Thanksgiving!... thankful for the sweetest friends!

The inevitable happened last week!!!!!  I heard a loud kur-plunk! and went to find Emery standing on the floor in her bedroom!  She crawled (and fell, I assume) out of her crib!  I was just saying she's on her way but I still thought she was too small to do it.  How wrong am I!!!  So we got proactive and put our long couch cushion in front and pillows on the side.  She hasn't tried it again.  All my friends I've talked to said their little ones did it once and didn't do it again for another couple months.  I suppose it was a fluke versus intentional.  None the less, she's keeping us on our toes!  I can't even begin to tell you how much she is growing and changing.  She is becoming more independent every day.  She doesn't like to be fed but wants to do it herself.  She prefers (if we let her) to use a big girl (adult) spoon. She would rather eat my whole sandwich than me cut up pieces of it for her.  She blows her nose very well (hehe) and just recently has started undressing herself.... mainly her pants.  Sometimes she will help pull them on as well.  She loves to talk and she LOVES her books!! I've started keeping some in the car and she will sit there during our long commutes (15-25 min usually) and turn page after page and sometimes even read them out loud.  She also recently picked up coloring.  Whether its with a pen, pencil, crayons or whatever she can get her hands on.  Of course we are teaching her what is appropriate to write on. lol  No walls yet!  Whew!  Just on some of MY books and dayplanner!

She has been calling for us and acknowledging us as Mama and Daddeeee for a while now! For the most part that has been awesome!  But the other night I had my first feeling of not being wanted.  I knew this would come because of the whole daddy's girl thing.  And honestly, I've dreaded it.  But I'm trying to be okay with it.  But Thanksgiving night we were at our friends.  Emery did not take a nap at all.  So by 6:00 she was beside herself.  Well I decided that I would hold her, give her her pacifier and she if she would go to sleep.  She's never been one to fall asleep easily in my arms.  It usually is a little fight before she finally falls asleep.  So she started crying and fighting me and I held on tight thinking I would win as before.  But such was not the case this time.  She starts crying harder and harder until she is yelling "DADDEEEEE!!!!  DADDEEEEE!!!!!"   It sounded like I was torturing her and she was yelling for her saviour to come!  I finally gave up and gave her over to her dad (with just a bit of attitude) only for her to immediately lay down on his shoulder, take her pacifier and completely calm down.  I was urked but not too much.  I walked away, wiping my hands of her, and went outside to call my brother.  He didn't answer and so as I sat there, I took in the silence.  And then all I could hear, ringing in my ears, was her screaming "DADDEEEE!!!!"  It broke my heart in two.  I'm okay now.  But it certainly is hard to not hold that against her.  I see why parents, probably mostly moms because we're more emotional, can be so weird with there kids and hold things against them their whole lives.  Its not a lack of love, but only their own insecurities.  I won't be one of those moms.  So... I check it at the door and move on.  I love the relationship she is developing with Sean.  It is beautiful and so precious.  I would never wish that away.  It is a season and is so important in our daughter's development.  My time will come. :)

New words now are duck and gack (aka quack!), juice, pease (please), Josh, Nae Nae (for her auntie Renee), Zach, nanna (for Hannah but also for banana), truck, t-t (TV),

 I let Emery walk at the end of my 4.8 mile run today. 

 Getting her own walk in tonight

 Drawing and coloring is just another day at the office!

 She's had a cough the last couple days (I truly think its the whole milk again!) 

so I propped her up on a pillow this afternoon.

 I sad smile for daddy and this is what I got! (shopping at Target today)

 Up until yesterday she would eat her cereal and then ask us to empty out any uneaten cereal 

and then drink the rest of the milk with her spoon (like mommy).  

But now she's gone straight for drinking from the bowl (like daddy)!

So Thanksgiving has come and gone as well as our first holiday spent in Texas.  I was saved from missing my family's get together (though not completely) when I found out all my brothers and their families were scattered for the holiday.  So I didn't feel too left out.  Our friends who most recently moved from Fresno a year and a half ago, the Caughrans, invited us over for the day, along with a college girl, Deborah, who is related to a family we are very close to in Fresno.  Sean and I had a relaxing morning and then headed over around 1:00.  We had a full turkey meal with, of course, our infamous sweet potato balls!  After lunch, the boys headed to Arcadia Park to play frisbee golf on their full course.  Us girls went for a two mile walk at the Park (in sandals... ugh).  In the evening some of their family came over and we had dessert together. And we ended the night playing Nertz (my all time favorite card game that my closest friend, Lisa, taught me... we were extremely competitive with each other... I so miss her!).  We played in 3 teams of 2.  It was a blast!!  And Deborah and I kicked booty!!!

 

 My quiet time in the backyard... :)

Emery messing around with the Uke! (she added the pink headband herself!)

Friday we had our second Thanksgiving dinner!!!  Our first friends to move here invited us and the Caughrans over for dinner at 5:00.  Well unbeknownst to me, the OR is open the day after Thanksgiving. :(   I had hoped to be off by 3 and was even told so, but it didn't happen.  I worked until 6:30!  I rushed over the the Carlsons just as they were finishing dinner.  Poor Sean was fried after having Emery all day, cooking my sweet potato balls, and dealing with a whiney Emery during dinner.  And yet he still gave me time to unwind and eat.  Then she was off to bed and we both enjoyed the rest of the evening!  It was a fabulous night with friends!  

The Black Bottom Pumpkin Pie I made for the occasion!!!

Cinnamon Graham Cracker, ginger snaps and toasted pecan crust... chocolate and heath bar layers, then pumpkin custard.... and homemade whipped cream.  A-mazing I have to admit!  hehe

Below are some pics from the last few weeks

Just hanging out watching Bubble Guppies together

This past Monday I didn't work so we went to lunch at Freebirds and then hit 

the 'dead zoo' at Cabela's. lol  It was fun! 

Town Square for lunch after church

Corner Bakery

A morning at the park with Tyranie and the kids

Found Emery like this one morning at 5:30 before I left for work

Books at Barnes and Noble

 Curious George at Barnes and Noble!

 My first bike helmet!! (for the bike trailer)

Emery hanging out with me while I did my hair

Out for a run and then playtime!