Eye On Emma: Issue FourGa Ga Goo Goo To You Too

Emma passes her 11th month anniversary today and comes one step from being a one year old. The family's all a fluster with things to get Emma for Christmas as she nears the one year milestone. We're also going through our first round of anxiety as we struggle to decide what gifts will be given at Christmas and which will be saved for her birthday a week later. The hardest part for her dad is to remember that there is more than one celebration to observe while he shops.

Emma keeps learning new tricks as she ages gracefully into a toddler. She has taken to stringing words together a-la baby talk and it's hilarious to listen too. It's easy to carry on a conversation with her as you can hear her struggle to mimic the words we use and talk back. Her favorite phrases are "Oooh", "Wow" and "Uh-oh". Along with the baby talk she's started a plethora of new sounds, the most prominent of which is an ethereal grunt from the back of her throat. We were sure she was choking to death the first time we heard it, only to watch her turn it on and off as we reacted. It still jars us from our seats if were not ready for it.

Emma spent a few days without mom and dad as they traveled to New Jersey and Manhattan for an awards dinner with Grandpa Ingram. She stayed outside her own home without her parents for the first time enjoyig the hospitality of her Aunt Polly and Aunt Carrie. She seemed to have such a good time that when we returned to Zack and Carries house a week later, she immediatly went into her play routines from her last visit.

Emma enjoyed her first snowfall of her young life, at least the first we think she recognizes. While there was plenty of snow on the ground following her January birth we doubt she could see any of it, especially considering we wouldn't let her out of the house without several blankets covering her carrier. We made use of a sled we had purchased just a week earlier and buzzed around the backyard as the family looked on. We also gave Emma her first view of Christmas Lights as we spent ther 11th month anniversary strolling through Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City.

Emma is mastering new physical feats too. She has learned the almost fool proof method of lowering herself from an elevated surface by turning around and sliding on her tummy. She has also discovered the fascinating practice of feeding other people. She grinned and giggled hysterically when she first fed Mom her bread stick. I expect the practice to loose favor when she realizes that her portions disappear more quickly that way.