Farewell, 2009

It's been quite a year. While there have been medical stresses, a game in which the Aggies were beat by 55 points, and other difficult times, we can't overlook all the good 2009 held. We look forward to 2010 and all the exciting changes that it will hold...a move, school changes, and hopefully health and happiness. Our love to you - and our wishes that 2010 is your best year yet.

Catching Up

2007

2008

2009

This is only my third Christmas season, but the only one so far that I have managed to dodge the mysterious post-Christmasitis illness. While I haven't gotten sick, I am quite exhausted. I have slept until 10:30, then 11:00 and then 11:30 the past three mornings. Mommy is concerned I may not even wake up tomorrow!

The Best Part of this Week

Even though she lives in Pennsylvania, Anya is a cowgirl at heart!

You can't visit Texas without some chicken-fried steak.

We had the most wonderful treat this week. My cousin Anya came for a visit (she brought Uncle Van and Aunt Lucy with her, too). She is five years old, so it was like having a big sister around for the week (and just like siblings, a few squabbles, but mostly just fun). I became very attached to her, uttering "Anya" as my first word of each day and staking claim to her by declaring "My Anya". We played dolls, doctor, dollhouse, made things with Play-Doh, took baths together, read books, played dress-up, went to the park... She lives in Pittsburgh, so I don't get to see her often enough. I sure liked having her here...Uncle Van and Aunt Lucy, would you consider moving here?

The Eight-Hour Cookies

While Mommy did get a horse-shaped cutter, she did not get horse-colored dye, so Anya had to be creative with mixing colors.

I, of course, was more interested in eating the icing than using it to decorate the cookies.

The Finished Products

Callie stopped by for a visit and got a treat!

Mommy found a horse-shaped cookie cutter (Anya LOVES horses) and decided that we should make decorated sugar cookies while Anya was here. Instead of taking any shortcuts, we made the multiple-stepped, time-consuming, but well-worth-it version. After doing it, Mommy was reminded that the $3 decorated cookies at the bakery are worth every penny. She also knows that if we had bought cookies, we would have missed the excitement, the flour explosion (quite funny) and the pride over a job well done...not to mention ours tasted better!

New Boots

Anya received new boots for Christmas and guess who was lucky

enough to receive her old ones?

One Month Shy of Three

Dearest Victoria Pearl,

My sweetheart, how can it be possible that I am already planning your third birthday party? Although you will always be my baby, there is no denying that you are officially a little girl.

I have always loved this time of year, but it is even more exciting with you around. I don't know how much you really understood about Christmas this year, but you definitely enjoyed unwrapping your presents and anyone else's who would let you. And, of course, you loved being around family and friends. Your hugs make people smile and as someone said, "She makes me feel special!" What a gift that is to give someone - may you always have the desire and ability to make people feel special. I know I feel special and fortunate to be your mommy.

Another reason I love this time of year is you are out of school for several weeks, so we get to spend more time together. It's a relaxed, unscheduled time and ohhhh soooo nice! I know soon enough you will be going to school every day, so I want to relish this time with you. I have to be reminded sometimes to slow down and not worry so much about the house being clean or the laundry getting done or cooking dinner, and instead just be in the moment with you. If I have learned anything in these almost three years, it is that time passes too quickly.

I love you,

Mommy

Disney LIVE!

Mommy took me to The Erwin Center this afternoon to see a Disney Live show. Mickey, Minnie and the gang put on a talent show. Participants included Cinderella, Buzz Lightyear & Woody and Tigger. There was lots of singing and dancing, and I had a great time. I even got some popcorn. Mommy's camera wasn't working, so there are no photos.

Christmas Part Three

On Wednesday we headed to Houston to celebrate with Daddy's family. Uncle Larry & Aunt Celia are always so welcoming, and we have a great time there. Since so many family members were there, we had some family photos taken, which I'll post when we get them. Santa found me and did bring my Bitty Baby!

Christmas Part Two

The stomach bug has reached well beyond the confines of our house, so the second round of Christmas was affected. This is the round we celebrate with my older siblings and their families. There is always a lot of food, a lot of presents, and a lot of fantasy football talk (have I mentioned Daddy is in the play-off...for the first time ever?). Even though everyone was sick at different times, we celebrated in stages, thus prolonging the FUN! I received a bathtub for a Bitty Baby. Maybe Santa will bring me my Bitty Baby so I can bathe her in the tub.

Christmas Part One

This year's Christmas swing started last weekend with a trip to Bryan to see Mommy's family. My Uncle Randy moved to a house with lots of room to run and woods to explore. They even cut down their own Christmas tree. I could have stayed outside all day! While we were there, my cousins Anna and Garland were in a dance show called, How the Grinch Became an Aggie. They wore fancy costumes and had glitter all over them...how cool!

BaBa's Christmas Visit

Making Cookies

Okay...I'll have a bite if you do!

It's always fun when BaBa is here because she just loves me so much. She is so worried about how little I eat that she hand feeds me and doesn't care that I eat too much of the cookie dough...all this coming from a lady who weighs 92 pounds!

Sweet Gift

I received my first Christmas gift from my friends Nash and Vaughan - yellow m&m's with my photo on them! What a SWEET gift...hehe!

Dart Bowl

I went bowling for the first time this week. My friends Nash and Vaughan joined me for what ended up being the LONGEST GAME IN BOWLING HISTORY. I had fun for about five frames, and then I wanted to just spin in the chairs and visit with people. After the game, we hit the Dart Bowl Cafe (best enchiladas in Austin) for some dinner. I am so glad my friends are back from Portland so we can go do fun things like bowl!

Floating Dollhouse

I haven't been a big fan of baths lately. Really, that's putting it mildly. I seemed to all-of-a-sudden think it is a vat of hot acid instead of the warm, bubbly playground that it had always been. Mommy's getting good at being a problem solver, since most of her day is spent trying to figure me out. She found a FLOATING dollhouse, and Voila, the tub once again became a playground, and my toes once again became pruny.

Gingerbread House 2009

Since we couldn't go to Max's for our scheduled "Gingerbread House Decorating Play Date Extravaganza", we did our own at home. Although it wasn't as fun as sharing the experience with friends, we still had a good time and created a masterpiece!

Spread the Love and the Germs

So, how does a Mommy clean up after, bathe and comfort a sick little girl without getting sick herself? Well, she DOESN'T! Mommy was really sick yesterday, and I had a harder time watching her be sick than I did when I was sick. I kept saying, "Happy, Mommy, Happy!", which is what I say when someone is sad. I didn't want to leave her side and certainly didn't want to go to bed anywhere other than right beside her. Like me, she felt better after a short time, which is good for me. I don't think I could have handled another day like that. So much for the thought that I had food poisoning!

Yuck!

It was bound to happen (yes, another post started out this way recently - when I fell out of bed)...I had never, ever thrown up until early this morning. I cried out at 2:30 and when Mommy came in my room to check on me, she discovered a real mess and me saying, "Help me! Help me!" I needed a shower, which I don't like under normal circumstances, so I certainly didn't like it in the middle of the night. I proceeded to get sick every thirty minutes for the next three hours. I never seemed to feel bad and since then, I have been fine and dandy, so it was likely something I ate instead of a virus. Whatever the cause, we (and the washing machine) are pooped today. Mommy knew a night like this would eventually happen, but it was still an unexpected "surprise". Most importantly, she is just glad I feel okay.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

I see Santa, but I am just not sure...

I MIGHT want to see him, but...

I am still not sure...

What was I worried about? He's great!

Pretty Smile

Pottery Barn's window says "Gifts Girls Love"...boy, do they have that right...

dollhouses, babies, etc...

Mommy's been talking to me about visiting Santa for a while now. She's explained the process of sitting on his lap/telling him what I want for Christmas (baby) many times. For every time I said I would do that, I said I would not three times. Mommy needed to go to the mall this morning, so she got me dressed in my Christmas dress...just in case. Santa's station was our first stop. We got in the short (Tuesday mornings @10:00 is the BEST time!) line and although I kept saying no, I couldn't pull myself away. Santa waved at me a couple of times, and I waved right back. I kept saying no, very unconvincingly, until it was my turn. I then ran into his arms, hopped up on his lap, told him that I want a baby and gave the photographer my pretty smile (we had church photos last night so I had lots of practice). We then walked around the mall for a couple of hours, and we had a great time. I even got to go to my favorite place - Pottery Barn Kids where they have the BEST dollhouses in the whole wide world! It was a magical morning, full of fun.

Skylar's Birthday

My friend Skylar had a birthday party this weekend, complete with a pony and animals to pet. I didn't ride the pony, but had lots of fun petting the goats and bunny. We also got to decorate gingerbead men and trees (I opted to eat the candy instead of use it to decorate my cookies). I also jumped on her trampoline, holding hands with the other little girls. Skylar and I play together often and well, so I was happy to be a part of her 3rd birthday!