Emma Elizabeth Elam was born at 3:30 in the afternoon. She was 2 weeks late and she did not respond to the pill in my cervix, my water breaking or any soothing breathing of any kind. I practically had to evict her from my vagina.
Emma was named by her brother. At 6 years old, he thought that Emma was an amazing name for a sister. (Shane had prayed for a sister, he told me so every single night.) I thought that her initials EEE was perfect, because that is pretty much the sound that girls make. A shrill nerve pounding shriek that grates on your nerves and sets your mind on tension.
Can you tell that I did NOT want a girl? I most definitely did NOT.
I remember visiting the doctors office for my last ultrasound. The one that would definitely tell us what we were having. My (then) husband sat excitedly next to me, holding my swollen hand. Shane sat on my right, his game boy clutched in his hands, he was becoming a Pokémon master even then.
I muttered under my breath "I hope it is a boy."
Chris answered "As long as it is healthy!"
Shane paused his game and peered at us from behind his thick black framed glasses. "I prayed for a sister." He then un paused his game and continued playing.
I sighed. "Girls are annoying. They are screechy.... You are never screechy. Plus they whine."
"I want a sister. A little sister. She would be cute." he responded
"Well. What if she is ugly and annoying? Did you even KNOW that girls are whiney? Plus...what the hell do they even play with? THEN They have hair to ...you know...DO. I hope it is a boy." And I rubbed my swollen belly with both hands, Like a Buddha being prayed over.
My name was called and we were put into our fancy room. Soon enough my stomach was being slathered with thick warm jelly and the lights were shut off.
After all of the measurements were taken my Doctor announced with 98% certainty that it was a BOY!
I was so relived that I almost pee'd on the table. Which isn't all that far fetched, because I had drank a gallon of water to get a good ultrasound.
On October 11th I was admitted into the hospital for inducement.
On October 12th Emma Elizabeth was born. It took quite a bit, at one point they thought that I would have to had a c section, but SHE finally came.
Shane never left my side the entire labor. He held my hand and watched his sister be born. He just KNEW that God would give him what he asked for.
My sister tells me that when the doctor announced that my son Carter Louis, was actually a girl I said "Oh thank God."
Maybe something inside of me KNEW what an amazing human being had just taken her first breath. Maybe I knew that I would now be supremely blessed by having a daughter such as Emma.
But Maybe I was just happy that it was over, who knows.
My sister Held Emma first. She had tears in her eyes. "You have a daughter." were the most powerful words that I had heard since "You have a son."
Emma screamed and screamed through all of the newborn tests and weighing.
She screamed and screamed when I spoke to her from across the room.
She screamed and screamed until she was placed into the arms of her brother.
And then he sang to her, and he told her that everything was going to be okay.
He told her that she would love her mommy and her daddy and that he would teach her all about Mario and Luigi.
That day my mom ran home to try and find SOMETHING neutral for her to wear home.
I wanted PINK and princess.
From the moment that Emma took her first breath she has shown me the joys of having a daughter.
Of looking into a little girls eyes and seeing your own.
As soon as she was able to talk we would raise our fists and chant "UTERUSES UNITE!" and we would chase the boys.
Emma is unique.
Emma is intelligent.
Emma is everything that I could have ever wanted from a little girl. She is everything a little girl should be. She is honest, kind and hilarious.
She is not loud, nor does she (or has she ever screeched) I have though...I have.
When she was small she Because of Emma, I know every single princesses name.
I have learned how to do hair, and now that she is growing up I always have someone to sing with.
Emma is now 12. She has a 4.0 grade point average and she loves Zombies, edgar allen poe and reading voraciously.
The most powerful part of having a daughter, to me, was the unending bond of my children.
YES I became addicted to the Disney store because of Emma. *win*
YES we would go to build-a-bear at LEAST twice a month. *win*
YES I was OBSESSED with clothing and accessories because of Emma....
But the BEST part?
I learned an entire NEW side of being a mom. One that I never thought that I would be honored to have, nor was I even aware of the fact that I wanted it, needed it, or would fall in love with it.
As I scoured all of my sources for pictures I became even more aware of the love between Emma and her brother.
An hour into the hunt left me in tears as I watched them digitally grow up in front of my eyes.
The tissues have piled up and although I could write into words the love I see there, I will share it with you in pictures instead....
She loved to watch her brother...
She loved to watch her brother.
She played with his ear.
Shane holding Emma while he reads before bed.
Trying to burp her.
I can hold her AND play video games...like this!
"Her cheeks are squishy"
He loves her
Sitting up with brother
Shane sharing
Brother is in the bath, but he needs a kiss.
Love.
I found them like this.
Ill hold her mom.
My sister likes to be naked too!
watching brother game.
We are making you a cake!
Art is important Emma.
He wouldn't let her go in, unless he sat there.
Painting Emma's birthday surprise room
Yeah. She is sort of the princess.
Stay back! This tea light candle might bite,
Just hanging around in holes they dug
Riding together
Skeleton kisses
Shanes first play!
The real costume.
Walking her to her violin concert.
Shane the psych and Emma as Edward
Best friend brain necklaces. A gift from Shane to Emma at her birthday. He wears his every single day.
Writing this blog was a gift to me. It made me wade into memories. Laugh, cry and snot. I am truly blessed to have two amazing children who love each other with perfection and laughter. This family is amazing.
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