the forresters

Dentist Visit = Success

2012-01-25T15:30:00.000-06:00

Awesomeness

2012-01-19T12:02:00.000-06:00

In case you didn't know she's four today!! Notice the four fingers?? Does this mean she's a big girl and won't whine anymore? Didn't think so!

Boo-ster seat! Need I say more.

The BIG Day

2012-01-18T15:54:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is a big day! T turns 4! I was thinking back to last year and remembered exactly what we did on her birthday....

Jim had class so he wasn't able to experience this lovely adventure. T wanted to go to Chick-fil-a so off we went. I told her if things went well at dinner that we could stop at Gigi's on the way home and get a cupcake. We get inside, order, and get to the table with our food. T got nuggets (as she usually does) and I got the #1. She wanted some of my sandwich and, being the loving mother I am, I get my knife and place it to my sandwich to cut her a piece. That's when it happened: the tight fists, the red face, the flailing legs, the shoes flying off and, my favorite part, the bloodcurdling scream. I could not believe it...well, actually I could. I gave her the mean mommy look...no response. I squeezed her arm..."Ouch mommy, you're hurting me!" I began packing up our stuff and said we were leaving. I stopped. I began unpacking our stuff saying, no we're not leaving. This newly turned 3-year old was not going to win this! I sat there eating my sandwich glaring at my precious angel. I put the last bite of my sandwich in my mouth and that's when she said, "Can I have some of your sandwich?" Ha! Yeah, right! We finished at Chick-fil-a and went straight home. We walked in the door and she said, "Mommy, aren't we going to Gigi's?" Arrggghhhh! Let's hope for better things this year!!

Yee-Haw!

2011-11-02T11:43:00.000-05:00

Halloween 2011 was a great success! Tessa chose to be Jessie from Toy Story this year, so we had a cowgirl on our hands. It was such a cute costume and she got loads of compliments. Now, we've got enough candy to last us...at least a couple days!! :) Hope everyone had a fun Halloween!!

The Farmer's Market

2011-10-20T15:21:00.000-05:00

T's class went on a fieldtrip to the Farmer's Market today and I was lucky enough to go along. What a crazy few hours!! We had a great time and, by far, the best moment was when we were walking to lunch and t said, with no prompting, "Mommy, I'm glad you're with me today!" I love that girl!!

Chagganooga

2011-10-17T10:57:00.000-05:00

This is how my child says Chattanooga and it's really cute. We went there this weekend for Jim to run the 1/2 marathon. In addition to the race on Sunday, we visited the aquarium, the IMAX (Born to be Wild 3D), the park (a couple times) and had some yummy food!  As we stood waiting to see daddy in the darkness (race started at 7am. Sunrise was at 7:45am) t said, "Mommy, what are we doing here?" I guess she didn't get the importance of being about the only two people (of course there were workers, too) out there at this time of the day!  Well, the runners came and we, oh I mean I, cheered them on. T chose to cheer on daddy...that was it! And I think we were lucky to get that!

In the traditional Wilkinson fashion, I wore a horribly tacky, gold jacket with black plaid to cheer Jim on.  These jackets were purchased about 15 years ago at Marshall's on the clearance rack because you never know when you'll need 'em!  One of them still had a price tag on it and, for all you bargain shoppers out there, we paid $4 for a jacket that was originally $50!! What a wonderful savings!!

You may ask: why would one wear such a thing?  Well, I wanted Jim to be able to see me in the huge madness of people! Wait! This is Chattanooga, not Boston!  Let's just say he had no problem finding me and neither did anyone else! One man named me the favorite fan and a woman told me as she ran by that I'd managed to be everywhere (we mapped out several locations to visit on the course). I can picture my dad smiling as he reads this! I'm sorry to say there are no pictures to document this fashion statement, but just wait for the full marathon. I will definitely have pictures then as Jim's mom will also be wearing one! You won't want to miss that!

Although I don't have pictures of me in the jacket, here are some others from our trip.

t on the playground

waiting to see the IMAX. it was titled Born to be Wild...ain't that the truth!!

gettin' it done!

after the race

1st place in my book!

one of us was more into this picture than the other

mom and dad - taken by tessa. this was on the 3rd or 4th try. eventually we moved our heads where they'd show up in the picture. if we hadn't done that, we may still be there now trying to get a shot with both mommy and daddy!!

Cruisin'

2011-10-11T11:40:00.001-05:00

We can no longer say we've never been on a cruise! We recently returned from a family vacation with my parents and Jim's mom and had a great time! We stopped in Nassau, The Bahamas where most of us went swimming with the dolphins. I don't have pictures of this yet, but it was AMAZING! That was the one thing I really wanted to do and I loved every minute of it. We hugged and kissed the dolphins, danced with them and, of course, did the infamous foot push through the water. It was really cool! Dolphin Tale is now on my list of movies to see. In Freeport, we visited the beach and some shops. Then in Key West we went to Hemingway's house and did additional shopping.

T had a great time at Camp Carnival (face painting, coloring t-shirts and puppets, reading books, running and jumping around) and choose to be with her new friends more than us. She was always eager to see what towel animal had been created for us as we entered our room each night.

We were in the bean bag toss, went to the comedy shows, saw the hairy chest contest (no Jim didn't participate in this), performed in the final show on Saturday night (I was Gloria Estafan - the Rhythm is Gonna Getcha), and ate tons of yummy food!

A great time was had by all. Here are some pictures.

one morning at breakfast

mom & dad as we arrive in Nassau

hana, towel doggie, and t

on our way to swim with the dolphins

one of the butterflies at the conservatory in key west

t with a turtle (it's down there somewhere)

jim in front of our ship

me in key west as we were about to board our ship

Our last dinner

gloria estafan and her dance partner

t and her idol, gloria

back home.

Congrats

2011-09-21T14:59:00.001-05:00

It's been a while and this is way overdo! Congrats to Jimbo!! He received his MBA from Belmont University this past August. It's been a long and exciting journey, and we are so proud of him!

Before the hooding ceremony

Graduation day. t cheering her daddy on!

It's official!!

Love this!

Swim Lessons & Cicadas

2011-05-31T21:44:00.000-05:00

We started swim lessons last week and ended up being demoted from the intro class to the parent/child class. Since swimming is in my blood, I was quite disappointed for this set-back. However, she did great last week with the "babies" and we'd hoped for her to eventually get back in to the intro class. Well, today was the day...she didn't want to move up at first, but she ended up swimming with the big kids (and by big kids I mean the kids her age). I was so proud!! Here is a picture from her first day of swim lessons before the demotion...I love this picture! She was so excited!!

This is me after she swam with the big kids...

On another note, is it gross that my child loves cicadas? If you ask me, yes...it is. Today, I went to pick her up from school to find a small cup filled with cicadas she'd collected throughout the day that she wanted to bring home with her. Are you kidding? You want me to allow those nasty, annoying bugs in my car? The ones that run into me when I walk outside? The ones that occasionally fly in my mouth (no joke!)? I think not! I won that battle, but as we got to the car she saw more in the parking lot and wanted to take one home because she "loves" them. Well, guess what? I allowed her to have ONE in the car and it was one of the most pleasant rides home we've had in a long time!!! Here's some video:

Happy Easter!

2011-04-21T16:22:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple pics from Tessa's Easter Egg hunt at school today. Hopefully more pics to follow as we'll be attending about 3 more Easter Egg hunts!!

Snow Day

2011-01-11T15:29:00.000-06:00

T and I had a great day on Monday! The day was filled with puzzles, games, movies, and playing in the snow!!

Happy 40th Anniversary

2011-01-05T15:39:00.000-06:00

So my parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary back in July and we celebrated by going out to eat, but I wanted to do something more for them. I wrote letters to some of their best friends and asked them to share funny stories and pictures of their friendships with my parents. Thank you to all those who contributed to this project!! Here are some pictures of the completed album that I gave to my parents a few days after Christmas.

Sign of What's to Come??

2010-12-14T11:29:00.000-06:00

So my almost 3 year old talked on the phone for a good portion of our snow day yesterday. As she talked she paced around the house, laid on the couch, got her diaper changed, etc. Her longest conversation was with her Emme and it lasted about 25minutes! Is this normal?? Am I really in for it when she becomes a teenager? Lord, help me!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-02T10:40:00.000-06:00

We had a fun visit with the family for turkey day. There was lots of yummy food, crazy kids running around, and some insane shopping! I won't go into details, but most of you know how crazy I am already. Let's just say when I told my parents they responded with, "Now we know what to get you for Christmas...therapy!" :)

Here are some family pics. Notice the 2nd one and how everyone is looking at the camera!! Miracle!!

Rockin' Fun

2010-11-23T15:22:00.000-06:00

We went to visit g-daddy this weekend and had fun walking and rocking. Here's a shot Jimbo took with his phone.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-04T08:44:00.000-05:00

Tessa decided weeks ago she wanted to be Snow White. Of course Halloween rolled around and guess who didn't want to put her costume on?? Yup! After several whiny moments and sitting on the porch to look at others dressed up in their costumes, Tessa had an idea! "Mommy, I want to put my Snow White costume on!" "Oh, really?" I said. "Should we put it on now?" The answer was yes. And since it was HER idea she was okay with it. Although it wasn't the full costume I had in mind (she didn't want to wear the red, shiny shoe covers or the red, over-priced headband with red bow) it was what she wanted to wear. Off we went to trick or treat.

You'll be able to tell by the pics below she did not want to have her picture taken. Don't think, even for a moment, that her smile is genuine...she was promised a piece of candy! If you've never met my child...she will do anything for most foods!

She'll probably talk to me in a few years and ask why I even considered putting these pictures on here, but for now...here they are!

2010-10-18T09:26:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, Tessa wore a dress to church that I wore when I was little. We've had it for a while and I asked her for many weeks if she wanted to wear mommy's dress. Of course she never wanted to. Well, this week she chose it on her own. My mission was to get a good picture of her in it...this would be tough! How would I make this work?? Picnic! I told her if she let me take pictures of her in this pretty dress, that we could have a picnic outside. It worked! Here are pictures of t in her (my) dress and during our "picnic." The picnic pic is so stunning, don't you think??

This AM

2010-09-30T07:24:00.000-05:00

While daddy showered this morning, t gave mommy a concert. She has 7 little princess figurines and she sang Rockabye Baby to each one. The video is dark, but you can hear her no problem!! Who knew Belle was 2 syllables??

Funny Story

2010-09-08T20:37:00.000-05:00

So, Tessa and I were on the way home today and she wanted a particular song to be played on a cd. She was whining about it (big time) and so I calmly told her to use her words and ask nicely to hear the song...she couldn't handle it! She ended up losing it and yelling (very inappropriately, I might add) at me. I told her she was not to talk to mommy that way and asked if she understood. No answer. I asked again if she understood. No answer. I asked a total of five times and finally she answered, "I'm not talking to you." Holding back my laughter, I asked her if she was mad at me and she said yes. I asked her to let me know when she was ready to talk to me again. How funny is this? Such a girl!

On another note, check out the amazing work my hubby did on our picture wall. He did a wonderful job and it was relatively painless for all involved!

BIG Stuff

2010-09-07T20:23:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official...Tessa is in her toddler bed! Everything I've read (ok, one book called Toddler 411 which I love!) says to leave your kid in her crib as long as you can. Well, Saturday morning I walked in to her room to find one leg hiked over the side of her crib. Sunday morning it happened. I heard her voice and it was way too loud to be coming from her room. She was entertaining herself with music, books and her stuffed animals. No need to bother mommy and daddy, right? We decided to Nike (Just Do It)! Sunday afternoon we took one side off her crib and created the big girl bed! T has done great! Check her out...

Sugary-Sweet

2010-09-02T08:45:00.000-05:00

Bath time was over. I was holding t in her towel rocking her and she said, "That was great!" It was so sweet!

Nose Job

2010-08-30T19:03:00.000-05:00

Sunday morning, Jim went into Tessa's room and found little black pieces of felt all over the floor next to her crib. He looked up and saw her holding Mickey Mouse (btw, this was Jim's Mickey growing up) saying her elephant bit Mickey's nose off. Hilarious! Poor Mickey! Maybe we should call Dr. 90210 for help! What do you think?

Too Much Time...

2010-08-25T20:02:00.000-05:00

has past! I'm so sorry I've neglected you!! I've had trouble with my take-with-me-everywhere camera, so I haven't been as devoted to posting stuff on the blog. Here's a little update...

About a month ago, Martha (Jim's mom), Tessa and I went on an overnight roadtrip to Atlanta to meet one of my bestest friends in the world and her family. Here are some pictures from our visit including Tessa meeting a new friend. She was having the best time and I was sweating...seriously! I thought she was going to squish little j's head or sit on him or something horrible. Everything turned out okay. No one was hurt during the making of these pictures! Can you tell she loved it??

Here's j hamming it up for the camera. He's probably saying, "That crazy girl has finally left me alone! Yay!"

I love this girl! We met in 1996 and have been great friends ever since. I was so glad we were able to hook up in Atlanta...they were in town from LA!!

Silliness

2010-07-16T15:36:00.000-05:00

My parents are in town for the weekend. Mom, dad, Jim and I went out to eat for lunch today and my mom was drawn to this fancy hat. Doesn't she look great?? I love my mom!

Happy Papa's Day

2010-06-21T08:55:00.000-05:00

We went to see Jim's dad on Saturday and here are some pictures from that visit. Is it bad that I didn't take any pictures of Jim's Father's Day celebration yesterday? Woops!

Muffins with Mom

2010-05-10T14:08:00.001-05:00

This morning we had Muffins with Mom at Tessa's daycare. Originally scheduled for Friday, it was post-poned until today due to the craziness with the floods. Here we are just as we arrived...typical Tessa looking away from the camera! You'll also notice 3 bows in her hair today...mom's choose their battles, right? Yep, wasn't worth it this morning!

On a side note, what a blessing to be able to say we didn't have any flood damage to our current home or new home! So many people haven't been that lucky. It's been so sad to see what has happened here, but an amazing story of working together to make a difference. People from all over are joining neighbors, friends, and strangers to help out where they can. A friend of mine that is among those with flood damage said she has cried more in the past few days because of the outpouring of love from people she doesn't even know than of what has happened to her home. I'm so proud of Nasvhille and the surrounding areas!!

On the homefront: we're really on the home stretch now! We have a walk-thru this week, one next week and we close on Friday, May 21st! I can't believe we'll be in our home in a couple weeks. We're so excited!

Easter 2010

2010-04-08T21:49:00.000-05:00

Fun was had by all on Easter. The Thursday before, her daycare had an Easter egg hunt...quite a different experience from last year. Instead of opening each egg and wanting to eat what was inside, Tessa actually gathered as many eggs as she could at one time then tried to eat what was inside! She did a great job! Good Friday, we went to the zoo for the first time this year. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the family time together. Sunday was filled with church that morning, an Easter basket, a yummy lunch, a much needed nap (only for Tessa-although we really needed one too!) and an Easter egg hunt at home that afternoon. It was a great day!

1st Trip...to the ER!

2010-03-29T08:04:00.000-05:00

Well, we can now say we've experienced our first trip to the emergency room with Tessa! We all went out for a little family shopping experience on Saturday and while mommy was trying on some dresses, daddy was doing a great job entertaining our little angel! They were having a little too much swinging fun and apparently Tessa's elbow popped out of joint...nursemaid's elbow I believe it's called. Actually, after it happened, Tessa still wanted to swing with her other arm. What a strong girl she is! She didn't cry or anything, she just wasn't using that arm and was chilling out for entirely too long. We knew something was up! Our child doesn't just sit for long periods of time...she's 2! So we found ourselves in the ER.
Here's the before:

And here's the after:

On Sunday I tried to reason with my 2 year old about potty training and showed her some 'big girl panties' to see if we could push this along at home since her daycare says she is about ready for bgp's. This is the best shot I could get of what she did with those...

I have video of that if you really want to see it!! In the meantime, here's a different video I thought was cute. If you listen closely, she says whoopsie daisy!

Progress

2010-03-26T16:47:00.000-05:00

The house is coming along and it looks like we'll close towards the end of May! Tessa has taken a liking to her new house. She calls it 'Tessa's House' and loves running around while her voice echos throughout!

Here she is in her room looking out the window (notice baby and blankey were lucky enough to come today)...

Here's what happens when you try to get an action shot of a 2 year old...

Memories

2010-03-17T10:45:00.000-05:00

I'm reminded on this day of going to Logan's with my hubby and my mom a few years back and getting a green tea. I thought it would be green colored sweet tea. It wasn't! It was a lot stronger that sweet tea!! :) Have a Happy St. Patty's Day!

Fun Stuff!

2010-03-07T20:31:00.000-06:00

Let's start with Chef Tessa...

Okay, now that I've shared that cute picture let's continue. I just found out today that I have more than my parents reading this blog...who knew??

Our house is coming along beautifully!! We should be closing in May some time so we're in the home stretch! I'm so excited to be there as it will be a great home to begin building memories in.

I made a trip to LA to see one of my best friends in the world, Holly. :) We had so much fun doing all that touristy stuff. We went to the WB studios (saw the Friends set), went to Holloywood and saw where all the famous people live, and went to a great baby shower in honor of her sweet baby, Jude! It was a wonderful trip and I was so glad to get to see the 'belly.' Jude is due any day now! Sleep now, chica!

The weather this weekend was amazing! We had no choice but to go outside and ride Tessa's bike that she was given for her 2nd b-day back in January by her Uncle Jeff, Aunt Gret, Chris and Livy. It was a lot of fun! Here are some pictures from our time.

Hopefully it won't be another 3 months before you hear from us, but realistically it could be! :) Happy spring and don't forget to spring forward next weekend! We lose an hour...boo hisss!!

Let's Catch Up

2009-12-16T17:30:00.000-06:00

Well, it has been a while. Much has happened since my last post almost 3 months ago!! So, hold on. Here we go...

We sold our house! We're building a home closer into town. Here are a couple pictures of our empty home. Isn't this sad?? I cried that day, but not as much as I thought I would. Where are we in the mean time? We're staying with Jim's mom. Feel free to enter any joke here! :-) It's been going really well and I'm not just saying that since she reads this blog! We are so grateful to her for allowing us to invade her home for the next few months.

We found a wonderful, new home for our dog, Hana. Things had just become a bit too much for me with Hana around. I'd been looking for a new home for her for a while...it had to be the right one. Through a common friend, I found an amazing, dog-lover who was in search of a new pal for her dog, Gus. We introduced Hana and Gus on Halloween and the rest is history. Everything worked out and her new home has been such a blessing to me. I get updates about how Hana is doing and just got their family Christmas card. Hana's first photo session=success! This whole situation was a God-thing. There's no other explanation of how things would work out so well and in such perfect timing. Thanks B & G for accepting my sweet Hana in your family and for loving her so much!! This picture was taken on the way to her new home.

We celebrated Halloween with our cute little puppy and she did great! She really got into the whole getting candy thing. Surprisingly, she left her puppy ear hat on the whole time. My parents came for Halloween and to watch Tessa while Jim and I went out of town with some friends!! Yes, we were on our own...forgot what that was like. THANK YOU mom and dad for watching her!! And thanks for teaching her to salute us whenever we walk into the room! You guys didn't let her get away with anything! Seriously, we are so thankful to you for watching her. How about next year?? These are pictures from Halloween courtesy of my dad.

We went to Texas for Thanksgiving and hopefully I'll be able to post pictures from that visit soon. It was great to see my parents, and my brother and his family. The kids were able to play and get to know one another. One of my favorite nights was everyone dancing around the living room as we listened to music. I danced with my precious nephew and niece & Tessa took turns dancing with the rest of the family. I got a workout!! It was so fun!

We purchased a less than perfect tree for Christmas this year (it didn't have a top for the angel, bow, star, etc.). I like to think of it as we gave this tree a chance to feel beautiful! It's amazing what 2 talented women can do to bring a tree to life. :-) Martha and I made sugar cookies, decorated them, and hung them on the tree. It was a really long process, but we had a great time!! This is my favorite one. Look how cute that is??

We hope ALL 3 of our readers have a very merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Oh My

2009-09-25T08:25:00.000-05:00

I went to pick up t yesterday from daycare and found out she has a special friend. One of her teachers was telling me about this and asked t to give her 'boyfriend' a hug. t walked over to this sweet, little boy and gave him a big hug. He was grinning from ear to ear. I thought it was sweet...daddy, not so much! Apparently, Jim's going to buy a shotgun today! :-)

Zoo Fun

2009-09-16T15:05:00.000-05:00

We went to the zoo on Labor Day. Hopefully, I'll get some pictures posted soon. Here's a video to last you until then.

Storytime

2009-09-16T15:01:00.000-05:00

This picture was taken on a lazy, Sunday afternoon at Emme and Grandaddy's. Granddaddy is quite the storyteller! ;-)

The County Fair

2009-09-15T07:33:00.000-05:00

A few weeks back we went to the county fair and had a great time. Tessa had a lot of fun working on the farm and even got to milk a cow (a fake one!). She planted seeds, fed the animals, watched pig and duck races, and danced to the live music. Check these pics out.

Watering the planted seeds with daddy

Mommy's little piggy...

Real piggies

T's first tat

Feeding the animals

T's first pony ride

Cute Piggies

2009-08-12T10:14:00.001-05:00

Apparently it was Spa Day at school. T's first pedi was without me!! :)

Seeing the Wilkinsons

2009-07-31T15:02:00.000-05:00

In Pennsylvania, we were able to see my family and spend a couple days with them. In honor of my dad's b-day, we went to Kennywood which is a theme park he and my mom went to as kids. My brother and I also went there growing up. It was fun to take the kids there and for them to ride some of the same things we rode years ago. The day ended with hoagies from Danny's (one of dad's old school favorites) and they were stinkin' awesome!! My family can put down some serious hoagies! :-) It was an amazing day with the whole family together! I loved it! Sorry there are so many pictures, but I couldn't narrow it down!

Here's the whole gang (minus me)! Can you find the crying baby??

Look out, mom's driving!! Glad these cars had seat belts!

Chris looks very focused and a bit frightened.

Okay, maybe it's Tessa that looks frightened!!

Great pic of Jim & Tessa.

I love this shot of our niece, Livi.

This is one of my favorite pics of mom and dad. GREAT pic!!

This was Tessa's 1st time to a theme park. Kennywood has a section called Kiddieland with rides suitable for kids to ride on their own. Most of them were for the older kids, but there were swings for Tessa's age. I was so nervous!!! I didn't know if she was going to cry the whole time, but she did so great! This sounds cheesy, but I was so proud! It was one of the first things she's done on her own. What a big girl...look at her!!

First cotton candy...

First time driving. This was the first and last ride we went on. She was much more in to it at the end. Look at her face. She looks like she's having so much fun!

Me and Chris. What a cutie (Chris not me)!

Livi, GG Dobbie, and Chris

Pap pap and Tessa. What a sweet picture!

Sorry about the picture quality, but I couldn't leave this one out. It kinda sums up the Wilkinson family...

Missin' the Beach

2009-07-23T11:01:00.000-05:00

Over the 4th of July we were in Destin, Florida for the 1st ever Forrester Family Vacation. This trip was planned by Jim, his sister, Melanie, her hubby, Chip and I a long time ago in honor of Martha's (Jim's mom) 60th birthday (which was in February). You still with me? Well, we all had a fabulous time and it was great having the kids together. Tessa got the biggest kick out of her cousin, Cole. All she had to do was look at him and she would just laugh and laugh!! It was really cute! Hopefully, we'll be able to do this more often. Here are some pics...

These are family photos we took. Don't you like our 'uniforms?'

This is Cole after he caught a little fish close to shore. That fish cost me 10 bucks!! After 2 days of trying to catch one it paid off...literally!

I couldn't pass up this photo opportunity. Look at that cheek!

Jim catching a wave. We had a lot of fun boogie boarding!

Jim and I parasailing...how cool!!

There was always time for Rock Band. Especially after all the kiddos went to bed!!

Some random beach pictures.

In Memory of My Grandpap

2009-07-22T15:53:00.000-05:00

These last few weeks have been a whirlwind. My grandpap, Walter Douglas Fairfax, passed away on Thursday, July 2, 2009. It was expected, but still very tough to take in. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure years ago and things just went downhill from there. He was 94 when he died.

We were in Pennsylvania about a week for the visitation and funeral which were held on Monday, July 6th. Family and friends had the opportunity to share stories or memories about grandpap...that was the part I liked best. I found myself wishing I would've taken advantage of the time I had while he was around. In my mind, I came up with lots of questions to ask him; questions about him growing up and what life was like, questions about my mom as a kid. There was so much I didn't know about him. Even though I know I can't go back, I do have fond memories of him. I've listed some below:

*Going to flea markets with him. One man's trash is another man's treasure! He loved going to these things and usually knew everybody there!

*Seeing him on his tractor. Nothing could come between grandpap and his tractor. I'm convinced he's in heaven riding around on one of those babies!

*Going to Long John Silver's...his treat (with coupons). Nothing beat their fish dinners! We had no choice...we HAD to get the fish dinner!

*I loved how he said what he thought. At Jim's and my wedding, grandpap made a comment about a friend of ours wearing shorts (if you know this friend, you know this is how he 'dresses' up). Our videographer caught grandpap's comment on video and it's hilarious!

*I will miss the smell of the air at his place. It had such a sweet, fresh smell; one of those smells that you associate with a particular time in your life. From time to time I get a hint of that sweet air here in Tennessee...it takes me back to days visiting my grandpap.

Here we are in 1999 or 2000, I think.

This one was taken in August of 2008. This was Tessa meeting her great-grandpap for the 1st time!

He's How Old???

2009-05-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

At the end of April, my sweet hubby turned the BIG 3-0!! I had 30 things planned for a fun-filled day (here's a shout-out to Jim's mom for the idea - Thanks!). I called it "30 on your 30th." A few of the 30 were breakfast in bed, a good morning/happy b-day kiss from Tessa, no changing diapers that day (I told him not to get used to that), going to lunch with friends, the batting cages, the driving range, a 30 minute professional massage (not from me) and a homemade dinner (I told him not to get used to that either). Overall, it was a great day. Of course he was sore the next day after the batting cages and the driving range or...maybe it's because he's 30 now!!

Here are some pictures from the day. The necklace and glasses below have become somewhat of a tradition for our friends. Doesn't Jim look like a hottie in them?

It's Been a While...

2009-05-04T10:15:00.000-05:00

...since I've blogged. Needless to say, it's been a little crazy around here. Hopefully, I'm back on track. I know both of my faithful readers have wanted some updated pictures. Thanks mom and dad!!

We conquered our 2nd Easter with Tessa. She was much more fun this year!! We got her all dressed up, went to an amazing church service, went to Emme's for lunch and then went home for an Easter Egg Eggstravaganza (aka Easter egg hunt)!! It was a great day. Here are some pics.

A Little Laughter??

2009-03-02T11:11:00.000-06:00

We were playing the other night and Tessa was having the best time. She was cracking herself up!! Check it out...

Walking on Sunshine!

2009-02-19T08:56:00.000-06:00

On Monday, February 16th, 2009, my baby girl took her first steps! It was so exciting and I was so proud of her. Here is a video of this milestone!!

Tessa's One!

2009-02-13T20:44:00.000-06:00

Okay, it was about a month ago, but still...she's one! I had a hard time narrowing down the pictures - sorry there are so many. At least you'll feel like you were there. We had a small gathering with family and friends, and really had a great time. I think Tessa did, too! She took a good nap that afternoon. Enjoy the pictures!

Her Royal Throne

They're having a moment!

Time for presents!

Yay! Thank you everyone for all the great gifts!

Daddy worked pretty hard during the party...someone had to put the toys together! Who knows what you'd get if I (mommy) did it. :)

LOVED these flowers that Jim picked out for Tessa and the big day. They were perfect!!

Our little superstar!

Wilkinson/Forrester Christmas

2009-01-26T16:00:00.000-06:00

We were in Houston with the Wilkinson's over Christmas this year. It was great seeing family and friends, and catching up with everyone. I especially loved spending time with Chris and Olivia...they are so fun! Once we got home I realized we didn't have pics of grammy, pap pap, or Aunt Grettie. What were we thinking?? With that said, here are some pics from our visit...

Livy, Uncle Jeff & Tessa
It was really hard getting all 3 of these kiddos to smile (& look) at the camera at the same time...this was the best we could do!!

Tessa loved playing with her cousins

Bath time with grammy

Forrester/Childers Christmas

2009-01-26T15:44:00.000-06:00

We were able to spend the Sunday before Christmas with Jim's family before leaving on Tuesday for Texas. Here are some pictures from our fun time together.

Where are my cousins??

Here they are!!

Getting some quality time together.

These are some of the MANY gifts she got!! :) She loves music. She was gettin' down with her Bee Bop Band.

Nice tongue, T!

I LOVE PRESENTS (said like a psycho)!!! This picture cracks me up!!

Tessa is 1!!!

2009-01-20T09:07:00.000-06:00

Tessa turned 1 year old yesterday!! Here are some pictures of our precious daughter!!

http://www.jadiethomasphotography.com/forrester0109

Meeting Santa

2009-01-19T13:08:00.000-06:00

I know this is late, but it has been so crazy around here!! This is the first chance I've been able to post anything Christmas related. So, here we are in line waiting to meet Santa the weekend before Christmas.

Tessa's first reaction of this Santa dude...

Maybe this isn't soooo bad...

...okay...yes it is! Get me off this strange man's lap!!

Yum-o!

2008-12-09T20:44:00.000-06:00

Hopefully you know who I'm talking about by the title of this post. Rachel Ray was at Cool Springs Mall today signing her new book, 'Big Orange Book' at Williams Sonoma. I got there about 1pm and left the mall at 3pm...not too bad! She looked as you might expect - very petite and super-cute! I was surprised that she wasn't in a more bubbly mood, but I guess when your signing 1500 books in a 3 hour period there's not much to be chippery about. It was fun and I'm glad I went. Taryn's 1st book signing experience = A! This picture was taken after she signed my book.

Randomness

2008-11-26T10:37:00.000-06:00

After I got married, I couldn't watch Father of the Bride without balling my eyes out!

After having a baby, I can't watch Father of the Bride Part II without balling my eyes out!

Have a great Thanksgiving!!

Ekkk!

2008-11-21T14:39:00.000-06:00

Tessa now has one of her top teeth!! Yay!! The bad thing is she has taken a liking to grinding them. The noise is horrible!!!

Cabin Trip!!

2008-11-11T21:23:00.001-06:00

This past weekend, we went to the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area and stayed at a cabin in the mountains with some good friends. This was our 2nd year to do this and I look forward to it everytime. It's so nice to get away with such great people and just have fun and relax. These are a few pictures of the cabin and the beautiful foliage. It's gorgeous in Tennessee in the fall!!

This is our porch. It's huge!!

The view from our porch.

My sweet baby Tessa.

This picture makes me laugh. Look at those teeth!

Tessa and Ethan - cute babies!!

Look at Ethan's little grin. What a funny expression!

The two T's.

I am so blessed to be surrounded by people who love and support me. This group of girls is totally awesome and I cherish their friendships. They have been an amazing encouragement to me and I look forward to how our friendship will grow and strengthen as we multiply!! :)

Sorry this one's a bit off center. It was very entertaining to see all the dudes set up the cameras, press the timer buttons, and run to be in the picture. I'm just glad nobody broke anything!

Tessa Creeping

2008-11-11T21:04:00.000-06:00

Here is some video of Tessa creeping...not quite crawling. Please pardon my abnoxious laughter in the background. I'm trying to egg her on with my laughing. :)

It's fun and scary at the same time that she's getting more mobile. Time to baby-proof the house!!!

Happy Halloween!!

2008-11-02T14:46:00.000-06:00

We made it through our 1st Halloween with Tessa and she was the cutest ladybug I've ever seen!! I'm not just saying that because she's my daughter either!! Jim's mom came over to hang out with us, and of course we were back and forth to the door with all the trick 'o' treaters. I always love seeing the kids and trying to guess what they're dressed up as. There can be some pretty interesting costumes! We didn't have as many kids come by as in years past, but we still had a lot. Here are some pictures of our little 'good luck' charm. Ain't she cute?

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-12T16:27:00.000-05:00

We went to a pumpkin patch with some friends on Saturday afternoon. I'd never been to anything like it and it was so fun! There were pumpkins everywhere (I guess that's the point)! Tessa had a great time checking everything out and was able to meet her new BFF, Ethan!! We're already trying to plan their wedding. I've told Tessa it's okay to go for younger men...her mommy did!! :) What's a few months, right?
Enjoy the pics.

Grammy's Visit

2008-09-24T15:45:00.001-05:00

My mom came to visit this weekend for Tessa's big dedication. It was a super-short visit, but a great one! I was so glad she got to have some time with little T. Here are some pics from the visit. There are some stunning ones of our sweet baby girl!

Little Surprise

2008-09-22T09:02:00.000-05:00

We have a tooth!! Check this out...she got it about a week ago. I think she really wants you to see it. Look at this face she's making!!

Baby Dedication

2008-09-22T08:47:00.001-05:00

Tessa was dedicated yesterday at our church in Brentwood, TN. It was a special day for me and Jim (and Tessa, but she won't remember!). My mom drove in from Houston and Jim's mom was there as well. Of course I wanted Tessa to be the happy baby she usually is, and being that she was having a more fussy day than normal I thought we were doomed. She was great! After the service we went home and had a yummy meal prepared by my mommy....she's an excellent cook! :) Here are some pictures from the day!

Good Eats

2008-09-09T21:06:00.001-05:00

While on our litte vacation, Tessa tried 2 new foods. They were both a hit!

Apples...

and prunes (these look so much like chocolate puddin')

Labor Day

2008-09-09T21:03:00.001-05:00

These pictures were taken on Labor day. What a wild bunch!!

1st Big Game

2008-09-09T21:01:00.001-05:00

While we were in Pittsburgh, Tessa went to her 1st baseball game. Once we got to our seats, she was worn out!! She took a nap shortly after we sat down. It's crazy how she can sleep through a lot of that noise! Here she is with her daddy. Oh, by the way for all of you who are wondering, our seats were in the shade and we had sunscreen on her!

Meeting the Great-Grand Parents

2008-09-09T20:46:00.000-05:00

Tessa experienced her 1st road trip over Labor Day. We went to visit her great grandma (GG Dobbie) and her great grandpap in Pittsburgh, PA. Added bonus...her pap pap was there, too! It was such a great weekend being with family and I loved everyone getting to meet little T. I think it's amazing that she met her great-grandparents!! How cool is that?? Everything went better than I could've imagined! Tessa did great in the car for over 10 hours each way and was excellent meeting all my crazy family members. Check out these pics...

Getting some lovin' from GG Dobbie

Having a good laugh!

Me, Tessa, and great-grandpap

How sweet does she look in this photo?? Angel!! :)

First Word

2008-08-19T21:05:00.000-05:00

Here is video from Tessa's first word...da da da da da... Last Thursday I picked her up from daycare and heard her saying this. Although she doesn't know what she's saying, Jim likes to think she does. :) It's so crazy how these little things are so exciting!!! Enjoy the video and ignore my annoying voice (I sound so weird on video)!!

Big Day!

2008-08-19T11:37:00.001-05:00

Tessa is 7 months old today!!!

Gone But Not Forgotten

2008-08-06T21:32:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago Tessa switched day cares. It was a tough decision because we were very pleased with the care she received. Seeing these ladies everyday for 3 months (I went at lunch), we developed a sweet friendship. We had such a great time talking and laughing about stuff. It was so tough leaving and I will miss seeing them. So will Tessa!

Here are some pictures from her last day with some of her new friends. We started taking the pictures below and she just lost it!! I think she knew she was leaving...what an advanced baby! :)

Yellow Veggies

2008-08-06T21:23:00.000-05:00

We've begun the world of veggies with Tessa. Here she is having her 1st bites of squash. This was at the end of July. If she's anything like her mommy and daddy she will like anything and everything!!

The pictures below are from last night. She had sweet potatoes and couldn't get enough!! She loved them (even though it looks like she is spitting them out in the bottom pic)! She's getting used to this veggie thing! It's so fun to see her reactions to all this new stuff.

Introducing...

2008-08-06T21:18:00.000-05:00

HARVEY THE HIGHLANDER!!!

Can I tell you how nice it is to have more space going to and from work? I love it! I love it!! I love it!!! Between all of our bags the Altima was becoming a low-rider! And how about the name? Pretty nice, huh?

Can Anyone Relate?

2008-07-31T12:48:00.000-05:00

I eat breakfast...still hungry.
I have snacks...still hungry.
I have lunch...still hungry.
I have snacks...you guessed it...still hungry.
Guess how I feel after dinner?

Yummy Cereal!!

2008-07-23T20:15:00.000-05:00

That time has come. The time when Tessa can no longer survive on milk and milk alone. Well, she could, but it sounds so much more dramatic when said like that. Tessa had her first bite of cereal on Tuesday, July 15th!! It was a fun experience! I especially loved it when her arms were flying around and hit the bowl throwing the cereal overboard. What would I rather do at 6 in the morning?? Here is a quick video of her feasting on this yummy goodness called rice cereal.

I forgot to tell you guys we had her 6 month appointment about a week ago and she is still going strong in the weight category. She is 17lbs 12oz and in the 90%. Surprisingly, she didn't shed too many tears after getting her 3 shots this time. What a gal!!

She is becoming much more vocal these days and poor daddy can't get a word in edgewise. Between me and her, well, you guys know!! She's doing better at sitting up and can do pretty well on her own for a while before falling over. What a joy she has been to us thus far!

Saluting Sandy

2008-07-17T07:52:00.000-05:00

I knew the day would come when I would have to say goodbye to a good friend. My parents introduced me to Sandy back in 1998 and we quickly became close pals. Having made countless trips from Nashville to Houston and back, I knew I could always count on her to get me from one place to the next safely. We enjoyed jammin' to the tunes, fill-ups under $4, honkin' at the boys...no, not really! I was always amazed by how well she aged. Not bad for 12 years old, huh? She will be sorely missed! Honk, honk, Sandy! Honk, honk!

I'll show you pictures of the replacement when we get it...won't be long! What will his/her name be??

Big Saturday

2008-07-13T17:47:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was a big day for us. Tessa had her 6 month pictures and they turned out great! Jadie (the photographer) did an outstanding job as usual! Our appointment was at 10am and I was hoping T would take a nap before then...of course she didn't. The first part of the photo session didn't hold too many smiles from our little princess. She wasn't crying, but she wasn't 'showing us the gums' either. It didn't help that it was really hot and sticky outside. Jadie was patient enough to let her take a 15 minute power nap and then she was ready to go! We got some good smiles after that! Click here to see the slideshow.

Last night, Emme (Jim's mom) watched Tessa so Jim and I could go out to dinner and a movie in celebration of our 7th wedding anniversary. The big day is on Monday! We went to a yummy italian place called Mama Mia's and had an excellent dinner. We looked into amovie, but there weren't any we really wanted to see...so we went to see one anyway!! How many chances do you get to go to a movie 6 months after you have a baby?? We went to see Hancock and I thought it was pretty good. I liked that it was a different idea for a movie. We had a great evening and are so appreciative to Emme for watching T. It's so nice having family in town!

This morning Tessa slept until 8:40am!! Can you believe it? Her last feeding was around 9pm and she slept until 8:40am! Did you hear that?? Okay, I'll say it a third time! 8:40am! Wow! How nice was that?? I loved getting more sleep, even if it was for just one night.

What You've Missed

2008-07-10T13:19:00.000-05:00

Since the last post...
*I've turned 30
*Tessa's turned over, had her 1st ear infection and turned 24 weeks

We had family in town from Texas over July 4th. Here are some pictures from our visit.

Daddy and his twin

Aunt Melanie

Cousins Cole and Caitlyn - Tessa loved these guys. They were making her laugh all weekend. It was so sweet.

Elevator Follow up

2008-06-26T08:01:00.000-05:00

I get on the elevator 4 times a day to get to and from my office. I'll give you one guess at which elevator door opens every time I push that button now.

I'll Take the Stairs

2008-06-24T15:54:00.000-05:00

I was coming back from lunch today and stepped on the elevator to go to floor 2. The doors closed and they didn't open on floor 2. In fact, they didn't open at all! I was stuck between floors. I felt like I was in Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Twenty...one of those movies. I remained calm as I pressed the HELP button and it wasn't long before Belmont Security arrived. Boy, I felt better!! :) They pried the doors open and I hoped to see a large group of my peeps standing by applauding. That didn't happen. I was only in there about 15 minutes, but it felt forever. In case I ever get stuck in an elevator and don't make it out, I just want you all to know I love you!!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-17T19:34:00.000-05:00

We had a fun day on Sunday for Jim's 1st Father's Day minus Jim mowing the lawn. :) I told Him I would do it if he could find a way to feed Tessa. Well...he mowed the lawn!! Anyway, we spent some time with Jim's mom and dad around lunch time and then we took Tessa to the swimming pool!! Her first time there and she was a total pro!! She was kicking her feet and taking in all that was going on around her. Here's a short video and some pics from our special day!!

Give me those glasses, daddy!

Got 'em!

New Stuff!

2008-06-17T08:13:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to catch up!! We've taken lots of pics and I'm a wee bit behind, but I'll catch up soon.

A couple weeks ago we introduced Tessa to her activity center and her jump-a-roo thingy ma-jig (yes, that's the technical term for it). :) She seemed to like both and was taken back by all the stuff on each one. The drool is in full force as you can see in the top picture. The glare on her neck gives that away.

Stay tuned for Father's Day pics...they'll be here soon.

Check This Out...

2008-06-13T10:50:00.000-05:00

Look closely. Tessa's 1st freckle!! Don't worry, you're not seeing anything you shouldn't. :) I was changing her diaper a couple weeks ago and saw this little guy. If she's anything like her mommy and daddy she will have many more of these!

The picture below was just too sweet. I had to share!

G-Parents Come to Visit

2008-05-30T21:50:00.000-05:00

My parents came to visit us this weekend and enjoyed some quality time with their newest granddaughter. The last time they saw her she was only 2 weeks old! Needless to say, she looks much different now. She's got more meat on 'dem bones. Mom and dad volunteered to babysit Tessa while Jim and I hung out with some friends on Saturday night. We had a great time. It was nice to get out if only for a couple hours.

One of the Forrester/Wilkinson traditions when mom and dad come to visit is playing dominos. Obviously, we didn't have time to play the last time they were here (Tessa's birth), but we played this time. It was great fun and I'm not just saying that because I was the BIG winner!! I've missed that game!

Here are some pics from the visit with pap pap and grammy...

We had a great time visiting and catching up. It's no surprise that we laughed our heads off this weekend! We can always count on a big laugh when we're with you guys!

We were very sad to see you go...can you tell...

4 Months Old

2008-05-21T13:40:00.001-05:00

That's right! We had Tessa's 4 month appointment on Monday afternoon and she passed with flying colors. She is still in the 90% in her weight coming in at 15 1/2 pounds. Making a jump from the 50% to the 75%, she's 25 inches long. Everything went great and doc said she is definitely a healthy baby. I love all that pudge on her...she's got plenty to grab onto!! She got 3 shots and was not happy about those, but a little lovin' from momma helped her feel better real quick. Our next visit will be at 6 months.

My 1st Mom's Day

2008-05-13T10:43:00.000-05:00

I survived my first Mother's Day!! Surprisingly, I was very emotional. We had breakfast with Jim's mom (yummy) and it had me missing my family...wish we could've been together. After that we ran some errands and ended up at Costo. I think Tessa was overwhelmed with all the excitement because she fell asleep with her mouth open and tongue on the roof of her mouth. Everyone in Costo made such a big deal over her and how cute she looked. On our way out, a woman with her 3 girls looked me in the eye and said in the sweetest way, Happy Mother's Day. It took all I had not to ball right in front of her!! About 15 seconds later...I was mush! I couldn't help but cry. How funny is that?? We enjoyed our nice, relaxing day. I just wasn't prepared for how special mother's day would be for me from now on.

Jim and Tessa got me some beautiful roses, a box of chocolates, and one more item that will be arriving soon. I'm not sure what that is, but I'll find out soon enough! :) Oh, and Tessa is so close to rolling over! She's good about getting to her side, but can't quite make it to her belly yet. Hopefully, when it happens, we'll get it on video to share with you.

Here are some pictures from our special day. I love this little girl!

My Future's So Bright...

2008-05-05T21:36:00.000-05:00

...I Gotta Wear Shades!! Shout out to all you 80's babies out there!!

Well, here are the girls in the backyard with our shades on. Tessa wears these in the morning on the way to school and she loves them. I was so surprised the 1st time I put them on her and she didn't cry. What a diva!!

Video of Tessa

2008-04-29T22:41:00.000-05:00

Lots of folks have been asking to hear Tessa. Well, here's a video taken tonight while playing with Daddy.

Sorry!

2008-04-19T20:26:00.000-05:00

There is no excuse for the number of photos below! All I can say is we took her 3 month pictures today (a week late) and there were too many good ones...I had to share. Isn't she getting big?

Our first full week at work went great! Her school is literally one minute away from Jim's work and about 5 minutes from mine. I go over at lunch to see and feed her, so it helps me get through the day. We were all exhausted by the end of the week, but I would definitely call it a success. Lucky me...I was able to sleep in today...if you call 6:30am sleeping in. I do!

Enjoy the pictures - especially this first one. She is smiling so big, you can see her gums! I love it and Jim thinks it's kinda scary! :)

Livin' la Vida Loca

2008-04-16T14:48:00.000-05:00

We are still alive and well! It's just been a while since I've blogged, I know!

Tessa started 'school' (aka daycare) this week. It has gone really well. Anticipating an emotional Monday, I was pleasantly suprised that I didn't ball my eyes out. There were so many people thinking of us and praying for us and we really appreciated that. Thank you! It felt good to get back to work and see all my super co-workers and friends again. Hopefully, I'll be able to get some updated pics on here soon...she's growin' like a weed!!

More Family Ties

2008-03-28T11:34:00.000-05:00

First things first. Happy belated Easter!

We had more family in town this past weekend. Jim's sister, brother-in-law, nephew and niece came to visit from Grand Prairie, Texas. It was a short visit, but we had a great time. The gals got to go shopping and the guys got to play XBox! Cole, our little nephew was so sweet to baby Tessa. He just loved seeing her and looking at her big eyes! He kept saying she was so sweet. We think so too! Below is a picture of Aunt Taryn, Cole, Tessa and Caitlyn. All 3 of these kiddos are getting so BIG!!

So Close!!

2008-03-21T09:15:00.000-05:00

Before the game...

After the game...

Wow!! I hope you all caught the Belmont/Duke game last night. Who knew the game would be that close?? As you can imagine, there was some serious cheering going on in the Forrester home (and some yelling)! I am so proud to call myself a bruin. Way to go guys!

8 Week Appointment

2008-03-19T14:36:00.000-05:00

Tessa turned 8 weeks old this past Saturday and her 2 month appointment was today. She is in the 50% in height coming in at 22 1/4 inches and in the 90% in weight coming in at 12.7 pounds. Looks like we have a porker on our hands! She is definitely a good eater! Today was also the day she got 3 shots. I was so nervous for her and felt so bad as she began crying and screaming. I teared up and wanted to just ball my eyes out, but I tried to hold myself together. Poor baby! I just wanted to hold her and give her tons of little kisses when it was over.

I just took this picture and she seems to be doing good now. She's dreaming about her next feeding!! :)

Zoo Trip and Sniffles

2008-03-17T14:06:00.000-05:00

Tessa and I are going places!! We've been to eat with some friends, JoAnn's Fabric Store, the grocery store and the zoo (the picture below proves the zoo even though you can't see any animals - I promise it's the zoo)! I'm getting more used to this going out thing as each day passes...thanks to great friends. God has blessed me beyond words! If it weren't for the amazing friends I have I would probably be at home all day everyday getting depressed. My friends have been such an encouragement and a listening ear. Thank you so much for your unbelievable support and love (tear, sniff, sniff)!! I love y'all!

All Smiles

2008-03-11T20:12:00.000-05:00

Tessa and I had some good play time today. I wanted to get a picture of us together and ended up with the first one posted below. She was looking at the camera smiling while my hand was taking the pic. Didn't it turn out great? She's such a show-off already.

The blanket she's on was a gift from Ms. Patsy in Houston. It's a stimulation quilt (all black & white fabric patterns). Tessa has so much fun on it. Thanks, Patsy!

New Pics

2008-03-05T20:49:00.001-06:00

We had a good day today. I took some pictures and just had to share. She's starting to smile. It's not happening too much yet, but I was able to catch it! Here is my sweet baby girl at 6 1/2 weeks old! Isn't she precious??

Family Ties

2008-03-03T18:11:00.000-06:00

No, not the 80's sitcom starring Alex P. Keaton - which I loved! My brother, sis-in-law, nephew and niece came to meet Tessa this weekend. On Friday we went to the Pancake Pantry and had a yummy breakfast...Tessa slept the whole time! How nice was that? I didn't have to worry about the crying in public thing. The rest of the weekend was just relaxing and hanging out at the Forrester home. We had such a great time catching up, playing with the kiddos, playing XBox (the guys anyway) and eating oatmeal cream pies (those things are yumm-o)! It was fabulous to see them, but I hated to see them go. It was such a quick visit and we may not see them until Christmas! WOW! That is way too long!

Here are some pictures from the weekend. Thanks for coming to see us Wilkinson family! We love you guys!

Uncle Jeff, Aunt Gretchen, Tessa, Olivia & Chris

Chris, Olivia (don't you love that look? :)) and Tessa

Tessa getting a kiss from her Uncle Jeff

Still Here

2008-02-27T12:55:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm almost done with my 3rd full week of caring for Tessa on my own during the day. It has gone very well and we're beginning to get more in a routine each day. I will say it is so nerve-wrecking to go out with her! You never know what a baby is going to do while you're out and about. Oh no! What if she cries? Will people think I'm not a good mom? I need to get over it, I know.

It's been pretty cold here in Nashville, but I'm wearing short sleeve shirts. Know why? Because I sweat all the time! When we go out and I have to lug all the baby stuff around I get so worked up and hot! No jacket for me...it's not necessary when you're dripping with perspiration.

Below is a picture of Tessa in her swing taken about a week ago. She is has become much more fond of her swing over the past month. No more crying when she gets in it. She is getting so much bigger already. My favorite part so far? Getting to know my daughter...her likes and dislikes. I love looking into her sparkling eyes so full of life! Still waiting for her 1st real smile (not due to gas). I've heard and read it should be around week 6 which is coming up this weekend. 6 weeks old? Can you believe it!

Splish Splash

2008-02-07T21:10:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures of Tessa's first bath. She wasn't a big fan of it, but hopefully she'll learn to love to be clean!! As you can see she was much more content after it was over.

We went to our 2 week appointment yesterday and Tessa is already up to 9 1/2 pounds! The doctor just couldn't believe it! I couldn't either! Wow, she's beefin' up!! I was worried she wasn't getting enough to eat, but I was wrong! I feel so much better about her feedings knowing she is getting what she needs.

That was really our first time out as a family and it was a fun time. We had her appointment then we went with Jim to an eye appointment and to get his haircut. We ended at Target. Tessa did very well and I only had to feed her once. It helped me to feel better about going out with her when I'm on my own. It makes me nervous just thinking of going out with her by myself. Am I crazy??

Newborn Pictures

2008-01-27T11:18:00.000-06:00

Jadie came over yesterday to take Tessa's newborn photos. They turned out beautiful! Thanks Jadie!!

Click here to view the slide show.

Going Home

2008-01-24T21:33:00.000-06:00

We came home from the hospital on Monday afternoon. Of course Tessa was all bundled up because it was a bit chilly outside. She looked so cute!! The ride home was scary, but not as scary as I thought. I think Jim was wanting to know what she was doing, so I just made sure to re-direct his focus to the road. 10 and 2, Jim. 10 and 2!

I think I was more nervous about just being home from the hospital and having to do things and make decisions on our own. At the hospital, it was comforting to know I could just press the little button and someone would be there to help me. I knew it would be totally different at home.

The first night was rough, but the past couple have gone really well. We're up every 2 to 3 hours to feed her then she goes back down and that's about it. I do feel like I need to sleep when she sleeps, which I have not been doing thus far. I know that will help me feel much more rested during the day.

It's so hard to believe that Jim and I are parents!! Part of me thinks this is just a temporary thing and I'll have to give her back sometime soon! She is such a sweet little blessing and has already brought much joy to our family. A friend of mine asked me what my favorite part of all this was so far and I didn't have to think too long before I said just looking at her - her hands and feet, arms and legs, her little chubby cheeks. She is just so fun to watch. I look forward to getting to know her more as she grows!

Here we are at the hospital on Monday getting ready for our journey home to Thompson's Station!!

Tessa Lynn Forrester

2008-01-19T20:24:00.000-06:00

She is here and she is beautiful. Tessa arrived at 5:08 PM on 1/19/08 and weighed in at 7'15" and was 20.5 inches long. She has her mommy' s beautiful dark curly hair. Everyone is doing great. Here's a teaser picture...

Tessa's Nursery

2008-01-17T11:59:00.000-06:00

Tessa's nursery is not totally complete yet, but it's close enough. Jim and I are so thrilled with how everything turned out. After much discussion, we decided on the pink/green color combo. I was a bit worried it would be overwhelmingly pink and green, but in the end I absolutely love it! It is so sweet and we hope Tessa loves it, too! It's hard to believe there will be a little baby in there in the next couple days...we hope!!

Taryn at 38 Weeks

2008-01-12T23:30:00.000-06:00

People have been wondering what the heck I look like, so I've attached a beautiful picture of myself taken on January 5th a little after 1:00am! Don't I look amazing?? I'm totally kidding by the way! That night (or should I say morning) I slept really good. I've found that if I go to bed early to wake up early, I don't sleep as well. It's been working better for me to go to bed later and wake up earlier. I get better sleep this way. I'm just blessed to still be sleeping at night...I love it!!

Christmas

2008-01-10T07:47:00.000-06:00

Well, Christmas has come and gone! For the 1st time in 6 years Jim and I were at home. When you're 37 weeks pregnant, you just don't go anywhere. We had a very nice, relaxing day at home. Jim's mom and dad came over and spent the day with us. We had a yummy breakfast and dinner, and santa even came!! Wow! You'll find some of our Christmas pictures below.

Oh, and if you're wondering about Tessa's arrival...she is quite comfortable in the belly! My due date is this Tuesday, but she doesn't seem to ready to make her big debut...yet!

Here is a picture of our sweet Hana baby after her spa day in December. Ain't she cute??