Dear Emerson, 

Every night before your father and I go to bed, we tiptoe back to your room. Hand in hand, we lean over your crib and for just a few seconds watch as you dream. Then, we look at each other, your daddy kisses me on the cheek and we walk to our own room and lay down to sleep. But before I can fall asleep, I pick up my phone and scroll through the pictures that I snapped of you that day. This makes your daddy laugh. 

Thank you, Little Bird for showering our days with sunshine and covering our nights in sweet, sweet dreams.

Love,
Mama

Emerson, You're 4 Months Old

Dear Emerson,

Sunday was your 4 month birthday. You've been here in our world, real, tangible for 4 months! Little Bird, you have grown so much. No longer a newborn, but a tiny person. You have likes and dislikes and your very own little personality. You are silly and sweet and continue to captivate your daddy and me with your beautiful hazel eyes and gummy smile every single day. 

Four months. My goodness,where has the time gone? I find myself asking this question daily. Where has it gone. It seems that only yesterday your father and I were placing you in your car seat for the first time then nervously driving you home from the hospital in the pouring rain. It seems like just last night that we laid you in your bassinet to sleep for the first time at home. Constantly waking, watching the rise and fall of your chest, praying to God for guidance and for wisdom.

Now here we are, 4 months later. Still praying for guidance and wisdom but so much more comfortable in our role as Mama and Daddy. Becoming parents hasn't been trouble free. Some days are down right hard, my love. But I can assure you that it's worth it. It's so worth it.  Allowing us to soak up every one of your overwhelmingly sweet smiles has been one of your greatest gifts. I would endure one hundred sleepless nights to hold you in my arms. To feel your baby soft skin on mine. You are our world, our everything. Being your mama is among the greatest blessings the good Lord has given me. 

A few things: You are 26 inches long (the 95th percentile) and just over 15 pounds (the 75th percentile). You weren't too keen on rolling over in your third month, but as if to welcome this fourth month, you rolled from your belly to your back and then all the way over to your belly again! When you decide you'd rather not roll all the way over, you stay on your tummy and do this super man type pose. It's very funny.You discovered your toes a few weeks ago and just the other day, you learned that you can get those toesies in your mouth! Basically anything that you can get in your hands is going to find it's way to your mouth. And about those hands! You are discovering the world with them. You touch, grab, pull on everything. You're beginning to touch our faces, studying them with your hands and memorizing them with your eyes which is the most endearing thing ever.

Happy four month birthday, Little Bird. You are everything and so much more than I could have ever dreamed you would be. Thank you for allowing us to love you. Thank you for being such a wonderful baby. You have deeply, intensely, beautifully changed our lives. I love you all the way to the stars and back.

Grateful

It's 9:30 at night. I'm catching up on one of my favorite blogs. Emerson is in bed and I can smell the lotion that I use for her baby massage on my hands. And I miss her. And I am deeply, intensely aware of how beautiful my life is. And I am so grateful...

Goodbye Summer

I just realized that I never said a proper goodbye to summer. I know there are still a few days left of my favorite season,  but the cold front that has come through Tennessee has peppered the woods around my parent's home with signs of fall. So, I feel it's time to say goodbye. So much has happened in these last few months. We've had lots of visitors- My mom, Jared's mom. Jared's sister and my brother, as well as my dear friend, Alyssa. Our 5th anniversary. Emerson's first dip in the pool and her first trip to the beach. Now, here I am in Tennessee, delighting in these last few days of summer.

A few pictures from summer...

June...
Jared's sister Jessica came down to meet her niece for the very first time. Soon, Emerson will have a little cousin to visit in New York!

My mom came to visit, and in between lazy days spent at home, we mosied into Key West for one of Emerson's first lunch dates.

 And of course some spearfishing for Jared.

July...
Jared's mom came to visit and celebrated Emerson's first 4th of July with us.

My mom came back down. 

We took lots (hundreds) of pictures. These are just a few of the ones I love.

July also brought us a visit from my brother. He lights up like a Christmas Tree for his niece!

July 28th. Our anniversary. It was the best yet. We woke up early to this smiling face...

We had lunch outside with the warm summer air all around... 

And later, we enjoyed some quiet time. Just Emerson, Jared and me. With nowhere to go and nothing to do but just be. It warms my heart to see these two together. My little family.

Jared made dinner that night, as I got Little Bird ready for bed. He also made a little slide show of our wedding. He's so good.

It really was the best anniversary. No big plans. No fancy hotel. Just our tiny family on our little Key. Perfect.

August...
 August brought us a few firsts. Emerson's first dip in the pool. She loved it!

And her first visit to the beach. I dipped her tiny toes in the water and although her daddy was far off on his ship somewhere, it comforted me to think that the place where we stood led into the big ocean that he was sailing. 

My sweet friend, Alyssa came to visit. She was so good with Emerson.

We went on a boat ride.

And played dress up with E. I'm not wild about this wild headband, but I'll be darned if my sweet girl isn't the cutest!

After Alyssa headed home to Virginia, Jared's Mom came down and when Jared came home, we all celebrated his birthday with another trip to the beach. 

The ocean is a very important part of who Jared is. It's kind of like his church, so watching my husband and daughter together in the salty sea for the first time, was nothing short of spiritual for me.

Late August brought a storm, and a last minute flight to Tennessee. More on my time there later. For now, I'm back in Key West, where storm clouds rest overhead. Emerson is sleeping, and I am sipping on coffee, enjoying these last few days of sweet, sweet summer.