emma signs!

We've been teaching Emma a limited number of ASL signs. Things like milk, hungry, mama, and daddy. As a former teacher of one year olds, I've seen first hand how sign language helps babies communicate- when they are still unable to verbalize but can understand words.

We started doing it late last year but the only one I've really done consistently is milk. Today, that consistency paid off!

I had Emma on the changing table after her nap. After I finished fastening her diaper, I asked her if she wanted some milk (I didn't sign it when I asked). To my amazement, she made the sign for milk! I praised her and gave her big smiles, then asked her if she wanted milk again, and she made the sign again!

I picked her up and gave her more praise and big hugs. I was so excited! I really want to teach her more signs and I need to be more mindful of opportunities to do so.

 

My little smarty pants with her milk!

i made something!

My sewing room is coming along splendidly and I actually finished something! I'm "in process" with a lot of projects, but hadn't finished anything in a while.

I made a pinafore for Emma!

I love how it turned out! It is very big on her so I plan on going back to make the smaller size, and keeping this one for later, but I still love it.

 

Hurray for finishing!

emma {one year}

This happened a month ago, but my sweet girl turned one year old! The last year has gone by so quickly. We went from this...

to this!

She's crawling everywhere and finally pulling all the way up to her feet (she was stuck at just pulling up to her knees for a while). She takes steps when holding on to a piece of furniture or Mama or Daddy.

Naps are anywhere from 0-25 minutes if I'm lucky. I'm not lucky most days, ha! I think she doesn't sleep well when she's teething, and that is most definitely going on right now. Emma has two bottom teeth and two top teeth, and I know more are on their way in because she chews away on her fingers, toys, and her pacifier. She giggles when we brush her teeth and gums (just water for now, no toothpaste yet).

My formerly bald little babe has lots of hair now! It's growing like weeds. Or maybe it's growing like hair? Either way, it's getting long and she has terrible cowlicks in the back. Poor baby has been saddled with hair that's very fine with lots of flyaways. Just like Mama.

She babbles and chatters like crazy, and she loves music and dancing! In fact, just today she sat in my lap and sang  her own little baby nonsense song and bopped her head. The cuteness factor was off the charts!

She started waving "hi" and "bye" in the last couple of weeks. Now she waves at everyone, especially when we are in the grocery store and Mama just wants to get in and out without stopping to talk to every nice grandma that's shopping that day.

She still loves books and will sit for a surprisingly long time while focusing on turning pages and looking at pictures. Books are among the first things she pulls out of her toy box in the family room. I love that she's a little reader!

Happy birthday, Emma! We love you so, so much!