Emma: Weeks 16-19

We've been too busy partying over here and I got behind on my posts! I guess I missed my traditional bear picture for both week 16 and 17 but oh well, such is the life of the second born.

 18 Weeks (1/3/11)

Emma just is quite the social sprite. She likes to be at eye level which has resulted in her joining us on the table in her bouncy seat during mealtimes (yeah, I know, probably not the smartest move but I she is always strapped in....) This will not last long as she no longer really enjoys the bouncy seat. She is, however, way into toys now which is fun.

Emma has discovered numerous new cool sounds her voice can make and shares them with us often. Notice also her mirror giggles and the attractive bald spot on the back of her head. :) (By the way, I'm sooo close to just buying a new camera if I can't get this stretched out video thing figured out soon! Ugg!)

She also loves it when you get right in her face so she can grab your cheeks. She gets super talkative and starts making the best noises. This is a mutually pleasing activity.

Emma caught Isla’s Mexican bug on Christmas Eve and it stuck with her for a good 10 days or so. This is already her second cold (not including her illness that required hospitalization that first week)….I don’t think Isla got sick at all until she was 6 months old at least. Again, the life of the second born!

Other facts about Emma: she flips out when you pull shirts over her head. Note to self: don't try any surprises involving blindfolding when she is older. She immediately starts arching and flailing, doing everything in her power to be able to see again. It's odd. 

She really loves it when her older sister plays with her. Isla likes to join her for tummy time and Emma really likes it when she reads to her. It's a win-win situation for all. 

Emma's New Years resolution was to quit sleeping through the night and begin waking AND eating about 3 times on average. Of course I later realized this coincided with my milk supply issues so at least we have a reason!

Her nicknames thusfar include: Emmy, Em n Ems and Emmy Bear.

 19 Weeks (1/11/12)

This past week can be summed up in one word: TOUGH!! But, then I look at these pictures and can't get over how worth it she is.

Our 4 month peds appointment was not so great. I’ve mentioned most of it but it was when we learned Emma’s weight gain had slowed and that my milk supply had nearly dried up. She weighed 13 pounds, 2.5 oz (25-50th %ile). Thankfully she remained on track with her linear gain and measured 24 1/2 inches (50-75th %ile). She also had what I thought was a zit on her face but it had turned green and the doctor said it was a minor staph infection and so popped it and instructed me to put warm compresses on it followed by Neosporin three times a day. Do you how hard it is to do a lot of things once a day with a baby, let alone three times? Somehow I think I remembered most of the time.

Praise the Lord I was able to preserve my milk supply (so far)! I’m taking this NASTY liquid supplement called MotherLove More Milk Plus (creative, eh?) but it works. I have to remember this one FOUR times a day and can’t drink anything for the 15 minutes before or after. But then I’m supposed to be drinking like there’s no tomorrow to keep my supply up. I tell ya, it’s no wonder I’m losing my mind keeping all this straight.

Of course as if all this wasn't enough, Emma also decided to quit taking the bottle. I'm not sure what she was thinking. If my milk supply had dried up, it would have been her only option. Anyway, she used to just be a bad bottle feeder (milk dribbling everywhere) but this week she actually started refusing the bottle, screaming and arching, the whole kit and kaboodle. At first I thought it was just me and then she wouldn't take one from Graham either. I REFUSE to be the sole feeder so we got right to work on this one and have had some success over the past few days. We are doing a bottle every single day so that she gets it down pat as I'll be returning to work before long here.

Emma went to the nursery for the very first time on Sunday, January 8th. She did great apparently and I was able to listen to the whole sermon! Of course this morning, she woke up all booger-faced, a classic Thursday morning post-nursery occurrence in our house.

But on a positive note, she rolled over for the first time on Monday, January 9th! She went from tummy to back and both Isla and I had the pleasure of witnessing it (I missed Isla's first roll because she did it on my first day back to work, the stinker!) She did it again today when I wasn't looking.

We finally have established a good morning nap that is usually about an hour or so in length. She more or less quit napping (or following a schedule) last week with all that went on so we are still working on our afternoon timing and establishing a bedtime. I have had some success getting both girls to sleep (in separate rooms) around 1:30 or 2 PM but Emma doesn't usually stay asleep for long without some intervention. And bedtime is a whole different story...we're lucky if we can get her asleep by 10 PM. I can usually get her down at 7:30 or 8 PM but she seems to think it's just a nap. Can't wait to reclaim my evenings again!