I Love Santa!

Joe took Sierra to sit on Santa's lap last week. Yes I am a bad mother, I couldn't go because I was working but my fabulous husband was a champ and got it done. She is so cute I could just Eat her UP!

This is the REAL Santa too! 25 years at North Dekalb Mall. He's the real deal. Joe used to get his picture taken with this Santa. So precious that he's still there to get a pic with Sierra.

Baby's 1st Christmas

So Sierra is only five and a half months old so Christmas wasn't that exciting for her. It was more exciting for me because I got to open all her presents! I LOVED it! I think baby toys are so fun! The best part of the holiday was (and I know I'm supposed to say family) that I was off work for a whole week and it was GREAT! I loved hanging out with Joe and his family and Sierra and I FINALLY got to read the final Harry Potter book! I have not read one of them, I usually listen to them on CD (yes, I am lazy!), but I read it and I loved it!

So here are some holiday highlights...

We went to Florida for the holiday. Really wanted to get in the Christmas spirit so we though 90 degree weather would do the trick. ;)


We went to the beach twice, Sierra's 2nd and 3rd visit. She wore her pretty little white sun dress, her pink bathing suit, pink crocs and darling bonnet. She was so cute and dressed to impress!

We hung out and watched the boys play in the surf.

We love sporting our sun glasses.

She didn't go in the water this trip or even get in the sun that much (yes, she has an overprotective mother) but I don't want her in the sun with such fragile skin. She's just too precious to burn. We did get her into the arms of her extremely handsome daddy by the water though. Maybe next trip she'll actually go in.

After such a hard time at the beach and playing with her 3 uncles, 1 aunt, and 2 cousins, she was wiped (like every day) so she would stretch out 3 times a day just to take a little snooze to rejuvenate. Gosh she's cute!


She had a great time with Jayden who, once again, wanted to touch her at every opportunity. She would reach her hands out and grab Sierra's face and ears and just about anything she could get her hands on, in a good way, but still, they haven't learned how to play nice yet. But they sure are cute. Jayden is 10 months and I think Sierra could take her...their size differential is minimal, anyway.

The main event in Florida was Christmas, Sierra's very first. As my family tradition goes, Santa leaves our stockings by our beds in the morning, so when Sierra woke up on Christmas morning she had her very first stocking propped by her bed. And yes, I made myself, Sierra, and Joe stockings with the instructional help of my mom, but I sewed those suckers all by myself and I am SO proud, enough of that. Sierra loved it, as you can see.

She wasn't too into her presents, but I was! I loved opening her presents! She got some GREAT stuff! She did however, LOVE the wrapping paper, with our baby you could give her anything and it would end up in her mouth, just like this poor stocking that Grandma Paula made for her. (don't worry, I'll get some wrapping paper action shots up here soon) .

Ms. Pat got her a barking, singing dog that she goes crazy for. I think this toy is the one that will make her crawl because when it goes off and she's laying on her stomach, she'll kick and push her feet and move like a millimeter because she just gets so excited!

We had a great time in Florida, but after 5 days we were ready to come home. We got to celebrate all over again with my family. Pictures from that to come...they are good!

So it's...

Christmas Eve and we are in Florida. It's 85 degrees and we were at the beach today. Doesn't even really feel like Christmas. Of course, it's 76 degrees in Georgia today, so we are glad to be at the beach.

We wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. If you are our nearest and dearest you probably saw our Christmas virtual card, if not, check your email for the link. Merry Christmas, we love you all. Really, REALLY cute pictures of Sierra to follow. Her first picture with Santa (she was SO cute!), her 2nd trip to the beach, her first Christmas, her darling dresses, and so much more.

Love you all,

The Smiths

Roly Poly

Sierra is just full of new tricks! Little Si Si has been laying on her side in her sleep for like 2 months now. At 3 months I thought my little baby was just going to roll herself over but of course she didn't. Check her out in her favorite sleep position...

So, we've seen barely any attempts to roll over while she's playing on her blanket. She kicks her legs a lot but no sideways action ever, ever, ever in the day time...maybe once, perhaps. So we've been asking her if she'd like to roll over and we practice going from her back to her front. Yeah, she's not feeling it, ever. She's not super fond of tummy time. She does great until she realizes that her hands are as accessible on her stomach as on her back so when the mouth finds the hands her face is just down in the blanket and there is no return.

Well, I came home from work today and Sierra was in a great mood, as always (thank you Babywise) when I got her up from her nap. She shrieked a bit at us while I did some unwinding with her and Joe, and then she and I went to the living room to play. She was lovin' life (yes, that means she was naked, except for her diaper) and enjoying her naked feet. Well, I was just sitting there watching her, not interferring in all the fun she was having, and all of a sudden, her feet went up to her hands, she turned on her side, then she put her legs in a scissor kick, put one arm down by her side, and rolled over! My little baby rolled over all by herself! She turned to face me and got the biggest smile on her face! I was the first one to see her roll over! I was afraid I would miss all the "firsts" when I went back to work. Oh my gosh, it was so awesome! I got all teary (i'm a nerd, I know) but it was awesome!

So Joe runs out of the bedroom, camera in tow, trying to catch her on video with her new trick and she just laid there staring at him. 45 minutes later we put her in her crib to see if she'd do it and sure enough we go this video, the 2nd time rolling over. Gosh she's cute!

My baby girl is all grown up!

Turn up the Volume

So Sierra learned a new trick yesterday! Yeah, yeah, so she's sideways in the video, so what! Turn your heads, or the screen, but really just turn the volume up so that you can hear her. Silly baby.

Snow Bunny

I know my kid is cute (admit it! She's cute) but I never new just HOW cute she actually is until I found this hat for her! Oh my gosh! She's so cute! We leave so very early in the morning and her bald little head just needed some cover so I finally found a hat that was big enough for her HUGE head. She had a cute cap, knit-thinger but she outgrew it and all the little baby 0-9 month one size fits all (yeah right) didn't fit her. So I FINALLY found this hat and for the first time her little head is cute. I mean, she looks like a real girl instead of a bald-headed (really cute) baby..."girl, right?", people say to me. She is so delicious! I could just eat her up!

This Little Piggy...

Our little Sierra just can't get enough of her toes. Any opportunity she has to suck on them, she does. At first it was just naked piggies, now it's naked, socked, dirty, clean, whatever. She just wants them in her mouth ALL THE TIME. After playing with them for a month she finally realized that she could contort her body enough to suck on her big toe and as if that's not enough she'll add a finger in there just to have everything she needs right in her mouth! I must admit...that it is the CUTEST THING that I have ever seen. So flexible, Sierra Smith!

Bumbo

Our daughter is a freak, and we mean this in the most loving of ways. This week, we decided to by her one of the ever popular Bumbo seats, but the generic one, BeBe Pod. Supposedly it's supposed to help babies develop their back and neck muscles on their quest to sit erect. Sierra love, Love, LOVES to sit up, with our help of course. She gets bored just laying around looking at the lights and all the toys we hang in her face. She loves for us to lay by her and talk to her and play with her but we figured she could be a more intregal part of the family and participate in sitting up activities with us like eating dinner or cooking, ya know, stuff like that. So we got it for her and she liked it at first but she's not digging it, probably because she's crazy and can't sit in it right.

Here she is on Thanksgiving. She just sort of sits in it and then slouches to one side. Her butt goes one way and her shoulders go another. It's really funny. Today she reached for a toy on the bed while in her seat and she was completely hanging out of the chair but totally content just hanging there. So we'll see how she likes this chair for now. Hopefully it will help her on her journey of life, but really we just want her to sit up unassisted because she loves looking at the world and if the Bumbo can't help her then what can?

I love to pee!

So we were late to church today because Dingleberry here decided it would be funny to pee on herself as soon as daddy took her diaper off to change her. Usually she doesn't saturate herself but, she did, and it went all up her back and into her not-hair. (Nasty!) So, Joe decided to put her in the shower. Her first shower! Oh my gosh, our baby cracks us up!

(Side) Sleeping Beauty

This girl needs to learn how to roll over! For almost 6 weeks now she has been sleeping on her side like this. Let me tell you, the first time I went in to check on her and found her like this I just about died. I got frantic and thought she would roll over in her sleep, smother her face, and not be strong enough to turn it to the side to breath.

Just one Wednesday though (Dec 5 - I'm publishing this sort of late after the initial idea) she rolled half over while she was awake, which she just does not do. I was shocked...more so that i was there for it (give me a break!, I'm a working mom) than anything else. It was awesome! Her little legs were moving and then they just turned to the side. Her face was turned, cheek to the blanket, and gosh, if her little arm wasn't in the way and attached to her body, she would have made it! So we'll see how long it takes her from this half roll, in the day time, to actually do it. And it typical Sierra fashion, she'll do it once and then not again for awhile.

F-E-E-T...Feet!

Sierra found her feet a few weeks ago and it is the cutest thing, just like everything else she does. She's usually not this grabby with her feet because she's usually way more into them when she doesn't have her pants on. Don't ask me why. She can even get them all the way up to her face and suck on her toes. She is such a sick-o but it is sort of cute, in a gross way. Who am I kidding? I used to suck on my toes I am sure. She drools alot, ALOT, as you can see from the pictures, so anything she can get in her mouth to gnaw on, she does. It is quite adorable until you realize she has a ball of spit in her hand ready to give to you, or until you realize that her outfit is completely drenched with saliva. She LOVES touching your face too so it's oh so nice after she's had her hands in her mouth and they are caked with spit and she decides to love your face. Like I said, what a little sick-o.

Check her out up close and personal.

Playing Catch Up!

I am SO behind in my blogs. There just isn't enough time in the day for everything. So let's play catch up on my Sweetness, Sierra and check out all the fun things we have been up to.

So Halloween was Sierra's first holiday. She's our little Bug Bug so it was only fitting that she was a Ladybug for the occassion. Courtesy of Grandma of course.

We have been watching UGA football every weekend and Sierra LOVES to watch football with her daddy. He scares the you know what out of her every time Georiga scores a touchdown but she's a Big fan.

We are getting ready for our trip to Cancun. If I make my sales goal for the year then we get to go on the Omni Sales Incentive trip to Cancun! Viva la Mexico! So Sierra has been trying on suits (ok, just this one) to make sure she looks goooooood catching some sun on the beach. Grandma picked this out for her. She is the cutest little thing. A baby girl can't be without a bathing suit!

We applied for Sierra's passport last week and she look fabulous in her picture. Did you know you're not allowed to smile with your teeth in passport pictures anymore? Appearantly it distorts your face and that's just not allowed. Lame! So she couldn't smile but she was looking awesome!

We need to get her some floaties. She already loves to bath so I don't think she'll love the swimming pool too if the temperature is right. She'll be the cutest girl there by far!

CREEEEEEEEEEPY!

My mom is SO hilarious! We are lucky enough to have my parents (both sets) live nearby to us and my mom watches Sierra for us while Joe is at school and I am at work, which turns out to be ALOT of the time. I always wonder what they do all day and now I know. Apperantly they have more fun at Grandma's house than we originally thought.

This is Sierra, with a CREEPY, Chucky looking face, with my mom's doll from childhood, Candy Cane. (I'm actually surprised they aren't wearing matching outfits!

What makes this pictures so sick and wrong (in a good way Mom) is that she DID dress me up when I was a baby with Candy Cane and posed me with her. Believe me, this isn't the only picture I have like this. At least Sierra looks cute. I just have a "DUH" type look on my face but Sierra looks nuts! She is so cute though. She looks like such a big girl and like she's up to no good. (11 weeks)

"my" look-alikes?

this is me when i was 6 months old!
and these are my celebrity look-alikes!
yay!

My 1st Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

We took Sierra to the pumpkin patch today, the same one I used to go to every year. She was hungry so she wasn't a happy camper but at least we got a cute one of her sort of. We even bought her a teeny tiny pumpkin. How cute.

So Cute!

I know I'm biased, but my daughter, our daughter, is the cutest thing I have ever seen! Her gummy little smile, her big fat cheeks. Oh, I just want to eat her up! She's delicious. True, she looks a bit like Urkel (M.C. Hammer last week, Urkle this week) with her pants jacked up, but come on, she's a baby for goodness sakes! What am I supposed to do, lowride her! I don't think so!

She started laying on her side in her sleep! Before we know it she's going to be rolling over and then...CRAWLING! Ok, it's a bit early for that but she'll get there soon enough. She's loving playing with her toys and LOVES the playyard her Aunt Bethany got for her. She grabs things and stares at everything. She's our developmental, adorable little Bug Bug! Don't you think so?!

Stop! Hammer Time!

My baby looks like M.C. Hammer in these pants!

So I wanted to be all festive with Sierra's 1st holiday but they only had a 3-6 month pumpkin sweatsuit. The top is so cute, it has a jack-o-lantern face on it and the hoodie has a stem on the top, transforming her into a little pumpkin.

I did find this really cute onesie. She's my Itsy Bitsy Spider! I have these little pumpkin slippers too that match the outfit, but she hates having things on her feet so the shoes come off in .02 seconds every time. I think they look like temple slippers (but orange). The outfit as a whole is adorable but I don't really think orange is her color.

Maybe some day I'll have another kid that this outfit will fit better. I'll post another pic of her next week in the full ensemble.

I think she thinks her right side is her best side as you can see from the pose she's giving. Really it's just that a massive amount of drool is coming from her mouth and she wanted us to be sure to get it in the picture. She's adorable even when she's gross!

I have the most drooly baby ever, and she's not even teething. Heaven help us when that starts!

We've Got a Talker on our Hands, Folks!

So Sierra started talking. It's been a few weeks since she's really been talking (since the beginning of October) but it hasn't been until today that I've been able to capture her on film. Check her out!

She is SO cute! She talks EVERYWHERE now! She talked to me (mandy) at the end of September one Sunday for like 45 minutes. I would make a sound and she would make a bunch of them, just like the video, but for 45 MINUTES! Amazing! Seriously, it was SO cool! The night we left for Florida she talked to Joe in a real converastion and imitated every sound he made, literally. He would say, "Oh, oh, oh", and she would say, "oh, oh, oh". He would say "Ah, ah", and she would say "Ah, ah". It was amazing. Today she woke up on her own and I found her talking to herself in her crib.

We have a baby mirror in the car so that we can see her and she can see us if we turn around and look in the mirror. It has a monkey on it. She'll stare up at Mr. Monkey and talk to him every time we are in the car too...

She is just a developmental machine! On Thursday she discovered her hands and it was amazing that I saw her looking at them. I was pumping gas looking at her through the back window and she was just staring, fascinated, at her hands. It was the first time I had ever seen her do that. Then yesterday she was out with Joe all day and he said she didn't stop looking at them all day.

Our little baby is growing up and it is so fun to watch, she's just SO cute. She fixes on things now and I don't know when that happened but it seemed like she was going to have eye problems because she was supposed to be looking at us and she wasn't and it was so frustrating. I would say, "Ok Sierra, look at me and I'll feed you", but that never worked. But sometime within the last month she's been fixing on things and looking at everything. She'll follow anything you hold in front of her face anywhere you move it, and today I layed her on the floor and walked behind her and she moved her head to look where I was going. She's so cool!

And just look at her. She's so soft and cuddly. I mean, how could you not love this face; those cheeks, those eyes, those chubby little legs. She looks like one of those wrinkley dogs. I love her!

ROAD TRIP!

So this weekend we took our first road trip with Sierra down to Florida to Joe's family's house in West Palm. Aaron, his really cool and really attractive (but definately not as attractive as my husband), fresh off the mission, really needs a girlfriend at BYU, younger brother just got off the mish from England. Joe hasn't seen him obviously in 2 years and I have never met him so we made the trip with 3 month old Sierra in tow. Let me tell you all about our little trip.

Well...we left last Friday morning REALLY, REALLY early at 2 a.m. We thought we were being smart in our planning because it's an 8 hour drive, we wanted to miss traffic, and we wanted to maximize Sierra's sleep time so we wouldn't have any surprises for our first time on the road with her. Why didn't we leave earlier do you ask? Well...I work all day long and Joe goes to school all day long so we needed to catch some zzz's before heading out.

Off we went at 2 a.m. By 6:30 a.m. we were barely into FL and we were stuck in killer traffic. This is how we passed the time...

We played with Sierra for a bit. She was supposed to be sleeping but I think the stop and go woke her up and she wasn't going to miss all the fun. Little did she know that we'd be sitting there looking at her for 2 hours. So what did we do besides look at how cute she is do you ask? Well...

We taught her how to drive of course. I think she's a pretty quite study because she was doing great in the stop and go traffic we were in for, did I mention, 2 HOURS! She has a hard time with the pedals but her steering skills aren't half bad ya know, for a 3 month old.

We FINALLY got to West Palm, 11 hours later, checked into the hotel and had no time to relax before we were on the go. Exhausted but on the go. Sierra met all sorts of people on our trip.

Great-Grandma Paula,

Her cousin Jayden (who tried to attack her) and her Aunt Dianna, her Uncle Aaron, and TONS of Grandma Leigh Ann and Grandpa Jim's friends. Aaron's Homecoming shindig was Sunday night so EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER was ooooing and aaahhhing over Sierra. It was really cute and for being passed around so much she did surprisingly well.

So the whole weekend we just hung out and played. We went to Brian's (Joe's youngest brother) band competition on Saturday night. We went to Clay and Marcie's house for dinner on Friday night and met that part of Joe's family. They are the nicest people and we had SO much fun down there. Nothing brings a family together like BBQ and chocolate cake. Mmmmm...chocolate!

On Saturday we went to the beach. Sierra's first time at the beach. We weren't there very long because I forgot her bathing suit (yes, she does have one!) and it was sorta windy for her so we went for a bit to watch Joe and Aaron battle the waves and then we left.

We had a really fun time on our trip. It was a short time to drive such a long way. Sierra was such a trooper. The ride home was a bit rough becuase it was during the day and she pooed her pants REALLY BAD on one leg and she didn't know it until we stopped at Chick-fil-A and took her out of the car. ALL UP HER BACK! She just LOVES overflowing her diaper. She's so silly.

But we made it back in one piece and maybe we'll make the trip again...some day.

Weekend at Bernies

My kid cracks me up! Maybe we are cruel and unusual people but I love, Love, LOVE dressing Sierra up to look sort of silly because she really can't do anything about it. She doesn't cry when I do it so I know deep down she likes it. She may hate the pictures when I show them to the first guy who wants to take her out but she'll get over it...in time.

HILARIOUS! Look at my cutie daughter just chillin. Her Grandma got her these cool shades before she was born and her little head has been too small to really wear until now. It's still too small but at least they stay on...sort of. She doesn't like them, but she doesn't not like them. She chills at them though and doesn't cry or fuss or anything with them on. But this picture is such a Weekend at Bernie's photo that I just couldn't resist. (gosh she's cute!)

The Ideal Couple

So Joe and I are looking for that "ideal couple" who we can be friends with for the rest of our lives. Ya know, go on trips together, play games together (I mean come on, we have NO competition when it comes to playing spades), have our kids play together...ya know, the token couple who is as cool as us. People (ok, my parents) try to "fix us up" with people or suggest different couples however we haven't found anyone who we think is our kind of couple. How hard is it to find a couple where both of us like both of them and vice versa? IMPOSSIBLE apparently. We are pretty cool, or so we think. My husband LOVES to talk so maybe we need a quieter couple, or perhaps someone who is as verbose as he is. And I need another M.I.L.F. to hang out with, I mean, when I'm taking a walk with my kid, I need some more eye candy besides me and Sierra! =) LOL!

Does the perfect couple even exist? We've been dating some potentials however we haven't had any 2nd dates. Having a kid doesn't even hinder us ya know, it's not like she's a crazy face and scares people away or anything. Maybe we're just too picky. Well, we know what we like at least. So just in case anyone is reading this, this is our personals ad for the perfect couple:

SWHC seeks SWoWHC w/child
fun, adventurous, silly, talkative, gamey
love to travel, sports - play and watch
Cool W.House types please
Try anything once. LDS a plus
attractive required (yes, we are superficial)

Pork Chop

She's all I talk about but OMG she's SO big! She's the cutest baby ever!

Work Sux!

So going back to work really sucks however I've found a few things that are actually pros:

1. I can catch up on my reading (mags, books, etc) while I sit for a cumulative of 1.5 hours as I produce and pack my mommy juice
2. I can keep up on my blog while I'm bored. I can't access the site but if I write my posting and then go home and actually post then maybe I won't get hate comments from Dug and Jessica anymore. =)
3. I drink more water while I'm at work because I'm so freakin' bored that going to the water cooler is actually a fun field trip from my desk

Yep, I think that's about it. I don't know why I thought the list would be long! I do actually do work at work...sometimes however sales is not rocket science and anyone who can go to work and actually work all day...wow...more power to ya. I am just so efficient that I'm finished by lunch and then really bored the rest of the day. Ok, that's not really it, it's that I get up so freakin' early that by lunch time I am about to crash. I get up at 5 or 5:30. depending on the day, and who wouldn't be tired by noon?! I long for the days where I would wake up to feed Sierra at 6am, go back to sleep, get up with her at 9am, switch on Kelly and Regis, and just chill with Sierra and eat breakfast. Gosh, being a stay at home must be really cool, but I must admit, I might get a little bored. I miss being able to work out everyday and getting enough sleep and not being totally busted at the end of the day. I mean, I did miss pay day every other Friday that's for sure but I think the cons far outweigh the pros. (and I hope my boss doesn't find this and read it)

Go Dawgs!

So it's football season and all I can say is...GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing better than SEC football. I know technically I should be a BYU fan considering I went there but let's fact it, I can't even be a fair weather fan to BYU. What can I say, loyalty obviously means nothing to me (when it comes to football anyway). Saturdays are sacred in our house. Joe settles in on the couch, I try to make his favorite game day food just right, and it's football all day long starting with GAME DAY on ESPN. The day usually includes watching games where we always root for the underdog, whoever it may be, but we always go for the SEC team no matter what. We make fun of the Big 10, I'm not really sure why, but it's overrated and that's all I have to say about that.

We've only lost once so far, and that was an embarrassment. We did however pull it out in OT to beat Alabama. Ha! Go Dawgs! We went to the 1st game of the season and we realized that we're not as young as we used to be. We sneak into the student section so we can actually cheer and be obnoxious and really enjoy the game and Joe, Dan, and I realized that we may not have it in us much longer. Oh my gosh, 4 hours of standing up, it does a number on your legs. I had a hard time this year and I was wearing flats. The past two years I have worn stilettos and 4 inch wedge heels and didn't complain once. I guess when you're trying to impress a boy with your long legs, tight booty, and stellar cheering skills it's fashion first and comfort ummm...last! My how marriage changes us. Ok, not that much however I would never wear heels to a UGA game ever again. Girls are so silly.

Anyway, so now we need LSU to lose to Florida this weekend so that everyone in the SEC will be on equal playing groud with one loss...well, Kentucky too. The suite at the Georgia Dome is calling my name and we will be there to watch UGA in the SEC championship for the 3rd year in a row (well the 3rd year in a row that we would be there to watch). Then on to the Chick-fil-A bowl baby. Oh how we love football season.

Parting is such sweet sorrow...!

Well, I have to go back to work tomorrow. SUCK! Sierra is just 9 weeks old and the thought of sitting in an office all day long while she gets to stay home and play without me is just SO unfair! I mean seriously, I haven't had a spring break since college and these last 2 months have been so much fun! I get to sleep in, watch Regis & Kelly, go shopping, work out, make dinner for the family, play at my parents house when we want to, and best of all...not go to work. It's been fantastic.

Sierra is such a wonderful baby! She was sleeping through the night at 6 weeks and the 3 weeks before that I was getting up only once in the middle of the night to feed the little bug. She's perfect. Our whole Babywise technique worked like a charm and Joe, Sierra and I are very happy. She's so happy all the time, except when nap time is nigh, and she started smiling which makes her SO MUCH FUN!

But back to this back to work thing...hopefully everything will work out going back. While I am a bit unhappy, not excited, depressed about it, hating life I must admit that I am sort of looking forward to getting back into the swing of things, and making money again. Who knew a bank account could go from overflowing to bone dry. =) Oh well. There is alot to be done before the end of the year. Deals to make and contracts to sign. I'm trying stay positive and hey, if I hate it, I can always quit and work for my dada. Then I could be at home with Sierra all the time. I just don't want to miss anything, ya know. What if she crawls without me or talks without me, rolls over, or sits up for the first time without me. =( I just...I don't want to miss it! Look how big she has gotten! She's going do all her growing up while I'm at work.

Summer Vacation!

We've had a pretty spectalular couple of weeks! I cannot remember the last time I (mandy) actually had a summer vacation. Sierra and I get to play all day long and Joe has been out of school on break for 2 weeks and we have had so much fun together! We sleep in and get up when we want to, eat when we want to, relax, sit by the pool, go to the gym, and just chill as a family. It's fabulous! We are lovin' life! We have spent 8 out of the last 14 days at our friend Dan's lake house at Lake Oconee and it's been so nice to just chill up there. We went wake boarding last weekend and both Joe and I were amazing! What can we say, but we were! We have so much fun up there.

Joe's vacation will be over on Monday since he's going back to school but I have at least another month with Sierra and we have ALOT to do in a month. We are going to paint the nursery, learn how to sew (because I'm determined to make Sierra's Halloween costume this year), clean out and organize all of Sierra's stuff, lose some more baby weight...well...the rest of it anyway, and teach Sierra how to look at us, and how to smile for real.

Here are so more pictures of our little Bug, as we so fondly call her. A couple of things we recently learned, or realized, about Sierra is that she LOVES to fall asleep on her daddy

And...

She LOVES the bath! She just chills in her little tub and looks around. She loves it! She let's us wash her all over, even her hair without a fight. The only time she cries is when she has to get out.

Swaddle Freak

So our little girl is the most darling thing I have ever seen! She's crazy, if I haven't mentioned that already, but she's is so darling. For someone who is only 3 weeks old she has tons of personality. We are getting to know her newborn likes and dislikes, some which she made very appearant from the beginning. She LOVES to be awake. For the first few days of her life all she would do is lay around and look at us all day long. She wouldn't sleep or cry, she would just stare out into space with her big blue eyes. (very abnormal of a newborn we thought). The fact that she was always awake surprised us because we thought newbies were supposed to sleep ALL DAY LONG. But she never cried so we didn't freak out about it.

We heard swaddling was the key to life with new babies. As you can see, we weren't that great at it...




But that's ok because she hated it! She always, always, always, gets out of her blankets. It's SO HILARIOUS to watch. It's like a crazy person trying to get out of a straight jacket. She'll wiggle and grunt (eh, eh, eh, eh) until she is free with her hands and then she'll work to get her feet free from the blanket and from her socks also. I don't know what it is with her but she hated having the socks on her hands (so she wouldn't scratch her face) and hates having socks on her feet. I don't know how she does it, but she goes into the blanket with them on and out she comes with them off!







She is getting used to being swaddled now because she's discovered that in the middle of the night when the air conditioner comes on and she's all uncovered that she gets REALLY cold so she likes it a bit more now however at first it was the worst thing on earth that you could do to her. She just wanted to be free. I mean, she had been squashed for 9 months so it's understandable.

Sweet Little Baby Face!

Our darling little girl! Can you believe that we are parents!? (yeah, we can't either!)

Sierra Jean Smith
Born: Sunday, July 15, 2007 @ 2:42 AM
8 lbs. 7 oz.
20.5 inches long
14.5 inch head (yeah, she has a HUGE head!)
Healthy in EVERY WAY!

She's perfect in every way! She's crazy, but perfect! We have so much fun with her every day seeing all the funny things that she does; the faces she makes, the noise (oh, the noises!), the funny way she sleeps and we are in awe of just how cute she is!

We will have SO MUCH to post about her I'm sure. We are so happy to have our newest edition and we'll see how good she is and maybe, just maybe we'll have another one...some day...WAY in the future! =)