Emilia at 9 months

Our little star has blossomed in the past month! Since moving to Memphis, she's started crawling and does it like it's nobody's business --- she is FAST! Plus, she pulls herself up to a standing position and balances on her own. We "fear" walking is just around the corner. Emi is also babbling constantly and showing other emotions, as well. We seem to have a pretty stubborn kid on our hands... She's also eating everything she can get her hands upon, mostly because she's forever teething, but she also just seems to like food! Definitely very different than her older sister :)

Hopefully one of these days I'll figure out how to post a video of her crawling...

Cora's first day of school!

Today was a BIG day around here as Cora began preschool. Though a bit reluctant at first (she's developed some massive separation anxiety...), she happily joined the other kids this morning. I may have been more tearful than her...

She's going Tuesdays and Thursdays and here in TN the preschool day runs from 9:30 - 2:30. That will be a nice break for us both!

The school is at the Lutheran Church in Collierville, which is near where we plan to live. Cora will have computer training, Spanish, music class and chapel each week. Beginning next fall she'll also get to play soccer. The program seems wonderful and we're very excited to have found it!

Cora posing with some of her "free art" from today

(apparently she LOVES working with feathers!)

we LOVE mrs. potato head!

and repurposing her parts!!!

Aventures around the apartment

Well, we're certainly adjusting to life out of suitcases and upon aerobeds. So far, no complaints (other than from Bonny who misses brother Finn dearly and wishes she had a yard to run free whenever she chooses...)! On that note, I miss being able to just open the door and let her out, as well..... strapping Emi in the baby carrier and bundling Cora up and coordinating us all to walk Bonny is already getting old.....

We're trying out the local restaurants and shops and have hopefully located a preschool for Cora. Our other free time is spent exploring the neighborhoods and house-hunting. What a process! We are confident we have a great realtor and are hopefully close to making a decision on where we will call home for the next many years (we hope...)!

Yes, that's ONE slice of pizza for Cora from a New York Pizzaria here -- it was bigger than her head and ended up being many meals. It was pretty good for being this far south!

Emi even enjoyed the crust!

Emi standing -- one of her new favorite pastimes.... crawling is almost here!

We saw/heard the ducks outside our window the other morning... it was too cute seeing Cora and Bonny share the windowsill!

We've made it to Memphis!

Well, we're going on a week being here and finally we have internet so we can start updating this blog more regularly. We ARE in search of a new blog name, any ideas?

It was a pretty difficult week getting here as Emi was diagnosed with pneumonia and we were leary of traveling, but we didn't want to delay our arrival and settling time before Greg starts work. Thankfully, Emi's oxygen saturation was such that she didn't have to be hospitalized and instead needed a trial of medication and rest. She seems to be feeling MUCH better, thank God! And Cora seems to be fine, as well.

All in all, we are so blessed with how easy-going our kids are. Definitely troopers who travel well in car with few complaints. After all, we did 2 separate 12-14 hour days in the car in 2 weeks and they were wonderful passengers. Not that anyone is looking forward to a trip like that again anytime soon...

So we've moved into an apartment complex in Germantown until we find our next home. We've been house-hunting daily and having fun seeing everything. We really like the area and we are excited to settle down somewhere soon! Sadly, Finn is too big to be allowed here in the apartment so once again Meg's folks in Michigan have come through with generous open arms to keep him until we find a house. Poor Bonny doesn't know what to do without him (she's never been without a pack and it's obvious), though we hear Finn's doing "just fine" as a solo dog up north :)

Bonny loves Cora's aerobed and Cora has no complaints

our first meal on our new card table

the best purchase so far is the portable DVD player

(this is pre-awesome furniture)!

our AWESOME living room furniture!

Cora's first work of art on her new easel -- a drawing of "mommy"

Happy 8 month birthday, Emi!

Emilia's first try at a lime... curiosity is wonderful!

and she went back for more...

a Superbowl Sunday to remember

Superbowl Sunday was a bit disappointing (since we're Pats fans...), but it was wonderful in that we were able to finally baptize Emilia! St. Paul Lutheran Church, where Meg was baptized thirty years ago, was the venue and it was really special. We are so happy to have this big event completed for our littlest :)

Emi fit into Cora's christening gown, what a special tradition!

trying to join GG and Aunt Laura's conversation

with Pastor Bush

with GG Vera

Some Superbowl shots:

yes, beer bottles are the best teething tools!

Alas, Emi and Cora were quite unimpressed with the Pats... fortunately they also have the Lions and the Falcons to cheer... two teams destined to meet up in next years NFC Championship!