James Taylor

The first time we took Emily on a road trip, she was two weeks old. We played a lot of music in the car to help keep her calm. (She's always loved being sung to... and you can only sing for so many hours in the car!) She seemed to relax most to simple music, like one male vocal with guitar. Two favorites are James Taylor and Jeremy Ware (a college friend of ours who has recorded a couple CD's). To this day, if she is fussy in the car and we play James Taylor, it quiets her down and helps her fall asleep.

For some reason right now, we don't have any Jeremy CD's in the car, and the only JT we have is a burned greatest hits CD that skips after track 7. We have listened to those 7 songs a lot lately. Here she is on our drive from NH to PA on Friday. Imagine "Sweet Baby James" playing in the background.

Beh Buh

We are on day three of nap-strike (teething molars maybe? she's also drooling like mad.), so I need to remind myself of some cute things about Emily. :)

Her most recent obsession s belly buttons! She is delighted to show your hers, and to find yours. She also likes to rub hers as she falls asleep.

A few beh-buh related events...

* Last week at the at beach, she saw a pregnant woman who was wearing a bikini. From across the swimming area, Emily repeatedly squealed, pointed and yelled "beh buh!" Awkward.

* It was cold the other day (welcome to summer in NH - it was both hot enough to go to the beach, and cold enough to nap in winter pj's), so I put her down for a nap in one-piece pajamas. Twenty minutes later I found her sobbing in her crib, clawing at the belly of her pj's and crying "beh buh". It's hard to dress a small child warmly and still leave access to her belly button.

Things Emily Is Into: Summer 2010

4. Climbing. I recently found her here:

3. Toothbrushing. Especially with Daddy's toothbrush. :)

2. Nana: Her word for "banana'' and "more". She will often point up to the top of the fridge where we keep them to ask for some. Another recent 2nd favorite is blueberries. She has been gobbling them up this week.

1. Rocks! Her #1 favorite toy. She will spend ages picking up and moving around the rocks in our gravel driveway. She especially loves to drop rocks through the holes in our hubcap.

Daniel Kirkland Ware

My sweet nephew was born on August 27. (My parents' anniversary.) The stats: 8lb4oz &21.5" He's named for his grandfathers, and is apparently a good sleeper already. I can't wait to meet him!

Meeting his big sister. (Rosalie, 18mo)