We have been home with Emily for 5 days now! It seems so hard to believe as I sit here typing up this blog that one week ago she was still inside of me and we were anxiously anticipating her arrival. She has been a tremendous blessing to our family in just the short 7 days that we have had her! She is the cutest thing that we have ever seen (but of course what parents don't think that about their children:)) And even though she still has her days and nights pretty mixed up, she is the most precious little angel, and we love to just stare at her...whether she's sleeping, eating, smiling or even crying. She is the funniest little girl already, it is for sure that she belongs here in our family!

We have been so blessed to have so many people care about us, and parents who are more than willing to come help out in any way that they can ~ even if it's Dooders whose arms must have sleep sand on them, because every time he has Emily for more than a minute she is out like a light! We have decided that he should only visit around the midnight hour!! :)

I guess since this is my first official post since she was born I should record a little about her birth day, Monday December 29th. I will admit I was frightened that morning. I wasn't sure I was ready to become a mom, or have a c-section, or be in the hospital ~ but with Micah by my side we went in Monday morning around 7:15am, we had the nicest nurse who set us up in our room, and a wonderful friend from our ward who volunteered to be at work that day so that we would have a familiar face near by, even though she wasn't on the schedule to be there! She was a life saver because our c-section was scheduled for 9:15am, but we ended up having to wait until 10 o'clock due to some other patients the doctors had to care for first.

But finally it was time and they took us down to the operating area on the maternity floor. It was at the operating room doors that I kissed Micah good bye briefly as he had to go and "suit up" for the operation. I walked in to the operating room to find the doctors and nurses also getting ready for the procedure. They were all very friendly and very talkative. That really helped me to relax. Once I was inside they led me over to the table, and that is where I got 2 shots, one to numb my lower back and the other was the spinal anesthetic. I was amazed at how quickly they took effect. They helped me up on the operating table and very shortly thereafter I was totally numb from my waist down.

Then Micah was ready, and they brought him in. Dr. Wolanski very promptly began the c-section after that. It seemed like one second I saw him make the initial incision (probably the scariest part for me, gotta love seeing reflections in a light!). Then the next thing I knew the anesthesiologist (who was talking to me the whole time) said that her head was out and then I saw them lift her whole body up and they carried her over to the warming lamp! (Our nurse took our camera and was snapping pictures the whole time, we will spare you from those as they are pretty intense!!) I remember looking at her and thinking, "Was that baby really just inside of me? How big is she? 10 pounds?"

She was absolutely beautiful and at that moment I felt the love of my Heavenly Father so immensely. Everything else scary about the c-section and all that I had heard about recovering afterwards didn't even matter. This little girl that He sent from Heaven was a direct answer to our prayers. We had been praying for her to join our family for over 2 and a half years and I had been looking forward to the day when I would become a mother for as long as I can remember. Even though I know it will be tough, as it is already proving to be with sleepless nights and the joys of learning how to nurse correctly, I know that what we have endured, and all that we will be called upon to endure as parents, will be swallowed up in the joy and happiness that is our little Emily Marie! She makes us smile by doing the smallest little things. Now for a few pictures................

She is VERY serious about her sleep. We had just gotten her out of her crib and laid her in our bed for a minute and she looked so cute we couldn't resist letting her get a few more minutes of beauty rest while we snapped a few photos!
One of her very first outfits that she wore...can you believe it is "Newborn Size"! Look how big it is on her!! It is true....the best things do come in small packages!! Time for Emily's 1st fashion show! Micah and I were doing our best to keep her awake...you can see that our efforts were futile!! This dress and the lovely white shoes were given to Emily by her Aunt Sarah and Uncle Nathan!!!

If you look closely....you can see her little eyes are barely open! We knew this little bathrobe was going to be WAY TOO BIG right now, but it was just too cute to resist ~ Mommers and Dooders gave this one to her! Check out her skinny little legs!!

Here I am with my precious little girl! My parents came over yesterday and my mom took me out to get a few things at the store and to get some pictures copied! It did a world of good! Thanks Mom! Don't you just LOVE her little hair bow? She wasn't all too interested in it yet, but all in due time!!

(Watch this little video clip , she is so cute to watch drift off to sleep when she is not being swaddled).