Emma's Two Months Old!

At two months old, Emma is an established member of our family already.  She started smiling and cooing at us around six weeks old and watches Lucy very intently from her bouncer chair.  We aren't sure if it is for self-protection, or if she is just in awe of her big sister.  Based on the smiles she is constantly giving Lucy though, we are thinking her gaze is less about defense and more about admiration.

Last week at Emma's doctor appointment, we were told that Emma has the upper body and head strength of a four month old.  When your baby is less than two months old and pretty much sleeps, eats, poops and occasionally smiles, you'll take any characteristic prominent in your child and run with it.  We are shamelessly proud of our baby's physical strength and now refer to Emma as our little athlete.  Look at her standing and holding her head up like a big girl!

As our third child, it is almost impossible not to compare Emma to her two older siblings.  I'm not sure who is at the disadvantage with this habit, but either way, it is hard not to do.  Lucy never paid attention to the TV until she was about 18 months old and even now will be hard pressed to sit for longer than 10 or 15 minutes in front of it.  Emma on the other hand, will follow the TV with her eyes and fuss if she is facing the opposite direction and can't see it while it is on.  Here are the sisters below, watching Elmo together.

Here Emma is below in her car seat, holding onto her big sister's hand while Lucy sings "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to help Emma stop fussing.  During Emma's first week of life I happened to sing this song during a crying spell of hers.  Since then, every time Emma makes a peep Lucy launches into a verse or two of this same song and miracle of miracles, it calms Emma right down!

Emma was baptised this past month and we had a beautiful day to celebrate.  The picture below is part of a tradition that sadly started at Luke's funeral.  Luke was laid out in front of this stained glass window at our church before his funeral.  It was here that we greeted our friends and family by his side and through tears proudly watched them meet him for the first and last time on earth.  We have since taken Lucy's baptism pictures and now Emma's in front of it.  It is yet another way that we have found to integrate Luke into family traditions, and it helps us feel his presence with us.

 Here are Emma's godparents, my brother Mike and sister-in-law Jenna.

Lucy and Emma fell asleep on the way home from the baptism, and held each other's hands even while sleeping.

Here Emma is in her baptismal gown.  Lucy wore the same one, as did myself, all my siblings, my mom and all of her siblings too.

Emma cuddling with her godfather after her baptism.

Emma cuddling with her Great Grandma J. at her baptism party.

This has been a great month for little Emma.  She has found a way to fit right in to our family of four on earth and at two months it feels like she has always been here with us.  She follows a simple pattern of eating, alert time and sleeping throughout the day, and sleeps very well throughout the night.  She continues to be a laid back baby and we are so happy she is here with us!