Dad's bathtime photos

Doesn't she look like she's laughing at a joke? Or applying a bubble beard on purpose (see next picture)?

This is her "America's Next Top Model" pose that I included for Dez and any other fellow addicts. Except they'd say her right arm looks like it's been amputated.

Crazy happenings at school

The week (yes, it's only Tuesday) has been full of odd things:
*One of my new students (I've literally only had him in class 6 times) was arrested because he pushed another teacher twice.
*We had four subs in the sixth grade hall today--not fun for the rest of us.
*The sub for one of the teachers yesterday was escorted off campus because he was doing lewd things in the classroom and being inappropriate with the girls.
*A student in my neighbor's class somehow made it to a site that displayed a naked girl for the whole class to see.

Pictures from my phone

A tornado-like cloud that I saw driving home today, but I don't think it was truly a tornado.
Emily and Presley at dinner a few weeks ago. Presley is Ron & Shea's daughter, and a fellow PK (he's our youth pastor).
On Saturday Emily rode all by herself in the cart for the first time (sans carseat). She looks scared here, but she really liked it.

Tornados

We had tornados all around us today, but we're okay. At school we got to sit in the hall in the duck-and-cover position for more than half an hour. Actually, after about 10 minutes we let the kids turn around and put their backs against the wall--their knees and legs were hurting. I think that three tornados touched down, but there may have been more. None left any significant damage. After school Emily and I did hang out in the bathtub for about 10 minutes because there was a "storm that could produce tornados" going right through our neighborhood (they actually named our neighborhood on the news). I'm not sure if I like tornados or earthquakes better...at least with earthquakes there's no anticipation and buildup.

Kronk (pics for Kim)

So dignified.

True Southerner--smocked outfit

The family that gives us all of Emily's hand-me-downs lent us few items that she wants back,

so we wore one today. It's adorable!

The bedroom, continued

We finally had some time to continue our bedroom project. We painted the closet and put in the organizer--we're so glad to have our clothes back in our closet!! I really like that we painted the back wall red.

Jumping fool

This morning Emily was playing like crazy in her jumper. This is a minute or so of her glee.

Time to lower the bed

We had decided this week to lower Emily's bed, seeing as she's becoming more and more mobile.
And then she showed us that it was a very good idea.

Mirror

This morning Em was making faces at herself in the mirror on her exersaucer. She was blowing raspberries, and moving her face really close and laughing at herself.

9-month checkup (a bit early)

Emily's still short and skinny, but we did finally make it to 18 pounds (on the nose). She's 26 inches tall. And while her head is still big, it's now at the top of average instead of way above it. Overall she had a good checkup; her hemoglobin was back up (hooray for no more purple iron drops) and she got her second flu shot. She's cutting her second tooth on bottom. She pulled up yesterday, but she's still not crawling--we may be in for some trouble. Thanks, Paul!!

Playing outside

After school today, Emily and I went outside and played on the front lawn (no risk of land mines).
Kronk came with us. He's my favorite to take out front because he'll never go past our yard, he doesn't need a leash, and if I'm ever worried that he's getting too close to the edge, I call him and he immediately comes. Good puppy.
Emily kicked her feet like crazy in the grass.

She started out sitting, then rolled to her stomach, and ended up eventually spinning in a circle on her stomach while playing with/reaching for various things--camera, blanket, twigs, leaves, etc.

The belly

Emily has been eating like crazy, and has developed quite a gut. I couldn't get her to stick it out for the camera, but believe me--it's there.

Kronk's surgery

Kronk had a tumor removed from his back yesterday. We were hoping it was just a cyst (it was about the size of a marble), but it was a "light brown solid mass" which is on its way to a lab to determine if it's cancerous or not. So Kronk is still in the lead for our "most expensive dog" competition (see earlier posts on his broken toe & hernia). He has bounced back incredibly well from the surgery--he wasn't even groggy when I picked him up (I was disappointed).

Magic water bottle

Emily was (obviously) very sleepy after church, so we gave her a water bottle to entertain her on the way home. Apparently it had a sleeping potion inside.

Another trip to the park

Emily had another great time on the swings. Today she laughed out loud while she was swinging--it was hilarious.

Picture of the tooth

I'm sorry if you can't see it very well, but those of you who have tried to photograph baby teeth understand that it is a near-impossible task.

Emily's tickle spots

Favorite book

Emily LOOOVES the touch & feel book that she has. It's about the animals, and the loves to feel the fur, especially the rabbit's tail and the leopard's ears.

So focused

Finally!

Eight months & baby dedication

Pretty hand-me-down dress!

Em turned 8 months this past week, so I figured these pictures could count for both.

She talked to her friend Jordan a lot while we were up there--she was the loudest one.
She always knows where the camera is!