I was checking out at a cute gift store today, and the cashier asked how old Emilia was. I told her, “Ten months today, actually!” And she replied, “My son was ten months just yesterday… and now he’s almost a college graduate.” For some reason, this almost made me cry! Trying not to focus on the time-flying aspect of Emi’s first year, and more on the positive: how much more fun our life is with Miss Bemi Bootie in it.

First, let me review all of the names she has accumulated over the first year. Emilia is most often called Emi. Also referred to as The Goose (Sasha’s favorite), Bemi Bootie (my favorite), Emerson Bo Bemerson (Isla’s favorite), Emi Emi 2×4, Squashers (Sasha’s second favorite), Squash & Squeeze.

People tell me all of the time that she looks a lot like Isla, but also very different. I have moments of thinking the same. Emi has many different expressions (most I find cute, but she makes this disgusted, scrunchy nose face that makes me laugh…) – some of them are identical to Isla’s as a baby! I cannot wait to see who she looks like when she’s older!

If you want to make Emi laugh, you could a) Hang her upside down or flip her over on the bed, b) Turn on JT’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” and let her bop up and down to the beat, c) Animatedly read her favorite book, “Goodnight, I love you,” d) Nuzzle your face into her stomach and blow on it, e) Let her splash you in the bath… a lot. Lots of other things do the trick too, but these are my go-tos.

Miss Emilia looks very Scottish with her pale skin and strawberry blonde (read: red) hair, but her favorite food is Serbian vegetable soup called chorba. She freaks out when she eats it. She also loves broccoli as a close second, Silk yogurts, stewed apples, puffs (well balanced diet!), hummus and beans.

Emi’s new favorite habits are making the loudest noise by covering and uncovering her mouth with her hand, sticking her tongue out and spitting (very lady-like), scaling rooms by walking with her hands on the wall, clapping (especially to “If you’re happy and you know it…”), waving bye-bye by opening and closing her hand, saying, “BEH!!! BEH!” when Belle comes into the room (exactly how Isla used to say it) and Dada to Sasha. Mama is still very hit or miss (thanks, kiddos, for this!), but Sasha’s mom thinks she’s got Baba down pat! Ha.

I’m documenting this in writing: If we have another child, they will not have a ‘set’ monthly photo because come 10 months, these are so difficult. Emi is pinned from flipping over and crawling away with my foot in the photo below and my hand in another. It’s so tough for active little ones, but I’ve got to finish what I’ve started! Cannot believe I only have two more months of it.