You were born. I felt your heart and my heart beating, I felt your breath breathing, and your spirit rising. Your eyes met mine and your crying hushed. Your brow softened and your tiny body fell calm in the warmth of my arms. It was then that I changed. I became a more spiritual being, a more understanding teacher, a better daughter, and a more appreciative friend. But above all, at that moment, I became your Mother. All of these things changed in me because of you. You fill my heart with the greatest love it has ever known. Because of you I know what it means to cherish every moment like it will be forgotten and to love like it could disappear.

I will always remember this to be the day God showed himself to me. Your Birthday. You are the light of my world and the sunshine in my sky.

No matter where you go, what you do, or who you become, this will always be how I feel about you Emma Rae. I love you.

Happy First Birthday Darling Girl,

Mama

Baby girl,

I promise it seems like just yesterday mama told me you were on the way! I remember so vividly in my mind the wave of excitement and emotions I was feeling. Your mommy and I had no idea of what to expect, but I knew right there our lives were going to be changed forever!

I remember you growing inside mommy's belly.  Mama and I talked about you everyday, waited in anticipation to go to the doctors just to hear your little heart beat, watch you twist and turn on the screen, and we just couldn't wait to meet you.  We wondered who you would look like more, whose personality would you have, were you going to be healthy, happy, cry a lot???  There were endless questions.  The anticipation grew more and more as the days went by and mommy's belly grew bigger...you were on the way!!!

Then came the day you were born!  I could never forget such a happy ending to an amazing nine months.  Your whole family was there and we were all finally going to get the chance to meet you.  Well, you didn't disappoint!! You were simply perfect and everyone cried as you came in to this world as our beautiful baby girl! You were finally here and forever ours to hold no matter how big you get!

Your first year was amazing for all of us!  We got to see your first everything, so may firsts that I wouldn't even know where to start - dada, kisses, smiles, reaching up for me to hold you...it goes on and on.  You changed all of us for the better.  Every day is built around your every need and want, and mama and I wouldn’t have it any other way!  You have officially taken a full grown man and wrapped me around your little finger and I wouldn't change it if I could.  I am so proud to be your father and I know mama is just as excited as I am to continue our journey as your parents.  You have the best mama in the entire world and I remind her everyday how amazing she is and how lucky we are to have her! 

Emmy Rae, thank you so much for bringing all the joy you do to our lives every second of every day!  Looking back I wouldn't change one thing about our journey.  If I could only ask one thing I would ask that time slows down just a little bit so we can enjoy watching you grow up even more!!!

I love you more than anything baby girl and always will!!!

Love forever,

Dada

What a special month it has been!

You are growing, growing and moving, moving, moving! You want up then down, you want on then off. I think I’ve lost a few pounds just trying to keep up with you!

Everyone was so excited about your first Christmas. You got so many neat toys and clothes. You also have more money in your savings account than mommy and daddy now! It was so fun to watch you crawl through all the wrapping paper and play with all your new things. Mommy and Daddy did very well staying calm when the truck loads of gifts arrived. Thankfully Nannie bought us two toy chests…a beautiful white one for your room, and a leather one for the living room. Our Toys-r-Us house is able to be disguised most of the time now

We spent New Years Eve at your sweet friend Nora’s house and on New Years Day you got to swing in your favorite swing at Nannie and Pop-Pop’s house.  You also had your first taste of good luck collard greens and black eyed peas, but you spit it out. Maybe next year…

What a precious year it has been. You have made all our lives complete and I am so excited for 2011 because of you… Here’s to you Darling!

Mama

look at my teeth!

watching daddy put together the grill

so sweet!

silly!

Thanks Nana for my electric toothbrush!

My new funny face

what is this exactly?

Thanks Santa!

kiss the baby

Emma,

Please slow down! I can’t believe how you are changing. You are constantly on the move and I suspect by the middle of January you will be a walking girl.

It’s so exciting to watch you crawl around and explore. You always follow me around saying, “MAMAMAMA”, and pull up on my legs when I stop. Dozer the dog thinks you’re crazy because now you move and play and he doesn’t know what to think of you, it’s funny.

Everyone is so excited for your first Christmas! The presents under everyone’s tree happen to all say…To Miss Emma Rae. Daddy and I can’t wait to wake up with you Christmas morning and watch you tear through wrapping paper and bows. We know you’ll be more excited about that then the gifts themselves. Nanny bought you a special Christmas outfit and she’s picked out Christmas pajama’s I know she’ll be delivering any day now.

You bring so much happiness and fulfilment to all of our lives sweet girl. What an amazing year it has been to watch  the changes you have brought to all of our hearts. Excitement, Wonder, Love, and above all, JOY!

Merry Christmas Sweetheart,

Mama

I love books!

My new Nikes!

Food is the festival of life.

Big Girl Car Seat!

The past month has been an exciting one! It has been discovered that you  have no interest in crawling. You want to walk. You spend hours trying to balance on your round little feet while in-between Mommy or Daddy’s legs. The moment you find yourself on your hands and knees, you become very frustrated…it’s quite cute. You almost have the hang of it, and once you figure it out I promise you will be much happier.

Your first Halloween was an adorable one! Daddy was mad that I dressed you up as a black kitten because he’s not to fond of cats, but once he saw you I think you changed his mind about them forever! We went to visit your Meemaw and Nana and finished with a walk around the neighborhood with your friend Nora.

Each night, once you fall asleep, your Daddy and I tip toe into your room and cover you with your soft pink and white blanket. We whisper how much we love you and shut your door. Daddy and I then spend the rest of the night talking about how we can’t imagine one single breath without you.

No matter what you believe, where you go, or what you do…we will always love you this much.

I love you Sweet Girl,

Mommy

Ummmm....what is this?

Daddy and I can’t believe how fast you are growing! You sit up all by yourself and flop over to your belly. And now you get up on your hands and knees and rock back and forth. Any day you are just going to take off and  there will be no stopping you! You laugh all the time and it is the sweetest sound we have ever heard! You say, “DADADADADADA” and “UH-OHHHHH”. But your new favorite sound to make is a very loud screaming sound, and you always choose to make it in public places where everyone turns to stare at you. It always makes me smile.

You are so lucky because your Aunt Em comes over every Sunday to spend the night with you so she can watch you on Monday while Mommy and Daddy are at work. Then the rest of the week, your Daddy takes you to your Aunt LoLo’s house to play all day long!!! You go to the park, go see Meemaw, and run special errands. Spoiled? No! Just loved by everyone!!! Mommy and Daddy’s friends always want to come see you and Grammy and Aunt Melissa make special trips to come see you as often as they can. They always call Mommy and Daddy and say, “We’re coming to see Miss Emma Rae!”

Pop-Pop cleared the garden patch out and is going to plant vegetables and flowers so he can teach you all about how things grow this spring. You are going to have so much fun! Everyone is talking about Christmas and what they are going to get you this year. This makes Mommy very nervous, because even though I want you to have fun things to play with, I don’t really want our house to look like Toys-R-Us : )

We all love you sooooo much and can’t believe you are 8 months old!

Every day is so much sweeter with you in it!

Love,

Mommy

Watching Mickey

Learning about birds with Papa

MICKEY!

Happy Girl

Old lady face

GO GATORS!

Seven months ago at this very moment you and I were in each others arms, feeling each other breathe, mesmerized by each other. I couldn’t believe that you were finally here and even more perfect than I ever imagined. I kept looking at Daddy while he slept and smiling at the thought of the sweet dreams he was having of you. I sang softly to you while you held my finger tight. As you started to shut your sweet eyes I began to pray…

Dear Lord,

You have blessed me in countless ways and today you chose to bless me yet again. You have given me a most precious gift and I am forever thankful. Please watch over her tonight as she sleeps and comfort me as I try to figure out how to do this. Thank you for all of my family and friends. Thank you for giving me Ryan. Thank you for this precious girl. I promise to teach her about you and tell her everyday how much you love and cherish her. I love you.

Amen.

And every night Emma, I close my eyes and thank God for your sweet smile, your contagious laugh, your bright eyes, your silly personality, and the way you fill my heart with the most amazing love it will ever know.

Mommy

My Seven Month Old Beauty

What Miss Emma Can Do…

1. She can sit up by herself.

2. She can laugh and smile.

3. She can stand while holding your hands.

4. She can steal your heart with just one look.

5. She can eat lots of baby food.

6. She can sleep through the night, 11 hours!

7. She can grasp toys and pass them from hand to hand.

8. She can get everything she wants.

9. She can roll from her belly to her back.

10. She can get more beautiful every time you look at her.

I can't stop kissing myself!

This month Emma has started eating baby food!!!!! What an entertaining experience. I mix in banana’s or applesauce with her rice cereal and she’s in heaven. Emma is also tipping the scale at 22 lbs. The doctor has assured me that this is nothing to be alarmed about. She’s healthy, big, and beautiful! Hey, at least I don’t have to buy a Halloween costume, she’s going to be a baby sumo wrestler!

Emma’s pushing up on her arms, almost rolling over (she’s a bit behind on that skill but she’s almost got it), she’s so close to sitting up by herself, and everything she gets her hands on goes immediately in her mouth.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE HER!!!

our new house!

What a joy these past four months have been! Words can’t begin to describe the feelings Ryan and I have for this sweet girl we’ve been given. What a blessing!

Emma’s Four Month Adventures…

first bite of rice cereal

I like the spoon much better.

 

but I like my hand way more than the spoon.