Tag: You're Pregnant!

My ever-fun blogging friend Stephanie has asked us blogging moms to post our favorite belly photos. It was so much fun looking back -- and so crazy to see how much our bodies change. God is so creative!

The first photo is me and the hubby at our first shower, given by my mom and sister.


This second shot is the last belly shot I have. I was 37 weeks and 2-cm dialated -- and very excited to be so close to meeting our baby. About 10 days later, I gave birth to our 7-lb, 2-oz daughter!

Fashion Friday: Fashion in Action

Who says active wear can't be fashionable? Although I do have to admit to Jen that this outfit does indeed say "Baby Guess" on the butt. I know it's a pet peeve of yours, but it was a gift, and well, I admit it does look pretty cute -- especially in a saggy diaper! :)

And the hair was in an adorabable pony tail but someone wasn't quite in the mood for that this morning...

TGIF!

The Magic Words

Bouncing off of the last post, I wanted to share that Emma has also discovered a way to put a stop to anything she doesn't like. Or at least she thinks she has.

If she doesn't want her face washed off after lunch, she simply tells me BEFORE I do it that she's a "good gurl." If she doesn't want me to clear the boogies in her nose, she reminds me that she is a "good gurl." And if she doesn't want the doctor to stick that wooden thing in her mouth, she informs her that she is indeed a "good gurl."

Hey, life's all about being proactive and confident. I think this "good gurl" may be on to something...

Easy as ABC...

Okay, I am warning you now that this post may come off like a mother bragging about her child and, well, in all honesty, I guess it is in a way. But as you know, I am really documenting all of this for Emma, and I can't leave this stuff out because of what you all may think. So, take it as you will.

I will start off by saying that Emma's evil twin seems to have left us for now. And boy did she overstay her welcome. Even Daddy got to meet her this weekend and let's just say that by about 11am on Saturday, he was calling me a saint. Thanks for all of your support -- I needed every inch of it!

All of that aside, our busy bee has been busy learning like crazy. Her vocabulary is amazing -- she points and says words that I forget I ever told her. Granted, not all words are clear as a bell, but if you pay attention, you can pretty much figure them out. And if you ask me, some of her words sound better wrong -- they're just so much cuter her way.

She is combining a few words like "hat on," but still gets confused once in a while with the concepts of off/on, out/in, etc. And I know she understands everything I tell her, which is where the frustration sets in for both of us. I have been more creative on the whole "no" thing, and it seems to be helping. I just need to remind myself to relax and remain patient, and most of the time, it works. Okay -- some of the time it works.

And here's the part where I know I sound like I'm bragging: Emma knows at least 10 letters of the alphabet. She can pick them out and say them when I hold them up. She also hands them to me and says them on her own. Of course, it isn't perfect, but I'd say 85% of the time, she gets at least 10 right. The whole idea of this sounded crazy to me like a month ago when I had a mom tell me about her 19-month old doing it. But then I figured, why not see what happens? And here we are. In fact, Jeff has really been the champion of this little skill since he's often in charge of bath time and that's where one of her letter stashes is located. He honestly deserves the credit for this one.

She also can count to four. Now, I am loosely defining this, as she picks and chooses HOW she does it on a daily basis. It started out with me saying "one", her saying "two," me saying, "three", and her saying, "four". Lately, I'm the one saying, "one, two," and she finishes with "three, four." BUT there have been a few occasions when I hold up my fingers and she does it all by herself. Crazy, eh?

Maybe you all think this is normal, and it probably is. I mean, what do I know? I'm just some first-time mom who thinks the world begins and ends with her daughter. But I am amazed at what these little minds can soak up!

In the end, I know none of this matters. Every child develops differently and at their own pace. For now, I am just thoroughly enjoying Emma's zest for life and learning.

There's a lot an 18-month old can teach you, ya know.

Fashion Friday: My Mom Thinks...

I




AM




CUTE!

Patience, patience, patience...

Maybe if I say it 100 more times, I might actually gather enough to get through today.

Yes, I am having one of those days. A day when nothing seems to make Miss Emma happy. She is so out of sorts, it's making me out of sorts. I sure hope it's teeth because it's too early for those terrible twos to be hitting, isn't it?

Case in point: We MUST read the same book ("boop") a hundred times over and over again. Don't even THINK about another book or Emma's evil twin will roll around the floor as if her life has completely ended.

And what? You want to put food INSIDE her plastic bowl at lunchtime? Oh no, you must let her turn it over so that you put the food ON TOP of her now upside-down bowl. Refuse and the fork will end up in your eye.

Basically, it's her way or the cryway today.

Now I know all about picking your battles and distraction, but oh my word, this is nuts. Yes, she has an ear infection and a cold, but she's been on meds since last Friday and does not have a fever. The boogies have been clear the whole time, so maybe it really is teeth.

Yes, that must be it.

Say it with me now: It's the teeth; it's the teeth; it's the teeth...

Who Knew?

That with a little determination, a powder room can easily be transformed into a play room?

And, no, that isn't a mini potty Emma is sitting on; it's her booster seat -- her recent toy of choice. If I would have known how much she enjoys playing with it, I would have taken it out MONTHS ago!!

Fashion Friday: Our Funny Little Valentine

Can you tell we like the layered look and jeans??!!

*UPDATE: I was just told by my husband that Fridays haven't been very "fashion-y" lately, so I promise to step it up a bit next week. It's just I'm starting to run out of clothes -- it's been 5 months!

18 months ago…

A little girl named Emma entered our lives about a week and a half earlier than expected. Although my actual labor was pretty darn short, I have to be annoying here and give every last detail. If you want to get to the "good stuff," skip to the paragraph with the *. If this stuff bores you, don't feel like you have to read this. I really just did it for me and Emma.

Early Signs
While Emma was born early Sunday morning, I believe the whole labor "process" began that previous Thursday. I woke up that morning extremely tired and had horrible stomach pains. Knowing I had deadlines to meet at work, I forced myself to take a shower and get dressed. One my way out the door, though, I started feeling awful and proceeded to, well, go to the bathroom—A LOT. I was sure I had a stomach virus. I called into work and said I needed to rest, but would be in around lunchtime. I never went in.

However, the next day I woke up feeling fine and happily went in for casual Friday. I was getting Braxton hicks all day, but not the "menstrual-type" contractions everyone told me would be the signal. Still, Jeff and I decided not to go to small group that night and instead went for a million walks around the block (to Jeff's dismay!).

I went to bed Friday night feeling very frustrated. My last OB appointment showed that I was 2-cm dilated and 75-percent effaced, so I had been on pins and needles for days. I had no idea when I would "know" when it was the real deal. My biggest pregnancy fear wasn't my water breaking in public or giving birth on the way to the hospital, it was showing up for the hospital to only have them send me home.

Almost There…
I woke up early Saturday morning with what felt like menstrual cramps. I remember laying in bed thinking, "Is this it?" I knew I was going to drive myself crazy thinking about it, so I got up and made a lasagna—at 5:30am. Hello, sign number one?! I wasn't a big cooker then, but I had bought the ingredients so I could make a pan to freeze for after the baby was born.

Jeff woke up around 7am and asked me what I was doing. Making red sauce, of course! Soon after that, the contractions started, and we began timing. They were sporadic at first, but then got fairly regular as the morning went on. Jeff went upstairs around 10am to take a shower, and then we were going to call the doctor, assuming we were going to the hospital. But I'm not kidding you, the second he walked down the stairs, the contractions stopped.

I was so frustrated. With contractions on and off all afternoon, the day seemed to drag on. Jeff and I decided to go to my cousin's graduation party, even though he lives about 50 minutes away. We were both sick of hearing me complain.

After we all ate dinner, I started getting contractions again. I was trying to casually time them so no one would notice. I had told my mom of the earlier contractions, and she was watching me like a hawk (although I could have just been paranoid!). About an hour went by, and my contractions were still about every 8-10 minutes. I told Jeff we should probably head home.

Of course, on the way home, they stopped AGAIN! I told Jeff we were definitely going for a walk when we got home. This baby WAS coming if I had to jump and down to make it happen.

*Once we got home from my aunt's house, I was too pooped for the walk, so I laid down on the couch while Jeff played Playstation. All of the sudden I heard this popping noise. I asked Jeff if he heard it too. He hadn't.

And then I heard—and felt—the second pop, and the tidal wave began. There was so much water! I told Jeff that I thought my water broke and I stood up, and gush!—a second title wave. I quickly ran to the bathroom to analyze the color and odor of the water (love those pregnancy books!), while Jeff was asking what we do now. I told him to hand me the phone so I could call the doctor while he ran and got me a new pair of pants and my hospital bag.


The Hospital
Once we go the okay from my OB, we were on our way to the hospital. And then the REAL contractions began. They were strong, they were in my back, and they were every 2 minutes. Meanwhile, Jeff is calling everyone he knows to tell them the news. (Okay, so just our parents and a few siblings, but I felt like he was on the phone F.O.R.E.V.E.R.—I was in pain people!)

When we finally arrived at the hospital around 11pm, we had a hard time getting in. The entrance they told us to use in our labor/pregnancy class was closed because it was the weekend. The main entrance was closed because it was after 10pm. Finally, we went to emergency and a guy rolled out a wheelchair. As soon as I got out of the car, the third tidal wave decided to come. Just how much water is in there?!!!

Jeff parks the car, and I wait in the waiting room for him to come back, all the while trying to remember that breathing stuff they taught me. My very excited husband quickly returns but has forgotten my purse with my ID and my insurance card. So I wait again. I must have been quite a sight. Breathing like a dog, wincing in pain, and looking like I just peed my pants.

Once all the paperwork was finished (WHY did we pre-register again?), a nurse wheeled me down to the labor and delivery room. I remember her condescending tone as she told me to relax my breathing because I had a LONG way to go. (Ha…little did she know!)

Once we got to my room, I stood up and lost my plug. I was so sick of being wet. I couldn't wait to get into a bed. By that time, my back contractions were very intense and were about 1 minute apart. And my legs were shaking like crazy. The nurse who checked me said I was about 4cm dilated. Once I found that out, I agreed to have an epidural. I couldn't fathom 14 hours of this pain.

Funny Story
In the meantime, my sister arrived at the hospital. She was downtown with her friends when we called her. The funny thing is she called me BEFORE she went out to make sure I wasn't going to go into labor. I told her not to worry and go have fun. Oops!

She had driven down there with a friend, who apparently wasn't willing to leave yet, so she took a cab ALL THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL. Um, yes, $105 later, my sister arrived at my bedside.

It's Time!
There was a little confusion after that. My sister was popping in and out with water; Jeff went to greet my parents in the waiting room, and I was eagerly awaiting the anesthesiologist's arrival. My OB had stopped in somewhere in there to say hello. I think I waved.

I was so happy when the man with drugs finally arrived. I remember telling him, "You must be the most loved man in this whole place." I don't remember him laughing.

Anyway, Jeff and my sister were asked to leave the room during the epidural. As I tried desperately to hold still as my legs continued to shake and my contractions continued to intensify, the anesthesiologist asked me why I was still breathing so hard. I told him I was still feeling contractions. He said, "You are?" Um, yeah, why? He then asked the nurse to check me again. She told him I was just at 4cm about 20 minutes ago, but he insisted she check again.

So she did. Her eyes got real big and the two of them exchanged glances. She told him I was complete. Hello, am I not sitting right here people? I asked what was going on. The nurse flipped some switch and said I was ready to push. Uh, okay… where's my husband??!!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile, Jeff was outside the room and saw a light go off above my door and nurses starting scampering. He came in and asked what was going on, and I told him it was time.

The nurse then asked if she should get my sister. I hadn't planned on having anyone but Jeff in the room, but she then said, "She paid over a $100 to be here, and you're not letting her in?" I looked at Jeff and he said he was fine with it. I told him to go get her… fast!

My OB hurried in, and we began pushing. The epidural had finally kicked in, so I couldn't feel anything. I remembered my girlfriend telling me to push like I was taking "the biggest poop of my life," so I hung on to that as my strategy. Of course the time I needed to feel the contractions, I couldn't feel a darn thing.

Although I have to say I was in the best mood ever. I remember chatting with the doctor about my wedding day and the weather. I also remember laughing about how I was sitting there with my legs spread and having casual conversation with around five people like it was totally normal. My sister said I said that out loud, but I don't quite recall that.

The pushing went on for about 40 minutes until I saw Jeff's eyes practically pop out of his head. He looked at me as if I had just won an Olympic medal. He was so happy and proud. He didn't need to say a thing.

Then were the three words I DIDN'T expect to hear: "It's a girl!"

What? I thought all along this baby was a boy. We didn't find out, but I WAS SURE OF IT. Looking back, I think I secretly wanted a girl, so I said boy so I would be happy either way. I just wanted a baby.

Emma Kay
Our baby girl was born at 1:42am on Sunday, August 14. She was 7 lb, 2 oz and 21 inches long. She was absolutely perfect.



My mom, dad, mom-in-law, father-in-law and sister were all there to hold her for the first time, and Jeff was in total awe. It was so late by the time everyone left that I told Jeff to go home, get some rest and come back in the morning.

On his way home, he said the song "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me came on the radio, and he sobbed. What an overwhelming, awesome day it had been.

So there you have it: the story of our little peanut. She came into this world just as hard as she plays in it now. We've had some struggles along the way, but she sure did make labor easy! And she has certainly made life more enjoyable than we could have ever imagined.

Happy 18 months, baby girl. We love you!!

Fashion Friday: TGIF!

After a week of the crabbies (Mommy and Daddy included), we are pretty excited about the weekend around here. After a playdate at the mall this morning, and takeout and a movie scheduled for tonight, we are off to a great start!

Have a fun weekend everyone!

Be Prepared

Apparently, this motto not only pertains to boy scouts -- it also pertains to 17-month old girls.

Lately, Emma has found it necessary to bring things with us if we change floors. At first, it was only her baby. But then she started disappearing into her play area, returning with all sorts of random goodies.

Today, our quick trip down to the basement required:

baby

doggie

the letters "t" and "e"

Daddy's shoes

a plastic red apple

Who knows what else may have made its way down with us had I not put a stop to the madness.

Actually, now that I think about it, she had all the necessities down -- food, clothes, someone to love (x2) and something to learn from. Oh, to be inside that little mind of hers....

Fashion Friday: Go Bears!

We've got the snacks, the TV, and the spirit, now we just need another Superbowl title!

Is it a medical emergency...

...when your toddler eats 1/2 of the tip off of a yellow highlighter and then sucks the rest of it dry?

Hypothetically speaking, of course.

Yes, Rice Milk Tastes Good

At least it does to Emma. Then again, she also thought the putrid smell of Alimentum formula was yummy, so take it for what it's worth.

The good news is that we are officially off formula, and Emma is like every other 17 month year old out there... except she is drinking rice milk instead of whole milk. But actually, her pediatrician seems to think that's perfectly fine. And so do I.

As long as I continue to add fat to Emma's diet and buy the enriched rice milk (with Vitamin D), she really is getting all the nutrients she needs. And as any family member will tell you, I am still an anal retentive first-time mom that makes sure she gets a well-balanced meal 3 times a day. Go ahead and gag. And then tell me it will wear off. I know, I know. :o)

Anywho, the even better news is that Emma has been off her reflux medicine for about 2 months now. I am still not convinced she doesn't have reflux, but I am waiting for more "evidence" before I put her through any tests. She is sleeping fine, but she still coughs up food and chokes more than I think is "normal." Jeff isn't convinced, but then again, he isn't with her as much as I am. He realizes this and says he'll support me if I want to get the scope done, but that's a lot of pressure and honestly, I am not at that point yet. I'm waiting it out until I get that gut instinct to get it checked.

For now, I'm just staying away from very acidic foods (i.e., oranges, tomatoes) and spices, but that is slowly but surely getting annoying. I'd love to give her a meal with more taste, but I am nervous. I'm sure most of you think I'm nuts, and I know she won't die, but I also don't want cause her pain. I have seen what food does to Jeff, and I'd hate to make her go through that -- or worse, have her think that sort of discomfort is normal.

I do realize that I have completely overanalyzed this, and I am now at the point where I can't seem to move forward. We are stuck with the same old meals, but when you take out milk, acid and spices, there's not much left. Our staples include ground turkey, chicken, whole wheat/organic pasta, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, pears, peaches, grapes, cantelope, eggs, wheat bread and oatmeal. And, of course, Cheerios!! Any new ideas out there? Emma has to be as bored as I am.

At what point do I take the plunge and try adventurous foods like peanut butter, fish and strawberries? Jeff and I had salmon and broccoli tonight, but I was afraid of the fish and I thought the broccoli would make her gassy. I've also read broccoli can aggrevate reflux.

But she might not have reflux, you say? Yes, I know. So what's my problem?

This is the first time I've done this, but I'd like to hear your opinions. Do I go for the food and hope for the best, all the while getting sick to my stomach and stressing? Or do I get the test done, all the while feeling guilty for possibly putting Emma through this for no reason at all.

Or maybe I just need a glass of wine.

You tell me.

Fashion Friday: Baby It's Cold Outside

It finally feels like winter. I thought I was never going to be able to put this outfit on Emma! The sweater is certainly cute, but I really love the pants. They are lined with purple fleece -- nice and cozy for today's chilly trip to the grocery store!

My First Meme

I have been tagged by Kelli Belly! I have never done this before because the focus of my blog is Emma. Still, I don't want to spoil all the fun. Plus, Emma should know a few things about her Mommy! And feel free to play along in the "Comments" section. Emma should know about her Commenters too!

A- Available or married? Married for 6 years, but taken for 10.

B- Best Friend? Definitely Jeff. But my best girlfriend is my sister.

C- Cake or Pie? Pie, I guess. But why aren't brownies an option? ;o)

D- Drink of Choice? Water. But I do like me a Decaf Soy Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks

E- Essential Item? Bottle of water and a container of Cherrios

F- Favorite Color? Blue

G- Gummi Bears or Worms? Neither, but I guess gummi bears if I have to pick.

H- Hometown? Southwest Suburb of Chicago

I- Indulgence? See second half of "D"; Also guilty of reading US Weekly. (I know, I know...)

J- January or February? February.... it's closer to Spring!

K- Kids & names? Emma Kay (17 months)

L- Life is incomplete without? God & my family!

M- Marriage Date? September 8

N- Number of Siblings? 1 older sister, 1 younger brother. Also 1 brother-in-law, 2 sister-in-laws, a brother-in-law to be (September 28), and a sister-in-law to be (we're still waiting, Uncle Nonny... J/K ;o).

O- Oranges or apples? Clemetines

P- Phobias/Fears? Confined spaces -- no Fear Factor for me!

Q-Favorite Quote? "The only thing you can take with you to Heaven is other people." (Not sure of the author.)

R- Reason to Smile? My baby girl's giggle

S- Season? Spring -- love the smell of rain and the hint of summer!

T- Tag three people! I Am Not, Mama of Four, and Days of My Life

U- Unknown fact about me: I have a belly button ring... Well, used to. It's now a empty hole that shall forever remain empty...

W- Worst habit? Not knowing when to shut up. I also think I might interrupt people a lot...

Y- Your favorite food? Anything Italian!

Z- Zodiac? Don't believe in this, but I think I'm on the "cusp" of two signs. My birthday is Oct. 23. You can look it up if you really want! :o)

Fashion Friday: Growing Up

Is it me, or does Emma look really old in this picture? Maybe it's the "school girl" jumper or the hairdo, but it freaks me out a little. Is that my Emma?

Oh wait...she's obviously yelling something...yep, that's her!

Definitely her.




**P.S. Last week's shoes and this week's shoes are both from Preschoolians. Santa sure has good taste. ;o) **

We Like it Goofy!

I know all little kids can be silly, but our Emma is definitely a goof ball. Sometimes Jeff and I just look at each other and say, "She's so wierd!"

She likes to stand on her head ALL.THE.TIME. Not sure where she even learned this little trick, but I'm hoping the constant blood rush isn't doing any permanent damage... ;o)

After dinner, she is like a crazy woman. She honestly runs around in circles... spinning and spinning until she loses her balance and falls to the ground. She climbs on the couch, rolling around and throwing herself back on the pillows.

Now some of you may think this describes an overtired child, but her nap is about 2-3 hours and bedtime is at 7pm. And dinner is over by 5:30pm!

She LOVES to wrestle. I even catch her wrestling alone with her jumbo stuffed doggie and teddy bear. And, of course, chasing anyone around the house is always a good time.

You've all heard about the cabinet thing, and closing herself in the pitch-black powder room is another one of her favorite things to do. When we go to play dates, she immediately makes herself at home and takes it upon herself to take out EVERY toy and EVERY book. Meanwhile, her playmate is quietly playing with ONE toy.

Of course, she comes by it all quite honestly. Today we were dancing to her Tots Rock video, and when Emma started laughing hysterically at me, I realized what a goof ball I must look like. But hey, that's the perks of having a kid... you get to a act like one too!

Fashion Friday: Go, Go, Go!

Okay, maybe I should be calling this "Style Saturday" or something, but it just doesn't have the same ring to it...

So, yes, we missed yesterday, but that's because we've had a busy last couple of days. Play dates to attend, new babies to see, meals to deliver... Emma has been a real trooper!

What better way to depict our recent outings than her ususal "on the go" attire! Thankfully, we'll be at home today for some much-needed chillin'. Have a great weekend everyone!

Happy Birthday Great-Great Grandma!

Yep, you read that right -- Emma's Great-Great Grandma Emma turned 93 on Monday. In honor of her special day, we took a drive over to visit. It seems like just yesterday they were meeting for the first time!

Emma had tons of fun visiting with Grandma, but I think Grandma had even more fun! It's hard for her to see these days, but she was still able to catch quick glimpses of our busy bee out of the corner of her eye.

Emma had a ball running around Grandma's house, and as usual, getting into everything. She wouldn't stay still so Grandma could hold her, but she did let Grandma play with her baby and cell phone. Our peanut also got some one-on-one time with Great Aunt Helene and Great Aunt Lorrie, who she didn't get to see on Christmas. Aunt Helene showed her the versatility of an old wipes box, a coaster, and a broken hearing aide, while Aunt Lorrie made an empty Dr. Pepper box a new hiding place for Emma's baby. Who needs real toys anyway?? :o)

It wasn't before long the sleepies started to hit Miss Emma hard, so we had to say goodbye. But we did manage to snap a few photos before we left for the night!

The first photo shows the precious love Grandma has for her namesake. I feel so blessed to have both Emmas in my life!



The second photo is of Aunt Helene, Aunt Lorrie, me, Great Grandma, and Martina, my cousin (and Emma too of course!). Props to Jeff for hanging out with all of us girls!



I am so glad we were able to visit. My Great Grandma is truly an amazing, faithful woman. She inspires our whole family.
Stay tuned for photos of birthday number 94!!!

Where's My Baby?

So is it me, or do you feel like some days your toddler wakes up a new person? I swear, those development spurts hit me out of nowhere every time.

And this time it is hitting me hard. The other day I was almost in tears because my baby was sitting at her little table and chairs "reading" a book. Like a big girl. I was so proud, but completely sad at the same time. Who is this little person? And more importantly, how in the world did she survive this long?! ;)

Seriously, all of the sudden she is like a talking/learning machine. I'm sure it's all normal for her age, but it is sure impressing me. Words sound like words. "Duck" is "duck" -- complete with the "ck". Doggie has graduated from "dada" to "doggie," with the "g" sound. More went from "mah" to "mooooore." Daddy is now clear as a bell. And if she doesn't know the word, she tries really hard to communicate. And she repeats words pretty darn well too.

Of course, her favorite thing to do is tell me when she doesn't want to do something. The word "no" accompanied by enthusiastic head shaking is more than a normal occurrence around here.

She knows more animal sounds -- cow, bee, piggy, cat, sheep, bird. It is just so darn cute!

She has finally learned the concept of down, as opposed to "uppie" every time she wants to be transferred from someone's arms to somewhere else. She gets what it means to "open" and asks you to do so ("oppie") -- only after some frustrating failed attempts of her own, of course.

She points to pictures and items and calls them by name: ball, doggy, baby, banana. She recognizes them and tells me what they are. She notices photos of Grandma and Grandpa, and calls them by name. It's just so strange.

She has also gotten more loving. She still only gives quick loves, but they seem to be more often. I even got squeezed the other day during a hug -- like a REAL hug. Usually I get arms around the neck and quick pat. But a squeeze?! I was like butta!

The whole "surprised" look is her latest thing. She looks at me and forms her mouth in a big "o" as if she is so shocked by what she is seeing. So funny!

And leaving her Mommy? No biggie. I now get a quick kiss and a wave goodbye as she runs off to play at the church nursery, or barely a second glance as I leave her with Grandma and Grandpa. Not a cry, not even a hesitation. It's, "See ya, Mommy. I've got toys to play with here."

She's busy -- oh yes -- but so much fun! I can remember in those early days just wanting to get to this point, but now, well, now, I kinda want to rewind.

Or at least press pause.

Fashion Friday: P is for...

Polka dots and (my attempt at) Pig tails!

When it's too quiet...

You know your tot is doing something she probably shouldn't. Like eating the vaseline from her diaper bag and spreading it all over the couch...

A Look Back

Okay, I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I'm stealing an idea I originally heard from Mama C-ta , who was inspired by others and has since inspired many others.

Although the New Year is a time to look ahead with hope and a fresh start, it's also a time to look back at the blessings of the previous year -- both the expected and unexpected. With that in mind, below is a quick "year in review" of Emma's life as described in this blog. The idea is to take the first sentence from the first post of each month. You can click on the month to see the entire post.

I did have to cheat a few times and use titles since I'm a bit lazy and often just post photos, but I guess I'll make that one of my New Year's resolutions... to write more!

Happy 2007 everyone!

January
They say to never pray for patience...otherwise, God might give you LOTS to be patient about.

February
We're Famous!

March
I usually try to keep this blog pretty upbeat because, hey, it's all about Miss Emma.

April
Well, we knew it was coming... Emma is crawling.

May
Emma and Cricket Visit…

June
As I'm sure you've all guessed (and read on this blog MANY times), Emma is a busy little girl -- constantly moving and wiggling since day one.

July
Well, our first 4th of July with Emma was certainly, uh, explosive.

August
So we got the allergy tests back and of course they are all negative.

September
"On matters of style, swim with the current; on matters of principle, stand like a rock." --Thomas Jefferson

October
Yes, you can be cute and casual -- not to mention adventurous -- in this little dress.

November
So first of all, who in the world left last Friday off the calendar? I mean, I certainly missed it.

December
So, we have yet another ear infection and a VERY gooey left eye, so I went to the vault and resurrected another fashionable moment from Emma's "younger years."

Fashion Friday: The Christmas Outfit

This is from Emma's 2006 Christmas Collection, complete with sparkling nose juice!

Merry Christmas to all...

...and to all a good night!

Fashion Friday: Luxury, Baby!

This outfit is so impractical, I love it! What I love even more is that I didn't buy one thing she is wearing!

The hat: From Chico's... a gift from Grammie's fall outing with her girlfriends

The poncho: From a local baby boutique... a birthday gift from a very generous friend of the family

The shoes: From Preschoolians... a "just because" gift from boyfriend Cricket

The pants: On loan from my awesome girlfriend who has supplied 98 percent of Emma's wardrobe

Put all those things with my baby's smile, and it doesn't get any better than that!

Emmaisms...

I am so behind on Emma's "milestones," that I've been dreading this post. So much to write, but I know I can't possibly remember it all. Maybe that's because I should write these things down AS they happen, right?! I know, I know, I know...

So here ya go... a bulleted list of Emmaisms as of late. Enjoy!

Her first "clear as a bell" word is "Mommy." It sounds like a real person saying it... a little freaky actually.

Other real words include: Daddy, Grandma ("Maaama), Grandpa/Papa ("dop pa"), Todd, doggie ("dada"), more, all done, water, bye bye, banana ("nana"), up ("uppie"), nose, and NO! She also repeats apple and owl really well.

Some "non-words" that I still count: nye, nye; num, num; shhhh, mooooo, buzzzzzz

In case you didn't guess from above, she knows a cow goes "moo" and a bee goes "buzz"

She signs the words "more" and "water"... mostly because that's all we've taught her. I'm going to try to get better after the New Year!

We no longer walk... we just run/sprint. EVERYWHERE.

She gets into EVERYTHING. And I mean everything. I can't leave her alone for two seconds without fearing for her life. Honestly, she is determined to seriously hurt herself or ingest something fatal.

She still enjoys her books, which is very obvious by the bends, tears and chew marks they have endured these last 16 months.

She loves her baby more than ever. She puts her to nye, nye; feeds her; gives her some of her sippy cup; and loves on her constantly!

Anything even remotely furry also gets fed, kissed and is put to sleep. If she's in a really good mood, this sometimes includes non-furry things like blocks...

She still kisses just about anyone who asks, as long as they are not holding her. She also hugs by patting you on the back as she says, "Ahhhh."

She talks on her toy mobile phones by clutching them between her shoulder and her ear. Wonder where she learned that from???

She is a total goof ball and often runs around wiggling her head, smiling and saying, "Duba Duba Duba."

She will chase you around our kitchen/family room ALL.DAY.LONG.

She loves to dance -- this includes spinning around, kicking, shaking her arms, and we're working on shaking her butt.

She can do some the motions to a few songs -- "If You're Happy and You Know It," "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes," "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Head Knocker." My favorite is when she spins around in a circle with her fingers pointing to each cheek when we sing, "You're face will surely show it."

Playing outside is her absolute favorite, which makes this yucky weather a bummer. We bundle up every now and then for some playtime though.

One of her favorite indoor activities is climbing inside of the laundry basket while Mommy takes her for a spin!

She helps me load the dryer... sometimes. Ya know, when she feels like it.

She also knows what it means to clean up when we sing that Barney "Clean up" song, but again, only when she feels like it. Of course, that excuse will only last a few more months...

But my absolute favorite thing is when she runs over to kiss and hug me for no reason. There is no greater gift than that! Most of the time it's when I'm acting goofy with her. I love that she has such a great sense of humor!

I know I'm leaving out a million things, but this is all my mommy brain can remember right now. See ya'll tomorrow at Fashion Friday!!

Fashion Friday: GI Jane

Who says army gear can't be feminine?!

It's been a while...

Sorry I haven't really posted any long entries lately, but there has been a reason for that. Besides crazy work deadlines, a few things have been going on lately that have made it hard for me to write without sounding like a basket case. But enough time has passed now where I can coherently explain all that's been going on.

First of all, everything is fine. Praise God that He has blessed our Emma with good health. Besides the usual colds kids seem to get every 3 seconds, she is a healthy, growing child with a curious mind and well, a strong personality! We wouldn't change a thing!

But a few weeks ago I decided that I wanted real answers about her silent reflux. I was tired of relying on my own instincts to diagnose her, and I hated that she had been a medication for so long. I needed confirmation that she did indeed still have reflux -- or better yet, that she had grown out of it. When she was an infant, it was easier to tell when it was bothering her, but as a developing toddler, there are way too many other factors and issues that have made it hard for me to tell what's going on inside of her. (Hmmm, maybe that's why we have X-ray technology...)

Anyway, we made an appt. with the GI, and I was all ready to demand a scope, an upper/lower GI, or whatever they needed to do to give us some answers. But instead we ended up talking about Emma's enormous appetite. Now I know what you're all thinking... just feed her if she's hungry... it will all balance out eventually. But she is ALWAYS hungry... before AND after a meal. She practically jumps out of her high chair yelling, "Muh, muh" and will continue to do so until I pry her out of her chair. She eats EVERY morsel, and she eats A LOT. Case in point: Breakfast might include one scrambled egg, whole-wheat toast, fruit, and 6 oz of formula. And she is still hungry after that. The GI agreed -- that was a lot of food for a baby only in the 25th percentile of her weight class. He was concerned she wasn't absorbing her nutrients.

So before I knew it, words like Cystic Fibrosis, Celiac Disease, and Hyperthyroidism were being discussed. Tests were being ordered, and I was being assured that Emma probably didn't have the terminal form of Cystic Fibrosis since she hadn't had pneumonia or respiratory problems. Um, what?!!! It was all happening very fast, and I was trying to stay calm. I only wanted to check on her reflux.

So the following week we did all the tests. I apologize to those of you who feel upset that you are just finding this out now, but we really didn't want to worry anyone until we had answers. It all seem a little far-fetched to us, but we wanted to follow the GI's suggestions. We decided to only tell our parents so they could pray. And boy did we pray!

In the end, every test turned out to be NEGATIVE. Praise God! It took a few weeks to get all the answers, but slowly but surely, we were getting the confirmation of what we had known all along -- Emma just has a sensitive stomach.

So where are we now? Well, Emma has officially been off her reflux medication for one week and all seems well. BUT she has had an ear infection, so who knows. We'll see what the future holds.

We also started soy milk. At first, Emma didn't seem to notice that I was mixing it in with her formula, but then suddenly she wouldn't go near it. This was all around the time of her ear infection, so I don't know if it was the soy or the sucking (she wasn't drinking much of anything). Our pediatrician suggested we go back to the formula until her ear infection clears up. Then we'll try soy again.

I do have a feeling soy may have caused the ear infection because she never had a fever with this one, and it's strange that it took her 13 months to get the first ear infection and only 2 months to get the second. She also broke out in a horrible diaper rash while on the soy, and now it's gone. We're considering rice or goat milk, but our pediatrician isn't convinced soy is the issue. We're discussing it at our follow-up appt. next week.

Emma's diet is still fairly large, but I have also been trying to incorporate more fat into her diet. Because I make all of her food fresh, I wasn't always good about adding fat. I didn't do it intentionally. I just never thought to add it. I even let her eat her first cookie! Since I've been doing this, she seems to be less intense/hungry. I've also been trying to give her more snacks in between meals. Our 15-mo well baby appt. also put her weight at almost the 50th percentile, so maybe it is all balancing out.

All that I can say is that Jeff and I feel more blessed than ever to have Emma. When I was sitting in the waiting room a few weeks ago during Emma's tests, I saw a lot of sick children, and I realized food restrictions really weren't that big of a deal. I would love Emma no matter what, but her sake, I am happy she is healthy.

Fashion Friday: Flashback II

So, we have yet another ear infection and a VERY gooey left eye, so I went to the vault and resurrected another fashionable moment from Emma's "younger years."

To get us in the Christmas spirit, I chose her first official Christmas dress, which she decided to eat every second she got. The proof was certainly evident in her diapers, which were decorated with digested white fur. Yep, that's right. Now go get yourself a snack! ;)

Fashion Friday: Sweater Weather

How is it we were outside just 2 days ago, playing around in our sweaters and now we are all bearing down for 10 inches of snow? Only in the Midwest...

Ladies and Gentlemen... we have curls!

Fashion Friday: Outerwear

Our latest trick

As I Am Not pointed out in a recent comment, our cabinet doors are often wide open these days. It seems Miss Emma has rediscovered the joy of cabinets. Emptying them is so much fun, but apparently it is even more fun to crawl inside and close the door behind you. Therefore, this serves as official documentation that Emma enjoys doing this, and any resulting emotional damage can't be blamed on the mother.

First, the coffee pot comes out.



Then the feet go in.



And going...


Going...


Gone.

Fashion Friday: Hippie Chick

Fashion Friday: Casual Elegance

A girl has to look good whether she's just hangin' at home...







Or ready for a night on the town...





And a few more photos I had to share...

Bye Bye Dottle (and other changes...)

So first of all, who in the world left last Friday off the calendar? I mean, I certainly missed it. Surely you did too. Otherwise, that would mean I forgot Fashion Friday, or worse yet, neglected to fulfill my blogging responsibilities. And of course, that certainly could NOT be the case. Even if I was sick...

Maybe I'll make up for the universe's mistake with TWO outfits this week. Maybe...

Anyway, as you current or former toddler moms know, A LOT can change in a week. First of all, the bottle is gone. As in the nipples have been thrown away, and Emma has no idea it ever existed. She is still on small amounts of formula, but only via sippy cup. She was starting to ask for her "dottle" after a meal so I decided it was now or never. For the most part, it went pretty well. A few hungry/tired moments made it a little harder, but once she realized the sippy cup could hold more than just water, she was open to change. Well done, sweetie!

Of course, one step forward usually means a step back, right? Well it does around here. We are officially back on two naps. Yep, you read right. Miss Emma has decided that between being sick and the time change (another dumb universe mistake), she'd rather have her old schedule back.

Based on my post of a few weeks ago, you'd think I'd be jumping for joy, but I'm honestly a little bummed. I kinda liked having her around more, and it was nice to have a little more freedom. But hey, if a girl needs her beauty rest, you give it to her. At least you better give it to this little girl. TRUST ME on this one...

So that's where we are at for now -- drinking fine, sleeping more than usual, and on the road to health. Hey, that sounds pretty good doesn't it??? Come to think of it, I say this calls for a Starbucks trip. Emma and I could really use a day out of the House of Snot!