Sleeping babies

Emma's such a sweet little girl...I know that I'm biased, but I'm not the only one who sees her beautiful loving spirit. Everywhere she goes she causes more fans to join the Emma fan club.

I can't resist her when she looks at me and says, "I want to hold you!". Which is Emma's way of asking to be picked up. She loves to cuddle. Lately she's started kissing me and Paul spontaneously. If she's in her walker, she comes over and starts kissing our knees. It's too cute!

Unfortunately she's been having trouble sleeping at night (we think it's the GERD) so sometimes she ends up in bed with us, sleeping in my left arm. This elevates her head enough to keep her from having bad reflux attacks so she can sleep better. I didn't realize how much I had missed having a baby sleep in my arms until we got Matthew, and then Emma. Both of them have spent some time sleeping in my arms (it's a good thing we have a big bed!).

I learned long ago in a galaxy far away (when I was breast-feeding my four biological children) how to sleep perfectly still and hold a baby and keep one hand against my husband's back so that if he even STARTS to roll towards the baby I instantly wake up and push him away. It's like riding a bicycle; your body never forgets those hard-won skills.

When she's in my arm, asleep, I love the sweet baby smell of her hair, the wispy softness of it. She looks much younger than she actually is because she's so small. I realize that these are probably my last chances to cuddle a sleeping baby; it's unlikely that Paul and I will adopt any more, although we've discussed it.

Well, I am enjoying this phase of Emma's life while it lasts....she won't be a baby forever! But I know that there will be things to enjoy about each and every part of her life, as she transitions from baby to child, from child to pre-adolescent, from pre-adolescent to teenager, from teenager to adult. If the Lord grants me the time here on Earth to see all of these things happen, I will be very grateful!