New Year’s Resolution Post More

Wow another long stint without touching this blog.  I don’t really have much of an excuse, I am on the computer a lot, my phone has a app that can post to the blog any time yet I still manage to be such a slacker.  My resolution for the blog this year is to post more.  At least once a month if even just a photo or anything.  I am going to try to keep my posts shorter, but more frequent.

Here’s a few great photos from recent events:

Four Generations of Women – taken in August 2011 in Hawaii

Here’s a few photos of us this Christmas:

Taking Emery to Piedmont Park

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Taking Emery to Piedmont Park

Emery is One!

Our wonderful Emery turned one today. It’s been amazing to watch her learn and grow out of the newborn and infant phase into a little babbling little person. Although she is only one, Emery has learned many things at this point. Emery can:
– crawl
– sit up and roll
– pull herself to a stand up
– stand without support while drinking a bottle or carrying objects
– stand while holding nearby support and walk or side shuffle
– feed herself small cereal, cake, pieces of fruit or bottle
– perform gestures on request (when she feels like entertaining): clap, wave, open and close palm to show bye bye, shake head and nod for no or yes, pat her chest when you ask her where is Emery or Monkey, hold her hand to ear when you say hello? and telephone, put up one index finger when you ask her how old she is.
– Emery is also starting to babble more and make a combo of noises with gestures. She is getting good at doing the index finger point and making a single not sound

Emery’s motor development is fascinating but her personality development is equally interesting. Ashley and I as well as all people that meet her have these common observations:
– Emery is really easy going, she adapts to her surrounding and does not fuss as over new experiences or new environments. She is good on the plane, with crowds and moving from place to place and sleeping and playing in different homes.
– Emery is not shy and lets anyone carry her and does not shrug away from people. She tends to stare at them.
– Emery is serious. She does not smile at strangers often and will warm up if she knows you but her defacto facial expression is more serious and all business
– Emery is persistent. When she wants to get something, do something, Emery will not give up. When trying to stand up, Emery did it over and over again one night until she got it. When she wants to crawl somewhere she will not be stopped whatever obstacle is in her way. She will grab objects and even if I swat her hand 10 times she will continue to grab. She does eventually get frustrated but soon goes after the object again.

Here are some pics of Emery during her birthday bash weekend and days around it.

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Emery on AstroTurf

We took Emery to the Atlantic Station’s park where they have some AstroTurf. We thought Emery would enjoy the freedom and crawl to her hearts content. Unfortunately Emery was really unhappy with the prickly plastic grass and made all sorts of funny faces.

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Holding Onto Rails

Ever since the evening we got back from Charleston, Emery has picked up the ability to pull herself up from a railing like the ones on her crib or in her play pen. At first she was struggling with all her might to put up on foot and then the other, but now she is getting quite good at quickly pull herself up and peering over the rails. When she first did it, Emery was so happy she start laughing and screaming for joy. She’s a fighter and didn’t give up, try after try she finally got it.

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