Happy 1st Birthday Baby Girl!

We can't believe that a whole year has passed since you were born. The morning you were born was a special one since it was the first day of 2011. You were the perfect addition to our family. We are so blessed to have you in our lives and every day you put a smile on our face.

Since the day you were born you have been such an easy going girl...you made it going back to work that much easier. Since you were a month old you have been on a schedule and have slept through the whole night which make mommy and daddy very happy. You are working on drinking milk from a bottle to a sippy cup. You love to drink water from a straw. You are a very independent girl. You love to play with your brother and cuddle with you mommy and daddy. You are no longer eating baby food and love to eat what we eat. You are still small for your age, but I am going to try not to worry since you are meeting your milestones with no problem.

Emmalyn's milestones:
Weight: 18 pounds
Length: will update after her 1 year old appointment
Head circumference: will update after appointment

Emmalyn can:
wave bye bye and hi
clap
blow kisses
dance by bouncing her legs and moving her head back and forth
walk
make animal sounds: dog, cat, monkey, cow, pig, and sheep
can say: baby, ball, mama, dada, shoes, socks
can sign: all done, please, thank you, more

2 months old (just got her ears pierced)

found her feet

sitting like a big girl

loves baths

her new set of wheels

such a silly girl ( her version of a somersault)

look at ALL of those teeth (she has 8)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMALYN!!

WE LOVE YOU!!
LOVE MOM AND DAD

Happy 10th Birthday Wesley!!

This year we aren't doing a big party. He decided that he wanted to go to Knott's Berry Farm with some friends. I can't believe that my little guy is 10!! Where have the years gone?!? Here are some pictures of Wesley of the past 5 years!!

5 years old!

6 years old

7 years old

8 years old



9 years old

He has grown into an amazing young man. When I first met Wesley, he was a very shy and timid little boy. He now is a boy with confidence and is a great role model to his little sister. We love you very much and are so proud of you.

"I didn't give you the gift of life.
But in my heart I know.
The love I feel is deep and real
as if it had been so.
For us to have each other
Is like a dream come true.
No, I didn't give you the gift of life,
Life gave me the gift of you."
-Unknown

Wesley you were a package deal with your dad and that is the best present you and your dad could of ever given me. I love you!

Emmalyn loves her baby!

Emmalyn's great-grandmother gave her , her first "baby".

4th Grade

Our 4th Grader

Yesterday Wesley started school. He is in the 4th grade. I can't believe my little guy is in 4th grade. He has grown so much and has become such a handsome boy. He was so excited to begin school. We did not get the teacher we requested, but that is because he qualified to be in G.A.T.E and the teacher we wanted is not the G.A.T.E teacher. He is in Mrs. Perry's class and his best friend Caleb is in his class. Mrs. Perry better watch for those two. I am looking forward to Back-to-School Night so I can meet his teacher and see what he will be learning this year. This was the first year where Wesley and myself did not start school on the same day. It was a little sad for me, but I was glad that I could be a parent and take him to school. Paul also took the day off so we could all go together.

June Lake

The last 4 summer we have visited June Lake for the summer. This summer was no different. It is always nice to get away to clean fresh air. We were very busy hiking, swimming, playing at the park, but we also found time to just relax. Here are some pictures of our trip.

Emmalyn playing in the park

Paul and Wesley swimming and swinging of the rope swing

We hiked to this amazing waterfall (4 miles )

At the top of Lembert Dome (10,000 feet)

We all had a wonderful time. Wes loves June Lake since he know all of the fun things to do and has become quite the hiker and Emmalyn was such a trooper. She usually slept or had a great time checking out the scenery from the Baby Ergo. It was also nice for Paul to get a much needed vacation.

6 month photo shoot

Thank you Stephanie. You did an amazing job!!

The Baby Bullet

This past weekend I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and purchased the Baby Bullet to make Emmalyn's baby food. I was so excited to open the box to see all the fun gadgets it comes with and read the nutrition guide to see how to actually make the food. After reading the guide, I was ready to get started. First on the menu was pears and sweet potatoes (she has already eaten store bought pears and sweet potatoes and loved them, so I knew that was a good fruit and veggie to start with), avocados, and brown rice. I hope she is as excited to eat her new food as I am to make it.

Waiting patiently for mom (not she is trying to grab everything in site that was on the table)

Her face after eating her first bite of avacado. She loved it!!

Flashback Friday

Here is a picture of Wesley when he was a baby. He was adorable.

Happy 1/2 Birthday Emmalyn!!

My baby girl is 6 months old. Where has the time gone :(!?! Emmalyn is a happy and easy going baby. She is on the small size in weight (14 lbs). When she was born she was 6 lbs 9 oz. and she was gaining weight really well until the 5th month. I was very concerned and wasn't sure what I was doing wrong since I am nursing her. She never cried that she was hungry after her feedings and continued to sleep through the night. She hit a little road block, so her doctor suggested we try some baby food and she is right back on track. In 3 weeks she gained a pound. Her length is normal (26 inches). Developmentally she is sitting all by herself, rolling front to back and back to front, babbling and yelling up a storm, attempting to crawl, and can grasp objects very well. Her doctor also said that she should be walking before her 1st birthday. Enough about her developmental milestones. She is a girl that is always laughing, adores her brother, loves to get a reaction out of people , loves to torment Chloe, and wants to grab everything in site and when she does it does straight to her mouth. We love our baby girl so much. Oh yea, she also is getting her first tooth. We can see that little tooth's tip.

Sitting like a big girl

Loves to go swimming

Loves her Jumparoo

Meeting Great Grandma

Father's Day

We celebrated Father's Day a week early since Emmalyn, Wes, and myself will be out of town on the 19th of June. We spent the day doing things that Paul would enjoy. The kids helped me make breakfast for Paul. We then showered him with presents (clothes, new shoes, a recordable book made by Wesley, and a picture frame with the kids). Later that afternoon we went to the movies to see X-Men and followed it by having dinner at B.J.'s. The only pictures I have are of the ones that were in the picture frame. Paul has been asking for a picture frame with the kids for quite sometime. So I finally got my act together and thought it would be nice to give it to him for Father's Day.