Emmalyn,
You are still asleep in bed right now and I am wide awake. It's Christmas morning! I am treasuring this (most likely) last Christmas where everyone sleeps in but I'm about ready for the fun to start. You are amazing. I love spending time talking with you about Jesus' birthday, but I'll be honest. I feel so inadequate in helping you understand the magnificence of this day, of this truth. Sweet girl, how can I explain to you that God came to earth as a tiny baby who relied on his mother to change his diapers and nourish him. God, who created everything, depended on a woman to nurse him when he cried. God did that. And more, he gave his life for us. Darling, I pray that you understand this truth from the tips of your staticky hair to the bottom of your little toes. Jesus came for you.
You have been making us laugh so hard lately. You love to dance around the family room with your hands over your head, and love to entertain our family. You are learning about pronouns right now. The other night, as our car turned the corner to our street, you said "My house". I said, "Yes, it's our house Emmalyn." "No, my house. I share it with you, Mommy. I share with Mommy and Daddy. " What a generous girl you are to share your house with us Emmalyn! When you want to do something on your own, you said, "I help you, Mommy". So say, you're climbing down the stairs, and I ask "Can I carry you?" You reply, "No, Mommy. I help you!" Or you want to do something on your own. "Help you, Mommy! Help you!"
The other day, we were shopping and an older woman called you a cutie-pie. What trouble - the rest of the day you kept saying, "I cutie pie". Yes, girl, you are my cutie pie. I can't wait for you to come downstairs and make us some pie with your new kitchen - so hurry up! Merry Christmas; I love you.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Dear Amy: Merry Christmas
Dear Amy,
You are a 4.5 months old now and such a joy. Just a few days after you turned three months (on November 10), you rolled over! You've done it once since, but really don't like to be on your belly at all. This makes practice hard. Somehow you still manage to squirm all over your crib, which has created a cute little bald spot on the back of your head. Speaking of cribs, you are sleeping in yours every night instead of in that rock 'n play that we love so much. After you transitioned to your crib, you did great. And then, you decided to fight sleep for a while. Every time I laid you down, you would wail as though I was laying you in a bed of needles. As soon as I picked you up, you would hush. I'm not going to lie - I like being able to soothe you so easily, but I'm glad you gave up that little gig. Three hours of that every evening was a little much for me (but thanks for only making it last a week - you're amazing).
More than anything, you are SO smiley. You respond to every voice you hear and flash the brightest grins to even strangers. I. love. it. You are amazing. Along with those smiles, we are blessed with lots of baby talk. Like me, you clearly love the sound of your own voice. You are such a happy baby! When I walk in your room after a whole night of sleep, you melt me with the biggest gum-bearing grins. It makes it such a joy to take care of you. You are starting to take quite an interest in your big sister, too! She loves to cuddle and kiss you and you love to smile at her and often follow her around the room with your eyes. I can't wait to see what happens when you're mobile!
Today is Christmas morning, and everyone is still asleep but me. For Christmas, we got you an awesome gift: your toes. You just discovered them and seem to think they are the greatest thing ever. You're welcome. Everyone in the house is still asleep, and I am so excited it's Christmas. There are so many more of these to come for us, and I can't wait to enjoy every one of them with our family. More than anything, I hope that we can be the best stewards of the gift God has given us in you, in showing you Emmanual, the God who is with us and came to be with us just like you as a tiny baby. We love you, sweet girl.
You are a 4.5 months old now and such a joy. Just a few days after you turned three months (on November 10), you rolled over! You've done it once since, but really don't like to be on your belly at all. This makes practice hard. Somehow you still manage to squirm all over your crib, which has created a cute little bald spot on the back of your head. Speaking of cribs, you are sleeping in yours every night instead of in that rock 'n play that we love so much. After you transitioned to your crib, you did great. And then, you decided to fight sleep for a while. Every time I laid you down, you would wail as though I was laying you in a bed of needles. As soon as I picked you up, you would hush. I'm not going to lie - I like being able to soothe you so easily, but I'm glad you gave up that little gig. Three hours of that every evening was a little much for me (but thanks for only making it last a week - you're amazing).
More than anything, you are SO smiley. You respond to every voice you hear and flash the brightest grins to even strangers. I. love. it. You are amazing. Along with those smiles, we are blessed with lots of baby talk. Like me, you clearly love the sound of your own voice. You are such a happy baby! When I walk in your room after a whole night of sleep, you melt me with the biggest gum-bearing grins. It makes it such a joy to take care of you. You are starting to take quite an interest in your big sister, too! She loves to cuddle and kiss you and you love to smile at her and often follow her around the room with your eyes. I can't wait to see what happens when you're mobile!
Today is Christmas morning, and everyone is still asleep but me. For Christmas, we got you an awesome gift: your toes. You just discovered them and seem to think they are the greatest thing ever. You're welcome. Everyone in the house is still asleep, and I am so excited it's Christmas. There are so many more of these to come for us, and I can't wait to enjoy every one of them with our family. More than anything, I hope that we can be the best stewards of the gift God has given us in you, in showing you Emmanual, the God who is with us and came to be with us just like you as a tiny baby. We love you, sweet girl.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
paci
I'm not going to lie; I love the paci. Emmalyn took to it instantly. It was her first day home from the hospital and she was suckling constantly - even in her sleep. My mom said, "Here, try this." And the rest is history. We have lost so many pacis with her. I can tell you what stores carry her brand and what aisle they're in. She never had a security item other than her paci. This summer, we knew it was time to take it away from Emmalyn during awake hours, so we tried. Twice. The first time resulted in a broken cell phone and the second in a horrendous play date. Both involved an exhausted and defeated mama. Good times, people. I was scared to try again. But third time's a charm apparently. Because after we talked about it, I put it away in her nightstand drawer and we agreed it would only be for naps and bedtime. And it clicked. There were times she begged for it. Times I begged Eric that I could give it to her. But mostly, she did great. At the same time we were weaning Emmalyn off her paci, I was forcing one on Amy. Praying she would take it. And for now - she does. I love the paci.
And now, every morning, I know she's awake because I hear her nightstand drawer open and shut as she puts her paci away. "Paci drawer, mommy". Good job, baby girl.
(Last night, we heard the paci drawer close in the middle of the night and figured she thought it was time to get up. Eric went in to negotiate with her and she was crawling on the bedroom floor looking for paci and had just checked her nightstand. "Where's paci, Daddy?" Don't worry; it was discovered tucked in her bedsheets)
And now, every morning, I know she's awake because I hear her nightstand drawer open and shut as she puts her paci away. "Paci drawer, mommy". Good job, baby girl.
(Last night, we heard the paci drawer close in the middle of the night and figured she thought it was time to get up. Eric went in to negotiate with her and she was crawling on the bedroom floor looking for paci and had just checked her nightstand. "Where's paci, Daddy?" Don't worry; it was discovered tucked in her bedsheets)
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Dear Amy: 2 Months
Dear Amy,
You are two months old! At about 6 weeks old, you gave me your first smile when I went "la la la" as you were looking at me. You love to sit laying on our legs with our knees bent so you can see us right in the face. After you started to smile, you began to starting cooing occasionally. Between one and two months, little sounds started to come out of your mouth and I think you were just as surprised by them as we were!
I thought that you might have a little bit of colic because between 7-10 p.m. every night you only wanted to nurse or cry. We have spent a lot of evenings on the couch watching Netflix while you nurse. But it must be okay, because you are in the 70th percentile for weight and the 80th for height! We're not used to having such a growing baby! After six weeks, you started to calm down in the evenings and spend a lot of time awake and looking at Daddy and me.
You give smiles easily. Whenever someone talks to you in a cheerful tone, you smile for them. It is so precious. This month, you also discovered your playmat and you love it. Mainly, you like to look at yourself in the mirror. Emmalyn loves to lay with you and sometimes requests for you to lay on the mat so that you two can be close to one another. I'm sorry for all the times she has already steamrolled over you. Good news: you still have all your limbs though!
In the past month, you have started to sleep almost through the night. We swaddle you up around ten p.m. and you sleep until three or four a.m. Thanks girl! You're making this thing easy! ;) When Emmalyn would wake up crying as a baby, your daddy and I would often try to fix the problem or get into arguments trying to diagnose her. With you, Daddy generally changes your diaper and I then nurse you. We're a bit more calm this time, and we don't argue about how to care for you. I know that your dad is a much better swaddler than me, and he knows that it's okay for him to fall back asleep while I'm feeding you. The only time we really get worried about you is when you spit up a lot. You sure surprise us with that sometimes, but it's okay - nothing a good wash won't fix!
Thank you for the past two months - for the new smiles and good sleep, for the beginning coos, and the open eyes. We love you!
You are two months old! At about 6 weeks old, you gave me your first smile when I went "la la la" as you were looking at me. You love to sit laying on our legs with our knees bent so you can see us right in the face. After you started to smile, you began to starting cooing occasionally. Between one and two months, little sounds started to come out of your mouth and I think you were just as surprised by them as we were!
I thought that you might have a little bit of colic because between 7-10 p.m. every night you only wanted to nurse or cry. We have spent a lot of evenings on the couch watching Netflix while you nurse. But it must be okay, because you are in the 70th percentile for weight and the 80th for height! We're not used to having such a growing baby! After six weeks, you started to calm down in the evenings and spend a lot of time awake and looking at Daddy and me.
You give smiles easily. Whenever someone talks to you in a cheerful tone, you smile for them. It is so precious. This month, you also discovered your playmat and you love it. Mainly, you like to look at yourself in the mirror. Emmalyn loves to lay with you and sometimes requests for you to lay on the mat so that you two can be close to one another. I'm sorry for all the times she has already steamrolled over you. Good news: you still have all your limbs though!
In the past month, you have started to sleep almost through the night. We swaddle you up around ten p.m. and you sleep until three or four a.m. Thanks girl! You're making this thing easy! ;) When Emmalyn would wake up crying as a baby, your daddy and I would often try to fix the problem or get into arguments trying to diagnose her. With you, Daddy generally changes your diaper and I then nurse you. We're a bit more calm this time, and we don't argue about how to care for you. I know that your dad is a much better swaddler than me, and he knows that it's okay for him to fall back asleep while I'm feeding you. The only time we really get worried about you is when you spit up a lot. You sure surprise us with that sometimes, but it's okay - nothing a good wash won't fix!
Thank you for the past two months - for the new smiles and good sleep, for the beginning coos, and the open eyes. We love you!
Friday, September 6, 2013
One month of joy
Dear Amy,
You are one month old this week!
Last night, I remembered your birth (which is a bit of a comical story), and how I saw you being born. They announced you were a girl, the doctor laid you on my belly and then I just held you on my chest. Another baby girl. I was so thrilled. There was never a moment of wishing you were a boy or a hint of disappointment. It was sheer joy. With your sister, labor had me shaking too fiercely to feel comfortable holding her immediately. But with you, I got to hold you tight and secure - loving the fact that you had made your entrance so perfectly (right on time, too!).
You love to nurse, and after that really rough first three weeks (um, ouch!), it's a joy for both of us. You eat every 2-3 hours during the day, but let me sleep for 3-4 hours at night. Thanks for that - you rock. After your middle of the night feeding, you often like to look around and those are some of the moments where I see your face and personality come out. I hate putting you back to sleep after that, but well, I love sleep and can't nap all day like you. You don't take to your pacifier as easily as Emmalyn did, but you fall asleep without it easily. I'm not going to sugarcoat it: you've got some gas issues. But I know you're working on it, and we'll just keep giving you gas drops and holding you real tight until you get things straightened out. Anytime would be great though.
Emmalyn loves to look at you and tickle you, lay on top of you, and be burped beside you. I'm sorry if you're claustrophobic - she just likes to be close. When you first came home, every time we left the house she would say, "Amy come?" as though we were going to forget you and she had to remind us. As she got up from naps, she would have to locate you immediately to check on you. And when you cry, she goes "Amy, you okay. Amy, you okay" to soothe you. She likes to touch your face and insists on kissing you goodnight. It's not all roses and sunshine, but she is pretty proud to be your sister.
You, Daddy, and me have watched a lot of Netflix together. It's kind of our evening ritual since you like to be held all evening long, and eat most of the time between 8-10 p.m. You have been to church three weeks, and other people have held you during the service for two of those weeks! You are loved, darling! We have gone to the zoo twice, the bunny park with fountains twice, the mall, lots of dinners out, and many, many walks. You sleep in your carseat so peacefully and love to be in motion. We celebrated Grandpa's 60th birthday at a big party, and Aunt Emily came to visit from Louisville just so she could meet you! It's been a busy month!
Looking at you right now, it's clear our little newborn is growing up already! But I'm so excited - the four of us are going to have a blast together, and I am already thrilled at what's ahead for us. You weight 10.5 pounds right now, and I love every bit of it! They say you're tall too - but don't get used to it; the genes aren't really working in your favor there. Know, sweet Amy, that we love you so much and pray you'll know Jesus' love more and more every day of your life.
You are one month old this week!
Last night, I remembered your birth (which is a bit of a comical story), and how I saw you being born. They announced you were a girl, the doctor laid you on my belly and then I just held you on my chest. Another baby girl. I was so thrilled. There was never a moment of wishing you were a boy or a hint of disappointment. It was sheer joy. With your sister, labor had me shaking too fiercely to feel comfortable holding her immediately. But with you, I got to hold you tight and secure - loving the fact that you had made your entrance so perfectly (right on time, too!).
You love to nurse, and after that really rough first three weeks (um, ouch!), it's a joy for both of us. You eat every 2-3 hours during the day, but let me sleep for 3-4 hours at night. Thanks for that - you rock. After your middle of the night feeding, you often like to look around and those are some of the moments where I see your face and personality come out. I hate putting you back to sleep after that, but well, I love sleep and can't nap all day like you. You don't take to your pacifier as easily as Emmalyn did, but you fall asleep without it easily. I'm not going to sugarcoat it: you've got some gas issues. But I know you're working on it, and we'll just keep giving you gas drops and holding you real tight until you get things straightened out. Anytime would be great though.
Emmalyn loves to look at you and tickle you, lay on top of you, and be burped beside you. I'm sorry if you're claustrophobic - she just likes to be close. When you first came home, every time we left the house she would say, "Amy come?" as though we were going to forget you and she had to remind us. As she got up from naps, she would have to locate you immediately to check on you. And when you cry, she goes "Amy, you okay. Amy, you okay" to soothe you. She likes to touch your face and insists on kissing you goodnight. It's not all roses and sunshine, but she is pretty proud to be your sister.
You, Daddy, and me have watched a lot of Netflix together. It's kind of our evening ritual since you like to be held all evening long, and eat most of the time between 8-10 p.m. You have been to church three weeks, and other people have held you during the service for two of those weeks! You are loved, darling! We have gone to the zoo twice, the bunny park with fountains twice, the mall, lots of dinners out, and many, many walks. You sleep in your carseat so peacefully and love to be in motion. We celebrated Grandpa's 60th birthday at a big party, and Aunt Emily came to visit from Louisville just so she could meet you! It's been a busy month!
Looking at you right now, it's clear our little newborn is growing up already! But I'm so excited - the four of us are going to have a blast together, and I am already thrilled at what's ahead for us. You weight 10.5 pounds right now, and I love every bit of it! They say you're tall too - but don't get used to it; the genes aren't really working in your favor there. Know, sweet Amy, that we love you so much and pray you'll know Jesus' love more and more every day of your life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)