Mobile Magic

It's been a few days since I last posted, and a few things of note have occured. First of all, my parents came for a visit and got to enjoy their granddaughter for a couple of days. She kept them both laughing the whole time with her smiles, sounds, and wiggles. My mom brought Emma some linked, colorful rings, and we got to watch as she became quite adept at gripping them. They are her new favorite toy. Grandma also bought the Peach a mobile for her crib, pictured above. The one I picked out is by a company called Tiny Love and has gotten great reviews from other parents. It was fun to watch her transfixed the first time we turned it on. She kicked her legs with excitement! I hope it will keep her entertained until we have to take it down b/c she can grab at it. The very top photo is from Emma's perspective -- I set the camera down beside her head so we could see what she sees. The mobile runs for 15 minutes at a time, playing tunes by Mozart, Bach and Beethoven. I also got Em a simpler mobile for her crib at daycare -- she'll get to experience that one for the first time tomorrow.

Yesterday we discovered yet another adorable thing our little girl does. If you blow on her face in just the right spot, she sticks her tongue out! It's hilarious. A friend tipped me off about how I might be able to post video on the blog, so when I get it figured out I'll show all of you.

Jon had Em here at home with him today while I went to work. He did the first feeding with her at 10:30 a.m. and he said she gulped the entire bottle down in no more than 10 minutes without taking a break to burp, and that when she was done she cried...probably wanting more. Okay, so that broke my heart. It's terrible to think she didn't get enough! He said she got over it quickly enough, though, and then took a 2 1/2 hour nap -- right up to her next feeding which I came home for. Around 5, right before I got home, I guess Emma got upset b/c she was hungry. Daddy soothed her by massaging her face. Yup...she's a girl after my own heart. There's nothing like having your head and face played with! She's so precious.

Clothes, clothes and more clothes

I went to the garage the other day and pulled the storage tote containing 3-9 month clothes so I could take stock of what we already have and what Emma might possibly need. She's still wearing 0-3 mos, but I anticipate it won't be too much longer before we have to promote her to 3-6 mos. I got on the scale today - first without Emma and then with her in my arms - and the rough weight estimate is 13 1/2 lbs!!! We have a growing girl. Back to the clothes, I pulled all of the next size out and put them in one of her dresser drawers and organized the rest to go back out to the garage for awhile longer. We have plenty of sleepers in 3-6 mos, along with onesies, but not many actual outfits, persay. I'm going to dread having to retire some of the ones she's wearing these days -- they're so cute and I don't feel we've gotten enough use out of them. In the L/9 mos size, no joke, we have at least TWENTY onesies!!! Thankfully, I'm pretty sure she'll be in those during the warmer weather and so that may be ALL she wears.

Grandma and Grandpa are here this weekend. They've spent today over in Springfield, checking out real estate to see if they might want to move here -- to be closer to little Emma, of course. We (me and Em) were going to go with them today, but last night our Peach decided to be up every 3 hours. She ate at 10:30 p.m., then was up at 1:30 & 4:30 a.m. So we stayed here and napped. Tonight we're going to do church, where I'm supposed to help serve communion, then Jon and I are going to a friend's suprise 40th birthday party while my mom and dad stay here for some "alone time" with their granddaughter. Not sure what the plan will be for tomorrow. Unfortunately Jon has to work, so he'll miss out on whatever fun we cook up.

Sometime in the next couple of days will come more pictures. She's freshly bathed and in one of our favorite outfits, so I'm certain the camera will be hot tonight.

Kiatilinn Joyce

Here are some pictures of Kiatilinn Joyce. Didn't get any of her and Emma together during our visit. Perhaps next time. KJ's two weeks old already!

A Rollercoaster Ride

I had no idea that parenthood would be such a rollercoaster ride. One day I'm optimistic and things are going well, and the next day I can find myself in such a valley of discouragement. Apparently I DID speak too soon about Emma sleeping through the night again. She did have two nights of 7-hour stretches, but then last night we were up at 3:30 a.m. Again, I blame daycare -- not the workers, mind you, but just her having to be there. I know many of my posts have been along this same theme, so I'll spare you the breakdown of events. Suffice it to say, I'm having a really hard time being content in our current circumstances. I have to keep reminding myself of the single mom who works 2 jobs and never sees her kids, or of the couple who has lost a child and doesn't have the frustration of not being able to stay home with him. It would seem that, because of the way our circumstances have worked out, God wants me to be working, but I'm really struggling with it.

On a lighter, funnier note, last evening we had quite a poop incident. I had just finished feeding Emma and sat her up on my lap to burp when, simultaneously, she burped and filled her diaper. Unfortunately, because she WAS sitting, what came out of her had nowhere to go but up her back. I had to yell for Jon to come give me a hand! I held Emma up off my lap while Jon undid the buttons of her sweater and then pulled her pants off. It was so widespread that I ended up just filling the tub and Emma got a bath a night early. In the end she went to bed, snug as a bug in a rug, outfitted in the sleeper gown her Aunt Darcie gave her for Christmas. The clothes we had pulled off of her went immediately downstairs to be rinsed, sprayed, and put through the washer.

VICTORY!

I hope I don't jinx anything by typing this, but Emma slept through the night last night -- a solid 7-hour stretch! Unfortunately for me, she would only eat on one side for her last feeding, so I was extra heavy and sore on the other side by morning...10 hours of milk production will do that. UGH. It would seem that she's eating more, even though my chest isn't necessarily any bigger. I assume she's eating more because now when I pump I'm consistently putting out 5 oz. rather than the 3 or 4 I used to. I'm really facinated by how the body works...senses what she needs and adjusts accordingly.

Today was sort of unusual for Emma in the daycare. As I've posted before, she usually doesn't sleep very well when she's there. At 1:30 when I retrieved her to nurse, she'd only had a 1/2 hour nap. After eating, she seemed tired, so I held her until she fell asleep. Then, wanting to get her to a deeper level of sleep before returning her to the room of chaos, I walked the hall to talk with my co-workers about work stuff. My journeys took me over to the school to set up a meeting with one of the teachers, but she happened to be free right then, so I stayed and we had a long discussion. All the while, I was holding Emma as she slept. I finally returned the Peach to the daycare at 3:00 -- she'd been asleep for an hour. I set her in a swing, snuggled in her blanket, and headed back to my office. Two hours later I went back to get Em to find her still in the swing, sound asleep. THREE HOURS she'd been snoozing. I lifted her from the swing and settled her on my shoulder, took her down to my office to put her in the carseat carrier. She stirred some, but then fell back to sleep in the car on the ride to get Daddy. I was starting to wonder if she might be sick for how sleepy she was being. Fortunately, we took her temp upon getting home and she wasn't feverish. Finally she woke to eat, stayed awake for a little over an hour, then laid down for a nap....which is where she is right now. Hmmmm. I miss her.

I'm getting a bit overwhelmed at work right now. We're planning to launch some summer day camps and I'm ultimately responsible for them as they're considered a community outreach ministry. I've had several camp-related meetings this week and have a deadline coming up at the end of the month that I'm going to have to work aggressively to meet. I really wish I had the option of cutting back to part time, or ceasing to work altogether so I could spend more time with Emma. I just don't have the desire or drive to continue doing what I'm doing right now. I feel worn out... I want someone else to be the responsible one... I want to have the option to say NO for once. I guess I am lucky, though, that it's not my nature to bring work home with me. I can compartmentalize pretty well, so at the end of the day I make an easy shift back to being wife and mom separate from being a pastor.

That's all for now. I'll try to post some new pictures tomorrow.

One Tired Girl

Emma didn't sleep much in the daycare today -- just a couple of cat naps here and there. Alas, tonight when we got home she was pretty wiped out...yet fought sleep HARD! Jon tried rocking her for a bit while I was puttering around in her room putting things away and taking stock of outfits hanging in her closet. Eventually he passed her off to me so he could go fill a cookie order, and I assumed the rocking position in the chair, snuggling Emma in close wrapped in her Blues Clues blanket, with the pacifier at my right hand. Sounds all cute and comfortable, doesn't it? She didn't think so. I think our girl was a tad bit overtired, and so she spit out the pacifier, kept throwing her arm back to knock the blanket off her shoulder, and crinkled up her face to cry. I had to swallow laughter as she whimpered and whined unconvincingly. It didn't take long before her eyelids fell and she was snoozing. What a cutie.

I've decided we need to get Emma a mobile for her crib. Someone gave us a used one which we put up for awhile, but the plastic of the arm had a crack in it and every time we wound it up, we heard an ominous creaking. It wasn't long before we took it down. Now that she can see further, it would be nice to have something hanging up there for her to look at. I think I'll check out some websites to see what we can find.

The Peach did even better yet last night...to bed at 10:30, then up at 4:50. A six hour stretch!!! Too bad Mommy had a weather-induced headache and consequently couldn't take advantage of the opportunity for solid sleep. The 3 Advil I consumed at 5:15 a.m. kicked in and made the 7 o'clock alarm rather unpleasant. Fortunately it wasn't a bath day, so I could snooze a little bit longer and still get to work on time.

Wendy, our good friend and Emma's honorary aunt, called today with some bad news. Her dad had a heart attack this morning and is in the hospital. Wendy has gone up to her parents house, 2 1/2 hours away, to be there for whatever's next. We're all praying for Gary...and for Mary and Wendy. I can't imagine getting such a call. Lord willing, I never will.

On the Upswing

It's Monday again, and the weekend has renewed my hope. We kept Emma on a very regular feeding schedule, even if it meant occasionally having to wake her from a nap. Saturday night she had a feeding at 11:20 pm, was down by 11:45, and didn't get up again until 5:00 am. Then she stayed asleep until 8:50!!! Last night she had her last feeding a bit earlier and was in bed by 10:45. She woke at 3:50, was back down by 4:15 and slept until 7:30. Hopefully each day will bring us closer to our goal of a 7-hour stretch.

What a good girl. We went to the 11:00 service at church yesterday morning and she lasted right up to the closing prayer!!! Oh, so close.

Grandma and Grandpa are coming for a visit this weekend. Emma is very much looking forward to seeing them. It's been a couple of months, and she grown tremendously since they last saw her in person. My mom is worried that her arms won't hold up to Emma's added weight! I think she'll survive. Our girl is doing so much more than she was at Christmas -- moving her arms and legs, smiling, occasionally laughing. But she's also taking shorter naps, is having more diaper blow-outs, etc. I guess everything happens in waves.

We're going to go visit with Kiatilinn this afternoon. More photos to come of Emma and her new friend.

(now over an hour after I started typing this post) Fed Emma here in my office and had her sitting in my lap as I was typing...and she filled her diaper....and then needed a clothes change. That's been happening more and more lately. I think the pressure behind what's coming out causes it to seek the path of least resistance, which just happens to be upwards and out her diaper! On Friday I dropped her off at daycare wearing a blue outfit. I went back later to peek in on her and couldn't find her!!! I subconsciously was looking for blue, and didn't immediately recognizer her in the sleeper gown they'd changed her into. Then, at the end of the day, she was in yet another outfit...one the daycare keeps on reserve for such times. I got her home, fed her a bit, changed her diaper and outfit (out of daycare clothes into something of her own), and resumed feeding. Wouldn't you know it, she leaked again. Poor kid wore 5 different outfits that day. Needless to say, Mommy did laundry Friday night.

Enough for now. Thanks for tuning in.

Color Me Discouraged

My mom sent me an email commenting on how quiet I've been in the last couple of days. I'd have to say the reason is twofold -- 1) I'm exhausted and 2) I'm frustrated and discouraged. Yes, they are tightly tied together.

So anyway, before Emma started at daycare she slept solidly through the night (I'm talking 7 hour stretches from 11pm-6am) and did so consistently for a week. Seemed like we'd turned a corner. Now, since being in daycare, however, we're back to being up in the middle of the night, even on the days/nights when she's at home (the weekend, Wed. when daycare got closed b/c of the weather, etc.). Two nights ago I got her down for bed around 10:30 and she was up at 2:45. She ate, went back down -- on her belly this time -- then was back up at 5:00, unable to breathe well. After sucking all the goo out of her nose, changing her diaper, and feeding her on the side she refused at 3, she went back down....only to wake again at 6:20. Mom was rather grumpy and distressed, having only had 3 1/2 consecutive, uninterrupted sleep. Then last night she was in bed by 10:30 again, got up at 2:45, then was up for the morning at 6:00. Bless my dear husband, Jon got up and entertained Emma for an hour so I could sleep until 7.

Oh, but this is just the tip of the iceburg. Apparently I don't function well when sleep-deprived. Yesterday while driving Jon to work I realized my cell phone was sitting on the bed-side table rather than having found its way into my jacket pocket, and so I had to stop at home again before pulling in to the church. Then, as I was walking Emma over to the daycare to drop her off and, keep in mind had already made an extra trip home that morning, realized I'd forgotten to pack her bottle! I just wanted to sit in a corner and cry.

Emma had a nap in the daycare yesterday that was 3 hours in length -- while in one of the little swings. And since they knew I value her sleep, they decided to let her sleep rather than wake her up to eat. So, when I went to grab her at 4:00 so we could pick Jon up from work, they had just warmed her bottle. She'd last eaten at 11:00 a.m. We managed to get to Meijer with only a few minutes of screaming -- in part b/c her hat kept working its way down over her eyes as she turned her head back and forth. As we pulled up to the store entrance, I motioned Jon to the backseat and he fed her most of the bottle during the 10 minute drive home.

Today, she ate at 7:00 a.m., and therefore should have eated again at 10. I went into her room at noon to peek -- and to find out when I needed to get her to nurse again -- and discovered she'd fallen asleep in the swing again at 9:15, and had just eaten at 11:30 (and also had a blow-out, but that's another story). I'm starting to wonder if these missed or delayed feedings at daycare are messing up her metabolism, which in turn is causing her to be up in the night. We just might have to lay down more strict instructions for Miss Emma's mealtimes and see if that makes a difference.

Back to yesterday, Mommy was so tired that she fell asleep at 8:30 in bed, waiting for Grey's Anatomy to come on at 9:00. Jon tried to wake me THREE TIMES, he said, but I was unresponsive. I awoke at 10:10 to discover I'd missed my show, and was completely unaware of Jon's attempts to rouse me. I can't believe I fell into such a DEEP sleep in such a short period of time -- literally minutes.

Anyhow, I'm writing this during a break between meetings. I spent 3 hours in meetings this morning, have another two sometime in the next couple of hours, then have one at 3:30 this afternoon. Oh, and I need to get up there and feed Emma, too. Can we all agree TGIF? Whew! I need a break!

Sleepy Girl

I just laid Emma down for her evening nap. She's not yet asleep -- we can hear the occasional whimper -- but she's tired and I expect will drop off shortly. I love when her eyes get heavy and her hands go still. She fights it for a long time, but eventually she'll spit out the pacifier, perhaps crumple her face in a fake cry, then get a rather serene expression as she slips into dreamland. I wonder what babies dream about?

I've been doing animal sounds with Emma in the last couple of days. What's absolutely hilarious is that she seems to especially like the meow sound! Even if we don't get a reaction out of her over the other sounds, she almost always gives us a smile when we meow like a cat. What a weirdo. She laughed for Jon today. He had her sitting on his belly then kept pulling her close to his face, making funny faces and sounds at the same time. I can't wait to find out if she's ticklish!

Emma is in the 50th percentile according to the growth charts. I looked it up today because I've always heard people mention "such and such percentile" but never knew what that actually meant. Essentially, for those of you who are in the dark as I once was, there are just as many kids Emma's age who are bigger than her as are smaller than her. I think I was always in the 90th percentile, which would mean that only 10% of kids were bigger than me. Being so tall has always been tough, so I'm pleased that we may have more of an average-height kid. According to a growth "predictor" online, Emma should be aroun 5 foot 7 1/2 inches. Sounds pretty good to me -- the perfect height. Still considered fairly tall but not too tall to find long enough pants! I kind of like, too, that she may get more wear out of her clothes! Right now she's still in 0-3 mos., which is great since some outfits have only been worn twice so far in her 11 weeks.

Em was home with Jon today. It's amazing to me how unburdened I am on these days as opposed to when she's in daycare. I'm hoping to maybe work from home tomorrow for the latter part of the day and can bring Emma home with me.

Hope you're all enjoying the pictures.

Another Day with the Peach

Here are a couple of pictures of the daycare room that Emma is in. You can see her in the vibrating seat, all wrapped in our favorite pink blanket. Will write more later from home. Just wanted to put these photos on while at work -- it's much faster and easier.

The Weekend is Ending...for Me

Well, the weekend has not been a disappointment in any way. Yesterday Emma was in a great mood and got some solid naps! She was very verbal at one particular point of the day, and I got some video clips of it with my digital camera. Anyone know how to add video clips to blogs? Is it possible? Wendy came over for a few hours and entertained Emma while I cleaned up the kitchen, folded some laundry, and made lunch for the two of us. Oh, what a sacrifice it was, huh, Wendy? I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but Emma LOVES her changing table. Odd, perhaps, but true. If she is upset, sometimes all it takes it to park her on the changing table and she settles right down. As Emma is a bit congested right now and has stuff rattling around in her sinuses, we set about to do "surgery" with some saline nose drops and a bulb syringe. Oh, the goobers we got out!!! And after that we just hung out at the changing table -- for probably 45 minutes, just cooing at the Peach, getting her to smile and coo back. What a good baby we've been blessed with.

Last night was church. We've decided we want to keep Emma down with us for as long as possible, but because she IS becoming more verbal, have resorted to spending the service in the Cafe, watching the tv monitors. It allowed me to stand up and rock her to sleep and to not disturb anyone the couple of times she cried out. At the end of the service I took Emma to my office to feed her, then we went out with 3 other couples to a restaurant. She was so good the entire time, and eventually fell asleep in her carseat. I know we won't be able to do that forever, so we're taking advantage of the moments right now.

Today the Peach has been a bit cranky...I think because of this congestion. She doesn't have a fever or any other symptoms, but I believe the effort of breathing is causing her to wake earlier from naps, leaving her a little grumpy. She's sleeping again right now, which is how I can be sitting here blogging. We had bath time this morning, so she's all fresh and fluffy.

Well, I've got to head downstairs and pump. Jon will have our girl tomorrow and needs to have a bottle to feed her with. Hope you all are doing well!

The Weekend is Here!

I wrote this post a couple of days ago but held off publishing because I wanted to include some pictures. Still don't have the pictures ready, so I'm going to go ahead and publish as-is and add the pictures tomorrow from my office....

Never have I been so glad for the weekend to arrive. Now I have 2 whole days to be home with the Peach....where I can lay her to sleep in her own bed, actually keep to a 3 hour feeding schedule, and have play-time with her in between. I am looking forward to 2 days of smiles and coos, and plenty of cuddle time as we rock before napping. Her first week of daycare completed, I'm not sure we've made much progress in "adjusting." Jon will be off with Emma on Monday, so we're hoping to get her caught up on her rest before she's subject to that madhouse again!!!

I went to the hospital to see Angie and the baby today. They had a little girl, Kiatilinn Joyce, 7 lbs., 12 1/2 oz., 19 inches long. I can't believe how small she is!! (and how small Emma once was) She was so tiny -- all curled up still -- and was so light! Emma looks huge in comparison, as you can see from the picture I've attached. Angie is doing well all in all, but had a reaction to the epidural and is itchy all over. I'm so relieved not to have had any complications, even a minor one like that.

It was amazing to not have to be super concerned about my food consumption while pregnant. I didn't eat like crazy, and only gained 28 pounds, but I didn't have to count calories or be concerned about munching frequently. Now I'm thrust back to reality and am once again dissatisfied with my weight and body composition. Jon is going to help me bring the rowing machine back into the livingroom tonight, so tomorrow will be my first day jumping back into the discipline of exercise. While I've lost almost all of the pregnancy weight numerically, I can't fit into my regular pants and even feel like my "fat pants" aren't as comfortable as they ought to be. I'm also still having a hard time adjusting back to regular, non-maternity shirts....they all feel so SHORT.

Missing Smiles

I had a tough time last night when we got home. I'm really struggling with this whole daycare thing. Yesterday was day 2, and I had hopes that the day would go much better. In a sense it did, but I think only because of Mommy's intervention. I went up to get Emma for a feeding around 10:30 a.m. -- when I got there I wasn't greeted with ANY smiles. I could tell instantly that she was exhausted. And sure enough, after eating (down in my office this time), she instantly fell asleep. So I laid her in the pack 'n play set up in my office and she took a THREE HOUR NAP!!! Only possible because of the quietness of my office. She just can't seem to nap up in the room with all of the other screaming babies, workers conversing, and sometimes music playing loudly. A baby's sleep cycle is about 45 minutes long....if conditions are right, they can transition into a new cycle without completely waking up. If conditions are NOT right, they awake and can't return to sleep. This is what's happening to our Peach. Anyhow, I had to wake Emma up to eat at 2:00 because I had a meeting at 3, and b/c I ended up doing both the morning and afternoon feedings, I told the daycare staff to go ahead and feed her a bottle at 5:00, which she ended up refusing...but fortunately ate once she'd had a nap at home.

Okay...so here's my problem. My poor little girl isn't sleeping well during the day and, in her constant state of exhaustion, just isn't the smiley little munchkin we have been enjoying the last couple of weeks. I miss the smiles, the cooing, and her generally sunny disposition. Instead she's in a tired stupor. My heart is broken. Poor Jon -- all he can do it try to reassure me and give me looks of sympathy as I cry. He tells me about all of the millions of kids who do just fine in daycare...and tells me to pray that God might provide a different job for him so that I can stay home with our girl. That truly is my heart's desire. Being in a leadership role at work is exhausting me. I need a break from being the one at which "the buck stops." (Where did that phrase originate from, anyway?)

On a postive sleep note...Emma has resumed sleeping through the night. Two nights ago she woke at 4:30 in the morning rather than making it through until 6:00. Now things are back to normal on that front.

Angie, one of my coworkers, is in the hospital being induced. They don't know if it's a girl or a boy, so we'll all be in for a big surprise! We're hoping to visit her tomorrow...and I can't wait to take a picture of Emma next to the new baby. I can hardly remember what a newborn feels like. I suspect I'll be SHOCKED by how big Emma will appear next to him/her.

We're having guests for dinner tomorrow night...a guy Jon works with and his girlfriend. I've not met either one of them before, so I'm hopeful that conversation will flow smoothly and that they'll feel comfortable in our home. We want to start having people in more frequently since it's difficult to take Emma out. Somehow, though, the weeks slip by and we suddenly realize we've not been very social!

Enough for now.

A Rough Day

Well, today was a rough day for Miss Emma. All told, she only slept for an hour and a half, and an hour of that was from 3:30-4:30 pm. I peeked in on her a few times, and the last time, at 3:00, she was crying hard - face beet red and tears on her face. My heart broke to see her like that, knowing full well it was because she was so completely exhausted. Mommy to the rescue! After a diaper change and being snuggled in her blanket, we popped in the pacifier and took a stroll through the halls of the church. Within 2 minutes her eyes were closed and all was right with the world. Poor thing just got overstimulated today. I wonder how long it will take for her to adjust to the new environment. She's sleeping now -- for almost an hour.
Tomorrow is bath day again...one of my most favorite things to do with Emma. Not sure why -- she doesn't play in the tub yet or even get animated while being bathed. Maybe it's because of the end result - nice fluffy hair, soft skin, and that fresh sweet baby smell. I always just want to cuddle with her afterward and smother her chubby cheeks with kisses! I'm looking forward to it already.
To a new day...

Daycare Drop-off

Well, today is Emma's first day up in the daycare -- and my first day, of course to drop her off. Yes, some tears were shed as I had to hand her off. It was especially difficult due to it nearing time for a nap and her being particularly cuddly. It was so much easier leaving her with Wendy two weeks ago, and with Jon on his days off. ::sigh:: I'll see her again in a couple of hours to feed her. You better believe I'm watching the clock!

Please, if you are one who prays, ask God to protect Emma from all of the sickness which runs rampant in schools and daycares. While I know that sickness now means a healthier kid later, Jon and I are just dreading the experience.

I've included some pictures of our Peach on this first day of "school" -- wearing an outfit sent to us last week by Grandma and Grandpa. What a cutie! Check out her bunny slippers. I was told that the room she'll be in tends to be cold when it's cold outside. Mmmm...I think 4 degrees outdoors counts as cold!

Blogging confusion

Whew! This blogging thing can be complicated... I essentially just had to completely delete this blog and recreate it, which is why the photos of Emma aren't showing up at the moment. I'll have to add them back in when I get back to work tomorrow.

In the meantime, I'm shocked at how fast our Peach is growing. I remember not too long ago measuring Emma's pinkie finger alongside the top joint of my index finger. Hers looked so tiny and fragile, and I recall thinking that an INCH WORM was longer! Not so anymore. Her hands look twice the size they once were, and I noticed today that her thigh is now bigger around than my wrist. As of January 26 at her 2 month appointment, Emma weighed in at 11 lbs., 5 oz. and was 22 1/2 inches long. I have no idea where she lands on the growth charts...I can only hope she won't max out at 5'10" the way her mom did.

My sweet girl bit me tonight. OUCH! I was feeding her when suddenly she closed her little mouth and clamped her jaws tightly on a rather sensitive part of my body...and held on. Imagine my surprise. I know she didn't do it intentionally, but you might question her motives based on the sly smile upon her lips when I managed to disengage myself from her grip.

Is it possible to stay upset with a baby? I was getting frustrated with Emma tonight because she wasn't feeding well but then my gaze fell upon her cute little face and her big beautiful blue eyes starting up at me imploringly...and I couldn't help but smile. And then she smiled back. I love that she's at the age of expression now. Granted, she has made some amazingly expressive faces since birth, but nothing beats the wide, open-mouthed, eyes-sparkling grins. And I do believe I've heard some giggles out of her!

Enough for now. In a few short minutes I have to wake my girl to eat one last time before I go to bed. We're hoping for another solid night.

Is this over the top?

I had a brainstorm last night. Why not create a blog all about Emma -- what's happening with her, a place for pictures, etc., where I can send family and friends to stay up to date? It would be much easier than calling and talking with everyone on the phone -- not that I have anything against phone calls -- but instead would allow me to say more to more people. Everyday is something new, and we're taking new pictures frequently to document Emma's growth. Now you, too, can share in our joy!

The latest "accomplishment" is that for 3 nights in a row, Emma hasn't awakened between the hours of 11pm and 6:15-6:45am. Imagine Mommy's delight at getting 7 consective hours of sleep!!! Although we HAVE had 3 nights in a row, I don't hold the expectation over her to keep it up, and won't be disappointed if she decides to get up once in the night periodically. What's even greater than the solid sleep is that when we go in to get her from her crib, she's all smiles. Oh, the joys of a well-rested baby!

At 10 weeks old, I'm pretty sure she's right on track developmentally. She's getting more smiley all the time, is becoming more vocal, and is doing great at holding her head up when in a sitting position. She's started drooling more, but I've been told it's because of the increase in saliva production -- and that she hasn't figured out what to do with it yet! Alas, I'm constantly mopping up her chin with a tissue, hoping it won't get chapped.

Tomorrow marks Emma's first day at daycare. I REALLY wish I could stay home with her, but since I can't, the Lord has provided the next best thing. The church has a daycare, so she'll be upstairs while my office is downstairs. I'll be able to go up and peek in at her whenever I want, and I'll be able to bring her to my office for one of her feedings (and the daycare will only have to give one bottle a day). It also makes pick-up/drop-off easier with our one and only vehicle. ::sigh:: But even with all of the positives, I'm still a little apprehensive. I want her to get all of the love and attention we would give, but know it's unrealistic in a room of 2 adults and 10 babies.

Today Emma is home with Daddy. Who knows what they'll find to do, but they WILL stay indoors. We're having record cold temperatures here, and all of the schools have been canceled for the day. They say it's dangerous to be outdoors for more than a few minutes at a time. And I was just educated that it's dangerous to take infants out because they lack the reflex to shiver when cold, and thus can't generate more body heat to keep themselves warm. Hmmm...I never knew shivering had a purpose.

Anyhow, I should end this for now. Check back every few days for more news on our little Sweet Pea.