One Crazy Christmas and Happy New Year

I can almost sit in my Bumbo chair like a big boy!

Doesn't Thatcher look like he could eat Emerson?

Thatcher and his giant weenie dog from Uncle Bubba...hilarious!

Mimi and Thatcher

Well, we have somewhat recovered from our Christmas holiday traveling. We began our festivities by making the trip to Lubbock for a few days before Christmas. Thatcher did awesome, we only had one meltdown and stopped once to feed him in Abilene. We arrived and settled in and then the next day drove to Denver City. My Mimi got to see Thatcher for the first time, it was a wonderful day spent with her. We also saw my aunt and uncle and visited some dear friends of mine, Betty and Edgar, whom I hadn't seen in a long time. Uncle Bubba flew in the next day, we haven't known what to do with ourselves getting to see him so much lately...we can't get enough!

We visited our friends Michelle and Brett who just had a baby 3 or so weeks ago, Emerson is such a cutie. Another night while in town, I squeezed in a quick chat with a high school friend of mine, Molly and her daughter Zoe...we had wanted to hang out a little more, but we weren't there long enough...we'll be back soon, Mol!

We drove back to Dallas, spent the night, and then got up the next morning and drove to Shreveport to visit Jeff's family. By this time, Thatcher thinks he is from now on living in his carseat...he still did great though. He was such a trooper...Jeff and I were more beat down by the traveling than he was. We decided we will not do that kind of crazy distance again...family may have to start visiting us at the holidays when our boy gets older and knows who Santa is, etc. We received all kinds of goodies and Thatcher made out like a bandit...he's already spoiled and he doesn't even know what presents are yet...ahhhhhhh!! Anyways, we were so blessed to be able to have the time off to go and visit family.

In other news, I go back to work a week from tomorrow...I am very sad, but am so thankful that I am able to work part-time and have a great child care situation. It will be great to see everyone at work, I have missed seeing all the friends I have made at Childrens over the past almost 5 years that I have worked there!! I'm going to sign off now...Jeff and I have put the boy to bed and plan on ringing in the New Year around 10pm with a champagne toast for two! Happy 2008 everyone!

A visit with Santa

Here is Thatcher at his first visit with Santa Claus. Last week we trucked down to NorthPark mall to have his pictures made. It wasn't bad at all...I went to get our ticket and the guy said we were a high number, but that the line was flying by and that we had time to go grab lunch. I ran to Chick-fil-A (my favorite) and we hurried back to make sure we didn't miss our turn. When we got back to Santa, my friend Abbie and her daughter Macie were standing in line waiting! It was crazy because I had almost called her to go with us, but had kind of been last minute and decided against it. Anyways, we got to chat in line and then helped each other while we each had pictures done...so fun!

This second picture cracks me up...he was smiling up a storm in his xmas outfit and I didn't catch it very well, but I thought the look on his face was so cute!

Thanksgiving...

The fam in front of our Christmas tree!

Dusty and Mitzi and sacked out Thatch

Thatcher and Uncle Bubba

Hopefully everyone out in blog land had a very happy Thanksgiving. We sure did! Mom and Dad arrived on Tuesday afternoon and we hung out with them, then on Wednesday Mom cooked sides to bring to the Thanksgiving feast. Mom also helped me put up our Christmas tree and decorate it...she is so good at decorating ANYTHING. On Thursday morning we picked Dusty up and soon headed to my aunt and uncle's home in Ft. Worth. We had a great time visiting with family and eating tons of good food.

Sunday was my birthday and after church we ate lunch, changed clothes, loaded up the baby (one of his first "real" trips out, other than just stops here and there) and headed to the NorthPark mall...yippee! My family gave me money for my birthday, so I shopped while my Mom sat and watched Thatcher. It was wonderful...I actually found a few things that I liked! I actually felt very foreign to shopping--it has been SO LONG since I have bought any clothes for myself. We topped the day off by eating dinner at Texas Land and Cattle...yum!

Other than the above events, we have just been trying to squeeze Christmas shopping in, addressing Christmas cards, and enjoying the holiday season. Thatcher is doing well...he has recently discovered his LUNGS--the boy knows how to scream when he isn't happy. He overall is still a wonderful, happy baby...but watch out if you catch him in not so great of a mood :) He has started smiling at us and cooing a little bit, it just melts my heart. He is my little sack of sugar! Anyways, with that cheesy note, I will sign off...happy Friday everyone!

Time's a flyin...

I can't believe Thanksgiving is a little over a week away...it sure doesn't seem very fallish these days with temperatures in the 80s!! I'm ready for the cool weather to stay for good.

We haven't been up to much these days, just enjoying Thatcher and adjusting to life with a baby. Yesterday we had his 1 month check up and he weighed in at 9lbs, 12oz and was 22 inches! He jumped from the 50th percentile in weight to the 75th percentile in 2 weeks. I knew he had grown, but didn't know it would be that much. He is such a fun little boy, always making Jeff and I laugh...we just love him so much. Here are a couple of recent pictures...enjoy!

Yes, I AM part Texas Tech fan, just don't tell my daddy!

Happy Halloween!

A very unhappy little pumpkin head!

There's my happy little angel!

I just want to eat this little chili pepper up! This "newborn" costume we bought assumes that women spit out 12 pound turkeys because Thatcher could probably wear this costume when he enters kindergarten...it is huge! We couldn't resist dressing him up anyways...although it was not a pleasant experience for all involved...poor baby! Happy Halloween everyone!

2 weeks old!

I can't belive our munchkin is already 2 weeks old (and what a slacker blogger I've been)! He has been so much fun...alot of work and not much sleep, but sooo much fun. Yesterday was a busy day for us. We had our 2 week visit with the pediatrician and Thatcher has regained his birth weight exactly, the little chunky monkey is eating better than I thought...whew! Then, we had newborn pictures taken of him last night by a great photographer referred to us by friends (thanks JT and Mica!)...we loved her and can't wait to see the pictures! Here are a couple of recent pictures...I just want to eat him up!

Our sweet baby boy

Thatcher Bennett is finally here! He was born October 11, 2007 at 10:14pm after a very LONG day :) He is the most precious blessing Jeff and I could ask for. He weighed 8 lbs, 3oz and is 20 inches long. God is good! Thank you for all your prayers, keep them coming!!

The two loves of my life!!

Happy Tuesday!

I don't really have anything exciting to post about today, sure wish I did...like maybe something about having a baby! Oh, well...maybe soon. Yesterday of all things, I was summoned for jury duty on my day off...of course. Let me just tell you that I was thrilled to pull myself out of bed to be in Denton by 8:20am. Believe me , I tried to find pregnancy as an exemption for jury duty, but there was NOTHING. The form DID say if you have another excuse you would like to present to the judge you can do that when you show up. Soooo...in my prego state, I approached the judge when he called for "other excuses" and told him I was expecting a baby any day, could I be excused from my civil duty? I just knew he would take one look at me, have mercy, smile and say "yes ma'am, you should NOT be here, please find your way out." Boy, was I wrong...he basically said sorry about you, if you get chosen to a court, you will opportunity to use the bathroom and we will do what we can to make you comfortable. It took all I had to not bust into tears and crawl back to my seat among the 300 something people packed in this room. We had been told all but 60 people would be assigned to be in court all day...so I immediately started praying to be one of those lucky 60 people. Thankfully, God had mercy on me and I wasn't randomized! I was home by around 10:30am and back in my bed!

I will sign off with a few pics of Thatcher's nursery...all we lack is a baby to complete the room!

Our OTHER child...

For those of you who didn't know already, Jeff and I have an older "child," Gunner. This cat child of ours has a long history with me and now Jeff has become his legal guardian as well by marriage. I adopted Gunner when he was just born, probably only a couple of weeks old the summer before I started pharmacy school in 1999. So, as you could probably guess, we have been through a lot together...two declawing incidents (don't ask), many nights of studying, a few moves including one from Amarillo to big D, more nights of stress and studying, many occasions with 2 unnamed weenie dogs, an engagement, finally a graduation, a night-before-the-wedding disappearance (again don't ask, too traumatic), a marriage that he definately had to adapt to (think cat urine and Jeff's clothes), and obviously the list could go on and on. Anyways, all of this to say...imagine my horrified reaction when I was talking to my sweet grandmother on the phone the other night, gingerly climbing up on the couch to close the blinds in our living room (don't go there visually as I am almost 8.5 months prego) and I see this...that, my friends would be our pack n' play...

Here goes nothing...

Well, I've finally decided it is time for me to join the blogging world. Many friends have nudged me to do it and I have to admit, I am always reading other people's blogs in my spare time! Honestly, I think it is such an awesome way to keep friends and family up to date on what is going on with our family. I figured with our little boy coming in about a month, now was a great time to start. I have tried to post my favorite picture of our last sonogram where you can see his precious little face, but for some reason blogger won't let me...you'll have to settle for a picture or two from our recent getaway to Mount Massive Lakes in Colorado! My dad's family has a cabin there and we had such a blast with them. There are about 20 lakes in this community stocked with trout, so we all caught multiple fish everytime we threw out our line...it was such a great time spent relaxing and spending time away with family! The second picture is Jeff, me, Anna and Christina...such amazing girls (my cousins).