News Flash!

Emmy rolled over today for the first time (front to back)! She did it once this afternoon during tummy time, and didn't repeat, so I thought it was flooky. Then, this evening, we did more tummy time and WHOOSH! there she went again. This time, she repeated it 3 more times to prove to me she was over that milestone hump! I am going to try to capture it on video and post it here....

Back Home Again...

We traveled to Indiana last week, driving abour 12-13 hours each way in the Vue. The car was literally PACKED with stuff, mostly baby stuff. It's amazing how much extra stuff you need to bring for a kid! Sheesh! We had a great time visiting friends & family, and Emmy got to meet 23 new people. She really did quite well, considering all the new faces, places, sleeping arrangements and generally dismissing her usual routine. She got to meet her 3 great grandparents for the first time, her Grandpa Loehmer, Uncle Josh, great aunts & uncles, cousins, and family buddies.

On the drive up north, we stayed the weekend with our friends, Jen & Chad. Sophie was very interested in meeting Emmy, but I think she was a little disappointed that Em couldn't talk, eat and play. She was most gracious though, when her parents started pulling out her old baby swing and pack-n-play for Emmy to use. We took a trip to the zoo, and saw the most amazing flowers in bloom during their Flower Fest. I even got to sniff some blooming lilacs (ah, heaven!). Jen very thankfully had Graeter's ice cream waiting for us in the freezer...have I mentioned I really LOVE my best friend?! Jen & I had some quality girl time together to catch up, a rarity, and a treat!

We had quite the wild game adventures in Indiana...my Dad cooked up some venison and squirrel for us, and my cousin gifted us a duck to eat! We had to make a stop at the Bob-o-Link in Royal Center, IN to get some spanish hotdogs and rootbeer in a frosted mug...yummo! Also, we hit Charbett's in Logansport for a tenderloin sandwich and milkshake. There are some foods you can only get at home!

Keith and I always like to walk down to the Manchester College campus when we are in town. Grammy Iding was more than happy to babysit while we checked out the construction and updates to the Union building. It was really amazing to see the transformation...it's now a place students would really LIKE to hang out! Spring is always a pretty time to be on campus, and we like to chat about our college days as we walk around the mall.

I'm so glad we were able to make the trip to Indiana. So many people got to meet Emmy, we got to visit with friends & family, stop by favorite places, and enjoy Spring in Indiana. Emmy was the perfect age to take such a long car trip...next time, we might have to fly home!

We have so many great photos from our trip, please be sure to check out our Photobucket account to see them all.

A Day in the Life...

Before I had a kid, I used to wonder what stay-at-home-moms did all day. I figured there was the usual housework, but beyond that I always questioned what else they did to fill up their day. So, I thought I'd give you a glimpse of what goes on around here on a typical day (Keith probably is interested in this as well!).

Up around 6am to feed Emmy her first bottle. After I pump, we both go back to sleep until about 830 or 9 when she wakes up hungry for bottle #2. After eating, we do some playtime (enter bouncy seat, swing, activity mat). When she starts getting bored with any and all of the above, it's time for a nap. She usually goes to her crib and watches the mobile with great amusement...see photo 2. During this nap, I try to eat breakfast/lunch/brunch...whatever. If it's close to noon, I pump again. If she's still sleeping well, I try to shower. If she wakes up, she comes into the bathroom with me and sits in the bouncy seat while I entertain her by singing "Zip-a-dee-doo-da" as I wash my hair. Bottle #3 comes around 12-1pm. Afterwards, we take a walk around the neighborhood and see what's happening. We often see other Moms & kids out and will stop for a quick visit. Today after our walk, we went across the street to visit with our neighbor for a while. Come home...naptime. This is usually when I get to read email, read blogs, write my blog, scrapbook, do laundry, wash dishes, feed cats, make phonecalls, or go out to run errands (while Em sleeps in the carseat). Bottle #4 comes around 4pm and we watch Oprah while Em eats. She finds Oprah as entertaining and enlightening as I do. After eating, it's tummy time/activity mat/swing (see photo 1) and then in the crib with mobile & music before another nap. This nap is usually a short one, and the Keith comes home. I pump around 6pm. She gets bottle #5 between 6-7pm, then gets her jammies on. If it's a bath night, she'll get one now. She'll stay up a little while to hang out with us, we have dinner, and then usually she falls asleep again. Bottle #6 comes around 9pm and then right back to bed. I usually do scrapbooking or computer stuff during this time. Last call is around 1130pm for bottle #7, then right back to sleep (heck, sometimes she doesn't even wake up when she eats that last bottle). I pump for the last time between 1130 and midnight, then off to bed for me.

Of course, this is a rough idea of a typical day for us. Anything and everything can throw this whole routine off-kilter...let's see, the blow-out that requires a complete outfit change (for Emmy and myself!), the doctor visit, the grocery run, rainy weather, a meltdown that necessitates cuddling for almost an hour before falling asleep.

Silly me, to think stay-at-home-moms had it easy and had scads of free time! Ha!

Rainy Days & Mondays

It's rained off and on since midnight here, and the rain is very
welcome! We've been pretty dry, and now have standing water in the
yard. It keeps going back and forth between sunny/blue skied and
cloudy/pouring rain. Emmy survived her first thunderstorm without any
apparent trauma, although it did wake her up from a nice nap (darn you,
thunder!). Later this afternoon, if weather permits, we plan to hit the
library and eat dinner at Red Robin. I dunno, something about a rainy
Sunday afternoon makes us want a cheeseburger & milkshake.

We'll be visiting Indiana soon, and Emmy will get to meet all kinds of Hoosiers including great grandparents, Grandpa Loehmer,
Uncle Josh, and all sorts of extended family. She's quite excited about
the whole thing, let me assure you. We'll also be stopping off in
Cincinnati to visit our great buddies, Jen & Chad. Their daughter
Sophie is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Em as well. We plan to hit
the zoo while there, which is having a Bloom Fest (or some sort of
blooming/flower type fun).

I only have 3 more weeks left of my
maternity leave. It surely has flown by, and I can't say I'm terribly
anxious to get back to work. We've got a great babysitter set up for
Emmy until her daycare spot opens in June sometime. It's such a relief
knowing your baby will be in good hands while you are out earning a
living to keep her in diapers. This work thing is going to really mess
up my schedule though...up at six, morning nap with Em, nice afternoon
walk around the neighborhood, Oprah. Ugh. The only thing that will be
the same is the up at six part (the part I could most do without!). It
will be interesting to see how well we transition to a
two-working-parent household!

10 Biggest Changes Once You Have a Baby

1) It takes you 15+ minutes to actually get in the car to go somewhere
because of all the extra "stuff" you now have to tote around.
2) You now consider a 5 hours a "full night sleep".
3) Poop, vomit and boogers have ceased to faze you (well, as much).
4) You aren't self conscious about talking baby talk in public.
5) Your neighbors with kids are suddenly very interested in getting to know you.
6) Your sense of time has gone out the window (what day is this?!)
7)
It has become perfectly acceptable to you not to shower daily. (or do
your hair, or leave the house without makeup to cover your dark circles)
8) You've started speed-eating, so you can finish your meal before the baby wakes up/gets fussy.
9) Darn-near every room in your house has baby paraphernalia occupying it.
10) Your evening entertainment consists of laughing at baby farts and watching her sleep peacefully.

The Update

So, Emmy had her two month well baby visit today...and lots of shots.
She weighed 10 lb, 10 oz and was 22.25 inches long. She actually did
very well with all her vaccinations, a little yelling, but not too much
for getting 3 shots in one day. Man, her face can get RED!! She hasn't
been overly fussy tonight, but I gave her a prophylactic dose of
Tylenol to ward off anyachiness or fever.

The biggest update
(and proud parental moment) is that she has slept through the night
EVERY NIGHT since last Wednesday. I can't tell you how relieved we are
that she's finally doing this. We both feel so much better now that we
can sleep a solid 6 hours. I even got to take a bath last night...hotdiggity!! (I feel like I need to go knock on wood or something so I don't jinx this!!)

We
put a new mobile on Em's crib (a lovely gift from our friends Fred
& Lenny), and I must say, she is transfixed by it! Now, if only we
could convince her that tummy time isn't a punishment...

Happy Easter!

Happy 2 Months, Emmy!

Emmy is officially 2 months old today. I simply can't believe she's been around that long...time really flies. She has changed so much during this time, we can't wait to see what the next 2 months brings. Her 2 month well baby visit is Tuesday, and I'll post her new weight/length stats...she is getting rather rolly-poly, and I'm guessing she's closing in on 11 lbs. Breastmilk is agreeing with her VERY much!

Will Wonders Never Cease?!

It finally happened!!! Emmy slept through the night without waking up for her bottle! Yippee! She ate around 10:45pm, and didn't wake up until about 4-430a. I gave her the pacifier and she went right back to sleep until about 545a! Yippee again! We surely hope this is the first of many nights she does this, and she wasn't just teasing us. That would truly be so cruel. (And we know babies are so very cruel.)

Cute Photo for the Day