Another Year Slips By

As the year draws to a close, Mommy and Daddy are amazed with all the accomplishments that Emma has made.  Emma loves to talk and is very into commanding others what to do.  Mommy and Daddy must sit at the breakfast table with her, Alli must get down if she is begging for food, baby doll must sleep, Mommy or Daddy must sing songs again and again and again...

Besides being a great commander, Emma has learned how to do lots of things on her own.  She can put away silverware and plastic dishes, she can go up and down stairs, open gates, use remote controls, ask for certain foods, clean up messes she has made, put on her own shirt, and take off her boots, hat and mittens (the jacket is still tricky...but she can unzip it on her own).  Mommy is so glad that Emma is always willing to help when she is asked to do something.  The days of "No" are probably coming soon, so Mommy will enjoy this time as much as possible. 

Emma current favorite songs are Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, ABCs, Old MacDonald and The Muffin Man.

Walking has turned into running and lots of funny looking fast shuffles can be witnessed when she is extra happy.  We are working on our basketball skills with our new at home basketball hoop.  The hoop was a perfect Christmas gift for Emma this year.  Over the summer, Emma was fascinated with people that played basketball at our neighborhood park.  She would drag Mommy over to watch from the side of the court and make Mommy explain to the strangers that we just wanted to watch.

This past week, Emma transitioned to a big girl bed.  Mommy and Daddy were both surprised at how well she has been sleeping through the night.  Emma loves her big girl room and the stuffed monster she picked out to sleep on her bed.  Mommy doesn't like the fact that Emma seems to be getting up earlier now that she has her own room, but hopefully Emma will learn how to play by herself for fifteen minutes before beginning to cry for Mommy's attention.

We have also been working on potty training this last month and Emma is starting to get the concept of when she needs to go to the bathroom.  Currently, she likes to tell someone right after she goes to the bathroom.  If we can just get to the point where she is aware she has to go, we will be on our way out of diapers permanently.

Hopefully, Emma will love being a big sister and helping out Mommy and Daddy with the new baby in a month or so.  Many more changes to come!