It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

...and Reese is lovin' it!  Of course, getting the decorations up isn't something that happens in one day anymore, but Reese has been a good little elf!

 She's really enjoying her nativity that Honey and Grampy bought her last year, complete with the Inn at Bethlehem, manger scene, and the 3 Wise Men.  Of course, I'm not sure if it will ever look this put together again...

Here she is sporting her ADORABLE gingerbread apron Grammy made her.  I wonder what she's going to make?

10 months

Wow! I haven't been doing a very good job keeping up with things lately on the blog, so I'm going to use this post to get caught up. 

The past month has been filled with more football, reunions, hayrides, a trip to Fredricksburg, a quick trip to the ranch, and much more...hmmmm, maybe that's why I'm so behind! Miss Reese loves to be on-the-go (and her Mama does too), so we try to keep it that way.

hayride with the Ahrens fam

loving the slide and looking forward to many more days in the "jumper"

She is still not crawling as we all know crawling, but has figured out how to get around as long as she's on the carpet or tile.  Don't let this confuse you with being mobile.  She is a cruiser!  She walks laps around the coffee table, or anything else she can reach and walk to.  I'm still a bit leery of whether she will ever be a conventional crawler.

We have a great eater on our hands, although, I'm already worried we've created a monster. She would much rather have risotto and creme brulee versus Gerber ravioli or applesauce. She's got four teeth and two more on the way.  She's been a champ at transitioning from the bottle...we are just two days in to no bottles, but before that she only had one before bed, so I'm pretty sure doing away with the last one will go smoothly too.

I've been putting off  "baby proofing" my house since she hasn't hasn't been truly on the move, but I think it's time....especially since JP went in to her room this morning only to find our little lady standing up glaring at him from her crib. 

Oh, and how could I forget Thanksgiving!  Well, I know my husband would love to forget the game, but seriously, we have so many things to be thankful for, namely our Lord and Savior, and family and friends, who we love so dearly.  Of course, Reese was one of the first things that came to my mind when I thought about Thanksgiving this year because she has truly brought such joy to our lives and we are so thankful for the past 10 months as we have watched her grow.

I know it doesn't look like it here, but Reese was so happy to see Will on Thanksgiving at the tailgate...it had been a while!

....and now on to the Christmas season...one of my favorite times of year!

 Elle & Reese: already great friends! 

 with Leisha and Leslie at a much needed girl's night out at A Christmas Affair (note the tumblers of wine...the line to the bar was too long to stand in again...everyone was doing it!)

   bath in one of the new sinks at the ranch and lovin' the washcloth!

Embracing It

So, I'm sure it's just a phase (at least I hope it is), but Miss Reese has been quite clingy and crabby the past week or so.  I mean if she isn't sleeping, eating, outside or watching Your Baby Can Read, she is little miss antsy pants and fusses.  I'm fairly certain she is cutting some new teeth, because this temperament is not her norm.  Let's hope it comes and goes fast, though, because it's wearing this mama out!  I mean, I make quite the to-do list for myself at the beginning of the week and constantly picking up and consoling a fussy baby makes things go   r  e  a  l  l  y    s  l  o  w  l  y.

But, last week, my mom said something that made me think, she said "enjoy holding her now, because there will come a time when she won't want to be held", and I think "...and too big to be held".  So, I'm trying my best to embrace this "clingy" time and enjoy snuggling with my little one.  Yesterday, she woke up from her nap and I knew she needed to rest a bit more so I sat on the couch with her (and paci and horsey, of course) and she slept in my arms for over an hour.  Of course, my mind was listing out all the things I needed to do, but it was ABSOLUTE BLISS watching her sleep in my arms...something that hasn't happened in months! 

So yes, I think I'm doing a pretty good job embracing this phase, but even today she seems back on the path to greatness. 

Trick or Treat

I hope all of our future Halloween's are as wonderful and smooth as Reese's first one.  She was the cutest little duck I've ever seen and never once tried to take off her (duck) hat.  She embraced everything the day had to offer, including hanging with great friends, enjoying some good grub and trick or treating with Elle Ehlert the Owl.  So I guess next year I can expect a constant bugging to eat more candy.

Super Caroline, Reese the Duck, Elle (not in costume yet), and Eli the pumpkin

Shelley is quite a kid at heart.  Tons-o-fun was had in the cozy coupe!

now in costume

starting the trick or treat trek in the wagon

Saturday Night Lights

Well, we all know Texas isn't having their best season, but that doesn't keep us from enjoying a beautiful Saturday at DKR.  We are finally beginning to see hints of fall, which makes tailgating and watching the game that much more enjoyable.

9 Months

So here we are at the 9 month mark and Reese is still not crawling.  The more and more I read about this and talk to her doctor, it is actually completely normal, especially since she isn't lacking in any of the other developmental milestones...she's just going to do it on her own clock.  They say many babies skip crawling all together...who knows, maybe she'll be one of them!  She's gotten quite good at scooting in a circle on her bottom and moving backwards on her stomach, but just not crawling forward on her hands and knees.  Of course, I know it will be a whole new world for us all when she truly does becomes mobile and I'm enjoying that I can still set her in one spot and know that she's probably only going to move around that 3-6 ft radius, but what parent doesn't want their little one to master this milestone in a timely manner!?

9 month stats:
weight: 19 lbs 14 oz (74th percentile)
height: 29 inches (90th percentile)

Boy have we been busy this past month!  Of course there was the big trip to Vegas, Round Top Antique Festival, TX/OU in Dallas, and Finley's 1st birthday party just to name a few. 

Reese is showing her personality more and more everyday...she is such a ham!  She is such a sweet little baby and we are looking forward to what's next!

lunching in Dallas with Daddy

 one of her favorite things...standing up in her crib

 having fun with Emma

lovin' the big ball

tailgating with Amy...just sorry we missed Will...AGAIN!

Happy Fall, Ya'll!

So, it's fall, even though the weather here in Texas doesn't really show it.  Hopefully things will be cooling off soon!  Even with the warm weather, it's still pumpkin season!  Our church has quite a nice little pumpkin patch set up, so I decided to take Reese and introduce her to all of the orange goodness (and make it a photo opp, of course).  Our friends Lindsey and Caroline joined us and the girls seemed to be more interested in the hay, grass and eating dirt than they were in the pumpkins.

Reese also had a little fall off the bale of hay I had her propped up on, but of course she survived and I'm sure there will be many more. 

I guess the morning light is to blame for so many of the AMAZING shots I got.  It was impossible to wittle my favorites down to just a couple, so I'm posting several.

Happy Fall, Ya'll!

Reese Does Vegas

So for the past 6 months, I've been working for Graco, teutonia, and Aprica via contract to plan the their show space (equalling a whopping 8200 sq ft) at the 2010 ABC Show.  Once again, the show was held in Vegas and since I needed to be out there for a full 7 days, I asked Honey and Grampy if they would be willing to bring Reese out, so that I didn't have to miss her for a whole week.  They had been wanting to make the trip anyway, since so much has changed since they had been out there 20 years ago.  It was a long week, but I'm so glad my little lady was there for part of it, because I think I would have been miserable without her.  Here are a few pics of the booths, which turned out looking absolutely spectacular!

I asked Honey to write a little bit about their trip with Reese to share on the blog...so here it is:

Earlier in the month, Honey and Grampy had the occasion to spend some quality time with Miss Reese. Her Mother was on a project in Las Vegas so we took her out to so she could be with her Mother part of the time. The airplane ride was uneventful---she took two naps, one in Grampy's arms and the other in Honey's arms. Reese was awesome---wooing the hearts of those around her. In Vegas, she was sighted at multiple high end restaurants. ( Her Honey and Grampy love fine dining.) Reese enjoyed the likes of Emeril's, NOBU, Mario Batali's, and Michael Mina's Nob Hill. She was soooo good at all these places, taking in the sights. She really enjoyed strolling through the casinos seeing all the flashing lights and hearing the sounds of others hitting the jackpot.


Reese adjusted well to PST from CST. She made up an hour every night so by the time it was time to go home her body adjusted to the 2 hour time difference. The first morning she was up and ready to play at 4:30 am.

It was an awesome trip both for the grandparents and Reese. There was a close bonding, something that Honey and Grampy will never forget.

I'm a bit sad that the only pics we have from this excursion were taken on our iPhones, but here is one of Reese and me getting ready to watch the water show at the Bellagio...it never disappoints!

Giggles: My Saving Grace for the Next Few Days

In my opinion, watching and listening to my little one giggle is one of the best things about being a parent.  It's sheer delight for both of us!

I'm leaving for a week-long trip to Vegas early tomorrow morning and will not see Reese again until Sunday when my parents bring her out there, so this will be my saving grace until then!

8 Months

Wow, I can't believe we are closer than ever to the 1 year mark!

We continue to be amazed and crack up laughing everyday as Reese's little personality is coming out more and more.  I think we've definitely got our work cut out for us!

She still isn't mobile, but if we can get her on her tummy long enough (without throwing a fit), it does seem like she has some interest in moving, but just can't figure out how to get up on her knees.  She loves to stand--on her own, though.  Of course, she's not pulling up quite yet, so to get in that favorite position, she has to be put there.

Of course, it's football season, so that is really the majority of what we've been doing lately (on the weekends, anyway) and Reese is loving every minute of it.

everything still goes straight to her mouth

just look at that grin

our ball girl at the Austin Hamptons Party

Wreck'em/Hook'em?...one confused little lady

gameday with Elle Ehlert