Emma is One Month Old!

We made it! Emma is now 4 weeks old. I think she's not "technically" one month until the 23rd, but I find the calculation of infant ages to be somewhat confusing. :) So, I'm saying she's a month old! She has had a very eventful week. Aunt Amy came to visit, which was wonderful! We went to visit the students and staff at school--they were SO excited! We also visited mom at her office, which was a lot of fun. We went back to Greenville at the end of the week for my cooking club and a spa party! She spent her first night at Grandma's house, but it was a bit rough. She didn't like the pack-n-play one bit, so we had to hold her to get her to sleep! It wasn't until Friday morning that we figured out she would sleep in her carseat. So, we got a bit of sleep.

Emma went to the doctor for her check-up on Monday. She now weights 8 pounds 15 ounces and is 20 1/2 inches long! No wonder she wants to eat all the time! She's gained over 2 pounds in her first month of life! She is very healthy, and the doctor said she's doing great! Next time she'll have to get some shots. Boo!

We are loving every minute. I know I keep saying it, but it really is wonderful! We are slowly figuring out what her cries mean and what to do to soothe her. It's so exhausting but so rewarding too! She's holding her head up more, starting to smile, and even coo a bit. Things change so much every day, and we are SO fortunate to be going through every step! We are still so amazed that we have her here with us. Sometimes I start crying when I look at her. Isn't that weird? I just get so overwhelmed with emotions. We tried for so long! And now she's here. And we absolutely adore her!

Things are going well with the birth mom and her family. We went and had dinner this past Sunday and ended up staying there for 7 hours! We looked at old baby pictures, talked, laughed, and had a great time! We are all looking forward to the court date on the 26th. It will make things official and a bit easier to move on. Only a few more days!

Settling into a Routine

Well, I think we're getting into somewhat of a routine. Emma is doing very well, eating about every 3-4 hours. She mostly only cries when she's hungry and rarely fusses, but she has been a bit fussy the past day or so. We've been experimenting with different bottles because we felt that the ones we started her on were causing her to take on too much air. I have no idea. I find it a bit frustrating, but at least she's doing well with the formula! We are learning more about her every day, and I hope that she is getting to know us as well. Emma loves to have people sing to her, so I do that a lot! Sometimes she just screams above me, but I think she can still hear me!

We found out yesterday that the birth father changed his mind and signed off on his parental rights. We are so thankful! This means we won't need a lawyer at the hearing on the 26th, and the process should go a lot smoother now that he is being cooperative. He wants to see her, but we are waiting until the hearing is finished. We're still a bit nervous, but we are hopeful that the relationships we have built with the birth mom and her family will continue to strengthen. We have seen her twice since we have been home, which is a bit scary, but we pray that seeing her with us will only confirm that this was the right decision. My hope is that we will be a positive influence for her, that we might be able to have an impact on more than one life through this process. She's a great girl, full of promise. She deserves great things out of life, and I want to make sure she hears that from everyone, including us.

Emma and I went for a walk today with my mother-in-law. It was such a beautiful day with the sun shining, but it was still a bit chilly. We bundled Emma up and were on our way. She loved it, but she got a bit ticked when she got too warm! Apparently a onesie, fleece pants and jacket, hat, and two blankets were a bit much for her! Hah! She was much happier once we unwrapped her a bit!

I look forward to every day with our Emma Jayne. We are so blessed, and I can't wait to see what the future brings!