Me and my boys...: One of our valentines: Emma

A little (and much needed) update on our Emma Jane. She has acquired a few more nicknames from the boys since the last update and just beams from ear to ear when she sees or hears any of them! They adore her and call her Em, Emmer, Emmer Jane, Emma Jane, Baby gir-rl, and more!

So, she is so long and skinny. So different from my big, hefty boys. I can still carry her one armed and not have my arm fall off! She was 13 lbs almost 14 oz at her 4 month appt and 26.5 inches long (and looking back through the blog Danny, Benny and Nathan were both almost 17 1/2 lbs and comparable lengths by this point!)

She is such a genuinely happy and calm baby. My other babies were quite content at this point but she is so patient and calm (unless it is way past nap or feeding time) and has already been on her own self created schedule since about 2 months. No crying it out unless she gets over tired then she’ll talk a little and be a bit agitated and fuss and move in her bed to get settled for 2-3 minutes and then she’s out like a light! Phew. I needed an easy one. She gets dragged all around and is still quite happy. She will giggle but at random times and isn’t as easy to get to laugh as the boys at this point. She is also very ticklish! She’ loves tummy time and scoots on her tummy on the bed. Oh, and she likes to cuddle-hooray–the boys didn’t like this!

Her current favorite things to do are 1) stuff her hands (both at the same time if possible) in her mouth (thus giving her cold, wet, hands all the time-fun!), 2) watch her brothers run around like the crazy boys that they are-endless hours of entertainment there, 3) chew on anything close at hand(clothing, blanket, toys, or anyone else's fingers that are close by, and 4) coo at anyone who will talk and smile to her. He is quite chatty! :)

Life has been fun with her around as I have seen new growth in the boys with another baby and a girl in the house. Yesterday before going to meet Daddy for dinner I had the car packed with everyone but Emma and Sam who was following me out to the car (me with the needed supplies) said, “wait Mom, you forgot Emma!” I hadn’t forgotten Emma, she was still sleeping and I wanted to wake her at the last possible moment but as we went back to the house together he carefully went and woke her up and spoke quietly to her as her brought her to me. Nathan (who was 4 with the last kid and is now 6 can be very helpful when he’s willing but he does adore her just has a strong aversion to work unless I deem it an emergency!). Danny wants to help all of the time with her but is not as big and strong but will “protect” her from little Benny if needed, hold bottles, fetch diapers and just love and talk to her. Ben, dear Benny boy, is my big baby boy. His eyes light up and he starts talking when he sees his sweet baby Emma. I think that he thinks that she must be his. If anyone tries to talk to him while we’re out he always says “Baby” and “Emma” and points and babbles about her. They face each other in the car and I need to get a video of their little chit chats, and he will just smother her with kisses (which he doesn’t hand out often unless you’re Grandma) and hugs and non-stop babbling!

So, life is good. Busy. Crazy. And today was one of those days that everything just went wrong but we survived it. Someone might have ruined half the food in my freezer but hey, I needed to clean it out anyway, someone might have forgotten his HW, but pictures were taken and it was emailed and printed and done, every time I tried to begin dinner another kid would crash on his scooter and come in crying, or fight over said scooters (even though I purchased THREE at Costco per Daddy’s suggestion) but I did finish dinner and they loved it, and I might have finally imported the pics from my camera only to find out that a bunch were missing/gone :( (Danny’s first t-ball practice, Emma smiling—all the pictures from three separate days-phewy but they’ll smile and play again!) and then finally my “sweet” angels might have even been caught whispering at about 9:34pm tonight (not that I was checking my watch) and had a long lecture about their age, sleep requirements health and mom’s sanity, but we’re all alive, very blessed, and very glad that we have everyone in our little family, including our newest baby, our dear, sweet, Emma.

Here are some pics of the boys at this same age just for fun! :)

Ready for the answers?

a. Benjamin

b. Samuel

c. Nathanael

d. Daniel

Disclaimer: I may or may not have used a 3 month old picture of Emma at the top because she was smiling when I had a bow in her hair and the camera out. Not as much solo photo shoot time when you’re #5! Whenever I get the camera out the boys want in!