Emery's Actual Birthday

Helllllllo again.  I hope you weren't thinking that a mere 2 posts related to Emery crossing the threshold from 1 to 2 was enough.  If you were, check back again later.  Like in June.  (JK, JK.)

So how did we spend the 2 year anniversary of the day that expanded my heart 1 million fold AND that Whataburger tasted like filet mignon to me?  Let's walk through it, shall we?

In what can only be described as a fit of new-Mom mania (see below), I agreed to make Emery's 2 year check up and Brynn's 4 month shot appointment on the same day- Friday March 6th.  The doctor's appointment meant that Mama got to stay home to eat breakfast with the Birthday Princess before heading into work.

When Ryan realized that he wouldn't get to see Miss Emery on her birthday before he departed for work, he was pretty crushed.  So that she would know that Daddy was thinking of her and loved her, he drew a "no-man" (her most requested art item) on the Etch-a-Sketch and left it at her plate.  Did he stop there?  Nope.  He also made her chocolate milk and made me swear on my life that I would be sure to communicate to her that it was FROM DADDY.  It was really heart-warming.  I probably don't say it as often as I should, but these girls truly have the best Papa bear.

Brynn must have known that it was a special day for sister because she slept in which allowed Mama and Emery to have a quiet breakfast of waffles, yogurt and chocolate milk FROM DADDY together.  (It might be the last time for the next 18 years so make sure to add it to the official life transcript.)  

Mama frantically got everyone dressed and out the door on time-ish for the girls' appointment.  Point 1 for me.  Both girls were in good moods.  I kept telling Emery over and over she was going to see the doctor and that the doctor was nice.  I was feeling confident.  Things unravelled in a matter of moments as soon as we walked in the door.  This story is about Emery's birthday so we won't go into ALL the details, but it does need to be documented to ward off me ever getting any bright ideas in the future.  So, let me just hit a few quick highlights.  I'll leave names out to protect the innocent.  

One daughter has cultivated a phobia of elevators and insisted we take the stairs.  One daughter burst into tears the moment the nurse came to get us.  One daughter demanded all of Mama's attention while the other, who actually got shots and had to sit naked and cold in the doctor's office, sat in her car seat.  One Mama was frazzled and had to try to split her attention between two crying daughters.  One daughter cried when the nurse looked at her.  When the doctor looked at her.  When she heard footsteps.  When she was measured.  When the doctor tried to give her a sticker.  When the doctor tried to measure her baby in an attempt to win her affections.  When the doctor breathed.

Are you picking up what I'm putting down here?  Basically it was a 1+ hour cry-fest.  A cry-fest during which I learned one daughter had fallen off her growth curve (more on that in a future post).  The elevator still existed on the way out.  Upon school drop off both daughters bawled.  It was the drop off heard round the world.  Seriously.  It took maybe 20 mins.  The front desk was called to assist.  Teachers looked horrified.  I walked out to surround sound of my spawn crying on either side of me.  I sat down in my car and cried.  Then I drove through McDonald's for coffee.  Then I went to work.  The end.

By the time we returned home for the day, all was forgotten.  Daddy went out and purchased some of Em's favorite things for dinner (chicken nuggets and cupcakes) as well as a few birthday presents.  He came home and delivered said goods like the Santa of Birthdays.  We spent the rest of the evening enjoying time as a family and laughing at the sweet, feisty little sass-a-frass that made us parents.  Even despite the doctor's office drama, it will still get filed in my memory bank as "perfect".  The ability to completely forget something that reduced you to tears earlier in the day because of one tiny toothy grin is what defines parenthood.  I look forward to a million more just like it.  Love you more than you love cuh-cakes Emery Katherine!  

Another baby?!  You guys have gone off the deep end.

Emery now has 2 babies.  When asked what their names were, she repeatedly told us that they were both named "Umbrella."  We have affectionately renamed them Uma and Bella.  (Please also take note of the classy wrapping paper we provided on Emery's 2nd birthday.  Target bags are the hottest craze to hit the wrapping world.)

Lola wasn't nearly as impressed by Emery's presentation of Bella as the Sahara was by Rafiki's presentation of Simba.

Because buckets just won't work for her babies any more.

New kicks.

All evening I had been watching the clock for 7:09 pm (her official birth time).  At 7:45 I realized that I completely missed it.  When I looked at the timestamp of this photo it was... 7:09 pm.  :c)  Becca, you will likely be the only person who appreciates that.

Pantsless in a chair reading to her baby?  Looks about right.