Look who started smiling.....

 

That's right.  This little girl has been flashing us some big ones the past couple of days.  The picture above is the very first smile I could capture with the camera.  So heartwarming.  Nothing like early mornings talking to the baby and she rewards you with a smile like this.  Love her to pieces.

 

Emmi is doing well.  She's a pretty content baby.  She's not the best eater in the world, but what can ya do?  She's a lot like the twins were as babies...she's a snacker.  Rarely does she eat enough to truly fill up her belly.  Instead, she eats just enough to take the edge off and then wants to eat again an hour later.  But she's gaining well.  I would imagine she's about 10 1/2 pounds now, maybe even a little bit more.  So she's getting plenty to eat, it's just happening in about double the amount of feedings that it would otherwise need to!

 

She's a decent sleeper.  She wakes an average of three times a night to eat but she goes right back to sleep.  And that insanely loud moaning/groaning/grunting that she used to do for hours is officially something of the past.  Thank the Lord.  Every now and then she'll throw in a night where she wakes up to be fed and then wants to play.  But for the most part, she's strictly business...as soon as she eats, she dozes off.  So overall, nights with her aren't bad.

 

Can't believe she's quickly approaching two months!  Just one more week.  Ugh.

Monday Night Football

Go, Pack, Go!!!

 

My little helper

I was very curious as to how the big girls would accept a new baby in the house.  When I was pregnant, they talked almost every day about the baby and how big it was getting, when it would come out, what they would do with it, etc.  I worried that the excitement would fizzle the moment the baby arrived.

However, Livi is by far a little mother hen.  She absolutely insists on helping me give Emmi a bath.  It kind of slows the process down, but she truly enjoys being my little helper, so I have to let her!!  When she sees or hears me running the bath water, she immediatelty needs to know if the bath is for Emmi...and if it is, she's right there in the bathroom within seconds. 

Once Emmi is in the tub, Livi asks for baby soap on her hands.  She lathers them together and first washes Emmi's feet.  Then she needs more baby soap, rubs her hands together and washes Emmi's belly.  She wants to wash Emmi's head too, but I haven't let her quite yet.  I tell ya, she is such a nurturing little child.

And here is that little nugget in the tub that Livi loves helping bathe...

And a few extra just because!!

She really pouts that lip sometimes!

Working on holding that head up!

Happy 2nd Birthday

Happy 2nd Birthday to a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful baby girl.  This day, two years ago, was one of the most amazing days of my life.  I still remember the first time you opened your eyes and stared into mine.  What an unforgettable moment.  Elliana Jo, you are loved and missed beyond words.  What a special little girl you are and always will be.  Happy Birthday, sweetheart.

 

You were fussing and I remember pressing my lips to your forehead and saying "shh, shh, shh, mama's got you, mama loves you"

 

This is how I imagine you in Heaven - laughing it up with all the other Angels

 

One month old already

Where is the time going?  I simply cannot believe that Emilia is a month old today!  I could definitely use a pause button...or at least a slow motion button.  I feel like we're running in fast forward.  And I don't like it!!

She's doing well.  She's not the best of sleepers, but we've never had a good sleeper.  So I'm pretty gosh darn used to this!  Although she's doing better than she was just a week or so ago.  I can deal with her waking up 4-6 times a night.  What I was having a hard time with were the noises she was making at night.  Now I know that babies moan and grunt in their sleep.  But I've never known a baby to make as much noise as she did!!  She would grunt and groan insanely loud for HOURS!! 

There was a night sometime last week where she did it for 3 1/2 hours straight - from about 2:00-5:30am.  And she was asleep the entire time!!  It was something I was hoping and praying she would outgrow, and knock on wood, but she's been pretty quiet the past few nights.  Still up at least four times...and like I said, I can handle that...just please be quiet in between the wakeups!!

She just started coo-ing a bit in the past couple of days.  She doesn't do it a lot, but when she does, it's so stinking cute!!  And anytime the big girls hear her do it they have to tell me "mommy, Emmi is talking!"

Sporting her "sock-shoes" as the girls call them.

Working hard at this tummy time stuff.

She was moving so fast (hence the blurriness) and playing with her tongue.

Do you think she saw a ghost?

One month old with her bunny.