Emerson was born in her 39th gestational week.

Today marks her 39th week on the outside and tomorrow is her 9 month birthday.  She’s a whole pregnancy old!

Favorite Toy:  loving her texture and sound books.  They’re super tasty.
Favorite Song:  “Hellooo when the phone rings I say hellooo! Buhbye when I’m done talking then I say goodbye…” (it’s from her Fisher Price Musical Table. Thanks, Aunt Season!)
Favorite Food:  Pureed pot roast, potatoes and carrots.  We took doctor’s orders and fed her what we eat. She loved it!  Avocados run a close second.
Favorite Activity: Using anything she can to stand up!  And washing her hands (well, okay…playing with the faucet)
New Sounds:  lots of ffff, thanks to her new teeth

It’s been a big month for Emme’s mobility!  She went from crawling to climbing to standing in just what seemed like a matter of days.  On four occassions this week, she stood for a couple of seconds without holding onto anything!  It’s kind of nice to be able to put her down on the floor with a few toys and watch her go. 

When she feels the need for speed, we plop her in her walker.  She took to it quickly and can back up, zoom around corners and push boxes like a champ! 

I inserted the safety plugs just in time.  Her mobility enables to tap her thrill-seeking side.  If it’s dangerous, she makes a B-line for it.  We may just have a future bungee jumping, skydiving Evil Knieval on our hands…  KOW!  Emerson, if you’re reading this during your teen or adult years:  this is your mother speaking, it took me 39 weeks to make you.  Don’t do anything to endanger your being! 

She’s now got 5.25 teeth.  Two bottoms, two tops and 1.25 lateral incisors (yeah, I had to look that one up).   They’ve given her a lot of trouble this past month, so it’s exciting to see them progressing.

Her parents had a big milestone this week.   For three hours last Saturday night, we attended a wedding reception for a couple that engaged on Emerson’s birthday.  Dan’s parents babysat her.  I kept insisting Dan text them, but he refused.  When we got home, they reported she hadn’t moved a muscle.  Whew! 

But being out further underscored our need to get a will, get some insurance and set up a guardianship for Em.  My first choice for Emerson’s guardian is my best friend.  I’ve known her since 8th grade and know that she would be just what I’d want for Emerson.   She’s creative but down to earth.  Adventurous but cautious.   Aunt Carole would let our little Leo shine but guide her against going wild.  And who better to tell Emerson what her mom was like than someone who’s basically a second sister?  My BFF is single and sans child so this would be a Baby Boom meets Raising Helen situation, but I think she’d be fabulous.  Needless to say, she doesn’t seem to stoked about it…  That’s okay - I’ll give her the option to pass should the situation arise. KOW! KOW! KOW!

In less than 2 weeks, Em has gone from barely crawling to pulling herself up, walkering about and climbing atop anything within reach.

(insert proud mama WAHOO here)

(insert paranoid mother OH CRAP here)

Last week, she started making movements toward standing.  At one point, she crawled to a coworker of mine, took her hands and stood up.   This weekend, that progressed to pulling herself up via furniture, namely her crib.  This resulted in an emergency crib lowering and a long crying-it-out session on Saturday night.  Now that she has this awesome, new skill, her ability and desire to fight sleep is greatly enhanced.

Just yesterday, she shocked the hell out of my coworkers, Dan and me when she crawled toward a cardboard box.  We watched, expecting her to use it to stand.  Instead, she took the opportunity to CLIMB atop it.   Dan had taken a vacation day and was there to capture her adorable, chunky thighs in action:

;

As if that weren’t enough, we got home to find her new walker awaiting us.  Dan quickly assembled it and we plopped her in.  Within minutes, she was rolling through the house like a champ!  I’d been apprehensive about getting a walker because the APA warns against the potential hazards (ie: falling down stairs), but the reviews were great and several people mentioned how their physicians recommended one for core strength development.   Emme’s loving her newfound mobility.  We’re loving watching her make new discoveries.  But we’re pretty sure she’s not going to like the next addition to our house.

Baby gates!

It’s important to me that Emme practice good manners.

I’ve already started by introducing people “Miss X” or “Mister X” so that she will be accustomed to calling them as such.  I say “thank you” when she gives me something (well, more like when I take something away).

But before I can teach her proper food etiquette one day, I’m going to have to relearn it myself.  After four way-too-long months, my BFF and I finally got to hang out.  We celebrated our belated birthdays with much needed pancakes, Frappucinos and pedicures.  It was during the pancakefest that I realized I’d developed a horrible case of mommy manners.

For Emme’s first 6 months, my routine was to eat dinner on my bed while nursing her to sleep, a task that could take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours.  Because the clank of utensils against dishware would startle her, I started eating as much as I could with my hands.  I became the queen of making anything into a sandwich.  As I yapped away during yesterday’s lunch, I looked down and realized that I was eating my pancakes WITH MY HANDS.

It’s bad enough I’ve gotten used to exposing my bra and nursing pads when Em pulls on my shirt or that I wear pureed pea-covered clothes to work, but eating like a cavewoman?  Yeah… that was a wake up call.

Now that we’re on the verge of Emme’s 4th quarter, I need to consciously mind my peas & Q’s.  I’ll need to start eating like a big girl.

Or I’ll just need to eat more sandwiches.