13.5 lb. range. She's getting chunkier and has more rolls than ever now. I absolutely love it! She's still on the small side for her age, but she's very healthy and growing beautifully. Being that Emerson was born at 5 lbs. 8 oz. and that she was so tiny for so long, I feel so proud that she's a healthy, growing girl now. I was so worried about her weight during my pregnancy and for those first few months, that I feel such a sense of relief when I see our little chunk nowadays! She's feeling heavier too -- still getting my workout in!

Sooo happy!

Sleep: I'll fully admit that a part of me thinks I stink at training kids to sleep! My first born didn't sleep through the night until he was a year old and Emerson is following in his footsteps. Emerson wakes up twice a night pretty consistently. Once in a while, she will wake up once a night, but usually she's up every 3-4 hours. She sleeps like a newborn, so that's really tough for me. The sleep deprivation just keeps building and there are days where it's a major struggle. I'm just plain exhausted. Grayson has been struggling to go to bed at night and sometimes he wakes up during the night. He wakes up about an hour before Emerson each morning and only about 2 hours after Emerson's last feeding. I'm basically up 2-3 times in an 8 hour period each night, so again, I have had my cranky moments this month as the lack of sleep is wearing on me. Emerson takes 3 naps a day (a short morning nap, a long afternoon nap, and a short early evening nap) and we are really trying to limit those. She has been napping during Grayson's afternoon nap, so that's awesome! I love my kids, but there's no feeling like them both being asleep at the same time! Such an accomplishment! Haha. Emerson is still sleeping in her crib and is still swaddled. She sleeps in her swing for most naps and she also sleeps during most car rides. I've been trying to let her self-soothe a little more at night, but unfortunately she just cries louder and wakes up more. I'm still feeding her when she wakes up just because it puts her right back to sleep and I'm desperate for that. I've been pretty lax about sleep training her, but that may change soon. Anyways, not trying to complain, but this department has some definite room for improvement next month! :D 

Eating: The big news with eating this month is that Emerson is now eating solids! I debated waiting until 6 months to introduce solids because my doctor said that's what is recommended these days. But ironically, I started her on solids slightly earlier than I did with Grayson. She was nursing all the time and just seemed like she needed more. Emerson is still breastfed and that's going really well. She still eats every 2-3 hours despite the fact that she's also eating solids. I think she's just a growing girl coupled with the fact that she loves to comfort nurse. Exclusively breastfeeding is hard. but so worth it to me! I know it's just for a short time, so I try to remember that on the days where I feel like she's attached to my boob (just being honest here!). Emerson seems to like solids! At first, she was a major fan, but after 2 weeks, she's a little less into it. It definitely depends on her mood. If she's fussy, solids are just going to make it worse. I try to catch her in a good mood and we are still in the introduction phase, so once she's over it, I stop and we try again later. She's eating solids 1-2 times a day and her favorite so far is banana. She's also tried avocado, pumpkin, squash, green beans, and prunes. Emerson is the messiest eater and would really prefer just to chomp on her messy hands, the bib, and the spoon rather than the actual food. It's fun to start this new phase with her though!

Clothes: Emerson is in a size 3 diaper and still in size 3-6 month clothing. She fills it all out very well now!

Mood: This has probably been one of the biggest game changers this month! Emerson is still a very happy and relaxed baby, but she's much more opinionated and moody this month! She is much more vocal about when she doesn't like something and she will crack up laughing and smile so big when she's a fan of something. She's just showing us her personality and likes/dislikes so much more. Emerson has started to struggle going to other people a little more and is definitely a mama's girl. If she's fussy with someone else, she immediately stops when I take her. Difficult at times, but so sweet! She's getting to that phase where she can't be in a quiet environment anymore and I've started leaving her in the nursery at church more often. She will fuss, be noisy, and wants to be walked around the entire service. I remember that time period with Grayson too. Realizing that they will no longer just sit there quietly -- the newborn days are over!  Emerson is such a smiley and snuggley baby. She loves to snuggle and be held and carried around and I love cuddling her! Emerson likes to bury her head into your chest to where it appears like she can hardly breathe, but it's her favorite. She likes to be close to us. She's not very independent, but loves to be with mommy, daddy, and big brother. I call her my "Velcro baby" because if she had her way, she would be attached to mommy all day long. She is getting much more active though! She loves to bounce up and down on your leg like a crazy person and is moving so much more now! That being said, she also likes to observe and just watch what's going on. She's more aware and observant and everything is interesting to her right now! The biggest change is that she is now reacting to her surroundings. She will go after what she wants and is constantly reaching for things. She notices so much more and constantly has an intrigued look on her face trying to figure things out. And like I said, she lets you know when she isn't happy! She can bring the drama if need be, but she rarely does. She is still very easy to soothe and loves being walked around and in motion. I love seeing her little personality develop!

Milestones: Emerson rolled over from belly to back once this month and still hasn't rolled over from back to belly. I've stressed a lot about this, but I can see her getting so much stronger during tummy time. She holds her head up high and she can maneuver herself to whatever toy she wants. She definitely can't crawl, but she can scoot and turn herself to get whatever toy she wants. I believe she is strong enough to roll over, but she has absolutely no desire to do it. That being said, she is now sitting up! Grayson was an earlier "sitter-upper" too and it's actually one of my favorite milestones. It makes life so much easier when you can just sit them down and they can play sitting up. She's still learning and getting her strength, but she can now sit up for long periods of time on her own and I love it! When Emerson is laying on her back, she lifts her head completely off the ground. She hasn't figured out the rolling part on her back at all, but I see her neck getting stronger and stronger. Emerson has started playing in her exersaucer and she really likes that. She loves to stand and put all her weight on her legs and she's getting pretty good at it. She's great at reaching for toys and getting what she wants. She is now officially what I call a "hip baby" meaning I can carry her around on my hip without worrying about her head or body flopping, so her head control is great! She is also much better about recognizing us from a long distance. She sees us from farther us and smiles and gets excited. Emerson is also big enough to ride in the regular stroller now (without the car seat), so that's been fun! Last month, I swore she was getting a tooth, She was drooling, chewing on everything, and seemed to be in pain. This month has been the same, but no tooth! The constant chewing is crazy though -- she shoves everything in her mouth and gnaws like a rabid animal. Ha! Emerson's tear ducts are officially not clogged any more which is a huge blessing! No more gunk in her eyes and she has such big, beautiful, opened eyes now. Emerson is very ticklish now and loves to be tickled! Her hair is also long enough to be put into pigtails which was very exciting for me. I love doing her hair -- she has SO much of it!

Loves: Emerson loves being held, nursing, and cuddling, but she also loves to play, chew her toys, and watch her big brother and puppy. She absolutely adores Grayson and Cedric and thinks they are the funniest thing ever. She laughs at Grayson constantly and is always watching what he's doing. She loves holding her stuffed animals and dolls. Emerson loves moving around, being in motion, and being walked around the house or outside. She loves funny faces and songs. She likes when mommy dances and sings and acts silly. She also reacts to "peek-a-boo" now. Emerson loves to suck on her hands and lip and she is always seen with her tongue sticking out. But she hasn't taken a paci in months. She loves to bounce herself up and down really quickly. She also loves being thrown in the air -- not too high, I promise! But she smiles so big when I do it! Emerson loves watching other kids play and really enjoys Grayson's music class and coming to story time at the library with us. I used to go solely for Grayson, but now both the kids enjoy it! She loves to sleep in our bed (very rare treat, but she sleeps so hard!) and cuddle with her daddy. Bath time is still a favorite for Emerson. She loves to splash and chew on the bath toys. Emerson still likes to watch tv -- the sounds and colors amaze her. She loves to grab at anything and everything especially mommy's hair. She has a very strong grip!

Dislikes: Emerson doesn't like being left alone or being put in her car seat.

Mommy Update: This month was easier and harder in different ways. Emerson is getting older, so she is easier and harder to handle at the same time. She has more needs and wants, but she can also play on her own more and play with Grayson, so that's a big help! With every age, there are new challenges and now that Emerson is at a new age, we are learning how to handle the new challenges, as well as, enjoying the new fun parts. December/early January is a big time for our family. We have Christmas, lots of church stuff especially being that Josh is a pastor, New Year's, Grayson's birthday, and our wedding anniversary. It was all amazing, but a part of me was happy to get back to routine and for things to calm down a little. Traveling with kids and getting them out of their routine is tough! It was all really fun, but I'm happy everything is back to normal now. I've also just been trying to slow down and cherish each moment with my kids. I see how quickly they are growing and I'm constantly reminded to enjoy these days and take them in. It can be a hard phase of life, but I'm learning to see the beauty in it. Despite the difficulties, I absolutely love these days of my life. I love being home with my kids and getting to do life with them each day. It won't be like this forever and I am trying to be better about putting my phone down, not complaining, and just enjoying each moment. In my opinion, I have the best job in the world!

Thing I Want to Remember:

Christmas --  This year marked Emerson's first Christmas! I'm not going to lie, she slept for the majority of it! Haha. But it was really fun having her around for all of our family traditions.