No pics today -- I don't have any handy but wanted to post a few thoughts about Emi at 7 1/2 months. She has been giving me lots of spontaneous (and wet!) kisses lately. She's been trying to wave for about a month now but is getting better and better at it recently. She is a sweet baby but gets very upset when left alone to play. She much prefers having interaction or at least someone nearby. Loves to babble. Has been saying "da da da" a lot lately -- hard to tell yet if she knows who she's talking about or not (but that's how "ma ma" started, too). Several days ago she said "Ah ay ah," and I really think she was trying to say "Alaina." She also for quite some time says a sound like "heh" or similar when greeting someone. I think she is trying to say "hi" or "hey." Laughs when kissed right on her bottom rib on each side. Seems to be kind of bored with her toys lately but has no thought whatsoever of crawling and isn't quite ready for the next level of toys. Enjoys books but mostly the lift the flap kind and enjoys gnawing on books. Still loves being outside and going for walks. Loves people. Seems to really respond to music. If the TV is on and suddenly there's music, she notices. Sometimes will kind of move her arms up and down when she hears music. Sometimes vocalizes when I'm singing. She is doing really well with eating solids -- just gave her pear slices at dinner tonight and she fed them to herself (left little pear stumps behind). Has also fed herself very tender carrot sticks and some avocado. I've fed her mashed up sweet potatoes. She's had lots of baby food, cereal, etc., as well. Her favorite food so far, though, is organic Greek yogurt with some fruit mixed in.

Halloween and other recent pics

Getting bigger yet?

We've been busily trying to get lots of extra calories into little Emmeline. Sadly, she didn't gain any weight between her 4 and 6 month appointments. I don't want to write much about it here, but of course, I was shocked and sad to hear that. She's been eating very well for the past couple of weeks, so we're hoping she's showing that she can gain weight.

Also, for the past couple of weeks Emi's been saying "ma ma," and at first, I thought she was just babbling. But over time it's become clear that she knows exactly what she's saying, and it warms my heart. Now we need to work on "da da" and "Alaina." Alaina didn't say "mama" (knowingly) until almost 10 months, I think, and said "da da" first, so this is really fun for me. Emi is really a good natured, flexible, sweet baby. Her biggest peeve is being ignored. She prefers direct interaction as much as possible.

Six months old

First cereal:

Just hanging out as a 6-month-old:

Emi has really been babbling lately. She's saying "ma ma ma ma" a lot, and lots of "b" sounds, too ("mba" is frequently heard). Lots of m, b, g consonants and o and a vowel sounds. And some h sounds, too, especially upon greeting people. She's doing really well at sitting up, although she definitely still flops back or to the side after a while.



Five Months Old

These photos were actually taken yesterday, but today Emmeline is five months old! She loves to experiment with her voice, making soft sounds, low sounds, raspy sounds, and everything in between. She makes little coughing sounds a lot to get our attention when we're not looking at her. She loves being outside, going for walks, taking baths, and interacting with people. She does not like being ignored. ;-) She also likes pulling people's hair and putting it in her mouth whenever possible. She is very distracted these days, wanting to constantly interact with people and her environment. Little sounds that she would've ignored in the past have become very interesting. I often have to wake her from her morning nap to pick up her sister from kindergarten, and she always is pleasant, smiling, and ready to go!

Splish splash!

Emi loves taking baths! No matter how fussy she is, a warm bath always relaxes her and makes her smile. I think she understands the word "splash" because whenever I say, "Emmeline, splash!" she always starts splashing with her arms and legs. 

Emi and Alaina had a pretend campout in Alaina's tent. Alaina made a fake campfire with pretend smores, hot dogs, etc., and they both relaxed on pillows with stuffed animals.



Emi's checkup

Emi had her four-month checkup this morning. She weighs 13 pounds 5 ounces and is 27 inches long (97th percentile!). Her head circumfrence is 16 inches. She is healthy, thriving, and took her shots like a champ!

She loves taking a bath in this Blooming Bath from my friend Theresa that fits right in a sink.

A "playdate" last week with two of her baby friends.

Emi has been my walking buddy every Thursday night while Todd and Alaina go to a financial class he's been helping teach (Alaina plays with the kids). Emi loves being outside and I love going for walks, so we both have enjoyed it a lot.



There are more sister pics over at Alaina's blog right now, so check them out.

Sisters

The following photos show a play-by-play of Alaina and Emmeline kinda/sorta playing together. It was the first time they seemed to be really interacting a lot in a way that was enjoyable to both of them. With such a big age difference, I will treasure these sorts of moments because they might not come often.
In other news, Emi started playing with her toes today. She even grabbed them when I said, "Where are your toes?" This may have been purely coincidental, but as her mommy I reserve the right to call her brilliant.

Hanging out with grandma during a recent visit:

Emi with my good buddy, Debbie:


Her first friend sharing her playmat with her:

Updated to add that last night she slept from about 10-8!! :-)

I love seeing this face every morning!

Sometimes after her first feeding of the morning she just falls into a deep sleep and takes a snooze on our bed looking very cozy:

First laugh

It seems really early, but we're pretty sure Todd made Emi laugh for the first time tonight. He was being silly with her and we both heard the laugh and he said her belly even moved. :-)

Two-month checkup

Emi weighs 11 pounds 12 ounces (75th percentile) and is 24 inches long (97th percentile). She did great with getting her vaccinations. Oddly, at the end of the appointment I noticed I was covered in blood that must've been shed when she got her shots. Alaina was very patient during the appointment and helped me with the stroller. Emi is in a good mood now -- hopefully she won't feel too miserable after the shots.

Story time with the dolls...

I'm pretty sure she's going to be eaten by her big sister!



Big grin

Wow -- look at those cheeks! :-) I think she's well fed. Emmeline has been smiling so much and cooing/vocalizing a lot more. Ah-goo! :-)

A few "Emmeline"-related tidbits for you. First, there's a poem by A.A. Milne (though to rhyme properly the name would have to be pronounced Emmaleen.

BEFORE TEA

Emmeline
Has not been seen
For more than a week. She slipped between
The tow tall trees at the end of the green...
We all went after her. "Emmeline!"

"Emmeline,
I didn't mean -
I only said that your hand weren't clean."
We went to the trees at the end of the green...
But Emmeline
Was not to be seen.

Emmeline
Came slipping between
The tow tall trees at the end of the green.
We all ran to her. "Emmeline!
Where have you been?
Where have you been?
Why, it's more than a week!" And Emmeline
Said, "Sillies, I went and saw the Queen.
She says my hands are purfickly clean!"

-A.A. Milne (author of Winnie the Pooh)

Emmeline is also a character in the second Anne of Green Gables movie.

There's also a Ben Folds song called Emaline.

Last night Emi slept from 11 or so until about 7:15 this morning! Also, this morning she rolled from front to back. She's done that a couple times before but I thought it was accidental. Today I knew for sure that she was able to do it. Yesterday she was fussier than usual -- they say that 6 weeks is the peak of fussiness, so maybe that's what it was.

Lazy morning:

Emi loves bathtime! Todd laughed because I like to play soothing music during her baths.

I'm trying so hard to catch a good smile. Here's one in progress (but I missed the big grin part):



Newborn Photos

Emmeline's newborn photos. Thought I'd post for anyone who hasn't seen them. It's a sampling of what our good friend Kimmy Howard captured a few days after she was born.

For the record

Emmeline is five weeks old today. She started smiling on 5/14 and now gives me so many smiles sometimes that I can't count them. However, I haven't been able to capture any on camera yet. I think I need a joint effort with one person holding the camera and another coaxing out a smile. The dress in these pictures was given to Emi by Alaina. She picked it because it's similar to a dress she owns.

Emi slept from about 10-6:15 last night! I think that was her best yet. Her feeding started sometime before 9:30. It seems unbelievable that she can go that long at her age, but I'm just trying to enjoy it and make sure she gets what she needs. She has had at least one 4, 5, or 6 hour (or more, lately!) stretch at night pretty much since she got home from the hospital. I'm not expecting things to always be that way, but she has been a really great sleeper so far. I'm writing all this here because I don't have a baby book for her, I'm not sure if I'll get one, and I'm guessing that my memory will not hold up perfectly!


Zzzzzz...

Sleeping peacefully on Mother's Day. She was quiet all through church. Last night she was very noisy while sleeping, though. Maybe we just need to turn down the monitor volume! I'm pretty sure she smiled at me twice this morning, but I'll have to see it again to confirm. I went grocery shopping with her for the first time this morning while Alaina was at preschool, and that went very well.

Hanging out with Daddy and Alaina

I was curious how much Emi looks like Alaina, so here's a photo of Alaina. She was about 6 weeks old here, but probably closer to Emi's size since she was born smaller and earlier than her. What do you think? Looks like Emi might end up with a longer face like Todd's (unless it's just Alaina's hair that's throwing me off). Alaina's nose looks more delicate and her lips have more color.



Alaina shared one of her glow bracelets with her sister.

We love when Emi just curls up on our chests and sleeps!

No hands!