Photoshoot

When Paisley was only 8 days old, we headed down to small town Brooks, GA to have her first photoshoot with Christina Stephens! When we arrived, I told Christina we had about an hour before Paisley's typical wake-up time. I gave her Paisley and went to get some props out of the car. When I went upstairs I saw Christina crouched down, holding Paisley's legs in the air with her diaper off and a long orange streak across the floor. Christina said she peed as soon as she took her diaper off. I was all, Honey please, that is poop on your floor! This was the first of many accidents! Newborn photoshoots are usually done naked and that means lots of poop!!! Runny, orange poop!

Miss P's Accidents:
1. Pooped on the floor within the first 5 minutes of being there.
2. Peed on backdrop blanket and beanbag.
3. Peed on Christina's leg.
4. Pooped on the floor while I was holding her.
5. Pooped on me.

I was new-mom-dangerously-sleep-deprived, Christina had been nannying three girls the whole day (I know she had to be tired), we only had a few hours of light, the Georgia heat was showing off, and Paisley was trying to be a little ham by showing us long she could stay awake. I was just hoping Christina got at least one good one. When I got home Christina already had a preview of a few of the pictures up! She took some great pictures and my little babe was workin' it! I love them!

Christina was so much fun to work with and the pictures turned out great! I definitely recommend her. Thanks so much Christina!! We love them!

Christina's Website: http://chrisbcrazy.smugmug.com/

Christina's Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ChrisBCrazyPhotography

Here are a few of my favorites!

Don't you just want to snuggle up next to that sweet face?

Our little princess

I just love that tum!

She's trying to say "mommy" in sign language!

Aren't those cheeks so yummy!

I love peacock feathers a little too much...

GIANT PEARLS!!

1 Month Old Sweet P

Taylor called this her Chinese weight-lifting picture

AGH!!! I can't believe we have a baby! It's so crazy! It seems like our life has just been in double speed lately. It's unbelievable that the first month has already flown by! We are just amazed with how different she seems every day. Jeff came home from work one day and said, "I think she's grown since this morning!" I wouldn't put it past her! That girl can eat!

Paisley is such an alert, wide-eyed baby. She has a head FULL of hair - it's funny because it parts and waves just like Jeff's. She has a slight dimple in her chin and on one cheek. It's the yummiest part of her to kiss! I just love it.

Nana, Jeff, Jamie, Paisley, and Kelsey Cowling

Lisa Zimmerman and Paisley

This has been a busy first month for Sweet P. A Few Hours Old - Met her Nana, Kelsey, and Lisa Lis, my beloved red-head. 1 Day Old - Met Lauren and headed home to meet Adam and Kendra. 2 Days Old - Met all of the crazy Giddens family. 3 Days Old - Took pictures after Uncle Thomas's wedding.  8 Days Old - Photoshoot with Christina Stephens! Then, we had some time to relax and try to catch up on some much needed sleep at home. Jeff even got to stay home with us for a week or so.

Lauren Angle - BFF from 7th grade

Kendra and Adam Hardin and Paisley

We had tons of visitors come and meet P. Her Aunt April even came and stayed with us for a couple of days and took Paisley on her first adventure to Piedmont Park. I don't know why I agreed to that because I was NOT ready for all the walking involved. April acted like the baby just appeared - like I didn't just push her out of me or anything!

Katherine Niles, Brittany White, Nicole Flores (GSU friends) and Paisley

We also had so many sweet friends (and a few people we hadn't met from church) bring us tons of delicious food. It was so nice to not have to worry about that!

My cousins, Mary Newberry and the McMillans, and my other family, the Bonners

In this first month Paisley was a very calm baby. She did have a tendency to not want to sleep between about 9 and 11 pm (which was when I was just about beyond exhausted). This was pretty much the only time she cried. She was super congested those first few weeks and even got an eye infection from a clogged tear duct! It was pitiful and looked like she was the loser in a baby boxing match (which you know she would have really won because... well, just look at her!)

She also came home sleeping like a pro - about 7 hours at night. But then the doctor told me to wake her up and feed her so she could gain back the weight she had lost (She was down to about 8 lbs. 6 oz. - I think). I'm pretty sure she would have gained it back just from eating during the day... Next time I don't think I'll be waking a baby in the middle of the night. She dropped that feeding pretty quickly, though - I think around 4 weeks.

Laney was so excited to meet her new cousin!

Cousin Time!

She also smiled A TON! People kept telling us it was gas, but these weren't little gassy smiles. They were wide, happy smiles. She smiled at the doctor when we went for a check-up and she said, "She just smiled at me, an intentional smile! Most of my babies don't smile intentionally until they are at least two months." She also grabbed a fist full of the doctor's hair and her arm jerked back and the doctor said she was a feisty little one. She said she only ever has to worry about six month and older babies pulling her hair. She's never had a newborn grab it before.

Nana and Sweet P

I was beginning to think maybe Paisley was born a bit later than we thought she was. My brother had shown a picture of Paisley to one of his coworkers and asked how old he thought she was. He said 6 months! Ha! He thought a newborn baby was 6 months old. Obviously he had no concept of infant age, but she really does look older than she is. I'm pretty sure she's going to be 6 feet tall in middle school!

Anyways, we love our smiling, happy, calm baby and couldn't be more thankful or blessed!

Big, Bellied 1 Month Old

A Sweet Blessing

When we were in California in June, Jeff's parents made arrangements to come visit us in August so they could meet Sweet P. We had considered having her baby blessing the weekend of their visit since most of my siblings wouldn't be coming back to Atlanta anyways (they would have just been here for my little brother's wedding). This way we would just have both sets of our parents there and that would be that.

Then, we found out that Jeff's sweet Grandma Finlayson was trying to surprise us and fly out, too! She needed a flying companion, so one of Jeff's brothers was going to come with her. Then, another brother decided to come, too (the soon-to-be-lawyer had to stay home and start school - We missed you, Andrew!). Then, Melanie, Jeff's sister, also got to come!! We also found out that Jeff's Uncle Rick and 3 of his five children (Henry, Emma, and Thomas) wanted to join in on the party as well, so we definitely had to have a baby blessing with all of this family running around.

Emma, Henry, Melanie, and Brent

I do have to say that this was only 3 weeks after Paisley was born and I know I was slightly tired and irritable... and by slightly, I mean extremely. We were pretty boring and lazy hosts. I mean, can you blame us?! We didn't do much, but we did squeeze in some time for the laser and fireworks show at Stone Mountain. It was great! We had about a mile hike, sat right up front on wet grass, had tons of snacks, and put our fingers in Paisley's ears during the fireworks!

The last picture was right before Brent was told to get down - apparently we don't read signs.

Brent, Greg, Melanie, Jeff, and I also made a short trip downtown (because Brent can't sit still for too long or his head will explode!) and walked around Centennial Olympic Park and the CNN Center. The most exciting thing was watching these kids play in the fountain. They were relaxing and enjoying the beautiful day... Or should I say bidet...

They were spraying girls with this technique. Pretty impressive.

On Sunday, right as they were announcing the Nef baby blessing, I was mouthing to the Bishopric that Jeff's dad wasn't there yet. They started to say we would do the blessing later, but just then the door flung open, all of our heads turned, and there was Grandpa Dennis - ready for action! Whew... it was a close one!

Four Generations

The difficult task of taking pictures with my dad...

Paisley had quite a circle of men around her. There were her grandpas: Dennis and Lane, uncles: Brent and Greg, her dad: Jeff, and his friends: Joe Smith, Mike Beaver, Adam Hardin, and Andre Abamonte. They could barely all fit up front. Jeff gave her a sweet blessing and then we went and ate fried chicken and  had a giant chocolate cake to celebrate Thomas's birthday!

The Nefs and Finlaysons (see if you can find Henry)

P.S. We really missed you, Tami, Ellen, Ashley, and the kids!!!!