I loved this smile and the simple joy on Emily’s face. It is not easy most days to get smiles for the camera, but this particular day, we were eating snacks and reading books, and I guess willing to smile. She is glowing with happiness. I love you, sweetheart!

Julia doesn’t have very many tricks, but she sure has wonderful smiles! Funny – these were taken the same day, but at two different times. I guess that this is her signature smile. Enjoy our happy girl!!

Julia has started to smile and express herself in ways that do not involve fussing or crying. If you get close to her and start talking in an animated way – out pops a grin and smile. It is so much fun! I tried to teach Emily to play peek-a-boo with her yesterday, but Emily didn’t quite get the consept of doing it to entertain Julia. When Emily understands that Julia is smiling because of something that she did, we will not be able to stop Emily from being a ham.

Julia is learning to use her arms and neck. She will reach out for a toy that catches her eye. This morning Julia decided that she wanted to wake us up and play. Today is Robby’s first day of his Christmas break, so I decided to let him sleep in and got up to play with Julia. I held her ‘sitting up’ on my lap, which is one of her favorite positions, and enterained her with her rattle. She would reach out and touch the rattle and bob her head in excitement. I guess it was some of her first multi-tasking, she had to move her neck while at the same time move her arms. It was hard work because she needed to take a nap.

In Emily’s fifth week she developed her ‘melt your heart’ smile. She is sharing it with more than just Mommy and Daddy. It is simply a joy to see her burst out in smiles when talking to her. A good time to see the sweet smile is when she wakes up from a nap and Mommy goes to get her from her bed. I talk to her and she turns her head and looks at me and then she smiles. I reward these smiles by picking her up.