A Visit to Pennsyltucky

Edinboro, Pennsylvania
At the tender age of 6 weeks Josie began her first U.S. tour in Edinboro, Pennsylvania. The friends and rellies in The Boro were so excited to see Josie that she had a constant flow of visitors throughout her 5-day stay. Josie was so thrilled to meet everyone that she was literally pooping her pants with glee! Josie got to catch up with her maternal grandparents again after being separated from them for nearly half her life. She also got to meet her new cousin Avery, pictured above with father Adam on left. That is Josie on the right with Bob.

In Annie's youth, Grandpa Bob developed what he called the Alligator Rub method of drying off his children after their baths. This was accomplished by rubbing their tender skin with a jack hammer-like frequency while they screamed bloody murder for fear that they were being whittled down to their dermis. He is continuing his penchant for rough housing with Earthquake by shaking the crap out of Josie's playmat.

"Earthquake"

Josie with her Aunt Kate

Josie meets her Great Uncle Dave

Johnstown, Ohio

Josie made a quick stop in the greater Columbus area en route to Bardstown, Kentucky. There Josie took a shoestring tour of Muddy Acres, the home of her cousin Louie, Aunt Sara, Uncle Christopher and their cats, goats, and chickens.
Bardstown, Kentucky

Josie visited Bardstown to meet her paternal grandparents Margaret and Phil for the first time. Josie didn't get to visit the tasting room on her trip to the Bourbon Heritage Museum, but she was really happy to meet her Aunt Amy Beth's new puppy, Derby.

Derby is a very cute and happy pup, but Josie wasn't quite ready to take their friendship to the kissing level. JP isn't really ready for Josie to be kissing everyone she meets either.Three cousins in six weeks! First Terri and Keith's Maggie Joan arrived in April (left). One month later Sherrilyn and Aaron's Remington Jude (center). Two weeks later Josie on the right. Some pretty cute babies. It's a grandmother's dream come true.Josie's Uncle Fronner and Aunt Rebecca arrived to let Josie know that one cannot travel to Bardstown on GPS alone. Though it's a great place, do not attempt to visit without a map or the directional prowess of Grandpa Phil.

Fronner, Rebecca, Josie, & Annie

The whooooooooole Johnson family

Funtime!

While Josie's activities are mostly limited to "The Big Four" (eating, sleeping, crying, and pooping), she already has many other talents and hobbies. One of her favorite daily pastimes is hanging out on her Tiny Love play mat surrounded by toy animals. Sometimes Josie refuses to sleep at night in favor of chatting with her frogs and rattling her duck.

Josie on her Tiny Love play mat

Josie chatting with her frog. She started using this "word" at 3 weeks, and it's still Annie's favorite.

Josie loves tummy time on her first surf board, a gift from Aunt Jula.


One of Josie's many talents

JP soothing Josie with gentle rocking and dulcet tones.

Born Free!

On Day 3, the folks at the hospital determined that Josie could no longer be contained and she was released to the wild. Once back in her new lair she had a few days to settle in to life with Annie and JP, before the arrival of her first house guests, Annie's parents. Bob and Diann arrived on June 11th, just as Annie and JP were ready for some helping hands.



Bob rarely got a chance to hold Josie, but we did manage to capture one image.









Diann couldn't be kept a way from her new grandaughter. This was a great help. She was especially appreciated at about 5AM every morning, when Josie tends to be winding up for a new day and her parents tend to be winding down from a long night of feeding and changing.

Josie is conked out after a triple hops brewed Miller Lite.

Showing off what a bumgenius she is.

A Bobcat Is Born

On June 3, 2009 at 8:00AM Josie Hayden Johnson was born like an emperor via Cesarean section. Her mom's physician was Dr. Sandra Petersen. She was born at Scripp's Mercy Hospital in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego, California.

When Annie first saw Josie, she remarked how much the baby looked like her Grandpa Bob when he finishes swimming with her round face, squinty, sightless eyes, and fuzzy hair. Despite being a cute look, it didn't last. We're still not sure who she looks like.
Fortunately for Josie's parents, the hospital was well run. Mom and Josie were cared for by a fantastic bunch of nurses. Dad was comforted by the proximity of Bronx style pizza and taquerias.

That's JP's bed in the background. All the recovery rooms at out hospital are private and have a bed for the birthing partner.

By our second day in the hospital the Johnson family was up and about, taking laps around the nurses station. By day three, we were bored with the usual circuit and wandered off the beaten path. We quickly found that this is highly discouraged. Josie's Lojack anklet set off alarms and we were quickly surrounded by four frantic nurses and two burly security guards. After identities were checked all around, we were politely asked to be less adventuresome. Thus, in her first days of life, Josie earned the outlaw status of her namesake.

Note the device on her ankle.

How did Mom and Dad decide on Josie's name? Honestly they liked the sound of it. But, the decision was strongly influenced. Mom and Dad are both long-time fans of The Outlaw Josey Wales. Mom would argue that she was named after the book; Dad says she is named for the movie. Hayden was the maiden name of JP's paternal grandmother. She was a descendant of one of Kentucky's pioneering families, notorious in recent culture due to the popularity of Basil Hayden's bourbon.