Finally updating....6 months and Thanksgiving

Sorry, I've been neglecting the blog lately. At Emily's last doctor appointment she is now weighing 12lbs 11oz, and 24.75 inches. She's still our little peanut but following the 5th percentile curve beautifully as her doctor says. She is 25th percentile in height, so she'll just be long and lean! Perfect for swimming!

Emily had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got to spend time with all her Grandparents and almost all of her Aunts and Uncles. She'll get to see Uncle Chris and Aunt Erica soon though. She really enjoyed the turkey!





She also got to spend time with her cousin Arianna.



After Thanksgiving we put up the tree and Emily helped me hang up her own ornament!



Hopefully I stay on the ball and update well during Christmas, keep on the lookout soon for our Christmas cards!

Happy Halloween!!

5 Months

5 months old already! Time really flies. Emily went to the doctor last Thursday and she gained a little over a pound in a month. She is now 11 lbs 11 oz. That means we finally started rice cereal! She has taken to it so well, eating every bite we prepared for her. She seems to really enjoy it!



Also, Emily has cut her first tooth! This process has not been very fun for her or us. She has kept us up at night a few times. Now that the first tooth has cut we got about 3 nights of good sleep and now the second one is starting to bother her. I was up every 3 hours last night. Hopefully this one comes through quickly!

Here is a video of her first rice cereal experience!

4 Months

So I'm a few days late at updating, we've been really busy lately. Emily is getting bigger everyday. She had her 4 month check up on Monday. She only weighs 10lbs 7oz so she's pretty little. That puts her into the 3rd percentile. The doctor didn't seem worried, she said that Emily was perfect. We are not starting rice cereal yet since we have had some nursing issues. She goes back next month for a weight check and I'm sure we'll start it then.

Emily had a busy week earlier this month. We flew to Ft Lauderdale because Eric had a coaching convention. She was awesome on the flight sleeping the entire time. Even with kids screaming right behind us. Emily played in the ocean for the first time. Lots of playtime in the pool. Plus she met Olympians Gary Hall Jr. and Katie Hoff, and wore a gold medal. We had a great time!!

Giggles

Caught on camera! Her giggles are so cute!!

Changes

Here's a collage of pictures from Day 1 to Month 3

3 Months and our 3 year Anniversary

Yesterday was Emily's 3 month birthday and also Eric and I's 3 year anniversary. She is getting bigger by the day!! Almost every picture I took she had her hands in her mouth. I think they are becoming her favorite toy! She's been having a little trouble sleeping lately, waking up at 3:30 every morning. Luckily the last couple of days have been better. I asked Eric to get up with her last night as my anniversary present and she happened to sleep all night. He got lucky!!

2 weeks ago Emily went swimming for the first time. We dunked her a few times and only got upset when she was out of the water because she was cold. She did very well! Eric might have to switch her training from the bathtub to the pool sooner than expected!


Hopefully she grows into her swimsuits soon!


Emily also had her first trip to Purdue. Early registration of course. I promise she is in her stroller, you just can't see her. She was so excited she just fell asleep.

2 Months

I can't believe it's been 2 months already! Emily is starting to interact with us more and is becoming a lot more fun! As you've seen from previous entries, she is "talking" to us now. You can't help but smile every time. She has had a big week this week. On Monday, she had breakfast with Eric's swim team. On Tuesday, she went to lunch with a friend and me. Friday, she went to lunch with Eric and I. And finally, Saturday, we went to say hi to my former co-workers at the gym and then lunch again.

We have also made the transition to her crib in her own room this week. It has gone really well! She goes right down and has been sleeping anywhere from 7-9 hours! Emily was having a rough night last night. Eric has the before midnight shift and Emily did not want to go to sleep. So at midnight I slept with her in her room. Then, after her 5 am breakfast she went in her crib for another 4 hours.

Just another couple of weeks until our Vegas trip for Amanda's wedding. I've already starting making a list of things I need to pack with her. It's going to be hard to leave her with Grandmama and Grandpa, but she wouldn't do well in Vegas. Plus, it gives Eric and I a little break.

I'm still working on getting a video of her rolling from belly to back. So stay tuned!

"Talking"

Emily has started "talking" and of course Eric and I think it's the most adorable thing ever!




Here are a couple of pictures of our strong "Super" girl!






This was the look she gave Daddy when he told her about training for and swimming the mile!



Finally, hugging her teddy bear

Time to Update

I'll take the chance to update since Emily is sleeping right now.

Here she is on June 19, 1 month old!


She's also started smiling and cooing. It melts our hearts every time.


We took our first trip to Indiana and met Eric's best friends and their kids


Daddy better watch out for Bridger though, he's not ready for Emily to have a boyfriend


Emily visited Daddy at his swim meet on Father's Day. Before we know it, she'll be swimming instead of visiting.


Hanging out with cousin Arianna.


Finally, Emily had her first professional pictures taken:


Update: Aunt Erica came and visited Emily all the way from Virginia! (Sorry Erica this was the only picture taken with my camera, so send me some pics)

I'm 21! Days that is

Emily is 3 weeks old!! She is starting to sleep a little longer at night and staying awake longer in the day. She is also realizing that she can make lots of sounds and practices them while she's awake. Here are some pictures from the last week.

Working on her abs, doing the iron cross:


Daddy trying out his carrier:


She's a little too small still and definitely not liking it


She is loving bath time and doesn't mind when we pour water on her face:



Daddy also gave Emily her first bottle this week. She took to it very well and is still nursing very well.

(If you noticed the milk is green, it's because we put her vitamins in the milk)

This coming weekend should be really exciting, Emily will be meeting her Great Grandpa Barber and Great Grandma Armstrong. I can't wait for them to see her! We are also taking her to her first wedding and she will be meeting Eric's two best friends and their children. Both have boys, Bridger is 7 months old and Will is 2 weeks older than Emily. Eric will be keeping a close watch on her since he says she can't date until she's 40!

And if you made it this far, here's a short video of bathtime:

2 Weeks

My little girl is getting bigger, 2 weeks old now! Her cheeks are definitely getting chubbier. We had another doctor's appointment today and she weighs 7lbs 5oz. The doctor said she is gaining very well and feedings are going well. We don't have to go back for 2 weeks.

Today is Eric's last day at home. I'm going to miss having his help all day long. Now I'm going to have to make my own meals and get off the couch more often! At least he only works Wednesday and then has his usual day off on Thursday. We'll ease back into his work schedule.

This weekend Emily gets to meet some more family members, Aunt Melody and cousins Dylan, Tristan, and Arianna. Should be lots of fun!

1 Week Old

Wow, this week has sure gone by fast!! Emily had her 1 week checkup today and everything is going very well. She was down to 6lbs 12oz last Friday and today she is up to 7lbs 0.5 oz. We are so proud! She's eating very well and she's given us some adventures in the diaper changing area!

1 week old



Snuggling with Mommy, (I had to get a picture where I actually did my hair and had makeup on)

Welcome Emily

Emily Allen was born May 19, 2009 at 4:39pm. Weighing in at a (controversial) 7lbs 11oz, 19 inches long, and light brown hair. Contractions started as soon as I laid down to sleep at 11:00 Monday night. I left bed at midnight and Eric realized I was gone at 1:00, and we decided it was time to get ready and go to the hospital.

We arrived around 2:00 am, my blood pressure was high and they thought I was pre-eclamptic, I think I was scared out of my mind. We were admitted and I was given some Stadol for pain. It definitely took the edge off and I was able to get a bit of sleep. Around 8:00 they checked me and asked if I wanted the epidural, of course I did. (I don't deal well with pain). The epidural didn't hurt at all and was amazing. The only drawback was that I had absolutely no feeling in my legs and that was a little hard to deal with. I was checked at 3:15 and was 9.5cm, at 3:45 I was fully dilated. I pushed for 45 minutes and Emily arrived at 4:39. Bonus, Eric didn't pass out, but he had his own nurse in the room which we found out about later in case he went down.

We're both completely in love and awe of our beautiful little girl, she looks just like her daddy.

Here's a video of pictures we put together, make sure your sound is turned on. Maybe you should have a tissue ready, at least I needed one.



Finally, Congratulations to our baby pool winners!

In third - Aunt Carrie
Second - Uncle Chris

and with the Gold - Aunt Erica Your prize is a beautiful niece who can't wait to meet you!

40 Weeks

That bun in the oven is fully baked! That's the good news. The possibly not so stellar news: Actually giving birth on your due date is hard to do—even for overachievers. In fact, many first-time moms go up to 2 weeks past their due date. Hopefully now that baby is cooked to perfection, she'll come bouncing out any day now. Other last-minute progress:

At birth baby has a total of 300 bones. Some of the bones will fuse together later, which is why an adult has only 206 bones.

Babies vary in size at this point, but the average full-term baby weighs around 7 to 8 pounds and hovers around 19 or 20 inches. That's about the size of a ... BABY!


Well, I don't have to worry about going 2 weeks late. Emily is being evicted on Thursday whether she likes it or not. Of course, I would prefer for her to come out on her own, but it satisfies the planning side of my brain to know that I only have a few more days left. I think I have everything ready to go, and we're doing a little more cleanup on the house today. Eric and I decided to go out to eat today for our last childless time. Nothing too exciting though.

For the last time Emily.....GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!!!

39 Weeks

One uncomfortable complaint of late pregnancy is frequent hiccups. No, not me, the baby. Because there is no air around baby, when she practices breathing, it can cause amniotic fluid to get into her windpipe, resulting in regularly spaced thumps that make me think I'm carrying a jumping bean in my belly. Other news this week:

The lanugo (soft, downy hair) that used to cover baby's body has mostly disappeared, but we may find a bit leftover on the shoulders, forehead and neck.

The color of baby's skin is changing from a red-pink hue to a white or blue-pink color. These changes are due to the amount of fat our little pudger is putting on. The circumference of baby's head and abdomen are about the same size now.

The placenta is lending baby antibodies that'll keep her strong and healthy after birth. That said, it's still a good idea to invest in that mega-size bottle of hand sanitizer.

At this point baby is about 19 to 20 inches long and weights about 7 pounds. That's just around the size of a large rabbit.

So, here are the finished projects. First the blanket:



Booties that I made this weekend:


Emily's coming home outfit:


And yes, the bags are (mostly) packed:



Alright little girl, come out!!!

I've made you a blanket, booties, mobile, and painting. I'm done, if you come out I might make you some more cute things!

38 Weeks

Baby's intestines have accumulated a considerable amount of meconium (the code name for black, tar-like baby poop), which is usually eliminated shortly after birth and gives us our first experience with the 100-wipe diaper change. Here's what else is up:

Baby might just scratch herself in the womb as the fingernails have grown over the fingertips now.

Baby's lungs continue to mature and her brain and nerve function are working better every day. The latter two will continue to mature until she is a teenager, at which point she'll know it all (or at least she'll think she does).

Baby weighs about 6½ pounds and is around 19 or 20 inches long—as long as a duffle bag.

Alright Emily, I've had my week off, come on out. Your daddy is ready to play with you!

I think she'll be in there a little bit longer though. I'm still not dilating at all, but we have another doctor's appointment Friday morning so hopefully we will have some progress. I asked the doctor and she will only let me go a week past due at the most. So the latest Emily should be here would be May 23 or 24th. I hope she comes on her own though.

Pregnant Women are Smug

37 Weeks

Wow, could that look any bigger? eeek!

Baby's growth slows down dramatically this week, which is great news for your birth canal. Her bones are still soft and pliable and will solidify after she's born.

So if she's all cooked and ready to go, what the heck is she still doing in there?! She's busy practicing for "life on the outside," working on her breathing, sucking, sleeping, gazing and peeing abilities. The only thing she can't practice yet is her ability to scream at the top of her lungs when she's hungry—but she'll do plenty of that in a few weeks.

At this point babies vary in size, but the average length is between 19 and 20 inches and most babies weigh approximately 6 pounds.

Other big news: I'm officially on maternity leave. Yay!!!! (No more paychecks, boooo!!) Hopefully I can rest my feet for another week and then little Emily will come and greet the world! Wishful thinking, haha!

36 Weeks

Baby continues to put on weight at about ½ pound each week. This layer of fat will help baby regulate her body temperature after leaving my climate-controlled womb. In fact, baby will be 15 percent fat at birth.. Even in the womb, baby can listen, feel, touch and see. The only thing separating her from living in the outside world is a little thing called the birth canal. Other highlights this week:

Her gums are firm with ridges that look somewhat like teeth, though her actual pearly whites won't start breaking through until she's between three months and a year old.

Baby has definite patterns of sleep and wakefulness—opening her eyes while awake and closing them while sleeping. Baby will become alert and turn her head toward light and sound just as a newborn would.

Baby is now around 18½ inches long and nearly 6 pounds—just about as big as a breadbox!

Other news: Emily has a mattress!! Her room is now complete, so come any day now little girl!!

35 Weeks and 35 Days to go!

This week the final touches are being added to our mini-masterpiece and most of her development is going to packing on the pounds. Baby's movements may be becoming less jerky, she may do her final somersault in the womb soon—to put herself into the head-down position for birth. (Actually, the doctor said she already has!!) Other fascinating facts:

She can't quite pack the punch she used to due to the limited space inside the womb these days. I'm feeling more wiggles, stretches and rolls than kicks and jabs. The extra layer of fat baby is adding will create those cute dimples on her elbows and knees. Her liver has begun processing waste products, so we know which organ to thank when she has her first blowout up the back of her onesie. I'll let Eric handle that one.

Baby's nails are growing so long they may curl over the tips of her tiny fingers and toes before she sees a pair of clippers. She'll be in serious need of a mani-pedi once she's born, so will I.

Baby is now about 5½ pounds and over 18 inches long—about the size of one of those price-club sheet cakes.

I'm also adding a baby pool on the side. You can put in your guesses about weight, inches, due date, hair, time, and eyes. Good luck, but I may have to curse you if you think she is coming after the due date!!

34 Weeks and Pictures

Baby kind of looks like she's coated in a layer of cream cheese these days. The thick, white substance that protects her skin from pruning in the amniotic fluid is called vernix. When she's born you'll probably see some vernix lingering in her "hard-to-reach" places like under her arms and behind her ears. Other news from the womb this week:

The soft fur, lanugo, that covered baby's body for much of her stay in the womb is now almost completely gone. Baby begins to develop her own immune system, instead of relying solely on antibodies received through the placenta.

This week, baby measures about 17¾ inches, as almost as long as an American Girl Doll and weighs almost 5 pounds, as heavy as a bag of sugar.

Nursery news: We got some pictures hung, the first is Emily's name that Eric's Aunt Jody made for her:



Here's her butterfly painting that I painted to go above the changing table:



The butterfly mobile almost done!! I have about 6 more strands to hang and then clean up all the fishing line:



The nursery view from the doorway, and then the changing table:



And finally, a little corner of pink. I had to get it in there somewhere!!



I got all of the bedding washed this week since Eric and I had planned to buy her a mattress. But, when we got to the store they had all been taken off the shelves due to some safety issue. I just hope she has a bed before she's born!

Plus this past 2 weeks we've been dog sitting Falkor, he is in love with Eric!! A couple of cute pictures, Eric and Falkor enjoying a beer, and Coughlin and Falkor sharing a bed.







(BTW, Thanks Mom and Dad for the new camera!!!)