Emma at 6 Months

Guess who's six months?!? I know! I can hardly believe it myself. She's getting so big no matter how many times I tell her to STOP GROWING! Emma is a full of life and laughter, sparkly eyed, chubby cheeked little sweetheart and we love her so. She is always changing but we haven't come to a stage we don't love. Every month Sam says "if only she would just stop right now, I love where she's at!" Then another month goes by and he'll say the same thing. 

This past month has brought a lot of fun new adventures. We visited two pumpkin patches, hung out with cousins, went on two fun hikes in Cedar Canyon and admired the fall leaves, spent a few nights in St. George visiting grandmas, grandpa, aunt, and uncles, played in the river a couple of times, tried out the swing at the park (again and again because she loved it), and had a fun Halloween party! We can't wait to see what new adventures await us next month!

A few things about miss Emma at 6 months:

• Emma can sit up all by herself and loves to sit and play with the blocks that aunt Jessie gave her.
• Emma tried pumpkin puree this month and it's her new favorite! She loves pumpkin with cinnamon, squash, zucchini, avocado, and of course her rice cereal.
• Emma loves to "talk" and can often be heard throughout the house shouting "NA NA NA NA!"
• Emma likes to "whisper" in the morning after mom comes to get her when she first wakes up.

• Emma's first tooth is on it's way! She hasn't been too happy about that.
• Emma loves our dog Daisy and watches her constantly! She is always trying to grab at the poor thing's ears.
• Emma loves to go to primary with mom and dad and always smiles and laughs at the children.
• Emma also loves to go to work with mom because she gets so much attention from all of the girls.

• Emma takes her sleep pretty seriously (most of the time). She sleeps all night and takes two or three naps during the day-she's gotta have energy to play hard during the day.
• Emma LOVES her door bouncer and can get quite a bit of air in it. 
• She likes to hang out in the kitchen with mom and play with all of the measuring cups-they're her favorite.
• She's getting super good at picking things up and of course, putting them right into her mouth.
• She has a million nicknames given to her by various family member including Miss Belle, Stinker Belle, The Cracken (When she decides to throw tantrums), Little sweet, Little doll, Big eyes, Bunkin, and Bug. 

She is a very fun, happy, and majorly outgoing girl and she lights up our world! She is just the greatest in our entirely biased opinion. Happy six months Emma Belle! 

"Nesting"...Better Late Than Never!

When I was pregnant with Emma, we had no idea where we were going to be in the months after she was born. We were certain that we would be moving somewhere far away for Sam to continue his schooling and that we would only be in our current apartment for a short while after Emma's birth.

Well, life is unpredictable and the plan we had changed. Sam got a wonderful job at the St. George and Cedar City IHC hospitals where he is gaining valuable experience working with patients who are recovering from heart or lung surgeries as an exercise therapist. We are SO grateful for the way things turned out. I know that Heavenly Father was looking out for us and knew what would be best for our little family. Moving so far away from all of our family and friends so soon after Emma's birth would have been quite a challenge and obviously not what He wanted for us at this time. The fact that the position became available and that Sam was hired for it has been an incredible blessing for us and the best thing that could have happened in our current situation. 

Anyway, because of all of the uncertainty during my pregnancy, I was never able to create a room for Emma. We live in a tiny apartment with NO storage or garage. It's a nice place and we love it, but it's tiny. Seriously, there is one drawer in the kitchen. ONE DRAWER. We have a "spare room" but it's never been spare. It's always been packed with junk from floor to ceiling and the tiny little corner of it that wasn't filled with junk (by junk I really mean holiday decor, keepsakes, and other storage that we just don't use on a daily basis-just to clarify) was Sam's mini "man cave"-his desk and fly tying equipment. Since we were going to be moving, we didn't worry too much about making room for Emma. I set up the bassinet in our room next to my bed and put the changing table in the living room. 

Emma was born, we didn't leave for school, Sam got a great job, time went on, we were still in the tiny, cramped apartment and Emma was getting bigger and bigger. She outgrew here bassinet by month three but, we still weren't sure what to do. Should we move to a bigger apartment? We love our little apartment. We have a great big back yard, it's a wonderful neighborhood in a great ward, and besides, who WANTS to move?? The fact was, we didn't want to move at all but, we didn't know what to do about making room for Emma. We procrastinated. 

Finally, at five months, Emma was WAY to big for the bassinet (poor baby!) and we couldn't ignore the problem any longer. We decided to move all of our "junk" into a storage unit and convert the spare room into Emma's room. 

We loaded up the truck a few times to take loads to the unit. It was the tiniest bit like actually moving and let me just say, I'm so glad we weren't actually moving. I hate moving. Hate it. 

Once we got that part out of the way, the rest was just fun! I felt like I finally got to do that whole "nesting" thing that you're supposed to do when you're pregnant. I was proud of myself for really making the most of the small space that I have and turning it in to something beautiful and special. I don't really think of myself as much of a decorator but, I am so happy with the way it turned out! I just wanted it to be amazing for her so I really put a lot of work into it. 

Here's a little tour in pictures of the nursery...

On the left is Emma's baby calendar which I am filling out as the months go by (I swear Emma has the most well documented life of any child), I made the letters that are hanging above her changing table. The daisies on the little dresser were displayed at my baby shower and next to them is her baby album, which is also being put together as we go. (I take so many pictures that who knows how I'll ever fit all of my favorites!?!)

Isn't this the cutest thing?? For those of you that don't know, I've collected little frogs for quite some time. This one was given to me (I think as a teenager) by my mom and I actually remember thinking how cute it would look in a baby room. 

I didn't take a picture of the entrance to the room because it's really not all that exciting but, I did hang this picture. It was given to me by my mother and was hanging in my room for most of my life. 

The lighting wasn't very good in this corner for a picture but, it's so cute! This is where I rock her to sleep every night. A lot of the stuffed animals were mine (frogs, bunny on the chair, Raggedy Anne and Andy) and some of them were even in my baby room! I painted the trunk that the toys are propped on for Emma. The basket next to the rocker is filled to the brim with books! She has quite a collection already...We're gonna need a bookshelf for this baby girl.

A close up of the cute wall art that my mom made. This was also displayed at my baby shower.

To the right of her rocking chair are these cute vinyl flowers that I actually was able to snag for free from work! (they were leftovers.)

And above the rocker, there are three butterflies hanging from the ceiling. These were purchased for me by my grandmother who has since passed away. I hung some of them in trees for my wedding reception. It makes me think of my grandma every time I see them and Emma loves to look up at them as I rock her to sleep. 

Sam and I bought Emma's crib used and refinished it. I am in love with the bedding set and the cute rug! 

Close up of the cute mobile my mom gave Emma. She LOVES it. 

Big thanks to my sister for helping me frame and hang all of the pictures for Emma's picture wall. I love how it turned out! 

This is my favorite of the three wall art quotes I hung because it's just SO true. 

I still have a few projects up my sleeve and improvements I want to make. I have just had so much fun with it. (Honestly, her room is my favorite room in the house by far. 

Emma's first night in the nursery was a little bit sad for me. I'm not ashamed to admit that I actually got a little bit teary eyed. I was so used to being able to peak down at her just by turning my head to the left on my pillow or hear her sigh occasionally throughout the night. Every little milestone makes me feel all sentimental and weepy. She's growing too fast. 

However, she did SO good and slept even longer than she usually does. I think she likes having room to stretch and move around a bit in.

So fun to be able to do stuff like this for my sweet girl! 

As you can see, She loves her new room. :)

The Things I Didn't Know About Being a Mom

From a very early age, I can remember hearing adults talk about what it’s like to have kids. I remember hearing them complain about not having time for themselves, how messy kids can be, and never having enough sleep.

Me as a little sprout  

 As I grew older, I heard more and more about it. In my teen years and throughout my dating experience, people would warn “Take your time having kids! Your life will never be the same”. Or they would say things like “Just wait till you have kids! You’ll never be able to go out again.”

Hike in Zion during our dating years

Sand Hollow Reservoir 

 When Sam and I got married, family members and friends with children would tease “You think life is expensive now?! Wait till you have kids!” Or “You think you have a lot of housework now?! Wait till you have kid’s to clean up after!” and they’d give each other knowing looks as if it were some awful thing that they’d all gone through that we wouldn’t understand until we’d experienced it.

Wedding day, June 11, 2011

As I prepared to have children of my own, I heard again and again that I should wait as long as possible and enjoy the time I had alone as if it were an impending death sentence. I heard stories about moms not having time to take care of themselves or even shower let alone have a moment’s peace. I read blogs that gave advice on “how to survive the first six weeks of parenting”. I heard young moms talk about crying day and night, constant diaper changing, and mess after mess after mess.

First family photo with puppy Daisy

Some people would say longingly “I remember when I was in your shoes. It was so nice to be able to have time to go out with friends or to be able to read a book or go to the movies.” Of course, I also heard people talk about how much they loved their children so I knew that somehow it must be worth it. But, with 9 months of pregnancy where I would gain weight, feel sick, and “never look the same”, followed by who knows how many hours of painful labor, just to start out on an incredibly difficult, nearly impossible journey of parenting seemed kind of terrifying.

Vacation to Montana as a newlywed couple

I found out I was pregnant last August. I was beyond excited! I could hardly wait. However, in the back of my mind, I was worried-worried that I wouldn’t be able to handle it. Could I be happy after getting no sleep all night and changing diapers all day long? Could I handle the constant crying or being covered in spit up day in and day out? Could I handle the horrors of pregnancy and labor and recovery? Would I know what to do when she cried or was hurt? Could I be happy without ever being able to leave the house or travel? Would I even have time to shower? I worried about being able to lose the weight or how my body would look (many people had promised me that it would never look the same.) I worried that I would no longer be attractive to my husband anymore. I worried that I would lose myself and never have time to do the things that made me who I am.

7 1/2 months pregnant in Arches National Park

I knew that being a parent was something I wanted. After all, the things people said were not ALL bad. I just also knew from what I’d seen and heard that it was going to be impossibly hard.  In fact, many people told me that it was impossible to even prepare for how difficult it is to be a parent.

Well, I now have my sweet girl here with me and I can tell you, many of the things people said were true. That’s right. It really is tough. You really do have to do all of the things I mentioned above and it certainly isn’t a piece of cake every day. BUT with all the warnings, complaints, and stories that people told me, there were so many things that most people didn’t tell me about becoming a parent that I wish they had!

Women said again and again how the months of pregnancy would drag on. They shared “war stories” of their labors and seemed to be competing with each other when they talked about who’s labor was the longest or most terrible. What they didn’t tell me was that I would soon after have the most incredible, memorable moment of my life as I held my baby girl for the first time; an angel straight from God’s presence into my arms. They didn’t tell me that I would immediately have such an intense connection with her that I would fall in love with her in a heartbeat and happily do ANYTHING for her. They didn’t tell me how proud I would be of my accomplishment or how strong I would feel. They didn’t tell me how wonderful it would feel to see my husband hold our sweet babe for the first time or to hear him tell me how amazing I was for bringing her here like I did. They didn’t tell me about the incredible relief I would feel as I held her safe and sound in my arms. They didn’t tell me that in spite of any pain or discomfort I had felt in the past nine and a half months of pregnancy and twenty hours of labor, I would gladly do it all over again for her.

I was told over and over again about how I would never sleep soundly again and how the baby would keep me up all night. What they didn’t tell me was how grateful I would be to be able to hear her cries at night instead of sleeping through them as I was worried I might. They didn’t tell me about how wonderful it is to hold a little angel in the quiet of night and comfort and rock her back to sleep. They didn’t tell me about how sweet it is to watch as her eyes sleepily droop shut and to hear her let out a dreamy little sigh as she drifts into sleep. They didn’t tell me that tired as I might be, I would rather be there holding her than anywhere else in the world.  Everyone told me that I would be so tired that I would have a hard time functioning. No one told me that I would get to have early morning snuggles with the cutest little wide awake munchkin in the world as I tried to prolong my last few precious minutes in bed. They didn’t tell me that I would laugh right through my sleepiness at her goofy sounds or her funny faces. No one told me that I would love hearing her babble on and on in the morning even though I wanted so badly to shut my eyes for just a little while longer.

I heard many times that my whole life would revolve around her feeding schedule, naps, and diaper changes. What I didn’t hear was that I would actually be happy to do those services for my sweet girl again and again because I love her so much. No one told me that being able to calm my baby by nursing her would give me such joy or that introducing new foods to her would be such a fun adventure. No one told me how many times we would laugh at the inconvenient times she decided to have a messy diaper or find humor in the amount of outfits we had to change her into each day in order to keep her presentable. No one told me that I would feel so satisfied over something as small as keeping to her routine just because it helps her stay happy. No one told me that my husband and I would actually bond over trying to learn her schedule and figure out this whole parenting thing together.

Sam teaching Emma how to tie fishing knots

Bath time is our favorite! 

Women told me that my body would never look the same and that I’d feel unattractive. What they didn’t tell me was that after she was born, I would care SO much less about myself and care SO much more for her. They didn’t tell me that even though I might not feel my best physically, I would feel tough as nails after going through what it took to get her here and that I would be grateful for the beautiful, amazing gift that my body is and the abilities that it has. They didn’t tell me how satisfying it would be to start to get back to where I was little by little or about the kind words, support, and reassurance I would receive from my husband, family, and friends. They didn’t tell me about how awesome it would feel to hear someone say “You look great!” even if I didn’t necessarily think so all the time. No one told me about how even on the toughest days where I was sure I was as big as a hippopotamus and just about as attractive, I would have a tiny little person that needs me and loves me; a person that would calm just by my touch or stop crying just from the sight of me. That makes me feel more special and of worth than just about anything ever has in my life.

Everyone said that I’d never have time to do the things I loved and that I’d never have a moment to myself. What they never told me how fun it is to share the things you love with this little part of you that’s seeing the world for the first time. No one told me that despite the challenges and obstacles, I wouldn’t even want to leave her behind most of the time because it’s so exciting to have her with me. People didn’t tell me about how I would learn to organize my time, prioritize, and plan ahead thanks to my baby. They didn’t tell me that I would feel like superwoman when I planned and executed an outing without forgetting her pacifier or brought enough diapers. OR how I’d learn to be flexible and improvise when I DIDN’T remember her pacifier or enough diapers. They didn’t talk to me enough about the memories I would make and cherish, the excitement I would feel in watching her grow, and the longing I would feel to keep her little and innocent forever. I can’t even say how much.

Fishing in Idaho

Cedar Canyon

Family vacation to Yellowstone

So here’s the thing about becoming a mom. Everyone tells you how hard it is. And, it is! It’s really hard. There are days that Emma won’t let me put her down and she’s ornery and tired, and the house is a mess. Sam is gone all day at work, I’m not feeling awesome about the way I look, and I smell like spit up. But, in the middle of those days, Emma will flash me that ear to ear smile and look at me like she thinks I’m the greatest thing on the planet and I remember how awesome it is to have her here.

I didn’t hear enough about those moments. So, to all you future moms: It’s a tough, dirty job! A lot of what people say is true.  You WILL change diapers A LOT. You WILL have a tougher time getting out of the house or finding time for yourself. You WILL clean a lot of messes. You WILL worry; the worrying is endless. You WILL have hard days. BUT, I also want to tell you that you WILL LOVE IT! It’s amazing. And you CAN do it! You can be the greatest mom for your little one. Being a mom is THE BEST gig. The hardest, but the best.

Isn't she perfect?

People say you can’t know what it’s like to be a mom until you are one. That’s true too. But, I expected it to be hard. I expected it to be messy and scary and filled with worry and trials and mistakes. What I really didn’t understand was that it would seriously be the greatest thing I have ever done or will ever do. It’s my most incredible accomplishment, my biggest adventure, and the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s filled with more joys than you can possibly understand until you experience it yourself.

And that’s what I really didn’t know about being mom.