22/52

FRI-DEE-DOO! 

First of all, it's National Doughnut Day. They might as well say Happy Samantha Day. You better believe I will be stuff my face with the good stuff sometime today.

How was your week kittens? Mine was full of the ups and downs. I've got those melancholies. I've got those bittersweet blues. And suddenly I sound like an 80's country singer.

I am getting rather excited about a little thing called GRADUATION next week. But it is bittersweet because I have to say so long, farewell to some of my friends for a while and that makes me all twisted (<-- gag). I also know that I have to come back in the summer to finish up clinical work because, hey, I had a baby. Oh bother.

This week Emma cut her fourth tooth, or as I like to call it, ALKDLAJF;DKF;AJKDEATHHHH. *end dramatization* Sure teeth are my thang, but they are no fun when they are popping through the gums like sadistic little gophers. 

Wow, I'm all about the imagery today. 

Any who, on to this week's project 52 portrait!

The Emma badger has been on a rampage lately. If you read her take over yesterday, you'll know that she has made it her life's mission to become a human tornado. I tried to deny it, but it's looking less and less like a phase and more like our home's new state of reality. Send doughnuts. And valium.

Even with the walking, babbling, destructor named Emma, home life has been oh so sweet, especially this last week. Emma is all about the hugs and the waves and has been saying "momma" a lot more. (Side note: I thought she had completely forgotten how to say "momma" because she hasn't said it for weeks and has been all about the dada-this and dada-that. Oh, do you smell that jealousy?)

She is really becoming her own little person with her own little quirks. I am marveling at this tiny human before me. I was looking through photos from the past year and it is amazing to me how much she's grown and changed in this time. Whew, is it dusty in here?

Happy weekending!

21/52

FRIDAY.YAY.YAY.

Allergies have got a hold of my sinuses and eyeballs and are destroying my will to live. Not to be dramatic or anything. That's not my style. I just want to scratch my tear ducts out. But no drama.

This has been a topsy turvy week at headquarters. Emma badger has got us twisted. But in a good way. Her spongy 13 month-old brain is hard at work. I don't mean mushy-spongy but soaking up everything-spongy. She has been making connections and imitating everything we do. Pretty soon she will be trying to pour herself a glass of wine and yelling at the dodgers a la her parents. On the flip side, she's been fussy, especially in the middle of the night. She has another tooth punching its way to the surface, she's going through a growth spurt, and has figured out time-tested tantrum throwing. Speaking of wine... 

It's been face-punching cold here in San Francisco the past week or so. And Emma's fruit fly-sized attention span make cabin fever look like a tropical vacation. So Mr. and Mrs. Desperate have taken to entertaining the human tornado by letting her walk around the hallway of our apartment. Apparently elevator entranceways are like magical mansion foyers so there's that.

Another one of those connections that is making me goofy-smile is her new attachment to the tennis racquet and the tennis balls. I am feeling all the tiger mom proudness and wondering how early prodigies can get on the court. Like 14 months? 

Right? Right.

20/52

Monday. Mondayyyy. Merndue. Mindow. Moandoi. 

Wait, what?

This last week was a whirlwind my friends. This was a much needed three-day weekend. Currently, I am watching the gremlin sleep on the couch. She's been teething hardcore and basically, I hate teeth. Don't tell anyone, because teeth are sort of my thaaang.

Any who... 

This week's 52 post is coming at you a wee bit late as I was trying to enjoy some good old fashioned down time this week after the emotional wreck ball state I was in last weekend (WREBs). Lately, Emma has been especially insistent that she try the things that Paul and I are eating and drinking. This week, Emma tried sparkling water. Yes that's right. *biggest eye roll ever* 

Paul loves drinking anything with bubbles, so it should come to no surprise that Emma enjoys it too. She was having another teething/general angsty fit and somehow sparkling water in her sippy cup was all that would calm her down. 

What's next Emma? Caviar with your morning bottle? 

Oy vey.

On life, lately

Just popping by the old blog to update you on what has been going on at headquarters this past week. 

That made me sound like a CEO. 

Let me try again... Just dropping in to say a quick howdy. 

And now I'm a cowboy. 

Moving on.

This has been quite the week over at headquarter. To give you a quick preview, I took my WREB dental license exam, we froze our butts off, and Emma threw up on me. 

Okay, now I know you're hooked. Where to begin... 

Emma has been making connections all over the place. She puts her shoes by her feet, places her hairbrush against her head, and tries to blow her nose with a tissue. She hasn't quite figured out everything yet, such as this microphone that is moonlighting as a hair brush. God speed baby Einstein.

I'd also like to introduce you to The Blur formerly known as Emma. Managing to take a non-blurry photo of Emma is becoming increasingly more challenging. We have been letting her roam our apartment's hallway to cure this cabin fever that settles in when the weather is cold. Yes, I know she is not a puppy baby, but she sure does love running after that tennis ball. 

On Sunday night, after a long weekend of my dental license exam, I took a glorious bath. I'm talking epsom salt, lavender essential oil, a good book, and a glass of wine.

That's right. My bath book rack has a wine glass holder. I know you're jealous. You're probably also jealous of my whale bath spout cover. We keep it classy at headquarters.

On Monday, we took a walk to our local Panera for some comfort food. I could basically swim in their broccoli cheddar soup. She also aided us in cleaning the table at Panera. I will take babies with odd enthusiasms for $100 Alex.

Like mother, like daughter. 

Spittin' image. 

Every morning at daycare, Emma hunts down her precious gems, also known as Mardi Gras beads. No matter where they end up at the end of the day, she will find them the next morning. 

On Tuesday night, Paul and I went to the Dodgers v. Giants game with our friend, Kyle. We absolutely froze our butts off but I still couldn't pass up a giant ice cream cone. What's wrong with me?

Even though our Dodgers lost, we still had a wonderful time. 

On Tuesday evening, we also welcomed our new nephew Justin into the world. Paul's younger brother Neal and his wife Ashley had their sweet baby boy. He's a heart breaker already. God is good. 

Wednesday morning, I received some fantastic news. I PASSED WREB!

Now all I need is my final transcript and I will be a licensed dentist. *HAPPY DANCE*

Grace and I celebrated with margaritas (plural) and fried chicken. It's the simple pleasures. 

Emma be like, "stop dancing mother, dear Lord almighty". It's my party and I'll dance if I want to.

Emma has also been developing a habit of trying to put her open mouth under the running bath spout. She proceeds to cough then laugh then do it again. 

The bath is her absolute favorite place in the world right now. But around 7 pm last night she started getting fussy and promptly went to bed until...

BAM, VOMIT. All. Over. Momma. in the middle of the night. She proceeded to vomit on and off for the next four hours and now we are sitting under a mountain of clean sheets and towels that I had to wash this morning. She has not vomited since about 4:30 am this morning but is still extra fussy. 

We are currently at home trying to kick this little stomach bug. She is especially needy and unhappy. Send food! 

Well that's life, lately over at headquarters. Momma needs some coffee.

19/52

There was another extraordinarily ordinary moment over at headquarters this week.

Little Miss Sunshine was marveling at the sun shining through the windows, the shadows dancing on the floor, and the world beneath her gaze. She wandered our hallway and bounced her ball. I marveled at this beautiful person in front of me. In these simple moments, when she is in her happy place, I am in awe. These are my favorite days, when nothing on our to-do list seems to matter and we just go about our rhythm.

She explores, I adore.