First Day of First Grade - 08.23.2018

Today is Emery's first day of first grade at Indian Paintbrush Elementary School.

The state flower of Wyoming is the Indian Paintbrush.

On Monday, August 27, Emery will be six and a half years old.

Emery, Everett, and I spent the summer at home together - this is Emery's first summer at home since she was 1 1/2 years old. She played with my old Barbies and her other dolls, drew pictures, played board games, played with stuffed animals, put together puzzles, read books, played iPad and computer games, and watched movies. We took walks together, went to parks and the pool, and enjoyed time with our friends at Bible study. Emery has been practicing handstands and cartwheels this summer, and she has mastered crossing the monkey bars, too.

One of our favorite shows to watch as a family has been the Kids Baking Championship on the Food Network. Emery is now interested in baking and has picked up some interesting food knowledge.

Emery keeps us laughing! This summer she started using air quotes (incorrectly at first, then she caught on) and the word "literally" along with "kidding!" and "JK!"

Emery spent her first weekend away from us in Gillette, WY with Blake's parents, Uncle Brandon, and their dog, Jaxsyn. Emery went to the county fair where she jumped off a platform onto a big air bag, over and over and over. What a brave girl! They also worked in Brandon's garden and went to the pool.

Emery loves her baby brother, and they both light up when they see each other. Emery is a great big sister and takes great care of her little guy. We think he calls her "Emma" and he mimics her already.

Emery's sign says:

If you look closely, our neighborhood bunny, affectionately known as Henry, is right below the tree branch in the grass.

Everett Matthew is Ten Months Old - 08.10.2018

Everett Matthew is ten months old! 

Everett has started to respond to cues: If I ask him to "give kisses," he puckers his lips (see photo below). When we shout "touchdown!" he puts both arms up. If he's standing at the couch and we say "awwwwww," he lays the side of his head down on the couch. A few times, I've said "what's the lion say?" and he growled. "What's the sheep say?" gets us a "mama." If Emery says "the gorilla says..." and beats her chest, he laughs hysterically.

I think he said "uh oh," but without the change in tone. Everett says dada, mama, and lots of variations of those with other consonants. 

He has waved a few times, but with his fist closed. He doesn't clap, but sometimes he holds both hands together and shakes them up and down.

Everett has two teeth on the bottom, and the two on top have both poked through (see photo below). 

Everett is cruising the furniture very well. He can get up and back down with few tumbles. He's finally sitting well on his own and not on his side anymore. We haven't seen him try to climb, except in the pack n' play when he gets his elbows over the top and his feet come up off the bottom - I'm not interested in seeing where that moves takes him!

This little guy is sweet, and happy, and often very loud and opinionated! 

We're so grateful for our guy!

If you look closely, you can see the top teeth coming in.

I asked Emery to kiss Everett, so he is giving kisses.

Emery at ten months: https://blakeandtiffanie.blogspot.com/2012/12/ten-months-old-122712.html