We ate at Colby's tonight and I caught these precious pictures on camera while we were there. John and I laid our heads on the table and talk baby talk really loud to Julia while there. Her smile is worth a million bucks!



This morning, I pulled another "crazy mommy" stunt. The home economics teacher at Cross County High School asked me if I would come to her parenting class and be the guest speaker, and bring Julia! The students were learning how to bathe and take care of babies. She asked me to bring Julia's bath tub and give her a bath so the students could get a live demonstration. So we did. I talked a lot about how having a baby had changed my life in such drastic ways. I tried to scare them a little bit by telling them what a huge responsibility having another life in my hands was. I also told them how grateful I was for the time that John and I had together before she got here because we were able to travel and have no regrets on things we may have missed out on. This picture is of Julia being held by one the students. I am sure Julia will never forget this experience!

Other random cute pictures from the last few days or so.



Kristen calls herself the baby whisperer and I agree. Julia loves to her her Aunt Kris sing and talk about a can of goo. Aunt Jane knitted this "potato sack" for Julia and she looks precious in it. Kristen and I agreed that she looks like a Bohemian baby!

Too Busy of a Day

Today was my first day back at work and it seemed so long! I also taught a CPR class to a daycare after I got off work. Mom came and stayed with Julia while I was teaching and while John was at school. I felt like I didn't get near enough time with Julia today so I tried to keep her awake as long as possible when I got home. She is sleeping a lot lately. Sometimes I get worried that she is sleeping too much, but everyone says I am just lucky. Last night, she went to sleep around ten and woke up around 4:30 to eat. She went right back to sleep after she ate and John had to wake her up at 9 to eat again. Is this normal?
My aunt's house in Memphis was robbed today for the second time. I am so mad that someone would do that and so sorry for her! It is such a violation! We talked on the phone and called the robbers some choice names. Her sweet dog Sam was home and wasn't hurt. They took her computer and some change. Memphis is really getting a bad rap in my mind!

Girls Night In

Tonight, Julia and are having a girls night in party. John is playing at a bar in Trumann tonight. We went to another birthday party this morning. Ashley's daughter Amelia had her 5th birthday party at the Forrest City Methodist Church gym. There was a blow up jumpy thing and plenty of room for everyone to run and play. I am taking mental notes of fun birthday party ideas. Ashley and I went to graduate school together and have been friends since the first day I met her at my first job at the health department in 1997. I was in her wedding and was there the day Amelia was born. She lives in Marianna now and I don't see her near enough. Life gets really busy with kids and babies.

Sarah and her friend Deanna came over to visit tonight. I am going to try to get some sewing done in between working really hard to get Julia to smile. I am working on some drapery panels for a lady in town for her kitchen. Not a very challenging project, but it does take time to get 4 panels the exact same size.

Julia slept all night for the second time last night. I have been waking her up to feed her until now. She has always been a really good sleeper. Last night, she slept from about 10 until 6:45. It was REALLY nice. Hopefully, she will make this a habit for next week when I go back to work full time!

3 months old!

3 months ago today!

Julia is 3 months old today! I can't stand it. Today, someone asked me how she was and I told them she was 3 months old. The lady said, "Before you know it, she will be dating." I wanted to hit her, but I restrained myself. The point is that it does go by quickly. Julia is changing so much and I am starting to see what she might look like when she gets a little older. She has beautiful blue eyes and dark brown hair.

Today, I did my first Chamber meeting as President. It's hard to run a meeting because there is so much to remember to say. I asked for a motion and second to approve the minutes and financials from last month, but forgot to let the group vote (all in favor...any opposed). Oh well. The mayor had to point it out to me. I will get it right eventually. I have decided that they should have given me a practice run before putting me in charge!

Thumbsucker????

Hairlines, book clubs, etc.

Julia got to eat dinner last night at Colby's with the Book club girls. I haven't been reading near as much as I did before Julia, but I am going to try my best to read the book club book every month. This month's book is "The Senator's Wife" by Sue Miller and I am anxious to get into it.

John and Julia have been working on vowel sounds. John swears that Julia will imitate his mouth movements when he is making sounds. I guess that is one of the sad parts of one parent working.....the one at home gets to see all the fun stuff and I miss out sometimes. At least it's not a stranger getting to see it! It is so sweet to see the two of them bonding. John adores her and I think she thinks that he is pretty cool too. She doesn't seem to have to have a reason to smile at him. All he has to do is talk to her and he gets a smile. I, on the other hand, have to make obnoxious noises which I do all the time now. I am glad there is not a recorder in this house.

This is my last week of working 2 and half days a week and I am trying really hard not to go into a deep mourning. It has been great to work part time on a really flexible schedule. It has made breastfeeding much easier too. We have made it 3 months now, and that was my goal with breastfeeding from the start. If I make it until Friday, I will have surpassed my goal. My sweet baby girl will be a quarter of a year old this Thursday!

Lots of people are calling me about sewing projects lately and I am happy to do it in my spare time. We had a landscaping guy come by today to draw us up a master plan. I have a feeling that the extra sewing money will be much needed when we start the work. We haven't seen what he is proposing yet, but I know it will be a massive project with a new driveway and the whole works.

I love Julia's hairline in the back!

Julia always ends up slumping in her swing and falling asleep.

Our Day as a "Family Unit"

John cracked me up today when he said that "we should get out and do something today as a family unit." He played last night at the bar downtown and made some extra cash. He decided we should go celebrate Valentine's Day and eat sushi with his money that he made. This is coming from a man who swears that he doesn't like sushi, but always suggests that we go to great lengths to eat it. So, we loaded Julia up and took her to Memphis. We shopped a little and ate at Seikisui. It was delicious! Julia was a little sweetheart. Her smiles are getting more frequent and they are THE BEST! She smiles at both of us when we talk baby talk, make weird sounds, or just smile at her. This parenting business is getting better every day.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! This has been the best ever, I think, with two sweethearts. Julia got a long-stem rose that I got yesterday at Rotary, 2 sweet Valentine cards (one from her Granny and Grandpa) and one from my Aunt Amy and Uncle Jim along with a personalized sticker book, a cute Valentine outfit and stuffed animal from her friend Emmy, a visit with Granny and Grandpa, and at least one thousand kisses from her mom and dad.
John and I watched a sappy movie called Evening, that John got from Netflix. It was just that, sappy. I got John a box of chocolates that the Cross County Friends of the Library made. I am really going to try my best to stay out of it! I also got a very cool apron that my Aunt Amy made that I will treasure (and wear!). It will always be a happy reminder of our first Valentine's Day together with Julia. Simple, but sweet.