Aunt Nelly

Last week Lynnell came to visit and meet little Emma Lynnell. We had an amazing week together. Emma and Aunt Nelly hit it off right away and traded countless smiles and kisses. It was such a blessing to spend a week together, catching up and making memories. Nelly is a recent Jazzercise convert so we went to Jazzercise just about every day she was here. Dan took Tuesday off and we all spent the day in St. Augustine. We also went shopping, watched movies, and drank more coffee from Starbucks than was reasonable. The funny thing is that it felt like normal to have her here. Being apart is what seems odd! We miss you, Nelly!

Milestones

The past week has been a busy one for little Emma. Last Tuesday she amazed us by rolling over from her belly to her back. She was trying to avoid the dreaded "Tummy Time" and got frustrated enough to push herself over to her preferred position of "Back Time". The first time she rolled she surprised herself too and started to cry. I put her on her stomach again to see if she could manage a repeat roll and, sure enough, Emma rolled right over! Since then she hasn't managed to complete any more rolls although she's gotten quite close.

Today Emma continued to impress me by beginning to realize that those things hanging on the end of her arms are good for more than just sucking. She was playing under her hanging play-gym when she reached out to actually touch her alligator. Up to this point she's just been hitting or kicking the poor fellow. It's incredible to watch her make these discoveries.

Last week Emma went to the doctor for her four month appointment. She is doing great! She now weighs in at 12 pounds, 11 ounces and is 24 1/2 inches long. Everything looks to be on track, praise God! She got several shots which hurt me just about as much as it hurt her. Next up, tooth watch. She's gnawing and drooling so we're just waiting for that morning when we see a little white to accessorize her pink gums.

Trips and Visitors

During the past three weeks we took our first family vacation and were visited by both sets of grandparents. So I can't be blamed for lack of blogging, right?! Emma enjoyed all the activity and new experiences. Our trip to Hilton Head was fantastic. I ended up over packing, which is much preferable to the alternative. Emma did well with the 3 hour drive and didn't seem to be bothered by unfamiliar surroundings. It's a good feeling to know that it is possible to travel with an infant. And it only took me 48 hours to pack. After packing all of Emma's gear, packing for myself seemed like a piece of cake. Plus, I am no longer the member of our family hauling the most stuff on a trip. We all enjoyed spending time outdoors in the beauty of Hilton Head Island. I think it would be even better to return again in later years when we can take advantage of the miles of bike trails.

I've been a bit sentimental today as Emma turns four months old. It seems like a lifetime ago that she was kicking around inside of me. And I'm sure I'll say this a million times over the next few years, but I can't believe how much she's grown. She is such a joy! Happy and easy going, she brightens our lives in countless ways. Four months later I am feeling a lot more confident about my ability to be a mom. I no longer take 30 minutes to pack a diaper bag nor do I get nervous about taking her out all by myself. I am finding that I love being a stay-at-home-mom and my mixed feelings about leaving my teaching job are fading away. However, I do have these moments after we've played on the playmat, read books, sang songs, and had smile time when I wonder, "what do I do now?" I ask Emma what she wants to do and she looks up at me with big eyes and seems to say "I don't know, what do you want to do?" I can't wait for the fall when it cools down and we can spend more time doing things outdoors.

What do you do all day?

A friend of mine recently asked me what I did all day. I should point out that this friend doesn't have a child yet. I remember having that same question of stay-at-home moms before I had Emma. What did they do with all that time? HA! Now my question is...all what time? I thought that I would have a lot more time during the day to get to those much neglected projects that have been on my "to do" list for quite a long time. Sadly my closets remain unorganized, the stack of returns keep piling up, and Emma's baby book is blank.

Honestly it's not that easy to answer my friend's question. What do I do all day? The time seems to fly by and between feedings, changings, play time, tummy time, laundry, and keeping the house somewhat clean, Dan's walking in the door before I know it. Add working out into the mix and I often wonder where in the world my day went. And as parents everywhere will tell you, being a mom is a 'round the clock job. But I must say that I never wake up in the morning with that "I don't want to go to work today" feeling. Then again, maybe that's because I'm still half asleep when I "wake" up...

In other news, Emma went to the doctor this week for her 3 month checkup. She's doing great! She now weighs 11 pounds, 8 ounces and is 23 1/4 inches long. Don't tell her she was a preemie--she's off the preemie growth charts and onto regular ones. She's smiling more and is now even talking, sort of. I never knew that "goo-goo, ga-ga" was real baby talk, but that's pretty much exactly what she says. I think goo is her favorite word, with the occasional "gar" thrown in the mix.

Next week we're going to Hilton Head for a little family trip. I'm starting to get nervous about all the stuff we'll have to bring. Maybe I should start packing now.

Pool Party

This weekend Emma embraced a summertime rite of passage and took her first dip in the pool. We had a wonderful cookout with our small group friends and Emma seemed to enjoy playing in the water with Dad and Brady. I'm sure it's her first pool party of many to come.

Better Late Than Never

I meant to start blogging late in my pregnancy to keep everyone updated on little Emma's progress. But with her arrival six weeks ahead of her due date I never got around to kicking things off. I guess starting the blog when she's 12 weeks isn't that bad, right? After experiencing what it's like to be a new mom, I'm impressed when another mom even returns a phone call, or gets out of her pajamas for that matter. So doing something like starting a blog is big stuff. Anyways, I have nothing better to do at 6:30 on Saturday morning when I'm the only one up. Even Emma has enough sense to sleep in today! Darn cold of mine. At least I got to watch the sunrise, which was really pretty today. I'll try to post regularly so check back in for news about our latest adventures.

I must say that the last 12 weeks have been simply amazing. Even after reading numerous "new parent" books and watching hundreds of hours of "A Baby Story," I still found myself totally unprepared for the joys and challenges of having a newborn. The moment Emma was born and they put her on my chest is a moment I'll never forget. I understand "miracle" now. And even though I've never been a huge crier, my eyes flooded over and over during those first few weeks with tears of pure joy and amazement.

I knew that babies ate a lot, but 'round the clock feedings, day after day (worse-night after night) can really wear you out! I am thrilled that Emma is now just getting up once during the night. I never knew that five hours of sleep could feel so good. In the past few weeks she has also started to pay us back for all our hard work with her adorable smiles. Who knew that smile time could actually be scheduled as a daily activity?

Emma changes so quickly, as newborns tend to do. Hopefully by blogging I can capture more of these precious moments, even if I can't slow them down.