All In!- Georgie.

We didn't get home from the park until after 3 pm. And by 4:30, we were all packed up again to head to the Clemson First Friday parade. First Friday as in the Friday before the first football game. It must be a big deal because the entire town was packed onto the street and EVERYONE was in orange!

Even yours truly! Good thing mama went to that consignment sale just hours after she got home from the hospital. I would have looked like a real jerk if I didn't have something with a "Tiger foot" on it, as Juner calls it. Lots of people stopped to comment on the fact it was also my "First Friday."

We picked up Sonic before we headed downtown. All the big kids were pretty pumped for fast food and a parade. We were "All In" as they say down here. We're not really sure but that means, but we all had orange on, so we think it's a step in the right direction.

The parade did not disappoint. Big flags, bands, plus Miss Clemson, Miss first Friday and Miss Clemson Homecoming. (Again, all wearing orange formal wear.)

Even the Clemson Alumni band was there. That sax player on the left is our neighbor, Mister Mark.

More orange, more tiger feet.

It was still pretty hot. So I slept through everything. I slept for about 6 hours straight on Friday. By the time we got home, mama was really feeling and and nursed me so much I barfed on Aunt Jenni 4 times.

A big part of the First Friday parade is the floats that all the sororities make. Then all the sororities march behind their floats in weird costumes. Or maybe this is just what the kids are wearing these days.

The parade was awesome, as were the popsicles everyone else had when we got home. No surprise that all the kids were pretty beat. Aunt Jenni was worried that since I slept all day, I'd be up all night. But as they say, "Sleep begets sleep." I slept 6 hours at night after sleeping all day long.

The Tallers head south!- June.

With Papa out of town for a 4 day stretch, mama knew she didn't want to venture into being a mom of 3 alone quite yet. (Our hat is off to the rest of you APSA widows who did it on your own this weekend!) So mama called in reinforcements.

The Tallers drove all the way down from Indiana and even let Evie skip two days of school just to see us. Well, we all know who they really came to see.

Aunt Jenni came in the door and grabbed her two favorite things- Georgie and a good regional beer.

Aunt Jenni's main goal was to make sure Georgiana never spent a minute untouched all weekend. And by those standards, the weekend was a huge success. Georgie missed Aunt Jenni's birthday by just one day. At least Aunt Jenni still has that to herself, because I was born on Uncle Jim's birthday and Tessa was born on their anniversary.

Occasionally, Aunt Jenni even let Uncle Jim hold George.

Georgie was so happy, we caught a sort-of smile on camera. She's really started smiling in the past few days.

Friday was a nice, hot day so we went to Chau Ram county park. It boasts Oconee County's longest suspension bridge. (No word on if it is Oconee county's ONLY suspension bridge.) Don't Aunt Jenni and Uncle Jim look good with a baby?


Here's how much fun a suspension bridge can be with a bunch of kids and a really strong Uncle Jim.

I didn't really care for the bouncing. Actually, pretty much everything made me upset until we got in the water.

The entire park is a series of small water falls and small rapids. Or as mama calls it, good, slippery, dangerous fun.

We ran back to the car to put on our suits and really got into slipping on rocks. Uncle Jim was the first one to really wipe out. And he was not in his swim trunks. Luckily, the rest of us didn't mind so much when we bit it. Aunt Jenni and Mama tried not to think about the fact that we were all one bad step away from broken bones or knocking out teeth.

See what I mean? And these were the two kids who weren't being bold.

Evie and Henry were running and jumping off everything. This eventually focused their energy on building this dam.

Annalise spent her morning collecting rocks for her collection.

Some of the rocks were in the murky, still pools of water.

I practiced my pitching skills with many heavy rocks.

Mama didn't figure I'd even get in the water, so she didn't bother putting me in a swim diaper. My diaper weighed about 20 pounds when I got out.

And where was Georgie? She was sitting on mama's lap under the nursing cover, trying to stay out of the sun. She was so warm and cozy, she slept all day long and mama had to wake her up to eat.

What a great day! We give this park two thumbs up!

Home alone- George.

It's been a quiet week in Clemson, my hometown. I discovered that I have a cry and if I use it, things get done a little quicker. Mama thinks that tonight I've cried more than I have in the previous two weeks combined. Mind you- it still isn't much. But I like knowing my voice is there in case I need it.

Before she left, Grandpa reconstructed the top of June's precious. She's actually worn it so much that she wore through the lining material that made up the top. Luckily, Grandma fixed up a new one and this one doesn't hang down to her belly button. Thanks, Grandma!

With Grandma and Grandpa gone, we were left to fend for ourselves. Mama was pretty overwhelmed at the beginning of the week. June was constantly in what mama calls "a mood" and had to be touched almost as much as I require touching (100% of the time!). But papa stayed home on Monday and came home early a lot to help out. And our wonderful neighbor, Miss Juliet, kept an open invitation for Henry to come down to her house to play (which we accepted a few times). Little by little, mama got her confidence back. By Tuesday, she ventured out alone with the three of us kids to take a walk around the botanical gardens. On Wednesday, she took June and I to June's new school for an orientation morning. June loved it and we had to drag her out screaming when it was over.

Henry has been a model of good behavior. Did someone bribe him from Ohio? Did GG Grandma somehow telepathically send her pinching down to coerce him into being quiet and helpful? He's spent a good portion of his week at his desk, cutting out pictures of cars.

And he's still excited to go play baseball with papa. He's getting so good that he drilled a line drive into papa's foot and left a bruise-with a wiffle ball. Watch out, Joey Votto.

Junie thinks maybe she'll like me after all. Her main goals with me are tickling my fingers and toes and covering my feet with a blanket at all times. We still haven't found a pair of socks that will stay on my gangly feet. I guess we'll just have to wait for them to fill out a little.

Today in the car, June rode the entire drive home singing "I love you, baby" over and over. I think she was singing it to me and not about some boy she met at school.

A package came for me from Miss Megan in Indiana. Besides some great presents, the package contained two sheets of bubble wrap. Henry and June stomped it until every last bubble popped.

Thanks for my pretty new dress, Miss Megan! June names the buttons "Mama, Papa, and Henry." Don't ask me why, but she's points them out often. Then giggles "My cupcake!"

The brown couch has become mama's favorite backdrop for more sleeping pictures of me. On Wednesday, we all went to the Picnic in the Park put on by Clemson. It was HOT and she laid me down on a blanket under a tree while she played with Henry and June on the playground that was radiating 150 degrees of sweat. I've never slept so well. Looks like mama finally figured out that not everyone likes it at 65 degrees below zero like her. She's debating about whether to turn up the heat or just dress me in some of Henry's newborn fleece and corduroy.

Henry continues to love on me. He found mama's pump and is now obsessed with the idea of her pumping some milk and feeding me a bottle.

Papa left for his annual Political Science conference that is always held over Labor Day weekend- ruining any plans for the families of attendees. (Boo, APSA!) But even in his absence, we had a surprisingly productive day. We went to a mom's playgroup with the local mom's club. (Did we mention they're bringing us 3 meals a week for the next month?! Mama's fall goal is to get more involved with this amazing group of women who are spending their time cooking for a stranger!) After the playgroup, we braved the grocery store. I rode in the sling, June rode in the cart and Henry pushed. It all went really well, though we got a lot of looks and "You really have your hands full!" comments. Mama told Henry if he was a big help today, he could get a special treat for everyone. He picked ice cream bars. A-wee-shush!

When will they learn that June eats her treats way to slow to every get her ice cream on a stick or in a cone? This got pretty messy before mama moved the bar to a bowl and gave her a spoon. She is just like GG Parsons. No Seibert has ever let an ice cream cone melt before inhaling it.

All in all, it's been a good week on our own. School starts back up next week. Henry's going 5 days a week and June starts a 2 morning a week program. They are both pumped. And I've decided to take it easy on mama and sit on my own in the bouncy seat for a few minutes at a time without crying. It sure makes things easier for her knowing she can put me down every once in a while without worrying about me crying. Too bad for her Aunt Jenni is coming this weekend and plans on cuddling me non-stop!

Goodbye Grandma and Grandpa Seibert- June.

We couldn't keep Grandma and Grandpa forever, and we bogged them down with chores, so by the end of the week they were ready to go. Grandpa was a big help with some tasks we'd been saving around the house- especially after he installed ceiling fans in our bedrooms. Things are much more comfortable upstairs now. Their other main task was to keep Henry and I entertained all week. We had a great time.

Henry discovered the comedy of Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. I think he likes it.

Henry also fell deeply in love with his new Dick and Jane book and took every chance to read it out loud to anyone who would listen. (Grandpa got to listen to a lot of it while he installed ceiling fans.) On Sunday, he brought it downstairs and read us 70 pages straight. Way to go, Buster!

Top on Grandma's agenda (besides ALWAYS volunteering to change dirty diapers) was haircuts for the whole family. Since my hair grows straight forward and is always in my face, mama won't let me grow it long- even though it is what papa and I want.

But my new short 'do is pretty cute. Thanks Grandma!

Next up was mama's haircut. While she got her hair cut, I grabbed her sunglasses and beer and chilled out in the lawn chair. Like we told Grandpa, this is Southern living.

You can't really see it, but Grandma got Georgie a cute little dress with fish on it. Georgie liked it so much she gave Grandpa a big smile.

Now that Grandma's gone, there aren't nearly as many arms to hold George. She doesn't really care for that.

Mama bribed us with cookies to get a nice picture with Grandma and Grandpa. Of course, she also forgot to turn on the flash for all the good smiles. At least we're not picking our noses.

I even got to hold Georgie on my own (kind of)! Today, I thought I'd be funny and started calling Georgie "Christopher" again. I thought this was hilarious.

Thanks so much for spending the week with us, Grandma and Grandpa! We couldn't have done it without you!

Lots of Georgie- Mama.

I was taking a nap with Georgie on the couch when Henry wanted to take videos. (17 minute videos, to be exact.) He must have an eye for good light, because I got these shots.

Georgiana's really gotten pretty. She's not so splotchy anymore and she's filling out nicely. And the baby acne hasn't set in yet.

We'd brag about how she's slept 6 hours straight a few nights in a row, except that after those 6 hours, she wants to get up, even if it's only 5am. Grr.

Georgie's a super nurser. Tons better than Henry and June. Third time is a charm. But she's much needier kid than the other. She constantly needs held (hurry up and get here, Aunt Jenni!), doesn't like her nuk (though she's getting better), and does not care to be swaddled. Unfortunately, for baby George, she still gets swaddled at night and has to deal with having her nuk shoved in her mouth when she tries to get up to have fun at 4am.

We took so many good pictures, Georgie started to wake up. And the waking up pictures ended up my favorite.

"Ugh. The camera- AGAIN? Is that thing stuck to your face? And now you have Henry taking video coverage?"

I think this one might go on the baby announcement, I like it so much.

Don't you just want to kiss those cheeks?

Poor kid.