Tuesday 14 March 2006

So, this is what we have been waiting for. Some semblance of normalcy to return to. I am back at work now (can't you tell) and Julz and I are trying to figure out what it means to be parents. We are beginning to learn Emma. We are absolutely studying this beautiful baby girl. This brings about some funny moments of late night phone calls to the on-call nurse being told, "don't let her keep you up at night," yeah, right lady! As well as learning well that you don't let her hang around naked too long or change her too quick after a feeding. Gramme and Nana continue to spend time with us and really bless us. As well as many others of you who are so encouraging to us and continue to serve us well. Thank you! I really don't know what to say when people ask how we are (and you ask us all the time! haha). All I know to say is "good" or "we're okay". I know as well as you do that doesn't even begin to describe how we really are. We are tired, scared, awed, excited, in love, depressed, learning, teaching, anticipatory, comatose, caring, being cared for, engaged, disengaged, connected, disconnected, relishing, forgetting, taking advantage of the moment, and looking too much at the big picture. We are certainly all of these things when we say that we are "good" or "okay". Just count on that. There are hard moments where we ask, "what the hell were we thinking?" and good days (and nights) when we speak, "why'd we wait so long?" Emma is a beautiful gift. We love her more than we could express already. She's worth all. Here's some pics:













I jumped into the room and yelled, "Stick 'em
up Emma!" She didn't even wake, she just
raised her arms up over her head. Another
thing that we are learning about our sweet
baby girl is that she likes to sleep with her
arms unwrapped. Which means that all kinds
of funny arm positions are discovered when
we walk into the room.













She looks so old right here. She absolutely loves sitting in her swing. Although most of the time (as she is here) she is looking at the sides for a nipple! Apparently mom is an awful lot like a swing with a cotton cushion!













Don't we all wish we could still rest like this!

10 March 2006 Friday

I promised a new post today to several people, so here goes. Many of you are asking how things are going and they are much much better. God continues to love on my family during this time in really specific ways. Emma is eating much better and has gained 8 oz. in 3 days. She had lost 13 oz. total from birth weight at one point, so this was great news! She smiled at Julz alot this morning which was also a wonderful gift. Emma is sleeping somewhere around 16-17 hours a day. With large stints at night that her parents are especially thankful for her graciousness! haha!

I mentioned in an earlier post that my grandfather came by to meet Emma so, here is a pic that I took of that. I love looking at this picture. He just sat there quietly staring at her. It was a special moment in my life that I will not soon forget. No doubt, he will be an even better great-grandfather than he has been a grandfather!


This is Emma after her first bath at home. However, this was well before the baby oil incident. If you haven't heard the story ask Emma one day. There are certainly some days that she has her doubts about her parents ability to be capable of caring for her! haha!




Our dear friend, Kristin, came down to represent her and her husband, Andrew, meeting Emma. They are dear friends of ours that we wish we could live closer together. Emma is really a pro at meeting new people already!





One more picture that I just couldn't resist. Emma has done a great job of finding her hands so far to comfort herself at times when her mom and dad aren't quick enough! She just absolutely melts my heart in this pic!

More Pics of Emma

Emma and Julie's dad, "Grandpa".






















This is Julie's mom, "Nana" and Emma. They stayed with us the first few days that we were home from the hospital and kept us alive!





This is Emma in her crib for her first night of "sleep", if that is what you could call that night. She sure looks peaceful here, but that didn't last too long. She has gotten so much better since then though. The blanket that she is nested in on the right was given to her by her great, great, Aunt Buchie, she is very thankful to be so secure and warm!

Emma Joy Spivey has arrived!!

Here we are getting ready!! She will be joining us very soon.

My beautiful wife, Julz and our baby Emma! She was born at 11:47 a.m. on Thursday March 2, 2006. She weighed a svelte 7 lbs. 10 oz. and was 20 inches long. She has brown hair and the most gorgeous big blue eyes. One look and her daddy will immediately do whatever she desires!

Emma and I are just hanging out here.

This is my dad Charles, on Emma's second day outside. It is amazing watching him with her. He is a wonderful "Poppe" that she will grow to love well.

This is my mom's first hold with Emma. She has been staying with us this week and getting to know her. Emma already likes doing whatever with her "Gramme", especially walks outside.

Wednesday March 8, 2006

Begginings!! Kyle, thanks for the inspiration! So this is my attempt at starting a blog. How many other people have said the exact same thing? I am actually in the process of trying to add pics of taking my 6-day-old daughter Emma home from the hospital. Not too successfully though. My sister emailed them to me, but I can't figure out how to get them on here. Maybe later. She is absolutely precious. She completely restructures everything important to me. My wife Julz is and always will be my primary interest and love after our love of Jesus, but Emma is a true gift! She is absolutely beautiful and I hope to be able to show her life. Papa, my 87 year-old grandfather, stopped by today to spend some time with her. I hope to post some pics of that soon as well. It was an important time in my life to see him holding her! There have been so many important times already of getting to see people that I love meet my daughter. In the mean time here are some pics of me and my beautiful wife!