Welcome to Emerald Dawn Baker!

We are so excited to welcome our new little baby, Emerald Dawn Baker... She was 20.5 inches, and 8 lbs, 3 oz. She had a 14 inch head. She is the sweetest baby I've ever been around--always happy and SO cute.

Also, we did it the right way this time... My OB, Dr. Cobb, agreed to induce me at just over 39 weeks... so early Tuesday morning (May 31) we went into the hospital. We were so excited the night before that Whit and I barely slept!

Holy COW, that lady is HUGE!!

It took a while for them to get me started, and then the pitocin was pretty slow...

After Dr. Cobb stripped my membranes I started to get some pretty strong contractions...

the epidural took forever and didn't really work very well this time. There was a pretty miserable few hours there, but the CRNA cranked up the meds and I lost most of the feeling ... FINALLY!

Supportive dad was there the whole time...

AND he got to deliver the baby! (Dr. Cobb is cool!) Apparently people think this photo is inappropriate because you can see my feet. Well, folks, you can see a lot more than that when you're having a baby. Haha. I got to reach down while I was pushing and touch the head. It sounds really really gross, but actually it was really cool!! (I was lyrie, but then glad I did it.)

Here's little Emerald. They look so funny and squishy when they first come out!!

One happy dad!

The kids came up an hour or two later (after mom ate and wasn't so shaky.) Baby was born at 4:17... Dr. Cobb predicted 4:25. Pretty close! I predicted the weight though at 8 lbs 2 oz and was just about right (only one oz off.)

Both kids were so excited. You can see Eli's batman utility belt in one photo. It was sort of a toss up what they were more excited about--the toys or the new baby! Ha. Kids are so funny.

I love this photo of Dora taking cues from dad.

Here's Dora looking cute. She has a new baby twin sister. Haha.

Excitement over his new toy...

Here's Dora being excited too...

Pardon the scantily clad mom-I was exhausted but having my daughter come snuggle up with me and not want to leave really cheered me up!! I still love thinking about how happy that made me, so I'm including the photos.

Here's Eli enjoying the "spoils" of the labor and delivery floor. The rooms were really nice and they had this great closet next to the room that had all kinds of snacks and treats (sandwiches, hamburgers, etc.) Obviously it had pudding too. Haha.

I really liked this shot of my mom. She looks like 30 years old here! So pretty mom--you and your latest granddaughter.

That night, after the kids left, we did baby's first bath. Well, dad did it. I mostly sat on the bed in exhaustion.

I really liked this photo for some reason. Maybe because I felt like it captured a moment. Everything is so new when they are born--I am sure life is such a shock going from inside mom to the scary outside world. We are here for you, little Emerald. We're so glad you made it. :-) Look how tiny she looks compared to her big daddy!

The next morning the kids came back. I was so happy to see them! They are such good kids. They have been really really really good with this baby and they were so happy to feed her and "hold it".
Here's the snoozer right after we went home. We decided to check out after only 24 hours. It worked out well because my mom was there--and Whit had to work the next day so leaving then would have been annoying.

We went to the hospital and home in the mini... Kinda fun, but it was COLD so we kept the top up! We made one stop on the way home--to buy a breast pump. Yep, I'm pumping for this kid. I swore I wouldn't do it again, but I wanted to do something and it's been working out okay so far. She's not near the oinker Eli was so she's been on all breast milk. It makes me kinda proud. (Weird, right?)

Here is a shot of mom with little Emerald. I'm trying to put some photos of up me, even though I feel like I look like a FAT blob. At least Emerald will know I was there. haha.

She's so cute and tiny!! Also, at like 3 days old she started smiling at me. I swear, she smiles AT ME when I talk to her or sing. It's SO CUTE.

Oh did I mention Natalie sent me flowers? So sweet!

Here's tiny Emerald with her first brain squeezer on.

We are SO sad my mom had to go home after just a week. She's like the best nanny ever. Good with the kids--cleans, cooks, takes the baby at night. We miss you so much mom!!!

Oh and look--my little tiny baby actually has some hair. Strange, right? Mine are usually bald-os. Another blondie, though. I think she's going to look JUST like her sister.

Even with the new baby, mom had some time for her other sweeties. Dora was sure glad to have me back home.

Dad getting some quality snuggle time in...

Here's Eli being cute with his little chia pet. (Or whatever these are called.)

Oh and Emerald has the most explosive pooh I've ever seen. WOW, you can hear it every time she poops, and if you're unlucky, you can feel it too. Whit changes her on his lap--I NEVER do that. You can see why not below. ICK!

He was a good sport about it, but it was REALLY gross.