9 months!

Wow oh wow! Emersen is now 9 months old! The time with her is just going by way too fast....

At 9 months she:

*Had a great 9month well baby check~weighs 21lb.5oz and is 29 inches long

*Has two lower teeth

*Pulls to a standing position ON EVERYTHING!!

*Lowers herself so very gently after pulling up to stand

*Crawls everywhere...she is a fast one!

*Loves to play, play, play (ever since going back to daycare college after the Christmas break, she hardly ever takes a nap according to her 'teachers' because she enjoys playing so much)

*Now sleeps on the lowest position in her crib since she showed us her standing/pulling up abilities after we returned home from Christmas

*Babbles a lot and will mimic us when we sing (her favorite word to babble is of course dada)

*Seems to enjoy eating all fruits and veggies that I have tried with her

*Not a fan of rice cereal

*Is a huge fan of Cheerios and Puffs

*Wears size 3 diapers

*Wears 18 month sleepers

*Wears at least 12-18month onesies/pants and 18 month shirts and jackets(mainly for the length..she has a long torso I think)

*Loves to play in the bathtub (no baby bathtub anymore....)

*Will definitely voice her frustration when she can't have what she wants...such as a laptop, remote control, envelope, light cord..you know, all the stuff that is put up high now

*Plays peek-a-boo and likes patty-cake

*'Dances' to music...more like a body bounce rather than a dance :)

Christmas Vacation~last stop: Indianapolis

Snack/drink time in our matching hoodies!

Zoe kept a watchful eye on Emersen every day :)

Playing with cousin Chase

Excited about more presents!

The twins really loved their mop and broom...and so did Megan and Todd! :)

While in Indy, we had a 'warmer' day and the girls got to play outside for a bit.

Our last stop on our Christmas journey was in Indianapolis. We spent the week with my mom (Nina), Aunt Megan, Uncle Todd, and cousins Logan and Zoe. Emersen also got to meet her Uncle David, Uncle Chris, and cousins Chase and Jordan! It was a jam packed week, but a lot of fun! We got to open more presents, watch the snow, play a lot, try avocado and mashed potatoes for the first time (not mixed together..:), observe the twins, and just hang out. Thankfully my mom and sister also babysat Emersen a few mornings so that I could catch up on my sleep!! The twins are so active now and I think that all the time Emersen spent with all her cousins (Lilly, John, Logan, and Zoe) helped her to learn some new 'tricks'! We had a wonderful and special Christmas with everyone in our family! We are so thankful that we were able to visit and spend time with all of you!!

Christmas Vacation~second stop: South Bend

Emersen and Biggie loved hanging out with each other!

What fun new toys from Santa!!

Family picture on Christmas Eve

She was amazed by Santa Claus!!

Cousins...very interested in their toys :)

Meeting Grandma Rutz

I can't believe that I am just now getting ready to post this entry since it is already the middle of January...guess we have been a little busy!

Okay, our next stop on our Christmas trip was South Bend, IN to celebrate with the Ruszkowski's! We stayed at MawMaw's with Dzia Dzia, MiMi, Aunt Jennifer, Uncle Pinckney, Lilly, and Biggie (Bieber..his new nickname as of Christmas!!). As you can tell, the cousins kind of took over MawMaw's house with all of their toys..but they had a great time together! We played a lot, napped some, watched Disney movies, and relaxed. Then we celebrated Christmas Eve at Aunt Janice's house with most of the Ruszkowski family members. Emersen was a little overwhelmed at the beginning of the night meeting everyone, but she eventually warmed up and had a great time! On Christmas morning she was so surprised by the gifts that Santa brought! It was so fun watching the excitement on all of the kids' faces! We had a wonderful time with everyone!

Christmas Vacation~first stop: Valparaiso

Well, we have been on a whirlwind trip around the state of Indiana! It will take me a few posts to share all of our pictures with you (and Trevor has some on his professional camera so I have no idea how to get to those yet). We began the trip heading north to Valparaiso to visit with my Dad and Alice (Grandpa/Papa, Nana..we aren't sure what new nickname Emersen will come up with :). It was the longest drive of our excursion and thankfully Emersen was a great traveler! She played with a lot of her toys, ate her meals in her carseat, and watched the snow fall outside. Trevor enjoyed breaking in one of the van's tv's and watching a DVD!! :)

When we arrived, Emersen had a great time crawling around on carpet..she couldn't crawl as fast as she does at home, but she had a fun time exploring the long hallway and the living room/kitchen area! We also got to celebrate Christmas with all of our family members up there~and she enjoyed the gifts as well as the paper, ribbons, bows, etc.!!

Sick day

Poor Emersen began the new year with the stomach virus. We aren't sure where she picked it up, but we both agree that it has been a rough couple of days! It all began around 3am on Monday...and I will spare you the gross details!! :) Trevor (thankfully) was able to stay home with her on Monday since I had to attend an inservice at school and I am home with her today. Last night she kept down some Pedialyte and a few spoonfuls of rice cereal and today she has kept down a feeding and some more rice cereal so I think we are finally feeling better!