Mar Mar is Growing Up!

Martha, my younger cousin, has reached a huge rite of passage...she graduated from High School! I can remember the day she was born, the day she fell in love with Don Henley from the Eagles, her electric guitar and Barney videos...and now she is making plans to pursue a degree in nursing. My how time flies.

This was Ted's first visit to Smithville, TN, where my family roots are. Naturally, I made him stop at the "scenic overlook" for a self portrait.

This picture is from Martha's high school graduation. She's got a good 4 inches on me now!

This picture is from my high school graduation with one eight year old Martha...almost nine.

After graduation, we drove to Cookeville to have dinner with the family. After that, Ted and I headed to the river...it took us almost 5 hours to get there. With losing an hour, we arrived close to 5:00am!

But in the South It's a Religion...

"In the East it's a cultural exercise. On the West Coast it's a tourist attraction. In Texas it's the big stakes. In the Midwest it's a slugfest. But in the South it's a religion!"

I would usually insert a Go Vols! here...but in the spirit of keeping all of you happy...Roll Tide, Roll!

[the Tide has a special place in my heart]

Evening Nap

So the past few nights when I get home from work, etc, I've had the opportunity to spend some couch time with Baby J. This allows Mom time to do her things and Miss Pam can go to bed early...well, who am I kidding? I don't really know what they do upstairs. And, my holding Juliet is not really all that important as to helping them get things done. But, I get to spend some time with her and I like that.

Check out this little pose from last night.

It is somewhat difficult to handle the Nikon D50 with one hand, but I got the picture!

My New Lunch Hour

I try to fight it and stay at the office, but I usually end up at home to see this little girl on my lunch break...

This is a picture of the little onesie that I made for Juliet...

Here is the front of it!

Please! No more photos!

Introducing Uncle Clint!

This past weekend Mr. Smith and Clint came to Knoxville. Here are some great pictures of Tara showing Clint how to hold the baby! He's going to be such a good little uncle!

Ta-da!

I was out of town on Saturday and Sunday morning, so I missed the whole family visit. It seems like they had a good time, though! Oh! And, Great Aunt Nancy sent ribs from Dreamland...the people ate well!

Tour de Tellico

Here are some boaters at Baby Falls...

Here is Bald River Falls....it looked awesome since there is so much water right now:

I think the aforementioned phone is making me have wrinkles around my eyes...look at that!

Her Future's So Bright...

...she has to wear shades.

As it turns out, Baby J has jaundice. So, Children's Hospital Home Health came by with this little contraption to provide phototherapy.

She has little velcro patches on her temples to hold on little gauzy sunglasses.

She had to stay in this little tanning bed looking thing all day Saturday and Saturday night (and she put up a fight on Saturday night...she didn't like being in there at bed time).

She went back to the doctor on Sunday...she gained 2 ounces and got a good report in regards to the jaundice. She only had to lay in the radioactive suitcase for a few hours today.

Let's Go to the Doctor!

This is bright and early on Saturday. Juliet is leaving for her first doctor's appointment.

Before you know she'll be out there with her backpack ready to go to school...

She's Got Talent!

Well, little bit here loves her paci...here she is holding it in!

You can't see it, but her pajamas have an electric guitar on them and say "rock me to sleep"

Kate is 2!

So you've heard me mention Evan and Marta Crass before...our small group host and hostess. Well, this is their precious little girl Kate. They've been teaching Kate sign language and I love it because everytime I walk into their house she says Bird while using the sign for it. She's one cool little girl.


This is Kate unwrapping the gifts I got for her with her dad.

That's right, I got her some fingerpaint supplies...I hope they have fun with that. Oh, and a copy of "Morris goes to School" which was my favorite book as a tot. It's about Moose who counts gumballs and his antlers and goes to school. You should check it out and get it for anyone you know in their formative years.

Happy Birthday Kate!

Friday...first full day at home

Well, on Friday I went back to work...and let me tell you that was no fun! No sir-ee. I don't know how real-live moms do it! Of course, I came home at lunch and all was well. I took this picture right after work with the intention of posting it right away so you could all see it. Mom and Baby J are doing just fine at home!

Juliet really likes to sleep like this...and it is just too cute not to take a picture of!

Aunt Emmy...

If you know my big sister Emily, you know why she is getting her very own blog post. Emily Beth is 6 years my senior, and while a big sister she's just one of the girls when we all get together. She's known Tara as long as I have and remembers us playing with Barbies back in '89.

Emily was also Clint's, Tara's little brother, first baby sitter when he was born. They lived down the street from us.

Emily came over yesterday after they got home from the hospital. She brought a little care package for Tara with some essentials for the Mom just out of Labor and Delivery.

Here they are together...

Juliet Hope and Carly Ann = BFF

Carly belongs to Nathan and Leslie Sweet. The Sweets are in our small group also. Carly and Juliet are exactly one month and 20 minutes apart in age. Since Mom has 2 kids in tow these days, they waited until we got home to come for a visit and meet Juliet.

This is Nathan and Carly:

Here is Leslie with Juliet and Caleb who is her 2 and a half year old son. He's a wild one!

"You're Gonna Have a Baby and then They're Just Gonna Let You Go Home With Her?!"...Yes, apparently that's how it works

The title to this blog has kind of been a joke around here for a few weeks. I said that one night at Parkside Tavern with all the girls...it just all of a sudden hit me that Tara was having a baby...which I knew...but then they just let us take her home? Just like that. No inspection. No instruction. No supervision. Just take her. Wow.

Anyway...

Juliet is safe and sound after her first car ride!

In her room for the first time!

The family...Uncle Clint will be here tomorrow!

This is Tara looking for Guiness.

The following pictures are similar, but very different to me. I couldn't decide which ones to post, and didn't feel like I should make the decision for you. So you get to see all of them! Before you know it, she'll be scaling the side of that Jenny Lind and crawling in bed with Mommy!

Time to eat!

Getting ready...Aunt Bird nests a little

I left the hospital around 1:00 today and ran some errands and then came home to get some things done:

So, maybe the overprotective side of me came out today, but I went what some might call "bananas" with the lysol. Every door knob, handle, banister, and frequently touched surface in our place was disinfected...a time or two.


Tara's friends at work had a shower for here there. They made this precious banner, and I hung it up today. It was too cute not to use again.

I went to Walgreens and had some pictures printed. I gave a few to Mr. Smith so he could take them to work tomorrow. I framed this one and put it on the bed that Grandmommy Pam is sleeping on.

These are two of Tara's favorites, so I put them on her bed.

And here it is. The quiet before the storm.

They'll be home soon!