Christmas cookie baking

As you all know from previous posts, Em loves to bake now. She does quit well with the dumping and stiring parts and does especially well with the clean up. Although she is typically wiping down the counter with a towel before we are even done! ha! We made cookies for Emmalyns babysitter last night for Christmas. Em proudly handed them to her today and said "I make Lisa cookies!" with complete excitement! So cute! O and ps Aunt Stef...She knows now when it's time to bake she goes to the pantry to get her little apron!

the big 30!

Sunday I celebrated a new decade! 30! Seems weird. I told Nate I feel more like 25. I don't know if that's good or bad! haha! Nate and Em surprised me with a balloon, a starbucks coffee, cards, and a new camera! Even though he promised he wouldn't be doing any gifts I was grateful all the same. We hung out around the house in our jammies until the afternoon. Nate and I watched my new movie "the help" while the kids napped. I finished the book in the summer but never got to go to the movies to see it (imagine that.) Then it was off to J Gilberts in Worthington for a family dinner. I got some more great and useful gifts from the fam and had a peaceful dinner while Evie slept by the fireplace in her carrier the entire time. It was a lovely day!

Genevieve is 1 month old

Today Evie turns 1 month old! It's been quit a whirlwind of a month but I think things are finally starting to settle in. With Emmalyn acting out, Genevieves sickness that lead to 2 days in childrens hospital to double ear infections now with Emmalyn it's safe to say things have been a little crazy around here. Evie is finally on the mend from her severe cold and congestion. She is getting her days and nights in order and eating better too! However, she does not like to be left alone or to be put down! She screams and cries when you try to do anything without her. She has such a sad little face. Her heart gets broken very easily! Unlike Emmalyn who could care less about anything. I have a feeling Evie will be my compliant child (even though she has a temper!) She likes to scream quit loudly when she isn't getting her way...Nate calls it "the shrill." That indeed it is! She is a great baby overall and does enjoy time on the floor playing with Emmalyn. Emmalyn enjoys it equally as well. Em is very good with her still, talking to her, covering her up, wanting to change her diaper, and giving her LOTS of kisses all day long. Evie is nursing every 3-3 1/2 hours at night but tends to be a "snacker" during the day, eating every 2 hours or less! It gets to be quit exhausting but I am working on stretching it out! Seems to be working as long as we can stand a few rounds of crankiness. All in all looking back to 4 weeks ago we have all come a long way.

At Evies 1 month appt. today she was 7 lbs and 12 oz. 20 inches long and in the 25th percentile for weight and height doing well on the curve scale! The doctor says she's very petite just like her sis and is doing very good considering her recent illness. Now if we can get Emmalyn feeling better all we be right in the Sharp house!

my little baker

Running out of things to keep Emmalyn occupied, last night I decided we would make cookies together. Not for the holidays or really for the pleasure of eating but just for something different to do! She was so good at helping! She wore her new little apron that Aunt Stef got for her bday and helped pour, stir, and drop chocolate chip cookies onto the baking sheet. She thought she was big stuff! It was so cute! Although I must say she surprised me when she turned down licking the batter off the beaters!! This little girl has a major sweet tooth! She did however enjoy the cookies after they were baked!

first bath

Genevieve's belly button healed over the thanksgiving holiday. Leaving her last bit of umbilical cord at Pa and T's! hahaha. We gave her her first bath last night. She didn't mind at first but then had the typical reaction on crying and getting mad! We also put up the Christmas decorations. Emmalyn had a great time! She especially loved her new little people nativity scene that Aunt Heather got her last year! What a lifesaver for me for the next few days while Nate is working! Thanks Heather

Genevieve is 1 week old!!

How can 1 week have passed already?! Things are really stiring up in the Sharp household. Em has decided to go ahead and enter her terrible 2's and Genevieve is becoming more alert during the day. It has been a challenging week with doors slamming, back talking and whining. I asked Nate the other day "when did she turn 16?" Emmalyn loves her baby sister and does a lot to help me out with her, however it is plain to see that she is very angry at me! I guess after all is said and done and we make it through the adjustment I will have a stronger backbone (that I really needed anyway.)

Genevieve is nursing like a champ about every 3 hours with some nights of cluster feeding. She is a quick eater but enjoys "dessert" regularly. She will eat and be done, fall asleep, I will put her down and as soon as I get snug back in my bed she decides she wants more!! I call her my dessert eater! She's a lady that knows what she wants!
At her dr. appointment on Monday she had climbed back up from 5.8lbs to 5.15lbs. the dr. was pleased. No jaundice at all but they did have to clip her tongue. She had a very tight frenulum that we weren't sure needed clipped or not...turns out she did. The dr. was worried it was too tight to nurse correctly. I have to say she was right because ever since she clipped it, Genevieve has been doing wonderful with nursing! Such a relief to me because Emmalyn was a nightmare!!
Well, that about sums up our week. Everyone pray that Emmalyn and I don't kill eachother! haha

Genevieve Eryn Sharp

She has arrived! Genevieve Eryn (aka Evie.) Born very quickly on Wednesday morning at 3:54. I had thought each day was THE day since Sunday! I had been having very strong contractions and at most times able to see a pattern. Having a rough couple days and nights leading up to delivery I have to say on Tuesday I felt nothing! With some words of advice from Heather on how to get the labor started, Nate and I did everything she suggested! At 9pm on Tuesday night there was no contractions at all. We decided that it probably wasn't happening and went to bed at 10. By 10:30 I was having noticeably different contractions than days leading up. I thought "no way, just another trick!" by 11pm I knew it was labor and by 1am I told Nate to get out of bed!!! I am glad we didn't stay much longer. We checked into the hospital at 2:45am and Genevieve was here at 3:54am!! It was a crazy hour, leading up to an unplanned natural childbirth. I went from 5 centimeters to 10 in 45 minutes! I was nervous but Dr. Russ was amazing and got me through it quickly. Only 3 total pushes and I pulled her out! We had a little trouble delivering the placenta, which later caused severe softball size blood clots passing and a "moon placenta." Dr. said 1 in 200 have this weird small placenta that detatches itself away from the cord. It made for an eventful, touch and go couple of days at the hospital but we are home now and I am feeling great! Very tired (to be expected) but doing good. Emmalyn thinks Genevieve is so neat. She got mad last night because baby Evie couldn't sleep with her! She has been very helpful, getting her blanket to wrap her up and stroking her head when she is crying to tell her "it's ok baby Evie!" I am so interested to see what the next few weeks bring, and so happy to have my family all here!

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A huge thank you to Mom and Dad for taking Emmalyn for 4 days while we weren't able to watch her! She had a great time and we can never express how grateful we are to both of you for all you do for us!! Also, to Stef for watching Em on Thursday and Hayley for taking her last weekend for a slumber party! You all have helped more than you can possibly know. It was so nice to know that Em was being taken care of and having fun while we couldn't be there for her. We love you all and can't wait for you all to spend some time with Genevieve!!

2 years old!

Today we are celebrating Emmalyn's 2nd birthday!!! I can't believe it! I'm savoring the day (she won't really be 2 until 10:47pm!) She has been a tad grouchy today due to no nap at the sitter yesterday but all in all it's been a fun day so far. She woke up to balloons and her birthday gift...a little kitchen in mama's kitchen just for her! Along with some play food. She was hands down more excited about the balloons than the kitchen! Go figure! She has been playing with it quit a bit this afternoon though. We took her to her favorite place, Rising Park before lunch to swing, slide and throw rocks into the ponds. Tonight is pizza and cake with a just a few people. At Em's request we had to get a Snoopy cake! I think she is very excited about eating it. She has a major sweet tooth! I guess this means late to bed tonight after all that sugar!