There are so many little posts swimming around in my head, but lately I barely get time to sit down at the computer. We just keep passing around different types of illnesses (read: mom and dad have been writing a lot of sub plans and not getting much sleep over the last few weeks). There are so many good things to write about though, so I don't want to dwell on all the germs!

Emily's first birthday is in three short weeks. The past year has gone fast and slow at the same time. I am so thankful for my extended maternity leave and then summer vacation. I really do feel like I got to spend a lot of time with her. She still only has one tooth with one just about to break through. I am hoping it will be there for her first birthday. We have yet to get her professional portrait taken, so I think I will do it in the next couple of weeks (once she doesn't have the double snot drips). She is close to walking, but I think it will be after she turns one. She amazes me with things all the time. It's like she's a real little person in there. She thinks it's uproariously funny to pull her socks off as soon as I put them on her, she has all different kinds of babbles that sound like her own little language. She adores her friends Caroline and Lucy. The other day at church Lucy was fussing and Emily flung her head around to see what was the matter with her and then she started "talking" to her. It was so sweet.

We're going to Michigan over Thanksgiving weekend to celebrate my grandpa's 80th birthday (and to have Thanksgiving of course) so I am starting to gear up for traveling with 3 kids. We always do fun stuff up there like make gingerbread houses which my kids are really looking forward to.