Wednesday, September 28, 2011

First Rollover


Emily rolled over for the first time yesterday!  She had a little help since the elephant was under her tummy, but she was still pretty flat on the ground.  She did it three times, so I don't think it was a fluke.  It's so much fun to watch her as she grows and does all these fun things for the first time!

Monday, September 19, 2011

One Month

Happy one month birthday to our precious baby girl!  There isn't really any way to put into words the way our life has changed in the last month.  It has been the most wonderful month and I have treasured each and every day with you, sweet girl.  Emily Elizabeth, you are the sweetest, easiest, most precious, most beautiful baby in the world.  In a word, you are perfect and you bring so much joy to me and to your daddy.  The Lord blessed us beyond imagination when he gave you to us.  We love you sweet girl!

 One month stats:
8 lbs, 13 oz.
23 inches
50th percentile for head and weight
95th percentile for height


We truly have been so blessed by every minute of this process from the time we found out Emily was on her way up until this very moment.  She has been such an easy baby and I am completely aware what a blessing this is to us.  We spend our days sleeping, snuggling, eating, and changing diapers.  Emily rarely cries and is even sleeping most of the night.  She only wakes up once to be fed, and I'm getting anywhere between six and seven hours of sleep most nights.  Emily is eating very well, as is evidenced by her one and half pound weight gain and two inch growth in the last two weeks.  She rarely cries and when she does, it's usually because she's hungry.  She does tend to get a bit fussier in the evenings, but is easily calmed.  She loves being in her car seat and riding in the car or stroller.  If she's not asleep or eating, she likes to be moving.  She makes so many different faces and is the most alert and expressive baby.  She typically alternates between being asleep and being awake between feeding sessions.  This month she experienced many firsts, including going to church for the first time, going out to eat, and going shopping.  You know...the important things!  The first month of Emily's life has been the best month of our lives and we can't wait to see what month two has in store!


It's amazing to see how much she has grown over the past month!  Look at the car seat pictures!  How is that even possible?  Below are some of the many faces she makes.  I know she doesn't do it on purpose, but it sure is funny!  We couldn't love this precious, perfect little girl any more than we do.



Here are a few more sweet pictures from the end of Emily's first month.  It's hard not to take pictures when you have such a perfect little model!









Sunday, September 11, 2011

9/11

Although part of me just wants to keep this blog basking in the glow of our new little angel, I feel it would be remiss to let this day go by without at least acknowledging it.  Ten years ago today started out just like any other day.  I was a sophomore at ACU, living in Sikes dorm.  Rushing was in full swing and the only thing any of us sophomores were really concerned about was whether or not we'd get a bid from the club we wanted.  My first class of the day was Speech for Elementary Teachers at 9:30.  As I came down the stairs, I was met by Hollie Inwood who worked the front desk of our dorm.  She asked me if I had heard the news, that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center in New York.  I believe this was before the second plane hit.  I walked to Speech, which was on the other side of the campus, and when I arrived, there were very few people in my class who had heard about it.  My teacher turned on the television in the classroom and we watched as the towers collapsed.  There really wasn't much to say.  After that class was Chapel.  I remember the hushed voices in Moody as people entered the room, something that had never before or again happened in my time at ACU.  Not knowing what else to do, we prayed.  Most classes were canceled that day, and large groups of students gathered around the televisions in the campus center.  The rest of that day was a blur, but I imagine I spent most of it in front of the TV in my dorm room. 

Lucas was much closer to NYC on that day.  He worked in Pittsburgh, PA at that time, not very far at all from where Flight 93 crashed.  He was actually in downtown Pittsburgh at one of his branch offices as the plane flew over Pennsylvania.  The Federal building in downtown Pittsburgh was evacuated because the plane's path seemed as though it might be heading for that area.  Because of the evacuation, downtown Pittsburgh was completely gridlocked, so he and the others at the office just waited it out while they watched the news coverage on TV. 

As we watched the special edition of Good Morning America today, we couldn't help but be taken back to those moments.  As Diane Sawyer commented on how the age of innocence was over at that point, I was struck by the truth behind that statement and how much we have all been affected since that day.  While we watched, I fed my baby and wondered what she will see in her lifetime.  Born far after 9/11, she will never know what life was like before that day.  I can only pray that she will not see anything like this happen in her lifetime.

I feel like it goes without saying that we are so incredibly thankful to all of the soldiers who have given their lives as well as those who have fought for us and survived in the years since 9/11.  Although we take our freedoms for granted everyday, we know that it is because of these people that we can rest a bit easier at night.  I am so thankful to the Lord every single day that I was fortunate enough to be blessed with the life I have. 

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Family Pictures

Visit our family picture website!










We also had professional newborn pictures taken by Rachel DeBell.  She is a great photographer and I totally recommend her!   Visit http://www.racheldebell.com/proofing/.  The password is Takala.

Doctor's Appointments

Emily had her first pediatrician's appointment with Dr. Copeland on August 24th.  She didn't exactly love it, but who loves the doctor?  However, she was just as precious as always!  She was down to 6 lbs and 15 oz at the first visit from her original birth weight of 7 lbs 14 oz.  She was in the 30th percentile with weight, 70th with height, and 50th with head.  Because she had lost 11% of her body weight and they like it to stay above 10%, we had to take her back on the 26th for a weight check.  When we went back on that day, she had gained 2.5 oz to get her up to 7 lbs, 1.5 oz. 

When we took her back for her two week appointment, she was up to 7 lbs, 5.5 oz.   She had also grown an entire inch since her one week appointment to put her at 21.1 inches.  At this appointment, she was in the 25th-30th percentile for weight, 75th-80th percentile for height, and 50th for head.  Long, thin, and not top-heavy!  :)  Can't wait to see where she's at when we go back for our one month!

 





Sunday, September 4, 2011

Maternity Pictures

A couple weeks before Emily arrived, our good friend David Crandall took some maternity pictures of us at the Gaylord Texan.  He did such a great job and we are so happy with them!  It's hard to believe that the sweet little Emily we know now was in my tummy just a couple weeks ago.  My pregnancy was so wonderful and I was so blessed to have such an easy go of it.  It's so fun to look back on that special time now that she is here.  While the last two weeks have flown by, it also feels like she's always been a part of our lives.  















Friday, September 2, 2011

Emily's First (Sponge) Bath

Lucas's parents arrived in town on August 23rd, the day after we came home from the hospital.  One of the first things his mom and I did after they got here was to give Emily her first sponge bath.  She definitely didn't love it.  Hopefully her first real bath will be better!

 Washing her hair.  This is after we wrapped her up and she quit crying.

 Look at that face.  Oh my goodness.

 Sweet, sweet baby

Who could resist that face?

Mommy and Emily

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Emily's Birth Slideshows

Since I couldn't put all of the pictures of her birth on the blog, here are a couple slideshows I made with all of the pictures.  The first slideshow is made up of pictures Lucas took at the hospital.  The second slideshow is made up of the pictures that Kaylane took of the whole labor process as well as meeting Emily for the first time.  Please excuse any terrible pictures of me in that album.  I think I have a pretty good excuse, though, so I'm not deleting them. :)

Click here to view these pictures larger


Click here to view these pictures larger


If you click on the above link that says "Click here to view these pictures larger," you can actually select and order pictures.  I know most of you don't really want pictures of my child, but for the grandparents and other family members who might want them, this is how to do it. :)

Homecoming

We got to bring our sweet Emily home from the hospital on August 22.  After all of the weekend's visitors, it was a nice morning in the hospital with just me and Lucas.  Both my doctor and Emily's doctor came in and checked us over and said we were good to go.  After that the nurses came in and discharged both of us.  My daddy took the day off to come up and help us get everything home and we were so glad to have him there.  We never would've made it home with all of our stuff and our sweet gifts if he hadn't been with us. 

When we arrived home, the amazing Kaylane had a big sign in our yard with balloons welcoming baby Emily.  My dad also gave us a sweet Jellycat stuffed alligator that he had bought for Emily that morning.  It was so wonderful to be home with our sweet baby, settling into life together as a family of three.


 Dad holding Emily while we got ready to leave the hospital.

  Lucas posing with our sweet Emily in her car seat.

 Me with Emily...pardon my chopped off head.

 Our family of three.

 A little angel on our doorstep.

 Precious baby girl

 The awesome sign welcoming us home

 Me and daddy with his sweet granddaughter

Lucas, Emily, and big sister Maggie.  She is obsessed with the baby!  
Big sister Bailey isn't quite so interested.