A quick pose for the camera!

This is our first family photo and today it is one week old. This week has gone by so quickly! Well at least the daytime portion of the last week. We are still up for a while each evening with feedings and day/night confusion.

Even though we have had Julia for one week it seems that I can’t spend enough time with her. Emily also can’t get enough of Julia. She gets so excited each time she sees her. She asks if she can hold her and wants to fit in your lap if you are holding her. Today we figured out how to feed Julia and read Emily a book at the same time. The only trick is that Emily has to turn the pages of the book and that can be an interesting speed and order. It is best to make up the story as you go along and then the page order doesn’t matter so much.

Emily loves to touch, hug, and kiss her little sister. This was Emily’s first opportunity to hold Julia. Her nose nuzzle is so sweet!

This was the second time that I was able to hold Julia after her birth. You can still see the newborn eye medication still on her eyes. At this point, I was just enjoying watching the activity of the room and the special care that was being given to Julia. During Emily’s delivery, I was pretty groggy afterwards, and I couldn’t pay much attention. Robby was juggling calling friends and family and taking photos, Grammy was taking her own photos and following Julia around the room, the nursing staff was getting foot prints and making measurements, and the doctor was checking over me to make sure I was ok and telling me what a wonderful little girl had just arrived.

I had wondered for 9 months what this little child was going to look like when she came. It is hard to imagine something that is different than what you have already seen in another child. In this case, we were right to imagine Julia to be like Emily. It was amazing to see Julia and all of the similarities to Emily. One of the most striking likenesses is their dark brown hair. They both had so much hair which they also have on their backs and shoulders. Robby and I both don’t want to spend much time comparing the girls because we want to celebrate each of their uniqueness, but it surprised us how similar both of these girls are. I’m sure they will spend their lives exploring their differences and what a joy that will be to see them develop.

Through the whole pregnancy and especially at the end, I have seen the grace of God in my life. I want to express my gratitude for His provision and great care. At the moment of birth for each of my daughters I was caught in an emotion that I can not express. In those moments I felt for my daughters what I imagine that my Heavenly Father feels for me. Words are insufficient for how grateful I am to God for everything He is and does. The windows that we have into the love that God has for us are precious and I pray that I will remember this one for my whole life.

Mommy and Emily had a playtime together at Cades Cove with the kickball. It was a little dancing and a little kicking. Lots of laughs and happy faces!

(18 months) We visited the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI on our trip to visit some family. Emily was a great sport and was an angel while we visited the Rouge Production Facility and the Museum. She took one nap in her stroller, ate a great lunch, and didn’t fuss as long as we were moving. One day we will take her back and let her explore when she is big. This trip was for Mommy and Daddy. This photo was taken while we waited for the bus to take us to the Plant.