Baby Illini

Emma bean,

The Ron Zook era has officially come to an end.  Heartbreaking, I know.  But hey, at least basketball season has started!  I'm not sure when we'll go, but a visit to Champaign is definitely in our future.  I can't wait to show you, Mom and Austin where I called home for 4.5 years.  

Even though the football team fell apart, you still helped Daddy cheer them on.  You looked awfully cute doing it too!  Here's some pictures of you and me attempting to enjoy a game.  I love you,

Daddy

Getting So Big

Baby girl,

It feels so good to finally have time to sit down and write you again.  I've spent a ton of time editing pictures the last few days too.  I hope you enjoy seeing how much you're changing.  

You are now over three months old -- it's hard to believe.  Overall, you're a very happy and healthy baby.  I weighed you on our scale a couple of days ago.  You were 14 pounds, which puts you around the 75% percentile for your age.  

Words cannot describe how much you brighten all of my moments.  You're just like you're Daddy -- I couldn't stop you from smiling if I tried.  It absolutely melts my heart when I see that huge, mouth-wide-open smile the first time you see me in the morning or when I come home from work.  

We've been trying pretty diligently the last week to get you on a good sleep schedule.  You really love hanging out with Mom and Dad, which is fun, but very tiring.  You used to go to sleep around midnight but we've been trying to get you down around 8:00.  While you seem to be taking to it ok, you definitely don't like sleeping in your crib.  We're still working on it, but the time is coming when you might have to start crying it out a little.  I hope it doesn't get to that point.  

Mom is done with school until after New Years so she gets to stay home with you every day!  She found a trick that makes you laugh hysterically every time.  Her gorilla noises earn the cutest little faces and giggles I've ever seen.  Austin is really falling in love with you too.  He's a great helper and you really seem to love him too.  He likes to keep you company when we're busy cleaning or cooking.  

I'll be finishing my last two classes in about a week (Woohoo!).  Things will be pretty busy for the next couple of months because then it'll be thesis time...  But, it will all be over soon and hopefully I'll be done with school forever!  

I'm sorry that I haven't written as much as I'd like.  When you have a baby, it's hard to image how little free time you actually get.  Needless to say, my life will never be the same again; but I wouldn't trade more free time, the ability  to go out, or anything in the world for you.  You truly are one of the best things that has ever happened to me.  Thank God I'm in school and have the ability to be home almost five full days a week.  And doubly thank God that there are no deployments coming any time soon!  I'm going to continue to cherish all of these precious moments I get with you because I know I'll never have another opportunity like this in the future.  

Anyway, enough gushing from Daddy.  Here's a ton of pictures from last month to bring you up to speed!  Love you always,

Daddy

We had to resort to gentian violet to try to get rid of your thrush.  I think we spent about 40 minutes trying to scrub it off your face after nursing.  You also had to be in nothing more than a diaper because it stains horribly.  It didn't seem to bother you any though ;)

I guessed you were dreaming of the Thriller music video.  Grandma said she saw a future piano player in the making.

I think Grandma might have been right :)

Who Says I'm Too Young for Candy?!

Emmalyn,

Wow it's been a busy couple of weeks!  I feel like a broken record over here but it's true.  It's hard to believe you're two months old already!  Things are going well at home.  You still have thrush, which stinks.  Mom and I are busy with school.  Austin just finished his soccer season on Saturday.

I took you in for your two month checkup a couple days ago.  You weighed in at 11lb 9 oz and you were 23 inches long.  You were so great at the doctor even though we had to get you undressed and you were poked and prodded quite a bit.  We didn't get you any shots though.  I've been trying to do some research to see if we should hold off on them.

You're continuing to change every day.  You really love sitting up now and you love to just hang out with us.  You've started making tons of noise ... it's adorable!  You can hold your head up now but it's still a little wobbly.  You're like our own little bobblehead doll :)  I took a video on my phone tonight and posted it to Facebook.  You were making the cutest cooing sounds.  Sleep is still an issue.  We recently tried getting you to sleep in your crib but it's not working out so well.  You really just love being in the bassinet, close to our sides.  I think it comforts you to hear us sleeping.  You typically don't fall asleep until around midnight and there's at least two wake ups each night.

Dash hasn't been feeling so well lately.  Mom took him to the vet today and it turns out that he has a yeast infection in his ear.  He's been scratching a lot and it's really sensitive so we had to get him a cone!  I'll have to take a picture to post for you; it's pretty funny.

Austin really loves hanging out with you.  I think he's loving you more every day.  He's been great about getting you a bottle, burping you and rocking you in your bouncy chair if you're crying.  He always talks about how he can't wait for you to grow up so you can cheer for him at his soccer games.

I wish I had more time to write you and to take pictures.  Things have been so crazy around here lately and they'll probably stay that way until March.  The good news is that I finish my CASA training tomorrow.  I think I'm going to have to testify before the judge as part of my training... I'm a little nervous.

I have more pictures of you that I need to edit but I wanted to write you while I had a few minutes.  Here's some pictures I took on Saturday.  Mom and I took you and Austin to my school on Friday for trick-or-treating.  Austin went as the red Power Ranger.  We decided to let you hold some candy and I really think you were enjoying it.  Here's a couple of the pictures.  Love you sweetie,

Dad

7 Weeks

Emmalyn,

Sorry it has taken me so long to write again.  Learning to thrive under our new life schedule has been a challenge for me.  I have so much to say - I hope you don't get bored with this one.

You're now 7 weeks old!  You're getting so much bigger and really starting to get a personality.  You started smiling socially last week and it really changed my world.  As I've told you at least one other time, I'm more emotional than most guys, I think.  Surprisingly, even to me, I hadn't cried a single time since you were born, until last week.  When you were born, I was more in awe than anything.  I loved you from the moment I saw you but I really think I was just in shock.  As much as I loved holding you and spending time with you, the fact that you were mine and exactly what that meant didn't hit me until you smiled at me, and really meant it, for the first time.  I was laying with you on the floor in the living room last week and you were in such a great mood.  I was up close to your face, giving you lots of kisses and talking to you a lot.  Out of nowhere you just started smiling this huge, gum-filled, wide-open smile that absolutely melted my heart.  It was one of the most precious and joyous moments of my entire life.  As happy as your increased social awareness has made me, the last couple of weeks have been a challenge, to say the least.  

To quote Maroon 5, out of context, "It's not always rainbows and butterflies."  I have found that that statement is so true when it comes to raising a newborn.  As your dad I've experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows of my life.  When you smile at me, I couldn't be happier.  I really couldn't.  There's just something about that look in your eye and the way you smell that makes all my worries and concerns disappear.  Unfortunately, there's been a lot of lows for me the last few weeks as well.  As the baby high has worn off to some degree and the lack of sleep has sunk in, there have been many difficult moments.  You still have thrush, which you've had for about a month now.  Your stomach has also really been hurting you and it's made you really gassy.  As a result, you've often been a crying machine.  I watched you four days last week and it was rough.  If you were awake, you were likely screaming in my face.  The only thing that has really helped soothe you is walking in the Ergo.  Thank God for that thing.  You seem to be getting better thanks to some gentian violet.  That stuff is hilarious!  I need to take a picture because when we give you the medicine, your entire face turns purple!  

I've been really busy recently.  I am currently going through training to be a Guardian ad Litem, which is someone who volunteers to be an advocate for abused and neglected children.  As a new dad, some of the things I'm going to have to deal with and the things we discuss in training make me sick!  I'm honored and blessed to be able to be in a position to help kids in our community.  You're arrival was definitely a huge motivator in pursuing this opportunity.  

Despite the challenges and difficultly we've had the last few weeks, I still couldn't be happier.  I'm so blessed to have you in my life and I thank God for you each and every day.  As you approach two months of age, I'm getting so excited to see how you'll change in the upcoming weeks and months.  Earlier today, I caught myself thinking about how you'll be crawling soon.  I know I need to forget about those things and just enjoy the time we still have with our tiny new baby.  I must say, I'm always thrilled to take you out of the house or to have visitors.  You get tons of attention and lots of compliments.  Everyone says you look just like me, but Grandma says she sees mom in you more and more each day.  I guess we'll see as time goes by. 

Well, I guess I'll wrap things up now.  Oh, you're currently sleeping in your swing but I just heard you fart about 5 times.  I think I might be changing a diaper soon!  Better get one ready!  Love you so much baby girl; enjoy the updated pictures.  

Love,

Daddy

Sleeping like, well, a baby

Hanging out with mom and the kitchen table while she studies

I love your expression... not really sure what's going on

What's up, monkey!

My angel

Emma Turns 1... Month

Eggs, 

This is my third post tonight.  I just had to share more pictures!  I'm going to go hang out with you though so I'm keeping it short and sweet.  Thank you for giving me so many opportunities to practice my passion.  I've never felt so much joy looking through my viewfinder.  Thanks for an amazing and unforgettable first month!  I can't imagine my life without you.  Love you always,

Daddy