Sittin' Pretty!

I ended up getting Em a Bumbo today. I kept hearing from everybody how great they were and she has always really seemed to like it when we hold her so that she can sit up. I figured that she was probably pretty tired of either laying on the floor or being reclined in her swing when we weren't holding her. She is too cute in it! Also, I got in the bows that I ordered from Blooming Bows-she looks adorable in them!

I don't think she quite knew what to think at first!

We still have to work on sitting up straight-she kind of flops to one side!

It looks like she liked it after she got used to it!

She's Pretty Tough!

Well, we had our 2 month well-baby visit today. Our little princess is definitely a growing girl! She is now 12 pounds 14 ounces(92%), 23 inches(75%), and her head circumference was 15 3/4 inches(80%). Her height and weight flip flopped percentages from her one month visit! She had to get 3 shots and she was so tough. She cried right when she got them and then was smiling all the way home. Luckily they didn't seem to make her feel bad-the pictures are from when we got home. She was perfectly content watching the Astros! I thought it was too cute-she would not take her eyes off the TV.

Is that face not hilarious?!

2 Months Already?!

Everyone told us to enjoy every second because it flies by...boy were they right! I can't believe our little princess is already two months old!! She is all smiles these days and is doing really well holding her head up. Tummy time is definitely not her favorite thing but will tolerate it a little bit better if she is more on her knees with her Boppy pillow. She is pretty much sleeping through the night-we put her down around 9:30 or 10 and she typically sleeps until 6. It is so nice to get a good 8 hours of sleep again! She gets a little fussy in the evenings but given that that is really the only time that she cries, we'll take it! She still loves bath time which usually puts a stop to the nighttime fussies. This past week she has decided that she likes to watch TV. It all started with Dancing With the Stars-she didn't take her eyes off of it. Today she sat in her swing in front of the TV watching the Astros! She is a great eater which was dramatically helped today when we changed her to the medium flow nipples instead of slow. Before, it could sometimes take her 45 minutes to eat. Today, just 15 or 20 minutes! Mommy and Daddy are learning slowly but surely!

She looked so cute this morning in the new dress that Jerry and Janet got her!

She thinks she is pretty big sitting up on Mom and Dad's bed while we worked out!

She loves for Shawn to hold her up to either stand or sit on her knees.

It is a shame she is not a happy baby!

A Few Firsts

This past weekend marked a few firsts for our little Em-her first road trip, first trip to the farm, first time at GranSan's house, and first Easter! We headed to Shreveport on Thursday afternoon and the trip there was a bit rocky. She screamed-notice I did not say cried-she SCREAMED the whole way there! The only time she wasn't screaming was when she was out of her car seat when we stopped to feed her in Nacogdoches! When I took her out, her hair and clothes were soaking wet from sweat because she had cried so hard! After we got Thursday behind us, we had a great weekend. It was definitely an adventure learning how to pack with a baby AND a dog. Before when we went to Shreveport, we packed one bag for the two of us put Maggie in her kennel and off we went. Those days are definitely over-we looked like we were moving to Shreveport, not staying for a weekend! It was so fun taking her to see everyone. We were disappointed that Jaf, Shell, and the girls weren't there but she got plenty of kisses from my mom, dad, Jon, Dondi, Nate, Bailey, Jerry, Janet, and Patsy-not to mention everyone at church! The trip home was much better-she didn't start crying until we got to Houston, 10 minutes from the house!

GranSan had so much fun spoiling Em-complete with an Easter basket!

Dondi and Nate stopped by right when we got there-unfortunately it was time to eat so she wasn't her usual smiling self...sorry Nate!

Bailey couldn't wait to hold Emerson-she was so good with her! Too bad she is 3 1/2 hours away or we would have us a good babysitter!

Can you believe Nate and Bailey were ever this little Jon?!

Robin, John Ryan and Nora came to meet Emerson on Saturday.

Nora Jo and Em will be life long friends!

All decked out in her Sunday best! The bib stayed on until it was time for pictures!

The first of many happy Easters together!

I am sad that I don't have any still pictures of her with Jerry and Janet-it is all video!

FINALLY!!!

After 5 weeks and 1 day, Emerson's cord FINALLY fell off! The next night she got to take a real bath in her tub. She was too cute-she absolutely loved it! She had gotten kind of fussy about 20 minutes before bath time so I was a little worried that the first bath could be a disaster but as soon as I sat her down in the tub she was completely calm! She didn't start fussing again until about 5 minutes after I got her out-we'll definitely be taking longer baths!

She completely zoned out and just relaxed the whole time!

She has always liked to have her hair washed but it was even better when combined with a bath!

This is the life!

Look at that belly!

Hodge Podge of Pics

It is hard to believe that our little one is already a month old!!!! She went for her checkup this past week and has grown to 10 pounds and 22 1/2 inches! She had to get her first shot which I am pretty sure was harder on me and Shawn than it was on her-she hardly cried at all. I have been having so much fun with her during the day and we are now working to get her on a more regular schedule. By taking more scheduled naps in her bed she seems to be much more content when she is awake. I had some random pictures to post so I just lumped them all into this post.

Swaddling works miracles for her. She can be crying and as soon as we swaddle her she is perfectly calm. We can put her in her bed awake and she doesn't make a peep and goes right to sleep!

She is quite the lazy eater! It is a wonder we have made it to 10 pounds given that this is how she is every time she eats!

She hates being on her tummy but seems to tolerate it a little longer on her boppy. Her dislike of being on her tummy led to her rolling from her tummy to her back when she was only a week old-we have the video to prove it!

Uncle Jeremy got to come for a visit and brought lots of hugs and kisses from New Mexico!

I love just hanging out with my daddy!

I am slowly but surely getting things done in her room-I was pretty excited with how her name turned out!

It is so fun playing dress up with little girls-especially when they have enough hair for bows!

So Much Fun!

Everybody has told me from the time I found out that I was pregnant that time would fly by when the baby got here. They weren't kidding-it is so hard to believe it has already been two weeks and Emerson has already changed so much in those two weeks. We are having a blast with her! She has such a fun little personality and, we may be a little biased, but she gets cuter every day. I of course am having so much fun playing dress up with her. It is becoming very dangerous to go anywhere that carries kids clothes...I can't seem to go anywhere without buying more clothes!

Somehow she covered her own head with the blanket during her nap!

Meeting the Big Sis

It was the cutest thing ever when Emerson was introduced to Maggie for the first time. Those of you who know Maggie know that if you are holding something that she is interested in seeing or having, she is not exactly what you would call gentle about getting to it! We let her in the kitchen and Bonnie was holding Emerson. Maggie went over to her and raised up real slowly on her back legs and just balanced there where she could see her and smell her(she didn't jump!). She just automatically knew that this was something she had to be careful with. From that first smell on, she was attached! Shawn got down on the floor with Emerson and Maggie would just carefully lick the back of her head-too cute! When we went back in the living room, we let Maggie stay in the kitchen, where she knows she is supposed to stay. Before long, she came sneaking around the chair and over to the couch, kissed Emerson on the back of the head and then turned and ran really fast back to the kitchen before she could get in trouble! It looks as though Emerson is going to be well taken care of by her big sis!

"Dad, do we really get to keep her?!"

Sweet Kisses

"Grandma, I can't see good!"

ITS A GIRL!!!!!

Much to our surprise after our Monday appointment, I went into labor on Tuesday evening. When Shawn got home from his very last basketball game of the season, I told him that it was probably time we head to the hospital because my contractions were already about 3-5 minutes apart. We got to the hospital about 10:30 and were admitted at midnight. GranSan and Aunt Janet got to Houston at 2:00 a.m. for the big event and precious Emerson Leigh Brooks made her appearance at 10:32 a.m. on Wednesday. People have always said that you can never understand how much parents love their children until you become a parent yourself-that is so true. When she was born and I heard the words "it's a girl" I knew our lives had been changed forever. It was more emotion than I knew what to do with! She is absolutely perfect-she weighed 8lbs 5ozs and was 21 inches long. She has a head full of dark hair and a beautiful complexion.

Love at First Sight!

Our First Family Photo

"Why me Lord?"

Daddy's Little Girl

GranSan & Janet were right outside to hear the first cry

Papa and Grandma agree that she is perfect!

It's so good to be home!!