Fun with Family

This weekend Chad, Jennifer and Madison came for a visit.  The last time we got to see them was when Emma Claire was born and we have MISSED them so much!  We hope to go down to see them sometime in October.  They came up on Saturday and we had lunch at mom and dad's and then played around their house for a bit.  

We then came up to our house and went swimming and Madison is quite the little fish.  She can swim above and under water without floaties and does extremely well with it.  

Jenn, Madison and Chad

We came back to the house and Matt grilled out and then to top off dinner we had cupcakes from our favorite place, The Cupcake Collection. 

On Sunday after church, we headed down to Mom and Dad's to visit with them before they left and guess what we had again to eat when we got there....CUPCAKES!!!  It was so good to see them and we wished we lived closer to see them more often.  We love you guys and cannot wait to see you again!

**UPDATE:  We went for our hearing screen followup and our TEIS lady gave me the wrong date.  It was supposed to be 9/20/10 instead of 8/20/10.  I'm glad I decided to call before we got out of the car and walked over to Bill Wilkerson.  I was not a happy camper, but I had to roll with the punches.  

So I made the best of it and we went and surprised Nana for lunch and then a visit to Baptist.  

Please continue to pray for the Orr Family, the triplets were born on Thursday night and they seem to be doing well right now.  Please continue to pray for strength for them as they go through this journey and bring home these sweet babes. 

Madison is getting so big and started Pre-K yesterday.  I had to include these pictures of her first day of Pre-K...she is absoultely precious and being raised by wonderful parents.

7 Months Old

Emma Claire is growing like a weed and is now 7 months old.  I cannot believe how fast time flies and she continues to do so well.  Right now she is:

• Talking more and more
• Laughs at the funny faces or things you do
• Has almost mastered completely rolling over all by herself
• Will sit up by herself for about 5 seconds
• Really tries to stand up from a sitting position for a few seconds
• Will grab at toys in front of her and then try to move them to the other hand
• Started to suck her thumb
• Starting to know/realize different people...might be slightly attached to the ones she is comfortable with already
• Loves to take good naps during the day; about two 2~3 hour naps
• Sleeps from 9:30 to 6 AM
• Takes five 130~135 cc bottles in a 24 hour period
• Starting to try and hold her bottle
• LOVES her 'fufu' (pacifier)
• Still loves her swing and bouncer; now enjoying her jump-a-roo about 15 minutes each day
• Wearing size 1 diaper; will move up to size 2 after we use up all of the size 1
• Wearing  3 to 6 month clothes; moving up to 6 to 9 month clothes for the fall/winter
• Weight: 10 lbs 12 1/2 ounces
• Length: 24 inches long
• Head Circumference: 15 1/2 inches 

 Pic of her cute shoes...y'all know I'm a sucker for some shoes!

That is all I can think of at this time.  She really changes almost on a daily basis and definitely keeps us busy.  She is pretty content most of the time, but definitely rather have a person around to interact with her.  

We go back to the pediatrician in September to find out about starting her on rice cereal.  Her pediatrician wanted to get her closer to 4 months adjusted age and I am completely on board with that idea as well.  I think she will take to eating like a champ. 

We go on Friday to Vanderbilt to have a hearing screen follow up at the request of the State of TN.  She passed her one in the hospital, but they require another one.  That is pretty much it for us.  I'll be traveling to LA for a day and a half towards the end of August and this weekend my brother, sister-in-law and niece are coming for a visit, so I'm sure I will have lots of pictures to post come Monday. 

This is her in action in her jump-a-roo...

7 Year Anniversary

Yesterday was our 7 year anniversary!  Nana (matt's mom) came over and watched Emma Claire and we went out to eat.  It is so nice when we can just have a meal just us sometimes.  We love having Emma Claire with us, but it is also nice to just getaway for a bit too!

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband.  It has been wonderful and I look forward to seeing what our future holds.  Emma Claire and I are so blessed to have you in our lives and we give GOD all the honor, glory and praise for you being in our lives.   We are so blessed!

Her and nana having some fun.  

Matt's mom sings beautifully and EC loves to listen to her.  It is like it mezmorizes her and just keeps her attention for so long.  May be nana will get a singing buddy in Emma Claire and they can sing together at church. 

 Nana and Emma Claire having a little chat

Emma Claire loves spending time with her Nana

NICU Reunion

Stacy with Emma Claire....Barbie, Dixie, J Allen & Stochia, we missed getting to see you guys as well as so many others!

Sunday was the NICU Birthday party and we had a BLAST!  It was nice to see everyone without having to be really rushed.  We have been on several visits back to the NICU since we have been discharged, but we typically don't get to see everyone so this made it really nice.

Emma Claire was such a trooper, after going to church, coming home for a short bit, dropping Boomer off at Mom and Dad's and then going to the NICU party...she slept most of the time after being completely stimulated by all of the people there!  To top it off, we stopped back by Mom and Dad's for some dinner and then finally hit the sack last nigth around 9:30...EC was WORN out!  She would have slept past 6 AM this morning!

Dr. Graham with Emma Claire

I am always thinking about the ones we were in the unit with that we have not been able to keep in contact with and it was so nice to see those families as well!  Of course, the Bryants were there to and that is always a party AND we all were the last ones to leave the party at 5 PM yesterday (the party actually ended at 4 PM, if that tells you anything!)

 Me and Cohen...what a CUTE outfit, Cohen!  I'm so proud of your mother!

I'm always kidding Christin about not putting Cohen in outfits...she made up for it today, he was dressed so cute! I just like to give Christin grief about it, his onsies he wears are too cute as well!

Dr. Papp, Dr. Kreuger, Dr. Haynes (holding EC), Dr. Graham, Dr. Rojas and Dr. Fish

There are no words to say about how we feel about this group of doctors.  They are the BEST in our book and we could not have survived the NICU without them.  They all treated us with such care and were always there to answer our questions or just have a chat with us throughout our time in the NICU.  We had some hard times, but they always made it so much easier and were always optimistic with everything and always provided words of encouragement for us. They are wonderful people and we are forever grateful!
Below are some fun pics of them we took during our NICU adventure!

Dr. Papp

Dr. Haynes

Dr. Graham

Like Daddy Like Daughter

 Typically Matt does Emma Claire's 5 PM feeding, since sometimes I'm still working or doing other things around the house.  It is always funny to watch those two together and especially if the TV is on.  After the feeds, this is how I always find them, watching television together. 

Last night when we got home from church, Matt was listening to the FISH online and was holding EC while I was getting her night time routine done and again, like father like daughter.  TOO Cute!  May be we should consider getting her an iPad for her first birthday...hmmmm (just kidding)

Matt is such a wonderfuly daddy to Emma Claire and I know she melts his heart each day.  I'm so proud to call him my husband and EC's daddy.  I know she will look up to him and that makes my heart rejoice! 

 

I'm going to have to start giving Emma Claire a bath everyday since her hair gets so GREASY and when it does, this is what you can do with it!  PRAISE GOD for all of that hair, but it definitely gets a little wild some days and we LOVE it!

Birthday Weekend + Baby Dedication

This weekend started off perfect.  I was able to take off on Friday and mom and I spent the entire day out shopping and just having fun together.  We definitely wore out Emma Claire and we was so tired by the time we got home around 11 PM that night.  After shopping, mom and I came home, fed EC and then left again to go eat at Cheesecake Factory for my birthday.  We have such a good time with family and friends which are pretty much our family too!  I forgot my camera which bummed me out, but we still have a GREAT day!  Thanks Browns and Bryants for coming and celebrating the end of my 3rd decade....that's right, I turned 30th on the 7th! 

After dinner, the Bryants and us went to the Baptist to see the night nurses, since we hardly are ever in town at night for a visit.  It was a blast and of course we were so loud, the sound sensors stayed on the WHOLE time!  HeHe!  It seemed harder to leave that time, then when we left for good back in April!  They are just such a part of our lives forever and we are so GRATEFUL for each and every person that took care of us during that time.  Every time I'm up there, I just get this overwhelming feeling for all of the families and I saw one family which I talked with in antepartum during one of my visits and now they are going down the NICU road.  It is so surreal to be there and know how those families are feeling.  I just want to hug them and talk with them.  Please keep these families and babies in your prayers.  

Since it was tax-free weekend, Matt and I dropped off EC at her nana and pa's house (matt's parents) and we went to Lebanon to the outlet malls and I was able to get some clothes and get Emma Claire and few things as well.  It was nice to not be in a rush and just take our time and hang out.  Since we ate a late lunch, we were not that hungry, so we just ended up going to Franklin, KY for dinner that night and nana watched EC for us.  

Before church, she was not happy, but she at least cooperated for some photos!

Emma Claire wanted to show everyone her cute socks her Auntie Vae got for her!  They are almost too small!

Me and my parents at Emma Claires baby dedication.  I think Matt's mom got some pics to, so I will have to wait and see since I didn't get any pics of her with EC at church.

On Sunday, mom and dad came up for Emma Claire's baby dedication at church.  It was nice to be surrounded by our church family as well as our immediate family and make a commitment to raise Emma Claire in church.  

All in all, we had a wonderful weekend and it was great to celebrate turnning 30th with our loved ones and especially with Emma Claire in tow.  We are so blessed and we give GOD all the glory for everything he has blessed us with. 

Hanging Out

Nothing really going on right now, just wanted to update with some cute pictures of Emma Claire.  She is changing and growing each day.  She LOVES to be on her changing table and it seems that is the best place to get pictures of her.

We try to work with her everyday for about 20 minutes or as much as she will tolerate on grabbing toys and sitting up which are our two main goals right now.  She is really looking at the toys and trying to figure out how to get them.  It's funny to watch her process what she WANTS to do!

As you can see, she loves to be clothes-free!

Finally got her PJs on her

EC is doing so well pulling up while holding onto our fingers and then will sit up for a bit.  I can really tell she is improving in this area and I know she will be sitting up on her own soon!