Emma Shopping

Emily gave Emma a shopping cart for her 1st birthday. It is one of her favorite toys. Now that she is walking, she can really move and "shop it up." Check out her style in this video clip.

Santa's Tiny Helper

Here is Emma in her little "Grinch" hat that I made for her. As you can see in the picture, she wasn't very happy. I wanted to get a picture of her in the hat in front of our tree. As soon as I put the hat on, she started fussing for her "Moobee" -- her word for movie. I guess she related putting on her hat to leaving for the ride home and watching her movies from her car seat. She is definitely a smart baby!

Christmas Tree

I spent most of the day today and part of yesterday decorating our Christmas tree. It took 2 different ladders and hundreds and hundreds of ornaments to finish this look. Check it out in these photos. I ran out of energy before I got the mantle and wreaths up. I'll have to finish these projects during the week.

Christmas Photo Shoot

Molly, Bjarne and Emma came over for dinner this evening. Molly brought Emma's Christmas dress so we could take some photos in front of our tree for their Christmas cards. We got some good ones -- surprising, cause she was on the move the entire time.

Emma Walking

Here is a video clip Molly took yesterday of Emma walking to Matt. She is holding tight to a stuffed animal kitty that I bought her yesterday. Emma loves Matt! She also loves our cat, Sammie. Every time she comes to our home, she looks for both the dog and cat. Molly and I took her shopping yesterday for her first pair of MaryJanes to wear with her Christmas dress. There is a toy store right next to the shoe store. Emma latched on to the cat and wouldn't give it up long enough for the clerk to scan it. We had to have them scan another. She spent the ride home giving the cat kisses and saying "meow."
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New Camcorder

Dan bought me a new Canon HF100 camcorder for Christmas. He gave it to me early so I can start recording Emma's first steps. I haven't quite figured out all the feature/functionality yet -- but, I took my first video this morning and was able to upload it to my laptop. I can't wait to get Emma walking. She progressed from 2-4 steps to walking across a room in just a week! Here is the wakeup call I gave to Dan and Sophie this morning....

Emma took her first unattended steps this week!

Emma took her first steps on her own on Thursday. She was so pleased with herself. Molly, Bjarne, and Emma stopped by after dinner last night for a quick visit. She showed us her new found skills. She is also blowing kisses now too, how cute! When she saw me last night, she got a big smile and crawled as fast as she could to me -- melted my heart! She knows my name, Nana, and calls Matt by name too (Maaa, no "t" on the end yet).

Completed design.... Bobby's Quilted Wallhanging

I still need to stitch around all the appliques, add sashing, quilt and bind -- but all the designing and placement is done.

Emma's Halloween Costume - Bumblebee

More Progress....

I got another panel done with the trucks and highway. This is really going to be cute -- even if I do say so myself! This is fun!

Tractor - In Color

Emmy, I got the background completed for the wallhanging and finished the panel applique for the first vehicle -- the tractor. I think this will really be special when I am done -- for your special baby. I will post pictures as I work through the completion of this project for you, Robert, and Bobby!

Bobby's Quilted Wallhanging -- The Design

I finished the basic shapes and the design for Bobby's quilt this evening. You have to imagine it on bands of color. The lower band will be green for the tractor. Going up the quilt will be a gray road with the trucks then another smaller green band. The "construction" band will be brown and tan and then another green "grass" band for the houses -- then ending at the top with a blue band for the sky behind the houses.

Shopping for Bobby Howell

Emmy and Robert found out this week that they are having a boy! Robert Lewis Howell, V -- Bobby for short. Emily and Robert want a car, truck, tractor vehicle theme for Bobby's nursery. I am designing a wall hanging with trucks, cars, and tractors. I went by Pottery Barn Kids today to see the bedding, so I could make sure that I replicated some of the colors and shapes in the wall hanging. Unfortunately, they are only available online. I was able to check out a carpet sample so I could match colors to the carpet. Dan and I couldn't resist picking up our first present for Bobby while we were there -- a red, wooden ride-on truck. It is so cute!

Emma's First Over Night Stay at Nana's

Molly and Bjarne celebrated their wedding anniversary with some alone time this weekend. Emma came over on Saturday around noon and stayed through lunch today. We had much fun with her, but were all worn out -- including the dog.
Emma loves our animals, Sophie (our Goldendoodle) and Sammie (our tabby cat). She starts looking for both as soon as she comes over. She must have said "Meow" a hundred times.



Sophie likes to park under Emma's high chair to get the food that drops. This weekend, Emma started feeding Cheerios to Sophie one at a time. Both dog and baby thought this was great fun.

Molly brought over her "Ice Cream Truck" -- one of her favorite birthday gifts. She is wearing the pink hat I just finished.

Sunday Visit to Nana's House

Emma came over to play on Sunday and give her Mommy and Daddy a break. As usual, she was most interested in Sophie (our dog). Here is a picture of her in her "hat for the day."

Emma's first pair of jeans

Emma, Molly, and Bjarne came for dinner Saturday night -- beef stew and apple crisp (good fall menu). Emma was wearing a hat I made her in her favorite color, blue. She was also wearing her first pair of blue jeans. See how cute she is!

Molly want another hat "just like this one" - but, in pink. I am working on it now and have the hat knitted and am working on the applique. Emma loves her hats! Molly has them lined up on the open shelves in Emma's nursery and lets Emma pick out the hat that she wants to wear each day now that it has turned cool.

More little Sweaters....

I just finished a couple more sweaters for Miss Emma. I am trying to get most of my Emma projects done to clear the way for Baby Howell creations -- just waiting to find out pink or blue!

Both of these sweaters are knit in 100% cotton. The frog applique sweater is size 2 and the striped sweater is size 3 (for later).

Emma and Sophie Play Date

On Monday, Emma's day care was close for the holiday. I took the day off to keep Emma at my house. Emma loves our dog, Sophie. It turned into a Emma/Sophie play date. I had many, many Emma toys -- as Molly gave me a huge basket to keep here. But, Emma liked Sophie's toy basket better.


As soon as she enters our house, she starts asking for the dog -- "Gog" in Emma speak. Here are some photos I snapped during the day. Enjoy!

Emma's 1st Birthday Party

Emma's 1st birthday party was so much fun and chaos. We had a group of 25 (only 6 children) in attendance. Emma enjoyed her birthday cupcake and displayed a dainty style in picking the icing off with her "pinchers" (pointer finger and thumb).

I snapped about 75 pictures and several video clips during the festivities. I caught Emma pulling her friend Caroline's hair in one of the photos. You can tell by the way her eyes are cut over to Caroline's mother that she knew she was doing something naughty!

Her favorite present was the first she opened (and really didn't get past) -- a Leapfrog Ice Cream Truck.

Enjoy the pictures --

Busy, Busy, Busy.........

OK, Emmy called and said my post looked like a crazy lady wrote it. I don't know what happened, but it was all jumbled up! It is fixed now!

I was in Toronto and Denver last week and spent most of this week catching up on things I missed last week.

Yesterday was Emma's 1st birthday! It is hard to believe an entire year has gone by! Molly took sugar cookies to Emma's daycare class yesterday. Emma got to have her first "real" cookie with icing on it -- she ate 2!

We are celebrating with a birthday party at our home on Saturday. I will post pictures after the big event. I will be cooking later today for the event -- but, not too much... just pasta salad and potato salad. We are having the BBQ catered and Molly ordered the cupcakes from from Tizzerts - the Charlotte bakery that made Emmy and Robert's wedding cake http://tizzerts.com/

Menu - Emma’s 1st Birthday Party

BBQ Chicken
BBQ Pork
BBQ Sauces, Mild and Spicy
Buns
Pickles
Pasta Salad
Potato Salad
Fruit Tray
Cupcakes (Lemon and Raspberry)
Beer, Wine, and Soft Drinks

Weekend at the Springer home

Sorry Emmy, too busy to post this week. I was in Denver all week on business. Next week I will be in Toronto and Denver, traveling all week. We had a relaxing and quiet weekend at home. Molly, Bjarne, and Emma came over for dinner on Saturday. Emma eats table food now and is off the bottle... drinks whole milk out of a sippy cup like a big girl now.
Menu included a pork loin roast, cheesy noodle bake (family favorite), and the apple crisp that my Nana used to make for me. Emma ate it like a champ (along with the rest of the family).

I don't have a huge toy collection at my home yet. Emma seems to gravitate to the decorative items. See the photo of her and Uncle Matty -- that is a wooden egg in her hand/mouth. She has a basket of apples on the floor.

Her vocabulary is growing --

Mama
DaDa
Nana
dog (pronounced Gawg)
Baby
and new word Cookie (pronounced in two very distinct syllables -- cook----ie)

What a cutie!

Tessa plays soccer

Our grand-daughter, Tessa, has started playing soccer this year. She is a third grader this year.

These photos bring back memories of Emily Kate and her soccer years. Dan had so much fun being one of the very few male "soccer moms."

Tessa looks much like her mother in this close up.

Frog Sweater

I started this sweater with Baby Howell in mind -- took the frog applique I designed and put in on a sweater I knit in cotton. I thought the color combination could work for either a girl or a boy. As soon as Molly saw it - she wanted it for Emma. As you can see, it fit her perfectly. I will start another for Baby Howell....

Long Weekend - visit with Emily and Robert

It was so great to see Emily and Robert! Emily looks great. I miss them and have to admit to a few tears when we said our goodbyes. Molly (the old pro mommy) took Emily to Babies-R-Us to register while she was here. I know Emily was glad for the advise and assistance.


She tried on a "baby bump" with her new clothes to get the fast-forward view of how she will look in the upcoming months. I don't think she realizes yet just how much expanding she will be doing.


I am working away at Baby Howell's wall hanging. Emmy wanted a garden theme. One more panel to go before I start the decorative stitching around all the many applique pieces.


I plan to do one more panel similar to the vine and leaf and then will be done. Final measurements will be 40"x40". I couldn't get the entire work in progress in the photo -- but, this gives you an idea of how it is coming together.

Turtles

I finished another panel for Baby Howell's quilt. this one has turtles on it to match the garden theme. Click on the link to Emmy's blog to see first photos (ultrasound) of Baby Howell. Due date is March 14th.

I need to stitch around all the applique pieces and work on the next panel design. I will wait to finish this until beginning of September -- by then I may know whether or not to finish with some extra pink and flowers or leave it mostly blue with additional bugs and critters......

Labor Day Weekend

I spent the weekend finishing up some projects and starting some new ones. I finished a hot pink/light pink/green cotton knit sweater in size 2 for Emma.

I also did some drawings with the idea that Emmy may want to frame some for her nursery. "Ladybug Vines" --
and one I named "Turtle Pond" --
Dan and Sophie slept in this morning. I snapped this picture -- Sophie with her blanket with Dan (the lump on the right side of the bed).
I have started on a quilted wallhanging for Baby Howell. Emmy picked out some wall decals from Pottery Barn in a garden theme with bugs, frogs, flowers and turtles. I am making a wall hanging with the same theme. Here is the first panel of frogs and flies.

Detail View
Other panels planned --
turtle panel
flowers with grasshoppers/caterpillars/butterflies,
ladybug vines

Happy Birthday Bjarne and Robert!

Both Bjarne and Robert have birthdays this week. Bjarne on Monday and Robert on Tuesday -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We had a birthday dinner for Bjarne on Saturday night -- burgers and dogs on the grill, pasta salad, and baked beans with a Carvel ice cream cake for dessert. Robert will have to take a rain check on his birthday dinner until I can next cook for him. See video clips of the event - note the "trick" candles.


Miss Emma ate grilled chicken, peas, applesauce and had animal crackers for dessert. I need a drop cloth for under her highchair -- more on the floor than in the mouth when she feeds herself!

Emma's New Game

Emma has a new game. She sits in her toy basket and throws all the toys out. Here is a photo of her in action.

Nana x 2 Baby Howell is on the way!

Emily and Robert are expecting a baby! Emmy gave me the go ahead to post this news to my blog, as she has now shared the big news with her employer and friends.

How exciting! Emily has an appointment soon with her obstetrician, so I'll share the exact due date when I know it. So far, all I know is March 2009.

Emily and Robert will be visiting Charlotte the second week in September. We haven't seen them since our beach vacation in early June.

I need to get back to work on my "Nana's Hopechest" with some projects for Baby Howell. Just need to know whether pink or blue.....

Emma's Burberry Dress

Here is Emma in a Burberry dress that was a gift from her great-auntie Marybeth. It's hard for Molly to get her to sit still - so many of her photos are action shots now. She does love books, so will sit to "read" them!

Emma's First Shoes

Molly, Dan, and I took Emma shopping for her first shoes on Saturday. She had never had a pair of shoes on her feet prior to trying them on in the store. As you can see in the video clip, she was not very happy to have them on her feet. After her initial displeasure - she quickly accepted them.

Molly, Emma, and Bjarne came over for dinner that evening. We enjoyed family favorites of roasted red pepper hummus w/ homemade pita chips and pasta with tomatoes, basil, black olives and feta cheese.