3 Months old

Oh how time flies by! I can't believe my baby is 3 months old today. It still feels as though it were yesterday that I was pregnant. The saddest part about this is I have to go back to work on the 13th of April. There are days I definitely want to go back and days that I would love to stay home all the time with her. I guess it's a good thing I only work 3 days a week. But there is a downside to my long hours...she has been consistently going to bed around 7 pm each night. I won't get to see her awake until she wakes to eat. 

Statistics~

~10 pounds 6 ounces

~23 inches long

~has found her fingers to suck on

~starting to figure out that she can make her feet move

~still hates tummy time

~holds her head up all the time

~loves to be swaddled

~loves to sleep in her swing

~coos and has conversations with us

~smiling a lot

~still keeps her legs in a froggy position

~loves to stand and move her feet

Our days are full of play and sleep still. She is so happy in the mornings and loves to talk after eating. She is still eating every 3 1/2 to 4 hours. We had a few nights the past week where she would sleep for 5 hours then wake to eat at night. It was wonderful to have that sleep back but it did not stick around for this week! She is going to sleep between 7 and 8 pm each night. It's nice to have some time alone with Steve. She is still taking breast milk and I have been stockpiling for when I go back to work. Hopefully I can keep up with her appetite when I go back. 

I have been watching Claire on random days that Rinda needs a little help. I can't refuse since she will be watching Emma when I go back. Claire is 4 years old and in love with her cousin. She was so excited to have a girl cousin to play with. Most of the time she comes over Emma has been asleep. Claire doesn't understand why Emma has to sleep so much. But the time she does get to spend with her she loves it. I can't wait for Emma to get a kick out of Claire. 

 Claire loves her Uncle Steve. She is always telling him stories. This particular day Steve was putting together another dresser for Emma and Claire just had to help. She was in the back room with Steve dancing around and "helping" sort pieces in to piles. 

This was our fancy day! Had to get dressed up in this outfit before Emma doesn't fit it anymore. She is so adorable. In another picture I caught on my phone she is flipping me off. It seems to be a trend she is keeping.

Our beloved tummy time!!! It is really hard to get down on her level with my boobs! It doesn't feel good to lay on them what so ever. But I try every time so I can encourage her to look up and to lift her head and shoulders up. 

Cooper loves to lay with Emma when ever she does tummy time. I have to watch where he places his paws since they are so large and have his big nails. Other than that, our animals have been great with Emma. Oh wait, there was a time that Emma was standing against my chest and leaned too close to Toast...she hissed at her and ran away. Good thing Emma didn't care!

My parents bought Emma this outfit from their trip to Disneyland in January. She looks so cute in it. On her butt is a Minnie Mouse. I love the way her color pops against the yellow quilt. We had a Minnie Mouse day and night with clothes. We are taking these little outfits on our trip to Disneyland next week. This will be quite an adventure for us! 

Her first Build A Bear came from her Uncle Dan. Dan has been buying these stuffed animals for all his nephews and nieces. He does say that this will be the "only" gift they will get from him but he hasn't kept that promise. Emma looks so tiny compared to this bunny but believe it or not...she is taller than the bunny. 

And last but not least....HAPPY EASTER!

2 Months old

Emma is 2 months old. She is getting so big and her personality is starting to form. She is now starting to have conversations with us. She coos at us and we respond and she coos back. She is the happiest baby in the mornings and loves to talk and bounce.

 ~you weigh 9 pounds which is under the 5th percentile

~you are 22 1/4 inches tall which is between the 25th and 50th percentile

 ~you have conversations with Mommy and Daddy

~you love to stand and bounce on your feet

 ~you hold your head up at all times except when you are tired (makes Mommy nervous when I am trying to burp you and you are looking everywhere)

~you love being swaddled

~you eat every 3-4 hours
~you are smiling
~you are focusing on the animals on your swing go around

Mommy and Daddy are absolutely in love with you. We sent a birth announcement to President Obama and received a letter back. Your cousin Matthew talks about you all the time since he received your announcement. Matthew lives in Conneticut and is 2 years old. Your cousin Claire is in love with you and wants to share everything with you. Mommy watched Claire the other day and she brought books out to read to you. Then she brought out stuffed animals for you to play with but you aren't interested in those yet. Needless to say, Claire was disappointed that you didn't want to play with the toys. We had dinner with Grandma, Papa and Riley a couple weeks ago and you wouldn't stop staring at her. 

Today Mommy had to schedule her first week back at work. It's coming up so fast...less than 6 weeks to that day. I am getting nervous leaving you for 13+ hours a day. I am getting nervous about how I am going to provide enough milk for you when I don't know how much you (ounces) drink. I tried pumping in January and it backfired on me by producing too much milk for you to handle. I am nervous about how it will go when I start again. Good luck to me!!!

A month old

My little girl is a month old! I know this is a couple weeks late but better late than never. Emma is so adorable and I thought I better post these cute pics of her. She has changed so much and is getting so big. I love her pics with the sock monkey. 

I weighed her with me today and she is 7 pounds 9 ounces. 

4 Weeks

Our beautiful baby girl at a week and a half old had her newborn pictures taken courtesy Amber Lintz Photography. I love love love her style and all the pictures that she took of our baby. These are some of my favorites. Emma is so small and perfect! There is something about babies and white onesies that just look great. 

 Visiting Grandma and Papa at their house. She is wearing her "I love Grandma" onesie that Grandma received on Mother's Day. The cute bow she has on her head everyone either called it ridiculous or a christmas ornament. Good thing I love it!!! She is a girl and looks so adorable with it on. 

 Shirley, Kimberlee and Krew came to visit us one afternoon along with Kim, Emma and Boston. Before the Penningtons arrived we got a couple photos. Emma is Krew's girlfriend but he is already a little rough with her. She was whacked in the head by him swinging a clip around. Definitely surprised her and with a delayed response of crying. Poor girl! Krew is a wild little man but so freaking cute. I love that little guy. Kimberlee is getting so big and was great at holding Emma. Professional! 

 Emma was not a happy camper for the picture...she was still getting over the surprise whack in the head! But look at the handsome guy behind her!

Emma is now 4 weeks old. I can't believe that all that time has passed by because it still feels like yesterday. We were out in the front room getting some tummy time in yesterday. 

Almost 2 weeks

It's almost been 2 weeks since Emma was born. Time does fly by fast with a little one. I swear all I do is feed her, change her, love her and try to sleep. Steve has been home with us the whole time and I fear the day he goes back to work. He is amazing with Emma! He keeps her calm when I am not ready or available to feed her. He snuggles her and kisses her. Knowing that he is watching her while I am in the shower or busy is reassuring. Glad we get him the rest of this week! 

I am feeling good and looking good. I was able to fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans 3 days post baby. I probably could have fit them sooner but wasn't out of the hospital yet. With that being said, I am down 21 pounds from my max weight during pregnancy. I gained only 5 pounds in pregnancy and that was all in the last 2-3 weeks of pregnancy. That weight was all located in my feet and legs in the form of swelling. I had a hard time fitting shoes in the end. I now want to work on toning up my belly and losing the remaining fat I have around my belly. I was overweight when I got pregnant and now that I have lost a lot of the weight I need to get in shape. I hope the weather starts to warm up a bit so I can take Emma for walks...at least in the 30's or 40's. 

Emma and I are getting way better at breastfeeding. It is a challenge to get things right. Right latch, right position, right time, right right right! Things are way better during the day than at night. I definitely have more patience during the day and will just sit with her while she falls asleep at the nipple. At night, I just want to go back to sleep so I don't like when she falls asleep. She is doing so well at sleeping. Our nights are anywhere from 3-4 hours in between feedings. It definitely makes me sleep in when we are up more.