Every little moment...

Our baby girl is now 9 months old. Amazing, or what? We found out at her well visit on Thursday that she now weighs in at 19 pounds, 3 ounces and is 28 1/2 inches tall. So in three months she has grown about 2 1/2 pounds and about 2 1/2 inches. We have had many "firsts" the past 3 months. Emilie's first camping trip in a tent, her first Halloween, and her first Bulldog football game and tailgate. We also have hit some big milestones, most importantly the one that has made mommy and daddy's job a lot tougher overnight...Emmi is mobile! Yes, she is crawling and crawling fast. It's amazing how a little baby can get from point A to point B in a matter of milli-seconds. And usually point B involves something she's not supposed to have. She'll crawl right through a pile of toys just so she can get to something FAR more interesting to her such as the blinds, Tessa's bone, magazines on the coffee table, the entertainment center, or a tiny white cord buried under the carpet along the edge of the wall. Nope, we are never bored around here anymore! :)

Emilie is now eating all kinds of veggies and fruits that mommy makes for her. She has tried zucchini, carrots, yams, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, apples, and pears. Most recently she has fallen in love with chicken and bananas. She is starting to learn how to pick up little pieces and feed herself. She has even appeased mommy by mimicking the sign for "more." She also says "mama" and "dada" a lot, but not always in context. And she melted mommy's heart today when she moved her head towards mine, puckered up her lips, and kissed me...3 times! Does it get any better than that??

Emilie's first birthday is approaching quickly. With all the holiday activities coming up I know it will be here before we know it. It seems like yesterday I was walking around at Christmas with my big 'ol pregnant belly and it was hard to imagine her being here with us. Now I'm watching her crawl across my living room. Sometimes I wish I could just freeze frame time. But I know time isn't gonna stop for me... so I just enjoy every little moment :)

My Big Girl

Yes, it's true what I have been told a million times by every parent I know...it goes by so fast!! My baby girl will be 8 months old tomorrow! She is continuing to grow and change every day. She is just on the verge of crawling. She gets up on her knees and rocks back and forth, however she has decided to take after her daddy in moving backwards from there! Yes, Emilie has inherited the infamous "backward crawl." We think it's funny but she gets frustrated because she gets further and further away from the thing she's chasing! She also loves to imitate sounds, sing to music, and pull Tessa's hair (poor Tess). She has learned to clap her hands and wave bye bye. She has started eating veggies (made by mommy) twice a day. Her favorites so far are yams and butternut squash. And lucky for us, she is a great sleeper! Goes to bed without a fuss between 8-9 and wakes up between 6-6:30.

Over the past couple of months Emilie has had her first trip to the ocean, her first time camping in a tent (with bears and all), and her first Bulldog football game. Unfortunately, mommy had to take her home before kickoff, thanks to the ridiculous Fresno heat in the middle of September. We also had the priveledge of dedicating Emilie to the Lord, at our church this past month.

Emilie just makes everything in our lives better. She brings joy to every day...every situation. No matter how tough, hectic, or stressful things get in our lives, it's all forgotten when we see her bright eyes and big smile. She brings perspective to everything. She is our happy little girl!

6 Month Update

Emilie had her 6 month check-up today. She weighed in at 16 pounds, 9 ounces! That's almost 4 pounds heavier than her 4-month appointment. She is also 2 inches longer, at 26 inches. Dr. Martin says that she is almost exactly average for a 6 month old girl...just slightly below the 50th percentile. Wow, she has caught up quickly! Just think, only a few months ago, we were having to go in for weekly weight checks because she was not gaining and was barely on the growth chart. We are going to start with solids this week...with zucchini to be exact! So we'll see how that goes. Rice cereal is not her favorite meal (don't blame her) so hopefully she'll like veggies better. The rest of her appointment went well. She screamed for a total of about 10 seconds after she got her shots, then she was fine. However, my sweetie has been asleep since we got home from the appointment 4 hours ago, so I guess it really tired her out! Next appointment will be at 9 months.

Six months old?!

I can't believe our baby girl is 6 months old today!! Every single day has been such a blessing. She is growing and changing everyday. She is rolling over onto her belly, starting to be able to sit on her own (for a few seconds), and has already cut two baby teeth! We also started feeding her rice cereal this past week...although I don't really know how much of it she is actually swallowing! When she gets excited she kicks and moves her arms up and down like she's going to take flight. It's so dang cute! And of course, she smiles and talks all the time.

I am of course loving every minute of my summer off with Emilie. We are having so much fun. We took our first vacation...a 10 hour trip to Crescent City with Nana and Papa to visit GGP (Great Grandpa Smith), where we spent the 4th of July. Then we went to Lake Tahoe to meet Grandma and Grandpa for Emilie's first camping trip. Besides the bear that decided to join us at our campfire one night, we had an awesome time. We went to the beach during the day and spent the nights around the campfire. We have also had fun celebrating Aunt Mimi's and daddy's 30th birthdays, cousin Reid's 4th birthday, and cousin Rena's 3rd birthday. It's been a busy, eventful, and exciting summer so far!

Emilie is such a happy little girl. And in turn, she makes us happy beyond words. I'm still amazed everyday that we have been blessed with her. Happy 6-month old birthday Emmi Rae!

Happy First Father's Day Dustin!

4 months old!

Emmi turned 4 months old on May 22nd and had her 4 month check-up yesterday. She weighed in at 12 pounds, 14 ounces and 24 inches long! That moves her up to the 13th percentile in weight and 25th percentile in height. Dr. Martin was cracking up because she was "jibber jabbin" the whole entire time. He said he doesn't think he's ever heard a 4 month old baby talk so much! And of course, she got her vaccinations...the part mommy dreads the most. But we got through it!

Emilie is more and more fun everyday. Daddy can get her giggling like crazy. It's so dang cute. She likes to grasp and hold things in her hands. And she can hold her head up really well now. Another big milestone (more for mommy than for Emmi) is that she has moved from the bassinet in our room to the crib in her room at night now. It was a very easy transition for her. She sleeps through the night and wakes up with a smiling face every morning! My favorite part of the day is going into her room in the morning and saying hello to her because as soon as she sees me, I get a huge grin...melts my heart!

Two more weeks of work for mommy, and then I get to spend every minute with my girl all summer long! Can't wait!

My First Mother's Day

Last year at this time, the day after Mother's Day to be exact, was when I found out that I was pregnant. I can still remember the joy I felt that day! I can't believe it's already been a year since then!

My first Mother's Day was all that I had hoped and dreamed it would be. Just spending the day with my baby girl, my daughter (still feels surreal to say that), was the best gift in the world. We started out the day by going to church. Then we went to breakfast and walked around Sierra Vista, which is where this picture was taken. After that we went home and just the three of us spent the day together. I held my Emmi as much as possible and just enjoyed every minute of the day with her. Who knew just staring at a baby all day could be so fulfilling!

In my happiness I also remember the pain Mother's Day used to bring. I know many girls out there who still feel that pain and my heart goes out to them. My prayer is that soon your pain will be turned to joy. My thoughts are always with you.

Everyday is a blessing to me, but this Mother's Day was so special. I can't believe how blessed I am!

Overwhelming Joy

Our Emmi was 3 months old on Wednesday, the 22nd. And what a joyful, eventful 3 months it has been! We had a blast spending our first Easter with our baby. Mommy enjoyed getting her dressed up in her pretty Easter dress and bow with her cousin, Rena. We also made our first trip to Nana and Papa's house, our Jeep packed to the ceiling with all our stuff...pack 'n play, stroller, carseat, luggage, and dog crate! It's now become an adventure just to pack the car for a short trip...all part of the fun of having a little one and one of the little things we laugh at about how much our lives have changed...for the better! Emmi also went to her first wedding (Dustin's former golf teammate, Chad Spencer and his girlfriend, Tiffany). I think Emilie was the star of the show, next to the bride! She was so good. Didn't hear a peep out of her during the wedding and she was a trooper being passed around to all the guests who couldn't resist holding her.

Another big step in Emilie's life these days is her start at daycare. Carol is the name of the lady who watches her, and she just adores Emmi. Well, really, who couldn't? :) She really seems to like Carol too...Emmi is happy as a clam when I drop her off and when I pick her up. And mommy just can't get home from work fast enought to see that sweet little face. Funny how things that used to stress me out at work just don't seem all that important anymore!

Emmi is getting bigger and changing everyday. She loves people; loves it when we get really close and talk to her. She smiles, sometimes giggles, and makes those darling baby cooing sounds like she's having a conversation with you. She's a very content baby...so content that Papa says we don't even get credit for being parents! (funny Papa!)

We are so overwhelmed with the joy that Emilie brings us everyday and the joy she brings to everyone around her. Everytime I look at her I feel like my heart might burst. I guess every parent knows that feeling, but after struggling for so long to have her, we just can't believe God gave us the priveledge to be able to feel such joy. We cherish EVERY moment...even the poopie diaper explosions!! Who knew a parent could even find the joy in that? We love you Emmi! :)

Time Flies...

Two months old already!! I've been meaning to write this post since Emmi turned 2 months old, 8 days ago!! I'm starting to realize what a "busy mom" means...and I haven't even started back to work yet! Emilie had her 2 month pediatrician appointment last Tuesday. She weighed in at a whopping 8 pounds, 6 ounces and was 22" long! Dr. Martin informed us that she is finally "on the curve" at the 3rd percentile in weight and the 25th percentile in height. This took many hours of nursing and pumping from mommy to get her there, but we did it!

At 2 months old, Emilie is becoming so much more aware, alert, and interactive. It's amazing how much she changes everyday. She loves to "talk" to us with her cute little "cooing" noises. And when she looks up at us with those loving eyes and gets a big 'ol smile on that tiny little pixie face, it just melts my heart. You should see the smile she gets on her face and the way her eyes light up when she hears her daddy's voice and looks at him after he gets home from a long day at work. And you should see his eyes light up too!

Unfortunately, with this 2 months marker also comes the dreaded return to work for me. I hate to think about being away from her all day. It's ridiculous how much I miss her just when she's taking a nap and I'm in the same room!! But on the other hand, there was a point in time when I didn't know if I would ever have a child, so I look at it this way...at least I have a baby to take to daycare. I guess it's all about perspective, right?

Yes, time does fly. But it's the best time of my life...

Four Weeks Old!

I can't believe Emi is 4 weeks old!! It feels like we just brought her home yesterday. Being a mommy is everything everybody said it would be. It's the most wonderful, rewarding, beautiful thing in the world! I just can't stop telling her how much I love her. And when she looks up at me with those big eyes, my heart just melts. I took this picture today, one day after her 4 week birthday. I want to savor every moment of her "baby stage." It's already going by WAY too fast! I think she looks just like her daddy but daddy says she has my eyes (even though they are still blue!) She is starting to give us cute little smiles when she is in a really good mood. I love to watch her with Dustin. She loves to lie on her daddy's lap and just stare up at him as he talks to her. It's like she's listening to every word he says. She loves to dance with daddy too.

She is still pretty little and hasn't reached her birthweight yet, but she is getting there. She has been going in for weekly weight checks and weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces yesterday at her doctor's appointment. Dr. Martin wants to see her surpass her birthweight of 7.5. She is nursing well, but likes to fall asleep while mommy is feeding her. She is sleeping pretty well also, waking up to nurse about every 3 hours. I'm still getting used to the interrupted sleep, but it's all part of the fun of being a parent. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Emilie is such a blessing...we are living out our dream come true every day!

Our Miracle

She's here! Emilie Rae Smith was born on January 22, 2009 at 4:23 p.m. She was 7 pounds, 5 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long. After a long day of labor and no progress, the doctor gave us the option of having a C-section or going home and starting over the following week with the pitocin. We prayed about it and were lead to the decision of having a C-section, which we felt would be the safest for our baby. We have no doubt we made the right decision and now we have our beautiful baby girl home with us! The only words that can describe our joy...we have our miracle!

Getting closer to seeing this sweet face...

Well, we had a Dr.'s appointment yesterday and decided to go ahead and induce this week! I am still not even 1 cm dilated, but the baby's head is further down and my cervix is starting to soften. At this point I am a few days overdue and the baby is growing about 1/2 pound a week. The doctor said we could wait and come back next week but he does not want the baby to get too big for me to deliver. So the plan is to go into the hospital on Wednesday and they will insert some gel called "Cervidil" which is supposed to further prepare the cervix for dilation. Then the doctor will come in on Thursday morning and give me "The Pit" as my sister the nurse calls it (pitocin) in order to induce me and bring on contractions. At this point I feel a ton of different emotions: excitement, anticipation, nervousness, joy, and a little bit afraid, all at the same time. But most of all, it just feels surreal. After waiting all this time to have a baby, I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that I could be holding her in just a few days. It just doesn't seem possible to me. I feel so blessed. If all goes well, by this weekend...we will see our baby daughter's sweet little face. Please keep us in your prayers for a safe, healthy, smooth delivery!