Thursday, December 16, 2010

Carter's Top 10 List at 4 Years Old: #10, #9 & #8

This the the 3rd year I have done this for Carter and is one of the posts I look forward to the most. Although it is truly bittersweet since it was 4 years ago to the hour Blake and I were packing our bags to leave for the hospital the next day.

As the day approaches that Carter turns 4 years old, we are trying to document his life now so we can always come back to this and get a clear picture of what Carter's life was all about at this exact age. So here it is.... as David Letterman would say, drum roll please....


CARTER'S TOP 10 LIST (RIGHT NOW)



10. Sleeping With Something. He has done this for quite a while, probably nearly a year, but EVERY SINGLE night he quickly chooses something important to him to sleep with. He knows it can't make noise and doesn't even try to play with it. He quickly turns over and holds whatever it is in his hand all night. He usually walks out of his room when his alarm clock says "7:00" AM  holding it in his hand still.


9. His Friends In His 4 Year Old Class This Year: This must be the age where boys really start to play together and rough house. He has about 8 little boy friends his class and they have stepped it up a notch as far as playing together or rather, running around like crazy together. All of us parents have had about 8 birthday parties together, in the last 3 months, to really get to see all of them in action! Good thing there are 6 adorable girls in his class to help keep all those boys in line.
8.TV Shows And Movies In General - No specific ones he watches on continuous replay. He likes Mickey Mouse Club House with Addie in the mornings and Polar Express, Letter Factory and Bolt are some of the rotated regulars in the car.  A few months ago before Halloween, I did make the mistake of introducing him to the real Batman Cartoon and he LOVED it and wanted to watch it non-stop however we cut out the habit of all realistic superhero cartoons about a month ago when we noticed a marked increase in his aggressiveness such as pushing and throwing his hands all around while both at home and at school. I have to say we saw an instant positive change!

To see past years, click 3 YEARS OLD or 2 YEARS OLD.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Then and Now!

1 vs. 4 years old.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

2 Christmas Parties... Night and Day Difference!

Friday's night was so exciting to pull out the fun Christmas semi-formal attire and literally walk a street over to some of our wonderful couple friends who threw their second annual wine tasting holiday party. The dancing was JUST GETTING STARTED when we were leaving at 11:30!
The next night's party was a "Jersey Shore" party and I have to honestly say that I have NEVER watched an episode. I was a little hesitant about this party in the weeks before but decided that Carter and Addie, one day, would get a kick out of these pictures. As I walked into Forever 21 last week, I pulled up this picture to figure out outfits for Blake and I.
Our version of JWOWW and The Situation with 2 kids....
You can't tell but Blake's shirt is see-through! There were enough fake orange tans, "bump-its," tight muscle t-shrits, chains, hysterical belt buckles and goddy outfits to make us all say, "We are glad we don't live in the Northeast and this be a typical Saturday night outfit on the town!"
The 125+ people there were 100 percent in character which made it such fun!
We were thrilled when Anthony won the costume contest.
Blake chilln' outside in the 20 degree wind chill... he was too  hot to let that cold front bother him!

Best Friends Wouldn't Let The 31st Go Uncelebrated!

It really is true that once you have kids, your own birthdays seem to wither away almost unnoticed especially when you have your first born son's AMAZING Spiderman party less than 5 days after.

However Mike and Megan exceeded their duties of our best friends and insisted on cooking for me for my birthday! I was so shocked and honored that they wanted to do it for me again after last year's high bar was set and honestly was going to give them until 40 before they had do to it again. They are too good to me... thanks guys!

PS... Note the rare picture of me in glasses and the fact that my eyes are starting to go at the age of 31. Two weeks now of not being able to wear contacts due to lack of oxygen to the eyes! It really is all down hill from here! ;)

Monday, December 13, 2010

Merry Christmas From The Browns!

My favorite reject Christmas card picture...

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Breakfast With Santa!

It was our dear friend Audrey's 1st Birthday and we were lucky enough to get invited to spend a long leisurely breakfast with the big red guy last weekend. With our past history of Santa visits, I really didn't have too high of expectations for our kid's this year. However, just when I go and think that, they go and totally surprise me...
They each wrote a letter to Santa before hand (which was included in the amazing invitation) and got to talk about what they wanted Santa to bring them. Carter asked for a Batman Cave and a Iron Man helmet and outfit. Addie clearly and simply stated she "wanted a new bed for her baby Marcie."
Carter was SO LUCKY to score a lucky seat RIGHT NEXT to Santa for breakfast so he got lots of time to get to know him before he had to sit on his lap! You have to hear the conversation Amelia got into with Santa. I was one of the lucky ones who got to hear it live.... hysterical!
Diane... from the detailed and amazing invitations to having the best Santa in the world there, from the custom hand made favors to the "WhoVille pass the present story time game," from the savory breakfast treats to the warm and welcoming environment, you out did yourself for one of the most unique and memorable parties I have ever been to! Thank you for including our family.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Totally Cool With 31!

If you asked me 15 years ago what I would think of being 31, I would have most definitely gasped and talked about how OLD that was and gone on about how I couldn't imagine how old I would feel.


Many people say they loved high school or college and would go back to that care free time in an instant given the chance and although my adolescents and young adulthood were cool, there isn't a chance in hell, I'd want to go back. The last 5 years are where it is at for me so far in this life. This weekend, I was reflecting, why I feel that way and what would I tell Addie now about looking forward to her 30's when she is 16! I believe it's a combination of a few things...


1. Foremost, I KNOW much more who I am and who I want to be and I am confident in my choices that I make to get there everyday.


2. My children have added such a needed balance in my life to remind me that the BIG things that stressed me out 5-10 years aren't even on my radar screen now.


3. I try hard to surround myself with genuinely good people that love me and want me to be my best and everyone else that doesn't, I have learned to easily separate them from my everyday life. I really related to Oprah's recommendation, "surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher." That was the easiest big change in the last 10 years that made the biggest positive impact on loving where I am now.


4. I like being responsible for myself and not having to answer to anyone for things I want or don't want. That is a big difference to being 16!!!! ;)


5. The relationship with my husband that has continued to grow and develop over the past 7.5 years where I truly for the first time in life have a partner that is there with me in every aspect of life and for me during the bad weeks and the good weeks.I was lucky enough to find this man who works hard with me everyday to continue to seek to understand each other more and more.

Speaking of 7.5 years ago - April of 2003. That is the beginning of this whole new chapter I love in my life. I met Blake when I had just moved back from a 10 month stint working as a computer programmer for Wal-Mart in Bentonville, Arkansas right out of college. My new Lilly partner, Amy Hernandez, had told me to meet up with a fellow overlap partner, Blake, in some random HEB parking lot.


Who knew what scene that parking lot would set in our plot of life. On our way to Tyler this Thanksgiving weekend, we took a detour and found that very parking lot for the first time since laying eyes on each other. Although Bealls had taken over the HEB, we quickly recalled how Blake's dark gray Ford Taurus was parked when I jumped into his car for the very first time!
Who'd of known 7.5 years ago, we would have our own personal photographer traveling with us full-time?!?!
So here's to 31 years old and my mother-in-law, Diane, remembering (when I had even forgotten) how much I LOVE rum cake! I wouldn't change one thing at 31... well except a few of the gray hairs trying to make their rude and early entrance.
The other thing I would love to remember to tell Addie about 31 is how my desires in gifts have SO TOTALLY changed! I am ecstatic about my automatic labeler, couture 36 traveling cupcake holder and first chemical peel! How old does that trio of gifts make me look?!??! But I wanted EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Another Converted Fan!

That's what happens when 2 Longhorns leave their oldest child with 2 Aggies to babysit. Nearly 6 months ago, Ella was left at our house unsupervised by her die hard Longhorn parents.  Not knowing what the 2010 Longhorn season would hold a few months down the road, Ella was perceptive when she insisted on putting on the maroon and white and showing her true spirit back in June! Next year we will be working on GIG 'EM!!!!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Hot Dogs and Apple Pie to Celebrate 2 1/2!

It's a big tradition to celebrate Addie and Ella's "half" birthdays and this weekend couldn't have been better. It had been several weeks since all four of the kids had been together and they were anxiously awaiting Friday night to come! Although we completely forgot about doing their annual 1/2 birthday hat pictures, we were able to snap some great ones from a great night.
Carter and Ella with evidence of apple pie and ice cream.
Carter was very attached to Mike and very affectionate wanting to just hang on him. So sweet.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Bribery Works!

School pictures were last week and the entire 2 minute drive to school that morning, the three of us made a pact that if on the day picture proofs were delivered AND there were smiles on the paper, then they got a piece of candy.....
I am so proud of their forced smiles and I SMILE each time I look at them. I may just have to order these for the memory. Any chance they will smile like this on the day they see Santa!??!?
O... and YES, they got their candy. ;)
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