We had a little adventure today-- we were at the gym this afternoon when I practically fell off my treadmill from it suddenly stopping due to a power outage! When the electricity didn't come back on after a couple of minutes, I went down to the child care center to check on Emmylou. She was fine, but we weren't allowed to leave because the computers couldn't check her out! So we just hung out in the semi-darkness for about 20 minutes and played with the rest of the locked-up kids until they finally decided to manually check us out. I expected to see a terrible storm rolling in as we drove home, but it was really just overcast and a little windy, like it was all day long. Since it was so blah today, I thought I'd post a few pics from this weekend of Emmylou out at the lake enjoying nice weather with Grammie...

Riding on the boat:


And in a field of wildflowers (and one photo with Amelia):




Here are a couple of me tossing Emmylou up into the air-- she loves it!



In other exciting news, we've officially switched from Pampers to Huggies as the Stephens' family Diaper of Choice (they just aren't as bulky!). But don't worry, we didn't get her the thongs...



[Remember this Saturday Night Live commercial?!]

Here are some photos of Emmylou doing her newest tricks:

Drinking through a straw...



Turning her sound machine on and off...



And her favorite, closing doors...



Here's Emmylou eating breakfast this morning. I know it's nothing special, but since Gary's out of town, I thought he might appreciate just seeing her doing an everyday activity.

Dear Emmylou,

Forgive me for being so late with your monthly newsletter- you turned 13 months old on Saturday, three days ago. We've been busy and every time I was ready to write it, you learned how to do something new! I'm sure I'll miss writing about whatever it is you'll learn to do tomorrow, but if I don't do this now, who knows when I'll get to it.

Here's what you're up to: a couple of days ago you learned how to suck through a straw, but it took an additional day to learn how to swallow what you sucked up, rather than dribble it on your clothes or a pile of napkins I held under your chin. Your favorite game is chase- you'll run down the hall with a huge smile on your face and if no one follows you on the first try, you'll sneak back up and peek around the corner to invite us to "getcha!" Once we get up, you run down the hall laughing like a sweet maniac until we scoop you up and kiss you all over. You also happen to think that throwing food on the floor is a game even though I'm trying like hell not to laugh when you do it and tell you "no" about a hundred times during each meal. Today at a restaurant I even got up and borrowed their broom because I was so embarrassed by the display you left on their floor! You dance whenever music comes on, you clap when it ends, and you love strumming my guitar while I change the chords. Mostly, though, you are just busy. Climbing up, climbing down, exploring every object, nook and cranny, getting your hands on whatever is new and not a toy. You can open the front and side doors if they're unlocked and you like to climb into the dishwasher. I wrote earlier this month that I was exhausted but I've since recovered and find that I am having an absolute blast watching you grow and experiencing every single day with you. What a gift your daddy gives me to let me stay home with you! Your laugh has gotten strong and sweet and I could never hear it enough.

Emmylou, something terrible happened in our country yesterday. A shooting at Virginia Tech that left 33 people dead. As I wonder how something like this can happen, my thoughts, of course, lead me to question what kind of a world you will grow up in. You were born during a war that shouldn't have happened, and the innocent lives lost yesterday are mirrored almost daily in Iraq but never receive the attention they deserve. You live in a country where many people refuse to believe that global warming is an actual reality, instead shrugging it off as an annoyance or a figment of "leftist" imaginations. To say that I worry about the country and world we're giving you would be a gross understatement. These days I actually get angry at people who don't recycle or make a conscious effort to conserve the environment and our resources, because in my mind, they are saying they don't care enough about you to leave you a healthy planet. And why do ordinary citizens need semi-automatic weapons? Fast forward 18 years and that could have been you sitting in a classroom in Norris Hall. Of course I take it personally because now, to me, it's all about you.

I know I sound disheartened, but in spite of all this, I really am trying to lose my cynicism and gain more hope. I see so much goodness in your soul even as you are so very little, and I have to believe that everyone is born with a similar goodness that could be combined to make a real difference. My hope is that you'll see the day that happens and never stop smiling. Until then, let's play and keep our spirits up- I promise to love and protect you forever and ever.

All my love,
Mama

I took Emmylou to Radijazz this morning so she could roam wild and free in a completely safe, padded environment. I had heard about it from a friend and it turns out it is quite an elaborate, very large indoor play area perfect for little critters. Lulu LOVED it! Although I think I might possibly have been told upon entry that photography of any kind is completely prohibited on the premises, I, somehow, magically left with a couple of shots of her playing:





Don't y'all just love cell phone cameras?

We had a great weekend! We celebrated Easter at our house with Mimi, Grammie, Emily, Lizzie, Khanh, my aunt Carol, cousins Erin and Evan and Evan's fiancee, Gina. Here are some photos of Emmylou in her four different Easter dresses which she wore at various times throughout the day. The only problem was that since it was so cold, she really shouldn't have been wearing any of them!

In a dress Gary bought for her a while ago that she finally fits in...


In a dress that I bought her that reminded me of Peeps...


In a cute light blue dress from Pawpaw and Nana...


And in her "emmylou" dress from Grammie...


Emmylou tried all kinds of different candy but I think her favorite was the yellow Peep she ate. Here she is chomping on it and then offering me a little bit...



And since it's been forever since I posted any photos, here are a few we took recently...

Emmylou working out with Daddy...




And here's Emmylou with her new favorite toy-- the "Omsorg" shoe horn from Ikea. When we were at Ikea a couple of weeks ago, Emmylou started getting fussy so I grabbed whatever was closest, less than a dollar, and not a potential choking hazard. Turns out this shoe horn was the winner, and it has truly become one of her favorite things. I keep it in the car and periodically ask her "Do you want your Omsorg now?" in hopes that she'll be speaking Swedish before long.

OK, before any of you start feeling too sorry for me, let me just say that Emmylou has been the sweetest, funniest and most angelic child ever today. She even seems to be motoring around a little slower! Could she have read my post this morning?! Whatever it was, thank God for good days-- I needed it!

Wanna know why it's been so long since my last post? The truth is, I'm exhausted. I admit it. I can't remember the last time I slept past 7 am (weekday or weekend- and y'all know I'm a sleeper), or the last time Emmylou made it through an errand without throwing a fit after 20 minutes because, no, she doesn't want to ride in the basket, and no, she doesn't want to be held. These days I can count on her screaming and yelling at me at least 5 times per day: the 2 times I change her clothes from pajamas to day clothes and then back again at night, and the three times per day (minimum) that I wipe her hands and face after a meal. I swear you'd think I was beating the kid if you were listening next door! And then, of course, there are the other various strong-willed moments when she doesn't want to have her diaper changed or nose wiped or when she must have my keys or cell phone to throw on the floor for the hundredth time that day. Super fun. It's like now that she can walk she has her own agenda-- and it's definitely not the same as mine! I am chasing her around constantly. You know how when they're asked, skinny celebrity moms are always saying things like "No, I never work out-- I just chase after my kids!" Ugh. Never did I believe them. Well, now I do! I'm tired, People! And, even worse, not skinny!

I haven't taken any pictures lately so I don't have any to post today, but I promise to get some this weekend so y'all can see Emmylou on Easter. I at least wanted to check in so y'all know we're still alive. It's going to be a pretty relaxed weekend so maybe I'll get rejuvenated and get some energy! Of course, if Emmylou has any sugar, it's definitely going to be daddy's turn to watch her...

We hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!

SEPARATED AT BIRTH?



It may just be a coincidence, but both the girls at the gym child care center and Emily have begun calling Emmylou "Little Emmylou-Who," a reference to little Cindy-Lou Who from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." All she's missing are the antennae and bows! At least she doesn't look like the Grinch...



*Thanks to Emily for the nifty photo-shopping!

Here's Emmylou with the monkey Alex and Carlo gave her for her birthday. We were sad to tell them goodbye on Sunday as they are in the process of moving to Las Vegas. Alex got a great job there after finishing her Master's-- she'll be the assistant curator for the newly-expanding Las Vegas Art Museum! We'll miss them terribly but I'm pretty sure we'll be visiting soon (I can already hear the 'ring-a-ling-a-ding' of the slot machines in my head). Good luck, y'all!!!

Now that Emmylou is literally off and running, we've entered a whole new world together. The times I used to spend writing blog posts have been replaced with things like chasing her down the hall, trying to beat her to the bathroom before she unrolls ALL of the toilet paper, or picking up approximately 30 DVDs that she takes one by one out of the cabinet in the living room on an hourly basis. She is sooo much fun (I actually mean that), but it sure takes a lot of energy keeping up with her. Before I ever had a baby, this was the part I was always scared of. Would I have the energy to keep up with a toddler who was constantly exploring, grabbing and tearing things apart? Of course, I also always worried about how Gary would handle the interruptions in neatness, but luckily I've worn him down over the years so that he hardly notices the (slight?) increase in messiness around the house (yeah, right). At least he hasn't complained too much so far, and since Emmylou's a great sleeper, I think I might make it through this phase more gracefully than I ever anticipated since I'm not having to deal with sleep deprivation. Thanks, Lulu! They may be fewer, but I'll continue trying to squeeze posts in here and there to keep y'all up-to-date with the goings-on of the little monkey. Here are a few recent photos:

As Nerdy McNerdison in my glasses...


In the bluebonnets!


With a blue tongue after drinking my Gatorade I got after finishing the Capitol 10K this morning...


And with Emily a few weeks ago (a cute pic I never got around to posting earlier)...

As most of you know, Emmylou had a little birthday party on Saturday. Here is a slideshow of photos Emily took:



Thanks to everyone who came- Emmylou (and the rest of us) had a great time!

If there's trouble with the video, try clicking HERE.

Dear Emmylou,

What a milestone; you're a year old today! Of course I could say that it has flown by in the blink of an eye, but that can't even begin to describe what it's been like watching you change from that little critter of a newborn to my toddler with her newly-discovered strong will. I remember the first time I saw your face, shocked that I was now the proud owner of a real, live, actual baby. It's funny, because during the pregnancy I couldn't visualize what you'd be like, what I'd be like with a baby, and of course, now, I can't imagine life without you.

Your daddy and I were talking today about that morning one year ago when you came into our lives and how we'll never forget that hospital room in Baltimore, those moments spent meeting you for the first time and then getting to know you, both of us wondering how to hold, feed, clean, and comfort you-- without breaking you. It amazed me that they let us take you home from the hospital without some sort of certification course or licensing, but I guess we knew what we were doing since we've managed to keep you alive for one whole year, and better yet, you seem to be thriving. I can't exactly pinpoint the date when we finally stopped checking every 30 minutes while you slept to make sure you were still breathing or when we decided that the 5-second rule was a fantastic idea for our household, but I guess we both gained confidence in ourselves and each other and things somehow sorted themselves out.

It's been unbelievable how much you've changed in only the past few weeks. It's almost like you knew you had a special birthday coming up and were preparing for the occasion! You are walking all over the place, although you still like to crawl when you really need to get somewhere in a hurry or if you're wearing socks or something slippery on your feet. You're talking up a storm and singing, too. You have about 7 words now, your latest being "ma" for "milk" and "nigh-nigh" for "night-night." I've been trying to practice 'b' with you lately because when you try to say "Babo" you say "Dado" and when you try to say "ball," you say "dall." It's actually really cute. What's not so cute, though, are these new mini-tantrums you've been throwing lately. You are getting really frustrated and I am too because I can't figure out what it is you want half the time! I guess the best answer would be that you want to do it yourself. I guess I need to just hand over that spoon to you and not worry about the gigantic clump of oatmeal in your hair or the number of cookies you intentionally feed to Lola rather than eat yourself. I suspect that the next few months (or 17 years?) will be quite interesting.

Before I close, I want to tell you about a time in the hospital only a few days after you were born. It was just you and me and you were laying on my chest as we sat in front of a big, bright, sunny window in our room. As I looked at you and thought about all that had happened, it only took a few moments before I became overwhelmed by the most intense feelings of gratitude and love I have ever experienced and started crying. As I'm not usually (ever?) the most outwardly emotional person, I attributed the tears to out-of-whack hormones, but I have to say, I don't think it was. I think it was my introduction to a new kind of love, one I'd never known before, that only comes when you have a child. A love that I've felt every single day since, still with the same intensity. I love being your mommy and Daddy and I couldn't find more happiness in watching you unwrap the world around you, regardless of how many times you throw the stack of magazines, one by one, off the coffee table.

Happy Birthday with love forever,
Mama

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EMMYLOU!

Today is Emmylou's birthday and we've had a great day so far. Grammie came up for lunch and (against my better judgment-- I know it's gross) we took Lulu to McDonald's to eat. Here are some photos:












Although she enjoyed the burger and fries, her favorite thing was the orange Hi-C drink. She HATED the ketchup!

Tonight Gary and I are going to take Emmylou to Vivo for dinner because she loves the rice and beans there. I'll try to post more later!

Emmylou had a big weekend! First, she got a new carseat since she's such a big girl now. She even gets to face forward! Here she is testing it's snooze-worthiness:

Emmylou [settling into left side of seat]: "Ahhh, uh-hmm... yes.... I do believe this, uh, seat here is just ri.....zzzz....zzzz"



Then, Friday evening, Pawpaw and Nana came over for dinner and to celebrate her birthday. Here's Emmylou with them and a delicious cake they brought for her:



Starting in on it...



Nearing the end...



And so unhappy when we finally took it away!



Pawpaw and Nana gave Emmylou some great presents, including her first cowgirl hat and the cute western dress I had wanted for her a while ago (see July '06 archives)!




So cute! Had we known what we were in for last night, she could've worn both! We went to the Brentwood Tavern for dinner and some live music that ended up being all covers of Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt and the like. Here's Emmylou dancing with her daddy-- two-stepping already, when she's just learned to walk!



Today Grammie came in for lunch and some afternoon shopping where Emmylou got a new pair of sandals! The man at the store measured Emmylou's feet and called them (and I quote) "tiny princess feet." Um, excuse me?! He said that most one-year-olds have size 5 or 6 feet while Emmylou only wears a 3! Could this really be my flesh and blood? Given that I have the most gi-normous size 11 feet, for the first time, I'm suspecting they switched babies on me at the hospital. Here's a pic of her new sandals (that Aunt Emmy bought for her as a birthday gift!) that she'll get to wear with lots of cute springtime outfits.

Can you hardly contain yourself? Two posts in one day! But I had to share this photo-- Emmylou climbed into Lola's bed with her. Doesn't Lola look a little worried?