Activities

I cannot believe I had 4 days off, and they are already over - why does time fly so fast when you are enjoying what you are doing?  Back to work tomorrow....so I decided I better post this right now!!

My friend Elizabeth Breed Smith will enjoy these first two - Emily is really starting to like books.  So far, her favorites are books of colors and basic names of things, also "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle (Elizabeth's suggestion), and this Russian book that Emily is "reading" in the picture that my Mom brought from Vladimir.  I am excited Em likes books because I always have and do, and it's important to me that she appreciates books and learning - even though at the moment, it's mostly fun colors and trying to eat the books that appeal to her most!

Bath time - Steve was being silly today and tried to do a mohawk....didn't really work but you can see how long her hair is on the top of her head - she was born with it and still hasn't lost that top part.  We try to put bows in it but it's too thin for bows....oh well.  All in due time.

Emily's First Thanksgiving

Emily's first Thanksgiving was wonderful. If you know me, then you know I worry about everything, and my main concern was that Emily was not going to do too well in new surroundings (after all, she is too young to know this "new" house is her Granmom's!) and around a lot of new people (well, new to her.)  She did amazing. Did not fuss, cry, or get upset, let people hold her, laughed and smiled, and enjoyed every moment! She wore her Thanksgiving outfit, too - her first one. So many wonderful memories were made, and we are all so excited Emily got to share in them!

Night before Thanksgiving.....trying harder and harder to sit up on her own:

And every chance she gets, she reaches for things and grabs them now:

Thanksgiving morning....playing in the gym (the folded out version) while Mommy, Daddy, and Mimi get ready:

And, here we are!  In Daddy's lap taking it all in:

Cousin Merichelle Roberts (soon to be Jones :) and her fiance Bryan.  Emily fell in love with Bryan!!!  She smiled huge at him and just about stared a hole through the poor guy!!  But, if anything, she has good taste!!  (So does Merichelle!!  :)

Mimi, Mommy, and Emmie:

Our family.  I am so thankful for Steve, his parents, and all his relatives.  They are the nicest, sweetest, kindest people on this planet!!  I am so lucky to be  a George!!  :)

Practicing her cooing in uncle Ed's arms:

Uncle Ed:

Aunt Karen:

Mimi and Mommy took Emily for a walk in her stroller in the afternoon.  The day was gorgeous, Em fell right asleep, and stayed that way for an hour and a half.  Another thing to be thankful for!!  We wandered over to White Rock Elementary, where Steve, Karen, and Stan all went to grade school, and took pictures with their pumpkin patch/display:

Too bad Em could not have any of that delicious food - but she seemed happy with her bottle!

Aunt Rebecca:

Granmom:

A nice mid-afternoon snack (her hand) as the evening draws to a close:

Thanks George family (as well as the Roberts of course!!) for making Emily's first major "American" holiday so meaningful and fun!!  We love you all!!

New Things

Emily is learning every day, and trying new things.  She likes to lean forward, sit up, reach for things, and put them in her mouth. She thinks her fingers are the tastiest things in the world! We've made lots of progress eating rice cereal and she actually enjoys it now. She sees the spoon and opens her mouth instantly. She seems to be a fast learner, and catches on to new things well. We are enjoying every moment of her being a baby, exploring and growing!

Leaning over....

...and sitting up, trying to grab that piggy on her lotion bottle....

....and more sitting up!  Seems like she can't wait to be able to sit up all on her own.

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving and celebrating with family....Emily's aunt Rebecca and cousin David from San Antonio get to meet her for the first time!!  :)  

Act of Kindness

This really has nothing to do with Emily, but I have to put this on here....  My Mom lost a filling in her tooth, and I had to take her to the dentist today.  I was dreading going, since obviously my Mom doesn't have American health insurance, and I wasn't sure how much this would cost.  Our dentist, Dr Kumar, and his entire team were so wonderful to my Mom, so welcoming, sweet, and kind, she instantly relaxed and stopped worrying.  The dentist fixed her tooth, and charged me....nothing.  Zero.  I am still trying to digest that.  In this day and age, with our slumping economy and people trying to make money any way they can, it's nice to realize that there are still people out there who are willing to perform and Act of Kindness and not expect anything for it.  It's an especially nice thought so close to Thanksgiving.  So this year, my Mom and I have an extra thanks in there - to Dr Kumar and his team.  Amazing.

Strawberry Fields

Emily was not too excited about wearing a dress today - yet Mommy insisted on taking pictures (as you will immediately see, they are all out of focus because she kept moving around and wiggling like crazy) - and Mommy still thinks these are CUTE!!

Mirrors

Mirror, mirror on the wall..... 

Mimi's lap

Watching TV with Daddy

Eventful Day

I took a few days off work, and have been enjoying the time off so far. We have not planned anything special to do, but it's nice to be home again and watch Emily play, grow, and learn more and more every day. Today has been an eventful day already!

Emily discovers the teether ring (flower) that aunt Natasha sent her from Germany:

and then tosses it to the side of the changing table!

Tummy time....she rolled over twice again, but still only from tummy to back.  We are waiting for the more difficult back-to-tummy roll.

Who is that baby in the mirror?

The true meaning of the phrase, "shop till you drop" - she really did!  :)

At Target with Mimi.

Visit to Jim and other Things

Emily visited Jim West for the first time. She behaved great, was not scared of any of the new faces, and let people hold her and play with her. We took some donuts to Jim, and I think she wanted those....but didn't get any :)

Emily, Mommy, Jim, and Jim's caregiver Patience:

Daddy's Girl.....always 100% happy when she is with Daddy!

Cereal? I don't think so!!

Today, we tried feeding Emily rice cereal for the first time.  "Tried" being the key word, as most of the cereal ended up all over her face, and she refused to swallow even the tiniest little bit.  She behaved great - did not cry, fuss, spit anything out, she was very quiet, almost elegant about it, but she just sat there half-frozen, and did not move her tongue or lips at all.  Here is the entire story in pictures!!

Here I am, laying happily playing with my Rainforest friends, when they come and take me away into the kitchen for some reason:

Ewww...what is that?

I am scared now!

Ok, if I sit here quietly, will Mommy leave me alone?

No!  My hand tastes much better!!

I said - NO!!

I need a paper towel to wipe that nasty stuff off my face!

HELP!!!!!!