A Busy Brenham Weekend

We were in Brenham last weekend once again for a weekend filled with festivities.  On Saturday morning we helped host a bridal brunch for Karla along with Vicky and Melissa.  I sure enjoyed seeing everyone and it was great for Reese to meet all the lovely ladies!  Unfortunately, Reese decided to spit up all of the guest of honor.  Sorry, Karla...hopefully we will be growing out of this sooner than later.

Vicky and Rosemary with Reese

Karla and Leslie with Reese

all the ladays (and Reese and Madalyn)

Saturday was also Rob's birthday, so we celebrated with the fam and Reese got to see some of her cousins...Beckett, I hope you are feeling better and we'll catch you next time!

Emma sharing the love

Reese and Finley--4 months apart

 

Then we get to Sunday and Reese's Sip N See for all the Brenham peeps that had yet to meet her.  It was a beautiful day and I know Reese enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people that have been such great family and friends to us! Thanks so much to Honey and Grampy, Grammy and Grandpa, and Bill and Dana for hosting.

Reese with the Betty's

Jana and Dana with Reese

Edna and Aunt Helen with Reese

Jamie getting her practice...we can't wait to meet Baby Rankin!

New Look

I'm sure by now you've noticed the new look of IBP.com.  We're diggin' it too, but will soon be making some refinements, so stay tuned...

Firsts at The Ranch

• "ladies retreat"
• riding on 1-10 where the speed limit is 80 mph
• napping by the fire
• walk behind the ranch house to see the windmill
• taking baths in the kitchen and bathroom sinks
• riding around in the truck and looking at the wildlife
• trip to Simon Bros. Mercantile in Roosevelt

Reese and I sure enjoyed our trip to the ranch a couple of weeks ago.  I think she will enjoy it just as much as we do!

Brenham Babies

I think we might be entering the next baby boom...at least if you are from or live in Brenham.  When I announced that we were expecting, there were several others that I grew up with and went to high school with that did the same just before or just after, and I tell you what....they just keep coming!

A couple of weeks ago, we headed to Brenham to see Amy and Will in from Augusta.  Will was born about a month before Reese and several of the other new babies were there too. 

William Ashley and me

 As I looked around at the crowd attending the Sip N See, I noticed that for the most part everyone there was either expecting, recently had a baby, or a grandparent to one of the babies.  We had fun lining up all the little ones for a quick photo opp and it was quite hilarious watching the newborns fall over on each other, the older ones touching all over the newborns and of course the ones that won't sit still for a picture.  Many more fun times to come with these little ones!

lining them up

craziness!

Sue and Karla with Reese and Madalyn

our first attempt at a family photo...must be something really interesting on the ceiling!

Snow

I'm extremely late in posting this, but wanted to share a few pics from Reese's first snow...she didn't like it much. Of course, snow in Central Texas is a rare thing, so when we do get it, everyone seems to freak out.  Well for us, it was just another normal (cold) day, but in the years to come I know a day like this will provide pure bliss for Miss Reese.

The snow also had me thinking about my past travels to Philly at least once a month.  I'm sure glad I wasn't making that trek with all of the snow they've recieved this year because I'm sure it would have resulted in a few delayed or cancelled flights.  And I know all of my fellow Graco co-workers that moved down to Atlanta were ecstatic about the break from the weather, too.

Needless to say, I'm so ready for spring and for all of this cold nasty stuff subside!  I'm much more fun enjoying an afternoon stroll or jog with the sun beaming, sitting on a patio sipping a mojito or admiring the freshly planted flowers in my yard...so here's to saying goodbye to winter and hello to spring!

1 Month

Wow!  It's so hard to believe that a whole month has already passed since Reese arrived.  It has been such a wonderful month having Reese in our lives and it just makes us giddy for what is to come!  We went for Reese's 1 month checkup this morning and she is doing great and growing like a weed.

New Stats:
9 lbs 14 ounces
22 inches

We definitely haven't taken this past month layed up.  I mean, I just can't stay in the house too long or I go stir crazy and wherever I go, Reese goes too!  We've been to numerous shopping establishments, Super Bowl party, Houston, Brenham, Texas City, happy hours, wedding showers, church, out to dinner, out to lunch, and the list goes on...

this just makes me melt--getting ready for bed

all dressed up in one of Cousin Emma's hand-me-downs

 trying out the onion goggles at Matt & Shell's shower

another "house divided" event--unfortunately Texas won this one, too so the socks stayed on all day

Meeting More Peeps

Reese has loved meeting so many of her family and friends and JP and I have really enjoyed seeing everyone too.  We are looking forward to seeing many more of you very soon!

The Ehlert's and Gleaton's come to visit and bring fabulous Austin's Pizza.  Elle and Reese look forward to playing together A LOT!

Cousin Becky comes to visit from Houston

Lindsey comes to see Miss Reese...next time Caroline will have to come along for a playdate...we look forward to it!

Megan is now a resident of the ATX and we look forward to seeing her much more!

The Guttenberger's come to visit after Melissa's finish of the Austin Half Marathon

Love It!

Mealbaby.com has been my obsession since Reese arrived.  We arrived home from the hospital on a Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, I began getting emails stating "so and so is bringing you a meal on X day".  I had never heard of this online meal registry, but my friends had!  Shelley was so gracious to set it up for us and then sent messages out to several of our friends, where they could pick a day, sign up, and then another email was sent to me notifying me what day they were coming.  The process goes like this:

Step 1: Sign up by creating a free account using your email

Step 2: Create a meal calendar complete with a list of favorite foods, gift card options, contact information, maps and directions.

Step 3: Choose friends and family to e-mail that will help make meals, deliver food or purchase a gift card to a local restaurant.


Once you know what you're bringing, you can also enter that into the calendar so all the others bringing meals don't repeat the same fare.
 
We sure enjoyed all of our meals--6 in all! Thanks everyone for pampering us and giving us some extra time to enjoy our little lady!
 
This is also a great tool to use if you know someone having surgery or even in times of sympathy.  I will definitely be using it in the future!

First Trip to Brenham

Yes, Saturday was Reese's first trip to B-Town and she took it like a champ.  It was a quick daytrip, so I apologize for to everyone we weren't able to see on Saturday.  The occasion was my nephew's 2nd Birthday.  The big day was actually in December, but with all the craziness of the holidays going on, Matt and Lauren decided to have "the ultimate 2" celebration, that is 2 year, 2 months, and 2 days...and I must say it was a great one!

yum-o carrot cake cupcakes

trucks, trucks, trucks was the theme so Grammy made cookies to fit

Along with Beckett's big day came meeting some of the fam Reese had yet to meet, including Great-Grandma Karcher and Aunt LaVerna Landua.  These two ladies are both very special to Jonathan and me and I know they will be very special to Reese, too!

And now, for the cousins!  Emma and Beckett (and Finley, though he doesn't realize it yet) got to meet their new cousin.  It was absolutely adorable to see them ooh and ahh over her and give her hugs and kisses.  Parker holidays just got a little more fun, adding one more cousin to the mix and Emma will actually have a girl to play with, since all of her other cousins (and brothers, of course) are boys!  Let the house-playing begin!

Finley Foo

Kisses!

House Divided

Well, Reese experienced her first house divided sporting event last Wednesday when Texas hosted Texas Tech at the Erwin Center.  Unfortunately for me (and half of Reese) Texas took home the W.  We sat this year's game out, and enjoyed it sofa-side at the casa.  And of course, we had to break out the collegiate baby gear!  I think Reese is going to be one confused little lady...at least for a little while!