Birthday party.

What an amazing 6 weeks we have had! Since Emma Claire's arrival on April 6, our lives have been blessed in so many ways. With each smile, each coo and each poo we fall more in love with our precious angel.

We arrived at 5:30 a.m. on April 6 at Forrest General Hospital, ready and anxious to meet our little girl. I couldn't sleep the night before, wondering what she would look like, what her first cry would sound like. 

After checking in at the hospital, we were placed in a waiting room, and family and friends started to arrive. Kristen Scianna was our official baby photographer. As a postpartum nurse, she was able to be with us every step of the way to capture every precious moment. Kristen's sister, Katie Moore along with her daughter Scianna Grace and one of my best friends, Jenny Boudreaux, all came to send us off into the operating room.

Chris' mom and dad arrived ready to meet their new grandbaby. My mom and Aunt Tina came dressed in pink for Emma Claire's arrival.

My OB, Dr. Louis Benton, came in the room and asked us if we were ready to meet our little girl. Shortly before 8:00 a.m., I walked back to the operating room while Chris got dressed. 

As I laid on the operating table, I kept thinking "Is this really about to happen? Am I really about to meet my daughter?" Chris sat by my head, holding my hand and stroking my hair. When Dr. Benton saw her, he kept saying "Oh my gosh! Look at all this hair! She has a head FULL of hair! And this baby is HUGE!" The way he was talking, I thought she was going to be 14 pounds!

Dr. Benton asked Chris if he wanted to watch, so he stood up and 30 seconds later, she was out! Hearing her first cry was amazing. I asked Chris what she looked like and he said, "Well, she is purple and red with white stuff all over her. She kind of looks like a marbled steak." I'll be sure to tell her that one day when she is older :)

Chris walked over to the side of the room with the nurses as they sucked all the fluid out of her mouth and nose. They placed her on the scale and reported she weighed a healthy 7 pounds 13 ounces and was 20 inches long. 

The nurses wrapped her up and placed her in Chris' arms to bring over to me. Still laying on the table, I reached out and touched her tiny little hand...and instantly fell in love. We took our first of many family picture together.

The nurses told Chris he could carry her out to meet the family. Thankfully, Kristen was right in front of him to capture their faces. 

After they took her into the nursery and put me into recovery, Chris brought her back to me and I got to hold her for the first time and feed her for the first time. What a whirlwind of emotions to experience in 45 minutes!

Our immediate family came back to see us in recovery before we were moved to our permanent room in the maternity ward. Once we arrived in the bigger room, we were surrounded by friends and family, all in awe over this tiny little gift from heaven.

We were so fortunate to have the best nurses taking care of us. Kristen worked both nights we stayed in the hospital and took care of Emma Claire in the nursery at night so we could get some sleep. She brought her to us in the middle of the night to eat, and brought her back every morning freshly bathed with a bow in her hair. It was so nice to have a familiar face in the hospital. After two nights at Forrest General, we were ready to bring our baby girl home.

On Friday, April 8, we left the hospital shortly after noon to take our first drive as a family. When we pulled up at the house, we were greeted by a pink bow on the mailbox and beautiful pink flowers hanging on the front porch. My mom had stayed with the dogs while we were at the hospital, and made sure the house was ready to welcome Emma Claire! Chris and I came in the house alone first while his mom stayed outside with Emma Claire. We greeted the dogs and loved on them for a few minutes, giving them our full attention before we rocked their world! Chris went outside to get EC and when he brought her in the house, Daisy and Minnie were so curious! 

We spent several minutes introducing Daisy and Minnie to EC. She slept through the whole thing! We have been so surprised at how easily they have adjusted to having a little sister, and how well she has handled having two yappy dogs in the house! They can bark and bark and bark and she won't even flinch!

We showed Emma Claire her room and the closet full of clothes waiting for her!

Emma Claire's bilirubin was slightly high when we left the hospital, so we spent the next 4 days going back to the hospital to get her foot pricked :( We also had her well baby check up on Monday, April 11. We chose Dr. Parvin as her pediatrician because his nurse, Katie, is one of my best friends.

The first several nights at home were all about getting adjusted to each other. I was very fortunate that Chris was able to stay home with me for two weeks. I couldn't have survived without him! We did our best to get Emma Claire on a schedule as soon as possible so we could all feel a sense of normalcy throughout each day.

This tiny little princess that has entered our lives has changed everything...and we are loving every heartwarming, exhausting, fascinating and overly joyful minute of it!