Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!

A few things I'm thankful for this year.

I'm thankful for that extra stocking hanging on the mantle.
I'm thankful that this sweet blur of a pup has adjusted so well to being a big sister.
I'm thankful for family. I'm thankful for this sweet man that works so hard for our family so I can work part time and enjoy this time with our son.
I'm thankful for this sweet boy.  For his health and laid back personality.  I just love him so much.

I'm thankful for sweet friends.  I'm so blessed with friends that are always there when you need them. 

I'm thankful for our warm home and full hearts.  We have been blessed and not a day goes by that I don't stop to thank God for blessing my family even if you struggle to see it some days.   

I hope you all have a wonderful day full of food, family and fun!

11 Months

Eleven months! How?  Only one month till your first birthday (and Christmas).  This year has flown by.  I remember putting your "1st Christmas" ornaments away and thinking that you'd be almost a year old when we got them back out.  I can't believe it's already that time.  Your little personality has really blossomed this month and you are the sweetest thing, of course I'm kinda biased. 

• You weigh around 19.5lbs 
• You're around 29" long. (this is a very rough estimate because you weren't into being measured).
• Your eyes are still blue
• Your hair is still light and still stands up most of the time.

• You're wearing mostly 6-9 month play clothes and 12 month dressy clothes.  
• Still wearing a size 3 diaper and go through about 6 a day.
• You are crawling EVERYWHERE.  You are not scared of anything.  
• You're starting to open drawers and cabinets

• You and Ally are becoming the best of friends.
• You can throw her toys for her.
• You can also hold her toys and play tug of war with her. 

• You are eating pretty much whatever we eat. 
• Your favorite is chicken & dumplings.
• You still take 3 bottles each day (2 6oz and 1 8oz) 

• You can pull up to your knees but not to a stand yet.  It's coming though, you're very close.
• Still only 6 teeth.
• You love to bang any toys together and make noise. 
• You still love Mickey Mouse clubhouse 

• We celebrated your first Halloween and it as so much fun.  You were the cutest monkey ever.\
• You love bath time. You will play and splash until your little fingers and toes are shriveled up.
• You're still sleeping great at night.  You've woken up a few times lately but I think you've been cold.
• You still take at least one good nap, usually in the afternoon. 

• We've taken you out to eat a few times this month and you've done great.
• You'll lean into our faces sometimes when we ask for "kisses"
• I put a little tree up in your room and when I got you up from your nap today I plugged it in and you gasped.  It was pretty cute.

We're throwing a party to celebrate your first birthday in 2 weeks.  It's going to be so cute and I can't wait.  Now on your actual birthday I'm probably going to be a crying mess.  I love seeing you grow and learn but I'm sad it's happening so fast.  You are so sweet and cute.  I love watching you play and discover new things.  Right now you and Ally are playing, you can barely catch your breath you're laughing so hard.  I love it.  We are so excited to celebrate the holidays with you this year.  It may not be your first Christmas but it's your first Christmas season and we are going to make the most of it.

Happy 11 months, Baby Barrett! 

We love you so much!

Day One.

Today I got a new pair of boots.  I'd ordered them because my old boots will no longer zip over my calves.  I ordered wide calf boots in the hopes that I'd be able to wear them properly.  I even measured to make sure they would fit.  I bet you know where this is going...They don't fit.  They're further from zipping than the ones I already had.  It was the final blow I needed.  I pouted for a while then I laced up my running shoes and hit the pavement.  It felt so good.  Okay, actually it hurt every part of my body, but in a really good way.  I didn't go far or fast but it was a start.  I miss the bootcamp class I was in a few years ago.  (I'd have to join a gym to take it now, which I'm not completely ruling out but I'm not ready right now.)  I miss the social part of group fitness.  I need the competition.  I've got a long way to go but I know I can do it.  I've done it before, I can do it again. I need to set some goals.  Running is good for the mind and body.  It's like therapy and I've been missing it.

Today is Day One.

I can do this.

(This post is mainly just a pep talk for myself.  I've been so discouraged lately. I want to be healthy and love who I see in the mirror again.  I want to pass on healthy eating and exercise habits to my boy.  I will be this person.  I'm taking it one day at a time.  You have to start somewhere.)

Photo dump

We had the best weekend doing absolutely nothing.  I had not one thing planned for Saturday and ended up staying in my pjs nearly all day long, it was glorious.  Patrick had to work and I got my closet cleaned up and all my laundry done and put away.  (I'd been living out of hamper baskets for probably a month or so.  It was getting ridiculous)

These pictures are from the whole week.

He loves this little football.   I was feeding him breakfast one morning and he started acting like he was choking but he was breathing.  I didn't panic and got him out of the high chair.  He started vomiting the bottle he'd just taken and I found this piece of paper in the debris.  He had apparently swallowed it while I wasn't looking.  So thankful it wasn't anything worse.
This sweet girl has not enjoyed the cold weather we had last week.
Static hair.   He loves dinner time. (And I love this picture of him) We are in full on 1st birthday planning around here.  Just a little sneak peek at one of my favorite parts.
Dressed like a big boy in he little sweater and jeans.  I love to dress him like a baby but I also think he looks so cute dressed like a little man.
I could die he's so cute.
He loves chicken & dumplins. Ready for church this morning.  I love this sweet owl outfit his Aunt Lorie got for him.  
We are starting to be able to eat dinner as a family now that Barrett is eating table food and can feed himself.  It's my favorite part of the day.  We watched a lot of football and some Christmas movies.  Auburn won on one heck of a hail mary pass and Alabama survived a game that should have been easy to set up the most epic Iron Bowl of all time.  I'm not sure my nerves can handle it.  We may have to watch the game at seperate locations.  Luckily we have two weeks to worry about that.  Barrett and I went to church this morning and then had lunch with my parents and younger brother and soon to be sister in law.  I'm so thankful for a laid back weekend before the hustle and bustle of the season is upon us.

Tailgate Time: LSU Edition

I love our tailgate family.

Saturday we gathered for our last "official" tailgate of the season. (There's still one more home game but not everyone was going to be there so we decided this would "officially" be the last of 2013.  There's several people missing but this was the best we could do.  

We had cajun themed food and we decided it was the most delicious tailgate we've had.  Ten years and three locations later we're still friends.  I still can't believe it's been that long since I hosted the first tailgate.  I was so excited to have everyone join us on gameday.  That was back during the Shula years and we all know that we weren't exactly winning but we never let that get us down.  

We were at that house for 3 years and  it was a great house for tailgating.  I loved it.  Then we moved to the house where my sister and I shared a room for a semester.  We stayed at that house for 5 seasons and two National Championships.  We loved that house too.  We had a lot of room there.  (This is the post where we moved out of that house.)

The last two seasons we've been at the apartment.   Our little group has migrated the few blocks every few seasons and we're so glad.  I wish we had a record of all the folks that have joined us over the years.  

I love this funny group shot.  

Sister and I before we headed out to the game.

Matt felt left out. 

The Million Dollar Band made an elephant to welcome the team to the field.
Big Bama spell out.
We ventured to the quad since we had so much time before kickoff.  Love this picture of my sister, mom and me.
It was snowing on the strip.
I hated leaving this little guy for the day but it was just to late of a night for him.  He looked so cute in his new shirt.
We had a great day tailgating and enjoying the food.  A dog wondered up to us outside so we walked for blocks trying to find it's owners and gave up.  Then someone showed up looking for her.  I was so happy her owners found her.  She was such a sweet dog and well taken care of we knew she had a home.   Finally the sun went down and it was time to head to the stadium.  My sister sat with me again.  As we were walking to our seats we ran into Sarah Patterson the gymnastics coach.  We were so giddy to see her.  We love gymnastics.  The game started kinda slow and we weren't playing like I thought we should but we turned that around in the second half and we had a blast.  At one point during the 4th quarter I think they were playing Dixieland Delight and the entire stadium was singing and swaying and the upper deck was moving.  It was awesome and creepy.  I loved being there and seeing Nick Saban, the man who shows no emotion, run and leap into QB AJ McCarron's arms after the win.  We went back to the apartment and ate again.  I feel like that's all I did all day.  I was such a fun day but those late games are hard.  I crawled in bed around 3:00am and Barrett was up at 7:00.  It was so worth it but I'm definitely not as young as I used to be.

I LOVE Fall!!!

I love Fall!  I big, fat puffy heart it.  I suppose I've always loved it but as a kid it was more or less the gateway to all things Christmas.  As an adult I feel like I can appreciate Fall for its beauty both literally and figuratively.  The trees have been breathtaking around here for the last week or so and the weather has been perfect.  Yesterday while Barrett napped (in the car) Patrick and I just drove around looking at all the beautiful foliage.  I feel like fall can sometimes become overwhelming with activities and commitments so it was nice to just take some time really taking in the beauty of the season.  

The view from my parking spot at work.
November is always the time of year I start to reflect on previous months.  It's like the prequeal to the holiday season.  It's that calm before the storm that really makes you want to soak it in.  You know this has been a big year for us, so many times in the past few months I've been so overwhelmed that we are this blessed.  We have a beautiful, healthy son who is so laid back and easy going that I'm scared to have another child.  We have enjoyed watching him grow and learn this year.  I have loved this year so much I don't want it to end.  I'm going to enjoy these last few weeks of 2013.  We have a fairly laid back November this year and I'm going to really live it. I'm going to cuddle my "baby" while I give him his last couple of months worth of bottles.  I'm going to carry him around before he starts walking and wanting to do everything himself.  December is going to be busy and I'm excited for the hustle and bustle but I need a few weeks to be still and really live life, ya know.
I took some pictures of Barrett in the leaves one afternoon after work.  I love how they turned out.    

This profile looks just like the one we saw on the ultrasound a year ago.

He wanted to eat the leaves.

He also wouldn't look at me.

I love that sweet little face so much.

While we are relaxing and enjoying the season, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't already planning things for the Holiday season.  Since it's Barrett's first Holiday season we want to do some special things as a family.  I realize he's not going to know or remember but I want the family time for us.  Nothing crazy, simple things like looking at Christmas lights and taking Barrett to see Santa.  But those things can wait because November has 3 weeks left and that turkey on Thanksgiving isn't going to eat itself.

Weekend Rewind

Patrick was off all weekend and it was amazing.  We were so excited to get to spend 4 whole days with him.  I had to work Friday so Patrick was on baby duty.  Of course Barrett took two really good naps for his daddy.  Uncle John and I went to Mass for All Saints Day and then we met Patrick and Barrett and went to dinner.  We had a really fun night with John, we missed Hope she had to travel for work.  They are moving into their new home this weekend and we are so excited for them.  

Saturday, Patrick invited some friends from work over to watch the Auburn game.  He was so nervous for the game, although I'm not really sure why considering Arkansas has only won like 2 games all season.  It was fun to meet some of the guys he talks about and their wives and kids.  Barrett was so good and I think he enjoyed having some friends to play with.  Auburn won which makes for a good football party.  

(As you can see I took zero pictures Friday and Saturday)

Sunday we had Mass on the cemetery where my mom's parents are buried.  It's one of the few times a year we get to see my mom's family because there are so many of us.  It was Barrett's first trip to the cemetery. Which sounds really morbid but I promise it's not.  After we all gather at my uncles house (was formerly my grandmothers) and eat soup and chili.  I made broccoli and cheese soup and it was terrible.  I didn't have flour and it turns out that's a pretty important ingredient and then it got scorched on the bottom.  It was just a mess.  Oh well.  I guess the effort counts.  

Terrible picture of us (not the photographers fault).  I was trying to make Barrett laugh. 

I wish I could recreate my really good hair day from last week.

John and Hope.

We stayed there till almost dark and the headed home.  Barrett didn't get a real afternoon nap so he went to bed early.  Patrick and I crawled in bed at the late hour of 8:15.  I knew how early it was but Patrick got all settled and then looked at the clock and realized how early it was.  I wasn't complaining because I knew the Monday morning wake up call was going to be earlier than I wanted. 

Halloween Night

We had a really fun Halloween night.  We love our neighborhood for trick-or-treating so we invited some friends to join us.  I was so worried about the weather.  We were supposed to get rain and storms at some point but it was a guessing game as to when it would begin.  When everyone arrived we set out, it was sprinkling but the kids did not care.  The other kids were older than Barrett so they actually went door to door, Barrett just rode around in his stroller and he was perfectly happy.  

My little monkey and me before our guests arrived.

Oh my word, he's cute.

My mums are still alive.

I can't get enough.  Patrick's parents came by before everyone arrived.  Barrett had just woken up from his nap and this was the face he gave them.  He would not smile for anything.

Two Spidermen and a sweet little minion.

Our family complete with our monkey and banana.

This was the whole group (minus Natalie's 2 month old, she stayed with my parents)

The kids hit about 10 houses before we called it a night.  We had so much fun.  My parents came to hand out candy while we were out.  I mean to get a picture of them with Barrett before they left but of course I didn't.  When we got back the kids ate as much candy as their momma's would let them and we ate and talked.   I loved it.  I'm hoping we'll make it our Halloween tradition.  Maybe even add a costume contest and a hayride next year.