The Party

Sorry this has taken me so long to post, but you know the life of a mama! :o)

Well, Emma's first birthday party went great. She did surprisingly well, even while still trying to beat her cold. Besides getting mad while I wiped her nose every two seconds, she was pretty darn content. When people first started arriving, she did the whole shy thing, hiding behind my leg, but it wasn't long before she was walking around with her little strut and blabbing loudly to anyone who would listen. She was quite the little hostess.

It ended up being a nice day. It was cloudy, but it didn't rain, which was my main concern. My mom and dad's place is nice and roomy, so I felt like everyone fit comfortably. After Emma's baptism, I decided against trying to squeeze everyone in our townhome. It was nice having everyone see our place, but I do realize people like to do things like breathe at parties.

Even with all of the craziness, Emma ate her dinner all gone, with room to spare for cake (we'll get to that later…)

She did start to get tired pretty early and almost approached meltdown phase during presents, but then again, so did I. It was pretty overwhelming. First of all, this girl got a gazillion presents—and they were all huge! She was MORE than spoiled. Let's see, she got an American Girl Bitty Baby, a car, a house, a sandbox, a couch, a shopping cart full of food, the cutest books ever, and an adorable fall wardrobe… As my sister put, she pretty much won the Showcase Showdown!

(Um, Emma, sorry: Mommy and Daddy only got you the pretty dress you are wearing—yeah, the one with the bows that are totally annoying you—but look at all these nice people we invited to Grandma's house who buy you really cool stuff!)

Seriously, as usual, our family and friends were EXTREMELY generous. I hope it goes without saying how very thankful I am for every one of you. It's obvious how much you all love Emma, and that is truly the best gift. Emma WILL grow up knowing how blessed she is because of the PEOPLE in her life, not the things. Thank you all so very, very much!!

I would say opening the gifts was probably the most exhausting part of the day. With about 4 little kids trying to "help" Emma open her gifts, I had to find every ounce of patience within me. I wanted Emma to tear paper and all that stuff, but I quickly learned that she had no interest in doing any sort of sitting still with all these people and toys around. You can picture the scene: So-and-so child asking me to open this gift, while another child says, "No, that gift," while another is already opening a different gift. Meanwhile, Emma is falling on top of all of them, trying to escape my grasp as I read her a card that she has already torn in half. BUT, once I pulled Jeff out from behind the video camera, it got better. He (sorta) kept Emma content while the rest of us opened gifts. In the end, it was one of those moments when you just have to laugh. (And admit to yourself that you will not have 4 or 5 kids…ever.)

Okay, on to the Great Cake Debate: We all know about Emma's "allergy issues," so giving her a birthday cake was, of course, a source of total stress for me. Do I try to find an "acceptable" cake to make even though I have no idea how to bake? Do I let it go and let her dig in and pray that she doesn't suffer? Or do I skip it all together?

Well, against God's obvious message that baking is NOT one of my gifts, option 1 was the winner. Thankfully, I went through a trial run the day of her actual birthday. That was perhaps the best decision ever, seeing as I would have completely embarrassed myself otherwise. Here's why:

Check out the recipes for the dairy-free cake and dairy-free frosting. Easy enough, right? Well, first note the oven temperature listed: 165 degrees. Yeah, I thought that seemed a bit strange, but then again, I don't bake. (Let's also forget for a second that I write about appliances for a living, because obviously I did.) So I preheat the oven to…wait, my knob only goes down to 200 degrees. NO PROBLEM. It does turn past that, so I simply "guess" where 165 should be. I'm sure professional ovens offer ultra-low temperatures for people who do things like bake on a weekly basis.

Next, mix the ingredients. Step one, "Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry." Huh? I'm just proud that I actually separated the eggs! (By the way, it takes about a dozen eggs to make 1-½ cups of egg whites!!!) Okay, so I start to manually beat the eggs, and I notice that they are just getting soupier, not stiffer (whatever that means), so I stop and naturally add the other ingredients.

Not knowing anything was wrong, I continued on and baked what ended up taking the shape of a cake. Sure, when Jeff flipped the cake stand over onto Emma's high chair, "it" looked like a glob of oatmeal, but hey, what do you expect with a dairy-free cake? (Note: I didn't make the dairy-free frosting because I didn't have the ingredients yet.) Emma seemed to enjoy it…well, for the most part. You be the judge:





So, the night before the party, I reread the directions and realized my mistakes: Did you notice the "C" next to 165?". Well, I didn't. I was supposed to bake this thing at 325 F. And for any of you that know baking (or have an ounce of common sense), you beat egg whites with an automatic beater for like 10 minutes, when they will transform into a whole other substance similar to meringue.

Needless to say, cake number 2 turned out much better! Emma enjoyed it much more, although she wouldn't get messy. She methodically fed herself frosting and pieces of cake, but didn't start getting gooey until she wasn't hungry anymore and started playing with the cake. It wasn't that bad, but scraping dried oats off of her skin wasn't that fun either. Although you're never too young to start exfoliating!!

Emma pooped out around 7pm and was fast asleep by 7:30pm. She never even woke up during the transfer from my parent's house to our house. This party girl was done for the night.

So there you have it. Probably more party details than you wanted, but wait, there's more! Pictures!!! Don't worry, I only picked a few. Enjoy and thanks again to everyone who made it to the party!

Welcome to the Party!


No, this is NOT the cake I made. This one is courtesy of Sam's Club.


This is… uh, yum!!


All done!


Some Party-goers!






A bow and a baby… exactly what I wanted!!

The Dress

Need to finish a work project, so no time for details, but at long last, here is Miss Emma in THE party dress. All of the shots I got of her smiling are blurry since she was attacking me and the camera, so you'll have to settle for her more serious (and perhaps a bit irritated) modeling poses. The dress ended up being a little big, but this mama thinks her peanut couldn't look more adorable! Party details and cake shots to come soon -- promise!



Get this stupid thing off me!


That's right, I'm one now. What's it to ya?

A Little Irritated

Okay, so yes I will post pictures of Emma in her dress and all the party details, but first I need to get something off my chest.

The other day I was reading a fairly popular blog. It's a blog I probably shouldn't read because it's pretty negative, but unfortunately, it's become a guilty pleasure. Anyway, the author -- who I do have to say is a pretty good writer and fairly funny most of the time -- decided to briefly poke fun at mommy blogs and their "love letters" to their children. Now, yes, I admit that initially the author's comment made me giggle since I am obviously guilty of this, especially within that very week.

But then the insecurity set in, and I found myself clicking over to my blog and re-reading my letter to Emma. And for a split second I was embarrassed of what I had written. It was cheesy. It was mushy. It wasn't all funny and clever. It was, well, a love letter.

But as soon as those thoughts came, they left. Yes, IT.IS.A.LOVE.LETTER. To my child. What the heck is it supposed to say? Oh, am I supposed to drop an F bomb in there to make it funny, or make Emma feel bad about all the "trouble" she's caused just so that I am "keeping it real"? Give me a break.

For those of you who "blog," you know what I am talking about. There are those blogs out there -- and unfortunately, these are the ones with 100+ comments -- that act like you have to whine about every little thing and rip on every single person in order to offer something valuable.

Well guess what: I have a feeling THIS blog is going to mean a heck of a lot more to Emma than some child who searches the Internet some day to find out that his or her mom/dad did nothing but complain about how horrible their life was -- before AND after children. No thank you. Sure we all need to vent, but I choose to leave most of my ugly thoughts between me and God. My child's mind is going to be filled with enough negative garbage, profanity and disappointment in the years to come. I am NOT going to contribute to that.

At the end of the day, I want Emma to learn that there is still room for good old-fashioned, mushy love in this world. Because that, my friends, is what gets you through those days when all you want to do is whine.

12 Months

Our Sweet Little Emma,

Happy 1st Brithday! How do I begin to put into words what this last year has meant to your Daddy and me? We have felt emotions so deep we never knew they existed until you came along…

A LOVE so pure and strong that a simple glance at your precious face makes our hearts warm and ache at the same time. We wish so much for you, yet we want so badly to hold you in our arms and freeze time so we can always fit your tiny hands safely in ours. We love you enough to let you explore on your own, even if it means you will probably get a few bumps and bruises along the way. But we will always be there to comfort you—to kiss your owies, to wipe away the tears, to shush away the cries.

A JOY we haven't felt since we were children ourselves. We look at flowers and trains and puppy dogs through your eyes, and we see the beauty and wonder of everything God created for us. Your curiosity teaches us to admire every little detail—the peaceful look on an elderly woman's face that makes you smile or the touch of sand on your feet that makes you want to kick and dance and roll around. The simple breeze running through your hair that makes you scrunch up your nose and giggle. All things we take for granted; yet you teach us to stop and notice. To stop and enjoy.

A WORRY that never seems to go away. Since the day we knew you were growing inside of me, we were afraid of what might happen. A loss of control that required a whole lot of faith in God, a lesson we are constantly learning. Whether it was your cries of pain at night or your uncomfortable wiggles throughout the day, we prayed and cried and trusted. We had to. As much as we want to believe we can protect you, there is only so much we can do. In the end, you are in His hands. And trust me, with your determined spirit, we will be keeping that promise in our pockets for many, many years to come.

A PRIDE that wells up in our eyes and practically bursts out of our ears. Your first smile at 6 weeks. Your first word at 7 months. Your first step at 10 months. Giant leaps that overwhelm us with feelings of satisfaction that our own accomplishments could never provide. Watching you move from our arms to the floor to your feet all happened way too fast, but we are so proud of your sense of adventure that we wouldn't change any of it for the world. We eagerly anticipate your next developments, but we remind ourselves to treasure the joys of today. We have found that time has a way of stealing away moments before we realize they are gone.

We watch in total AWE as you discover all that life has to offer: You thoughtfully page through your books, talking to the pictures in your own little language. You carry your doggie and baby around with you, stopping to kiss them every once in a while to let them know how much you love them. You listen when I ask you to sit while we have a snack, even though you are sooooo very hungry. You snuggle with your blankie and binkie, your two most favorite things in the world that put you to sleep in an instant. You giggle at our silly jokes, love to chase us around, and even enjoy wrestling with us. You quietly ride in your car seat as we drive from here to there, looking out the window, soaking it all in. You are always in motion, but always make time for a quick kiss or cuddle, instants we've learned to savor so that we always remember.

A sense of true CONTENTMENT. We now feel complete in a way we never knew was possible. Of course, that's because we never had a child, or all that comes along with that blessing. You have made life more complicated, yes, but also more fulfilling than anything this world can give.

It is no coincidence that we called you Heaven Sent from the beginning. God has truly revealed himself to us through you. Your eyes show an innocence He always intended for us. Your heart overflows with a love and trust that teach us how we should live every day.

We now understand how hard it is to love from afar, but realize that it is necessary so that you can become the unique person God created.

Yes, Emma, because of you, we know unconditional love in its purest form; a glimpse of how much God loves us. Unfathomable love in just 12 short months.

What a wonderful gift the next few years will be as God reveals more and more to us. But for now, we thank Him for the last year. That is more than enough.

All our love,
Mommy and Daddy

Check us out!

Yes, I found me some Wi-Fi on vacation, but I won't be a total geek and spend too much time on the Mac instead of in the sun. STILL, I wanted you guys to check us out on Urban Baby Runway. I wrote the review, Emma styled the shirt! Click here to see for yourself!

Trusting our Gut

So we got the allergy tests back and of course they are all negative. I know we should be all elated and stuff, but I can honestly say I feel no different than I did before we did the testing. I know that RAST tests are rarely accurate, especially when performing them on a child Emma's age. Still, we did them just in case (and because our doctor suggested it).

Does this convince me she's not allergic to anything? Nope. I don't care if I sound like a Hypochondriac or not -- I KNOW her tummy does not like certain foods and for that reason, we're going to steer clear of a few things. Milk, eggs and peanuts will have to wait for now, and we're avoiding acidic, citrus fruits because they seem to irritate her acid reflux. I'm also skipping the chocolate on her birthday. That was one thing she definitely couldn't tolerate when I was nursing, and I don't want her to suffer on her big day.

HOWEVER, we are moving forward with meats and other veggies. I'm also going to continue to slowly introduce foods into her diet, but not the 7-day procedure we used before. I'll probably do more like 3 days, just to make sure.

I have to admit that Jeff and I were a little hesitant to tell everyone about the test results because it's amazing how many people think they know the answer to Emma's issues when they really have no idea what we've gone through. Trust me, we've thought of and tried everything. I know people are just trying to help, but how come they always end up making us feel like we're overreacting? Maybe it's our own insecurity as parents... I don't know.

Anyway, thanks to my new blogging friend Lori , I was encouraged to share with ya'll and stand firm on what my instincts are telling me. After all, that's how we found Emma's thrush and reflux and eventually, her milk intolerance/allergy. It was hard being a first-time mom and convincing people "something wasn't right," but in the end, the best decision was trusting my gut.

That doesn't mean I don't believe Emma will grow out of all of this. And, sure, maybe the RAST test indicates that. But there's no reason why we need to rush into anything if Jeff and I aren't comfortable yet. We may get brave and try soy yogurt in a few weeks, but for now, I want to get some meat (protein) in her.

Was that a rant or what? Let's make this a bit lighter with some photos. I'm going to post quite a few so a few family members can get what they call their "Emma fix" while we're gone a vacation this coming week. Hopefully this holds ya'll over!!!


Cheese!

Sooooo Big!

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAH!

Lovin' her "dady"...

Yeah for me!

Mix it up DJ Emma!

A Day in the Life...

Over the last 11 months, this blog has kinda turned into Emma's baby book. Yes, I plan to fill out her actual baby book one of these days, but for now, this works really well and forces me to stay up-to-date.

As my peanut nears the 1-year mark (sniff, sniff), I wanted to get a few logistical items in here before I write her letter, which I want to be more poetic than informational. I'll try to stay away from too many bullet points so I don't bore you to death, but I also want Emma to know as much detail as possible.

One of the hardest things for me to figure out the first few months of Emma's life was the whole "schedule" thing. I tried to find a happy medium between my anal retentive self and throwing caution to the wind, but Emma wasn't really adjusting to my "plan" so well. That meant many frustrated meltdowns and calls to my mom, but also many lessons learned. Everyone kept telling me, "Read your baby, Lisa. Forget the books." Yes, yes, I know, but how the heck am I supposed to know what she is saying? It's not like she's talking people!

But as the days and weeks turned into months, I started to get it and POW! We arrived at a schedule. It was so great. I was in heaven... for a week, until the next "schedule" kicked in. Always keeping me on my toes, Emma knew exactly when my mommy ego was getting a bit too big and quickly put me in my place with a minor change here and there. Eventually, I got used to that too and was excited to see how she was developing in everything from sleep habits (thank God!!) to eating.

Right now, I have to say we have a pretty good thing going. I try not to be a hyper scheduler, but honestly, Emma responds to schedules really well and seems to be happier when we are organized.

So here is a normal day in the life of Emma (at least for now):

6am: Wakes up in her crib, chatting to herself and her stuffed animals until she finally lets out a "num num" for her bottle. Sometimes I can get her to cuddle in bed with me for a few minutes, but not for very long.

6:30am: First dose of Prevacid (1 oz) and a 6-oz bottle

8:00am: Breakfast time! Some organic oatmeal and fruit (either chunks of banana or a jar of pears). If she's still hungry, some Cheerios.

8:45am: Morning nap (usually 1hr and 15 min, although once in a while it's only 45 min)

10:00am: Wake up chatting again and greets me with a huge grin.

11:30am: Lunch time! Some veggies (either a jar of squash, sweet potatoes, peas & rice or grn beans & rice -or- the same foods cooked and cut up), some carbs (pieces of whole wheat bread or organic pasta), and a 5- or 6-oz bottle, depending on how hungry she is. Once in a while she gets some fruit too, but I usually save that for dinner.

12:45pm: Afternoon nap (usually about 2 hrs)

3:00pm: Snack (watered down pear juice and some Gerber sweet potato veggie puffs or Cheerios)

4:30pm: Second dose of Prevacid

5:00pm: Dinner time! Same as lunch, but usually a fruit too. We save the bottle for a little later.

6:00pm: 7-oz bottle

6:30pm: bath time, books and singing

7:00pm: bed time

Needles Schmeedles!

So I took Emma for her allergy blood work yesterday, and I was prepared for the ultimate meltdown. I had two binkies, her blankie, finger foods, and a sippy cup all ready to go in the event of total drama -- I was prepared. I even warned the tech and her helper that Emma is a bit, uh, vocal, so this might be worse than normal. And because the doctor requested they test for 11 allergens, they needed to fill two vials...

Okay, breathe, mom, breathe, here we go...stretchy rubber thing tied around Emma's skinny little arm, tight enough to pinch her skin, strange woman holding her arm in place, another strange woman poking her with a long piece of metal...the needle is in and...

NOTHING. Not a peep. Completely unphased. THE.WHOLE.TIME. I am watching two tubes fill up with my baby's blood and she's acting like they're tickling her arm. No wiggling, no complaining, just the suck, suck of her binkie, which she probably didn't even need. "Oh, is that a needle piercing my skin and sucking out my blood, Mom? I didn't even notice. Now how about that sippy cup?"

I was so proud of her! When I called Jeff, he even admitted that it made him want to cry. So funny what makes you proud -- and how your child can completely surprise you.

I have to remember that Emma is just as complex as any adult -- she doesn't fit any preconceived stereotypes or moulds. No, she is Emma and she is developing her own unique personality every day. Yes, she is a busy little girl that loves to move around, but she also loves to sit and read a book. She isn't afraid of sticking her face in the pool, but is scared to death of her doctor. She will kiss anyone who asks, but doesn't like to be held by anyone but her mama.

I think as parents we are so excited to "figure out" what our child will be like, that we almost want to make them something they really aren't. Every time I try to describe Emma to someone who asks how's she's doing, I end up contradicting myself after every sentence because she really isn't one "type." Will she be anal like her mom, but athletic like her dad? Who the knows! Only time will tell, and that is the most exciting part. I know Emma has many more surprises in store for me. I'm also aware they may not all be as pleasant as this experience. But, heck, I'll take this one!

I'll finish up with some recent photos. I realized I haven't posted any for a while, but the flu kind of interrupted our usual photo sessions. Still, here's a few of Emma enjoying her summer at Grandma and Grandpa's pool!

She's Worth It!

At least that's my excuse for giving in and buying that dress that you all "tried" to talk me out of... um, thanks! :o) My other excuse is that she will actually get three uses out of it -- she'll wear it for her 1-year photo, wear it on the party day, and hopefully wear it to church the Sunday after her birthday. Oh yeah, and it's our birthday gift to her. What else do you buy a 1 year old who has everything she needs? A personalized birthday dress of course!!!! (And yes, we put "Emma" on the dress!)

Besides, who can deny such a little cutie? She is just too darn adorable -- and pretty smart too. Here are some of the recent developments in Emma Land:

She has officially kicked the flu and is more than making up for any lost ounces -- she LOVES to eat!

She now walks everywhere and can get into the standing position without pulling herself up on something.

She waves hello and goodbye on command and on her own (at the right times).

She is starting to repeat words I say, although they all start with the letter D. She even tried to sing a tune I sang to her: "La, la, la" ("Da, da, da"). There is hope that she has Jeff's singing voice -- she was pretty in tune!

Some of her real words include: Dada, more (mah!), num nums, nye nye, doggie, baby (dady), pretty (ditty -- this is what she calls my earrings) & all done (ah dah).

She dances by bouncing her knees when she hears music or when I sing, "Dancin', Dancin', Dancin'!!"

She rediscovered her love of clapping and is very proud of her accomplishments.

She will kiss you when asked and will sometimes kiss you if you say, "I love you." She blows kisses too, but it's more like a lip smack in the air without the hand throw.

She retrieves her stuffed doggie when asked and then tries to carry it around with her even though it is just as big as she is.

She points to my nose when I ask her to -- a VERY recent development.

Her appetite is ENORMOUS lately, so I am assuming she is going thru a growth spurt.

She is almost done getting her two front top teeth, at least I hope, as it has caused us all to be a bit cranky.

She likes the water and enjoys putting her face in it. Strange, I know...

So there's a quick glimpse into our little pistol's life at 11 months. She sure is fun, but also a bit intense (um, like her father??) and keeps me more than busy. But as those tired, weak, horrible sick days only further proved, I would NEVER want her any other way!

Convince Me, PLEEEEASE!

Okay, so please give me some reasons why Emma does not need this $40 dress for her 1st birthday:


Sure, we're saving for a house, have only one full-time income, and she'll only wear it once, but give me some REAL reasons.

Didn't I learn my lesson from the Easter dress??? And since when did I become so girly? I mean this thing has bows... BOWS people! I distinctly remember removing those from my own wedding dress...

Round Two

How can a child get the stomach flu a mere 5 days after recovering from it? Not sure, but we've managed it. Except now it's pouring out the other end (her mouth).

Yes, as of Tuesday morning, Miss Emma's tummy throws everything back at us, including formula and Pedialyte. The only time she can keep anything down is if it's in quantities of 3 oz or less, yet she is crying because she is thirsty and hungry. To be honest, I am absolutely stressed right now. Not that this is about me - because of course it isn't - but I just feel like MY stomach is also in one big knot.

I really don't feel like going in to all the details (like I usually do), so I'm just going to give you the summary (which come to think of it, may actually make many of you happy...). Anyway, fever hasn't gone over 99 and there really isn't diarrhea, so this is different than the other flu, yet it seems too close to not be related. But after sitting through a 2.5-hour doctor appt yesterday (another story all together), my pediatrician thinks it may be allergy related...

Um, WHAT??!!! As if we haven't limited her diet enough, now she may be eating something that is causing her stomach to completely reject everything. Wonderful.

So he's ordered blood work for her to test every possible food allergen out there. Of course, these test are rarely conclusive in children this little, so it may be one big waste of time, but I remain hopeful. The only new thing she's eaten in the last two weeks is a chicken & sweet potato dinner. That would make chicken the most likely culprit, but come on -- can she really be sensitive to this much stuff? And other people had the first round of the flu -- heck, my mom caught it from Emma -- so isn't a strange coincidence that she got it too? Or that she got it right after getting over the flu?? Meanwhile, she has lost weight since her appt. a mere week and a half ago.

Do you see why I AM SO STRESSED??!!! What the heck is going on with my poor little bunny? SOMEONE TELL ME! Is she just sleepy because she's exhausted or is she starting to dehydrate? Do I wake her in her sleep to give her fluids or let her get the rest she needs? Is she crying because her tummy hurts, or is she hungry? Or thirsty? Or just plain ticked off that she can't go out and enjoy the sun?! As you can see, this is what the inside of my brain looks like: ???????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Breathe…]

Okay, now that I've made myself look like a total crackpot, rest assured that I am in regular contact with her doctor, so don't worry too much -- just pray. I know nothing is seriously wrong with Emma -- and for that we are very blessed -- but that's all relative when you're a parent. It's all stressful, no matter what the situation.

Firecracker, Firecracker BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

Well, our first 4th of July with Emma was certainly, uh, explosive. But not in the firecracker way... more like in the never-ending dirty diaper kind of way. 'Member that fever I casually mentioned in my last post? Well, that was the start of a week-long battle with the stomach flu. And need I tell you how much fun that has been??

Well, okay, if you insist:

The first indication something was up was the fever last Wednesday and Thursday. I was hoping it was just that fourth tooth coming in (FINALLY!), but there was no drooling or runny nose, so I was a bit suspicious. Then there was that fountain of peas and pears Emma's stomach decided to give back to us after dinner on Thursday. Friday was better, but she was gagging when eating and had VERY smelly diapers that I won't describe (just in case you're eating, thinking about eating, or will be eating sometime today...). She was also very exhausted, which meant some lovely, long naps during the day, but constant night waking in the wee hours. I took her to the doctor on Friday and he confirmed the stomach flu. He said to keep her on a liquid diet and to just watch her closely.

Saturday seemed like she was on the verge of recovery, so Sunday we went to church and then made a stop to Gram and Gramps after her afternoon nap. It was there we got the lovely gift of regurgitated peas again. (Note to self: DO NOT feed peas to a tummy that might be even a bit sour. Yes, this seems obvious, but she has a limited diet and had been eating sweet potatoes and squash for days... Excuses aside, lesson learned.)

That's when the explosions began...and never stopped. Day, night, you name it, there was always a present waiting for me in that little covered butt. And trust me, the smell was enough to let the neighbors know that Emma's diaper needed to be changed. When I wasn't changing diapers, I was throwing Pedialyte down her throat. It felt a little like when she was first born -- feed, change, feed, change, feed, change, nap and so on.

And then came Tuesday. The day when the impossible happened... Emma slept in until 9am. This child has NEVER in her entire life slept past 7am, and most of the time is up at the crack of dawn, so what should have made me the happiest mother on the planet totally freaked me out. Finally, we woke her up (yes, you read that correctly), and she was so limp it was scary. Thinking she was just exhausted from the virus, we brought her in our bed for cuddling, which to our surprise, she actually cuddled. This also NEVER happens. Not good. She was so weak that when Jeff lifted up her arm, it fell straight down with a thump. Uh, let's get this kid some fluid NOW!!!!!!

So we did formula and she seemed better, but was back to limp noodle in 45 minutes. Then we did Pedialyte and the same thing happened -- so we called the doctor. He told us she sounded dehydrated and to get her into the emergency room. "If we start IVs now, we probably won't have to admit her." I'm sorry, you say that like that's GOOD news! Needless to say, I was a complete basket case on the way to the hospital. Total melt down. Poor Jeff -- I was NO help at all. I just felt so responsible...

Anyway, we gave her some more Pedialyte on the way there and she zonked out until we went to Triage. Here, Emma decided that she did not want to have her rectal temp taken, so instead decided to pee all over the nurse while screaming and thrashing for the whole hospital to hear. Not that I blame her, the poor baby had the worst diaper rash in the world. It was so very sore, I could hardly look at it. The only good news was that the pee meant she was probably better than we thought. And it was a good thing she did it because it was the ONLY thing keeping me from killing someone since we didn't see a doctor until TWO HOURS after we got there. Yes, it was a holiday, but it was 11am and empty when we arrived. Um, we're here because our daughter might be dehydrated and you have a sit around for hours while she could be at home DRINKING FLUIDS?! Don't get me started.

By the time we saw a doctor, Emma was flashing her famous grin and was getting back to her wiggly self. Still tired, but definitely active enough to make us look like we were crazy for bringing her in. But trust me, I was glad they sent us back home. I was not looking forward to seeing IV tubes coming out of my baby. Basically, she was probably on the verge of dehydration, but that last bottle of pedialyte on the way to the hospital may have pushed her back to normal. We also gave her more in the hospital and by the time we got home, she was fine. Still tired, but the diarrhea stopped, which was good, but that also brought on 2 days of constipation that had Emma screaming last night from 11:30pm until 3am. That was NOT fun. Emma certainly is vocal and will complain, but she's never been a big crier and has never been inconsolable. I guess there's a first time for everything!

Today, all functions seem to be back to normal and the spunk is back in her step. In fact, in the midst of all this, she has managed to advance her walking skills (she can now walk clear across the room) and she got that fourth tooth. I think she also added a few words to her vocabulary -- she's been able to say "more" for a while now, but I swear she is saying "baby" and "bottle," and I am telling you this girl says "nye, nye" at nap time. She is also starting to follow directions. Today she was looking at a baby doll at Grams house, and I told her to give it a kiss, and she picked it up and kissed it. She amazes me.

She also frustrates me. Yes, today I was arguing with my 10-month-old, who was CLEARLY telling me that she wanted to feed herself. And so it begins...

Well, that should about do it for now. This past week has certainly been a long one for this mama, but I get a reprieve this weekend. I'm going to a Christian women's conference with my mom, my mom-in-law and two sister-in-laws, so I'll be getting plenty of "me time." Jeff's on 72-hour daddy duty, so it should be interesting. I can't wait to hear how THAT goes! I know he'll do great, but I will be interested to see how he likes the 24-hour shift. :o)

In closing, I'll leave you with some photos of our little firecracker -- right before the explosions began. Hope you all had a happy, safe and HEALTHY 4th!

Picture Crazy

**FYI -- I made the photos smaller this time to save space. You can click on the photos if you want to see them bigger.**

So proud of her Daddy
After he was installed as a deacon in our church on Father's Day.

Curly Girl
Courtesy of Grandma and Auntie Lexi. Doesn't she look like she could be in the Wizard of Oz? NO need to agree...only a mother can say something like this and not be offended! :o)

Sleepy Time
So peaceful. And, yes, she sleeps with her butt up in the air...

Book Worm
She loves her books so much, I wonder sometimes if she thinks she can read!

Shhhhh, Mommy
What's the secret? Maybe it's that she was going to get a fever just two hours later that still hasn't gone away -- hence, the tired eyes...

Sweet Blink
I know her eyes are closed in this one, but for some reason I just love this picture. The bow, her eyelashes...it just makes her look like such a little girl. My little sweet pea!

Our Family Bubble

Okay, so those of you who aren't part of my family will probably gag over this post, but so what. The fact is Jeff, Emma, and I are very blessed to have such a great family. Sure, we have our disfunctional moments, but we love spending time with them and (I think) the feeling is mutual. At least it is when it comes to Emma -- that I can say with certainty. The attention and love she gets is overwhelming -- maybe even a little bit sickening.

She has absolutely no idea how fortunate she is -- she just takes all those hugs, cuddles, kisses, and adoring eyes for granted. But, really, why shouldn't she? Isn't that the way the world is supposed to be? Shouldn't we all expect to receive nothing but pure love from one another?

I believe Emma is in her own little heaven right now. A place full of comfort, security, joy, peace, and, yes, I'll say it one more time, love. A place where no one around will hurt her -- or let anyone else hurt her. And she trusts that this is the way life is -- the way God wants it to be.

I wish I could somehow put her in a bubble so that she never knows any differently. But we all know that isn't realistic, and I guess the world would say it would be "wrong" to shelter her from the evil in this world. She needs to learn hard lessons to "make it" in this world, right? A few years ago, I probably would have agreed. Sheltering your children is a HORRIBLE thing...or is it? I don't know about you, but I have absolutely no desire to put Emma out there in the "real world," where there are mean girls, selfish boys, hateful adults and others that will bring pain to her tiny heart. No, I want her here, in my arms, protected from all of that. I don't want to dry tears from a broken heart. I don't want to explain why someone would intentionally make her feel unloved. She deserves better. We all do.

Thankfully, my Emma will get to experience her heaven again, and when she does, it will be forever. As a Christian, I've always been grateful for that promise, but now, as a mom, I have more peace and happiness than I ever knew was possible knowing that this promise not only pertains to me, but my daughter.

No, I can't protect her from the sin in this world, but I can tell her all about the heaven that awaits her and the Father that will give her more hugs and kisses than she could ever imagine. My prayer is that she is willing to accept that gift when the time comes.

For now, she'll have to settle for the circle of love our family has created for her. I, for one, couldn't ask for more. Love you all!

Just the two of us


In awe of her Daddy


Group shot! (Um, Emma, I said, "Group shot!"…)


Aren't we cute?!!


Stylin' in Auntie Sha's shades


So proud of her uncle!


Awwww!


The reason my mom has gray hair…

Luvin' on Papa




Is that a halo hangin' over Jeff's head, or is it me????


The prettiest blue eyes you'll ever see

A mother (and Father's) love

Here's one of those e-mail forwards I actually stopped to read...and I'm glad I did. What a wonderful reminder of the love we have for our children, and more importantly, the love God has for us as His children. After all, He died for us!

===============

After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, the forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.

One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree.

Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings.

The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise.

She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. Then the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body. 'the mother had remained steadfast. She had been willing to die, so those under the cover of her wings would live.

"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge."
(Psalm 91:4)

10 Months and 2 Days... but I'm not counting!

So I should have posted this a few days ago, but honestly, Emma's 10-month mark came up on me quick. Maybe it's denial...my baby is NOT inching closer to that 1-year mark!

Well, of course she is, and she is letting me know every day as she progresses at the speed of light. The latest: Tooth number 3 is here and number 4 has been painfully peeking through these last few days. And, no, they're not the front two top teeth, they are her top eye teeth. Crazy, eh? I really shouldn't be so surprised. We do things EMMA's way, 'member?

She also has decided to start walking. Well, sort of. She is now taking at least 5 or 6 steps alone and will walk (very) short distances all by herself. I feel pretty confident that she'll be good at this walking thing in a matter of weeks, so stay tuned. AND PRAY. I can barely keep up with her now.

A few stories to bring you into our busy little life...
1. Emma is crazy about cabinets, so I loaded one of them with tupperware so she could get her fix. Safe, right? Not when your little scavenger manages to find and take apart the food processor you have never used, locate its blade, pull it out, and hand it to you as if saying, "Mom, I really shouldn't be holding this thing that will chop my tongue in half. Here you go." 'Nuf said.

2. Ever the explorer, keeping Emma contained is pretty difficult. But I needed to get work done the other day, so I brought her Pack-n-Play into our extremely small office where she could safely play no more than 2 inches away from me. She usually hates playing in this little cage, but this time, it seemed to work. As I typed away with my back to her, she was quiet and appeared happy. That is until I hear the choking going on behind me. And there I see what was making her so happy -- the plant she somehow reached and decided to eat, leaf by leaf. I managed to retrieve the leaf in her mouth and the five others that were now decorating the floor of the Pack-n-Play, but I guess I'll never know if she actually swallowed any death greens. I'm sure her diaper will let me know the answer to that one.

So, no, I won't be winning any Mother of the Year awards anytime soon. And I can't even imagine what will happen when walking becomes second nature. She's already managed to get two small bumps on her head from trying to perfect her new skills. Do they make foam body suits for busy little girls? If you know of any, please let me know. I'll take two!

I Had to Share...

Whoever said that college kids are self-centered hasn't met my brother Johnny and his girlfriend Stefanie. These two have been in love with Emma since the first day she was born and have stopped at nothing to show her (and me!) just how much they care. Between EXTREMELY generous gifts and visits every time they possibly could manage it, these two are absolutely amazing.

Now, this is not to say that other aunties, uncles, and grandparents haven't been just as amazing, because they have been. We are more than blessed with how much love this little girl receives on a daily basis...

However, this post is devoted to Johnny and Stef because this time they out-did themselves. While visiting for THEIR college graduation, they gave me the most precious Mother's Day gift. In the midst of finals, packing, and everything else they needed to before graduating, they put together the sweetest video slideshow of our little Emma. Hopefully you are all able to view it okay. It is truly one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received. Enjoy -- and get out the Kleenex!

(If you can't play the below window, try clicking here )

Mission: Walk

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. Well, lately it seems she's getting sick of this crawling thing and is ready for bigger and better things. All you people aren't on all fours, so why should she be?

No, she's not walking...not yet at least. Trust me, I don't want to rush things, but she is really going for those steps lately. She can barely stand without holding on to something, but I think a lot of that is because she won't take the two seconds to stand still and catch her balance! :o) She took FIVE STEPS to Jeff the other day. And they were good and sturdy. We know it was a fluke, but since then she has been getting more and more brave. If I'm close enough, she'll no longer lunge at me or get down and crawl -- no, now she takes a step or two.

She's really cruising along the furniture now and jumps from one piece to the next. I sat in awe this morning as I watched her walk from the start of our kitchen table to the farthest wall of our kitchen. Her tactic: Crawl up on the table leg; hold on to the top of the table long enough to grab the chair; use the chair to move to her high chair; move along the high chair to the next table leg; cruise from that leg to the next chair, which safely got her to the green wall. All of this so she could try and reach for this blue cross I have hanging from the mirror that is hung way up high on the green wall. Phew... I'm tired just describing this all. Anyway, the point is SHE IS DETERMINED.

She is very proud of herself these days and claps at everything. Her bottle signing is also getting very good, as is her "air eating." Now that Cheerios are her snack of choice, she thinks she is always hungry and pretends to eat them out of thin air. Okay, Emma, I get the point. I swear she is like a human garbage disposal lately!

Peas passed the test, and we just finished pears. Next on the menu: green beans, avocado, and applesauce, although I haven't decided which order yet. BTW, did you know whole peas are a choking hazard? I thought I was all smart buying such a nutritious finger food, only to find out that they need to be either cut in half or crushed.... Boy, I stop reading my books for ONE second, and I become lethal to my child! Yes, an exaggeration, but it is scary to realize that your instincts CAN be wrong sometimes. Thanks to Carrie for letting me know!!!

Okay, 'nuf for now. We're off to watch Uncle Johnny and Auntie Stef graduate college this weekend. Emma is so proud of them -- and me too! She's (aka: I'm) also excited to wear her pretty Easter dress again! :o) I'm sure we'll be back with lots of photos of Johnny and Stef's big day. Have a great weekend everyone!

Fun in the Sun