Emily Renee

Time to catch up on Miss Emmy!
Emily is now 6 months old! Looking back I didn't post her 4 month well-baby stats so at 4 months she was 14.5 pounds and 24 3/4 inches long.  In the past two months Emily has had a lot of struggles with her health that we are still trying to figure out.  At 6 months she weighs 15 pounds and is 26 inches long.  She has grown in height, but the doctor is concerned about her weight.  Poor girl has had breathing issues and eating issues.  We have been to Riley to try and figure out what is going on, but no one is really sure.  This Friday she goes in to do a feeding study to see if she really is aspirating on her milk and if she is having acid reflux issues.  She has just had a constant cold that doesn't go away.  Part of me wants to trust the doctors and leave it up to them but another part of me wonders if she really could have food allergies.  They keep telling me that she is too young and that she is only on rice cereal and breast milk, but I have to wonder if there is something that I'm eating that could cause this.  I hate the fact that she is on so much medicine at such a young age.  Everyone says to trust your instinct, but I just don't know what that is right now.  She has been such a great sport through all of this though.  She is such a happy baby and has the biggest goofiest smile! I pray that the Lord gives us the wisdom to figure this out and help her.  She is such a joy and I'm so thankful for both our girls.
Emily and Becca are fun to watch together.  Tonight they took a bath together (even though I had to still hold Emmy up most of the time).  Becca introduced all of her toys to Emily and Emmy loved chewing on them!  Emily has started to sit up by herself.  She still needs some assistance but is getting stronger.  She is also starting to vocalize more...even though I want her to say Ma, Ma first, I think it is either going to be Becca or Da, Da. :(  She likes her B sounds right now.
I love this baby stage that we are in.  I worried so much with Becca about when she was going to hit certain milestones, such as crawling, and with Emmy I'm content to just sit back and let it happen.  She so badly wants to crawl.  She pushes her butt up in the air and tries to scoot but doesn't get very far.
She loves to eat food but due to her current situation, the doctor has limited her to rice and milk.  We have a few fun pics of her trying veggies!  She is such a sweetheart and we love her dearly!

Emmy and daddy

Really? Stuck in the carseat again?

Becca reading to Emmy

I'm going to catch you!

If only I could reach the ground I could catch you Becca!

Cheese!

Lunch with Uncle Chris!

Fun times with Daddy

My hand tastes yummy!

Emmy at 4 months

Visiting Great Grandparents

When I looked at our blog the other night I couldn't believe I hadn't posted anything since July! Wow time is flying.  Once school started I really am too tired to sit down at the computer at night and the days and weekends are filled with so many activities.  This summer the girls got to go to my grandparents house and spend time with their cousins and my grandparents.  I so treasure this time with them and am thankful that the girls get to meet such wonderful people.  Our pastor talked today about the legacy we leave and what legacy was left for us.  I'm so thankful that my grandparents love the Lord and have taught and shown us this.  It is hard for me to see them getting older and treasure the time that we get to spend with them.

Grandma Tiefel with Emmy and mom with Chase

Ava and Becca-wee!!

Becca, Tyler, and Ava

Grandma and Emmy

Chase and Emmy- even though they are 2 months apart they are similar in size

"I go uh swimming"

Becca got to go swimming last week with the Vaughts and she loved it! Sometimes she can be really water shy, but she had a lot of fun.  So much fun that she has asked every day to go swimming.  Due to band camp this week we haven't been able to take her, but hopefully we can sometime before school starts in the next two weeks! Below are pictures of swimming and also of our trip to the zoo, thanks to Deb for taking such great pictures! Becca also asks every day to go see animals.  She loves all types of animals and gets so excited to see them up close.  She tells me every day about how she fed the giraffe a sweet potato and she pet the elephant.  We also saw dolphins and the lion was sleeping! Such excitement. :)

Eating lunch at the zoo

It was very hot at the zoo!

Riding the tiger.  We had to ride at least 3 times!

"Cheese!"  Becca and Grace

Becca and Emmy

Emily

Great Smiles! Mary and Emmy

Swimming

Splish Splash

Down Washed the Rain!

A couple of weeks ago we went to Mamaw and Papaw's house to visit.  Becca loved singing songs to Papaw because he would clap REALLY loud for her.  This video is kind of long, but it is so cute.  The songs are recognizable even though all of the words are not correct! :)

Yea Emily!

Emily rolled from tummy to back last week, but last night she rolled from her back to her tummy many times.  She has been on the verge of doing this for awhile and finally figured it out!  When she is on her tummy she acts like she is going to crawl because she gets her little legs pushing and tries to move her arms.  This is so early for her to be doing this.  I think sometimes she wants to try and get closer to Becca.  She loves being around her big sister.  She loves when Becca talks to her and laughs at Becca.  It is cute to watch.  Becca is also very loving to Emmy most of the time.  She gives her kisses and hugs and says, "I be nice."  Becca also likes to hear Emily talk.  She gets excited and says in a high pitched voice, "eemulee tawking." Here is a video of Emmy rolling over and of her talking! :)

My how we grow

I think that I am making up for lost blogging time over the past few months with all of my posts in the past two days.  I guess I'm just trying to make up for lost time.  I really want to keep track of everything and try and remember everything the girls are doing.  I think I'm realizing how much I don't remember from when Becca was Emily's age and I want to make sure I get it written down somewhere! As I was looking through all of our pictures I found one of Becca in her new sandbox last year and one from this year.  My how quickly we grow!! :)

Becca last year (2010)

Becca this year (look at her hair!!)

Musical Becca

Anyone who has spent time with Becca knows that she loves music.  She is always singing.  She sings songs she knows and also makes up lyrics to familiar melodies.  She also has amazed us by being able to "play" the tuba.  She knew to blow into the lead pipe without either of us instructing her.  She also loves to blow into the saxophone, flute, and recorder.  The girls and I stopped by marching band practice one evening and Becca thought it would be fun to play the drumset and xylophone.  What amazed us is that she holds the mallets and the sticks the correct way.  She also is imitating rhythmic patterns exactly as she hears them.  This is amazing to me.  She has fun with the high school kids and was so excited to see the sousaphone that one of the kids was playing.  She ran up to him and kept saying Tuba, Tuba.  She loves the tuba mainly because Larry from Veggie Tales plays it and she has also seen daddy play it in Civic Band.  Here are some cute pics and videos of her. :)

Playing the marimba

I'm just barely tall enough!

Emmy hanging out at band practice! I remember when Becca was this size and used to do this!

Smiles!

Yea! Drumset!

Look at me!

Hilton Head, SC

Joe and I were very blessed to be able to take a vacation last week to Hilton Head, SC.  This was our first real vacation in 12 years.  I didn't realized how much it was needed until we went.  I love the girls and love spending time with them, but I appreciate them even more having had a little time with Joe and to myself.  That time is much needed.  I feel like I can meet their needs better and be more patient with them.  It was also a chance for Joe and I to reconnect.  We had a great time and really enjoyed the island.  It wasn't too crowded and we loved the beach.  Our hotel was right on the beach so we would get up every morning go out to the beach, swim in the pool and then relax the rest of the day.  One of Joe's goals was to eat good food all week.  This is one area we really splurged in.  We ate some of the best food I've ever had in my life! Our favorite restaurant was Robert Irvine's Eat.  He is on the Food Network so I was excited to go there.  Every course was amazing.  The food tasted fresh and the service was awesome.  I also loved eating fresh seafood at all of the restaurants. We went on a dinner cruise, saw the sunset and watched fireworks.  We also went to a The Jazz Corner and had a great time with Keith and Nancy Davis and hear an amazing jazz combo.  The saxophonist was phenomenal. He even played an alto and tenor at the same time and his voice was great.  He was their lead singer.  It was a great week.  We stopped at Abbot's Peach Farm on the way back and stocked up on Apple Butter, Peach Preserves, and fresh fruit. The girls had a great time at Cheryl's and Grammy's house.  I don't even think they missed us.  However, when Becca saw us when we got to mom's house, the look on her face was priceless.  She was so excited to see her mommy and daddy.  We got a big smile out of Emmy as well!

"Sinking Birds"

View from the boat.

Dinner cruise boat

the beach

Guitars

Becca loves to sing.  She also loves instruments.  One instrument she is really into right now is the guitar.  If she sees a picture of one in a book she pretends she is strumming the strings.  Joe got his guitar out one day and they played and sang together.  Becca wanted to strum the strings and at time pulled Joe's hand away so she could do it.  Poor Joe tried to sing with her, but was on the verge of 2 weeks of laryngitis and his throat was so sore.  I love how Joe would play a song on the guitar and Becca would recognize the tune and start singing. Of course, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Twinkle and others all have the same tune, but it was a fun day!

No Mommy, I do it!

We have now hit the "I do it" stage.  This past week Becca has become increasingly more independent.  She no longer wants help with anything.  If I try and help her she tells me "I try" or "I do it."  At times this can be very frustrating, but she is learning.  I think it is hilarious because she used to want me to help her go potty, but now she looks at me, points to the door, and says "I be right back." Meaning mommy leave and come back when I'm done.  She has also started getting more frustrated if she doesn't get her way or can't do something.
I was reading that we are always watching for big milestones in children's lives and during the first year the milestones are so obvious, such as crawling, walking, first words, etc.  However it might be harder to tell as they get older what huge strides they make, such as putting sentences together and being able to accomplish what we consider easy tasks.  I am always amazed at how clear Becca's vocabulary is each week.  It is fun to try and have a conversation with her.  I think sometimes she gets so excited to talk to us and so much is going through her brain that she has a hard time getting it all out!

Emily loves her big sister.  Every time Becca comes into the room, her eyes light up.  She smiles at Becca and tries to talk to her.  At times Becca is very attentive, but most of the time she looks at me like, "really, what is the big deal?"  Becca does get excited to see Emily in the morning and rushes in her room to say "Good morning Emmy." Becca is proud of herself when she is nice to Emmy.  She always tells Joe and I "I be nice to Emmy."  This consists of her patting Emily's head and giving her a kiss.  Sometimes she tries to make Emily's arms "dance" but doesn't realize she can't grab on so hard and then Emmy ends up in tears.  Fun times.  Below are some pictures of "sister bonding" moments. :)

Emily's Two Month Stats

Even though Emmy is now 3 1/2 months, I realized I didn't post her 2 month check-up results.  She weighed 12 pounds 3 ounces and was 23 1/2 inches long.  She has grown a lot in just 2 months! I just took her to the doctor last Friday and she is now 13 pounds 4 ounces.  She is a healthy baby!:)

So much to say...

The summer is flying by quickly.  I thought that I would be able to keep up with this blog over the summer, but that obviously hasn't been the case.  We have been busy...but a fun busy.  We have taken many trips to the Indianapolis Children's Museum, the zoo, swimming, Columbia Park to see animals, etc.  Becca has had a blast and we have had a great time watching her get excited about so many new adventures!  She has loved seeing the dinosaurs at the Children's Museum.  I thought that she would be scared of them, but all we have heard about this summer is the "biggy dinosaurs." :)  

Emmy is growing so quickly.  I don't remember the time flying by so fast with Becca (but I also can't believe Becca is already 2 1/2).  Maybe that is because I feel like I had more time to devote to Becca.  It has been hard trying to balance time with both of the girls.  Emily is progressing so quickly.  She rolled over on Sunday.  For some reason I don't remember Becca rolling over so early.  I can't believe Emily is almost 4 months old.  She is a happy baby and we love seeing her big goofy smile.  She loves watching Becca and laughs at her.  In my heart part of me wants Emily to just slow down and stay a baby because I love this stage.  She is so cuddly and at times I just want to sit and rock with her and hold her because I know soon she will be moving about.  Every day I am made more aware of how precious life is and how precious little ones are.  I knew this, but I have friends that have little ones that are struggling and it makes me so thankful for my healthy little girls.  Children are such a precious gift from the Lord and I pray every day that God will guide me and strengthen me so that Joe and I can raise these little girls with His guidance.

I have loved being able to stay home with the girls this summer.  It has been at times trying, yet I'm so thankful for the time we have had together.  We have also had so much fun with friends.  The Vaught's have gone with us to the zoo and museum, which I am thankful for.  I don't think I'm ready to venture out with the girls to these places by myself yet....especially with Emmy nursing and Becca loving to run around.  Part of me feels weak admitting that, but as Emily becomes more independent it will be easier.  I'm thankful for so many friends that love our girls and love spending time with them.  Becca loves going over to the Thompson's house (Chele's House and Peter's House as Becca says) and she loves the Vaught's house as well.  I'm thankful she also gets to spend time at Cheryl's as well.  She gets so excited when we turn into Cheryl's driveway.  It is a blessing to have such loving people taking care of our girls!

Below are lots of pictures from our summer adventures.  I will post the videos later! :)

Swimming!

Trying to dive into water

Riding the train. Chugga Chugga choo choo!

chillin' in the Bumbo

Dress up shoes!

So tired after the zoo!

Fun with Mamaw!

Relaxing with Papaw!

Wearing Peter's hat at the Civic Band Concert

All Smiles! Looking in the mirror

Kissing the goat! :)

Animals!!

Becca didn't care about the books at the library, she just wanted the dinosaurs!

Cute dress from the Vaught's!

Love the hat!

Gifts for Daddy on Father's Day.  Becca wanted to wear the shirts though!

Becca shows Emmy how to play with her toys.

My favorite thing to do!

Grace and Emmy at the Museum.

Becca and Grace

Riding the giraffe.  Many times!!

She loves the water! Well...most of the time.

Splish Splash!

Grace, Becca, Mimi (Mary), and Emmy

Have to have a picture with Snuffy (or Hussy as Becca calls him).  This is her favorite stuffed animal..Mr. Snuffalupagus)

Fun with Paige in the bouncy house at the Strawberry Festival.