long awaited update

I know, I know, it's been a while since I have posted. I wish I could be more on the ball - I realize that for some of you this blog is how you keep up with us since I am TERRIBLE at calling you back! That and everyone loves pictures!

Emma had her two month check up on the 11th and there is sooo much to report. I hope I can get it all in before she wakes up! Her naps are minutes rather than hours and it makes for a pretty hard time writing a blog sometimes!

At our check up she had 4 shots (dang vaccines), weighed in at 10lb. 10oz - that's 4lbs more than her birth weight and is now measuring 23" which is 4" longer than her birth length - sense a pattern??? 4 seems to be her lucky number.

The doctor laid her on the table on her belly and lo and behold, she showed off and rolled over! Dr. Thompson was very impressed since babies tend to do that around 4 months old. She was also very impressed with her ability to hold her head up with complete control - go Emma!

Daddy has been working with her every night to strengthen her abs. He lays her on his knees and pulls her up by her hands. She's not a fan of laying on her back unless she's on her play mat or eating so she loves when daddy does this! He also stands her up and she holds all her weight on her little legs, also something that she's excelled at - most babies don't do that until three months. I'll brag, she's been holding her weight for over a month now! Go Emma!

Her reflux is finally more under control. After much hesitation we put her on Zantac to stop the sour taste and throw up after feedings. She's much better now and shows a lot less pain. We also have her on Rice cereal (mixed in her milk) twice a day to keep her food down. She's a big spitter-upper and the doctor recommended we try it. It seems to work very well, two less burp cloths a day that I have to wash!!! Go Emma!

Gra-nanny (I still chuckle when I say that!) takes her on long walks and she conks out each time. She's also fond of naps in her carseat after the walk - it's the only time I can get her to sleep for more than 45 minutes at a time! This week she's slept in her carseat twice for 2.5 hours, once after a car ride with daddy and once after a big long walk. I hate leaving her in it but if it helps her sleep I'm all for it. Go Emma!

We've officially outgrown our newborn clothes and I am so sad. I hate putting them away, especially this little sweater I have - I adore it and hate to see it packed up :(

I follow a blog of a woman that had quads 8 months ago and she did something last week that I thought was great. She listed facts about herself that most people don't know. Well, I'm not going to bore you with that now for me, but it's an easy way for you all to get to know Emma. So, here goes:

Emma wakes up at 3:30 in the morning to let out a few farts then falls back asleep. It cracks me up.

She goes down after her 10:45 feeding and sleeps until 5:30 (minus the farting time)

She eats every three hours during the day - a typical schedule is 5:30am, 8:15am, 11pm (rice), 2pm, 5pm, 8pm and 10:45pm (rice).

She loves to lay on her changing table and kick.

I call out and show her the character on her diaper every time I change her. She smiles at Elmo every time.

She still sleeps in a bassinet in our room at night but naps in her bed, the swing or the carseat.

Her eyes are still blue and her hair, although very thin, is light brown. She has a lot of hair at her neckline and Dave calls it her rattail.

Cooper likes to lick her baby lotion after a bath. She doesn't like it very much.

Baths are now fun. She wiggles a lot but she smiles a lot more now. She hates getting out though, she's like her mom and hates to be cold and wet.

She gets tons of lint in between her toes. I clean it out while she's nursing - she wiggles.

When she poops you can hear it around the block.

She goes through about three outfits a day and without fail poops on the nicest one.

She gets hangnails.

She loves to be sang to - she really like the song "Maybe" from Annie that I sing to her all the time.

We've just started giggling.

Her hands are almost alway clenched. She collects lint in there too.

Everyone says she looks like her daddy. Very few people say she looks like me.

The nurse called her "Cheeks", that was her daddy's nickname when he was a baby (correction, he says he was called that for almost 10 years)

She plays coy - when you say hi she'll smile and turn her head and close her eyes - what a flirter!

We cheer when she lets out a big burp - funny we can't do that as adults!

She smiles in her sleep.

She sleeps with her eyes open, sometimes all you see are the whites of her eyes and it creeps us out!

Copper is extremely jealous of Emma. He gets himself wedged in between you and her whenever possible.

I cried more than Emma did when she got her shots.

She's still being swaddled at night - not quite sure how we're going to ween her from that. She sleeps best that way.

She sleeps through the vacuum, even when it's right next to her.

I'll try to post some updated pictures soon - maybe after dinner. Love to all!

Happy Birthday to me...

Yes, it's my birthday and we just got back from dinner out at our favorite restaurant, Cafe Asia. We invited Scott, Dave's brother, ate lots of yummy sushi and as promised I am now sitting down to post more pictures of Miss Emma. I've got tons of new pictures so you're all in for a real treat. I just can't stop, she's too cute not to capture on film!

We started the day with a heart melting moment: daddy and Emma asleep in the big bed:

I just think it's the cutest thing ever! What a doll! And for daddy to be all snuggled up next to her, what a vision! If you're a mom I'm sure you appreciate moments like these captured on camera.


Here's mommy and Emma tonight after dinner:


I say this often, but she is growing right before our eyes. I can hardly believe how big she is and each day something new happens that makes us so proud to be her mommy and daddy. Like Friday, she was having belly time with Dave on our bed and she started leaning to one side. Next thing we knew, she was on her back with streams of tears running down her face. She was terrified at what she had done, but we just smiled. Our wee one had just rolled herself over. Today we tried again and if a still picture can do it justice, this is Emma rolling herself over again:
She's on her Rainforest play mat, which she loves. She's really taken to looking at all the animals and blinking lights. Cooper loves to get right down there with her sometimes and together they may catch an episode or two of Oprah:

Yes, they are both looking at the TV, which is to the left in that picture. How cute is that!!!!

We have tummy time every day now and Emma is doing really well at keeping her head up. She's so proud of herself.


It's pretty exhausting on your tummy , so, she relaxes on her mini Bobby afterward and lets out a few good smiles...

We had a bath this morning, which was much needed after she peed on herself :) She really likes baths now, but getting dressed afterward is way more fun!


Grammy has been a big help to us and she's especially good at getting all the burps out, thanks Grammy!


After a good burping we're back to smiling again!


And, last but not least, here's Miss Emma in her new vibrating rocker that Uncle Scott gave her. She just loves it!

Well, I'm off for some quality family time. Daddy and Emma are patiently waiting for me while I caught you all up on her toothless grins and daily activities. It's been the most wonderful birthday and I am so very lucky to get to share it with my husband and precious baby girl.

A new addition to the family

Hi there. Something was in the water last May in my family because not only were we blessed with Emma, but now there's another little dumpling. Welcome Avery Grace, my cousin Scott and Jen's new baby girl. She was born March 28 at 1:35 am

Jen and Scott came to visit us here in DC for New Years, the second year in a row for Scott. Jen and I sat back sipping Grenadine (who's idea was that anyway?) as the boys wallowed in their Guinness (or whatever the heck they were drinking). Things are surely going to change this year! In any case, congrats to Scott and Jen - we can't wait to meet little Avery!

Emma is growing so fast I can't keep up with her. She's now holding her head up during tummy time which is right up there on the cuteness scale with her smiles. She's so confident and grins from ear to ear when she makes eye contact. I just have to take a picture, it's a heart melter.

We're growing out of our Newborn clothes, which makes me sad. I've tried to stretch them as long as I can but she's not digging not being able to stretch out. So, on they go to the storage bin for girl number two, if there ever is one. Dave is confident the next baby will be a boy - check back in a year or two and we'll see if he's right.

Dave's birthday is Saturday so everyone be sure to call and harass him - he'll be the big 33! I can't say much, mine is Tuesday but I'm only going to be 32, so there! Big plans for Saturday are to have some friends over for a BBQ. It'll be a tight house but fun nonetheless. It's really gotten us motivated too, which is great - we have new sod in the front yard and the cabinets are screwed in in the kitchen! Go Dave! Now I just need to hire a maid to clean the house before then and we'll be all set!!!!