To Hold You Over...

*Another photo courtesy of Grammie*

We're headed to Florida with Matt's family in a couple of days and I really couldn't be more excited. It was a little stressful getting everything ready for Christmas 2 weeks early, but it will be worth it when we escape single digit temperatures for the warm sunshine. We're also really looking forward to quality time with both sides of the family - Matt's up till Christmas, then mine on Christmas and the week after. With that said, unless I'm incredibly ambitious, I won't be doing any posts until we return from St. Louis, so here are some shots that deserve a little face time on the blog...

This was right after Amy and Mati left. So sweet! You can't fully appreciate it from this photo, but Brooke's hair lately could best be described as that of a 40 year-old man with male pattern baldness. She wakes up now with bed head, but only in the back. And of course Oz had to get in on a shot.

She was proudly wearing this Bears hat prior to their beating by the Patriots yesterday.


Have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Santa's Little Helper, Part 2

As promised, here are more shots of Brooke causing a little holiday mischief. She's discovered the tree at Grammie and Grandpa's (thanks for the pictures, Debbie!).


Baby-zilla Attacks the Nativity...


Brooke playing with the nativity magnets that Grandma and Papa T got her last year. That reminds me, time to clean the fridge.



Packing peanuts: 10 minutes of fun for days of clean up. I'm still finding pieces of them 3 days later. Isn't that parenting in a nutshell?



Happy holidays!!!

Ready for My Close-Up

Last Saturday, my friend Danielle was gracious enough to offer to take some photos of our family (that may incidentally be used for our Christmas card). Brooke wasn't as camera-ready as she usually is - we had come from brunch with my cousin, Doug, and it was pretty much naptime - but Danielle was very patient and creative the whole time and got some shots that I LOVE.



It was the first snow of the season and Matt was really excited about getting pictures outdoors. I was just excited that Matt was excited about something related to family photos. Turns out he was right. Those were some of my favorites. And Brooke LOVES the snow. How is she my child? I'm thinking about having a maternity test done. My only regret is that Ozzie wasn't with us for any of them. Maybe next time...


Thanks again, D!

*Note: I'll post more of these pics later. Turns out legit photos take much longer to upload than my dinky camera's pictures.*

Santa's Little Helper

Brooke's been having fun exploring some of the Christmas decorations I've put out (hmm...in looking at this picture I realize it's time to take the price tag off that jingle bell dog). My Aunt Brenda got her this Christmas Elmo and the Little People Nativity set last year and she LOVES both of them. It ends up looking like Baby-zilla's come through when she gets done playing with the nativity - photos of that to come.


I'm hoping she doesn't end up in counseling for this, but we haven't had a tree either of her Christmases. Our family Florida trip has fallen the week before Christmas both years, then we get home and turn around and head to St. Louis, so it hasn't been worth it to get a tree. I LOVE real trees, but I'm thinking we're going to have to give in and get a fake one. I'd hate for her to be the preschooler who visits a friend and asks, "What's that sparkly thing?" when she sees their tree.

I'm also having to be strategic about when and where I wrap gifts thanks to my little elf, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Perfect Couple

Our friends, Scott and Kristina, are some of the most thoughtful and loyal people you could ever meet. That's a photo of them at the hospital the night Brooke was born. They're also ridiculously fun and make a pretty perfect couple, which is why we were so excited when the got ENGAGED over the Thanksgiving holiday. We love you guys and can't wait to celebrate with you next year!


Some of the ladies in the wedding party on the night K asked us.


I love a good wedding and I'm pretty sure theirs will be epic (no pressure or anything).

Wild Dog Chase

Okay, enough with that awkward ad for Shutterfly (but I DID get my free cards, so I can't really complain)...

Now that she's so mobile, I think that Brooke (and I) have a new-found appreciation for Ozzie. He can keep her busy for quite awhile just by running away from her. And for some reason, when he runs by her you'd think it was the funniest thing in the world (and I really can't get enough of her laughing!). Here's a quick video of both.