Our Pride and Joy

Newborn Pictures!

2011-11-09T15:19:00.000-06:00

Not only were we lucky enough to have my sweet SIL and BIL make the long trip to Baton Rouge to meet their newest nephew, but we also got a newborn photo shoot out of it. My SIL just happens to be a very talented photographer and we were thrilled that she was able to come and capture Lucas so we can always remember when he was this small.

She posted some of her favorites on her blog, which you can see here. If you enjoy them as much as we do, feel free to comment and let her know! (and keep them in mind for any of your photography needs, particularly if you're in the DFW area!)

Pumpkin is here!

2011-11-01T10:43:00.000-05:00

We welcomed our little pumpkin, Lucas Patrick, on October 26, 2011 at 8:22 am. While we were in Labor and Delivery, Z and I were trying to finalize our choice for a boy's name. We were both so certain that the baby would be a girl that we actually just stopped mid-discussion and agreed it was a moot point. Needless to say, we were very surprised when the doctor announced that he was a boy!

My L&D experience was a very positive one this time around (I'll try to get around to posting a full birth story soon) that involved me progressing from 4 to 9 centimeters in about 45 minutes (I really love the person who invented epidurals). It all ended with our 8 lb 12.8 oz, 21.5 " son. Recovery is going well and all in all we just feel extremely blessed.

And now, pictures!

Muddy Puddles

2011-08-09T21:45:00.001-05:00

Campbell has become somewhat obsessed with Peppa Pig lately. It seems that Nick Jr. only owns about 5 different episodes so I've pretty much memorized them all, but thankfully, she doesn't seem to mind.

Second on her list of favorite things are her boots. My cousin has a 4-year-old and they have been kind enough to send hand-me-downs to Campbell. In the last batch were a pair of Hello Kitty rain boots. Campbell would wear them every day if she could. I guess that's the bright side to living in Louisiana, land of the monsoons. We went through at least a month where it rained every afternoon. Our carport which got converted into a play area so we could at least get out of the house and those boots are the only things that kept us from going crazy.

Combine some inspiration from Peppa along with one pair of rain boots and you get one of Campbell's favorite activities- jumping in muddy puddles. Now every time it starts to rain, Campbell yells, "My boots!" She then proceeds to find her boots, put them on and head to the door. When we get outside, well . . .

Wordless Wednesday: Hats

2011-07-13T16:33:00.000-05:00

Ten on Tuesday

2011-07-12T17:20:00.000-05:00

1. I hate potty training. Campbell has used the potty at least once a day since we got home from Texas (and was using it sporadically before that) so we decided to take the plunge and try out the 3 day potty training method. Ugh, it is not going well. We're on day 2 (and she's down for a nap right now- in a diaper- I'm not messing with changing sheets all the time so naptime and nighttime will wait) and we have been through so many pairs of panties. My mom told me 1) to keep a mop handy (thanks, mom!) and 2) that they did the same thing with me and on the 2nd night, my dad was D-O-N-E, done, but the next day I had it. I'm hoping and praying that is just how we do it in our family. Thankfully Z is off tomorrow, so he can help.

2. Some of Campbell's favorite toys right now are bath crayons. Usually she just colors in the bath, but last night she got in there before the water was run and just went to town. She was naked anyway (I gave up on the panties all together around 5:30 pm) and spent a good 30 minutes in there just drawing away.

3. At one point, Z asked her what she was writing, and she responded with her full name. Neither of us even knew that she knew her full name! Here she is saying it again.

4. Campbell has a friend named Amira. They haven't seen each other in a while, but they had fun playing at brunch on Sunday.

5. The new baby is doing well. Kicking up a storm, usually between 11:30 and midnight (yay). I am already having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, so that really makes the next 15 weeks seem like a long time.

6. While 15 weeks sounds like a long time to sleep poorly, it does not sound like a long time when it is the amount of time until we have another baby. Wow, we still have so much to do, it's not even funny.

7. We took Campbell to see fireworks in a small town nearby on the 3rd and then to the fireworks over the Mississippi on the 4th. She loved them. I thought they needed more Sousa and less pop/country music. :)

8. We made grilled pizza for the first time on Saturday (and, if I'm being totally honest, for the 2nd time on Sunday). It is the best thing ever. I would eat it every night if I could. Campbell liked helping with the dough.

9. One of Campbell's birthday gifts from us was an easel. She loves painting on it (and insists on wearing her smock even when she is just using the dry erase board or chalkboard- love that kid).

10. Campbell will be 25 months old tomorrow. Holy cow!

Flashback Friday: the 4th

2011-07-08T21:35:00.001-05:00

Campbell watching fireworks on July 4, 2009:

And July 4, 2011:

Flashback Friday: A belly comparison

2011-07-01T17:23:00.000-05:00

First, just for a little humor, I want to just show you a picture of my "bump" with Campbell at 20 weeks.

I'll pause for a moment so you can all stop laughing. The funny thing is, I hadn't taken any belly pictures up to that point because I didn't think I looked pregnant, but obviously, I totally did in that picture. Anyway, moving on to the comparison. Here I am at 23 weeks with Campbell:

Ok, ok. Starting to see a little something here. (I really miss that bathroom, btw). And, prepare to be frightened, here I am today, at 23 weeks, 4 days with "Pumpkin":

I'm kind of afraid to think of how big I'm going to be come October.

Campbell's big Announcement

2011-06-28T15:14:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've noticed the changes around here, including the new ticker. Which means I'm sure you've figured out (in case you didn't already know) we are expecting a new baby this October. Don't worry, we didn't just spring it on everyone via ticker. We tried to tell as many family and friends in person as possible and for those for whom an in person announcement wasn't a possibility, we sent these:

2-year well check

2011-06-23T12:08:00.000-05:00

We took Campbell to the doctor this morning for her 2-year well check. Things she hated: being weighed and measured. Things she (oddly) didn't mind- having her eyes, ears, heart and lungs checked. Odd child.

We did have to wake her up to get her ready and to the appointment on time, so that may have had something to do with her foul mood at the beginning of the appointment. Luckily, the nurse is really sweet and just talked to her about her Elmo doll, which made Campbell love her. By the time she was leaving the room, Campbell held out her Elmo dr. kit (I thought it might help her get through the exam without screaming) and said, "Look, doctor." Cu-uute.

We found out that our girl is tall- 36"! That's 3 whole feet, y'all, and almost the 95th percentile. She weighed 29 lbs 14 oz (just below the 90th percentile). She's only gained a few ounces since her sick visit for a cold at the end of March, but the doctor said that's normal and ok (particularly since she's obviously not having issues with her weight).

She didn't have to get any shots today- Hep A booster was on the schedule, but the doctor told us that our old pedi in Austin hadn't sent over C's shot records (even though I gave them all the info in March and they requested them). She didn't want to give her an extra dose since some practices give it at 18 months and said that we can just do it at her 3-year well check if she hasn't had it. Thankfully, the nurse found her shot records and let us know that they had them as we were walking out. It's crazy to think that, other than sick visits, Campbell won't need another appointment for an entire year.

She's doing well on her milestones- we had to fill out a questionnaire, asking her to do different things like point to body parts, name pictures of animals, etc. She did pretty well, she can't jump yet, but we're not worried about that.

All in all, it was a good check-up, although Campbell did display some "typical 2-year old behavior" at the beginning. :)

Not Who Dat, but What Dat

2011-05-25T16:12:00.000-05:00

Living in Louisiana, I have to say that I wouldn't be at all shocked if Campbell was walking around saying "who dat". After all, it is pretty much the most popular cheer for the Saints. Maybe we'll get to hear some "who dat" in the fall when football season rolls around, but lately, it seems like all we're hearing is "what dat"?

Apparently we've reached a questioning phase because now, 1000 times a day, Campbell will point to something and ask "what dat?" I'm just thankful that, for now, the question of choice isn't "why?" "What dat" is generally easy to answer. Sure, there are times when she points to something that either has a really long name, a name that is difficult to pronounce, or something that I don't even know how to identify (she will point to a really small part of something and ask and I just have no clue- maybe I need to start telling her it's a "thingie" or a "dinglehopper" in those cases).

The funny part about her asking is that I don't really think she's asking to find out new information because a lot of times, she already knows what the answer is. I am actually starting to think that she's quizzing us. She will ask about 4 questions, hear the answers and then say "Good job, Momma!" or this morning she said, "Great, Daddy!"

While all the questions can grate on the nerves, I have to say that when she throws in some praise for you, it makes it a lot easier to keep answering.

Stuck? Stuck. STUCK!

2011-05-12T14:54:00.000-05:00

Campbell was "helping" me with the laundry this morning. Zach called me into the other room for a few seconds and when we came back, this was what we found. (And yes, we decided to record it instead of helping her.)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-13T18:55:00.000-05:00

Little Drummer Girl

2011-03-27T22:23:00.000-05:00

When Campbell was in her Music Together class, she loved playing the drums. We tried out some different homemade drums for her to use outside of class and her favorite ended up being the big Folgers coffee can (even though it is plastic, so I guess it's not technically a "can"). She drums on it pretty frequently and, in fact, the last time we were at Target she started to shout "Drums, drums!" and when I turned around, I saw a big display of Folgers coffee. :)

Last week she got down while I was watching Glee. She actually starts keeping a pretty good beat in the middle.

Drama Rat

2011-03-25T23:10:00.000-05:00

That's what Campbell was tonight when I asked if she had brushed her teeth. Her daddy did bathtime with her and she took no time at all to rat him out, in dramatic fashion. The conversation went like this:

Me: Campbell, did you brush your teeth tonight?
Campbell (yelling): Oh no! Oh no! I no brush! Oh no! Teeth!
Z (with a guilty look): Thanks for ratting me out.

You Can Count on It

2011-03-09T21:46:00.000-06:00

It always seems like kids do the cutest/ smartest things when you're not prepared with the camera. That's why this video starts with 4 (luckily, my phone was right next to me). She throws an "and" in here and there (after 7 and 8, I think) but I was pretty impressed. Of course, when I tried to get her to recreate, she just stared at the camera, dropped the play-doh on the ground and said "uh oh" and tried to stick her finger in her nose. :) Oh well, here it is, folks! 4-10!

Problem Solver

2011-02-28T15:13:00.000-06:00

As we are getting settled into our new house and our new city (and umm, state) we are learning a lot of things. One of the things we learned about is the gum tree.

This is a gum tree:

We have many gum trees in our yard. They're nice enough, eh? Tall, should provide shade during the summer. What's the problem? Well, look a little closer. You see those balls on the trees? Up close, they look like this:

Our neighbor calls them gumballs, so that's what we're going with. They are about an inch in diameter and they are covered in pointy spines. Oh, and they are all. over. our. yard. See?

In our over-the-fence neighbor conversation (a la Wilson on Home Improvement, except the fence isn't tall enough to block out anyone's face) we were told that really the only way to get them out of your yard is to pick them up by hand. They are too hard to mow them (even with a mulching mower) and they clog up any kind of leaf vacuum. Well, lucky for us our daughter is a genius because later in the day, I saw this in the backyard:

Problem solved. ;) (Oh, and this answers the question I asked on FB a few months ago about why toy vacuums don't actually vacuum. It's because toddlers will try to vacuum up anything they can see and it would jam in about .58 seconds).

Chef Campbell

2011-02-25T22:22:00.000-06:00

Woo, long break there. I do have a good explanation for my absence. We moved to a new state! We're getting settled here in Louisiana but are definitely missing Texas (not too much though since we were just there for a visit last weekend). Now that things are calming down a bit, I'm getting back on the blogging bandwagon.

For a while now I've been having trouble getting C to eat breakfast. She used to eat scrambled eggs almost every day, but all of a sudden, started refusing them. I tried oatmeal, toast, fruit, yogurt, cold cereal, and didn't have much success with anything other than pancakes (and I just cannot make pancakes every morning!) While we were visiting, my sister had Campbell help her scramble some eggs one morning. C loved it and she ended up eating a good portion. Since we've been home, she has helped me with breakfast every morning (well, the 2 that we've been back). Thursday we made eggs again and today we made biscuits. She loved helping with the biscuits, although she didn't want to touch the dough with her hands (she made me get her wooden spoon back out and she mashed it down with that).

Here is a picture of our masterpieces:

I also tried to take a picture of C enjoying a biscuit, but whenever she sees the camera lately, she reaches for it and says "cheese!" because she wants to take pictures. This was the best I could do:

Dance Party Friday!

2011-01-07T12:31:00.001-06:00

She, as usual, had some great moves going on before this. Unfortunately, even when she can't see the camera, she somehow senses that it's on and stops her dancing. :(

A little naughty, but mostly nice

2010-12-20T17:20:00.000-06:00

In an effort to avoid lines (which now = meltdowns), we took Campbell to see Santa back before Thanksgiving. I was expecting her to freak her freak when we handed her over to a strange bearded man and expected her to sit still long enough for a picture. So, I was pretty shocked that she sat with him, smiled and stayed long enough for us to get 3 good pictures. I've been dying to post them, but wanted to wait since we used them on our Christmas cards this year. But, now that they've been mailed, I can share here as well.

We hadn't discussed Santa very much before we took her (since it was before Thanksgiving and all), but now we have and I'd say she's definitely a fan. We have a book of Christmas songs that she likes me to "read" to her and her favorite is "Up on the Housetop". She loves the ho, ho ho part. In fact, if you show her a picture of Santa and ask who it is, she will say "Ho Ho". Part of me wants to take her back to see him now that she kind of knows who he is but there is a much, much bigger part that says there is no way I'm getting anywhere near the mall the week of Christmas. Hope all of you are finished shopping (or are very close) and can enjoy the week!

Wordless Wednesday: Cutest slippers ever

2010-12-15T21:32:00.000-06:00

18 months!

2010-12-13T23:07:00.000-06:00

Sweet Campbell Hope is 1 and 1/2! We went to her well check today and all seemed well in the waiting room. Our pediatrician has aquariums and Campbell loved looking at the fish. However, that was all over when the nurse opened the door and called her name. She gave her an "oh, heck no!" look and kind of screeched.

It didn't get much better in the exam room. She didn't want anything to do with any part of the check-up. Screamed while she was getting measured, pushed the pediatrician's hand away when she was trying to listen to her heart and, of course, was not very happy about getting her shots (which I can't blame her for). I felt better when the doctor looked at me and said "Totally normal for the 18-month visit and the reason I don't schedule more than 1 or 2 in a day."

The good news is that all looks great. She is hitting all of her milestones and is right on track on her growth chart. She weighs 25 lbs 3 oz and is 32.5 inches. She still has a tiny head- only 46 cm. And I'm thankful that we don't have to go back for 6 months. :) (unless she gets sick, of course- but at least there won't be any more shots until then)

Ten on Tuesday

2010-11-23T22:42:00.000-06:00

It seems that I took a brief (unintended) hiatus from blogging. I kept meaning to write entries on activities that we were doing, but I guess the doing took time from the writing about doing. :) I'm going to try to catch up with today's entry and post some pictures that I've been meaning to for a long time.

1. In mid-October we visited a Pumpkin Patch with some of Campbell's buddies. The kids had a great time climbing all over this yellow thing, playing ladder golf, going on a hay ride, playing tether ball and hunting for mini-pumpkins. Campbell didn't really want to sit still to have her picture taken with the big pumpkins though.

2. October also brought Campbell's first trip to the zoo. She loved all the animals and even got up the courage to feed one of the goats before we left. I think she liked chasing the chickens best, though.

3. We decided that Campbell was still a little young for trick-or-treating this year, but she got to show off her costume at a party. She learned to meow just in time and I think it really added that certain something to her costume. However, we are in Texas and it got hot, so she changed into her tutu half-way through the party.

4. What fall season would be complete without a trip to Wurstfest? Z and I actually went twice- once on opening night and once on the last day. Campbell accompanied us on the 2nd trip and sampled several yummy treats (disclaimer- this is not indicative of what she is fed on a daily basis. It was Wurstfest, people. That is like Thanksgiving for those of us who are of German descent). She tried (and loved) some sausage (of course), German potato salad, fried onion, fried pickles, and yes, even a fried oreo. And she's still alive several weeks later. So there.

5. We had the privilege of celebrating along with our good friends Levi and Diana at their rehearsal dinner and wedding on November 11 and 12. Campbell was all about the dogs at the RD and all about the sunflowers at the reception. She didn't do so well during the mass though. She and I spent a lot of time in the narthex and outside (Z was in the wedding so he couldn't help out with her).

6. Last October, Z's brother gave him a ticket to the U2 concert and in exchange, he agreed to help our nieces clean out their play room. During the clean out, he packed up several toys for Campbell and brought them home. We gave her the toys that were age-appropriate and boxed everything else up. On Sunday Z was in the attic anyway so I asked him to bring the boxes down. I don't think I remembered what a great stash Campbell had just waiting for her. There were 4 Little People sets, a Weebles set and numerous other toys. She loves them and has been spending hours playing with them this week. She didn't even want to go to bed on Sunday night. So, huge thanks to Uncle D and Aunt R as well as her cousins A and A.

7. Campbell has been working on using utensils while eating lately. We started this more because she was showing an interest in them and not because I was at all eager to do so. She is so good at feeding herself with her hands that I was just planning on letting her do it until she went to ~~college~~ kindergarten. Kidding, kidding. It's a very messy process, but she is so excited when she actually gets food in her mouth.

8. Z and I have started running again. Campbell is a trooper and I think she enjoys our jaunts around the neighborhood (as would I, if I were completing them in the comfort of a stroller). Z is usually pushing her and I do have to say it is some wonderful motivation to see her clapping when I run alongside them. We are doing the Turkey Trot on Thursday (which means I won't feel guilty about Thanksgiving dinner- yay!) and are signed up to do the full (Z) and half (me) Austin marathon in February. Yikes.

9. The dress that Campbell is wearing in the wedding pictures (yellow, smocked) is one from when I was a baby. My mom saved several of my dresses and gave them to us when Campbell was born. I have to say I love being able to dress her in them and to know that maybe, one day my granddaughters can wear them as well.

10. I've been itching to decorate for Christmas this year, but I've held off. Z did get the decorations out of the attic when he was up there on Sunday but nothing has come out of the box. I would claim that I am merely "respecting the turkey", but really I am just nervous about what happens when you have mix a toddler with a Christmas tree. I might take the plunge this weekend since Z will be off Thursday-Sunday (yay) so y'all wish me luck!

Flashback Friday

2010-11-19T08:23:00.000-06:00

Remember this?

This was the adorableness that graced our Christmas cards last year. Ahhh . . . how easy it was then. Just plop her down in some Christmas lights and start shooting, the joys of an immobile baby. The lights are fun to look at, she couldn't move even if she wanted to and we just happened to capture that exact moment of angelic wonder (or maybe of "WTF are you doing, Mom?"- but I'm going with angelic wonder) that made her look like she was singing.

I am not laboring under the delusion that it would be that easy this year. You know, with a toddler who goes a mile a minute if she's going at all, who generally only smiles for the camera if we say cheese and then she repeats it, gives a huge grin and . . . lifts her head up in the air so you can only see her chin.

Exhibit A:

This year, we needed help, so we called in reinforcements. Namely, Santa and Shutterfly. We made an early visit to Santa's workshop (ie- Barton Creek Mall) to try to get some material for this year's cards. Awesome decision- no line at all (seriously- if you want to go, go now! The lady said that they get uber busy after Thanksgiving), they took about 15 shots and Santa is awesome. He actually got Campbell to smile and she didn't throw a fit at all while sitting on his lap (this is a big accomplishment, especially since when I first brought her up to him, it seemed as though a fit was imminent). We picked our favorites, had them printed on a CD and were on our way. All in all, it took maybe 10 minutes (probably closer to 5).

Now the only problem is what to do with said pictures. Enter Shutterfly. Seriously, this is the place to go for Christmas cards. They have tons of designs in all ranges of styles and- get this- they'll even stamp, address and send the cards for you! Being the mom of a busy toddler during the holiday season makes this a very valuable service! The only problem now is deciding on a design. Do we go with the simple look, super cute, or a more elegant look? I guess you'll just have to wait until you get our card to find out!

PS- Want to order some of your own cards from Shutterfly and get a great deal? Go here to find out about 50 free (yes, FREE!) cards for bloggers.

Words on Wednesday

2010-11-17T21:21:00.003-06:00

I keep meaning to make a list of all the words that Campbell can say, but I just haven't sat down with pen and paper to do it. I figured that I may as well post it here so that in 15 years, she can come back to see it. :) These are in no particular order (and Mom, feel free to let me know if I forgot any). :)

Daddy (and she's sure to pronounce both syllables- Dad-DY)
Mama
dog
cat
bubble
ball
hot (which can mean either food or hot)
bee-bo (belly button)
teeth
hair
toes
ear
Beau (our dog)
Happy (other dog- she just started saying this today- before that she called them both Beau)
bath
book
drink
milk
up
no (said very emphatically and usually 5-6 times in response to my questions)
Elmo (which, at first, sounded a lot like Mama and melted my heart, until I realized she was saying Elmo. Hmph.)
clock
tick tock
cookie (animal cracker, actually)
baby (which sounds like baa-boo- too funny.)
shoe
snack
duck
bear

Animal Sounds
chicken- cluck, cluck
cat- meow
dog- ruff ruff
sheep- baa baa
duck- quack
She sometimes does a rooster (cock-a-doodle doo) and a donkey (hee haw- this is hilarious) but I'm not sure if she actually knows them or is just mimicking. She also thinks a cow says baa baa- I'm not sure what to say about that.

Check out these moves.

2010-10-28T18:42:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday: Clock

2010-10-27T15:35:00.001-05:00

Take it to the Limit

2010-10-22T14:08:00.002-05:00

The Austin City Limits, that is. Z and I first went to the Austin City Limits festival (ACL) in 2004, the year we started dating. We had a great time (and at that time his apartment was super-close to the park so we didn't have to worry about driving/parking- ahh memories), but for some reason, we didn't go back until 2009. Last year we had a 4-month old and Campbell spent the weekend being cared for by my sister, mom and our friends K and K.

This year, we decided to take Campbell with us for a couple of days. She loves music (she's currently enrolled in a Music Together class where she has a blast every week) and likes to people-watch, so we crossed our fingers, packed up a ton of gear and hoped that we wouldn't have to leave and hike back to our car with a screaming kid.

We left on Friday after naptime and after parking, walking probably about a mile and a half to the park, standing in a regular line only to discover that the jogging stroller wouldn't fit through the regular gate, standing in the VIP/handicap line, we were finally in! They have an area just for kids called "Austin Kiddie Limits" (ha ha) and we didn't have any bands that were on our must-see list at that time, so we headed over.

On Friday, Campbell's favorite bands were Blues Traveler (she danced up a storm and made friends with a little boy in front of us who she kept trying to hug) and Vampire Weekend (where she played the drums on Daddy's head while sitting on his shoulders). She also had a lot of fun chasing birds. We left before the headliners that night so that she could get home and get to bed.

Saturday she stayed home with both of her grandmothers since it was going to be a late night, but Sunday she was ready to rock again. We remembered that we had some of her instruments with us, so we got them out and she played a mean maraca to accompany some of the bands. Her Aunt Amy came and picked her up at 5:30 (after she napped through Robert Earl Keene) so she missed the Eagles (who were awesome), but I think 10:00 would have been a bit too late for her.

All in all, I think it was a fun and successful weekend for our first attempt at taking a toddler to a music festival. I've decided that I would definitely take her back while she's still in diapers, but once she's potty trained, she's going to have to take a hiatus for a few years because helping a 4-year-old use a port-a-potty at a music festival just doesn't sound like my cup of tea.

Here are some of the million pictures from the weekend

Wordless Wednesday: Best Buds

2010-09-29T22:09:00.000-05:00

Brusha, brusha, brusha

2010-09-23T15:20:00.001-05:00

We have electric toothbrushes that Campbell has been obsessed with for quite a while. It's a surefire way to keep her entertained while you need to get ready to go somewhere.

Poor thing had to wait until the week before her 1st birthday to get her own teeth, but when she did, she was very excited to start brushing them (with her Elmo toothbrush, no less). We brush them while she is in the bath and her face lights up every time she sees me put the toothpaste on the toothbrush.

Recently, she started saying teeth when she saw us brushing ours or saw her toothbrush and apparently now she's picked up on the sound of the electric toothbrushes.

Wordless Wednesday: Everybody clean up

2010-09-22T17:38:00.000-05:00

15 month stats

2010-09-14T16:34:00.001-05:00

We went to Campbell's 15-month well check this afternoon. Daddy got to go with us for the first time since her 6 month check (which I was very thankful for). She is doing everything that she should be doing and the Dr. said she looks great! We were the first appointment after lunch and the room was a little warm. When the nurse went to measure Campbell's head, she looked at her and said "Hot." So needless to say, she is definitely on track for her verbal skills.

She weighed in at a whopping 23 lbs 9 oz (between 50-75th %ile and up from 19 lbs 13 oz at 12 months!), 31.5 inches (75th %ile, up from 28.5) and her head circumference is 45 cm (she has a tiny head- 25th %ile).

She also got 3 shots, which she absolutely hated (and knew were coming when the nurse came back in). But, she handled them like a champ and had stopped crying by the time we had her dressed and ready to go (with the help of a sippy cup of milk).

Flashback Friday

2010-09-10T11:59:00.000-05:00

At this time last year, Campbell was:

learning to roll over

cheering on the Longhorns with Grandpa

enjoying her new, posh swing

and, just being generally funny and adorable (I guess some things never change!)

Interesting Choice

2010-09-07T22:32:00.000-05:00

I thought for sure Campbell's first animal sound would be either meow or woof woof. But, it seems as though she decided to go another way. For the longest time I couldn't tell if this was a cluck or a quack because she always did it while we were reading a book that had the ducks and the chickens on pages facing each other. Confusing.

Virtuoso

2010-08-27T11:09:00.000-05:00

Campbell and I visited Toy Joy for the first time yesterday with her Aunt Amy. She had fun walking around, carrying a magic wand and waving it at everything (which I've decided must be innate, because she's never seen anyone with a wand), hugging and riding on the Rody, shaking a maraca, hugging a Fraggle and playing a tiny piano. I swear, I would buy her one of these things if it wasn't ridiculously overpriced. She wasn't a fan of her aunt trying to turn her song into a duet, but I can't really blame her- there weren't many keys to go around!

A month of firsts

2010-08-19T15:22:00.000-05:00

Campbell has been experiencing a lot of "firsts" lately.

On August 6, the Williamson County A&M Club was hosting Aggie Night at Dell Diamond. We decided this was the perfect time for Campbell's first baseball game. She had fun eating a hot dog (all cut up into teeny tiny pieces) and a cookie (which she tried to shove into her mouth whole). Then she actually sat fairly still (for a one-year-old) while we watched the game on the berm. I would definitely suggest just getting seats on the berm if you're going with a toddler. Buying her an actual seat would have been a big waste. Just bring a blanket. She really liked the music and clapping when everyone else clapped. But, I think her favorite part was the post-game fireworks.

Last night we went to Blues on the Green, which was Campbell's first concert. We met some friends there and watched Raul Malo. Again, I was surprised at how great she was. She loved the music. She kept clapping and dancing. She also noticed a chihuahua next to us and kept walking over to pet him. Thankfully he was a friendly dog (with a friendly owner) and didn't mind. We decided to use the Ergo to carry her there instead of lugging around the stroller and she absolutely loved being in it. We need to start carrying her in it more. Unfortunately, we didn't bring the big camera, so we just have phone pictures, but check out another first: her first pair of Chucks. :)

Flashback Friday

2010-08-13T11:05:00.000-05:00

Exactly one year ago, Campbell was 2 months old (now she's 14!)

The dogs won't even know what hit them

2010-08-12T21:01:00.001-05:00

She's getting faster, and more stable. I swear, she attempted to run away from me in Carter's today (probably because I tried some tennis shoes on her- and by "tried on" I, of course, mean bought- they light up- they are awesome!) The dogs are used to being faster than she is, but I don't think that's going to last long.

One small step for . . .

2010-08-03T17:51:00.000-05:00

well, not for man, but for Campbell! I wouldn't say she's walking yet, but she is taking unassisted steps. She had taken a step here or there, but really got going when we were at my mom's house on Thursday to celebrate my dad's birthday. Here is the proof. Z was upset because, as he said "these weren't even the good ones." (meaning, I guess that she took more steps in a row when we weren't filming. But, she's been practicing every day since.

Flashback Friday

2010-07-30T20:06:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe that this was exactly one year ago today.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-28T12:47:00.000-05:00

Traveling One-Woman Band

2010-07-26T23:53:00.000-05:00

Thank you, push walker, for teaching my child that you can walk anywhere you want as long as you find a suitable item to push in front of you. Things that work well include dining room chairs, Laugh and Learn Farm, Cozy Coupe and music table. This is what Campbell did all Sunday afternoon (they're very similar, but you can hear her say "cat" in the 2nd):

Wordless Wednesday: Reader

2010-07-21T19:41:00.000-05:00

Lovey Dovey

2010-07-09T20:55:00.000-05:00

You guys, Campbell is in love. Apparently, her "type" is short, red and furry because the object of her affection is an Elmo puppet. I've noticed that she was a fan of Elmo in the past- she's seen him in books, heard his songs and yes, watched him a few times on Sesame Street (yes, I'm horrible and she does occasionally watch TV, but, in my defense. I'm a WAHM- some days when I'm trying to finish my assignment, Elmo and the gang give me that extra 10 minutes that I need to, you know, not get fired). But, the level of her affection reached infatuation levels today.

We met Grammie at Baby Bugaloo (which is a dangerous, dangerous place if you have/ know/ have ever seen a child under the age of 5). We were looking for a gift for Campbell's 3rd cousin, Carter (I think he's her third cousin- at any rate, Campbell's Grammie is 1st cousins with Carter's grandma) but, seriously, that store has some of the cutest things in it! We browsed all around the shop and while we were looking, I saw Campbell's eyes get huge, and her hand shot out and started grabbing at the air. I looked over and saw it- an Elmo puppet on display. Luckily, they had another one in a bucket so I grabbed it to show it to her (and see if that was really what she wanted) and she freaked her freak (as B would say). :) I mean, breathing fast, clenching hands in her "I want it and I want it now!" way (this looks kind of like the sign for "milk" which I tried to teach her, so maybe she caught on and just uses it for "WANT!"). I tried to placate her with a small Elmo, but there was nothing doing.

So, Campbell proceeded to carry Elmo around the store while we shopped and after about 5 seconds I realized we pretty much had to buy him since she'd slobbered all. over. him. (particularly his big white eyeballs). Not to mention, Grammie's kind of a sucker (Hi Mom! We love you! Thank you!) and when she saw how enamored Campbell was, she wanted her to have him.

So, we brought Elmo home. All day she carried him around with her and would randomly hug him (freakin' adorable). We've been having some bedtime issues lately, but tonight Elmo went to bed with her and she was happy as a clam. The only thing is, she sat in there for 20 minutes blabbering away to Elmo. But, I haven't heard anything for about 10 minutes, so hey, at the end of the day, she's happy, safe and healthy (and so is Elmo!) so I consider it a success. I just hope they don't go through a dramatic break-up. ;)

Happy Independence Day!

2010-07-04T11:28:00.000-05:00

From vintage Campbell:

Splish Splash

2010-07-01T21:42:00.000-05:00

Campbell and I have been doing somewhat of a tour of Austin-area splash parks with our mommy and baby friends. Some of them are more geared towards older kids but there have been a few that got Campbell's seal of approval.

The first sprinkler we visited was at the Triangle. Z and I took Campbell there one afternoon (after lunch at Chedd's- OMG- cheesy deliciousness). At first she was a little hesitant, but she warmed up to the sprinklers after a while. Sophie helped calm her fears. The next week we went back with the other mommies and babies and Campbell played in the sprinklers a little, but mainly wanted to cruise along the concrete wall.

Next up was Champion Park. I thought it was a really neat sprinkler- it was shaped like a whale and the main sprinkler was the blow hole. Campbell wanted to feel the water and at first she liked it, but the pressure was variable so it got harder and sprayed her in the face, after which she wasn't such a fan. She liked the swings though.

The last park we checked out was Pease Park. Campbell liked this one the best. She was crawling all around and splashing in the water. There were some bigger kids and a few women who don't believe in deodorant, but all in all, it was a winner. We'll definitely be back.

Other sprinklers on the list for this summer are Ricky Guerrero, The Domain, Hill Country Galleria and Butler Park. Hopefully we'll be able to get to those soon (if it ever stops raining!)

Flashback Friday

2010-06-25T22:41:00.000-05:00

My sweet Campbell Hope 1 year and 1 day ago.

My goal is to be back to blogging entries that consist of more words than pictures next week. We've been dealing with a reaction to C's varicella vaccine, a 30th birthday extravaganza and both Z and I trying to get back on the workout train.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T20:20:00.000-05:00

Campbell and her Daddy- just hours old

Campbell and her Daddy- Memorial Day 2010

Campbell and Papa- celebrating his birthday

My Dad and I- circa 1989. Don't you love my stylish bangs and highwaters?

My Dad and I at my baby shower- May 31, 2009

Campbell with Grandpa- Christmas Eve 2009

Wordless Wednesday: Climber

2010-06-16T11:39:00.002-05:00

12 month stats

2010-06-14T15:58:00.000-05:00

Campbell had her 12 month well check this afternoon.

Weight: 19 lbs 13 oz (25th %)
Height: 28 1/2 inches (75th %)
Head Circumference: 44 cm (25th %)

She had a small growth dip at 9 months (she also had a stomach virus at her check-up) but she is right back on track.

She got 3 shots at her appointment, which she absolutely hated. She wasn't a huge fan of having her ears checked either, but the good news is that she got a clean bill of health! And no more shots for 3 months.

Campbell Hope turned one today!

2010-06-13T22:18:00.000-05:00

Hopefully this isn't just a once a year thing, but I get the privilege of writing the blog entry for Campbell's first birthday. It was a busy weekend, with a family wedding in Dallas Friday night, and Barbara went to a wedding shower/bachelorette party Saturday night, then there was the Big Gig today. It is not every day that your first born child turns one, so Barbara has spent many hours planning this day to make sure that it was all our sweet baby deserves. I truly appreciate all her hard work. It was a big success by all accounts! Miss Campbell made it through without a major meltdown even though she was running on fumes after resisting our attempts at making her take a couple naps today. She is still a bit clingy to Mommy and Daddy, but she will grow out of it.

I don't think that we have ever had that many people at our house, and it seemed like more than it was because of all the rug rats! I can't believe that it has already been a year. Time flies when you are having fun and it has been a year like no other. Campbell is the best little girl we could ever have dreamed about being blessed with! Her smile will light up my darkest days and make it all better. I was reminiscing a lot when I was putting her slide show together for the party today. It is hard to remember her so small in some of those newborn photos.

I am so lucky to have such a great wife and baby girl, and also such an amazing group of extended family and friends that have helped to bring Campbell up in a world full of love!

Enjoy a few pics from Campbell's big day. A big thanks to Aunt Amy for taking most of the pictures today!

Wordless Wednesday: Campbell thinks she is a dog

2010-06-09T14:39:00.000-05:00

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-04T13:40:00.000-05:00

We went to Lake Possum Kingdom for Memorial Day weekend to stay at Uncle Damian and Aunt Robin's house on the lake. We decided to head out at Campbell's bedtime on Saturday, then have all day Sunday at the lake and come home on Monday. Campbell was a good girl for the (4 hour +) drive and slept most of the time. Happy came along but Beau stayed with Grammie for the weekend since one dog is a lot easier to handle than 2 (Georgia held down the fort at home).

Campbell wasn't so sure about the water and definitely was not a fan of the life vest, but she did enjoy the little splash pool on the dock. She got used to the vest and ended up taking a long nap in the boat on Monday.

In the splash pool with cousin Ayden

Enjoying the pool with Daddy

Watching the sunset

Walking with cousin Avery

On the boat with Mom

The Duckface

Five on Friday!

2010-05-28T09:56:00.000-05:00

Ugh, sorry for the temporary (and unintended) blog break. Here is my attempt to catch up.

1. We had a little "brew-be-que" at the house on Sunday. I got Z beer-brewing equipment for his birthday last year and it was time to make another batch. So, we invited some folks over for hamburgers, bratwurst and brewing. Oh, and what essentially was a daycare in the living room since I think we had 7 children under a year old in attendance. Things sure have changed in the last year!

Here are Campbell and her cousin, Carter, checking out the dogs: (BTW- can I just say that Carter's parents are rockstars? They are much more experienced than we are with beer making- like 10 years more experienced and are always willing to share their expertise when we make a batch).

2. Campbell and I went with Grammie and Aunt Amy to visit Aunt Barbara, our cousin John, his daughter Sam and her cousin, Brett on Monday. John is a power-lifter who might as well be a personal trainer and was sweet enough to show Amy and I some moves while my mom and aunt watched the kiddos. After we finished our work-out, we took a dip in the pool. It was a little overcast and Campbell was fine as long as I held her in the pool, but once I tried to put her in the baby float, we had a full blown freak out. I think the water was just too cold. We will try again when it's in the triple digits. The water will feel much better then.

3. We did a "photo shoot" on Tuesday to get some pictures for Campbell's birthday invitations (no minute like the last minute, huh?) Here is a teaser. It's not the one we used on her invitation, but it was a close runner-up.

Surprisingly, she didn't really care that much about the cake. She played in it for a few minutes, took maybe 3 bites, and then was off to bigger and better things.

4. The 3 of us had a family picnic at Zilker park on Wednesday, since Z was off work. We rode the train, ate our lunch and then played on the playscape a bit. It was a nice day, but definitely hot.

5. Our family's physician retired this week. When I say "family physician", I really mean it. He was my mom's, dad's, and sister's doctor, as well as Z's and mine. My mom has been seeing him since roughly 1967 so he has over 40 years of experience with us. Campbell and I went with my mom to his retirement party yesterday and it was really sad knowing that he won't be our doctor anymore. It was nice to have someone who knew our history and always asked how my mom and dad were doing. But, if anyone knows of a great GP on the south side, let me know because we are definitely on the look-out.

Wordless Wednesday: Baby Homing Device

2010-05-19T11:09:00.000-05:00

Five on Friday!

2010-05-14T23:04:00.001-05:00

1. Sunday was Mother's Day (duh). We got up early (I actually had to wake Campbell up) and met Grammie at church. We went out to breakfast after that. My mom had a very specific gift request this year- she wanted help with "The List" (I tried to describe "The List" in this bullet point, but it grew too large. See # 2 for a description of "The List"). We then came home and Zach cooked salmon, salad and rice. It was delicious.

2. "The List" is a 32478923472-item-long list of things that she needs to do, most of which are related to my Dad's passing. There is everything from taking clothes to the cleaners to filling out insurance forms to writing thank you notes on "The List" and I think at this point, it's 4-5 pages long. I also think it's cursed because you will choose something off the list that looks simple, start it and then realize that it is impossible to complete without doing at least 5 other things first. We actually did get a lot accomplished and were able to totally scratch off a few things (rather than doing a half cross out/ write in new task over old task, like we had been doing). Campbell tried to rip up the list on Sunday as a Mother's Day present for Grammie, but alas, it was rescued and taped back together.

3. We ate lunch at Chedd's last Thursday on Z's day off an took C to play in the sprinklers at the Triangle. She was hesitant at first, but she got into it after a bit. The pictures on Wordless Wednesday were from that day. I was honestly shocked by how long it took her to be ok in the water, since she absolutely loves baths.

4. Campbell has now reached the stage where she wants everything she wants and she wants it yesterday. And she growls at us if she doesn't get it. It's . . . awesome. No. Really. Awesome. Sigh.

5. Campbell has learned how to drink from a cup. Yesterday I had my cup of water on the ottoman. She spotted it from her music table, cruised over to it, picked it up with both hands and began to take small sips. I was so impressed that I grabbed my phone and tried to take video. Around that time, she was finished with her drink and dropped the rest of the cup (still 1/2 full) on the floor. So, drinking out of a cup- check. Setting cup back down gingerly- not check.

11 Months!

2010-05-13T20:46:00.001-05:00

Holy Cow. The big 1-1. My baby girl will be 1 in a month! Crazy! She is extremely active now- crawling like a maniac (mostly chasing the dogs and the cat), pulling up on anything that will hold her (and some things that won't- no, the cardboard box is not a good choice for something that needs to hold your weight, Campbell) and cruising all around the house. She let go while she was standing up the other day, but grabbed the ottoman again when she noticed that she was unsupported.

She babbles all day long and I am sure that she knows "kid-dee" (but uses it to name any animal- In fact, my mom said "Let's go look at the kitties" when we were at lunch a few weeks ago and took Campbell over to the lobster tank. I'm sure people thought she was crazy.) :) I think she also knows what "Da-da" means, which is totally unfair.

I realized that I need to get on the ball with planning her birthday party since it is one month from today! The only thing I've chosen is the them. Of course, it had to be her favorite thing (other than remote controls and iPhones)- Kitties!

Wordless Wednesday: Splash!

2010-05-12T22:58:00.000-05:00

Flashback Friday and Happy Birthday Nathan!

2010-05-07T20:20:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe that this little guy is one today (and has been a big brother for 10 days!)

Wordless Wednesday: 3

2010-05-05T10:42:00.000-05:00

Disciplinarian

2010-05-04T22:04:00.001-05:00

We have discovered that we have a pretty strict disciplinarian in our household. No, it's not me or Zach. The ruler with the iron fist is none other than sweet Campbell.

A few weeks ago, she started "talking" in a deep, growly voice. At first we thought she was saying "Barbara, Barbara" in the demon voice. It was pretty funny. But then I noticed that she was shaking her finger when she growled and finally, one day after chastising the dogs for something, it dawned on me- she was saying (or rather mimicking us saying) "bad boy, bad boy" to the dogs. Now I've seen it over and over. Last week, Happy was playing and got a little overzealous (imagine that) and accidentally knocked Campbell on her rear. I started telling him "Bad boy" and instead of crying, Campbell crawled over to him, got up on her knees, shook that little finger and chanted "bad boy, bad boy."

Now that we know what she's doing, I have to admit that the dogs are being chastised a bit more than usual. It is just too funny to see her sweet self being "strict" with them.

Ten on Tuesday

2010-04-27T22:32:00.000-05:00

1. We took Beau and Happy to the wiener dog races on Sunday. This is the 3rd year we've been (we actually got Happy there 2 years ago- he was dropped off with the rescue group that we got Beau from and when we told them we were interested in fostering, they let us take him home that day. Needless to say, we were foster failures and kept him). We all had fun in the sun since it was the first time that it wasn't rainy/ cloudy when we were there.

2. Yesterday we went for a jog around Town Lake and Campbell straight up passed out in her stroller. She was wearing the same hat in the picture above and she pulled it down to where it completely covered her eyes. Pretty funny.

3. She is cruising all over the place. It is so weird to watch her get from the music table to the ottoman to the busy zoo to the chair all while standing.

4. We went shopping with Grammie for a new lawn mower today and Campbell got the cutest pair of silver sandals at Old Navy.

5. Campbell and I went on a lunch date with the other B and C last week. We had a great picnic and took some cute pictures.

6. My goal for tomorrow is to try to make it to story time at the library. It's difficult because I work on Wednesday mornings so getting all my work done and both of us out of the house on time to be there at 11 seems daunting. Wish me luck!

7. We are due to have some nice warm, sunny weather this week so we are breaking out the baby pool to see how Campbell likes it. She loves the bath so I'm hoping it will be a fun activity for us this summer.

8. Z has been off for the last 5 days and we've really enjoyed having him at home. He goes back to work tomorrow and I think we're all a little sad. :(

9. Here's a picture of Georgia, the cat, since she was left out of the earlier picture-fest (and because I'm having trouble coming up with 10 things).

10. Campbell is a pirate! (seriously, couldn't thing of another thing and 8 on Tuesday just doesn't have the same ring to it. This picture just cracks me up and every time I look at it, I think of her saying "aaarrrgggh!")

5QF

2010-04-23T11:15:00.003-05:00

1. What was the first car you owned? A blue 1992 Ford Taurus. My parents bought it new in 1992 and my mom drove it until my 16th birthday in ~~1996~~ (Umm, that should be 1995. I am an idiot who can't remember when I was born. Good thing I went back and read over this). I was so embarrassed to have a "Mom" car (as in, it looked like something a mom drove, not that my mom had actually driven it). But really, it was a good car. Nothing fancy, but that thing never had any major issues and I drove it until I purchased my first new car (with my parents' help) in 2001.

2. What song are you embarrassed to know the lyrics to? Ohhh, wow, quite a few. Many of them are a mix of embarrassment and pride. Someone once referred to me as a human jukebox and I always say that I wonder what kind of knowledge I could have if my head wasn't so full of song lyrics. I'll go with "Everything I Do" by Bryan Adams because that seems pretty darn embarrassing.

3. Have you ever had stitches? I have had them from oral surgery and post-childbirth, but other than that, no.

4. What was your first job? Technically, the first job I had was working as a counselor at a summer camp for gifted kids but I always consider my first "real" job when I worked at Lammes Candies in the mall. I had been a camper at the camp before I became a counselor, but Lammes was the first place I actually submitted an application and went in for an interview. We got to eat all the candy we wanted and I was in high school and thin, so I didn't worry about things like counting calories. There were no clothes to fold and it was in the mall, so it was uber-cool in 1997.

5. Who is your favorite Sesame Street character? I like Cookie Monster and Grover, but Campbell seems to prefer Elmo and Abby (who Z hates).

Be sure and check out all the other answers on the Blog Hop!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-21T11:48:00.001-05:00

A Mother's Dream

2010-04-20T11:16:00.000-05:00

Well, one of them anyway, is to have a professional photographer in the family. Luckily, my sweet sister-in-law (SIL), Mariel, recently took her photography skills to the next level and has started shooting professionally. Aunt Mariel and Uncle Joey stayed with us this weekend and caught a lot of cute shots at home. We also met Val, NT and Nathan for some pictures on Sunday. You can see them all here! Also check out Mariel's website.

Do you hear what I hear?

2010-04-19T18:58:00.001-05:00

Toast is serious business

2010-04-16T00:23:00.002-05:00

Yes, this is the 2nd post this week about toast. Get over it.

Note the fists.

10 months

2010-04-14T23:38:00.001-05:00

I know I always say this, but I can't believe my tiny little baby is 10 months old! She has been an outside baby longer than she was an inside baby. I can actually start planning her birthday party without Z looking at me like I have 3 heads. Scary.

Little Miss is into everything these days. Ha, all those hours I spent worrying because she wasn't crawling yet were for naught and all the people who told me to enjoy the time before she was mobile were absolutely right. I can't look away for 10 seconds without her taking off and heading for the most dangerous thing in sight. Seriously, it's like she scans the room and thinks "That definitely looks like it could kill, or at the very least maim, me. I'll head for it!"

She had the rocking on all 4s down for a while, but kept straightening her left leg rather than keeping it on the floor. Finally on Easter she put it all together and has been moving at warp speed ever since. She's also pulling up on anything that will stand still (and some things that won't- poor Georgia), babbling my ear off and I think that she may be saying "Kitty". Only it usually sounds like "Giddy" or "Diddy" and refers to any animal, not just the cat. I have tried to get it on tape, but of course, she just stares silently at the camera when it's recording.

This weekend her Auntie Mars and Uncle Joey are coming to town to take some pictures of Val and NT's baby boy, Nathan, before he turns 1 in May (and before his sibling gets here, also in May!) and she is going to take some of Campbell as well. In the meantime, here are some pictures from her 10 month "shoot" by yours truly. I really miss the days when I could lay her in the bouncy seat and take her monthly pictures.

At this point, I decided to relocate the sticker to the body part that was facing me most often.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-14T11:47:00.000-05:00

Magical Mystery Toast

2010-04-12T19:53:00.001-05:00

Lately, one of Campbell's favorite toys has been her music table. She loves standing at it and pushing/ rolling/ pulling the different things to make noises. Like this:

Do you see that green thing on the right behind the cello? On the package, Leap Frog refers to it as a music box. There is an open space under it and when you open it, music plays or, if you're in what Zach calls "learning mode", it says open, close, hello and goodbye (unless you're in Spanish learning mode, in which case it says hola, adios and abrio and cerrado). Well, until recently, I kind of thought this was a cop-out on Leap Frog's part, like they just needed something else to take up space and put the "music box" there. It was my least favorite part of the table (not like that frog with the banjo on the bottom left, now that thing rocks).

Last Friday, Z was kind enough to let me sleep in a bit while he got up and fed Campbell breakfast. I woke up to joyful shrieks and went in to the living room to investigate. Campbell was playing with her table and obsessively opening the music box. Z told me that he had been distracting her and then sneaking pieces of cheese toast into the music box. She would open it, find the cheese toast, shriek and then snatch it up and eat it. It was so funny to watch and I don't know if she ever caught him putting the toast in there.

Well, now every time she plays with her table, the music box gets a lot more action than it used to. I've also tried yogurt melts and cheerios in there and the shrieks of excitement aren't quite as loud as they are with cheese toast (can't really blame her though), but they are still present.

Campbell's Week in Review

2010-04-09T23:14:00.002-05:00

Sunday- Easter! We went to church with Grammie and Aunt Amy and then we went back to have breakfast at Grammie's house. Campbell tried biscuits and a little sausage and loved them both (I am sure that my mom's housekeeper did not love the mess that she made all over the floor when she came to clean this week). Campbell played with her toys that live there (including a walking/ ride-on toy that matches one at home) and then we took her outside to take bluebonnet pictures in the yard (a Texas spring right of passage).

Monday- One of my cousins is in town from Chicago with his daughter. My sweet cousin, Jana, planned a family picnic in Zilker Park so we could all spend time together. I think we had 25 family members there. We had a great lunch, rode the train, felt the cold water in Barton Springs, played on the playground and had a post-Easter egg hunt. Campbell enjoyed hanging out with her cousin, Carter, who is almost a month younger than her and her other cousin, Julia, who is 2 months older, along with the rest of her cousins, aunts, uncles and even her great-great Aunt Margaret!

Tuesday- We met some friends for lunch at a neighborhood park. It is quite different from the days of the newborn get togethers where the babies would stay in their own space (because they were essentially immobile, other than a random roll here and there). They literally crawled all over each other. It was fun to see (but I didn't take my camera, so you won't see it. Sorry. Next time I will).

Wednesday- We stayed at home and C honed her crawling skills. She is officially "getting in to everything"! I look away for literally 2 seconds and she is gone.

Thursday- Z was off so we took the dogs to Town Lake. We all enjoyed our walk around the lake (C propped both feet up on the bar of her stroller), but I did have to carry Happy across the bridge at the end. He is not what you would call an "active" dog.

Friday- Today we went to Grammie's and hung out for a bit. We watched some of Up (which was sad at first but very cute) and just had a nice visit. This weekend Campbell and I are going to a baby shower with Grammie (so excited about baby Addy, Campbell's new BFF!) and then Z is volunteering at an Austin Autism bike ride on Sunday so I think we'll go to church with Grammie and then head back to her house to help her out with a few things. Looking forward to another nice weekend!

Apparently we're on a first name basis

2010-04-08T18:18:00.002-05:00

Same basic concept in both videos. I couldn't choose just one. :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-07T15:28:00.000-05:00

For those who are wondering

2010-04-05T18:18:00.001-05:00

if outlet covers are a good investment . . .

Why yes, they sure are.

Bed Head

2010-04-03T15:58:00.001-05:00

Lately, Campbell has been looking a bit *ahem* disheveled after her naps. Personally, I think that's just a sign of some very restful (and very much needed) sleep. 2 days ago, I couldn't even get her hair to go back to normal with the brush (although I'll admit that I use the term brush very loosely, we still use the little plastic thing from the hospital) so she rocked the bed head until bath time.

She avoided it during yesterday's 2 glorious naps (90 minutes each!) but it was back in full force today. Since I knew the "brush" was a lost cause, I opted for pictures instead. Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-24T10:41:00.002-05:00

Rock Star

2010-03-20T13:28:00.000-05:00

I would be insulted if this wasn't so darn cute. :) I'm realizing that maybe we need to get a few new tunes in the rotation because it's possible that we've listed to Lady Gaga a few too many times.

Five Question Friday

2010-03-19T10:27:00.004-05:00

I got the idea from B and the questions from Mama M.

1. Have you ever had a celeb sighting? Yes, I've had a few. My most memorable has to be when I was in Las Vegas for my high school friend, Amanda's 21st birthday. We had a huge group there, lots of her family, my parents and my college roommate, Paige. We went to a club (I think it was Studio 54 in the MGM Grand) and spotted Mark Curry of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper fame. We ended up mingling with his group that night and proceeded to tell everyone that we had "hung with Mr. Cooper".

2. What temperature do you keep your house? Usually around 72. We have had a few thermostat battles in our house. Z is always hot and I am always cold. When I was pregnant I think my ideal temperature was closer to his, but I'm back to being a normal person now. :)

3. Do you notice dust at other peoples homes? Pretty much never. I mean, if it's filthy I might, but really, the things I obsess over in my own house, I would never notice at someone else's.

4. What's the worst job you ever had? The summer after I graduated from college, I worked at the Customer Service desk at Marshall's. I was starting a teaching job in the fall so I just needed something for a few months. I had to deal with people returning merchandise that was obviously not even from our store and some of which was stolen. That is the only job where I've ever called and said, "Yeah, I won't be able to come in today, or ever again." My roommate had to convince me to go pick-up my last paycheck because I was too scared to go alone.

5. What is your most sentimental possession? Ooooh, that is a toughie. I'll have to go with my grandmother's sewing machine. When I was younger she and I would sew things together (pillows, a stocking, random things) and I inherited it when she passed away. It has a lot of really special memories of the time we spent together.

Campbell Hope is 9 months old!

2010-03-18T14:03:00.000-05:00

Holy cow. It is crazy to me to think that C has been "on the outside" for the same amount of time that she was "on the inside". She is 3/4 of a year old. Where has the time gone?

Well, for the last few days, it's gone to caring for a sick baby and a sick mommy. Campbell caught a stomach virus at play group last week and was sick from Thursday- Monday. We already had her 9-month well check scheduled for Friday so the Dr. just did a sick/ well visit all in one. C had to have nothing but Pedialyte for 24 hours (which suuuucked for her and me), then she could nurse only for the next 24 and finally we could re-introduce solids. That part is going very slowly because she kind of forgot how to eat finger foods and ends up gagging on them. She has cheerios down pat but other than that, we're rocking yogurt and purees for a bit to get back in the swing of things.

I think I caught her virus and was up with it all night on Monday. Thankfully, the version I have seems to be short-lived because I was feeling much better on Wednesday. So, we're finally all on our way to being healthy in this household.

Campbell did not gain a lot of weight between her 6 and 9 month checks, but the Dr. thinks that is due to a combination of her increasing mobility (she crawled forward a few inches today, thanks to my mom and sister and the motivation of a bag of Baked Lays- I think she was disappointed to just get Cheerios when she reached the bag) and the fact that she essentially hadn't kept anything in her stomach for about 36 hours prior to the appointment. She will need to go back in a month for a weight check just to make sure.

Other than that, we've been spending a lot of time at my parents' house lately. My dad was diagnosed in August 2008 with pancreatic cancer and was recently put on hospice so C is soaking up the Grandpa time. Thankfully my aunt provided my mom with a set of toys that stay at Grammie and Grandpa's house all the time so she has "new" and entertaining toys to play with and lots of people to talk to and who want to hold her.

In the next 2, she is performing her favorite trick, blowing raspberries:

Wordless Wednesday (Happy St. Patty's Day!!)

2010-03-17T23:47:00.000-05:00

Flashback Friday: 26 Weeks

2010-03-12T13:32:00.002-06:00

This is me just about a year ago. I was so excited because I finally looked pregnant. Ha, if I had only known what was to come.

Swingin' into Spring

2010-03-11T21:47:00.000-06:00

Last Friday I went to Buy Buy Baby with some friends. They are northies, so they wanted to come down and check out the store (the only one in town) and I wanted to catch up with them and get my 20% back from the car seat that I bought on Tuesday. Buy Buy Baby is owned by Bed, Bath and Beyond so they accept their 20% off coupons. I scoured our house before we went and couldn't find one. I bit the bullet and bought it at full price, only to find a coupon in our mailbox on the way home from buying it (yes, I am serious). Luckily, they rock and said I could just bring in the coupon and receipt and they would credit me.

Anyway, we ended up spending about 2 1/2 hours there, looking at everything, feeding and changing babies and just visiting. I ended up buying a moose, a piano and a swing (ha ha, suckas, mine was $19.99). Campbell pretty much ignores the moose (she loved it in the store!), bangs on the piano and LOOOOOOOOOOOVES the swing.

Zach installed the swing on our back patio on Saturday morning and I took C out there, not sure how she would react. Well, she reacted with peals of laughter, so adorable, that I looked around, certain that neighbors would be peering over their fences to see what kind of creature could make such a sweet noise (they weren't, but they probably just weren't home. Yeah, that's it). Every single time we put her in the swing, the same thing happens. In fact, several times she's actually giggled herself into the hiccups.

I am so glad that my impulse purchase has turned into such a success. And I owe B some major thanks for finding the swings. I hope that Miss C is enjoying hers just as much (yes, my friend is also B and her daughter is also a C).

I took enough pictures that I could literally make a flip book out of them. :) Tomorrow is Campbell's 9 month appointment and then on Saturday my baby will be 3/4 of a year! Crazy!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-10T11:54:00.002-06:00

Flashback Friday

2010-03-05T17:55:00.002-06:00

Hee hee. Look at those little legs! This was about 6 months ago.

Ten on Tuesday

2010-03-02T13:36:00.003-06:00

1. Campbell has a pretty atrocious diaper rash right now. Zach took her to the pedi this morning who prescribed some heavy duty diaper cream. Due to the fact that heavy duty diaper cream can decrease the absorbency of cloth diapers, she's rockin' the Pampers for a few days.

2. Zach and I had no clue what type nor what size of diaper to purchase. It seems like the kind he got fits so we're just hoping for no leaks.

3. While on the subject, Campbell had another code brown last night. Ugh. This time I took her out and bathed her in the big tub since I was by myself.

4. Campbell hates the big tub. Even though she bathes in her inflatable tub in the big tub, just being in actual tub made her scream the whole time. Good stuff.

5. She can crawl backwards! Usually what happens is she crawls backwards until her legs get stuck under the crib/ couch/ chair and then stops because she can't go back anymore and hasn't figured out how to go forward.

6. I think we're installing the convertible seats today. I am just tired of lugging around the infant carrier, though it's served us well. She's also starting to look a little squished in it.

7. I had to be "that mom" at church on Sunday. Campbell got fussy in the middle of service so I took her out to the narthex where they have rocking chairs set up for mommies with fussy babies. Except the chairs were being used by middle school boys. Whatever, there was a regular chair so I just sat in it and she had some Cheerios. Then the cretins started spinning in circles in the chairs and throwing paper back and forth. I couldn't hear any of the sermon and my child certainly wasn't getting any calmer. So I finally said "If you're going to throw things, you need to do it outside". 2 of them stopped, but the 3rd immediately threw more paper, so I had to break out the teacher voice "I'm sorry, did you not hear me the first time? That's not an appropriate inside activity." I mean, I know that kids that age are rowdy, but where were their parents? And why weren't they in church or Sunday school (or on the streets of New York singing "When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way"?)

8. Campbell tried asparagus on Sunday and she looooooooooooooooves it. She shrieks and grins while eating it. Very cute.

9. I got Campbell's Easter dress last week. Here it is:

I think she'll look adorable in it.

10. I took her to Picture People last week on a whim and actually got some cute shots. Here is one:

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-24T17:11:00.002-06:00

Snow!

2010-02-23T13:23:00.002-06:00

It's not sticking at all, but it looks beautiful falling!

8 months!

2010-02-20T12:54:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that Campbell is already 2/3 of a year old! Crazy. She is getting more and more of a personality every day. She is starting to pull up on things, can stand (if she's holding on to something) for several seconds and has made it up onto all 4's although she still hasn't done a traditional crawl. However, she can move from one side of the living room to the other through a series of rolls, army crawling and scooting so I deem her officially mobile ( I guess that means it's time to start baby-proofing).

Since last month she's tried mangoes, zucchini, blueberries, yogurt, kiwi and chicken. She gives it all a thumbs up except for maybe the chicken. She just tried that yesterday and seemed to like it but then she started spitting out pieces. A new talent! What fun!

She's also waking up from a nap right now so I'll leave you with some pictures.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T12:40:00.000-06:00

Ten on (Fat) Tuesday

2010-02-16T23:20:00.000-06:00

1. Yes, I know, the ticker is telling me that I am, yet again, behind on Campbell's month-day post. I'm working on it.

2. Part of the reason there hasn't been an 8-month post is because there hasn't been an 8-month photo shoot. Zach has the morning off tomorrow, so that will be his chore.

3. Beau (doxie #1) has an ear infection. :( He has to take an oral antibiotic and 2 different types of ear drops for 10 days. He looks miserable.

4. I feel guilty for saying it, but I am glad that Beau has the ear infection and not Campbell. ::knocks fervently on wood::

5. We are, yet again, obsessed with the Olympics. Zach thinks he is a very knowledgeable figure skating judge. (LOL!)

6. Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll! Today is Mardi Gras!)

7. Campbell was babysat by her Aunt Amy on Sunday night while Zach and I went out for a nice Valentine's Day dinner. I think that she needs to spend more time with people who are not Mommy and Daddy because she is starting to display some major separation anxiety/ "stranger" danger. sigh.

8. Campbell tried kiwi this morning for the first time. She loved it. The funny thing was I was so concerned about the seeds in the puree. I mean, they are unavoidable because they are everywhere but I was just so worried about her eating them. I realized how silly it was to worry about the miniscule kiwi seeds when she was eating Cheerios later today.

9. I am so paranoid that I just googled "Are kiwi seeds edible" to make sure that I wouldn't have 20 comments saying "ZOMG! You let your kid eat kiwi seeds? Don't you know they are poisonous?!?!?"

10. Speaking of comments, I was told that some of you haven't been able to leave them (which I am sure is the reason for lack of comments, not the fact that I am boring and you have nothing to say or that nobody is reading) so I changed the settings. You do need a google account to leave a comment but other than that, they should be good to go. Please let me know if you keep having problems (Eby!)

If you read all that, here is a reward! This is Campbell playing last week. :)

Flashback Friday

2010-02-12T19:54:00.002-06:00

This is Campbell exactly 6 months ago to the day. Where did that teeny baby go?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-10T20:02:00.002-06:00

Ten on Tuesday

2010-02-09T22:42:00.002-06:00

10 Random Tidbits since I'm trying to blog more but don't have the energy for a full entry today.

1. Campbell learned to blow raspberries today. It is possibly the funniest talent she has.

2. She showed off her new talent when we visited my parents and sister this afternoon. 4 adults and 1 baby all blowing raspberries and laughing. I wish I had video.

3. I love that we've had parties the last 2 Sundays (Baptismal brunch and then Super Bowl party) because we have leftovers so that means delicious food and no cooking for a few days.

4. I may be slightly addicted to Words with Friends on the iPhone (I'm txbabs111- play me!)

5. I ordered the most adorable photo Valentines and picked them up today. Thankfully I showed them to Zach and he pointed out that I spelled Campbell's name wrong on them (Campell). Major Mommy fail. Thankfully Costco has great prices on photo cards so ordering the 2nd set didn't hurt my wallet nearly as much as it hurt my pride.

6. I really hope that it snows on Thursday and enough sticks so that I can get some good pictures of Campbell that actually look like "Baby's first snow!!" pictures rather than "Why are you taking pictures of your baby in the yard?" pictures.

7. I realize that it technically snowed in December, but if you can't see it in a picture, I don't count it.

8. Campbell was so sleepy this morning that she was only up for about 40 minutes before she went down for a nap. Zach put her in her crib and she was asleep without a peep. She was in a much better mood when she woke up the 2nd time.

9. I am in denial that my baby girl will be 8 months old on Saturday! I am already starting to think of ideas for her 1st birthday party.

10. Campbell has started to get up on all 4s and rock. I am excited and scared all at once. She seems to feel the same way. She gets up there, gives a huge grin and then starts semi-crying, seeming to say "I don't know about this, mommy!" She'll get it soon enough and I'll be wishing for the days when I could put her down and she'd stay in one place.

The Best Job

2010-02-08T19:32:00.002-06:00

There are days where it's easy to forget what a wonderful job I have as a stay-at-home-mom. Days where there are no naps taken and what feels like gallons of spit-up that end up on my shirt, on my pants, in my hair, on my face. Days where I don't get a shower until C is in bed or realize at 3:00 pm that I haven't brushed my teeth yet (rest assured, those things only happen on days that we don't venture out of the house). But then there are moments like this one today that I am so grateful and thankful that I have the opportunity to spend each and every day with this happy little face.

Geaux Saints!

2010-02-07T23:43:00.000-06:00

Campbell experienced her first Super Bowl tonight. We had a few friends over for snacks and hurricanes (oy) and baby girl got a custom-made onesie since I couldn't find one I liked online. She was a little worried about the Saints' performance at first, see:

She even tried to change the channel at one point:

But then she was all "OMG, did you see that on-side kick?"

And she was super excited when the Boys from NOLA pulled out a win:

Ok, ok, so I took all of these before the game actually started. But hey, her bedtime starts at 6:15 and she was asleep before the 2nd half even started. We'll call it a "based on a true story" blog entry rather than a documentary. You all just showed up for the cute pictures anyway. :)

Campbell's Dark Side

2010-02-05T19:45:00.001-06:00

Now, generally this blog is full of darling pictures, funny videos and adorable anecdotes about my beautiful, precocious genius child. After all, it's mostly for family (Hi Mom!) and what does Grammie want to hear/ see other than tales of her little prodigy nomming on carrots, playing with the dog and generally looking cute as a button.

But today I'm here to tell you all that Campbell does indeed have a dark side. She's not always sunshine and roses. Today she proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. It was bath time and we were having so much fun, playing with toys, laughing at Georgia, splashing the water when all of a sudden, I noticed something was amiss. "Hmm", I thought, "what is that floating in the water?" All of a sudden it hit me and even though it was only Campbell and I at home I think I literally yelled "Code BROWN! We have a code brown people!"

Yes, it was the dreaded "code brown" aka poo in the bathtub. I have heard about this happening to other babies but never to my dear, sweet Campbell. She knows better than that. She, my friends, is a lady. Well, apparently not because not only did she complete the code brown maneuver, she proceeded to laugh wildly while Mommy snatched her out of the tub and stood there wondering what to do. Thankfully Z was on his way home so I jumped into the shower with her to clean her off and by the time she was soaped and rinsed he was home so I could hand her off to him for drying/ jammy-ing.

Having cleaned the babe, it was time to face the tub. ::shudder:: I first tried to lift the inflatable baby tub and dump the *ahem* contents into the toilet. No dice, as it was too heavy with all the water in it. So, I poured off enough water and then I flushed the rest. Now the big bathtub and baby tub are filled with bleach water and her poor, defenseless toys (who never even saw the attack coming) are along for the sanitizing. Now let's just all hope that it's (cough, cough) out of her system so we don't have any more code brown experiences.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-03T13:00:00.000-06:00

Campbell's First Piano Lesson

2010-02-02T19:29:00.002-06:00

Well Miss Campbell is officially Baptized. We had her Baptism at our Church on Sunday the 31st. It was very nice, and to make it even more special, she had a ton of family show up from all over to support her. Joey took some really good pictures and we definitely appreciate it!

After the service we had a delicious brunch that Barbara and her Mom prepared. Her Aunts Barbara and Edith also brought some good home cooked Orange Rolls and Potato Casserole.
There was more food than we could eat, so we are eating Butter Croissants with every meal this week. We have enough to actually throw a Superbowl Party next Sunday without buying much :)
We really appreciate family coming from Georgetown, Cedar Park, and the Metroplex, even Kris and Kristin visited.

Amy went over to the Piano with Campbell Hope and started teaching her how to play. It was so cute I just had to catch it on my new iVideo app that I bought for .99 thanks to Luke and Joey.
There are a million good pics from the weekend, (the Leonards are crazy shutterbugs) but I will just post a few of my favorites.

Look! Over there!

2010-01-31T07:04:00.003-06:00

<--------------- To the left! You'll find Campbell's "6-month" (they were really taken at 7 months, but hey, turns out when you have a kid in June, their half birthday is in December, which is a very busy month) pictures on Allen Doberenz's blog. Enjoy!

C'mon get Happy

2010-01-28T10:25:00.002-06:00

I think you've met Happy before. He's our youngest (and goofiest) dachshund. We were originally fostering him for the rescue organization through which we got Beau, but when it came time to give him up I couldn't, so now he's ours (and Zach says I'm never allowed to foster again). He came with the name, and even though I hated it, I didn't change it because we were fostering him. He didn't really know his name when we got him but by the time we decided to keep him, he did and I didn't want to make him learn a new name. Not to mention, it really does fit him. He's always happy. See:

In addition to being happy and goofy, he is also Campbell's most willing 4-legged playmate. He always wants to give her kisses and lets her ~~grab his fur with all her might and hold on for dear life~~ pet him gently. We took this video a few weeks ago (you can tell by the fact that the Packers/ Cards playoff game is on in the background), but I think it pretty accurately portrays their interaction (and yes, he kisses her on the mouth. We try to keep it from happening, but he's fast y'all, and she thinks it is hilarious.

Flashback Friday with Feet!

2010-01-22T20:31:00.000-06:00

Campbell's sweet little toes at our anatomy scan on 1/26/09.