10.2 months

Emma,

As your first birthday approaches faster than I can believe, you continue to amaze me by how quickly you're growing and learning. You are so close to taking those momentous first steps which will forever change your life and ours, and you are so full of expression and joy. You make everybody happy who sees you, even though you drop that lower lip sometimes for reasons I can't completely understand.

We've done all sorts of fun things over the past couple months.

The fair...you liked the piggies the best.

Labor day at Grandma and Grandpa's ranch with a trip to the (ice cold) river. We tried dipping your little toe in, but you were having none of it.

Your first trip to Knott's Berry Farm...you even got to ride on the Calico Express!

We also took you to the pool on a very hot day, but you were a bit sleepy and weren't having too much fun. I know the day will come when you won't be able to get enough of it.

Life has been a bit chaotic lately for your dad and I because I'm working two part-time jobs and you are with someone different everyday. I think it's actually made you more flexible, and I know that the people watching you absolutely love and look forward to the time they get to spend with you. They also all comment at how great of an eater you are; and, with homemade baby food combos of squash and broccoli, cauliflower and peas, or carrots and zucchini picked fresh from your great-grandma and great-grandpa's garden I can understand why. You also eat a whole variety of grains...quinoa, amarynth, millet, barley, and oats (some of which I didn't even know existed until recently), all topped with a bit of flaxseed and brewer's yeast for extra goodness. You feed yourself bits of cheese, banana, nectarine, strawberries, cheerios, and anything else we put in front of you. We are very lucky that you're not picky.

You get so happy when you see daddy come home from work, and you crawl so fast to get to him. It's so cute hearing your little squeal of joy when you see him come around the corner into the living room. He loves you so much and does anything he can to get you laughing. It's music to our ears. Speaking of music, you're quite the musician yourself. You love when daddy plays his guitar for you and you even strum the strings from time to time. You also love the little drum in your room and have figured out where you need to pound to get the best sound.

We know that God has such an amazing plan for your life and we're just excited that we get to be a part of it.

Love,

Mommy

Ocho

Hola Emma,

You're a little more than eight months old and we are having so much fun with you! It's amazing how much you're learning and how quickly you're learning it all. We got a kid's English/Spanish Bible and we hope that you grow up with a love and understanding of God's word and all of the people and cultures that are part of His creation. You are crawling like crazy and just tonight daddy said that you're crawling even faster than you were just a couple days ago. Not only are you crawling, but you're pulling yourself up on everything you can get your hands on...the couch, your toy box, your crib, daddy's guitar (while he's playing it). He said that we won't be able to hold you down and I have a feeling that will be true from now on.

We love the funny faces you make, and here's just one example.

It's amazing to us how detail focused you are. Other babies might be the same way, but you love the little tags on your stuffed animals more than the animals themselves, and you pick up the smallest things from the floor even when it looks clean to us. I can see you pondering at times and wonder what you're thinking. Sometimes you try to tell us, but it will be a little bit longer until we can really understand. We love it when you start talking and whispering and singing to yourself.

You're a social butterfly and bring so much joy to people around you. Your grandpa says that's your ministry right now and I agree. Everybody who sees you smiles and I love seeing your joy radiate to other people already. You have two darling dimples, and while I'm sure there are more teeth on the way you just have a two-toothed grin that's absolutely precious. Those teeth have come more and more in handy as you are eating more solid food.

Here's you at this year's OC Fair. Looks like you're having fun!!

You've also done quite a bit of traveling in your short eight months, and last weekend you were a trooper as I took you to Indiana for the weekend to see Auntie Leah and Garrett get married. You did great on the red-eye flight Friday night and survived the heat of Indiana during the wedding before heading back Sunday afternoon. It was a quick trip but it was so fun to be part of such a special day.

You are so patient with us (unless you're hungry...you get that from your dad), and you have developed a ticklish streak and absolutely laugh your little head off when we get close to your feet or zerbert your tummy. There is nothing we love to hear more than your pure, boisterous belly laugh. It's music to our ears. We're so thankful to be your mommy and daddy and want nothing more than for you to grow up fulfilling God's purpose for your life at every age.

Love, love, love,

Mommy

North Carolina

Our Wisconsin travel adventures didn't stop after we arrived in WI. When we were leaving to go to North Carolina we got to the airport and our flight was seriously delayed. We would have missed our connection from Chicago to North Carolina if we had waited, so the gate agent suggested we take the bus. Now, she saw that we had a baby and all of our luggage trailing behind..."the bus?" I asked. She said that it only takes about an hour an a half on the bus from Milwaukee to Chicago, and they would give us our money back for the plane ticket, and the bus tickets were less than half that.

So, we trekked back through the airport and waited at the bus stop along with some other passengers who decided to do the same thing and after a little while the bus arrived.

At that point, we thought "what else could go wrong?" Well, the story continues. Because we were running late already the gate agent booked us on two flights...the one we were originally supposed to be on to North Carolina and a later one. By the time we got to Chicago we were definitely too late for the earlier flight, so we checked in and got in line at security (after asking an employee if the ticket we had would work for Emma). When we got to the front of the security line the agent said that she needed her own boarding pass. We told him that someone else said she would be fine, but he said no. Fortunately, the supervisor was right there and he took us up to the ticket counter and told us we could go right back to the front of the line when we got Emma's boarding pass.

We looked at the departing flight information and it said we'd be departing from a particular gate. So, we went to that gate, then decided to get some dinner. After dinner we walked back to the gate and went up to the counter when we realized that our boarding passes didn't have the seats assigned yet. The agent printed the actual boarding passes (and saw that we were going to NC) and didn't tell us that the gate had been changed. It was getting closer and closer to the time we were supposed to be leaving but our flight information wasn't showing up at the gate now. But, it was one of those gates where four flights leave out of the same jetway onto the tarmac, so we just figured another one had been delayed and ours would be up soon. After the agent saw that we had been standing there for over 10 minutes, she gets on the loud speaker and says that the gate had changed for the Greensboro flight and it was now leaving from a gate right next to where we had eaten dinner. We ran to that gate and were the very last people to board, which meant that we didn't have seats together and no one offered to switch so I was feeding Emma on this puddle jumper next to a very tall man in a very crowded seat. At least we made it on the plane, but it wasn't the most convenient thing.

Then, finally, we made it to North Carolina. Our first day there we headed over to Brenda's where all the kids (including Emma) hung out in the pool for a little while.

Here are all the cousins for their first group shot.

We went on a beautiful hike to Stone Mountain...

And walked around the homesteaders cabins which all the kids loved.

Then we went to Moravian Falls (where we got kicked out because apparently you have to pay $1 per person even to have your own picnic!), and from there headed up to Apple Hill to have lunch.

We did so many great things while we were there, but the funnest part was seeing Dan's family and all the kids. We only wish we could do it more often!!

Wisconsin memories, Pt. 3

The real reason we went to Wisconsin was to attend Dan's family reunion and his Grandma Edna's 95th birthday. It was so fun meeting his extended family and letting them meet Emma. It was even more special to us that Dan's grandma got to meet Emma!

This was the very first meeting (Emma was not in a very photographical mood).

And here's all of us when she's a bit happier.

Here are Edna's grandkids.

And, the great grandkids.

It was an incredibly special day for us, and while Emma won't remember those moments I'm so thankful that we were there.

From there, we were off to North Carolina to see Dan's sisters and their families for another fun adventure.

Wisconsin memories, Pt. 2

After we landed in Wisconsin, we started the trek to Lacrosse with a shopping detour and some lunch on the way. We also took a side trip to the Wisconsin state capital building which was pretty astounding as far as capital buildings go.

After that little detour and beautiful drive we headed to meet Dan's family at a pizza place near their town. It was so great meeting his family and letting them meet Emma. Dan's cousin's daughter, Cassie, was a great friend to Emma during dinner and the reunion the next day. We also found out that we're related to a family at our church through Dan's cousin's wife, Sandy. Our family just keeps expanding.

We spent the next morning with Dan's cousin, Kevin, and Kevin's wife Vicky, and they took us on a tour of the town then to an area with a great view.

From there, we headed to Grandma Edna's 95th birthday party/Sumner family reunion.