Surprise!

Mimi turns 60 on Nov. 20th!

It really goes without saying that Mom's (in general) are really hard to surprise but we attempted it anyways because we knew that our Mom had always wanted a big surprise party. Dad and I started planning way back in September. It was a hefty project to get all of the names and addresses of Mom's friends without her knowing!! I do have to say that Dad was very impressive with his stealth spy skills! He was instrumental in getting a hold of a lot of Mom's Austin tennis friends.

Anyway, we ended up sending out about 50 invitations to friends and family in South Carolina, Georgia, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Arizona and of course Texas. The party was set for last Saturday (Nov. 12th) from 6-8 at Steiner Ranch Steakhouse in Austin. It was the perfect day to do the party because Mom was actually in town....everyone knows she has been traveling a lot lately. AND there was no football game (a big plus for Dad!)

The hardest part of surprising Mom is coming up with excuses s in order to get her to the party on time and without suspicion. Neither Dad or I are very good liars. Its a fact. So, Dad and I had to "practice" our stories so that we wouldn't give up the secret. Dad told Mom that she had to come with him to a recruitment dinner- Dad does this a lot so it wasn't a stretch. Stephen and I told her that we were coming to town to see some college friends. We were going to spend the day with them and then have dinner later that night. We had to be in town early in order to get everything ready for the party and to pick Phil and Katie up from the airport. They were the BIG surprise as they came the farthest (Phoenix) to be a part of the celebration.

Anyway the night of the party everything went off without a hitch. Mom had a great time and she was surrounded by friends and family that adore her.

Happy Birthday Mimi- we love you!

4 Months!

Happy 4 month birthday to Annabelle! She is getting so big-- 24 in long and 11.9lbs. She is smiling and giggling and loves the sound of her own voice! Annabelle grabs and holds her toys now too and can really focus her eyes on things that are far away. She loves when you read to her and when you make silly sounds. Its a joy to see her discover the world everyday.

Stay at Home Mommy

It has been a crazy month to say the least. I resigned from my position at the Fort Worth Stockyards and accepted a new job at the Dallas Arboretum. On paper it looked great working 5 minutes away from home and just minutes away from Annabelle's daycare. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite the dream job that I imagined.

After careful consideration, Stephen and I agreed that it was the right time for me to be a stay at home Mom. It was the best decision for our family and I am thrilled! I am so excited to start this new chapter in my life. Annabelle is only a baby for a short while and I get to be there to see her grow and change everyday!

Cheers!

Annabelle and Tillie

Before we had Annabelle Stephen and I were concerned about Tillie and how she was going to react to the new baby. She has always been our fur baby and has a bit of "only child syndrome." Well, we know now. She loves Annabelle and is very protective of her. I would even call her a good big sister! Here are some pics of Tillie and Annabelle "playing."

Halloween!

It's Annabelle's first official holiday- Halloween! And.... what else would she be but a ladybug! (or rather a ladybird as Stephen would say). We might have gone a little crazy getting ready for the holiday. I might have bought a couple "My first Halloween" outfits that she had to wear all month long. Why not celebrate your first child with enthusiasm?! HEHE!

Annabelle's Baptism

Annabelle was baptized on Sunday, October 16th at Highland Park Presbyterian Church- the same church Stephen and I were married. I was terrified that Annabelle was going to scream and cry in front of the whole congregation but she was great! There were a few tears in the beginning but Ron Scates (officiant) was so good with her and calmed her right down.

It was a nice ceremony and my Mom and Dad were able to come down and celebrate with us. Here are some pics.