Nine months going on...

Love to show off those clapping skills!

I better take a deep breath now because just as I thought life got crazy when Emma was born I think (or rather know) we were only crossing a small threshold. The real fun is really just beginning. And by just beginning I mean oh boy I hope we can hold on and enjoy the ride as we watch this baby quickly turning into what already seems like a toddler. Emma turned nine months old last week and if I didn't know better I would say she is much older. This little baby girl is quickly becoming a fast moving, attention seeking, very smart girl that loves wreaking havoc around our house!

One of Emma's biggest accomplishments in the last month was starting to stand on her own. Although she can still only stand without any help for short amounts of time, her balance is quickly improving and so is my fear as I watch her confidence and her boldness grow as she decides what she is going to try next! She is constantly reaching, grabbing, and testing her abilities and strength. She might be small but she's strong and quickly gaining especially when it comes to pulling the cats' tails!

Still a little wobbly... but doing it all by herself!

So cute when she actually plays with the cats! 

And I shouldn't forget to mention that Emma is determined. If she wants to get into something she is going to figure it out... which has quickly led to pen caps taken off, chapsticks opened and perhaps my most feared - drawers opened. Oh let the games begin when I see the delight in her eyes as she realizes she can open the bottom drawer of mom and dad's dresser and take out all of the clean clothing. And even better the bottom drawer of the printer cabinet where all that extra printer paper is stored! Unfortunately, not so great is Ikea furniture. It seems that many of the items we bought have drawers that slide closed very quickly and easily which means pinched fingers may be a constant cause of tears in the coming months.

A few weeks ago Emma had a friend come visit for the weekend... here she is explaining who's boss.

Lennon looked very serious about the instructions he received.

And here he is helping to create mischief just as the boss directed him to do.

Someone got caught red-handed without a partner in crime!

And again... printer paper!

And yet again, at least she was attempting to plan a vacation for us!

But this was perhaps my favorite... yummy cat food!

Sometimes curiousity gets the best of her! Those darn cat tents!

While Emma's determination has led her to quickly achieve many things, it also seems correlated to a stubborness that leads her to voice her opinions loudly and with persistence. She currently detests having her diaper changed and anything else that requires her to remain laying on her back. She had a week or two where she was being very picky when it came to eating, but luckily we seem back on track. And her stroller riding seems to be about the same as it's always been. If you catch her at a good moment (usually when she's tired and about to drift off into one of her mega long 25 minute naps, which on a sidenote I thought a couple weeks back she was going to transition into two longer naps a day from her three short naps but now I am fearful that she is actually just transitioning into two short naps) she may actually ride contentedly in her stroller for 10 or 15 minutes before falling asleep. Otherwise, most days her stroller ride is a brief ride consisting of some mild whining before turning into a full fledged crying fit. On Emma's unlucky days where we are just walking the streets near our house with limited people passing by, I make her ride it out. On Emma's lucky days (which are most) we are in a busy area with many other people and so she wins and I take her out of the stroller and end up carrying a baby and pushing a stroller. At least it makes for a good shopping cart!

Dad only thinks he is charge playing games with Emma...

It appears the tables have been reversed as Emma stands patiently while dad brushes her hair and holds her stuffed animals!

Oh and so much for trying to get her to dress up and look cute!

Despite these moments that give me a glimpse of what life might be like a year from now when we have a full fledged toddler on our hands, most days we have a fun loving baby that loves to smile, wave, clap, and is just genuinely curious about discovering life and everything around her. It is so much fun to watch her try to problem solve and look under the furniture when she loses an item in an attempt to try to figure out how to get it back. Not so fun to watch her drop an item on purpose in the bathroom wastebasket and try to get it out (or just try to get into a trash can with dirty diapers).

What fun this little girl is!

And you certainly can't help but love to hear her laugh. And boy does she have a lot of different ways to laugh. From her full belly laugh when you tickle her chin to her laugh that is a cross between hyperventilating and panting like a dog. I'm still not sure where that one came from, but I blame Steve. Just listen...

Another cute laugh at the dinner table...

And my favorite the full belly laugh...

At the end of the day, how can you not love that face?