Dear Emilie

Dear Emilie,

Oh my goodness this last month was a crazy month! You just went through an explosion of activity and developments over the last month! It first started off with your hatred of being on your tummy. You hate being on your tummy, always have. Tummy time was screaming time in our house. We put you on your tummy because the doctors and books told us to, not because you liked it. I was actually worried that you would never crawl, because crawling meant you had to be on your tummy. I was so worried that I mentioned it to your doctor at your 6 month appointment. She assured me that it was normal, and that a lot of babies hate being on their tummy, so I shouldn't worry.

I swear you were listening closely at that appointment, and decided to make me a liar, because the very next day you rolled onto your tummy and didn't start to scream. In fact you continued to play with your toys on your tummy for five whole minutes before you started to fuss and let me know you had enough. Five whole minutes! I didn't know whether that was a fluke or not, so Papa and I just let you be when you went on your tummy and it wasn't a fluke! You now didn't mind being on your tummy so much. You're such a sneaky little girl sometimes! Now you play on your tummy all the time, your newest trick is trying to get your knees underneath you. I predict by 8 months you will be crawling. Then Mama and Papa are in trouble!!

You sit all by yourself now too! It started last month, and now you can sit without any help at all from papa and I now. You play with all your toys in the blanket, and on the nice days you love to move your feet in the grass. You love being outside so much. You love to look at the trees, and listen to the sounds of the wind through the leaves. Most babies would hate the feel of the cold grass under their feet and legs, but not you, you love it. I've even had to treat grass stains on your socks because of this!

You said your "first word" this month too! You say "ma ma ma" and "mum". I know that you don't really associate the words with me yet, but I still think it's a big deal that your first word wasn't "da da da". You talk all the time to Papa and I, and really anyone else that will listen. You smile at everyone who says hi to you (if you're in a good mood at least), and you like to flirt now. You flirt with your Papa, your Grandpa, and your Uncle Andrew and Uncle Darren too.

You're getting to be so big. Everyday your Papa and I are amazed at all the new things that you can do, but at the same time it makes us sad. Our little baby girl is leaving us, and now we have this amazing, happy, vocal little big girl instead. You haven't quite mastered the art of a hug or a kiss yet, but you put your arms around our shoulders when we carry you, and you get so happy to see us when we get home from work that you open your mouth wide and "kiss" our cheek. This is getting to be a bit tricky now since you got your first tooth! We've been waiting and waiting for the bottom teeth to come in, but instead your top left arrived first!

We can't wait to see what new and exciting things are on their way for next month!

Love, Mama