Emmy and Her Indigestion Episode

I don't know if this is a delayed reaction to her shots last week, but Emmy's running a temperature again! Poor thing, she's been throwing a fit all day. She didn't want her pacifier, she didn't want to be held. Here's how our day went. I ran a few errands while Emmy was down for her morning nap. I was gone for about an hour and a half. As soon as I walked in the door, I knew that she was not having a good afternoon. My mom was trying to soothe her and rock her back to sleep, but Emmy wouldn't have it. I guess that when my mom went in to check on her during her nap, she saw that Em was up and looking around. So, she brought her downstairs. On the way down, Em let out a huge burp and instantly started screaming. Well, I got home about 30 minutes later to help console this devastated baby. The rest of the afternoon had its ups and downs. It seemed every time she burped, she would have a meltdown. Acid reflux? Was it something I ate? I'm just trying to think of what in the world could be causing this reaction after one of her bubbly burps. Well, we decided we'd take advantage of the beautful weather, so I took all three dogs for a walk and then Em, mom, and I went out shopping. We were at Barnes and Noble, and Emberlyn had finally had enough! I raced up to the cash register, Emberlyn on my hip, pushing the stoller through the maze of running children and bookstands, with one hand, while unsuccessfully balancing ten books on the other. I flung my purchases on the counter, fumbled for my wallet, while Emberlyn is just wailing! The gentleman was trying to start polite conversation by asking how old she was. But my mind was on one thing, getting out! I tried to be as polite as I could be and kept my composure. Thank goodness for my mom. She met me at the counter, and held onto all my things, while I got Em out of the store. There's something about being outside and the change of scenery that really did it for her. As soon as I put her in her carseat, she calmed down, for a rather pleasant drive home. Whew! Then, tonight same thing. My girly's just had an altogether rough day. If only she could have had Pepto Bismol. The pink stuff always does the trick!

Grandpa finally got a smile out of her!

Happy 5 Month Birthday!

5 months...already!?!? All I keep saying is...She's almost 1/2 a year!?!? It's hard to believe that. Poor Emmy, I think she was only awake for about 4 hours in all today. Those shots must be wearing her out. When she was up, she was in a fantastic mood! She had lots to talk about, and I discovered that I probably shouldn't give her toys other than her plush animals, soft rattles, and baby books. She was playing with a hard plastic toy, and got so vigorous with it, she slammed it right into her forehead, faster than I could catch it or at least soften the blow. So, needless to say, that went right back in the toybox; waiting for another day. Daddy sent an email especially for her, wishing her a very happy birthday! I love celebrating every month of joy and happiness that she brings to all of us. Happy 5 months Emmy! A few more, and Daddy will be home!!!

Tylenol, Stat!

Well, she finally got her 4 month shots! I am happy to say, they are in the past! As soon as the nurse pricked her, she grabbed onto my shirt with everything she had, and wouldn't let go. She just looked at me, and screamed! Unfortunately, the nurse really took her time. Emmy's a trooper though. As soon as I picked her up to comfort her, she was fine. She dug her face right into my shirt. It was over and done with, and thank goodness for that! As we were checking out, the nurse gave her a little blue elephant to take home, but it didn't impress Emberlyn too much. She just stared at me with these puppy dog eyes and I could tell she wanted out of there. Unlike her last round of shots, these really seemed to effect her. She didn't even need Tylenol last time. Well I gave it to her as soon as we walked in the front door, and she took a good afternoon nap. However, once she woke up, it was as if she had never taken a nap. She had no energy, was fussy, and she didn't really want to play. So, I put on Baby Einstein for her, which helped a little. And gave her another dose, which helped even more. But she wasn't the same old Emmy. AND...to make matters worse, her stuffy/runny nose is back! Hopefully, she'll sleep that off tonight. I made her 6 month appointment for the end of March. Yes, more shots in a few weeks, but don't tell HER that!

They're Changing!

Her eyes are finally starting to change colors! I wonder if they're going to look more hazel, like me, or a sort of caramel brown, like Daddy. Right now, her eyes are starting to get a thin greenish rim around the center. It's a guessing game! Tell me Emmy; what color are they going to be?

Look at You Now!

Emberlyn's still trying to get used to her rice cereal. The faces she makes are too funny! She really enjoys just spitting it out. She's also getting to be such a big girl in her exersaucer. She's standing up and moving her seat around to get to all of her toys. It's amazing the changes that happen everyday!

And the Doctor Drama Continues...

I finally scheduled a doctor's visit for Emberlyn's very late 4 month round of shots. We got there at 10:10 this morning, five minutes ahead of schedule. We were the only ones in the waiting room. Well, for about five minutes. As the waiting room filled, and everyone ELSE'S name was getting called, I started to wonder. I didn't have a watch, but I was starting to think, what could possibly be going on? Emberlyn was growing tired and fussy, I was trying my best to calm her down. I pulled out toys, got her out of her car seat, bounced her on my lap, walked around with her...I did everything. Finally, I thought, this is ridiculous! I asked for the time, and it was now 10:51! I have been sitting, patiently waiting, for 40 minutes! Are you kidding me?! Finally, a nurse, called around the corner, "Don't worry, Ms. Ashley, we haven't forgotten about you." She came out and told me that she talked with the doctor, and because there's a national shortage for the Hib vaccine, they would rather wait and give her all the shots at once. So, we'd have to reschedule! Couldn't they have told me this when I came in? Or better yet, when I called the day before to schedule the appointment? Or even when they called to confirm? I couldn't believe it. Well, we got off the hook today. We'll just have to wait and see. I just want to get these shots over with! It causes enough anxiety to watch her get pricked. Before, we know it, it's going to be time to schedule her 6 month visit!

More Moments with Emmy

Here are some recent pictures of my cutie patootie!

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And...she had cereal for the first time!!!




Sitting like a big girl!

Emmy's 1st Heart Day!

We are celebrating Emberlyn's first Valentine's! We're going to have a day filled with chocolate, cookies, and it wouldn't be the same without a chick flick marathon! Wade sent us the cutest pictures of him in the air holding a "Happy Valentine's" sign. You should have seen Emmy staring at the screen! She was loving it! I keep repeating "Dadddy, Daddy" hoping that it'll rub off, and she can make some kind of connection to the "guy in the pictures" as being her daddy. I can't wait for these two to be reunited! I think about it often, and I know how much Em is going to melt his heart! They are going to be inseperable! You're an amazing man, Wade. We ♥ you, Daddy!

Greatest Husband Ever!

I've just been "husband tagged" by Lindsay

What is his name? Wade, a.k.a "Swade", or as I like to say, "Waaaaaade" (he knows what I'm talking about)
How long have you been married? Wow, 4 years in May!
How long did you date? Hmmm...6 months of "real-life" dating, and then 3 months of long-distance dating thanks to OCS (Navy bootcamp). So, I suppose 9 months.
How old is he? 30
Who eats more? I would say ME! He would say, we eat about the same. =) What can I say? I have an appetite for life!
Who said "I love you" first? I think that would be him. Well, his actual words were, "I think I'm falling for you." But I'm still pretty sure that he said "I love you" first. =)
Who is taller? Wade is by a couple inches.
Who sings better? That would be ME!
Who is smarter? According to Cash Cab, one of our favorites, we're about even. We never know the answer to the same questions, so it evens out.
Whose temper is worse? That would probably be me. But when he gets the hiccups, it would be him! Yes, gotta see it, pretty hilarious!
Who does the laundry? Wade taught me when we first got married. So, I do it!
Who does the dishes? Whoever cooks, the other one cleans.
Who sleeps on the left side of the bed? I do.
Who pays the bills? I've finally taken over! LOVE online banking!
Who mows the lawn? I wish we had a lawn! One of Wade's favorite things to do!
Who cooks dinner? That's a toss up. Wade grills. And I don't venture far from the frozen food aisle. Although, I can make some killer chicken enchiladas!
Who drives when you are together? He does.
Who is more stubborn? We both can be quite tenacious.
Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Depends, I'd say it's a pretty fair share.
Who proposed? Well, officially? Wade proposed on the beach in Pensacola the day before we got married!
Who has more friends? HE does. The guy has so many friends, I meet a new one everytime we go back to Texas.
Who has more siblings? I do, 3 brothers and 1 sister.
Who wears the pants? That's obvious, ME! =)
What attracted me to him? The corvette that he was borrowing! That's what he would say. No, it was his self-confidence. There was something about him that just made me curious. I wanted to know everything about him. And of course, the physical attraction, and we were a good team at foosball the night we met. FUNNY story!

Wade's the greatest husband ever! This Valentine's is going to be a lonely one, but I have a very precious part of him to share it with, Emberlyn. He's my best friend, and I cannot wait for him to come home! Hats off to you honey! XOXO

Cold, cold go away...

Poor Emberlyn has been fighting a cold for 4 long weeks! She ran a fever, again, two nights ago. According to her doctor, it seems there's nothing I can do. The infection just needs to run its course. We've had a humidifier going, but that hasn't been doing the trick. So, we'll be attempting Vick's tonight, and see if that can get rid of all of her congestion, so she can get a good night's rest. Thanks for the advice Linds!! Rub some Vicks on her feet, put some socks on, and nighty-night! Alright, little miss Emmy, it's time for you to get better!

These Hands are for Exploring

I can't get enough of this little girl! She is amazing and gets more and more fun everyday! She is so playful and interactive. She loves sticking her hands all over people's faces and running her fingers through my hair. It cracks me up because she seems so intuitive as to what's going on around her. She is quite the investigator. She has to check everything out. Her toys seem more interesting to her; and her hands are EXTREMELY interesting, as they are ALWAYS in her mouth. She still likes to hold onto my fingers as she falls asleep. She has a handful of my fingers, and then her other hand is tucked next to her face. She does this every night. She also has a new screech she makes. I call it her dinosaur voice. That's exactly how she sounds! She's also getting interested into the three dogs that run all over the house. She knows that Avery belongs to her, because she is the only one that Emberlyn really has to explore. She will just stare and stare at Avery. These two are going to be such good friends! If Emberlyn only knew. Since her 4 month appointment, her newest nickname, given by Grammy, is Emmy Long Legs. My newest mission today is to get pj's that fit! Size 12 months here we come!

She is loving her baby yoga! Rolling's her favorite part!

Emberlyn is This Big!!!

Emberlyn had her 4 month check-up on Monday. Wow has she grown! She's 14 lb. 1 oz., which is in the 50th percentile. And she is 26 1/2 inches long, above the 95th percentile! Emberlyn's going to be taller than me on her first birthday at this rate! I asked the doctor about her cold, and her chest sounded clear. Looks like she has an upper respiratory infection. Hopefully in 3-5 days, it'll be over and done with. We pushed the shots back a few weeks. So, we still have this to look forward to. Or I should say NOT forward to.
Other than that, she's doing fantastic, and I couldn't be more proud. We got to talk to Daddy several times in the last few days. We both had webcams, so he got to see Emmy in action. That was amazing! He's dying to get back to her! We miss him so much, and are currently counting down the weeks, because the days seem too long, until he comes home. We love you Wade!!!

To Emmy, From a Dear Friend

A BIG thank you to Mrs. Bayne! She knit Emberlyn the most precious baby blanket for these cool Texas nights. It's gorgeous! And I don't think it could have made Emberlyn happier! Emberlyn loves it! She doesn't have any blankets quite this soft, so she snuggles with it, and likes to cover her face with it. It's already at the top of her list for naptime! We are going to get a lot of use out of it, I can tell!

Emberlyn's 4 Months Old!

Happy 4 month birthday to Emberlyn! I really can't believe time has gone as fast as it has. Moments spent with her are cherished. Although she's been fighting a cold now for a week, she can't stop smiling. I overload Wade's email with pictures about every other night. The pictures of her "squinted" smile, eat him up! He can't get enough. She must know that Daddy loves it. I've learned so much from her in these short four months. Here are a few lessons learned from my little miss. #1 Patience. On some days, running errands with an irritable baby may seem like an impossibility. But, with patience, it's amazing how things get done. This is a daily lesson, but I'm learning! #2 Love. Love isn't necessarily a "new" thing that I've learned. But, this kind of love is something else. The moment she came into my life, the world paused, and it was just me and her. I was head over heels. She reminds me so much of her Daddy. She's a constant reminder of the love I share with Wade. #3 Self confidence. I've had to learn to be aggressive and strong-willed when it comes to dealing with insurance and pediatric offices. What a pain! But it's made me a more aware, independent, and self-confident mother.
#4 Strength. Emberlyn gives me so much strength as we go through this first deployment together. My family, undoubtedly, is at the root of my strength as well. Without them, I can't imagine going on a journey as difficult as this. Everyday she gives me a sense of purpose. My job everyday is to shower her with love, give her hugs and kisses from Daddy, and nurture her every need as she thrives. And it's the job of a lifetime! Emberlyn, you're an amazing little girl. You inspire me everyday. I can't wait to see what's around the corner! Thank you God, for this sweet, sweet girl!

Someone Wants Her Mommy

Emberlyn cried for me for the
first time today!!! Yeah, that's right. She cried for her mommy! I was running around the house like crazy today trying to get things done, and each time I walked out of the room, Emberlyn would cry. Then, I would come back into her line of sight, and she'd smile! And I would sing to her, "Mommy comes back, she always comes back to get you!" Oh she is too cute! Cute now, later on... well, it may be a little less cute. But I'm loving it now! What new mommy doesn't want to feel needed?

Not My Emberlyn!

What's a mom to do with a baby who's got the sniffles? Cry her eyes out! Well, Emberlyn was sick for the first time on Sunday. She came down with a fever, but you wouldn't even know it.
She was playing and acting just fine. Her symptoms were that of allergies. She had red, watery eyes, stuffy nose, a little cough, and a slight fever. At night, I rested her head on a pillow so she could recline and let her nose drain. That night, I couldn't suction her nose enough! All the poor girl wanted was her pacifier. But her nose was so stuffy, she had to spit it out to breathe again. It was very frustrating for her. Her naps have been limited, and Emberlyn is just wiped. She got much better as the day went on. We may need to postpone her doctor's appointment, scheduled for the 29th of this month, so she is at her optimal health for her four month shots.


SURPRISE!!! Emmy laughed for the first time today! It was a complete belly laugh. She was cracking up!!! We were doing our arm and leg exercises, as we normally do, and as soon as I raised her hands above her head, she busted up laughing! AMAZING! There's nothing more gratifying than seeing her smile and HEARING HER LAUGH!!!

Love you girly!

New Emmy Making Her Debut

Emberlyn has changed overnight!!! She woke up earlier this week and turned into a new baby! Her transformation has been amazing to watch. She has this little "whine" she does. I call it a whine, but she's really not fussing. She just loves to hear her voice! She loves hearing all the funny noises she can make. She squeals, she snorts, she laughs, and gets very excited. She tries so hard to tell me things! It's amazing!!! She has this smile that takes over her entire face. She loves to smile. And instead of sitting there trying to make her smile, and trying my very hardest to
catch just a smidge of it on camera...she does it continuously! She smiles, and holds it while Mommy snaps away. She's my favorite girly in the world! It's so funny to see how fast she's growing. Her clothes can't keep up! I'm already getting her stocked up on 12 month clothes. It's funny, because she can still wear her newborn shoes. I'm sure her feet will catch up soon! I count my blessing with her everyday. I love you Emberlyn, Mommy's little butterbean!

Gifts from Daddy

Yay! I FINALLY got to open my Christmas present from Wade. It was the most beautiful jewelery box I have ever seen. It was hand-crafted in Sorrento, Italy. Thank you honey! I'll cherish it forever!
We also got a package from Wade yesterday. In it there were two cd's. He made one especially for little Emberlyn. I told him that she hasn't been sleeping very well the past few weeks. So, he made her the cutest lullaby cd! And...it's already worked! What do you know? Daddy knows best! We also got a cd with lots of pictures! Emberlyn seemed fascinated by one in particular. She loves her Daddy! We also got a video message! We are going to be playing that one over and over and over.
The video itself seems like the shortest five minutes in the world! It's so good hearing his voice and seeing his face. We miss him so much! Wade received the DVD I sent him about a month ago, and unfortuntately, there was NO sound to it. At least he got to SEE Emmy in action! I've been emailing him lots and lots of pictures of our ever-changing daughter. And he's just amazed at how fast she's growing- 15 weeks already! Let's see, what's Emberlyn doing these days? Well she has a voice and she loves it!! Her favorite time to talk is around bedtime. She likes to tell me all about her day. She also loves going on walks in her stroller. The weather in Texas has been very good to us. We can still get outside in January without bundling up! I just bought a baby yoga video today. So, that's going to be our new hobby. We tried it out for a little while this afternoon. And Emberlyn reminded me that I just fed her! Oops! In the future, I'll have to work around the feeding schedule, but I can tell we're going to have TONS of fun working out together!

The Start of a New Year

Wow! December was a whirlwind. It came and went, and now we're at the start of a new year. Well, we ended the month with a trip to see my extended family. We packed up the car and headed to Illinois for Christmas. And it was amazing! It was about a 16 hour drive, so we broke it up into 2 days. Both sides of the family (mom's and dad's) have been anticipating this big event for several months. They could not wait to meet the newest addition! First, we stopped to see my dad's side of the family. It was great! Emberlyn and cousin Hayden got along wonderfully. Hayden was just loving on her. She wanted to hold her and open her arms big and wide to
give Emmy hugs! Grandma Wells was ecstatic to see her first great-grand baby! She can finally match a face to all those pictures she's been receiving.
Next, we headed to my mom's side of the family. Grandma Zimmerman fell in love at first glance. (Also the first great-grand baby.) I don't think I held Emberlyn for more than five minutes at their house! My cousins, aunts, and uncles couldn't get enough. Unfortunately, our white Christmas melted a couple days before our arrival. It was in the twenties the entire time we were there. Our shopping trips and errands were limited because it took about thirty minutes to bundle Emberlyn up. I do NOT miss that weather. The drive back to Texas went really well. We only had two meltdowns. I don't know what we would have done without our Baby Einstein DVDs. She just ooooos and aaahhhhs at the screen. It's so funny how those movies can just hold a 3 month old's attention! Yes! Emberlyn's three months already! I can hardly believe it! She'll be 14 weeks on Wednesday. Someone tell me where the time has gone! I can't even begin to explain how much her personality has grown. Her expressions are really coming alive. She's becoming a lot more aware of her surroundings. She is in love with her doll, is fascinated by lights and sounds on her toys, and of course recognizes mommy's voice! Gotta love that one! She has her next doctor's appointment on the 29th of this month. So, we'll see how much she's grown! Most memorable moments of 2007- finding out that we were pregnant in January, carrying our baby girl for nine months, an experience that I absolutely cherished! Buying our very first home, meeting and holding Emberlyn for the first time, watching Wade change a diaper for, pretty much, the FIRST time in his life, seeing what an amazing dad Wade is and how natural it comes to him, and seeing him off on his first deployment. It's been quite a year. We can't wait to dive into 2008 and celebrate a thousand more milestones including Wade's much anticipated return! We love you all!

Happy New Year!

Christmas is Fast Approaching!

Wow! Only two weeks to go and I still have so much shopping to get done! Emberlyn and I have been racing all around town the last two weeks. And it seems Emberlyn's gifts keep growing and growing. She has been quite a distraction, as I'm buying everything for her! Who knew shopping for your baby's first Christmas was so much fun! Well, shopping for Emberlyn is complete until I see the coolest new toy, or the cutest new got-to-have ensemble. My goal is to be finished with everyone by this weekend! Then, we are off to Illinois late next week to spend the holiday with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, some that I haven't see in years! I haven't been to Illinois in over eight years, so it's going to be quite amazing to bring my new little girl with me! She is becoming quite the traveler! Combined with the drive from Virginia to Texas, she'll be in over eleven states before she's three months old!! We'll be missing Wade terribly over the holidays, but I'm greatly anticipating opening up my Christmas present from him that is sitting under the tree as we speak! Unfortunately, he's been staring at our Christmas gift for the last three weeks! Talk about good self-discipline! Good luck to all of you still scrambling around and we wish you a warm and joyful Christmas!