We've got a walker!

It's been super busy at the Talley house - we are winding down the semester at Peace, Brent has been out of town for some work business, and Miss Emma has taken a liking to walking.  Yes, you read that correctly - walking.  Emma is 10 1/2 months and officially walking.  I am always amazed at how fast these milestones come up - one day you're lamenting that she'll never take a step, and then literally overnight, she is running a half marathon...kidding.

DISCLAIMER: ****Please, please, please turn your volume down- or maybe even OFF...as I am screaming  squealing like a little girl with excitement.****

It all started when I got her this scooter right after Easter.  I was so excited about this CHEAP purchase from Kid to Kid.  Don't judge me for buying  a used toy - I saw no point in spending top dollar for a toy she may or may not like - and if she did happen to like it, then would most likely scratch it up the first time we went outside with it.

Ever since, she has been scooting around here and there, but only inside, so with limited space.  She had masted the crab walk and crawling was getting too boring for her. We noticed she was getting more daring with her standing, and started coaxing her to walk to us...she would take on or steps and then lunge towards us - smiling the whole time and looking back at which ever parent was watching to make sure we saw it!  It was the cutest thing.  We did this every night this past week, and she was really starting to take more steps each time.  I knew she would be walking before the weekend - and especially because Brent was out of town (he was also out of town for her first tooth...he has a way with missing the milestones!)  This weekend she really took off - still shaky, and I don't think she knows her power yet, but moving along great.

We have been spending a lot of time outside lately too.  We wait in the driveway for dad to get home most evenings - this is one of her favorite times.  She sees dad's big white truck and her face lights up.  She gets really excited and breathes really heavy...sometimes she gets so excited that she starts crying... probably because she is also exhausted at this point (I am having to keep her awake so that she can see dad when he gets home)

 We also took advantage of the warm weather and thought we'd have a pool day......I saw this baby pool online and HAD to have it for Emma.  It is the cutest thing ever.  She was not as enthused as I thought she'd be with the pool idea...I even warmed up the water and everything.  Hopefully it was a fluke, because this child will have to love water to survive in our family:)

While Brent was gone this weekend, I got to spend some much needed time with my parents - at my "old" home. It was fabulous - I just loved being there with Emma, thinking about all the time I had spent there as a child.  Emma had a blast too.  Despite having 2 cats of our own, Emma was super enamored with Painter - probably because he was terrified of her.  Painter is 18 years old...so I don't blame him. Emma didn't mind pushing her scooter on the gravel, and certainly had no problem on the street.  It was hilarious - she went halfway up the street and I had to turn her around - she then was going downhill..but couldn't slow herself down, so I had to slow the scooter down.  All the while, my dad was mowing the lawn and she'd look over at him as if to say "see...I am mowing too!"