There Is No Place Like Home

Okay, I can't believe I have not posted since December. I do have a few problems with staying consistent in my endeavors and I am really starting to realize this lately. Maybe that's the first step though right? Acknowledgment of the problem. In my defense I have been pretty busy. Since the new year Reese has really become quite the world traveler. She officially has her first stamp in her Passport. We have seen cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents on both sides and we are not even half way done with all of our trips this year. We have been really spoiled living in Atlanta. We have been able to find really good deals on airfare and of course everyone wants to see us! Okay, lets be honest there is no "us" involved here. Everyone wants to see Reese and I am just a bonus. I really don't know what I am going to do when she turns 2 and can no longer fly for free. 

We really have become great little travel buddies. She is a pretty awesome little girl who is growing way to fast. We pretty much have air travel down to a science and we learned that she pretty much needs her entire bed from home with her at all times in order to sleep well at new locations. Her entire bed being: her binkis, her teddy bear (booboos), her cow (Ms. Darcy), her pillow (one of those travel pillows that are shaped like a horse shoe), and her blanket. There really is only one bad thing about traveling with this kid. She misses her dad terribly. Those two really do have something special. Its always nice to come home and see their relationship just pick up right where it left off. I'm a lucky girl.

Okay without further adieu here are a few pictures from our travels . . . . 

 First up: Wichita/Grinnell

In January we flew to Wichita to see Christopher's sister and her girls. These girls are so special to us and they just love love LOVE my little Reese. They are a fun family and we miss them dearly. After a few days in Wichita we packed it up and drove to Grinnell, IA to see Nana and Poppa Dougherty and Christopher's twin brother and his family. Reese was having a hard time feeling comfortable with any male figure on this trip and was missing Christopher a lot until she saw Joseph. She loved him from the very first sighting. I think she caught on that it was not her dad but he was so good to her she didn't care. She followed him around everywhere it was really sweet. 

 (Joseph and Reese)

 (The cousins at Nanas house)

 (Reese and the newest addition to the Dougherty family, Eli, this was also the beginning of Reese's obsession with babies, just wait you will see what I am talking about)

 (Madz, Papa, Reese, me and Eli)

(Love these crazy girls! We were also so happy to see Jason too for a day. Reese really took to him right away, which never happens with guys. He is a great dad to his little girls so it didn't surprise me to much.)

Next Trip: Mexico

 We went to Mexico with my friend Danae and her family for a week in February. We had the best time with them. Its always nerve racking going places with people you are just meeting for the first time but this trip was not that way at all. Reese and I felt right at home with the Davenports. Reese loves Danae and her kids so she didn't have a hard time adjusting at all. I don't have as many pictures as I thought I did but here are a few. We definitely got some good stories from this trip that we will always remember. A few small lessons might have been learned as well, but maybe that is for another post.

 (Danae and Bugs on our way to the resort)

 (Walking the beach at sunset it was Windy by the ocean. It wasn't the smoothest beach but the pools made up for that.)

 (This girl loved the sand)

 ( It is almost impossible to get her to look at the camera long enough to catch her cute smile.)

 (Perfect view)

(Knox and Reese sharing treats. They became good little buddies)

I can't believe I do not have a picture of Reese and Ella. Ella is pretty much the light of Reese's life these days. Ella is Danae's 4 year old little girl who is so kind to Reese. Reese follows her around everywhere and Ella doesn't mind keeping her entertained. I love that little Ella too!

 To Michigan in March

My sister Abby had her baby girl Katherine (Kate) in Feb. So Reese and I were lucky enough to go meet her in March and be there for her blessing. My brother was there with his family too so there was no way we were going to miss a chance to see them and meet their newest addition as well. We had a really good time. I was pretty exhausted from all of the traveling we were doing but this trip was so worth the extra push I had saved up. I loved watching Reese with her cousins. She had a blast! It also was a plus because my sister-in-law Angela who is also my sister Abby's sister-in-law (it gets a little complicated trying to explain that one in words, its much easier for me to just explain in person how we are all related) was there with her boys so we got to see them again too. We had a great time!

 (Reese informing me that Kate has eyes, ears, a mouth and nose for the one millionth time. Somehow it just never gets old though)

 (Jones cousins to the right of Reese and Dougherty cousins to the left)

 (Reese loving on Eli. This is the same little boy Reese was holding 2 months earlier in Iowa from the pictures above. He has gotten so big in just two months.)

 (Duck Duck Goose for family night)

 ( Bedtime Stories with Papa)

 (fusball with Papa and Isaac)

 (Bathtime with Uncle. It was a tight squeeze in there)

 (Pretty Abby and her sweet Katherine)

 (And of course Reese mauling the baby. this is pretty much what happened everytime she saw a baby. She just wanted to hold it or find its toes or fingers or point out any body part. She really was pretty sweet to these babies though, she never got rough with them.)

 (Charlotte, Reese and Kate)

 (Abby, me Phil and Marge)

 (Ring around the Rosie)

(Love these two!)

We really had a great time on our trips but it was always nice to come back to Christopher. Even after the best trips there really is no place like home!

  

Reese stuck in the Grass

I found this video when I was downloading pictures from Thanksgiving. I didn't know Christopher took this. I think its pretty funny he pushes her back down on the grass to try and get up again. (Is that bad that I think its funny?) Anyway for your enjoyment!

Family

We have been lucky this year I feel like we have seen a lot of our family. Mostly my side but we were lucky enough to spend the weekend with two of Christopher's brothers. Ben and Ursula came up from Tallahassee, Fl with their two babes and Travis and Ade came for a  company Christmas party so they left their four boys in Utah for the weekend. We had a lot of fun just hanging out. Reese was pretty happy about having some other people in the house to follow around besides Christopher and I. She has the best Aunts, Uncles and cousins. It didn't hurt that two were her size. It was fun watching her try to keep up with Bella(4) and Landon(2). It was a great weekend. We captured a few moments through pictures so here they are . . . 

 (Reese loves her Auntie Ade, seriously she wanted Ade to hold her all the time.)

 (the boys went golfing)

 (so sweet)

 ( The Dougherty Boys married well. I love the sisters I got when I married Christopher)

(These three were too cute!)

 I miss you guys already. Can't wait for this summer! Love you and thanks for coming to Atlanta to see us.

Thanksgiving

This year my Mom and Dad and 3 of my sisters came to Atlanta. It was a great time. On Thanksgiving morning instead of a Turkey bowl, this year, we did the Turkey trot, which was pretty appropriate for my family as we are mostly girls. I think Christopher missed his football but he was a good sport and ran the 5k with my dad and sisters. I ran the half marathon and my mom and bugs were the cheerleaders. 

 

(Before the race)

It started at Turner field and we live really close it. But it took us so long to get there because of all the traffic that we were a little rushed, at least I was. My race started a little before the 5k. I didn't quite hit my goal time, but it was a good race. Next time I definitely don't want to run alone. I'm still trying to convince Christopher to do it with me. Maybe next year! The 5kers had a blast though. They all ran together nice and slow. Most of them were in no shape to run a race. Margie was pretty rocked from the race the rest of the weekend.

My mom and bugs had fun too while they chased us down and waited for us to finish.

I saw Reese and my mom twice during the run. The first time I stopped and gave her a big kiss. She was so happy to see me and then I had to go. I guess as soon as I left she just lost it. She did not like seeing me run away from her and vanish into a sea of people. Then I saw her again and she was sitting in her stroller just scanning the runners going by. I thought I would be ok if I just waved this time she saw me and again just lost it. When we all met up after the race Reese was a mess. She was so afraid I was going to leave her again she would not let go of me. She wouldn't even go to Christopher. Apparently it was pretty traumatic for her. I was so tired I could barely hold my self up, but I felt bad putting her down, so I lugged or I guess hugged my 26 pound baby all the way back to the car. It was kind of nice to see how much she really does love me though.

 Notice her white finger tips. She was holding on so tight, so I wouldn't put her down.

 Then we went home and made an awesome Thanksgiving dinner. It was one of the better ones that I can remember. It was also my first experience with sweet potato pie. I must say I think it is my new favorite, even over pumpkin and I am a big fan of pumpkin.It was sooo good. Wish I had pictures of dinner.

The next day we went ice skating in the park and to the aquarium. It was so fun. Atlanta has some really nice parks and a few of them set up outdoor ice rinks. It was so much fun. We were all a little shaky on skates at first but we got pretty good after a while.

Umm. . . Reese had a little wave of PTSD from the day before whenever I would skate over to her then skate away, so I had to steer clear of her side of the rink. She loves her grandma though, so it wasn't too bad. The rest of the time we just hung out, played games and played with the babe. 

 She had so much fun with her aunties and grandma and grandpa. Her new obsession is purses, shoes and hats. Thanks for coming everyone. I'm so grateful to have such a great family on both sides mine and Christopher's. Happy Holidays!

Tasmanian Devil

Bugs got Tubes a few weeks ago. It was a sad day until she got her drugs . . .

 

 She was so scared of anyone coming near her that they had to give her something to help her relax and oh did it ever. Even though I knew she was happier and less stressed I think it was harder for me to see her drugged up and "high", for lack of a better word, than to hold her when she was going crazy after the surgery. She just laid there and was perfectly quiet, just looking around, eyes completely glazed over, and then they rolled her down to surgery. And of course I was crying.

The doctor came in when it was done and said everything went fine. She told us to expect anything from a sweet little angel to a Tasmanian devil when she came back from recovery and was coming down off the anesthesia. We waited for a little bit while she was in recovery and then we heard her. She was wailing when they brought her in. She had her eyes closed and was just thrashing and spinning in my arms. No position was comfortable for her and nothing soothed her. It was so awful. As sad as that was it made me feel so grateful to have a healthy baby. She finally calmed down after about a half hour of crying. We took her home, put her down for a nap and when she woke up she was just as happy as can be. She has not had any problems since the surgery so I think all is well. Little kids are tough. I think ours is pretty feisty. I love her for it.

Holiday Cards

I love holiday cards! It is so fun to see the cards start coming in the mail and to touch base with so many friends and family. It is so nice to see what everyone has been up to during the year when you can't keep in touch as well as you'd like. Okay so I've never actually sent out Holiday cards before but I've always wanted to and this year  I have decided to use Shutterfly.com. They have some pretty awesome products and Christmas cards.  I have made a few books using their site and they turned out so great with such high quality. They really take the stress out of finding, designing, and printing all your holiday cards. The hard part is picking your favorite from so many different designs. One of my favorite Photo Christmas Cards is this little number. Click here to check out my other favorites. I love them all! Now I just need to decide on a family picture that we all look good in. Which shouldn't be to hard considering my last post.

Shutterfly is doing a sweet deal right now for bloggers: Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards. To sign up visit here You need to see all the cards. There are so many to choose from. You can also go to shutterfly.com and see the fun possibilities for books.