love.

These past couple weeks I've been thinking about how much fun I've been having with Emory and almost wishing that I could freeze time in this stage. He's oozing with personality these days, and I can't help but be proud of all the growing up that's going on around here. 

hands in pockets. skinny neck.

eating olives off his fingers. first oreo cookie.

begging to stop at the park when we drive by. starting to love coloring and requesting certain pictures to be drawn or sculpted--he's recently discovered play dough (tractors and planes mostly)

the only description needed here is that this photo was shot moments before his first successful you-know-what. and might I add his first time actually sitting on the pot.

watching car shows with the Beutler guys. and making up steering wheels. (he's getting really into pretending and it's fun to see his creativity)

 actually enjoying nursery (cue the hallelujah chorus), leaning on his elbow while waiting for snack time. and I just need to add that this kid is a dreamboat when I take him with me to zumba. he sits quietly on the couch, watching us dance and contentedly playing with toys and eating snacks. 

 becoming assertive about when he really wants to be held before sleep. a couple weeks ago, E went through a stage of really wanting to be rocked so I indulged him most days at naptime, singing songs while he fell asleep in my arms, and Jon got to hold him the other night while sleeping for the first time in about a year. there are definite perks to motherhood that I hope to never forget.

just tonight, taking his suitcase of cars and legos to go play with "Nana" and "Nunu"

I love Emory's little voice and his talking. I feel like we have our own language sometimes, realizing that when he says "go Ra-Ra" he means he wants to go see Lara, one of my zumba instructor friends, and I say back "we'll go to zumba in the morning," to which he replies, "dzumba," meaning he wants to go in the car. Sentences usually come out with an "I" or "go" to start, like "I go" (used for so many purposes), "I eat," "I ow," "go Nunu," "go Da-ee" (daddy comes out with a funny guttural stop these days), and so on. One of his favorite things to say, and one of my favorites to hear is how he says TV. It comes out more like "teebwee" and he waits for me to say "no" with an eskimo kiss. Nanny comes out like "Ninny," Nana sounds clear as day, Grandma is "Grumaamaa" and Paisley has shortened from "Tzeetzee" to simply "Tzeez." And I don't think there is a better sound than when he uses my name purposefully. I love love love these conversations we have, and what can I say, I adore my kid.

He runs fast; he plays hard; he zooms around the house, quite skillfully maneuvering his little leg-powered car; his favorite moments are when we let him "drive" us to and from our house (all within a few acres on our private road and at 5 mph, mind you); he picks through his snacks to find the chocolate bunny grahams; he relates stories using huge gestures and amazing facial expressions; he refers to all letters as Es and all numbers as 2s; and he loves to play "Emory says," an after-dinner game of gestures more than words similar to Simon Says. 


Seriously, being a parent is amazing. The primary presented their program to our ward today and on the front of the bulletin was this quote by Gordon B. Hinkley:

"Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that He was a parent before you were parents and that He has not relinquished His parental rights or interest in these little ones. Now, love them, take care of them. Fathers, control your tempers, now and in all the years to come. Mothers, control your voices, keep them down. Rear your children in love, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Take care of your little ones, welcome them into your homes and nurture and love them with all of your hearts. They may do, in the years that come, some things you would no want them to do, but be patient. You have not failed as long as you have tried."

I feel very blessed to have Emory Shawn.