Thursday, May 27, 2010

Emme At 6 Months

We bundled up and braved the snow on Monday to head to Emme's six month checkup. Here are the stats:

Height: 25.75" (50%)
Weight: 14 lbs 3 oz (20%)
Head: 44.5 cm (92%)

Every time we go for a checkup and the nurse measures her head and charts it, she inevitably comes back and measures it again because she thinks she's made a mistake! It's no mistake, this Chica has a huge head. Trust me, I should know. I birthed it.

Her stats have stayed pretty consistent from the way she was born, so the doctor said she's doing great. Although I have to admit, I never stop worrying about her weight, and I'm neurotic when it comes to making sure she gets all her feedings every day.



{Dad's favorite face of Emme's -- when she sucks on her bottom lip}


Emme's Favorite Things
  • Rolling from back to tummy, and then tummy to back, and then repeating again and again
  • Sitting up by herself
  • Blowing raspberries
  • Dad (She cries when he leaves the room)
  • Imitating sounds we make (Her most recent favorite is the "oh" sound)
  • Jumping. All the time.
  • Riding in the front carrier at the grocery store or on walks
  • Walks and listening to the birds
  • Touching the laptop keyboard and scratching at it to imitate the typing sound
  • Bathtime and splashing
  • The young women in our ward
  • Any paper she can crinkle

Emme's Not So Favorite Things
  • The feel of grass
  • Holding still while mom changes her diaper (Why would I lay here when I can roll?)
  • Teething
  • Her sunhat
  • Green beans (We love all the other foods now, including peas! Score one for mom's patience.)
  • Church

I cleaned out Emme's drawers again the other day and moved the clothes that were too small out and the next bigger size in. And I cried. And then after many days practicing with her, I sat on the floor in the family room with Emme between my legs and she sat up all by herself for the first time. And I cried again. I wish I could freeze time! My little baby is not such a little baby anymore and it makes me so sentimental. Before we know it she's going to be dating and driving. I just can't believe how fast time flies.

The other day I was walking into Nordstrom with my little sister Amy (to get her makeup done for Prom) and I had Emme in the front carrier. Right inside the doors we got stopped by a cute old woman worker who just had to see this baby. She stood right in front of us and just ooohed and awwwed over Emme, talking and smiling to her for what seemed like ages, until Amy and I finally politely sidestepped around her to get on our way. After we walked away Amy said to me, "Did you know her?" When I replied that I didn't she was dumbfounded. "Does that happen a lot? Like, people you don't even know just stop you to play with your baby and tell you how cute she is?" Yep. Welcome to motherhood.

It's such a wonderful privilege to be a mother and a parent. I want to savor every moment and remember every detail of this time. Chris and I are just so in love with this sweet heart!

Friday, May 21, 2010

Broken

I broke my toe the other day. (At least I'm pretty sure it's broken -- because I've broken toes before.)

How, you ask? By accidentally kicking one of the two million baby toys currently residing in our house, of course. It doesn't hurt too bad anymore, and I can still walk as long as I don't put any pressure on it -- which means I have to hobble a little.

Chris is still being careful with his back, so I am usually the one who carries Emme to and from the car in her carseat. The other day we were leaving my parents house and I could hear Chris laughing at me from behind as he watched me hobble to the car with the carseat and all Emme's gear. Har, har, Chris.

The curious thing is that it seems to be getting worse, ha ha. I'm not sure if it's from walking on it or from the strap of my flip flop, but the bruising is definitely changing.

{Day 2}

{Day 3}

{Day 4}

Here's to hoping my foot doesn't give up and fall off. Because I sort of need it.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Confessions of a Desperate Housewife

I confess. I'm getting pretty desperate.

{This is me cutting all the chocolate off a 3 Musketeers bar in an attempt to get a chocolate fix...without actually eating the chocolate. Pathetic, but true.}

Every once in a while this no chocolate - no milk - no spicy food - no onions - no garlic thing gets to me and I think I might explode. We're surrounded by chocolate everywhere! Every birthday party, every family gathering, everything. It's so hard to go to parties and watch everyone else eat chocolate cake and ice cream while I eat a few hot tamales from the candy jar. Because chocolate? Chocolate is my first love.

{Mmmm, chocolate. Oh, how I've missed you.}

(I can't tell you how many people I've had say to me, "Oh, my baby didn't like chocolate either but I just ate it anyway and made him/her deal with it." Um, no. I'm sorry, but if you ate chocolate while you were nursing and your baby didn't arch their back and scream in pain for the next 12 hours, and then proceed to spit up everything they got down -- your baby didn't have a problem with chocolate. I'm just saying.)

Chris laughed at me the other day when he saw me cutting up this candybar. So we made a deal. He says he won't eat chips while I can't eat chocolate. (Chips are Chris's "chocolate.") I say we'll see how long he lasts, ha ha! It might be harder than he thinks.

But I know it's all worth it to keep this face looking like this! I've made it six months, so what's another six, right?

Monday, May 17, 2010

Catch Up

We've had a crazy couple of weeks!

I recently became a Grocery Smarts instructor, so now I can come teach free coupon classes at anyone's house who wants one. As a result, I've been teaching classes like crazy! I taught three coupon classes in one week, and Chris was a champion babysitter while I was doing so. That same week I got asked to speak in church on Mother's Day. (Who asks mothers to speak on Mother's day? I so don't get that. But whatever.)

I was putting the finishing touches on my talk the day before when Chris threw his back out working in the yard. He laid on the front porch flat on his back for about 45 minutes before he was able to drag himself right inside the front door. (All the neighbors coming over to ask him if he was okay was just oh-so-embarassing for him, apparently.) Then he laid there for another 4 hours unable to move before he let me take him to the emergency room! (Big thanks to Amy for watching the Bambina.) They hopped him up on some pain pills and muscle relaxers, which helped Chris's back immensely. He had to be wheeled in there in a wheelchair but he was able to walk out on his own after the shot of muscle relaxer they gave him, so that was great.

(Luckily Chris is starting to feel a lot better. He's still being careful, and I think he's going to try to work on some exercises to strengthen his muscles so it won't happen again.)

I didn't know what I was going to do with Emme the next day while I was supposed to speak in church because Chris wasn't able to lift her and I obviously couldn't hold her on the stand...but luckily Stan & Kathryn came and were able to take care of both Chris and Emme while I spoke. Thank heavens for wonderful family!

{Grandpa, Grandma Jean and Emme Jean on Mother's Day}

After church we were able to visit with both sides of the family and wish everyone a happy Mother's Day. I got a beautiful painting of a mother and her baby from my mom, and I got a ticket to go see Lion King this August from Kathryn, which I'm so excited about! I've been wanting to see it for forever! I can't wait.

{Mommy and her little string bean}

Emme has been teething like mad lately. She went from an awesome sleeper to a restless one. Orajel is our friend these days, and sadly, she won't chew on anything but her hands or my hands, so teething toys are useless. Chris and I are both praying that something pops through soon, for all of our sakes!

{Little miss blue eyes}

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Melanie Rice Photography

We had Emme's six month photos taken last week by Chris's cousin Melanie. She did such a good job! We absolutely love all of the photos. We even got a few snapshots of our whole little fam at the end, which was awesome.

Melanie specializes in newborn, child and family portraiture, and does pictures in Salt Lake and Utah counties. She will come to your house with all of her studio gear and take photos in the comfort of your own home, which is so great! I would say my favorite photos of hers would definitely be the maternity and newborn shoots. If you're having a baby soon, you need to check out my three favorite newborn shoots of Melanie's here and here and here.

And you can check out the rest of Emme's photos from her shoot here.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Dear Grandma

Dear Grandma,

This outfit is for you. (I got so excited that I drooled on it -- sorry!) I love you. Go Utes!

Love,
Emme

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Friends

Emme got to visit her friend Cambree last week. I love this picture that Kelli took, it's so precious! They are having a sweet moment and remembering eachother. Emme is telling Cambree how much she missed her while she was down here waiting for her. I can't wait for them to be best friends! She is such a doll.


We laid Emme and Cambree down by each other, and Emme looks HUGE!
{RAAAWR! MY NAME IS EMME AND I'M A GIANT!}

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

The Mother's Room

The only room in the church where Emme behaves herself and will fall asleep. I guess those chairs are just too darn comfy.



Saturday, May 1, 2010

Emme Takes The Plunge

This week Emme went swimming for the first time! We went with our friends Sadie and Sawyer to the Cottonwood Heights Rec Center. Emme LOVED it and had such a blast. She was talking and babbling and happy the whole time.

{Emme and mom}

{Sadie and the Sawyer man}

{Happy girl in her cute little swimsuit}

{That's right, we rocked the pig-tails mullet-tails in the pool}

This is what happens when your tiny munchkin bum is too small for the swim diapers mom bought you before you were born:

You have to wear regular diapers in the pool. And they weigh so much it's hard to keep your pants up.

{Like father, like daughter}