Grateful

This year I am most grateful that this beautiful girl is part of our family

And that I get to experience parenthood with this wonderful man

And spend Thanksgiving with these wonderful people

We are most grateful that Emery was able to join our family and both her and mom were safe and healthy, that Jake only has 3 more weeks of school before graduating, that we have a nice home (apartment) to live in, that Kara has a job that allows her spend so much time with our baby girl, that we have jobs, for our wonderful family and friends and all the love they have shown us and Emery and all the help they have provided, for our parents, nothing makes you appreciate your parents and all they have done/do for you than becoming a parent yourself, for the gospel, temple ordinances and covenants that allow us all to be an eternal family, for Jesus Christ and the Atonement that make it possible for me to be with my Heavenly Father and family forever. This list could go on and on but I think we have highlighted the important things.

Hope you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving. 

My beautiful baby girl at 6 days old

XOXO

One Month

Emery at one month is:

9 pounds 6 ounces- 50th percentile

21 inches long- 25th percentile

14.5 inch head circumference- 45th percentile

Emery can one month:

Can hold her head up all alone! She is so strong. 

She can recognize her mom and dad. She knows when it is one of us holding her. It is so fun to see her instantly calm down when she knows that it is us with her. 

We introduced her to a bottle this week! Best. Decision. Ever. She only gets it MAYBE once a day, and I still get up with her at nights, but in emergencies, it is so nice to know that we have that option. She does great with it and did right from the start. Jake gave it to her and she had to test to make sure it wasn't just her binkie, but once she realized it gave her food she took to it like a champ! It didn't interfere with her breastfeeding at all either which is why I was worried about it.

She has warmed up to the idea of a binkie finally...she will take it and it makes life so great. 

She loves her playmat and her swing. She will lay on her mat and just watch the lights, so nice. 

She loves her baths still.

She loves the sound of running water. 

She is at times particular about how she is held...she doesn't like to be held "like a baby" in a cradle hold. She like to either be cuddled up on your chest or held out facing you and bounced. She knows what she likes and is so spoiled she gets it :)

She gets the hiccups all. the. time. It is so sad sometimes :(

She could break records for longest time gone without blinking...really it's amazing. 

She has gotten more and more smiley lately, it is adorable. 

She likes music. We will sing primary songs to her and she calms right down. Jake also has her listening to Mozart, Berlioz, etc...she will be a cultured baby :)
She loves her Vitamin D drops. We have to be careful giving them to her because she will slurp up the whole thing and start choking!
She has officially slept through the night twice now...even when she doesn't sleep through the night she is only up once, two times max, for about a half an hour. Just long enough to eat and fall right back asleep. It is great!

Overall she is a very good baby...She only cries if A) she is hungry B) she needs to be burped. Really if those two things are taken care of she is completely content to cuddle and stare in the corner or at any bright lights in the room.

I can't believe that she has been a part of our family for one month now. We love her so much and can't imagine her not being here! Every day brings a new surprise with her. Every time she smiles we just fall in love with all over again. Happy one month Emery! We love you baby girl!

Emery's First Day at Church

 Sunday we took Emery to church for the first time. We went up to my parents for the weekend so it was at their ward and we had plenty of help, but she slept through the whole thing, so it turned out being pretty easy! She looked so cute in her little dress though. 

 The other day Emery woke up with some major bed head...

 Still loves her baths,

  her play-mat,

 And cuddling with her daddy!

 The other day she was sleeping in her swing and I walked in and found her like this...not sure what she is doing but she was like that for a while!

Emery is getting bigger and bigger everyday! She is *almost* out of newborn clothes. I bet we'll get at least another week out of her onesies, but her pants are going to fit for quite a while still! She is so short. She is so strong, she can hold her head up completely by herself. She actually has been able to do it since she was born but now she can just sit there holding up her head for quite a while. She has started smiling at us when we do something silly to her, it is adorable and completely melts my heart every time. The other day I would stick my tongue out at her and she would do it back, not sure she knew what she was doing, but it was really funny! We feel so blessed to have Emery in our family. She is so funny and constantly has us and everyone around her laughing.  Her little personality comes out a little more each day. Last weekend we went to dinner with my parents and all around us people would be staring at her, coming up asking to look at her and telling us what a beautiful baby she is. I'd have to agree, and I'm not even biased. :) We love her so much and are so glad she is part of our family!