6 months old

How can an entire month have gone by so quickly. This girl is already half a year old. She is just getting to be more and more fun. Just a few highlights from the past month...

*Just after I posted her 5 month post, she got her first tooth. She normally isn't cranky, but those teeth coming through really doesn't feel too good so we had an emotional couple of weeks. Not too long after, the second tooth appeared so she has her two bottom teeth now and is much happier these days.

*She laughs for no reason at all and she has this laugh that is kinda crazy. It sounds like a cross between a hacking sound and a laugh. It is low and in her throat and it just cracks Aaron and I up. Still if anyone is going to make her laugh it would be Taylee. Emberley just looks at her a special way and you just know she thinks her big sister is so so cool.

*She has gotten herself on a really good schedule this past month. She wakes up the same time as Tay does for school (usually) then goes down for a morning nap around 9, sleeps till 11, eats, plays, eats, sleeps again around 2, sleeps till 4 or 5, eats, plays, goes to bed for the night around 7:30 or 8. Life is good on a schedule.

*She still only rolls from her tummy to her back and doesn't sit up yet. Hmmm maybe I hold my babies too much!

*She started jabbering. She says ya-ya-ya, da-da-da-da-da, ga-ga-ga. It is so fun cause when I talk back to her she smiles at me so big, in fact she smiles so easily it just melts me.

*She is getting so good at holding things and grabbing things. She loves jewelry and anything else small enough to suck on and can entertain herself for a little while playing with things. She is always soaking wet cause she is sucking on something all the time. She is just growing and changing so much I wish it would just slow down!

Sister fun!

5 Months Old

Emberley Ilene was five months old on the 9th! I am so totally in love with this little sweetie and I can tell her daddy is too. Funny how you don't know what your missing, but then they come and you can't imagine your family with out them.

Here are some new things she has started to do in the past few months...

*she laughs much more often and with much less effort from us. Taylee gets her cracking up the most by doing the same random thing over and over and Emberley thinks she is just hilarious.

*she has gotten lots more grabby. She wants anything she can get her hands on and then like a typical baby, once she has it, it goes right to her mouth. So obviously she is liking baby toys now and chews, sucks and naws on everything.

*she is still loving that binky and so am I!

*most nights she sleeps through the night, goes to bed around 8 or 8:30 and sleeps till 7 or 8 in the morning.

*the other day I was at Lacey's with Bonnie and I told Bonnie to put her on her stomach. I then made a comment about how my almost 5 month old hasn't rolled over yet and not one minute after I said that, she rolled over. Rolled like it was no big thing, like she has been doing it for a while, except she hasn't. Now she is a rolling pro. (well from tummy to back). Funny girl.

*she likes jumping in her bouncy chair and is happiest when someone is looking at her and talking to her.

*she has gotten very aware of voices, especially her daddy's. If he comes in the room and starts talking she looks around till she finds him. It's cute except when I'm trying to feed her!

*she eats rice cereal once a day and does really well now eating. She loves sticking her fingers in her mouth while I feed her and will start to laugh almost every time which results in her food spitting out. I gave her a french fry to suck on the other day and man did she love that.

*no teeth yet and her mommy is happy about that!

*she is a happy girl and such a good baby. She even will snuggle me when she gets tired which is the best. Her little smile melts me!

Brad Paisley Here I Come!

I had a great b-day this past week. I got lots of company to come play with me. We partied all week-end playing games, eating good snacks and staying up way past my bed time.

Saturday night we went out to Stockmans...

Andy's present to me was eating an entire cow... (all in 6 bites)

YUM!

Sunday was my actual b-day and Bonnie and Aaron made me a great dinner and then Lacey and her fam came over with my cake. Monday Lacey had Bonnie and I over for a birthday lunch. I felt well loved!

Then on monday Tay took me bowling and even let me win!

• Aaron really spoiled me and got me tickets to the Brad Paisley concert in Salt Lake. The Band Perry and Scotty McCreary are performing too. What a sweet guy I have, I cant wait!

Halloween 2011

Nuh Nuh Nuh Nuh Nuh Nuh Nuh Nuh..... BATGIRL!

Halloween is always a little bit of a challenge because I have a daughter that wants to be things that are totally boy and not only that, but things that require her head to be covered so no one would know it was a girl underneath at all. Maybe I should be a mom that doesn't care, but I at least wanted a compromise. So batgirl makes her happy while still looking like a girl.

Strike a pose girl!

I have to say this is actually one of my favorite costumes cause she looks so stinkin' cute!

Our trunk or treat this year was on Saturday so here we are waiting to get going. Emberley was going to be a ballerina, but it was too cold.

Taylee and one of her best buddies, Coulson.

Checkin out the haul of candy!

On Halloween day Tay got to wear her costume to school, but she has AM kindy so we had to fill the rest of the day with something Halloweeny so we made cookies. We have had so much fun having Bonnie here with us, Taylee (and me) will be sad when she has to go home.

Emberley having a good time just hanging out...

That night we went to Lacey's so Tay could trick-or-treat with her cousins. My girls waiting on the boys...

A cute little ladybug was getting excited too...

Ready to go...

Another fun Halloween.

(We did carve pumpkins, but didn't get any pics this year)

How You Know You Live in the Country...

Oh yeah, just a random flock of sheep hanging out in our backyard... not much else to say.

Visitors!

A couple week-ends ago Aaron's brother Danny and his family came to visit and we had a good time hanging out. Taylee and Addi's personalities are like night and day, but they do pretty good playing together as long as Taylee doesn't get too intense! We love having company and hope they will come back often.

Eating at Craigos makes everyone happy...

Two little cousins, Will and Emberley. Poor girl is absolutely surrounded by boy cousins on both sides. Will is about a month older and Micah and Nancy (Aaron's other bro) just had a little guy, Eli, a few weeks ago so thats two on the Alldredge side. Then Lacey had her twins so that is two on my side. She will have to work hard to keep up with all these little guys!

Back to the straw maze for an a"maze"ing time!!

Makay, Will and Danny

Eating and the Twins

So on October 11, Lacey's twin boys arrived. Both healthy and strong! She named them Kolby and Kessler. Of course we had many trips to the hospital to see them...

Brynlee, Taylee and Kolby (I think)

Proud Cousin

Emberley started eating rice cereal. She wasn't sure she liked it at first, but now she gobbles the stuff down!

Yum, Yum!

All About Emberley

Man this girl is growing up way too fast. I can't believe she is almost 4 months. Of course life right now does feel like it is all about Emberley. When will she need to eat, nap, change diapers and a whole-lot of holding. Such is life with a little baby. We love love love her and I can't help snapping pictures of this little chunky monkey!!

If you don't have a bumbo you need one. She has been able to sit in this thing since she was only 2 months old. She likes to be up looking around and this seat allows her to do just that. Thanks to my V.T. for letting us use it, I will definately be purchasing my own.

We were trying to get a shot of the thighs on this girl, but this pic just doesn't quite do them justice!! You just wanna squeeze them!

So so tired...

We were watching conference today and Emberley was perfectly happy in her jumper chair, in fact she was staring at the TV for a long time. Then I looked over and she had fallen asleep standing up. Poor little thing, I took a pic and then moved her somewhere more comfortable.

We really are enjoying her so much. Love you Emberley!

Straw Maze

Last week-end Andy and Molly came to visit. On Saturday we went out to a straw maze near by and as you can see, Taylee had a good time playing in the straw. Apparently Andy tried having fun too, but after falling straight on his back (thinking it would be soft enough) got the wind knocked out of him, so we left the jumping up to Taylee.

Andy, Aaron and Tay, Molly

Someone was all smiles!

Molly is like the coolest aunt. She spends so much of her time playing with Taylee that I have to remind Taylee that Molly is my friend too and needs to be able to play with me and daddy some of the time....

This is a pretty big maze and is done well. It had cool tunnels and long dead-ends. We had a good time.

Taylee's 5th Birthday

Taylee's birthday this year was a little different. Aaron was going to be gone on her actual birthday so the Sat. before we went to Rexburg Rapids and Ryker and Conner joined us. I think they had a great time swimming and floating the lazy river.

I told her she couldn't have a party with friends EVERY year so this year she decided to have Ryker and Conner come for a sleep over. They stayed up late watching movies, eating treats and playing. They woke up Sat morning and it was Tay's real b-day. We had a yummy breakfast and then opened presents.

Emberley joining the party...

Taylee got spoiled again. Thanks to grama, gram and cousins for the gifts.

Including this one. LOL! Capt. Jack Sparrow in the house!

Looks even better with princess skates!

After presents we went to the water park to play for a few hours. Taylee got hurt and spent a big chunk of her time too afraid to get wet cause she didn't want her band-aid to fall off, crazy girl, go have fun!!

And eventually she did...

On Sunday we went to Lacey's for our family party and to have cake and ice cream. Yes, our patriotic child wanted an American Flag cake. Don't ask me why she likes the flag so much, but I can't complain, this was the easiest cake iv'e made in years and the kids had fun helping decorate it.

Blowing out the candles.

We got Aaron on the phone to help us sing.

Taylee is an awesome little girl. I would never have imagined getting a girl quite like her, but I wouldn't trade her for anything. She is such a good girl who tries so hard to do what is right and be obedient. She likes order and follows rules to the T. She makes us laugh a lot and I'm so glad that she is healthy and happy and in our family. Happy Birthday girly!

Big Kindergartner Here!!

Taylee's feelings about starting school have been a little up and down. Mostly up all summer, she has said she was so excited, but then we went in for registration and she saw how big the school was and she started getting cold feet. We had lots of talks and I reassured her she would love it and when the first day came she was ready to go. Taylee takes a little while to warm up to new things, she always has, but she put on her bravest face and woke up that morning really happy and excited to go.

We documented lots cause daddy was out of town...

Backpack shot...

Catching the bus! She just had to ride the bus, and I wanted her to also so she could know the routine. So she hopped on and Emb and I got in the car to meet her at school.

She got a little confused getting off, she wasn't sure where to go exactly, but there were teachers everywhere helping. This teacher here and the principal are in our ward. Not only that, but all the bigger kids know Tay from Primary and they look out for her. They sit by her on the bus and help her know where to go, its awesome!

All kids and parents to the playground first! They are actually getting a brand new all access playground which sounds super nice.

Then they called everyone into the gym for a welcome assembly. Teachers came to round up all the kindergartners. This is Tay with her friend Evelyn from church. They are in the same class.

They called them up one by one, class by class to line up and go to their room. Glad kindergarten went first! By this point, she was fine, a little nervous I could tell, but ready to be on her own.

I snuck a peek in her room on my way out. Tay is way over at the red table. I waved to her one more time and then went home. Emberley napped most of the time and I cleaned up, got ready and then it was time to pick her up again. She said she had a great day and every day since then she has come home more and more excited and comfortable. Her teacher is named Mrs. Hill and she is only like 23. She seems like a good fit for Tay. It was crazy to be sending her to school, how can she be that old?! We miss her while she is away, but I'm glad I put her in, she needed something of her own to do with a new sister here and is learning lots already.