Talking

The last week or so, Emma has decided that she likes to talk. She's always been an attentive listener, but now she wants her part in the conversation.

I love her little baby voice and can't wait to hear more! If only I could find that blasted video camera.

So Far, So Good

Today Emma is 2 months old! She's very good natured and easy going, and we LOVE having her around. She's pretty much an angel baby! She slept through the night for the first time ( 9 hours!) the night she turned 6 weeks old. She doesn't always last 9 hours, but it's at least 6 or 7 hours. But then she'll eat and go back to sleep for a couple hours longer. She's so considerate!

She's also growing like a weed! The first couple of 0-3 month-size outfits have been packed away because they're too small. This dress is a 3 month outfit, and I think today is the last day she gets to wear it. It's sad to me to watch such adorable clothes get packed away, but I'm excited to break out the next size up of equally adorable clothes!

Emma loves visiting Grandma and Grandpa. I don't think they mind much either. Especially because they can hand her back when she has a dirty diaper! Their house is very calm, and Grandma can always get a smile or two from her newest fan!

I finally caught a couple of good smiles on camera today. When we go in to her room to get her up each morning, she greets us with a huge grin--the kind that uses her whole body. I've thought about taking a camera in with me to get her up, but I haven't done it yet. So today she obliged me with a couple of whole-body smiles as I was taking a few pictures to document her 2 month day!

How can you help but smile back? We love our little Emma and are grateful to her birthmom for helping our Heavenly Father bring her to our family.

Family Photos

As luck would have it, Matt and I finally had family pictures taken three weeks before we got Emma. We have really good timing. (Actually, I think it's all Matt. His family also took family pictures about a week before we got engaged.) We wanted some good pictures of the two of us to update our adoption profile. I guess they worked. And we didn't even have to POST the pictures. Just getting them taken was enough.

Anyway, here are a few of the keepers. (Cassie, thanks for putting up with our shenanegans!)

I don't think this is what we were really going for, but it is SO US. I love it!

What?! A real picture with both Matt AND Andrea smiling? These don't come along very often.
Once again, thanks Cassie! We love the pictures. Now we just have to get some with Emma in them.

Grandma Outfit

Emma was the lucky recipient of an adorable outfit handmade by Nancy, her grandma. I can't even imagine having the patience to finish a project like this. The color is perfect for Emma and I'm sure it's something she'll always treasure.

Aren't the flowers so cute!
Of course, the model is also cute.
I think she loves the camera!

Life As We Know It Just Changed a WHOLE LOT!!

After a whirlwind ride, Matt and I are finally able to claim the title "Parents." That Thursday morning, we didn't know anything about little Emma. But our lives were about to change. Friday morning, a few phone calls and a couple of photos later, we were told that we were chosen to adopt a little girl that had been born late the previous night. Saturday morning we hopped a plane to Florida and Sunday morning we met our little miracle.

It all started in this hospital room in Titusville, Florida on January 14, 2010. Emma was born late Thursday night, weighing in at 6 pounds, 8 3/4 ounces and 18.5 inches long. We spent a few hours in the hospital with her Sunday and got to take her home (to the hotel) from the hospital that afternoon. We had to stay in Florida until we had clearance (12 Days!) to take her home, but we had our baby girl!!

This is Matt holding Emma in the hospital. Look at all that hair!! We love it!

Here is our caseworker and a nurse signing papers that released Emma into our custody.

Here we are about to leave the hospital for Emma's first ride in a car. She sure looks tiny in that car seat!

Since we had Emma with us, we really didn't get away from the hotel much. This is pretty much the only site-seeing we did while in Orlando. We passed this one day and I made Matt turn around to take a picture.

How tragic!

Emma at one week old. This proves to be a pattern. Emma always has her hands up by her face and often looks like she's posing for a photo. I guess she's just starting early.

While in Florida, Matt and I celebrated our 9th Anniversary by ordering take-out from Olive Garden and eating in the hotel. No complaints here. We loved having Emma with us and it didn't really matter where we were.

We arrived home to find that our friends and family had prepared our house for us. Matt's brother-in-law and sister gave us their crib and other essentials. They even took down the old bed and set up the crib in Emma's room for us! Matt's other sister made an adorable sign for Emma in her room and some of our friends decorated (mildly, thanks!) to welcome Emma to our house.

We soon settled into a sort of routine, which of course included a Sunday afternoon nap! Emma is an angel baby and doesn't fuss a lot, which makes for a happy mama and papa! She's a good eater, a good sleeper, and a great cuddler! Did I mention that she's SO ADORABLE?!!

Emma is 6 weeks old today and slept through the night last night. We are so spoiled. She's just barely big enough to sit in her Bumbo and likes being in it.

DATE NIGHT!!!!!

Those of you who know Matt, know he's totally awesome!!! Sometimes I tease him a little, so I thought I'd poke a little fun at myself!!! Here's a couple pictures of my friend and me getting ready for a date with our hubby's.

Matt's ALWAYS watching.

You can't get away with anything. Matt will see you.