Up close & personal 8.30.11

Here are some pictures Quent took of Jeralyn during bath time.

August 30 & 31st

Yesterday, in attempt to 'wake the baby' (I never knew newborns could sleep this much!), I had fun trying on some different outfits on Jeralyn. The first two pictures she is wearing a dress I knitted for her. It's too big on her right now, but I just had to see. More and more I think she looks like me, especially when her eyes are open.

I love when she and I sit and look into one another's faces. I talk to her and she just listens with this super cute expression on her face. Her eyes are definitely going to be blue. I LOVE these moments we have together!

Here's an outfit we got from my friend Carrie. I collect giraffes, so this is perfect!

Baby Faces 8.29.11

I couldn't resist taking these pictures of her this morning as Jeralyn was waking. I took 70 pictures! I didn't have the greatest light and I didn't want to blind her with the flash, so some of the pictures are a bit grainy.

This one is a bit blurry, but her expression is super cute!

Mommy, Daddy, & a Bath 8.27.11

We are doing well and learning how to take care of a newborn. I can't believe how much she sleeps! She's so drowsy!


Mommy with Jeralyn.

Daddy holding Jeralyn at the hospital.

Her first bath at home. She didn't seem to mind at all. There's something about the expression on her face that reminds me of some pictures of me when I was younger.

Oh baby! 8.27.11

Here are some pictures I took of Jeralyn today. Quent took some too, so I'm sure we'll post those soon.


Sometimes when she makes this expression or has her eyes open, she looks like Quent's sister Natasha to me. Maybe it's baby pictures I've seen of Natasha?

I love her cheeks!

I was surprised at how much hair she had on her head. And how dark it is! I wonder if it really accounted for the heartburn I had throughout pregnancy like "they" say.

I think she has more of Quent's features, like his nose and the crease toward the top of her nose. When she's making funny expressions while sleeping then I see some of me in her, too.

Jeralyn Promise Smith 8.24.11

We are very excited to announce our little girl, Jeralyn Promise Smith has arrived!

August 24, 2011
9:38 am
7 lb 13 oz
20 inches long

It was a short, but very intense labor. During one contraction I told Quent and the hospital staff that all mother's should receive a purple heart for having to go through labor. It was INTENSE!! But totally worth it!

It was love at first sight! I cried tears of joy when hearing and seeing our little girl. Tears still well up in my eyes when I think of that moment. She's perfect. We are so in love with her!

The name Jeralyn was a name I fell in love with when I was in high school. There was a girl I graduated with who was named the same but with a different spelling. The name stuck with me throughout the years. It's not a common name, but we love it. Her middle name is Promise because well, she was God's promise to us over 9 years ago and through 7 years of trying to conceive.

These are just a few of the thousands upon thousands of pictures we will share!

Weather Statement 8.19.11

This is like weather we would see in the fall.  Is summer officially over?  We are hoping the changes in weather bring Baby Smith this weekend!  Her due date is the 21st.  Come on baby!

Statement as of 4:37 AM AKDT on August 19, 2011

... Flood Watch remains in effect from Saturday morning through

Sunday morning...

The Flood Watch continues for

* a portion of AK... including the following areas... Dixon

Entrance to Cape Decision coastal area... Inner Channels from

Kupreanof Island to Etolin Island... Misty Fjords and southern

Inner Channels.

 

* From Saturday morning through Sunday morning

* heavy rain will fall across the area Friday night through

Saturday night with 3 to 6 inches expected and localized

amounts over 8 inches possible along southwest slopes. This

will be on top of the 1 to 2 inches of rain that falls through

Friday.

 

* This will cause area streams and rivers to rise rapidly and

potentially reach flood levels by daybreak Saturday and continue

through early Sun morning. Strong winds in addition to the heavy

rain will increase potential for mud slides.

 

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

 

A watch means conditions are favorable for the development of

flooding in and close to the watch area.

 

Persons living along streams should stay alert and be prepared to

take action if a warning or advisory is issued... or flooding is

observed.

Fruit & Vegs 8.9.11

Last year was our first attempt at having a vegetable garden. This year we realized it would be better to have more of a greenhouse. Quent put some hoops over our raised bed and some plastic sheeting and we called it our "greenhouse". We are really glad we did that because our plants are doing great because of it! We've had a pretty cool/wet summer with weeks without sun, so the greenhouse is definitely paying off. We have tomatoes, carrots, green onions, romaine lettuce, green beans, and cilantro. Quent has been doing a great job at keeping up with the gardening since bending over and tending to it myself is out of the question right now.


This is one of the flowers on one of our cherry tomato plants. Most of the tomatoes are cherry, but there is one tomato plant that we didn't plant that came up all on its own. We are guessing it came from the compost pile, so we aren't sure what variety of tomato we will get from that one.

Quent pulled out 3 carrots for our dinner tonight: small, medium, and large. There's also a massive green onion in the picture.

We also got some raspberry transplants this year (and last year). It will be a few years before we have enough raspberries to make a batch of jam, but they are fun to snack on in the meantime.

Some Romaine lettuce. The slugs thought we planted the lettuce for them at first, but thanks to slug bait, our lettuce is free from [new] slug bites.

Catnip 8.9.11

The kitties will be happy to know that we are growing them a special treat! Catnip!

Flowers and a Belly 8.9.11

Last week a sweet friend named Joyce invited my friend Jamie and I for a little tea party baby shower. It was a very sweet time! Before we left she gave us each a set of three flowers. I've enjoyed them!

Kind of a weird photo, but there's the shadow of my belly on our front door.

Kitty Cats 8.9.11

I was in a mood to take some pictures today. My first photo victims were the kitties.


Tigger content and enjoying the sun and light breeze while sitting in the window.

Shadow has decided to make the quilt I am working on her temporary sleeping area. When she saw me coming with the camera she pretended to be sleeping. Such a silly kitty!

Tigger 7.31.11

I can't believe I get to say this...but we are finally caught up with our blog!!! Whoohoo!! Maybe the next photos posted will be of Baby Smith! Maybe!


Tigger looks so regal in this photo.

My mom asked me if I had any pictures with the kitties on my belly. I told her that Tigger rarely lays on our laps and Shadow hates the camera, so I forced Tigger to be in some pictures with me. He cooperated enough. Ha!

Awww! He's my kitty-baby! Boy, aren't their worlds going to be turned upside down when baby comes?! I know they will do fine!

Card Shower 7.30.11

My friend Carrie had emailed me letting me know there was a box coming for me, but that I was not to open it until I called her first. When I called her she asked me if I knew what was in the box. I said I had no idea. She had given Quent a head's up about the box and asked him to have his camera ready. So with the camera man ready, I sliced open the box, totally not knowing what was in it. It was a card shower! Carrie, with the help of her family and my sister in law, Jessica, put together a card shower in a box. Friends and family from all over, but mostly from Michigan, sent cards to Carrie. And then she put everything together in a box for me and sent it! I was SO surprised!! And so touched by everyone's thoughtfulness! I didn't know what to say! I was in shock! I felt so loved and blessed! It's been hard to be away from family and friends while being pregnant, so this really meant so much to me! Thank you everyone!!

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Mid-July

On one of Quent's last evenings in Salt Lake City, he and a group from the leadership session went to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He said they were very impressive. He showed me some of the videos he recorded. The songs were in celebration of our nation. Such a beautiful set up!

Check out those pipes!