Emily Kathleen Rudd

Emily is our little pride and joy. Her personality is so vibrant and charismatic. From the moment Emily could hold a book in her hand she has been addicted. Her teachers at preschool would comment on how much Emily loves to look at pictures or have stories read to her. Each night, as part of our nightly sleepy time routine, we would read to her. This had turned into one of Emily's favorite past times. Currently she loves Clifford The Big Red Dog, Dr. Seuss's 10 Apples up on Top and The Very Bumpy Bus Ride.

When Emily is not reading she really enjoys singing. We often joke that Emily began singing before she could talk. She would babble the tune of the Wheels on the Bus (her all time favorite). Now that she can talk, Emily is almost always singing a new song she learned at preschool.

Emily also loves playing with baby dolls. It really is embarrassing how many baby dolls Emily has these days, but somehow she manages to give each and every one undivided attention. Most days our living room looks like a preschool during nap time. Emily puts all her baby dolls to "night night" by tucking them away in anything she can find as a bed or crib.

As Emily grows older we have really enjoyed seeing her personality blossom. Since we live on a 1+ acre lot, Emily has a lot of room to roam around outside. It is not uncommon for Emily to take her shoes and socks off and run around barefoot in the grass. During the spring and summer months we have grown pumpkins (really the only thing we appear to have success with). Emily calls them "pumcakes" and loves poking around in the leaves to see how many pumcakes she can find. There is nothing on this earth that can get Emily more excited than animals! She is obsessed with any TV show that showcases animals from "beetles" (another favorite) to elephants or tigers. She will squeal with delight when an opportunity to pet an animal is presented. Emily and our aging cat Marble have yet to solidify their friendship. Emily has certainly made several attempts from putting Marble down for a nap (by covering her with a dish towel and then putting her not-so-gently on the back) to feeding her an endless amount of cat treats. Time will tell if her years of nurturing will pay off.

Daddy & Emily, July 2011 (2 years old)                            Mommy & Emily, September 2010 (15 Months)