One Size Cloth Diaper Event

When I started using cloth diapers, I didn't really know about one-size diapers or two-size covers. As I started winning diapers, though, I quickly found out the benefits of one-size diapers. I have one-size pocket diapers I'll be able to use on Emily until she's potty trained and on next baby (no, this isn't an announcement) from birth to potty training.

I can't remember how I found Take time to smell the rose, but I'm super excited about Chari's One Size Cloth Diaper Event! Take a moment to visit her site if you're interested!

Two Christmases down...one to go

As I sat in the quiet coldness of the house, I realized that it has been quite a while since I updated everyone on our family.

Yesterday, Emily started saying “dog.” Her version is “do” (just drop the “g”). It’s so cute! Still no other words to speak of. Right now her vocabulary consists of boo (boo), baba (balloon), do (dog) and ah duh (all done). One of these days, she’ll start saying sentences and surprise us all!

Yesterday, we also spent time with Phillip’s family.

Emily and her cousins

Emily and Great-Grandma Palma

Emily got loaded up on gifts...way more than Phillip or I imagined! We are so grateful to have so many people who love Emily.

Grandma & Grandpa have a Frosty that sings and dances when you push a button. I’m so glad it lives at their house because Emily loved it! She would just rather not push the button herself! (Sorry there's no sound...I didn't know the mic was turned off.)

She enjoyed “playing” Bingo with her cousins who are 6-8 years older than her.

Christmas Day was spent at home, just the 3 of us. Quite different from the way I grew up, always at grandparents' houses. We did enjoy the day, though!

Santa brought Emily a kitchen for Christmas and she loves it!

She’s poured herself tea from the kettle (and from the stuffed one that cousin Mia gave her!) and cooked things on the stove. But, mostly, she just likes making the stove make noise. The batteries may die a quick death. :-)

I cooked my first-ever Christmas lunch. It was so yummy! I bought a quarter spiral-sliced ham and we had corn casserole, Grandma’s broccoli & rice casserole, cranberries (for Phillip and Emily...not me!), honey-butter rolls and chocolate and peanut butter cheesecake. I’m pretty proud of the lunch and we have tons of leftovers!

On to Abilene for more Christmas!

Handiwork

Several years ago (perhaps before Phillip and I met), I bought a Christmas tree skirt kit. I've been working on it ever since. I originally planned to have it done last year, for Emily's first Christmas, but the move and just life in general prevented that. So, my goal was to get it done for this Christmas. And, finally, it's DONE! I just wanted to show off a bit. So, here it is!

And, here it is under the tree.

18 months

Emily is now 18 months. In the past week, she's been helping me bake for our Christmas party. She is always so excited to help!

No smiles for the picture today, though. It's been a rough morning, but, thankfully, she is now sleeping!

Snow & baking

I know it's been a while since I posted. I've been busy getting our house all Christmas-y. This morning, we woke up to snow on the ground and in the air! I took Emily outside for a few minutes (forgot the camera) and she enjoyed it, but really just wanted the pinecones!

Also today, Emily helped me make Strawberry bread & muffins.

I'd measure out the ingredients and she helped pour them in the mixing bowl.

She also put the muffin papers in the pans.

Such a good helper! So, if you're blessed to be a recipient of some of our muffins, know that Emily put some love into them too!