* Bath Time!!! *

Woo hoo! I have big news for everyone! But first, an apology:

I'm terribly sorry for not posting anything over the past week. It turns out babies are not that exciting. Emmy basically eats, sleeps, gets changed, and occasionally stares into space. She can't go out in crowds yet so she's confined to the house, neighborhood, and park. So there hasn't been a whole lot to write about or show you!

Now, on with the exciting news:

Emmy lost her umbilical cord this week! I decided to have some fun and take a Big People Bath with her. She seemed to really like it! She would tilt her head back to get her hair wet, move her arms and legs around, like she was swimming, and she generally enjoyed it.

This is fabulous news b/c I love to go swimming and was going to be sad if I didn't have a water baby. Now I know that as soon as we are both given the OK, we'll be hitting the pool.

And that's the excitement in the O-C household :)

Emerson's Fashion Show

Coming soon - Emerson's Fashion Show

Check back in a few days to see a fashion shoot I've been working on spotlighting clothing from a variety of friends and family :)

~~~~~~~~~~BREAKING NEWS~~~~~~~~~~

The Fashion Show will be posted no later than Monday, July 21st. We've had some hold ups on a couple of outfits but everything will be good to go by Mon.

Thanks!

7 lbs 4 ounces!!!

You read that right, Little Em has gained weight in the first week of her life. We left the hospital with her weighing 6 lbs 10 oz. Today we had her first doctor appointment and she weighed a stunning 7 lbs 4 oz!!! Woo hoo, you go, little girlie!

She's opening her eyes more and spending a few more minutes awake after eating than she had been before. I can't believe she's already a week old. It is true, time flies when you're having fun.

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This morning I played Annie Lebowitz and took some artistic shots of Emerson. Here's my fav. What do you think?

I just think she's the cutest thing I've ever seen! Someday, when she's a teenager, I'll have this blog saved so I can look back at what life was like during her first week on earth. I'm sure I'll be thinking, "Wasn't that just yesterday?"

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On a completely different note, today is Steve and my 10th anniversary! Happy Anniversary, Steve. I love you so much. You have proven over the past 10+ years to be the best husband a woman could ask for. I know I spent a great deal of life saying I'd never get married and I'm so glad you changed my mind.

This new adventure we're on is just showing me even more that you are amazing. I've never seen such love from someone as I've seen you show Emmy and myself this past week. You have been wonderful to me through everything as we learn how to be parents. You have gone above and beyond anything I could have asked for. Being a parent is the easiest job in the world, with you by my side.

Here's to many more happy, wonderful, and supportive years! :-X

The Promised Pics!

Emerson Rachel Cripe, at just about an hour old:

<- And here's the Happy Family, about a half an hour after she was born.

Uncle Scotty got to be there for her first pics as well!

G-pops and Grammy are proud grandparents :) Don't they just look so happy?!

Grandma adores Emmy as well! ->

I think I'll put the rest of the pics in a slide show, that way if you aren't interested in looking at baby pic after pic you can skip right to the written blogs.

So things are going well so far! Knock on wood (please do this to help us!) she's been sleeping and eating like a pro. Steve and I have completely opposite sleep patterns and we thought it would work out perfect for this whole thing and it has. We're averaging about 5-6 hours of sleep a night and then a nap during the day. That's about what Steve usually would get and actually more sleep than I usually run on!

The cats are doing well and have readily accepted Emmy in their home. I figure having a daughter helps balance the house - 3 boys and 2 girls :)

I don't really have a lot to say today so I'll sign off for now. Feel free to comment on the pics and check back later for more updates!

Emerson's First Days

Announcing Emerson Rachel Cripe!!!

She was born at 4:33 this afternoon and weighed 7lbs.

Check back in a few days for pics :)

Oh, OOWwwwwwww!!!

So this could be pre-labor, stomach issues, or actual labor. Who's to say. All I know is I do NOT feel well today. I keep having to burp or run to the bathroom (well, since I'm having weird cramps I sort of hobble to the bathroom), and then I'm good for an hour. Some things don't add up with this:

* Everything I've heard and read says that walking making contractions feel a little better. In the midst of these cramps I can hardly stand!

* Once I go to the bathoom I feel better for a while. Did I just eat something wrong yesterday?

* Sometimes the pain lasts and lasts. Contractions are supposed to subside at some point, right? This morning I was cramping for over 2 hours straight!

* Around 10:00 I thought it had to be contractions b/c the cramps were coming more often. But then they backed off again and went to one an hour again.

Although, they are a lot more often now.

Maybe I should call the doctor...