Road trip!!

Today we leave for our first road trip with Emma. We're headed to Jackson Hole for the week and Emma is so excited she decided to wake up at 5am in preparation! I would like to think that means she'll sleep a lot in the car, but I'm not counting on it. We've been super busy, but I knew I couldn't leave for the week without sharing some photos!
We moved from rice cereal to oatmeal this week and Emma is enjoying the change. Last night she was lunging for the spoon and would yell at me when I didn't feed her fast enough! She rolling over from her stomach to her back and she can sit unassisted for about 10 seconds at a time. We're still working on rolling from back to stomach, but we're getting there! I feel in the past week she has gotten super expressive. We can see more of her personality each day and she's such a joy to be around (yes, even at 5am!) :)

Hey! Quit looking at my bum!

Emma is mastering the art of feeding herself, it's a messy job!

I think I actually swallowed some :)

Mom, look alive! I know it's 5am, but let's play!!

I love to look at myself in the mirror, I am CUTE!

Her first night away from home :(

Emma spent her very first night away from home (since she came home) last weekend. Some friends and I threw a shower for Suzie and Mike so my parents were nice enough to watch Emma and keep her overnight (they claim it was for us, but I think it was more for them). It was great to have some grownup time, but I hated waking up without my sweet girl in the morning :(

This is the onesie I sent to my brother to tell him that he was going to be an uncle

who you lookin' at?

just chillin'

Daddy got me dressed for the game, I was so excited!!!

I loved watching the game, but I was so embarrassed by our team I had to change my outfit :(

The happy couple :)

There might have been some caps involved at the end of the night...

I have NO idea what is happening here, I actually just found this picture and was terribly confused. Like I said... we played caps.

Hottie girls :) Jill, Suzie, Tanya, me, Kate and Nicki

She likes it!!!

Emma had a big day yesterday. She had another visit with her OT and she showed off all her new skills. The awesome news is that she's off the charts (developmentally) for her adjusted age and actually on the charts, 10-25%, for her actual age. THAT IS HUGE!!! It means she catching up, which is our goal!! I am so proud of her! In case you're wondering she's rolling from front to back, she sticks out her tongue, she grabs her knees (and is working on her toes), she is picking up toys with both hands and putting them in her mouth, she LOVES to stand (with help of course) and we're working on sitting up!
She also had her 6 month doctor's appointment, she's 10lbs 12.5oz, 22 1/2 inches tall and her head is 15 1/2" around (4 months stats were 8lbs 13oz, 20 1/2" and 14 14"), she's still tiny but she's following her own little curve so the doctor is happy. She got the okay to start solid foods and we talked A LOT about this coming RSV/Flu/Cold season. He told us that we don't need to be quarantined (yay!!) but that we have to be very smart about who visits (NO sick people and everyone needs to wash their hands) and where we go (no tight spaces with a ton of people). Her shots (4 of them) sucked, but she handled it pretty well and slept like a champ last night!
Here are some picks of her first bites of cereal, I have a video but I haven't figured out how to upload it yet :)

What's that you say? Time for cereal?

I'm ready!

I'm not so sure about this

oh yes I am, this is good!

good and messy!

Can't a girl eat without the paparazzi in her face?

I think I'm done now, thank you. My hand has enough left on it to last me a while :)

6 months old!!!

This story starts a year ago when I woke up on the morning of September 16th, 2007 and saw the word "pregnant" on a little stick :) Then 6 months ago you were born on what was both the most terrifying and amazing day of our lives.

Emma, you are the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to us. You bring so much joy and love to our lives and we are truly blessed to call you our daughter. There were so many times I wondered on how this was all going to end up and you are worth every sacrifice I had to make and every bedpan I had to pee in. I can't imagine my life without you and I am so lucky that I get to spend every day being your mom. I know that everyone says the love you feel for a child is something you can't imagine until you're a parent, but I had no idea that it would knock me to my knees instantly. Thank you for being such a strong, beautiful, happy little girl. We love you more than words can say :)

Happy birth day Emma

Day 1

1 month old

2 months old

3 months old

4 months old

5 months old

6 months old!!!

My new project!

I am a little bit of a hoarder when it comes to food... I tend to buy thing when they are on sale, which isn't a bad thing because the idea is to save us money. However, I buy and buy and I seldom use :) So I've decided to try and clean out my pantry and I've issued myself a challenge... to use as many pantry items in each recipe without buying anything new from the store.
I started last night :)

(and yes, this means no Emma pictures this post!)

My very well stocked pantry

The ingredients I decided to use

My finished product!

I have a ton of cans of tuna, so I decided to start there. I also have a ton of cans of tomatoes. I found some spinach pasta, knew I had mozzarella in the fridge and decided to throw together a mediterranean type pasta.

1/2 lb pasta

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can of tomatoes, diced (you could also use crushed)

a handful of pepperoncini peppers, minced (you can use more or less depending on how hot you want your dish, I removed the seeds)

1 can of tuna, drained

1/2 c of mozzarella, diced

a handful of basil, chopped

pine nuts

Cook the pasta according to the directions. While the pasta is cooking heat a splash of olive oil in a pan and saute the garlic for 30 seconds. Then add the pepperoncini and the tomatoes, and simmer until the pasta is done. When the pasta is done drain it and add it to the tomatoes (or add the tomatoes to the pasta, depending on what will fit in each pan). Add the tuna, mozzarella and basil and toss. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.

I think the dish turned out great and Jamie LOVED it. The flavor combo was very reminiscent of some sandwiches we had in Spain, it had a nice kick and the mozzarella melted to googy goodness :) I'll definitely make it again :)

Pictures :)

Since I received a few emails about the lack of Emma pictures last week, here are a couple to make you happy :)

Emma got to meet my dear friend Steph and her family for lunch at DIA

The Three Amigos on their last day at the pool

Emma, Meena, Wills

She tried her first *solid* food, a peach from Grandma and Grandpa's tree

oh, that's yummy!!!

Grandpa grows tomatoes as big as my head!


He also sings me my favorite song Rat in the Kitchen and does a funny dance with me!

I got so tired I feel asleep while I was playing

Wills and I playing footsie


Emma, look at Mama!


Wills, look over here!

Both of you at the same time!!

Since we can't go to the pool anymore we had to find new things to keep us occupied...

making ice cream!!

Look at me! Reading a book!!

Labor Day 2007

Last year we flew to Guadalajara, Mexico to spend the weekend with Jamie's friend Kelly. At first I was a little disappointed about the thought of going to "inland" Mexico (what, no beach?), but when I realized it was minutes from tequila country I was game ;)

me, Jamie, Kelly and Yasmine

We drank casuelas; tequila, lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice and sprite... so freaking good!

we saw a super hero

we drank some more tequila

and some more...

and then......
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for you non-spanish speakers, that translates to made in Mexico :)