Wow time is flying by.

Sorry I haven't posted lately but Emma is a wide open Toddler now and keeping us busy. Some of the latest happenings include:

Potty training!  Yes you read that right - potty training. Emma decided about a month ago that she wanted to start potty training. She sat on the big potty three times that first day. The next day we went and bought her a potty. She actually used the potty two times that day!  Ever since that day she uses pretty regularly.  Some say it is too early, it won't last, she isn't old enough, or that she does not really know when she needs to potty. Well she pats her diaper, we go to the potty, and she potties. Maybe she won't completely get it right now but if she is willing to try then so are we. 

Talking!  She is saying more words and can associate more words with the meaning. She knows her eyes, ears, nose, hair, chin, tongue, cheek, belly, elbow, knee, foot, hands, toes, fingers, and heart. She can point people out in pictures and call some people by their names. She knows some of her colors and some days everything is yellow while other days everything is purple. It is so fun to see her learning!

Songs! She does the itsy bitsy spider and loves to dance and clap to music. She started marching around the house and her teacher said they do the ants go marching to and from lunch. She picks up on so much!

Playing. She loves to climb, crawl, jump, swing, and play. We recently got a swing set for her and she loves to climb up the ladder. She loves to look at her books, point out things when you ask her, and will talk while looking at the book like she is reading it to you. 

It is all going by so fast and I know it will not be long before I miss these days. She is such a smart, happy, healthy, and wonderful child. We are so lucky to have been given this precious gift. 

With Christmas coming up I am so excited to see how she reacts. I know she will have a blast and that is the real happiness at Christmas. We have already given her some of her presents and can't wait to see what Santa brings her. Before much longer Betty Lou her elf will return and I am sure that will bring lots if fun as well. 

Some pictures of all of this fun!

Her new fish tank and fish

Her new swing set 

Emma watching Daddy and Uncle Ray Ray shoot

Swinging 

Start of the Relay year.

So we have had our Relay For Life kick-off for 2014 and the busy year has started.  You may be asking what this has to do with Emma. The short answer - everything!  I don't want Emma to ever hear the word cancer except for her history book. I want her to see ribbon as hair bows not an indication of the type of cancer. I want her to have her family and friends watch her grow up, get married, and have children.  Not for her to watch them have surgery, chemo treatments, radiation treatments, and pray every time a test comes up.  I want her to be healthy and happy and not have to struggle with the fear of "the C word".

While we are preparing for our Relay I miss some evenings with Em at the house, but I had so much rather her miss this time and never deal with cancer than me sitting at home with her and her having the experiences with cancer that I have.  No I have never been diagnosed with cancer but I have 2 grandmothers that had breast cancer, a cousin who lost her battle with brain cancer, and a best friend who lost her battle with colon cancer.  None of those were easy to get through and I want to protect Emma from those heartbreaks.  The beginning of October was hard because in one week I missed two evenings with Emma.  Typically I try to take Emma with me to one of the two meetings but these two were longer ones that I knew she would not be happy with.  So next month she will go with me and she will grow up a Relay girl.

As you may know I had a relay team in the past, but in the past couple of years I have not had one.  Well that changed this year as well.  I started a team called Memory Makers to honor all of the memory makers in my life, and to continue their fight if they are no longer here with us.  Feel free to join my team, make a donation, purchase a luminaria in memory or honor of someone.  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLCY14SA?team_id=1509817&pg=team&fr_id=61091

See you at RELAY!!