Teething...URGH!

(Not the best pic of her teeth, but she wouldn't let me get inside her mouth with my camera! LOL!)
Emery started getting teeth at 9 months. They came in Top Two Central Incisors, then bottom two central incisors. Then Top two lateral incisors. And that's been it till this month. Now recently we had to go to the Dentist because the Pedi didn't like the way the bottom two central incisors were small. But Dentist said don't worry, small baby small teeth, not a big deal. Fast forward to last night. I see a new tooth so I stick my finger around in her Mouth..she does not like me at all at this point. Her top right FIRST Molar is coming in and her bottom Right FIRST molar is popping through. I can feel the other two opposites First molars under the gums.
So basically she has missed the bottom lateral incisors and the Cuspids. I think Isn't this weird? Can it be "normal"? Should I call Dentist? Should I be worried?
All the charts I see don't show this (until I came across the one from the ADA)...but I have read about Cross cutting? And them growing out of order. So its not usual!Whew.
However Emery has been the cranky, drooling and crying baby that we don't see very often. No wonder yesterday she sucked on a piece of ice! Poor baby!

Sadness for our lost miracle.

It seems like yesterday we found out that "surprise" we were pregnant with a miracle baby. After everything we went through to have our Emery, who is an IVF baby and being told our chances of ever getting pregnant on our own was less than 2%, we did it, without trying. My DH and I were so surprised and in shock when we found out. It took a while to get use to the idea of having another baby. My due date was May 5th, but my Dr scheduled my c section for April 24, 2012. Which is tomorrow. Everything was going great. I was very sick for our new miracle and was put on medication to keep the sickness at bay, just so I could function and take care of Emery. We were just starting to get things organized for changing the guest room to a baby's room and had only the week before look at bedding and new furniture.
Two weeks before my Perinatologist apt, my OB did a scan and said we would would probally be having another girl. My hubby while disapointed about not having a boy, was still happy to be having another baby, a girl. We started looking at names. And I thought possibly we would get confirmation at the Perin. apt.
I was 17 almost 18 weeks along when I went to the Peri. apt. It was just me and our Emery. I thought nothing would be wrong, we would just see everything. I mean I was just at the OB two weeks before and everything looked perfect as far as she could tell. That's when I found out that my Darling Miracle Daughter was no longer with us.
I have been in a foul mood for the past week and now the sadness is creaping up. I want to scream and cry for the loss of our little girl. I want to hold her in my arms. I want to love her as much as a Mother can love her child. I want to smell her and tell her that I love her so much. I want to know why it happened, what happened. I want to know she didn't suffer and that she felt my love. I pray to God that she is in heaven and loved by family members who are holding her until I can get there to be with her. I talk to her in my prayers. I don't know if I will ever get pregnant again, or even if I want to be pregnant again. I am so scared it will happen again and I don't know if I could make it through another time.
Happy "Birth"day Kristen Frances. Mommy would have loved you so much.

What happened to Eating?

(She does eat Ice Cream if offered)
Miss Emery goes through periods of eating anything you offer her to eating near to nothing at all. It's totally freaking me out. One day she will love carrots and then the next she is hurling them across the room or squishing them and offering them to the dog. She barely eats any meats, but will suck down some shrimp like its going out of style. For months she adored veggies, then all of a sudden you would have thought we were offering her bits of dirt.
Recently she started liking those pouches of baby food that has the fruit and veggie puree in them but you can let them suck the stuff out like a straw. I've been getting the organic ones with the thinking that at least if she isn't eating it at meal times she is getting in the nutrition. Seems to be working and Miss Priss is getting a small Budda Belly!
This morning after breakfast I was looking at her plate and the floor and wondered if she even ate anything besides the wholewheat waffle with peanut butter on it? I mean there is still most of the banana left and pieces of her mango. The mango that just last night at dinner she was signing MORE MORE MORE over and over for more of it.
Sometimes it gets very frustrating to make sure she is getting in what she needs and I and her Dad are not allowing her to have junk or establish bad eating habits. One of the main reasons is that I am the world's pickiest eater. Seriously, I eat 1 fruit (apples and only certian kinds) and very few vegetables (maybe like 5). However strangely enough I do eat sushi, crawfish and some other "weird" food. I have texture and taste sensitivity issues. And if I don't like something (I will try it) but I won't try it again, then I won't eat it, ever. I eat lots of junk style food because I have to eat and sometimes its the only thing I like. I will also go days where there is only one food that I like and want to eat. Oddly enough I am still very healthy and slim. I have no closterol issues, a happy heart and no sinus issues. Anyway...I really want Em to eat good food and I enjoy cooking and buying good stuff for her and her Daddy who will eat anything!
So we keep trying, anytime I can get her to eat something new I will feed it to her until she doesn't want it anymore. But I keep trying, I keep offering, hoping and praying that one day she will want what she loved once before!

Have you seen her Butt?

It's the cutest in the world!

St-St-Standing?

(Here's a KISS for you)
Today Miss Priss stood by herself on the grass for like at least 30 seconds. I was holding her hands and let go and she stood! Then she fell to her bottom. But hey she did it and it was great...but hasn't happened again today.
Also the other day at the Store she drank from a straw out of a cup. Which is big for us. Typically she pulls the straw out and wants you to baby bird "feed" her the drink from the other end of the straw. Or she pulls out the straw and plays with it and then throws it on the ground, leaving Mommy with no straw for her drink. We will keep working with this and hope to get that down pat pretty soon.
And bottles are GONE! That's right you heard me. We are working on day 5 of no bottles. In fact I am so confident that we don't need them anymore I packed them in a box and put them in the guest room. No attic yet for them, just in case of crazy meltdown.
We are moving and shaking around here.
Now if I could just get up the energy to tackle the guest room closet of "hell". That would be great. If you are staying with us, I give you fair warning. DO NOT OPEN YOUR CLOSET! If you do you will be under a pile of rubble that consists of old baby clothes, decorations, hangers, gift packaging, boxes, blankets, sheets and whatever else I have stashed in there because I am not allowed to go in the attic alone again, EVER!

Dear Clothing Manufactures

Dear Clothing Manufactures and designers:

Hello, I am a Mother and in my 30s. I am a size 2/4. I do not want to dress like a teenager. Just because I am a smaller size doesn't mean that I am 15. I have my body image issues just like everyone else. Please offer skirts that go down to my knees and don't hug my "jelly" thighs. Give me a shirt with sleeves to hide my chicken wings. If you are going to offer me a Maxi dress, then line it or have it not see through with a mini skirt under it. Also things with speghetti straps and sleeveless...do you really think I have time to shave my pits everyday or that I want my child to pull down my top because I don't have any support up there? And yes its 80 degrees outside..but I am cold indoors where there is AC!
And swimsuits. Why do ladies who are in the size of the Womans department get the bathing suits I am looking for??? I am a Mother who has a toddler who wants to swim and still look at least a little modest. I don't want to show my stomach off (hint, just had a baby and don't have a six pack), I certianly don't want to have to shave my Whoo-Haa everyday and show off my strech marks on my thighs...speaking of things, didn't I mention they jiggle still. My thighs, knees and calf all are one now and I certianly do not care about tan lines anymore. Shoot I am lucky I get to get out in the sun and swim. I want support my ta-tas and a chance to not have my top pulled down by my child when she is grabbing for support too! I want a nice set of support straps, a full one piece (no cut outs) and a skirt or shorts...but I want it all in one piece..you know something I can throw on and go!
Please for the love of everything good. Open up a line where you cater to people like me. Or better yet Ladies of all shapes and sizes that want to still cover their body nicely but have fashion forward clothing, or at least fashionable clothing.
Thanks...a Mom who still wears jeans and tees and tennis shoes because that's all I can find.

13 months and no more steps!

Emery turned 13 months yesterday and since that one step she hasn't walked on her own since. But she is allowing us to help her walk using our fingers and helping her hold on. Her eating is off and on, somedays it will be all fruit, others just veggies then a day or two you can get her to eat some meat. This weekends favorite was BACON! Her Daddy is so proud. She still won't climb up her slide the right way, but has learned to push her Princess car forward while sitting on it the right way.
On Friday Emery got a new toy chest. It is very big and holds all of her small toys. I don't think she likes it much since she can't get inside of it like she was doing with her baskets. And that's the reason for the new toy chest. The wicker baskets we had holding her toys, Emery learned to climb into them and sit in them...hence breaking them up! I kept finding pieces of wood in the living room.
Emery loves to blow kisses and give kisses...now they are open mouth and full of drool, but still its the cutest thing ever. She is using some signs but has yet to use them for asking for anything except MORE. Last week at Story Time she learned the song, When we get together using signs for Friend, Together and Happier, she has since only hummed the song and used the together sign. But hey at least she got one thing!
She is still a T'tot. Growing slowly. Size clothes are still 6-9 months. There are few 12 months that she can wear but they are a little big! She does have a big booty though and has learned to reach her hand around when you ask her "where is your booty?" LOL!
Emery can point out her nose, toes, tummy, booty, hands, head, hair, eyes, mouth, teeth, ears and tongue. She can give Pretty eyes on command and will occiassional smile if you ask her too. But she will also strangely put her hands on the sides of her head as if to "pose" when you say SMILE! She knows Sammy the dog but will tell him "ba dagh" (bad dog) and "ge ge" (get get). She will also blow (aka spit) when you say Blow Em Blow. She can pick out flash cards for Duck, Tiger and Hat. She can make animal sounds for Tigers, Ducks, Cows, Alligators, Dogs. We are working on Cat and Elephants and Monkeys.
Emery loves to babble. She just talks in this language that we cannot figure out. Sometimes we can make out a word, but for the most part its her. And she is serious. She has something to say, she points and babbles and taps her hands down and opens her eyes big and wide. Love it, its adorabale and we caught some on video the other day.
Emery loves being outside and getting dirty. She is very rough and throws things around. She loves playing in her water table and making her little people swim. We cannot wait for the heat of summer to take her to the pool and I can teach her to swim! She ADORES swinging and we are working on the sign for swing, She will point at her swing or ours and sign more over and over. And when you take her out and put her down she cries and whines because she wants to be in it again! Emery likes to work in the garden with Daddy. Mostly becuase its dirty! He is teaching her all about worms and grubs and plants! She tries to eat them so we let her pick the herbs and gnaw on them.
13 months already. In May we are taking her to the Beach for the first time. I cannot wait to see her reaction to the sand and the big "pool"! And then Disney World in Jan! So much to see and do, so much to learn...we love our little miracle!

A STEP!

I just had to post...Emery just took a step! On her own. She let go of the couch and took a step to the other part of the couch! Oh my Lord! Thank you! I can't believe it.

1st Birthday

(3rd cake with your family in Louisiana!)
(second cake at your TX birthday with crawfish)
(Cake 1 celebrating with just Mom and Dad on your Birthday)


Emery, my precious little miracle...you are 1 today. We've been singing you Happy Birthday for days and trying to teach you to blow out your candle. However it comes out more like a zerbert than an actual blow! LOL! You are too funny little one.

When you woke up this morning I couldn't help but sing to you and tell you over and over how happy I am that you are here with us. We went shopping for your party this weekend, a crawfish boil in honor of you! Minnie mouse is your theme and your Nanny made you a beautiful dress to go along with it. Because you will have another party in VP at the end of the month with your family!

Everyone loves you so much and you got many presents and cards today in the mail. You love opening the paper and then trying to eat it. And lots of people called and texted and sent you messages on Facebook to celebrate your birthday with you!

In the last year you have grown and your personality is starting to shine through. You are a determined girl. Even when you get frustrated you don't give up. You may put it aside after fuming but then eventually you go back to it and try your best to learn. You are down to 1 bottle in the morning when you wake up, with milk and very little formula. And food, you eat just about everything. You love shrimp, cantaloupe, grapes, peanut butter and today we learned you love cake! You can crawl so fast that I think the reason you don't walk yet is because you can get across a house in seconds! Your words are coming..so far you have Dad-dee, Mom-mma, Da (dog), Ti (tiger), duck-duck, sometimes it sounds like you say "got it". You can make sounds when we ask for them...duck (quack), dog (ah-mah), cow (mooooo), tiger (roar). And you can point out some of your body parts...belly (you take both hands and pat your belly), Feet (you grab them or stomp them), hair (you pull it), ears (you start in your hair and work down), you can close your eyes and make pretty eyes, you can open your mouth (and stick out your tongue) and today you started reaching for your booty when I said where's your booty! LOL!
You stand and cruise the furniture and you use your toys to walk. But you won't let go and if you do you slowly sit down. We know you can stand and balance, we've seen you do it, but you just aren't ready for it all. So its for split seconds before boom down you go!

Daddy and I got you a cake today to celebrate your birthday. At first you didn't know what it was. Then you tasted it. You thought it was so good that you went crazy smashing it all over your highchair and picking it up in handfuls and and eating it. When you were done it was everywhere, including on me and Daddy, on the dog and the wall too! We loved celebrating with you.

I cannot believe a year has come and gone. You are still small for your age but right there in milestones. I love you more than life itself. I already miss the nights you fell asleep on me. I miss having you sleep in the bassinet next to me. I miss rocking you to sleep. I love that you sleep through the night and that you are very independent, but still so loving and sweet. You will hug and kiss us (lots of slobber and open mouth!). And you will hug your stuffed dolls and say "awww". But you can play on your own with your toys. You love this show called "brainy baby" oh yeah you can say "baby", because it has lots of babies on it and shows little spurts of information.
I love you my darling little miracle. After all the trials to conceive you, all the pain, all the heartache in wanting you and the thoughts that maybe we would never have you...we do have you and you are nothing short of perfect. I cannot imagine my life without you in it. Some nights I wake up and just go in your room and cover you, just so I can be close to you.

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!!

11 Months Old & Happy Valentine's Day

(I love this pic..its like OMG I'm 11 months??)
Emery's First Valentine's Day and her 11 month birthday on the sameday! It was wonderful. Emmie was all dressed up in her pretty gingham and smocked hearts outfit and we took lots of pictures. Em and I got Daddy his first Valentine's Day gift a frame that says I love Dad with a picture of the two of them together! He was very excited.

Emery is letting go of things slowly, she still won't completly let go and stand on her own but we know she can. And she can totally lower herself down into a squat and stand back up. She will take steps holding on to the couch, our arms or her walkers, but will not do it on her own. So we are all guessing its coming soon. She flies across a room when she crawls. Don't turn your back for one min or else she is outta where you want her to be. She also likes to climb and get into spaces she shouldn't be and sometimes cannot get herself out of!

Temper tantrums have started and if she doesn't get her way she rawrs at you and makes a fake cry sound.

Also she is all of sudden eating stuff she likes and spitting out what she doesn't like. She will throw food on the floor if she doesn't want it. And this week she learned to feed the dog from her fingers. And then she cracks up after he eats it. But if he eats it without her giving it to him, she cries.

Emery is learning to say words. Dada, Momma, Dah (dog), Dak (duck), sometimes we think she says "got dit" (got it). She can now be directed to do certain things. Sounds for dog (woof), Duck (wack), Tiger (rawr). She will put her Arms Up if you ask her to, she tries to snap, she claps if you say clap or yay and during the song if you are happy and you know it. She can also give Pretty eyes (she squishes up her little face, crinkles her nose and then blinks her eyes). She will close her eyes if you say Em, close your eyes. Emery will try to point to her nose but gets as far as her lips when you ask where her nose is.

I can't believe its been 11 months. We are starting to plan her first birthday party and cannot wait to be back home with our family to celebrate our little miracle and her first year on this earth!