Emiline is the most grateful 19 month old I've met. She says "Thank You" with enthusiams for everything without prompting, for everything you do and it's so sweet, it makes the helper/giver feel pretty awesome about themselves.
My youngest sister was here for the holidays and she calls people "sweetie" a lot. Emiline has been sick since Christmas and a listless bag of Dora-watching, snot-running, momma-snuggling, puffy-eyed toddler. Last night at bedtime she sort of collapsed on Eric's shoulder and she said "Night Sweetie" to me in the most pathetic voice.
The girls got a DVD that teaches kids about notes and the piano. Jane loves it, the music in it gives me a headache, but BOY is she excited about finding Middle C on every piano or keyboard around. And then she plays "C, D, E," while singing the notes. That's as far as we've gotten in the DVD. Just a few minutes ago she was playing their toy keyboard and singing "C, D, E. C, D, E" over and over. Then she must have got bored cuz she threw in a high "L!" after a while...
Jane is in that distraction phase at the moment. i.e. "Jane, go get a tissue" and she gets distracted at least every two feet on the way to the bathroom by pretty much everything around her. So, of course, we taught her the word "distracted" so we can discourage the behavior. Worked pretty well for a while but now Jane has caught on. "Jane, it's time to pick up your blocks" is followed by "Oh, no, Mommy. I got distracted" And she starts to play with them some more.
When Emiline wants someone to get or do something for her she reaches out her hand and says "Hold my hand! Hold my hand!" (always twice) but it sounds more like "ho ma han, ho ma han," especially with the cold she's had. Then when you grab her hand she says "pull!!!! pull!!!" and grunts and doesn't really pull just weakly tugs and excepts you to get up. Right then. Quickly. Or it's a melt down of tears (at least while she's been sick). Pretty cute, though.
Christmas Greetings: Card, Letter, and Video!
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This year was probably the slimmest sending of Christmas Cards yet, I almost didn't send any but The Mom just pointed to the wall of Monroe Christmas Cards for the last 30+ years and we broke the change jar to send out a handful. Thank goodness blogging is free!!
We also made a video for family that is oh-so-far away. Jane has fallen in love with the Christmas Story and so we took a video of her telling it, with a little prompting, and even a few songs. Emiline gets in on the action a few times, too. It's important to note that her knowledge of the birth of the Savior comes primarily from the scriptures. She's seen one movie, a very short one with almost no dialogue, a few times and that's it. She's just in love with Mary and the baby and all of it, so it's really sweet to me the details she adds. You can see the video here:
Without further ado, here is a our Christmas Letter:
Highlights and Snapshot of 2011 for the Eric and Marcee Ludlow Family
3/4- Opening night of Harry Torter and The Magical Law School, a musical parody. Eric played Hagrid and had a ball! At this same time, Emiline was crawling all over the place, trying to talk, shouted her first word,“Jane!”, and starting to walk. She’s been busy! Jane’s art skills expanded to using scissors and glue sticks.
4/10- Marcee sang with the Minnesota Choral Society’s Spring Concert, including John Rutter’s Gloria. At this same time, the apartment was nearly totally packed up and Marcee, her awesome sister Melisa, Jane, and Emiline were a few days away from driving a U-Haul trailer loaded with the best of their stuff to Idaho to begin their months as nomads. They left early to help her mother with wedding prep while Eric stayed behind to finish school.
5/1-7- A Wedding, a Funeral, and Eric’s (unattended) Law School Graduation.
Our special niece Mallory passed away a few days before the wedding of Marcee’s brother, Jordan. Marcee and the girls were so blessed to see her again and even hold her on her last night on earth. She changed our lives and our perspective. She is a bit of heaven and gave us a window into the world we are striving for.
5/26- Left for the great summer road-trip. First stop was Arizona to see some Ludlow cousins and Great Grandma Ludlow. While there, they celebrated one happy, enthusiastic year of Emiline at the end of May. Then they continued across New Mexico, with some fun stops along the way (amazing Mexican food! best sand dunes!) and spent another few days in Lubbock with Eric's sister Belinda and her family.
6/3- The family finally reached Fort Worth to spend a month at the Ludlow Homestead, just in time for Eric to really hit the books studying for the bar. They had lots of fun adventures and good times with nearly all of the Ludlow family: the Zoo, the Water Gardens, and the Stockyards, a backyard water party, and Eric joined the family when he could. They even managed a quick trip to Austin, where it all began. Then they left the Texas heat behind and stopped to see some old friends in Wichita and Cheyenne on the long trip home.
7/10- Marcee’s 10-Year High School Reunion, making her feel all grown up. (Not old.) Eric was in full study mode for the bar, and the girls were fully enjoying their summer with family. Both girls discovered the joy of jumping, on and off the trampoline, and Emiline spent hours honing that skill every day (on and off the trampoline). Jane began singing, all the time, everywhere, and Emiline learned to put her toys away---in the tub.
7/26-27- Idaho Bar Exam. Eric was nervous, everyone else was confident. They all prayed anyway.
8/14- Jane turned three! Enjoyed more family visiting, the county fair, and a trip to Scipio, Utah, with a hike up the mountain where Marcee’s Dad used to drive the cattle as a boy. Jane did as well as a mountain goat and LOVED the rocky adventure! At this same time, Emiline went through a stage of growling all her communication, and Jane, the helpful sister she is, methodically taught Emiline the important life skill of how to pick one’s nose.
9/10- Jane’s first day of preschool, a once a week, in-home, mother’s group. Jane loves the socialization above all else, but she has also been learning to write her letters (and figuring out spelling on her own, too). Both girls have also started singing in Harmony Kids with Grandma Julie, which quickly became their favorite day of the week.
9/29—Eric’s Swearing-In Ceremony to become an Attorney before the Idaho State Bar in Boise. What a special day! Marcee and the girls (and everyone) beamed with pride and excitement! Also around this time, Jane began to develop a fascination with tying knots—in everything.
12/9- Opening night of The Joy Factory, a children’s musical and Christmas benefit Marcee and her mom co-produced and directed. Jane was even in a few scenes, and both girls knew all the songs. It took up most of the family’s fall and Eric got roped in as the technical director running the lights and sound. It was a sweet success and a great way to kick off the family’s Christmas season, reminding us all of the joy of giving to others.
We end our year at a much different pace than we began it with another, but different unknown path to travel. Yet, we are one year’s worth of experience and events wiser. Life keeps moving forward and with our faith and the gift of our Savior, we will all keep growing and finding joy.
Emiline
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Dear Emiline,
Please forgive your mother for the number of posts I didn't write about you. I adore you and treasure you and if you are ever tempted to compare the number of posts about Jane to the number of posts about you in your early life, I want you to know that all my posting about Jane had much more to do with me becoming a mother than about Jane as my daughter. Besides, she doesn't have a Milestone Marker.
I'm about 20 days late here, but I wanted to write about you at 18 months. There is soooo much to say and feel about you. You're energy is unflagging, you're delight in games and laughing and fun is limitless, you are an intense joy to me. So here is a typical story of a day with Emiline.
You usually wake up early, around 6:30 or so. You are learning to be more and more quiet as you learn more and more to follow Jane's example (in all things, I might add!) But sooner or later, you get excited for the day and your excited shrieking to Jane about one game or another, the sound of you jumping in bed, or your happy songs very quickly draw me to your room. As soon as I open the door, you become silent waiting to see what I'll do, what game I'll play. Sometimes you even pretend to be asleep and then shriek and giggle when I turn on the light. You are always ready with a "morning!" (mahnin!) and a good morning kiss. Then we change your bum, and you always play your "bum up!" game. Lately you want to wipe yourself and I let you, but only after I explained that "mommy first, then Emiline." Now when we wipe, you tell me who goes first! You have gotten so much better at being patient and I love to hear you say in a sing song voice "patiently!" (paslahley!).
As soon as I zip up your jammies you jump (literally) and run (literally) out of the room towards the kitchen. You are a fabulous eater in the morning and will usually eat twice what Jane does in the same amount of time, or less. I always get your food first, then Jane's, then your seconds, then Daddy's, then sometimes your thirds, and then mine. Although Grandma and Grandpa might disagree, I think you've gotten to be a much cleaner eater as of late. You love the challenge of eating cereal. And you love to dip anything in syrup. Dipping is one of your favorite things to do and you always narrate it: "dip! dip! dip!" Also, we put away the booster seat and let you climb up on the stool and stand, kneel, and/or sit (usually all three repeated a number of times) for meals. You really like this freedom and you don't abuse it, most of the time anyway.
You regularly talk in sentences and it's not unusual for you to put several together. Grandpa has been glowing for a month or more now about how intelligable you are. I've been understanding you for awhile now, but he sure gets a kick out of your language. Grandpa usually pops in during breakfast and lately you've been greeting him with a "no, Grandpa Lloyd!" (no blapa-Yoid). I think this started because you didn't like his scratchy morning kisses, but now it gets such a good reaction out of him you keep it up.
After breakfast we clean up and get dressed. You've started putting your plate in the sink, even though you can only reach it on your tippiest tip-toes. But you are very good at tip-toe and do it at least half of the day. You have one muscular lower half, my darling! You still love to take off and run after I get your pants on but before your shirt is on. And you love shoes of all sizes.
You play really well in the morning, you are so fresh and alive with energy and curiosity that it is a joy to watch you interact. Your favorite toys are balls, blocks, babies, and the play kitchen and it's food. At least once a day you get engrossed in books and about every other day, you clear off the entire bottom shelf of your books. You love to make food for me and bring it to me and wait til I tell you how yummy it is. The babies is a new thing, but you enjoy holding, patting, and caring for them more than Jane has (to this point, at any rate). You are very good with blocks- either wooden or duplos, I'm always impressed with your patience and dexterity. And Balls? Well, they are by far your favorite. You love to tote them around play catch. You also like necklaces or purses or anything you can put around your neck.
You love your sister and (most of the time) play nicely together. You love to do whatever she does and you've started copying her in less exciting ways, too. Like you think it's a game to complain "ow!" when I do your hair, even though you have very little and it's never tangled, you always say "ow! it hurts!" (ow! i huwts!) because Jane always does. You've also started trying out being picky at meal times and not trying something unless I force one bite into your mouth (which is never really forced, I hold your head still and you open your mouth and happily take whatever I'm giving you). It's like you want to play the same food game (Easy Way or Hard Way) that Jane plays.
Anytime you hurt anyone, or could have hurt someone, you are very quick to say "sorry!" and "it's OK!" (sowwy! iss O-Tay!) You are quick to hug and pat someone who is sad and you give your kisses liberally. You love to "tuddle" with your mommy, as well as jump and climb on whoever is holding you like they are a human jungle gym. You love to sing "Wash the Ladies Dishes" or the alternate version I made up, "Wash the Baby's Britches." You never get bored of it. You love Ring a Round the Rosies. You love to sing and are always surprising us with the lyrics and melodies you have learned. You learn and do everything with gusto, including music. You love to sit at the piano and play and sing. It's often much better than you'd expect from an 18 month old. You still fall pretty often but less often, and you haven't had a real bad head bump in a little while (knock on wood). You are always ready with a smile if you can sense a game is in the works and while Jane is motivated by logic, you are motivated by play, adventure, silliness, and anything or anyone with a twinkle their eye. You've learned to blow your nose.
You still nap once a day (yay!!) for 1-2 hours. You don't usually fight it and are pretty easy to cajole into laying down. You also wake up pretty well from naps, too. You are not usually sad or not for very long. You love to be outside and go for walks and eat snow (which you call snowman or "nohma!") and of course jump. In the afternoons, we usually go for a walk and then I let you two watch something. You love to watch Dora or Diego with your sister (but usually only with your sister) and you do know some Spanish words- like the words for climb, push, wait, (I get shouted at to stop more in Spanish than in English from both of my girls), you love to shout "olla! hello! olla!" and the last few days you even say "Buenas Suertas." You also count fairly well in both languages, although your English is better (you always leave out 4 in English). Your colors, however, are still mostly English. Although when asked, most things are "Green!" followed by "pink!" followed by "yellow!" (gween! peent! lellow!). We quite like that Dora and Jane have piqued your interest in Spanish. By the way, the Map is your favorite Dora character, followed by Boots. You love to sing the Map Song.
Speaking of songs, you recognizably sing:
Teach Me to Walk in the Light
I Am A Child of God
Nephi's Courage
3 Songs from our Harmony Kids musical (Come on In, Shine, and Give a Gift This Christmas)
You Better Watch Out
Christmas Everywhere
The Days of the Week Song
I'll Be Nice
Away in a Manger
The Wonder Pets theme song
and the Glorias from Angels We Have Heard on High
I'm sure there are more, but that's what I've got off the top of my head.
You are also advanced at all things potty. You've been telling me for a while when you are going potty. You would steal Jane's panties and put them on. And this last week you had several dry night/nap diapers. And then a few days ago you had two successful potty uses while sitting (copying) Daddy in the bathroom. So yesterday we started potty training! You are doing really well so far and seem to be getting it and enjoying it.
I'm amazed at how grown up you already are. You are learning so many things- how to be reverent, how to be patient, how to obey quickly and exactly, how to be kind, how to keep trying. Your play has started to be imaginative with characters and stories.
At about 7:00 pm, you start to get really hyper and start running around really fast in circles and jumping and rolling and giggling all kinds of hilarity. We let you run a bit and chase you a bit and get your jammies on, preferably your pink monkey jammies (you're favorite). You will always stop to read stories with us and you've added to your favorites all the potty stories, Go Away Big Green Monster, and Go Dogs Go, you even like the I'm a Big Sister book. You really love to say prayers and you don't just repeat everything I say. Sometimes you change or add things and it's really neat to see you start to understand it. You don't fight anymore for bedtime or family prayer, I think you even enjoy it. Very rarely do you fight us to get into bed. More often you don't lay down right away. But you are not a complaining child. And while you do have a strong will, you also will be persuaded. You sleep really well almost every night, cuddled up to MiMi, Mouse, Cow, and Ducky.
And you still only have three molars out. That fourth one is killing us!!
Emiline, I'm so glad the Lord sent YOU to us, WHEN He did. I can't imagine our life without you and you are a near constant source of joy, happiness, and excitement. While your energy can be exasperating, it's true, your light is inspiring. I love you, my darling non-baby. I can't wait to see you grow more and more and I hope and pray that I learn the best ways to parent, nurture, discipline, encourage, and adore you.
Love,
Mommy.
Please forgive your mother for the number of posts I didn't write about you. I adore you and treasure you and if you are ever tempted to compare the number of posts about Jane to the number of posts about you in your early life, I want you to know that all my posting about Jane had much more to do with me becoming a mother than about Jane as my daughter. Besides, she doesn't have a Milestone Marker.
I'm about 20 days late here, but I wanted to write about you at 18 months. There is soooo much to say and feel about you. You're energy is unflagging, you're delight in games and laughing and fun is limitless, you are an intense joy to me. So here is a typical story of a day with Emiline.
You usually wake up early, around 6:30 or so. You are learning to be more and more quiet as you learn more and more to follow Jane's example (in all things, I might add!) But sooner or later, you get excited for the day and your excited shrieking to Jane about one game or another, the sound of you jumping in bed, or your happy songs very quickly draw me to your room. As soon as I open the door, you become silent waiting to see what I'll do, what game I'll play. Sometimes you even pretend to be asleep and then shriek and giggle when I turn on the light. You are always ready with a "morning!" (mahnin!) and a good morning kiss. Then we change your bum, and you always play your "bum up!" game. Lately you want to wipe yourself and I let you, but only after I explained that "mommy first, then Emiline." Now when we wipe, you tell me who goes first! You have gotten so much better at being patient and I love to hear you say in a sing song voice "patiently!" (paslahley!).
As soon as I zip up your jammies you jump (literally) and run (literally) out of the room towards the kitchen. You are a fabulous eater in the morning and will usually eat twice what Jane does in the same amount of time, or less. I always get your food first, then Jane's, then your seconds, then Daddy's, then sometimes your thirds, and then mine. Although Grandma and Grandpa might disagree, I think you've gotten to be a much cleaner eater as of late. You love the challenge of eating cereal. And you love to dip anything in syrup. Dipping is one of your favorite things to do and you always narrate it: "dip! dip! dip!" Also, we put away the booster seat and let you climb up on the stool and stand, kneel, and/or sit (usually all three repeated a number of times) for meals. You really like this freedom and you don't abuse it, most of the time anyway.
You regularly talk in sentences and it's not unusual for you to put several together. Grandpa has been glowing for a month or more now about how intelligable you are. I've been understanding you for awhile now, but he sure gets a kick out of your language. Grandpa usually pops in during breakfast and lately you've been greeting him with a "no, Grandpa Lloyd!" (no blapa-Yoid). I think this started because you didn't like his scratchy morning kisses, but now it gets such a good reaction out of him you keep it up.
After breakfast we clean up and get dressed. You've started putting your plate in the sink, even though you can only reach it on your tippiest tip-toes. But you are very good at tip-toe and do it at least half of the day. You have one muscular lower half, my darling! You still love to take off and run after I get your pants on but before your shirt is on. And you love shoes of all sizes.
You play really well in the morning, you are so fresh and alive with energy and curiosity that it is a joy to watch you interact. Your favorite toys are balls, blocks, babies, and the play kitchen and it's food. At least once a day you get engrossed in books and about every other day, you clear off the entire bottom shelf of your books. You love to make food for me and bring it to me and wait til I tell you how yummy it is. The babies is a new thing, but you enjoy holding, patting, and caring for them more than Jane has (to this point, at any rate). You are very good with blocks- either wooden or duplos, I'm always impressed with your patience and dexterity. And Balls? Well, they are by far your favorite. You love to tote them around play catch. You also like necklaces or purses or anything you can put around your neck.
You love your sister and (most of the time) play nicely together. You love to do whatever she does and you've started copying her in less exciting ways, too. Like you think it's a game to complain "ow!" when I do your hair, even though you have very little and it's never tangled, you always say "ow! it hurts!" (ow! i huwts!) because Jane always does. You've also started trying out being picky at meal times and not trying something unless I force one bite into your mouth (which is never really forced, I hold your head still and you open your mouth and happily take whatever I'm giving you). It's like you want to play the same food game (Easy Way or Hard Way) that Jane plays.
Anytime you hurt anyone, or could have hurt someone, you are very quick to say "sorry!" and "it's OK!" (sowwy! iss O-Tay!) You are quick to hug and pat someone who is sad and you give your kisses liberally. You love to "tuddle" with your mommy, as well as jump and climb on whoever is holding you like they are a human jungle gym. You love to sing "Wash the Ladies Dishes" or the alternate version I made up, "Wash the Baby's Britches." You never get bored of it. You love Ring a Round the Rosies. You love to sing and are always surprising us with the lyrics and melodies you have learned. You learn and do everything with gusto, including music. You love to sit at the piano and play and sing. It's often much better than you'd expect from an 18 month old. You still fall pretty often but less often, and you haven't had a real bad head bump in a little while (knock on wood). You are always ready with a smile if you can sense a game is in the works and while Jane is motivated by logic, you are motivated by play, adventure, silliness, and anything or anyone with a twinkle their eye. You've learned to blow your nose.
You still nap once a day (yay!!) for 1-2 hours. You don't usually fight it and are pretty easy to cajole into laying down. You also wake up pretty well from naps, too. You are not usually sad or not for very long. You love to be outside and go for walks and eat snow (which you call snowman or "nohma!") and of course jump. In the afternoons, we usually go for a walk and then I let you two watch something. You love to watch Dora or Diego with your sister (but usually only with your sister) and you do know some Spanish words- like the words for climb, push, wait, (I get shouted at to stop more in Spanish than in English from both of my girls), you love to shout "olla! hello! olla!" and the last few days you even say "Buenas Suertas." You also count fairly well in both languages, although your English is better (you always leave out 4 in English). Your colors, however, are still mostly English. Although when asked, most things are "Green!" followed by "pink!" followed by "yellow!" (gween! peent! lellow!). We quite like that Dora and Jane have piqued your interest in Spanish. By the way, the Map is your favorite Dora character, followed by Boots. You love to sing the Map Song.
Speaking of songs, you recognizably sing:
Teach Me to Walk in the Light
I Am A Child of God
Nephi's Courage
3 Songs from our Harmony Kids musical (Come on In, Shine, and Give a Gift This Christmas)
You Better Watch Out
Christmas Everywhere
The Days of the Week Song
I'll Be Nice
Away in a Manger
The Wonder Pets theme song
and the Glorias from Angels We Have Heard on High
I'm sure there are more, but that's what I've got off the top of my head.
You are also advanced at all things potty. You've been telling me for a while when you are going potty. You would steal Jane's panties and put them on. And this last week you had several dry night/nap diapers. And then a few days ago you had two successful potty uses while sitting (copying) Daddy in the bathroom. So yesterday we started potty training! You are doing really well so far and seem to be getting it and enjoying it.
I'm amazed at how grown up you already are. You are learning so many things- how to be reverent, how to be patient, how to obey quickly and exactly, how to be kind, how to keep trying. Your play has started to be imaginative with characters and stories.
At about 7:00 pm, you start to get really hyper and start running around really fast in circles and jumping and rolling and giggling all kinds of hilarity. We let you run a bit and chase you a bit and get your jammies on, preferably your pink monkey jammies (you're favorite). You will always stop to read stories with us and you've added to your favorites all the potty stories, Go Away Big Green Monster, and Go Dogs Go, you even like the I'm a Big Sister book. You really love to say prayers and you don't just repeat everything I say. Sometimes you change or add things and it's really neat to see you start to understand it. You don't fight anymore for bedtime or family prayer, I think you even enjoy it. Very rarely do you fight us to get into bed. More often you don't lay down right away. But you are not a complaining child. And while you do have a strong will, you also will be persuaded. You sleep really well almost every night, cuddled up to MiMi, Mouse, Cow, and Ducky.
And you still only have three molars out. That fourth one is killing us!!
Emiline, I'm so glad the Lord sent YOU to us, WHEN He did. I can't imagine our life without you and you are a near constant source of joy, happiness, and excitement. While your energy can be exasperating, it's true, your light is inspiring. I love you, my darling non-baby. I can't wait to see you grow more and more and I hope and pray that I learn the best ways to parent, nurture, discipline, encourage, and adore you.
Love,
Mommy.
Post-Play Fun
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After the play was over, we decided to slow things down a lot and just spend time together doing fun, family, Christmas things. So of course we made gingerbread houses! These were so simple but the kids had so much fun. Amazing the hours of enjoyment a box of graham crackers can supply.
Joy Factory- the Children's Musical
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Here's a few photos from "How I Spent my Fall of 2011" or the Children's Musical my mom and I co-directed and produced for Christmas this year. It was such a cute story, about a toy store named The Joy Factory where the toys come alive when everyone is gone. And about a sweet family who are struggling financially but still remember the importance of giving at Christmas time. We had a lot of fun, and all things considered, we did a lot better than we probably should have for a cast so young, such limited rehearsal time, and with so much new music to learn.It was a really sweet experience and a TON of work. I think we're going to make it an annual thing, now that the bulk of the work is done, next year should go even better and will be more enjoyable for us producers!
We posted the rest of the pics to the new Harmony Kids Facebook Page. We'd actually like to hear from old students for our 25th Anniversary Spring Sing this 2012, so if you sang, please go visit the page and like it so we can contact you.
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