She is truly my second earthly love. I couldn't be happier to be a mommy. I love everything about her. She has the cutest expressions, hair, eyes, rolls. I have been meaning to create this for 4 months now but being a new mom has made me one busy lady! I am behind in jotting down those milestones but I figure it is better to start now then never. Also, I want to try and catch up on what I have made mental notes on and put it where I'll never loss it.
Before Emalyn was born: I liked being pregnant for the most part. I did my best to not gain too much weight (17 lbs. gained) and to walk almost everyday. The toughest part was my HUGE feet. Josh was forced to rub them a lot. We had special lotion for Aveda. When I was pregnant the main thing I craved was seedless watermelon and Chipotle : O ) Nummy!
Day she was born Nov. 17, 2010: (went to hospital at 1 a.m. - she was born at 5:13 a.m. - the process went so quick that everything was completely as mother nature intended.) Her due date was Nov. 14 - so Emalyn was a few days overdue. We had a scheduled induction on Nov. 18, 2010, it was almost as though she knew she had to make her appearance sooner than later. Emalyn weighed 8 lbs. and was 20 in. long.
Day we brought her home Nov. 19, 2010 (perfectly healthy baby). The last day in the hospital was tragic. We just wanted to get out of there but the nurse was driving us crazy. We finally got all loaded up and leaving the hospital was the most dramatic feeling I had ever experienced! She cried the whole way home and strongly disliked her carseat. She was wearing the most precious ladybug jumper though. She looked so small in her carseat.
Nov. 21, 2011 First time she went to church...she wore a white and pink flower two piece outfit. Very popular lady! Both Josh and I looked like Zombies. That same day we went to my sisters house and the Aunties and Uncles watched her while we slept downstairs for a couple hours. AMAZINGLY HELPFUL!
Nov. 28, 2011: Mommy turned 30 and Daddy was very sick. This was a pivatol point though because I finally started to figure you out and get past my Baby Blues.
First week of December: The first few times I left her were due to our Singing Christmas Tree Choir practice. You stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Pratt and did a GREAT job. She did come to one of the performaces and Auntie Tami watched her.
The first couple months: They were tough. Josh and I learned to become parents and although we knew our life would change we didn't quite understand what that would mean. Emalyn didn't care much for her bassinet so we put her in her crib really early -sleep improved and so did the nightly freedom.
New Year: We went to bed early...HA!
January 16, 2011: First time Emalyn really smiled.
Febuary 1, 2011: First time we heard a laugh. Emalyn has the best little laugh! She is a calm more reserved little person so we have to work hard to get a laugh out.
Febuary 14, 2011: Mommy and Emalyn made Daddy a lobster tail and clam strips for his Valentines Day surprise. We also put hearts with Ribbon all over the house. He loves his girls! She did not go to sleep very well that night though...she must have know it was a special day.
March 17, 2011: We visited Dr. Campbell and he expressed that she continues to be a very healthy baby and at this check up weighed 13 lb. 11 oz. , 40 cm head and 23 3/4 inches long. She also ate cereal for the first time today. She LOVED IT!
March 18, 2o11: Grandma and Grandpa came over for supper and fed her rice and also joined in on bath and book time. Emalyn loves to read books at night. She loves having her mommy and daddy on each side of her. You can just tell Emalyn feels so special.
The next week: Emalyn could not stand her cereal-she made the strangest noise when we would feed it to her. Until...Daddy made it too thick (so mommy thought). She then loved her cereal again! Absolutely loves it now!
As to date - April 15, 2011: We love our Emie (nickname) so much! She is still a handful. She lets you know when she is tired or hungry but other than that she has always been a delight. She values her sleep and has...for example last night she went to bed at 7:30, woke up at 4 (was up for about 20 min. to eat), then went back to bed until 7:18 this morning. She tends to eat more in the morning to make up for her sleep at night. She then went back down for a nap at 9 and is currently still sleeping. Her morning nap ususally lasts for about 2 hrs and she will take a short afternoon nap and then is up until bedtime. Our nightly routine consists of rice cereal at approximately 6 p.m., followed by bathtime with Mommy and Daddy. She enjoys her bath toys: octupus, baby whale (shower), Quackers (RIP noise maker), Lobster, and most importantly washcloth (she loves to suck on it and wave it around on an arm). We also give her Tri-va-sol in the tub since she is a breastfeed baby. After bath time we put on lotion and then set up our little picnic of books on her bedroom floor. We typically read Give me Grace, Jesus Loves Me, Peekaboo I Love You, Pets Tails, I Love You Through and Through (these tend to be her favorites, eventough we do mix it up once and awhile). She then is cuddled by mommy while daddy works on the computer until she falls asleep with her mobile.
Emalyn is such a life changing joy! Life at times is overwhelming because of the loss of freedom but I know I am doing my best to raise her up to be a strong women of God and to me there is no other job that I'd want.
