Thanksgiving

We were excited to go camping with Keith's family for Thanksgiving. Because the girls are still so little, we booked a hotel room near the campsite for our overnight sleeping. It was a great trip. I cannot express how cute it is to watch the cousins play, then fight, then play together. They are non-stop entertainment. Next year Annabelle can join in on the crazy! The girls loved being outside, playing in the dirt and rocks, and being able to run. The weather was pretty mild, so we stayed outside most of the time. There was a bit of a bug going around Thanksgiving weekend. At some point all the kids and some of the adults had diarrhea issues. The potty trained girls had to be put back in pull ups for the weekend. Thanks for Shevawn for packing extra diapers in case of emergency. The girls enjoyed all the Thanksgiving and camping food. Brooke and I choose Twyla's dressing as our favorite dish. The guys did a wonderful job on the deep fried turkeys. Keith and I did quite a bit of sampling before the meal. Twyla put together special smores for the girls, but Brooke wasn't interested. Lauren made the biggest mess with her smore and Grams still wanted a kiss. On our last day of camping, the girls got to throw rocks in the lake. I think they would have stayed there all day. We were able to take a few family pictures; which is a rare occurrence. On our drive home, Brooke actually fell asleep in the car. I was glad to only have a 90 minute drive. Coming home on Saturday was the perfect decision too. We were able to relax and watch the A&M game. Everyone had a good night of sleep in their own beds before getting back into the business of the week. Thanks to Grams and Poppa for hosting us in their camper, cooking all the food, and helping us keep the burrs off the kids. Happy Thanksgiving!

Brooke's School Pictures

I am so thrilled with Brooke's school pictures. I love her sweet natural smile. She looks precious in this picture. I was a little surprised when I got the photos back. I had sent Brooke to school in a navy blue shirt and headband on her photo day. It turns out that the school told me the wrong day for her photos. When I saw the pictures in this green polka dot dress it was a mystery.

Beautiful Tree

I was SO thrilled that we bought a pre-lit Christmas Tree the day after Christmas last year. It was very easy to move in the box from Pittsburgh. I love how pretty and whole it is. We have come very far from out broken in half ghetto tree from last year. This tree is behind closed doors, so Brooke can only look at it. I have high hopes that it will survive the holiday season. Brooke was excited to get her Turkey card from Grammy. We tried to get her to smile normal and this is what we got!

Claire's Birthday Party

The girls and I drove up to Dallas for Claire's 3rd Birthday Party. She had a Minnie Mouse party with a pinata and a bounce house. Brooke loved spending time with her cousins and wearing her mouse ears. We stayed at their house overnight. The girls loved watching the Aggie game and we were thrilled they beat Alabama. We ended up driving back early because the girls didn't sleep well. Even so, it was a great weekend.

Christmas Photo Shoot

Annabelle 6 months

Annabelle had her 6 month checkup the first week of November. She weighs just under 16 pounds and is in the 50th percentile for weight. She is 27.5 inches tall and is in the 90th percentile for height. She did not like her vaccinations and flu shot; but did just fine after we got home. She is such a fun baby. She really is always happy. Once her two bottom teeth popped through she has been a constant happy, bubbly baby. The doctor was a little concerned about her not rolling or crawling; so we have started working on it at home. Here are a few things about Annabelle at 6 months: She sleeps 10-12 hours at night She wears a size 3 diaper and 6-9 month clothing She loves to stick her feet in her mouth She like to blow bubbles and make little sounds Her jumparoo is the favorite toy She loves her oatmeal She likes the swings at the park She is fascinated by Brooke, Mason, and Jackson everything goes in her mouth The amount of drool happening is crazy! We go through about 6 bibs a day She is starting to reach for books and turn the pages when you read She is great on car trips she is starting to sit up on her own

Brad's Wedding

Keith flew to Wisconsin for his med school friend Brad's wedding. He was able to meet up with Anne and Tom in Chicago and ride to the wedding with. The girls and I would have like to go too; but I'm glad Keith could be there to celebrate. Congrats Brad!

Little Helpers

Brooke is such a great helper. I recently took both girls to the grocery store. Annabelle sat in the cart on her own for the first time. Brooke was great at keeping her entertained and happy in the cart. Brooke also loves to help with any kind of cooking. She helped me make this big batch of guacamole. She is always eager to be the taste tester too!

Halloween and card from Grammy

Our street had a Halloween block party for all the neighbors. The kids came in their costumes and everyone had dinner together. Then we all walked the streets so the kids could "trick-or-treat." It was so warm that I didn't put Annabelle in her costume until after dark. I am still enjoying the warm weather. Last year in Pittsburgh it was barely 30 degrees and miserable to be outside. Brooke had the best time trick-or-treating.

She was dressed as a Jr. Chef and Annabelle was a flower. Brooke loved walking up to new people's houses and of course, getting candy. We had to keep her from going inside people's houses. Annabelle fell asleep in the stroller pretty quickly after we started walking. Brooke loved getting her Halloween card from Grammy. She looks forward to walking to the mailbox and checking for her letters.