Emma said, "I most sincerely apologize for my delinquency in keeping my page up to date. Mommy and Daddy have tried their darndest to keep me away, but tonight I managed to sneak out of my crib and write this update while they watch a movie downstairs.

"So much has happened since May that I can only gloss over the best highlights. First, we moved from our apartment to this townhouse in Campbell. I love it because there's a lot more space to run around in, and the city park is just around the corner.


"Another highlight is, as you can tell, my literacy. Whenever I wake up and often several times throughout the day, I make Mommy or Daddy read me all of my books. I have quite a good attention span for a baby, and I'll sit quietly for long periods of time and absorb all of the stories. As a result, I recognize upwards of 20 different animals and can make their distinct sounds (ie 'hssss' for snakes and 'doodle doo' for roosters). My tongue still isn't coordinated all the way, so I can only say a handful of words, but I understand much more than they think.


"One cool place we went was to a ranch up in the Sierra Foothills called Apple Hill. It is a nice retreat from the hustle and bustle of the Bay Area, and it was an absolute gorgeous day up there. There is nothing like a good crisp autumn day up in the hills. We have some photos below of our trip there.


"As for these days, I'm obsessed with opening the Christmas Advent Calendar windows each day. We have 2; one with a felt Christmas tree, and each day the window reveals a new decoration to hang on the tree, and the other is a standard chocolate one you buy at the store. Personally I like the chocolate one, though I wish Daddy wouldn't take half the chocolate each time. He says I'm already too hyper; I retort I'll be more hyper if he doesn't give me the full piece."

Emma said, "Wow. where do I begin? First my mom and dad gave me a whole bunch of new toys to play with so that I can continue to learn and discover new things everyday and keep me entertained. My favorite toy is Farmer Jed's Barn of Animals (see top middle column pic). You can see in the photo a yellow nest of hay where the chicken sits. In the middle lie the chick's eggs, hatched on one side, and unhatched on the flip side. The first thing I do in the morning is to ensure the unhatched side faces up. Then, I proceed to maul every farmer, animal, plow, and sack of oats in the barn, and finish off the destruction by flipping the whole barn on its head. It's quite amusing.

"One day, out of nowhere, there was a huge basket full of colorful plastic eggs in the middle of the room. And then mom dressed me in this fancy dress and hat (which I always promptly pull off). I got to knaw on the eggs, but couldn't ever crack them open. I think there were some surprises in the middle. Maybe one day I'll know what was in those eggs."






Finally, we got on a couple of airplanes to visit mommy's family in this desert place (Albequerque). Tons of people paid attention to me, and I loved it. I think there was a special occasion (Allison and Nate's wedding), because once again I had to wear a dress and stockings all day."

Emma said, "I am discovering a brave new world. Armed with stronger muscles and more awareness of my environment, I have learned many new things every day. Mom and Dad started me on rice cereal and baby food about 3 weeks ago, and I love it. My favorite food is carrots, and my least favorite is fruit (pears, peaches, and especially bananas). I even am starting to munch on crackers the last few days.


One of my favorite things now is to go to Central Park (of Santa Clara) and have Mom or Dad put me in the swing. The higher they swing, the better. It is so much fun. Daddy also took me swimming for the first time a few days ago. At first I was scared because the water was much colder than my bath is. But after a minute, I loved it. I am excited for Hawaii now."

More pictures mainly of Emma...