Penny Emerson : 8 Months

My sweet Penny girl seems so old. And I know more experienced moms laugh and think "just wait." But this month I have really seen her personality come alive. I can sense what she is going to be like when she's older. I am just purely filled with joy. I'm blessed beyond words to be living out my calling as a mother and spending my days with this little one.

 Little P at 1 month!

She is officially on the move! It only took her a week to learn how to crawl and now that she knows how the girl won't. sit. still. I can't get quite as much done now that I have to keep an eye on her, but I just LOVE leaving the room for a second only to come back and find her propped up against her toy bin rummaging through toys. The amount of time I watch from a distance with a full heart would probably add up to a full day's worth of cleaning. Spying is much more fun :)

She plays shy. Make no mistake. This girl is not shy. But if she wants your attention she'll tilt her head. This has resulted in a few accidents with wooden booster chairs...oops.

Girlfriend is L.O.U.D. Holy cow. She screams, shrieks, yells, sings, the works. And she must get her pipes from grandma and aunt Kal because she can go forrrrevvveerrrr. She loves to hear herself. Especially in places where it echos...like every public place. Yep, we're THOSE people. Sorry. She's never mad or fussing so I can't really tell her to stop :) However, I can totally tell when she's chewing me out for something. It's hilarious now, but that will end during the toddler years :)

Since we are still a one car family, the days when I have the car are filled with running errands. She is such a trooper and LOVES to ride in the cart. She's always making friends with strangers and loves to kick her feet against the cart. If you stood at the opposite side of Hobby Lobby from us, I'm certain you could hear her. Again, sorry :)

She also loves the water. We haven't been able to swim much outside since June is being a stubborn Ox but I'm looking forward to spending many days at the pool!

She stood in two states at once for the first time while we were exploring the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian bridge. 

She figured out how to peek above her crib when she woke up from her nap so many times I would walk past her room and see this tiny little head waiting for me to come and get her. Love it.

She loves being tossed in the air by daddy. She gets to giggling so hard. He'll come home from work, pick her up, and toss her in the air a couple times. It's a fun little ritual :)

We also visited the Holy Family Shrine for the first time. 

We spend a lot of time swinging at the park in our neighborhood. 

Had to finally put the crib down!

She found the door stopper. Lately I've been setting her in front of it while I do some cleaning. That wonderfully can entertain for quite a while!

And my absolute favorite: The Snuffy Face.

She started making this ridiculous face one night when I was changing her clothes. It's her "I'm not pleased" face. I cannot get enough of it.

Penny is very outgoing and strong-willed. She's loud and determined and very curious. When she's happy she is SO happy and when she's mad she'll let you know it. There is no playing quietly, she's a talker. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous for the times when we have to start teaching her and disciplining her more seriously. I want to be able to celebrate her fun and wild personality and I pray that God would give me to grace to know when to celebrate and when to mold. I am impatient, easily-discouraged, and quick to respond so this will be a learning process just as much for me as for her. I have struggled with feeling so unqualified to raise a child and most importantly be an example of Jesus to them, but a friend so kindly reminded me that God doesn't give us something because we're qualified. He qualifies us. It is so reassuring to know that I'm not doing this alone.