The Haggard Herald

Emily is loved.  So loved.  Sometimes slightly smothered with love. She'll take the occasional smother, fingers on her face, inconvenience of being carried when and where she doesn't want to be.  She'll take it because it comes with being smiled at, talked with, pushed in the stroller and included in the make-believe play, art projects with papers and crayons everywhere.  She likes getting picked up out of the crib before I get to her, being fed, rocked, and played with and included. She occasionally gets hurt.  But she also gets comforted:  hugs, drinks of water to feel better, apologies, songs, toys, attention.  She follows Maddie and Lucy and Matt and I around everywhere.  She shows me that we really are meant to be with people, not alone.  She will fight to be included in every activity, every bite of something yummy to share, every chore,  every thing. We're learning about what we like our siblings to do and what we don'...

Lots of things have happened since I last wrote anything on the blog.  I'm not sure how to recap the past couple of years.  But I'll start by writing about Emily.   She came last October, one day late.  It was a longer time getting her here...  Longer time waiting for her to start growing, felt like a loooooong pregnancy, and a long delivery.  Maddie's labor was 10 hours from first contraction to in my arms.  Lucy was three and a half hours.  Emily was twelve.  I really have nothing to complain about.  She and I were both healthy.  There were no complications.  I got to deliver with my favorite midwife in a lovely hospital with nice nurses.  And as with any baby--we were so relieved and happy to have her finally here! I fell in love with her instantly (tender mercy) and was totally content to hold her and cuddle her all day and all night.  Matt came in to our bedroom one morning a couple weeks after ...