Christmas Thoughts

Christmas has come and gone. My Christmas decorations have been carefully packed away again, and I have no idea where Christmas went.

We were all sick for Christmas. Emma was really sick on the Friday before Christmas. She had a temp, was really fussy, and didn't feel good, so I stayed home with her. Well, then she got me sick of course, and eventually we got John sick as well.

Saturday, December 22, we went to Mankato to see Rachel's house she bought and have Christmas with my family. It was a pretty good time, and Emma got spoiled with a bunch of gifts.

My big gift was a baby bullet, so I can make my own baby food. I actually tried it out today, and I think I am really going to enjoy using that thing.

John's main gift was some baby gates for us to install on our stairs to prevent Emma from taking a tumble. And they are currently installed on our stairwell.

Sunday we had a Christmas on my mom's side of the family. I had to work Christmas Eve, and then we had Christmas on Christmas Day at John's parents' house. This is the day that all three of us felt like crap. We were pretty lethargic and had bad colds. We had enough energy to eat and then open presents, and after that we pretty much sat around for a while until we went home and slept. So needless to say, we didn't have a very exciting Christmas. But, tis the season for all that fun stuff.

Yesterday was our last Christmas for the season. We went to Brookings to celebrates with John's mom's side of the family. We were feeling a lot better by yesterday, so this Christmas was a little more enjoyable.

I love Christmastime, and I was pretty bummed to be feeling so crummy for the Holiday Season. I didn't even go to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and I don't know the last time that has happened.

Overall, it was a good Christmas. Emma enjoyed ripping the wrapping paper off her gifts and playing with her new toys. I enjoyed seeing all the extended family that we don't get to see very often. So, really I have nothing to complain about.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and Happy New Year!!!

6 Months old!

Holy smokes. Has it really been a month since I blogged? Where does the time go? My blogging has been lacking a little bit lately. I guess my priorities have been elsewhere...

Anyway, Emma turned 6 months olds about 2 weeks ago. She weighs in at 17 lbs and is 25 inches long. We are going in for her 6 month shots in a week, yay.

Emma's likes
-Solid foods! We have just started baby foods with her and it is going pretty well. We have tried sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, peas, and bananas. I would say sweet potatoes are her favorite. I also got a Baby Bullet for Christmas from my sibling, so I cannot wait to try and make baby food soon
-Her jumper- she can play in that thing forever
-Her swing- for both playing and sleeping
-Sucking on her thumb
-Her pacifier- usually at night, but during parts of the day too
-Breastmilk
-Playtime
-Bathtime- She LOVES her baths. Now we have toys in the bathtub. Absolute Bliss.
-Car rides
-Rolling around on the floor- She now rolls both ways, and can really move around fast. I think crawling isn't too far away.
- Sitting up- She is getting closer and closer to being able to sit up on her own

Emma's Dislikes
-Having her nose suctioned out
-Being rocked to sleep- This is hit or miss. Right now she fights us when we try to rock her to sleep. She likes to be laid down in her crib and given her pacifier to pass out.
-Carrots- doesn't seem to interested in these yet

Emma is at a really fun age right now. She is getting really talkative- she will squeal, laugh, and coo all the time. She is really finding her voice. She likes to rech out and touch your face- and then dig her nails into your cheek which feels awesome. Overall, she is a super happy baby.

We have all been fighting colds lately, and it's really hard to see your baby sick, because there isn't much you can do for them to make them feel better. But luckily, I think the worst is over for this round. Emma is also teething right now. She has one tooth in, and one more is on the way by the looks of things. It is a drool factory in our house.

Anyway, hard to believe my little baby is half a year old already. Where does the time go? It has been a wonderful 6 months. I have never learned so much in such a short time. I have also never had anything change my life in such a drastic way so suddenly. But I have loved every second of it, and cannot wait to continue on this wonderful journey!

Happy 6 Months Emma!

Emma's First Thanksgiving

Well, Thanksgiving was two weeks ago, and here I am, finally getting some time to blog about it.

We spent Thanksgiving Day in Brookings with John's side of the family. We did the typical things you do on Thanksgiving, ate too much and visited with all the family. Emma tolerated the day pretty well. She didn't really nap like she is used to, so she was a little crabby, but overall she handled it well.

Thanksgiving evening we made our journey to Minnesota and spent the rest of the weekend with my family. Emma enjoyed all the attention and activity during the long weekend.

We celebrated Thanksgiving with my side of the family on Saturday in my parents' new shop. Once again, Emma didn't sleep much so she was pretty crabby by the end of the day.

I really enjoy the holiday season, and Thanksgiving made me think about what I am most thankful for this year. I am thankful for everything the good Lord has provided for me.  Of course my family is on top of the list. I don't know where I would be without the love and support of my husband, John and I love our daughter to pieces. I am thankful for our health, and our good jobs that we have. I am thankful for great family and friends.

I hope you all took the time to reflect on what you are most Thankful for, and hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

5 Months!

My little baby is 5 months old today! I can't believe where the time has gone.  I love the age Emma is right now. She giggled for the first time a few weeks ago, and it totally melted our hearts. She smiles quite a bit, and overall is a pretty happy baby.

Emma is 25 inches long and 15 pounds. I think she just went through a pretty good growth spurt. Emma can roll over from tummy to back, but hasn't been able to do back to tummy yet. She is holding her head up very well, and loves sucking on her fists. 

Just like I have done in a few of my other posts, I will tell you what little miss Emma is into these days.

Emma's likes
-Breastmilk (I am pretty proud of myself on this one. Emma has been exclusively breastfeed so far. I have not had to supplement with formula or anything. We did try to put a little rice cereal in her bottle a couple time to see if she would sleep a little longer at night. However, we never saw a difference, so we went back to just breastmilk. Breastfeeding is a wonderful thing. Not only is it the best food for Emma, but it is great for me too, and it's free! But it is a lot of work, and I look forward to having my body back to myself someday:)
-Her playmat
-Her jumper
-Her swing- both for playing and napping
-Pacifiers- this is getting a little bit less, but she still likes her paci when she is fussy
-When we blow on her tummy
-Laying on her back and kicking
-Standing on our laps and looking around
-Car rides
-Her crib
-Being sung to
-Sleeping on her side- but she does sleep on her back now too
-Being carried so that she look over our shoulders

Emma's dislikes
-Having her nose of eye wiped
-Having a stuffy nose
-Her car seat cover
-Being tired
-Her high chair

Emma has the craziest facial expressions sometimes. Here are some that I caught today.

Catching up

Wow, I can't believe it's been four weeks since my last blog. I can't believe Thanksgiving is a week away! Well, I will try to catch you up with what has been going on with our household.

Emma's first Halloween went well. We dressed her up as a penguin and she looked adorable. We made Halloween Cards to send out to family and friends, which everyone loved.

We ended up taking Emma to the Empire Mall, where all the businesses hand out candy. There were a lot of people in the mall, so Emma was a little overwhelmed. Rachel joined us for our Halloween outing. After the mall, we went home and handed out candy to trick-or-treaters. It was a successful Halloween!

Emma and me at the mall

My parents came to visit this last weekend. John went hunting in the hills with his brother and dad, so my mom and dad decided to keep me company. Emma was a little crabby over the weekend, I think she might be teething. I guess we will see if any teeth come in anytime soon. :)

My mom and dad already got Emma her Christmas present, and she seems to be enjoying it!

Otherwise not a whole lot else is going on with the Nelsons. We are still getting up with Emma at least twice a night, so our evenings are pretty short. We give Emma a bath, feed her, and then put her to bed. Then we eat, shower, and head to bed shortly after. Needless to say, the weeks are flying by for us. I will try to be more on top of my blogging!

Here's a picture of Emma really enjoying bath time :)

4 Months!

Emma is 4 months old today! Holy Smokes that is crazy. I feel like I just had her. Can time slow down just a little bit please?

However, I do love this age a little more than the newborn stage. She is so much fun to be around! She loves playtime, and yesterday she laughed for the first time!! It was so precious! Overall she is a really happy baby. She only really fusses when she is hungry or tired (don't we all?).

I wish she would be sleeping a little better at night at this point, but it's just a work in progress. She's usually up every 4-5 hours to eat, but I guess I would probably get pretty hungry at night too if all I ate was breastmilk.

She has rolled over a couple times from stomach to back, but she's not doing this very consistently yet, but she's getting stronger and stronger.  

Emma's likes at 4 months
-Breastmilk
-Her changing table mat
-Fart noises
-Standing (with help of course)
-Her play mat
-Cooing and making lots of noise
-Sucking on her fists
-Pacifiers (she likes these just a little too much!)
-Bathtime (she loves her baths)
-Car rides (they are good for sleeping)
-Nap time
-Looking around at everything (so much in fact that she has a wonderful bald spot in the back of her head)
-Being carried around, especially over your shoulder so she can look around
- Kicking her legs
-Her crib (for the most part)
-Snuggling with mom and dad
-Sleeping in mom and dad's bed (very last resort for us, but she likes it...)
-Her Bumbo
-Her Swing (she still loves her swing, for naps or playtime, best thing EVER!)
-Watching the TV (all the movement and colors!)
-Daycare

Emma's Dislikes
-Having her snot suctioned out of her nose (she absolutely hates this, hardest I have heard her cry)
-Being hungry (better feed her pronto once she decides she is hungry! No patience at all :D)
-Being cold
-Tummy time (She likes it for 5 minutes or so and then starts getting mad)
-Having us wipe her left eye clean (that eye likes to get really gunky for some reason..)
-Holding still so mom can trim her fingernails

We have Emma's 4 month check up on Wednesday, so we will get to see how much she weighs and how long she is getting. However, we also have to deal with shots again...I'll let you know how that goes.

But anyway, here's Emma at 4 months and growing like a weed!!!

Fall Time

Holy smokes, times flies when you are working full-time and a full-time momma. It's hard to keep up with everything!

The last three weeks haven't held anything too exciting. My parents came to visit a couple weekends ago. They just love Emma to pieces!

Otherwise we have just been busy being parents. I keep busy with work, Emma, and trying to keep up with the housework. It's busy, but I love it. Emma is becoming really fun and interactive, and I love watching her grow (just not too fast).

P.S. I love this fall season! The weather has been pretty nice, and I love the changing colors. However, we could really use some rain, so keep that in your prayers please!!

The Nelson Family :)

My family and I went to the zoo today. It was a beautiful day, so we decided we better get to the zoo before the weather turned too chilly. This was Emma's first trip to the zoo, and she handled it really well.

This was a wonderful end to the weekend. This is my family I love. Hope everyone has a great week!

Back to Work

Well, the day has come. Tomorrow I am officially off maternity leave, and I have to go back to work. Nothing like going back to work on a Sunday.

I have never been more excited and sad at the same time. I am more than ready to get back to a routine and see my co-workers again. Also, I really enjoy my job, and I have missed it.

However, I enjoyed these last 12 weeks so much with Emma, and I cannot imagine not being able to hang out with her every day anymore. It makes me sad to think about the moments I will miss with her. I may miss some of her firsts, such as rolling over. I will miss more smiles and giggles than I care to think about.

On the positive side of things, daycare is good for children. It gives them structure, socialization and speech skills, and builds their immunity.

Part of me wishes I could be a stay-at-home mom, but I know that for my own sanity, I need to work outside the home. And the money is sort of necessary as well.

Luckily, when I am working tomorrow, John will be home all day with Emma. So I know she will be in very good hands, and will love spending the day with her daddy. It's on Monday when we drop her off at daycare for the first time that the tears will start.

I know a lot of mothers go through this, and they get over it. And I know I will adjust to daycare, and our new routine. I think there will always be a part of me that feels guilty that I don't get to be the one to see all of her firsts, or share in all of her moments, or see every single adorable smile.

It helps to know that by working and having a career, it helps me provide for my family and be a better mother. So anyway, these next couple days will be tough, but we will get through it as a family. A family I love with all my heart :)

I am going to miss this face so much when I am at work...

Emma picture dump

I can't help but love this little munchkin. She is growing so fast! I go back to work in a week from today, so I am trying to savor every moment with her. :D

Pictures

Here are some photos from my parent's 30th Anniversary Party a couple weeks ago. Sorry for the delay. Enjoy!

Had to show off the John Deere tractors of course!

Emma enjoyed her first trip to Minnesota

The new shed

All of the granddaughters (and great-grandaughters) on the Kiecker side.

Four generations!

Jenna meeting Emma

Of course my dad had to sing with the band

Happy 30th Anniversary!!

My Parent's 30th Anniversary Party

Last weekend John and I made our first trip to Minnesota with Emma. She handled the trip pretty well! We only had to stop once on the three-hour drive to feed and change Emma, the rest was smooth sailing.

On Friday evening, John and I went to Bird Island to attend the Renville County Fair. I used to spend every summer at this fair, for the entire fair. My family was very active in 4-H, and this was our county fair. It was pretty nostalgic to walk around the fair grounds. I hadn't been to this fair for like 5 or 6 years, so it was fun to take a walk down memory lane.

Saturday we spent the day getting ready for the party. My parent's recently built a new shop/shed and they hosted a party for their 30th Anniversary and my Grandpa's 80th Birthday. They had food, kegs, and a band. I think half the town of Fairfax attended the party.

Congrats to my parents for celebrating 30 years of marriage. That is quite an accomplishment! They share their wedding anniversary with us, and every year when we celebrate another year of marriage I have my parents to look to as an example of a successful marriage. 

At the party, Emma got to meet her Minnesotan family. Since this was Emma's first trip to Minnesota, she got passed around a lot. All of my family and friends had a good time meeting her. The little party animal lasted the whole evening at the party. We didn't leave until 11:00 pm. It was a very long day for all of us.

Sunday was spent recovering. We all slept in, and then basically packed up and made the journey back home. Emma was a little cranky on Sunday, but overall she handled the busy weekend very well.

The first trip to Minnesota was a successful one, and I am sure there will be many more in the future. 

Two Months Old

Emma Lynn Nelson

2 Months Old

11 lbs 13 oz

22 inches long

Emma is two months old today! We had her two month check up today- and everything looks good. We also had shots for the first time :( She handled them well in the office. She cried when she got them, but then settled down pretty easily. However, since we have been home she has been pretty crabby and achy. We are spending a lot of time this evening cuddling and trying to make her feel better. 

Emma's likes:

- Breastmilk

-Her pacifier

-Looking at lights, out the window

-Looking at faces

-Lifting her head when laying on our chests

-The changing table (smiles every time we lay her down to change her- go figure)

-Her swing (she LOVES her swing)

-Having her butt patted

-Baths

-Car Rides

-Stroller rides

Emma's Dislikes:

-Her crib (this is a work in progress)

-Tummy time on the floor

-Shots (don't blame her there)

-Getting into her car seat

-How cold she is when she gets out of the warm bath

-Laying flat on her back

 

Our little Emma definitely knows what she likes and dislikes. Someone is developing a personality! We are enjoying watching her grow and change. We are proud to be her parents and love her to death!

Now, if only she would sleep through the night... 

Our 2nd Anniversary!

Yesterday, John and I celebrated our second wedding anniversary. I cannot believe that our wedding was two years ago already!!

A lot has happened to us in the two years that we have been married. We have moved twice, bought a house, and most importantly, started a family with our daughter, Emma. There have been a lot of changes.

One thing that hasn't changed is how I feel about the man I chose to spend the rest of my life with. He is smart, handsome, generous, and treats me better than I deserve. I love him so much and hope to have many, many more anniversaries to celebrate.

To celebrate our anniversary we had the Grandparents babysit and we went out to eat at Outback Steakhouse. It was nice to have some time together, which has been difficult since Emma came into our lives.

John and I agreed to not do gifts this year, but that sneaky guy bought me a beautiful necklace that is my birthstone- Emerald. It was a great anniversary celebration with the man I love :)

Emma's Baptism

Emma was baptized on July 22, 2012.  Everything went really well. We just invited immediate family and the great-grandparents to keep the event small.

My mom kept the baptismal gown that I was baptized in 25 years ago. It fit Emma pretty well. It had a little bit of an 80s vibe, but it was pretty special that she could wear the same thing I wore when I was baptized. 

Emma behaved very well during church and afterwards we had everyone over to our house for a grill out. The Sioux Falls Air Show was going on also so we were able to watch the Blue Angels and other jets fly over most of the day.

It was about 100 degrees and very humid, so we had to squeeze everyone into our house. We had some good visiting and it was nice for both sides of the family to be able to hang out with each other.

Emma was a little overwhelmed with all the company, but overall she handled it pretty well. She is 6 weeks old today, and she is growing like a weed!

It is very exciting to have Emma as an official member of God's Kingdom. It was a special day :)

Our Family

Emma and her God-Parents

With Pastor Janke

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Emma's outfit. She wore the gown I was baptized in back in 1987.