Emmedid turn ONE and TWO weeks.

WEEK ONE. 

Heading to your first trip to the pediatrician. 

Auntie Ashley is your FAVORITE nurse.

She loves you oh so much!

You weighed 8 lbs 3 oz and had gained all your birth weight back PLUS 6 oz. 

 Such a perfect healthy little girl. 

 Week ONE photo shoot. 

 

Smiling girls. 

 WEEK TWO.
Before your two week appointment at the pediatrician, we met Daddy for lunch. 

 

You weighed 8 lbs 7 oz and were 21.25 inches long. 

 Auntie Ashley had to stick your little heel for the Newborn Screen.
We both were a little teary!

We got the go ahead to start tummy time! 

Week TWO photo shoot.

 

Playing with Glamma after picture time. 

 Big sister is finally warming up to you.

Emmedid grow. 
-From day one you have been an excellent nurser. It was more of an adjustment for Mommy than you!
-You are typically nursing every 2-3 hours, just as expected.
-You spit up ALL the time. But, I think it's because you love to eat and take in more than your tiny tummy can handle.
-On the "tummy" topic, you have your Daddy's. We will just leave it at that.
-At first, you were not big on being swaddled at night. But, I remained persistent and now I think you love it!
-When we take you out of your SwaddleMe wrap in the morning you always stretch your little arms. We say, "SO BIG!" and kiss you no less than a hundred times.
-I made up a little song just for you. The Mommy who NEVER sings, now sings to you. I taught it to Daddy too.
-You tend to like your bouncer better than the swing. However, I say you have a "time limit" in both. After 20 minutes you start to get fussy and I go get you out.
-You are warming up to tummy time. You don't love it, you don't hate it.
-You are a pacifier kid and I LOVE that. In the hospital the lactation consultant made me feel like I was an awful mother for giving you one. The pediatrician said that she was crazy and to go ahead and let you suck away! Trust me, you know the difference between which nipple gives you milk. Ha.
-Your right little tear duct was clogged for about a week. After I massaged it for a few days it opened right up!
-We started you on Vitamin D supplements and you are a champ at taking it.
-You scream during bath time. It's a ton of fun for all of us!
-I am getting more comfortable with you sleeping at night and my fears about you stopping breathing have decreased a little.  I think I am just too sleep deprived to keep waking up every 10 minutes to check on you!
-It's crazy how much sleep you need, and how little sleep I need.
-Your Daddy and I think every single squirm and squeak you make is the coolest thing ever.

Everyday is a joy with you, Emme Kate. 
I couldn't love being your Mommy any more!

Emmedid go home.

After a total of 3 days in the hospital, we were more than ready to bring little Em home. 

Let me just tell you, motherhood comes with an incredible amount of fears. 

First, you stress over every little aspect of your pregnancy. From what you eat to the amount of exercise you do. It's crazy the freakish things you wonder. 

Second, you reach the end of your pregnancy and you become traumatized at the thought of labor. I truly believed something horrible would happen to me or Em and one {or both} of us would not make it home alive. 

Lastly, now you have this precious, sacred little baby and you are taking it home. {Hallelujah! We both made it out alive!} But, now we are solely responsible for keeping this little person alive. 

Some way, some how, we did it! 

 And our lives are filled with more happiness than I ever could have dreamed. 

Pictures, please. 

Hey, baby girl. 

Our sweet photographer for the morning, Auntie Holly. 

I was totally impressed with our hospital stay.

I did not know much about the L&D floors at Memorial Hermann {TMC}, but I highly recommend it!

The nurses were awesome, the service was fantastic, and the rooms were large enough to accommodate our huge family. 

Emme even got a birthday cake from the hospital the day she was born!

She was all smiles on her way out. 

I remember approaching the glass doors and thinking I didn't want to take my sweet baby into the real, scary, and occasionally ugly world we live in. For nine months she was protected inside my belly, for three days she has been safe inside the controlled environment of the hospital, and now we are going out into the world of unknown. While there is so much unknown, I do know I will spend every day of the rest of my life doing all I can to protect her!

Our first attempt at getting her in the car seat. 

Mommy tip: Do try strapping something {stuffed animal, dog, another baby, whatever} into the car seat before actually trying to put your child in it. You have no idea how complicated these silly things are. 

Cold weather + screaming child + frustrated parents + a watching valet line= Taking the seat out of the car and going back inside to figure it all out. 

Strapped in and finally ready to go!

Snug as a bug. 

Up close and personal on the way home. 

She squirmed a bit but didn't make a peep. 

We made it home!

Gracie-Goo got a little present too!

Grace meets Emme. 

Daddy difficulties. 

It's a GIRL nursery!

A few more pink gift's from Glamma. 

First diaper change in the nursery. 

Home. 

Snuggled in the Snugabunny. 

Welcome home Emme party. 

Once again, almost no pictures of everyone that was there. 

{I'm awful at entertaining and picture taking.}

I did get one of the girls and our babies!

Meeting Auntie Alli. 

We had a great first day at home!

And we even survived our first sleepless night alone. 

I had {and still have} this huge fear that Emme will stop breathing at night. 

Crazy, control freak Mom, I know. 

When you love something so, so, so much, you just can't help it. 

Once again, I find myself giving up my worries to God and praying like I have never prayed before. 

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ."

Philippians 4:6-7