3 months old

Today our little girl is 3 months old. It was an extra special day for us because today we also celebrated Mike's 31st birthday. I just see such a beautiful little girl and how she is growing and learning everyday. Being able to stay home with her is an absolute blessing that I will never take for granted. Emsley is so talkative and very strong. She definitely babbles all the time and usually does it while standing up (she is holding our fingers obviously!). Dare we say that she might be a walker and talker before we know it. I truly think she will just get more fun as she grows and is even more interactive.

Here are some stats as she turns 3 months:

-Weighs about 15 or 16 pounds (her next appt is next month)
-Is about 24 or 25 inches
-Is in size 2 diapers now
-We are in transition to her 6 month clothes now (but her 3 month still fit!)
-Eats 6 oz every 3 hours, 5 times a day
-Sleeps about 11 hours a night (bed by 8 or 8:30, up at 7 or so)
-Still loves bathtime...always calms her down and is now starting to splash around
-Smiles at a wall hanging we have, named Wally, all the time (cutest thing ever!)
-Stands up easily while she is only holding our fingers
-Learning new noises, like mmmm and gah
-Very good at grabbing objects in front of her
-Following things well with her eyes
-Starting to play with a few of her toys (had these rings that she likes a lot)
-Looks for us when we walk away or will turn her head when she hears either of us talking
-Knows when we aren't there and will get a little fussy till we come back
-Enjoys music and for us to read to her (we get a bunch of books from the library)

Another month with our little girl! We love her so much and absolutely love being her parents. Look forward to seeing what amazing things she learns this coming month!

I love adoption.

I feel like the title could be the whole post...but I guess I should explain. Obviously, adoption has absolutely forever changed our family in such amazing ways, but there is so much more that I love about adoption. It is only in an adoption situation that you completely let God choose your child. How great is that...that the Father who knows exactly what we need and will have, chose the little girl that would be joining our family forever?!?! I didn't choose anything about her or her situation but God did. Kinda like how God adopts us...he doesn't choose us because we are perfect. He chose us because He loves us and wants us to be a part of His family and spend eternity with Him.

Adoption is amazing because I love how I can't really compare Emsley to myself or Mike. I know that people have said she kinda looks like us or whatever but when it all comes down to it, she doesn't. When we first started the adoption process, I thought I would be sad to look at my child and not "see" myself or Mike in him/her. But I realized something this week. I may know that she doesn't get her chin or smile from me, but she ultimately gets it from God. Again, I am seeing how everything in adoption (and really should in life!) comes back to our Lord. She has the smile he gave her, the beautiful, full lips are a product of the Lord's mighty work. Most parents love comparing themselves to their kids but I love that we only can compare them with how great God is giving her those qualities.

Lastly, I love adoption because it gives me an appreciation for Emsley that I would not have had if we had a biological child. I love watching her grow and with each cry or fussy day, I learn more about her, about myself as a parent, and again (not to be too repetitive) more about God. Mike and I have a desire to not complain about being parents or about our daughter at all. We don't want to take for granted or be ungrateful that we have this absolutely beautiful gift from God in our lives. That is why we named her Emsley...our little reminder of where she really came from and to whom we give praise to daily for!

So......I love adoption! It isn't just about becoming a parent, but allowing God to write your story in a way that really only he can. It is by his hand that our lives are formed and fitted together and adoption reveals that to me more ways that I can express!

His 1st Father's Day

It was last year that we got the text saying that the birthmom we were matched with was keeping the baby. I mean, we never thought that this birthmom was going to actually go through with the adoption but it still hurt. I remember feeling so broken for Mike. It was supposed to be a day where we could celebrate his soon to be fatherhood-ness. But instead we spent it realizing how our family was still missing our child.

Little did we know that what the next Father's Day would hold! This year Mike had his girls by his side and I got to spoil him with love and attention. We went to BJ's so that Mike could get his Father's Day cup from there (finally!). I got him a few little gifts that I thought he would like and Emsley made him a coffee mug with a bunch of pictures of her, the 2 of them, and a couple of the 3 of us too. I know that she really doesn't even interact much yet, but that just makes me look forward to the next Father's Day where she will be able to stand up and wrap her arms around her daddy and hopefully say I love you to him.

I think I have to have a little brag time now about Mike as a dad. Mike is the most amazing father...Emsley just adores him and I even think she looks over at the door when he comes home at night. She loves him almost as much as he loves her. Mike is affectionate with her, caring, gentle, and so playful that she is constantly happy. You know how wives always tell their husbands that they didn't think they could love their spouse more until they had kids??? I never truly understood what they meant until Emsley came into our family. Watching him love her and how they interact together as daddy and daughter makes me see him in such a different light. I love this man with all of my heart and it truly deepens with each day...each book read...each toe kissed!

I am so grateful for being married to Mike and now I am even more blessed to be parenting alongside him as we raise Emsley together. Father's Day has pretty much become one of my favorite days...because it gives me one more reason to shower Mike with love.