What a difference a year makes....

Yesterday, we took Brinley to visit with Santa Claus. We were worried she wouldn't even go near him since she has a fear of people in costumes, but we figured we would give it a shot! After bribing her with eating lunch and a trip to build a bear afterwards, she sat on the chair next to him with her cousin, Reese sitting on his lap. Thinking that was the only picture I would get this year, they got up to leave and Santa asked her to sit on his lap so she let him pick her up! She wouldn't smile for us but it was a win in my column!



2007 picture with Santa..... "Help me please!!!!"

2008 picture with Santa....."I will sit here but you can't make me smile!"

Birthdays, Christmas lights and Santa!

Wednesday was Jason's birthday. Happy birthday sweetheart! We went over to his parent's house for dinner, cake and ice cream. It was yummy!!!!

On Saturday, my sorority sister Amy was in town so we went to dinner and headed down to Moody Gardens Festival of Lights in Galveston. We took Brinley last year and she loved seeing all the Christmas lights. This was the opening weekend and since the next 2 weekends are booked and we didn't want to chance Clayton coming early, we decided to start the Christmas season a little early! Thanks to Hurricane Ike, the walking tour of Christmas lights was only half of what is was last year due to damage, but none the less spectacular! Brinley "oohed" and "ahhed" over all the lights. It was a little chilly last night so with all the Christmas music playing and millions of lights, it didn't even feel like the week before thanksgiving!

At the end of the tour, Santa Claus was there. Brinley is not too fond of people dressed up and wouldn't even go near Santa last year without screaming! Jason eased her up him and he was great! He didn't talk to her or look or her, just let her get used to being next him before doing anything. Although she wouldn't sit on his lap, she did sit on the arm of his chair! PROGRESS! I am hoping a few more trips to see Santa will eventually yield a good picture with him this year!

Happy Birthday Pops!

Last night we took my dad out for his birthday to eat at Pappas Brothers Steakhouse. My brother's neighbor is one of the head chefs for the restaurant so we were treated like royalty! We feasted on crab cakes, oysters, salmon, onion rings, lobster tail, filet Mignon, macaroni and cheese with crab meat (Brinley loved it!) and finished with desserts of pumpkin cheesecake (which was to die for!), ice cream, peach cobbler and pecan pie! The food never stopped coming from the kitchen...half of which we didn't order! It was a great evening and we were all miserably stuffed by the end of the night!

Pops with his "grandgirls" Reese and Brinley

Reese taught Brinley a new trick...notice her hands are not touching the spoon!

My familia! Blake, Dad, Mom, Reese, Brinley, Robin, Jason, me and Clayton (hidden under the table!)

Brinley's first trip to the movies

We took Brinley to the movies this morning to see Madagascar 2. It was her first time in a movie theatre and she did exceptionally well. She sat on the edge of her seat, (only because she would fold up when she sat towards the back), ate her entire bag of junior sized popcorn and drank a pink lemonade!

Brinley, I am so glad you can sit through a movie with no problems! Now Daddy and I can start enjoying our love of going to the movies again...even if there are only G rated!

The Halloween that never seemed to end.....

Our Halloween celebration started on Wednesday with Brinley and I making cookies for her class at school. She really enjoyed shaking the sprinkles on the cookies. Although I had to keep reminding her to move on to the next cookie. They weren't the prettiest cookies, but all her classmates enjoyed them the next day at school!

When Daddy got home from work, we carved our pumpkin. Brinley wasn't too thrilled with pulling out the pumpkin guts and preferred to use the scoop instead! We don't have a picture of her with the final product because once we put the candle in she got scared and wouldn't go near it. She is very aware of things this Halloween and it has taken several trips to the costume stores to get her used to people in costumes!

Thursday, she got to wear her costume to school and have her Halloween party. She brought home all sorts of goodies. That evening, we met some friends at Trick or Treat at the Park by our house. All the businesses set up booths and then give out candy and treats. It was a great way to do some trick or treating in one contained area without too much walking! Brinley and her friends had so much fun.

Friday morning was a Halloween playdate with Brinley and her BFF's from school. They jumped on the trampoline, dressed up in play clothes, and ate lots of food! It was also a fun for all the mom's to visit! Brinley came home exhausted and took a 3 hour nap which I had to wake her up from! I made a pumpkin cake for the party (which will be my last cake I make until Clayton gets here!)

Finally, Friday evening we headed over to the Smith's for dinner and trick or treating. Hannah led the trick or treating and taught Brinley and Wyatt all about it. They watched for a few houses and then they were running up to each door knocking and holding their pumpkins up for candy! It was so cute to hear them say trick or treat and wait patiently for their candy. Brinley even said "thank you" at each house (unprompted)...my sweet little girl! After an hour of trick or treating the kiddos were pooped so we headed home.

Brinley ended up with 2 bowls full of candy from her Halloween festivities! Needless to say we are having a Halloween hangover today!

Dancing with the Stars and Brinley

Brinley has become obsessed with watching Dancing with the Stars. I have never seen an episode until this year when I accidentally stopped on the station when getting up to answer the phone. Brinley LOVED it from the second she started watching it! Now every Monday night she watches and imitates each move the dancers do. It is quite funny to watch. I guess we will have to sign her up for dance next fall! Sorry for the shaky cell phone video, but I still haven't figured out how to get our camera videos small enough to put on here!

Pumpkins, rain and family from Switzerland

We have been very busy this week with all sorts of fall festivities. We started out the week by going to our church bazaar. Even though it was very humid and did not feel like fall at all, we enjoyed ourselves. Brinley especially loved the big blow up slide. She climbed her way to the top and slid down for about 30 minutes. She kept telling the girl, "no help" as she was trying to help her climb up. She is a little monkey and got her way up to the very top, even as 3 year olds were needing help getting up there!
Wednesday, my sister in law, Vickie, and nephew, Wyatt came into town for a visit. They are currently living in Switzerland but will be moving back to the US next year. Brinley and Wyatt were born only 2 days apart, although you can't tell since he is 2 inches taller than her and outweighs her by 10 pounds (BTW, she is older!!) We started the day by heading out to a pumpkin farm and animal ranch, but torrential downpours stopped us right as we got there. Instead, we headed to the new outlet mall they opened right by the ranch. It wasn't as much for the kids, but we enjoyed it! The kids had a great time playing on their playground and running through the stores chasing each other.

Since Thursday was a rainy day as well, Vickie and Wyatt came over and the cousins played at our house. Friday we went and did the hospital tour where I will be having Clayton. My doctor switched hospitals so we will not be having him at the same hospital I had Brinley. After the tour, I realized how good I had it at the other hospital. But I guess that is the difference between a private and regional hospital!


Saturday morning, we went to Chloe's first birthday party. It was a costume party, but Brinley didn't wear her Halloween costume. I decided it would be too hard to clean after cake, ice cream and juice, so instead she wore a precious outfit I bought her when I was in Canton a few weeks ago.
After a nice afternoon nap, we met up with my mother in law, brother in law and nephew Wyatt. We took them to a pumpkin patch right by my house and let them terrorize the place. They ran around picking up pumpkins and chasing each other for an hour!



Sunday for lunch we met up with Jason's family to say goodbye to Vickie and Wyatt. We really enjoyed spending time with them. Brinley and Wyatt had so much fun this trip and really bonded as cousins. Hopefully they will get to make a trip down here this winter so they can play together again!