Words! Words! Words! at 13 months

Emmeline's most exciting development this past month has been her growing language skills. She can say several words and is able to perform about ten signs.  To my relief, she finally signed "milk" last Thursday.  Before then when she wanted to nurse she would say "mi! mi!" and tug at my shirt (more like claw, actually).  I am so glad that she has finally learned to ask more politely when she wants to nurse. Emmeline also said her very first sentence on Sunday morning.  When she saw Chester first thing in the morning she said, "Hi, cat!".  She also mooed at a picture of a cow today...not technically a "lingual" skill but I'll take it!

Feeding her has gotten a little easier because she can tell us when she wants more, is all done or wants water.  The other day Paul said, "This is so much fun!  I actually know what she wants!".  The only problem that we are having is now that she knows words and signs, she uses them all the time even when she doesn't want or need anything.

On Sunday we went to Woodside Farm Creamery in Hockessin, DE for National Ice Cream Day. It was about 96 degrees and incredibly humid so the ice cream (albeit melty) was a definite relief from the heat.  Emmeline enjoyed eating some strawberry ice cream ("more! more!") playing in the dirt and seeing the baby calves:

Mmmm...strawberry ice cream!

Playing in the dirt (again!). The wood chips

and dirt stuck to her like glue because she 

was so sweaty and sticky.

Cute little calves.

Estella and Emmeline watching the calves together

 

Awesome Auntie Jacy

This is Emmeline's Auntie Jacy:

This July she played the role of Laurey in Oklahoma! for Grand Forks' Summer Performing Arts (SPA) program.  We were lucky enough to be there for some of the practices and one of the performances.  I have heard Jacy sing many times but am still amazed every time I hear her. When she is on stage, it is hard for me to believe that she is my baby sister.  I am stuck with awe of her talent.

Emmeline has also heard Jacy sing many times.  She has heard Jacy sing in church, in Guys and Dolls, in choir concerts, and on TV thanks to my parents who record performances that we miss.  Emmeline behaved very well at the show and during practices.  She napped a bit but was content to run up and down the side isles.  She tried her hardest to evade me so she could climb up the stairs to the stage.  I think she already very much looks up to her Auntie Jacy!

Jacy is coming to visit us in DE all by herself for about eleven days and will arrive this Friday. We have quite a bit planned while she is here but we are all very excited for our five day trip to NYC.  While we are there, Jacy and I are going to see Wicked at the Gershwin Theater.  Paul and I bought her tickets for her 16th birthday.  It is her favorite musical and knows the music inside and out but has not yet been able to see it on stage.  I can't wait to share that experience with her.

As you can see from the photographs below, she is incredibly expressive and just radiates when she is on stage.  I wish I had a sound bite to share but, alas, our camera batteries were dead.  Most of these shots I pulled off of snapfish and facebook:

Grandma encourages bad habits!

I took this video while in the back of my parent's van so please excuse the unsteadiness.  My mom and Emmeline were playing a fun game and since then, Emmeline has continued with the razzberries.  But they had so much fun, it is worth the many spit-showers I have taken over the past week:

Midwestern Adventures, Parts II, III and IV!

Dearest readers,

I apologize once again for my hiatus from Emmeline's blog.  When we are in the Midwest with our families it is just so hard to pull myself away to write.  We were just having so much fun! During the past couple weeks, Emmeline has been flourishing; learning so many new things and is turning into a serious explorer.  She is happiest when she is squatting in the dirt examining small things or running in wide open spaces.  She is saying plenty of new words and now knows about five signs (see the list to the right).  I think that this is due in part to all of the new people and places she was experiencing while in the Midwest; her little mind is like a sponge, soaking up information, words, signs, faces, expressions, and songs.

So much happened while we were away it is difficult to know where to begin.  I think I will make different posts for different things (like the experience being delayed at the airport for three days and Jacy's wonderful performance in Oklahoma!) but for now here are some highlights (just few of many) of our journey:

Emmeline squatting in the wood chips at a

park near Paul's parent's house in Lakeville, MN

Emmeline with her cousins: Brandon, Allison,

Kassandra, and Hannah

He he!  Brandon is fun!

Paul with his parents and Emmeline: they

are all wearing Twins gear because Paul, 

his dad, and our brother-in-law

 went to a Twins game!

Emmeline reading with her Aunite Jen

and cousin Hannah.  Emmeline warmed up to

Jen right away and enjoyed cuddling with her

every evening.

Discovering a Prairie Rose (North Dakota state 

flower) in my parent's backyard

Whee! On a trampoline with mommy.

Investigating a bison in East Grand Forks, MN

Posing on the steps of my grandma's house in

Grand Forks, ND. Many, many photographs

have been taken on these steps since my

grandparents moved there in the 1940s.

Enjoying the swing in my parent's backyard.

She loved the swing so much she would stand

by the back door and say "Whee!  Whee!".

Mmmmm! Reaching for the cake grandma

made to celebrate her first birthday.

Having a chat with great-grandma Alice (my

grandma)

Being silly with great-grandma Mabel (Paul's 

grandma)

In the pool with auntie Jacy

Oops!  Where did your swimsuit go, Emmeline?

Looking at the neighbor's koi pond with

Grandma

Stopping to smell the flowers with

Grandpa

One last snuggle with grandpa (sniff)