The tree farm

Last year, we attempted to go to a real tree farm to pick out our Christmas tree. Who knew that 2 weeks into December they would be sold out!! So, we decided to go early this year (because the owners told us to!) and went tonight. It was a lot more fun this time since Mallory could run around and help us pick it out. She LOVED the dog that roamed around...as you can see in the first picture. That is Sadie, the sweetest lab/chow mix.

Apparently, this place is pretty fun during the fall. They have a pumpkin patch, hay rides and lots of other fun stuff. We'll have to go back during the day next time...and during October.

This is what I'll call the "Charlie Brown" tree area. They ship in the really pretty trees (like the one we got) from North Carolina, but they also grow their own trees that you can saw down yourself. Some are a little sad, like this little guy here. But, it will be fun to do that when the girls are older.

It's getting harder and harder to get Mallory to pose for pictures lately. She's either too quick, my flash is too slow, or she's just not in the mood.

Here's our "Griswold moment". It was the first time we've strapped our tree to our vehicle (usually we've had Brad's truck...we really missed it this year!)

Who knew that the plastic bag they give you for disposing your tree later, could be so much fun? Too bad there is a warning about suffocation....Mallory had a fun time playing on this before we brought the tree in.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

We had a strange Thanksgiving around here. Since we were with both families last weekend, we stayed here for Turkey day. Mallory slept in till almost 9:00!! Then we headed to IHOP for a late breakfast. The rest of the day was spent watching the Macy's day parade (which Mallory was really into, especially the Rockettes) and football. I missed all the chips/dip, deviled eggs and other Thanksgiving foods that mom always has out during the day. Brad didn't miss out though. For a guy that can eat so much, you would think he would love Thanksgiving.

But, I did accomplish my goal....I finished all of Morgan's bedding this afternoon! And in regular Shannon fashion, I did it in 2 days and barely made my goal. But, it is done and that is another thing I can cross off the list. I'll post some pictures once I get the room cleared out a little more (can we say garage sale??) and figure out how to hang an arched curtain....

One down, nine more to go!

Today officially started my weekly doctor visits. I seriously cannot believe it is less than 30 days until baby #2 will be here! Unless something happens before, we have December 18th on the calendar for induction. I'm only dilated to a one (and I was that way for 4 weeks with Mallory), so it's likely that I'll be induced. Each day I get more tired of being pregnant. I don't remember feeling this way with Mallory. I would've gone another week or so...but this time around, I'm ready to have my old body back! The swelling in my feet has started and the heartburn is getting old. Not to mention sleeping, picking up a toddler, the jabs in my ribs and bending over. But, I can't complain because I have really had a great pregnancy! We can't wait to see who/what Miss Morgan looks like.

In other news, I purchased the new paint that Brad is so excited about:) And I plan on locking myself in Morgan's room until I finish the bedding this week. Good thing Brad has a couple of days off for Mallory duty!

Here's some pictures from the last couple of weeks:

Me and the Coach of the Year in Arkansas

Mallory LOVING the slide at Bmom and Pop's house. She kept saying "Again, again!" (but without the "a")

Mallory LOVING the beads at Mimi and Grandpa's house. They came in handy when she would wander off. They made a lot of noise!

Brad reading to Tate and Mallory. They didn't really enjoy sharing his lap, but they both really love to read.

My sister, me and Mom at Morgan's shower. I'm missing pictures of the fun "Slumber party/baby shower" my sister gave me. We realized the next morning we never took any pictures. Bummer!

Tate and Mallory playing together. Notice the beads once again. Those are actually Tate's beads, Mallory stole them quite a bit!

Last weekend, we made big road trip. We started at my parent's house in the metroplex. Here is my dad (the birthday boy) with the grand kids. It was getting late, so Mallory was already ready for bed when we had cake and ice cream.

Saturday night we did Thanksgiving. My sister thought Mallory might enjoy her first mouthful of whip cream. Kelly asked her if she wanted more and she promptly replied, "No." She'll learn.

Sunday we were in Houston for Brad's Maw Maw's birthday and another Thanksgiving meal. It was a LONG weekend, but worth it to see everyone.

Busy days!

We have been nonstop it feels like. Since Halloween, here's what has been happening around here (pictures will follow some other time):

*Mallory stayed at my parent's house while we were in Arkansas. My mom, sister and brother in law all left town the day after she got there. That means Grandpa was BY HIMSELF for 3 days on Mallory duty...and he did GREAT! They even left the house more than once!!!

*Hillbilly Arkansas. Brad's soccer team made it to the conference tournament for the 2nd year in a row. I tagged along with him and 30 college guys in a charter bus for 8 1/2 hours. Let's just say being pregnant and trying to sleep in a charter bus is not fun. Unfortunately, they lost in the first round...but we found out a couple of days later that Brad was named the ASC coach of the year! Woo hoo for my hubby! I am so proud of him!

*We went to Brad's parent's house after Arkansas to get away for a couple of days. Bmom and Pop enjoyed seeing Mallory (and us I guess!). She got to show off a lot of her tricks and got some cute Crocs that she wears everywhere now. We even got 2 dates in while were there...thanks Larry and Sharon!

*I went to the doctor. Nothing exciting to report. Heartbeat was good. I'm measuring right. I start going every week now. CRAZY how fast this pregnancy has gone by!!

*I had a super fun slumber party/baby shower that my sister threw me. It was fun to see friends, stay up late, eat yummy junk food and not have to worry about Mallory for a whole day!

*I had another super fun baby shower that some church friends threw for me. Let's just say that I'm not worried that Morgan will be naked anymore. She is definitely not lacking in the clothing department:)

*Kelly and Tate stayed with us until yesterday. It was "Project Nursery" for 3 days. Brad painted the room, we shopped at IKEA and went through LOTS of clothes and baby stuff. The room is still a mess, but it's coming together slowly. Unfortunately, Brad has to repaint the nursery because the color turned out a little different than what I thought it was going to look like. Fortunately, Brad expected it and has a good attitude about changing it.

5 more weeks till Morgan is supposed to be here. I hope she's an obedient child and follows her mother's instructions to wait until December 17th to make an appearance!

Where's the beef?

Apparently Mallory looked more like the Wendy's girl than Raggedy Ann??? At least that is what a guy thought as we were walking up to the Fall Festival! Maybe it's because she wouldn't wear her wig/hat until the last 5 minutes of the Fall Festival and the pigtails threw him off!

Here's our cute Raggedy Ann earlier tonight:

And, since we missed out on a pumpkin patch this year, I'll have to just reminisce from last year. Here's Mallory at 4 months old. (A little shout out to Sara Cook for taking such cute pictures of Mallory over the last year and a half!!)

A fun weekend!

We had a busy, but very fun weekend! It started off on Friday morning with a Halloween party. Our playgroup got all the kids together (in their costumes) for some cupcakes, treat bags and Mexican food. I ate 2 of the BEST caramel apples I think I have ever had! I love holidays!!!

Mallory went as Raggedy Ann. She wasn't a fan of the yarn hat, so we did pigtails instead. But, she was a cute Raggedy Ann and enjoyed all of the sugar!!

This picture cracks us up. Mallory's always had some long legs and big feet (genes from mom and dad), but the striped socks and black shoes really accentuate them!

An attempt at a group pictures. We couldn't get them all to look at the same time (or smile for that matter)...imagine that! We are also missing 3 of the smaller babies and one "Bob the Builder" who didn't want to sit down! There were 13 kids and 8 adults...we were way outnumbered!

Here are 2 of the 3 smaller babies. So sweet!

After the festivities, we both took a nap and headed out to Brad's soccer games. We beat McMurry 5-0 and then beat Hardin Simmons on Saturday 1-0. That is the first time since 1994 that UMHB has beat HSU! Woo hoo! We also got to spend some time with Aunt LaShay and Uncle Steve and Mallory's Temple grandparents, Steve's parents. UMHB is headed to the ASC tournament this weekend for the second year in a row. I'm so proud of Brad!!

Here's a cute video of the future soccer star!

Mallory in one of her "new" dresses. I say "new" because I went shopping a while back at a friend's house. She was consigning all of her little girls clothes and I got a sneak preview before she sold them all. I was able to snag about 3 outfits for Mallory and 5 for Morgan! Yes, this ensemble is a little over the top. Brad asked me if it was a costume when she walked out of her room on the way to church! I just can't resist little girls tights with dresses!

Super busy, but super fun! Now we have to get geared up for the big tournament and Halloween!

Progress!

I realize it may not look like much progress to most of you, but to me, it's HUGE! I will probably get in trouble from the hubby since I took apart the bed myself (it wasn't really that heavy), but it's worth it. I was in the mood for some nesting this afternoon. Instead of napping when Mallory napped, I got busy in Morgan's room!

I almost hate to do it since it will probably freak me out, but here is a list (in no particular order)of what we have left to do before Thanksgiving:

*Paint the room! Right now, I'm thinking the yellow on the far left.

*Find a changing table/armoire/dresser combination...a trip to IKEA is in the making.

*Make her bedding! I have the fabric, it's just a matter of sitting down and spending the time to do it. The real booger is going to be the shade for the arch window. I'm pretty much dreading doing that, but will hopefully be happy when it's over. If it costs less than $750 (the ridiculous quote I got from Home Depot for a faux wood covering) and keeps the light out, I don't care what it looks like!!

*Get all of Mallory's baby clothes and "baby supplies" down from the attic and go through them to figure out if any of them will work for a December baby.

*Christmas shopping! I have only bought one gift so far...I have a ways to go.

I think that is enough, although I'm sure there is more that I am blocking out of my head right now. Less than 8 weeks to go. My mom wasn't funny yesterday when she said she thought Morgan would come early...not funny at all!

ACU Homecoming and friends!

I love any excuse to go back to Abilene. It will always feel like home to me (although I did forget the shortcuts to a lot of places in the short year I've been gone). Brad and I both loved our college years and then the 4 years we spent as a married couple in Abilene. There is just something about it.

And, there is something about ACU. Except for the debt (!), I don't regret the decision to go to ACU at all! It was such a pivotal time in my life and I have some really great memories of it. Even with all of that said, I was really nervous about going back this year for my 5 year reunion. Would people remember me, would I remember them? Would I be embarrassed if I remembered them, and they didn't remember me? I could already feel the redness starting in my face just thinking about it last week! But, it turned out great. And I'm so glad I went. The weekend was so much fun and it was a blessing to catch up with old roommies and other friends there. Brad was glad he had soccer games away this weekend so he didn't have to go! Poor guy. He is usually just following me around wherever we go and doesn't know anyone. This time it was Brooke's hubby Michael that had to withstand a 2 hour dinner at a table full of girls! Sorry Michael. But thanks for helping me keep Mallory entertained!!

I will say, blogging put a new spin on Homecoming this year. I will admit I look at a lot of blogs of people I really don't know personally. I say look because "blog stalking" sounds really creepy to me!! Anyway. Most of the people's blogs I look at are friends of my friends, or at least people I knew of at school...that makes it okay, right? A bunch of us were laughing about how we feel like we really know people just because of their blogs, when in fact, we probably never even knew their name while we were at school. I had to remind myself of that a few times. "No, you can't go up and ask about so and so, you don't really know them!!" I was relieved at the same time to hear that other people do it too.

GATA breakfast, pledge class of 1999

College roommies! So fun to see them, and their babies again. We had our own little "reunion" back in February. Since then, 1 baby was born and there are 2 more on the way in December! Brooke, I'm so mad we forgot to get belly shots together!!!!

Here are some of the kiddos at the parade: Caleb, Ella and Mallory in the back. Hayden and Faith in the front. It took a couple of times to get the majority of them to even look at us!

And, the other friends. I stayed with my BFF Kara and her family over the weekend. What a blessing to have friends that open their home to me and Mallory (sorry about all the estrogen Tim!!). Here is Kaylee striking a pose for me before church. For some reason, I didn't get any pictures of Brooke and Mallory together. It's always fun to see them side by side since they are only 11 days apart.

More friends at lunch after church! This is Chris, Sarah and Noelle. Noelle was another one born last summer. She and Mallory are about 6 weeks apart. So fun!

So much fun! I was off my normal routine of an afternoon nap every day (sigh), so I was pretty wiped out when we got home on Sunday. But, we had a blast and I can't believe it's already been 5 years since college. I'm getting so old.

She's coming...whether we are ready or not!

62 days. Are you kidding? Didn't I just find out that I was pregnant yesterday?? That little ticker is starting to annoy me now! I am running out of time to get stuff done. I thought for sure that I would be on top of everything this time around. But no. Morgan's room still looks like a junk room. I haven't picked out the color for the walls....which means the wall aren't painted. The fabric has been bought, but is sitting on the bed waiting to be made into a bumper and curtains. And, on top of all that, I still have Christmas shopping to do! I have never been one to set a lot of goals (probably because I know I won't complete the tasks!), but maybe it would be a good idea to set a date of completion for Morgan's room. That way I'm held accountable by my blog to get it done. How about Thanksgiving? That seems reasonable and it leaves enough time left over until she gets here....hopefully. Yikes!

Becoming an official toddler

My dad, or "Ba-Pa" as Mallory calls him (can't quite get Grandpa out yet), requested some new video of Mallory walking. Seeing as she has gotten better at that and learned a brand new word, I thought I'd share 2 videos!

This one is sideways (sorry), but she is walking up to our front door after we checked the mail one day. This has turned into our little routine. After she gets up from her nap, we head outside check the mail and see her mommy get freaked out by the gecko that is ALWAYS in our mailbox ready to run across your hand when you reach in to grab the mail. D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G! Anyway. She loves to go outside now and always wants to go back after we come in. It's still pretty hot, so I try to distract her with toys or something else...is that mean? Oops.

The second video is cute (I'll admit it), but already has become the "naughty word" in our house. She literally started mimicking me a couple of weeks ago when I would tell her not to touch the trash can or the oven. We thought it was cute...at first. Within 2 days, she learned several ways to say the word and how to use it in the right situation. She's even added a "cute" little dance routine to the word on occasion (my sister in law calls it an "Indian Rain Dance" when my niece does it). Mallory is now 16 months. Isn't that kind of early to have such sass?? We've started spelling the word in front of her so she doesn't hear it as often and we've started asking her to say "Yes!". Both tricks seem to be helping....occasionally. Brad's parents were in town for soccer 2 weekends ago and got to see the word in action. Larry's line at the end of the video is great!

Tagged, again!

This one is from Alison, and I was told (by the subject of this tag) I couldn't put it on my blog...ooopsies!

The Game of Tag about your MAN:

1. Who is your man? Brad

2. How long have you been together? Dated 1 year, 9 months, engaged 11 months, married 5 years

3. How long dated? Oops, see above.

4. How old is your man? The big 3-0

5. Who eats more? Brad, he's got a never ending pit in his stomach...our moms love it!

6. Who said "I love you" first? I did, sort of. We were sitting on his couch in his apartment when his roommate came home talking about how he didn't want to just date a girl just to date her. We pondered on that and I told him I thought I was falling in love with him and didn't want to waste my time if I knew it wasn't going to be serious, he agreed!

7. Who is taller? Brad, he's 6'4 and I'm 5'7

8. Who sings better? Brad, but he won't admit it. He sang in his sister's wedding 4 years ago and his mom keeps asking him to sing again. It won't ever happen again. I, on the other hand, had to lip sync in Sing Song at ACU (they only wanted me for my moves) and I do the same in church sometimes!

9. Who is smarter? Brad would probably say me, but I would say both of us in different ways.

10. Whose temper is worse? Brad. He doesn't have much patience. But I can get irritated pretty fast.

11. Who does the laundry? Me...most of the time. Brad is sweet and helps out when it gets out of control or if he needs something before a trip.

12. Who takes out the garbage? Brad, unless he's out of town or there is something really smelly in the trash.

13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? If you are looking at our bed from the foot, then I sleep on the right side...always have, even before I shared a bed.

14. Who pays the bills? I do.

15. Who is better with the computer? I don't think either one of us would ever be called "computer savvy", but I type faster (and better) than him.

16. Who mows the lawn? Brad, but I have offered on multiple occasions. I think it would be fun to make the lines in the grass (see previous post about vacuuming). He really enjoys doing yard work.

17. Who cooks dinner? Me, although Brad can make some good spaghetti and breakfast tacos!

18. Who drives when you are together? Brad, he doesn't prefer "woman drivers". I'm going to get in trouble for typing that!

19. Who pays when you go out? Technically Brad, since he makes the dinero...but I keep the cash, so I physically pay.

20. Who is most stubborn? We are both stubborn, but I guess I will admit I am a teensy bit more.

21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Probably Brad. See above.

22. Whose parents do you see the most? Probably both sets almost equal (at least when we are together). I'll see mine more often when it's just me and Mallory. We see his more often during soccer season.

23. Who kissed who first? He kissed me first and had to wait a LONG time to do so!

24. Who asked who out? Brad did, but I invited my friend Lori along to what I thought was an innocent dinner at his apartment. Needless to say, Lori skedaddled pretty fast when she saw there was a candle lit! Thanks Lori!

25. Who proposed? Brad, in the DFW airport...one of the most romantic and fun days of our relationship!

26. Who is more sensitive? Totally me, hands down.

27. Who has more friends? Brad has more "best friends" and I have more acquaintances with a handful of close friends.

28. Who has more siblings? Brad, 1 brother and 1 sister

29. Who wears the pants in the family? Brad. It's most obvious when dealing with Mallory. He can make instant tears when he gets onto her...she just laughs at me!

I tag anyone who wants to spill the beans about their guy!

The California story I forgot to tell

This is me 2 weeks ago (By the way, I can't believe I'm already into the 3rd trimester...it has gone by SOOOOO much faster this time!). I figured this picture will go along with the story so you can get the full mental image.

My grandfather has a girlfriend named Pauline. I had never met her until our recent trip out to California. She is quite the spunky and fun lady. She keeps my grandpa on his toes! Anyway. She invited the fam over to her house while we were visiting to have dinner. As we were clearing the table, I was trying to steal a couple more bites of grapes (since most of you know, with a toddler, you never get to finish your own meal). Well, the juice from the grapes went down the wrong tube and I start choking. Yes, you probably know where this is going. I give Mallory to my dad since I'm crying , coughing and can't breathe. My mom thinks I'm choking on the actual grape, so as I'm trying to explain, I start laughing and then it happens.

I can feel a warm liquid practically running down my legs. I run to the bathroom where Wade is and tell him to move it! Every time I cough (since the juice is still choking me up), more urine comes out. I look down to realize I can't wear any of the bottoms I wore to Pauline's house home. Literally, my shorts look like someone splashed a bucket of water on them.

I yell for my mom. She comes to the rescue (after almost peeing on herself too, along with Kelly). I ask her to borrow a towel or something from Pauline to wear home. So, she goes to get Pauline. Pauline replies with, "Oh, I've got the perfect thing for you to borrow." My mom says she's getting a bathrobe for me. Perfect. I can just wrap my whole body up and be covered. Oh no. She comes back with a SATIN NIGHTIE! This isn't good for 2 reasons. #1 It's mid thigh! #2 How awkward is it that I'm wearing my grandfather's girlfriend's nightie around without the proper undergarments on? I'll answer...very.

So, as to not be rude, I put the nightie on. Fortunately, it covers everything as long as I don't bend over. I stand in the hallway waiting for us to leave as my sister and mom keep laughing at me while they clean the kitchen. My poor dad and Wade. It had to be a little awkward for them too.

The worst part is that I still needed to stop at a grocery store to get milk for Mallory before she went to bed. And, I was riding with Kelly and Wade. Both of the car seats were in the backseat and my seat was in between them. Kelly obliged and crawled in the backseat for me. It was dark outside, but not that dark! And Wade ran into the store to get the milk for me.

I had heard that your bladder control gets worse the more kids you have. Holy cow, that is an understatement. All from some grape juice.

Randomness

I got tagged a while back from Kelly, so here it goes. 8 Random things about yours truly:

1. When I am making lists or writing notes to myself, I use medical abbreviations (for words like with, without and after) back from the days of being an ER nurse. Sometimes I accidentally write them in notes to other people and have to write a whole new note since they wouldn't know what a "c" with a line over the top meant.

2. I am a stacker. I inherited this trait from my father, who inherited it from his mother. For some reason, I feel tidy when I put things in stacks. There can be a mess of paper on our bar for weeks. When I finally go through all of it; file away the important stuff, throw out the junk mail and put away stuff that has a place, there will be a nice and neat stack of stuff I don't know what to do with (but I know if I throw it away or put it somewhere, I'll need it later). This drives Brad CRAZY!! It really is a sickness.

3. I don't prefer to talk on the phone (obviously there are exceptions: family and people that I talk to on a very regular basis). I much prefer email over phone calls. I know it's not very personal, but to be honest, it takes less time, there is less awkward silence to fill and it's pretty convenient.

4. On the same note about awkward silences...I get very uneasy during Sunday School or other group settings when people don't "discuss". Not that I will jump right in and say what I think about the discussion, but I get nervous for the discussion leader and feel the need to fill the silence somehow.

5. When I was in the 5th grade, my sister picked out my outfits for me everyday. This is really humorous to me now, seeing as how we really disliked each other growing up (4 years is a big difference in sisters...but all of that has changed now!). Anyway. I would record the outfit for each day (down to hair accessories and shoes), and didn't repeat an outfit for more than a whole month! That is impressive. I seem to have really lost my "fashion sense" since having a kid and, really, since college. Not that I was ever a "fashionista", but I think I had some clue back then. Maybe I should let Kelly do that again. In fact, I wouldn't mind being nominated for the show "What Not to Wear". Seriously, it wouldn't hurt my feelings and I'd get a trip to New York out of it! Just make sure it is at least 6 months after I birth Morgan:)

6. I really like to vacuum. I inherited this from my dad too. I think it's instant gratification for me. When you vacuum, you immediately get rid of the dirt and there are pretty lines in the carpet for your efforts.

7. I am incredibly indecisive. It drives me crazy sometimes. I think I have regretted almost every retail purchase I've ever made...or not made. For example: I've been wanting a big piece of art or something to hang in our entry way between 2 lamps. Back in 2004, I found this poppy canvas on clearance at Bed Bath and Beyond that I really, really loved. It only had a little scratch at the bottom and I had permission from the husband to purchase it. I didn't. Now, I envy my sister's staircase every time I go to her house because that same poppy canvas hangs there. I recently found a canvas painting at Hobby Lobby that I liked for the most part. I was good and didn't take the cardboard edges off until Brad saw it so he could give his opinion. I thought it was what I wanted (it was also 50% off which made me want to want it even more). After 3 weeks of it hanging in our entry way, I decided I didn't really like it in the first place. So, since I threw away the receipt and took off the cardboard edges, I had to get store credit for the purchase I thought I wanted. I wish I could be confident in what I like and be happy with what I decide to buy. It's pretty annoying.

8. I repeat myself. A lot. Between Brad, my mom, my sister and best friend, it is really hard for me to remember who I tell what story to. So, I usually end up repeating the same stories to the same people over and over. I have started to ask "Have I already told you this?" before almost every story so I don't drive those people nuts.

If you have the time, I tag Kara, Sarah, Lori, Meredith, Brooke and Alison!

Future Univision commentator

Soccer season is in full swing around our house! This is kind of late since the first game was about a month ago. Oops! The Cru are on a streak having won the last two games! Here's a couple of pictures of the coach's biggest fan.

I really need to make a trip to the UMHB bookstore and get the appropriate attire for Mallory, but until then, this handmade shirt will have to do.

This one has nothing to do with soccer, but I thought she looked like a big girl in her new jeans and sparkly shoes.

Random. This girl would NOT wear hats, sunglasses or any other accessories for the longest time. She found these sunglasses in her closet the other day and wore them for about 30 minutes around the house. She also wore them to the last soccer game we went to for almost the whole first half. Brad calls me "Posh" because of my sunglasses, so now Mallory is sporting the nickname too:)

I bought this little soccer ball after I found out I was pregnant. I thought it'd be fun if we had a boy. Since that isn't happening, Mallory is playing with it instead. When you squeeze it, it says "Goooooallllllll!" So, the other day I taught Mallory how to say "Goooaalllll!" It's pretty cute. And of course, she had to wear the shades while she was on video.

Gray is boring...at least for today.

I'm getting bored with the look of the blog, so I thought I'd coordinate it with Morgan's countdown. Anyone know how to do those really creative and one of a kind blog templates?

I need a change....

California...part one...second

Sorry about the delay in the post (dad). I do have a "job", you know:)

Here are the pictures from the first half of the trip:

Wednesday: I mentioned that it seemed as if we gave Mallory straight sugar after the first plane ride. She went bananas crawling all over the hotel room and then she found her twin in the mirror. She was really excited to meet "Mallory". We then went to eat with my Aunt Barbara, cousin Corry and cousin Butch (he was late for the picture). Mallory really wasn't in the mood for Chinese food or for being a good girl in public. Can't really blame her after a LONG day of traveling and two 45 minute cat naps. This was meltdown #1.

Thursday: Before Mallory's first birthday, I was a stickler about sweets. Now, she has them every now and then (mainly if we are eating them in front of her). She LOVED the strawberry ice cream from Hubcaps. I think she ate more than I did!

The second picture is of Mallory sporting her leg warmers. They are really just socks, but I had to pull them up for her to keep them on her feet. I took her to a spray park the day before we left. Since she doesn't walk (and I didn't have any water sock shoe things), she crawled around on the concrete. It never bothered her. I noticed that the concrete had rubbed the skin off the tops of her toes and feet. Poor girl. The biggest scabs grew over the boo boos. Anyway. After a day of crawling on the hotel carpet, one of her scabs came off and her foot was bleeding. Gross, I know. The legwarmers were the alternative to trying to keep band aids on her feet the whole trip. I felt bad because I'm sure shoes rubbed right in the wrong spot. All of the boo boos have healed up nicely now. And I just purchased a pair of water socks for her in case we make a trip to the spray park before it gets too cool.

Friday: Kelly, Wade and Tate got in town this day. So, we loaded up and the whole fam went to eat at the Back Forty, which ironically was "Texas BBQ". Not Joe Allen's, but not bad either. This picture is immediately before meltdown #2 for Mallory and #1 for Mommy. Let me just say that it is really trying when you are the only caregiver to a 15 month old, in another state, on a different time zone and pregnant! Poor Mallory. She would not eat her dinner (until I put the mac n cheese on the table) or cooperate for that matter. I was very frustrated with her. Finally, she eats the mac n cheese, and obviously enjoys it (her hair was plastered to her forehead). I was wiping her face off with a wipee and she jerked her head forward and banged it really hard on the table. I felt horrible. I grabbed her, kissed her and then both of us started bawling. I will blame 80% of it on pregnancy hormones (I've still got 3 more months to play that card!). I couldn't control myself and had to give Mallory to my sister and head to the little girls room. Embarrassing. My family was very sweet though and didn't make a big deal about it. Thank you. Sorry you missed the show Becca!

Saturday: The big day. My mom was very gracious, and offered to watch Tate and Mallory while we all went to the game. Brad and I attempted a college football game with Mallory last Thanksgiving and it did not go so well (breastfeeding in the bathroom stall and missing the second half pretty much). So, needless to say, Kelly and I really appreciate you watching them mom, thanks!

My dad went to Berkeley, and was in his element at the game. It was really fun to be there with family and to watch a really good game. One of the best parts (other than the win) was when the sun went down. It literally dropped almost 20 degrees in minutes. I love California! Wade even got into the "spirit" and ran onto the field with all the college kids after the game. I wanted to reenact a picture that my sister and I took when we were at a Cal game back in the 80's...but we left our terry cloth jumpers at home and thought it would be too risque to let our underwear hang out the sides like it did back then.

Even though she wasn't at the game to cheer on the Golden Bears, she dressed up for them!

Here's my 83 year old (today!) grandfather at the game. UC Berkeley is a family tradition (grandpa, grandma, aunt, uncle and dad)

And here is the psycho Cal fan with his girls. Seriously, you should have seen him in the bookstore...embarrassing...but fun.

And that should wrap up the trip. Overall, I had a blast and am soooo glad that we made the trek out there. Thank you to mom and dad for ALL of their help and for letting us tag along! We had a great time.

This goes with the video below. For some reason when I try to add text, it deletes the video. Sorry Kelly, I deleted your comment! Oops!

Mallory "officially" took steps about 2 months ago when Brad and I were sitting about 3 feet apart and she stumbled to us. I thought for sure she would take off on her own shortly after that. I guess you can safely say that Mallory is cautious. It took her a month to crawl, but she had each individual movement down that whole time. The same with walking. We know she can do it, we think she is just scared or likes us to hold to her hand. Anyway. Funny that she did this today since we were at her well check up and I was asking the doctor when I should be concerned about her not walking on her own....turkey! Speaking of her check up...24 HEAVY pounds, 31 1/2 inches and her head is 47 cm. Not sure about the percentiles on that, forgot to ask! She did great at the office and and loved squealing at herself in the wavy mirror. Mommy did great too since she was by herself and had to hold her down for the shots...that is usually daddy's job!

An exciting day!

California trip...part two...first

I'm having quite the time with uploading pictures, so this trip will be posted in two parts. Unfortunately, all the pictures I posted today are from the last half of the trip, so I apologize for the confusion!

This was my gazillionith time to California, and Mallory's first! My dad and his whole family are from Northern California, so we get the privilege of vacationing there every couple of years. Yes, it's still a vacation even with family:) We were expecting the typical breezy, sunny California weather, but it ended up being warmer than it was in Texas! Bummer! But, I will quote my dad and actually say that he was right, "It's a dry heat!" Anyway. We had a full 8 days of traveling and taking it all in. My dad was in his element being able to show off the grandkids to his sister, brother, dad and all of his nieces and nephews. Mallory and Tate were a hit! We ate at all of the "regular" places, watched the Cal Bears beat the Tennessee Vols, made a trek on public transportation to San Francisco, relived childhood memories and had a lovely dinner with my grandfather's new girlfriend. It was a full week and we all still love each other! The only person missing was Brad...and he was really missed!!!

So, the part I dreaded the most ended up being okay. I was slightly terrified of flying with Mallory. She has never flown before, does not nap well in her car seat and didn't know what 3 1/2 hours of being cooped up in an airplane would do to her or her ears. But, all in all, she did GREAT! We were able to get her a seat last minute (both ways, praise the Lord!). She didn't sleep, ate plenty of Goldfish, watched 3 DVDs, read every book twice and even got her picture taken with the pilot. What a good girl!

Okay, now the pictures. Unfortunately, these are out of order, but you'll get the general idea. Enjoy!

On Sunday, we met our cousin Amy in San Francisco for the day. That was quite an adventure. Let's just say that I am in awe of mommies that live in big cities that deal with public transportation and strollers on a daily basis. I don't know if I could do it. But, we survived and Mallory was entertained by all of the people watching.

This is a picture of "lawn bowling". Sorry, but it's strange. I don't know much about it, but it seems weird. It's like something out of a movie. All of the players are wearing white, it's so quiet and they are rolling these balls across the lawn to each other. I asked Amy if she lawn bowls, and she replied she wasn't old enough. Enough said.

One of the many reasons I would love to live in Northern California. Golden Gate Park. It is beautiful and I kept saying how much I wish Texas had stuff like this. We stopped by the Flower Conservatory to let the kids stretch their legs. It's BEAUTIFUL! There were dogs running (which Mallory loved!), families having picnics and just general lounging all around us. Amazing. The flowers were gorgeous too!

This is the actual Conservatory part, but we couldn't stay long enough to go in. I'm sure it's neat though!

The 40th anniversary "Summer of Love" fesitval was going on the same day we were there. Supposedly, the haze of smoke is from the BBQ pits, but I'll let you use your imagination:) There was somd great people watching here, let me tell you! One man was walking by us and said, "The hippies are here!" Surely, he was looking past us since we obviously did not fit in there! My parents would have though!

I might regret this sometime, but hey, we were on vacation. This kept Mallory entertained for a long time while I was getting ready. She isn't like normal children, she likes to shred, sort and then clean up the toilet paper instead of unroll it. I'm thinking she'll be type A like her parents.

This was on the plane ride home, Tuesday. I put her in the seat while I buckled in her car seat. Like the picture above, she is a little Type A. She would not look up at the camera for anything until she figured out how to buckle the seat belt.

My dad is a little obsessed with In-N-Out Burgers. To the rest of the family, it was just another fast food hamburger. We had to eat there twice on the trip. Mallory wouldn't wear the hat for him, so we snapped a picture of Tate and Grandpa instead.

Cousin time! Mallory and Tate had LOTS of bonding time on this trip. Here they are after a hot afternoon playing footsies while the mommies took bathroom breaks.

Monday, on the way to my grandfather's house, we stopped at a place called the Nut Tree. They recently reopened it, and although it's not quite like how I remember it as a kid, it was fun to take my daughter to it. My sister and I would take our pictures in these animal head things every time we would visit. They also have a train that you can ride around the park and used to have pineapple and marshmallow cream as appetizers in the restaurant! Mmmm!

Although her face doesn't show it, she really did enjoy her first carousel ride! Her mommy almost passed out from the heat and getting dizzy, but Mallory and Tate had fun!

Stay tuned for more....if you are just dying to find out the rest, check out Kelly and Wade's blogs!

Coming soon...

...a post about "Adventures in traveling with Mallory on a plane for 3 1/2 hours and spending 8 straight days with your parents"....

We've been in California for a week and have lots of stories and pictures, but not much time to post it right now. Stay tuned!