BBVA Compass Bowl

I was fortunate enough to accompany the UH football team to the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham this year...I was really excited that Barry and Sawyer got to join too!  We left on a Tuesday afternoon and she was just as excited to ride on the bus as she was for anything.

We started telling Sawyer a while back that she was going to go on an airplane, trying to prepare her.  I was for sure she would be scared…probably because I am not totally comfortable flying…she seemed to be pretty excited, but she kept saying she just wanted me to "hold you."  Once we got on the plane, we tried to make her as comfortable as possible.  Pots…pie…and headphones.  The personal TV with Disney Jr. on didn't hurt either…

Our plan worked.  This was Sawyer before we even took off…

She stayed like this until we had about 10 minutes left in the flight.  Success!!

Once we got to the hotel she thoroughly enjoyed the hotel life!

The "elegators" were a huge hit.

As was playing golf in the hospitality room,

riding in the "yellow cars,"

and looking out the hotel window.  There was a billboard with Santa on it and she had to check and make sure he was there every day.

             

And do a little dance.  Since I was working for a lot of the time, Barry and Sawyer got to spend lots of time together!

They tried their best to stay entertained in a hotel with nothing around it and 20 something degree weather outside.

And even tried the freezing cold indoor pool.

Once game day rolled around, Sawyer was so excited that she could finally go to football.  She had a hard time understanding why she couldn't go to football with me all week.

Game day was pretty cold, and turned to really cold once our seats were no longer in the sun.

Fortunately, it didn't really phase Sawyer and she slept through a good bit of the game.

All in all, it was a good week and I am thankful that we were included.  But, we were SO happy to be home!

Christmas 2013

Christmas this year was especially fun.  Sawyer really got into it - she loved the idea of Santa (not the actual Santa), opening presents, spending extra time with family and the Kwissmath twee.  I, for some reason, had a "crafty" moment and decided to make Sawyer this tree - partly to entertain her, partly to give her her own tree to decorate and avoid broken ornaments on mine.

                           

She wanted to hold her hand and give her hugs.  Maybe I will be creative again sometime - it was worth how happy she was!  She also had a little Christmas party at school, complete with loads of cookies, Santa hats and jingle bells.  The kids had been practicing singing Jingle Bells and Navidad and Sawyer put on quite the performance!

           

We tried visiting Santa.  Excuse my outfit…I didn't think I would actually have to be in the photo, but I should have known.  Every time we would talk about sitting on Santa's lap Sawyer's response was always, "I not can do dat.  You can hold you me, Mom."  Follow that??  Toddler speak.

Our first actual Christmas celebration was the weekend before Christmas in San Antonio.  We spent Saturday afternoon at Cindy & Kevin's house in little girl central!

Ty is going to be seriously outnumbered!  Sunday we did brunch at Wita's house and got to spend some extra time with everyone.  Lisa bought all the girls these "misters" which were a huge hit!

Sunday evening we had Christmas at our house - just the three of us.

Sawyer got make-up from mom and boots and a stick horse from daddy.  She was in heaven!!

    

Monday we hit the road again, this time to Yoakum.  We spent Tuesday (Christmas Eve) afternoon at Grandma Cowan's, of course taking part in the holiday tradition of seeing the newly born calves.

Followed by eating (lots!), presents and cousin time.  Sawyer will continue to be the outnumbered one on this side of the family.

We went to Christmas Eve service that night and then went back to Grandma & Pampa's (that name continues…) for another Christmas celebration.

Even Ty got a couple presents. =)

I got a fancy new camera, so there is a glimmer of hope (very small at this point) for the photography on this blog!  Christmas morning we went over to Granny's house for our 5th (!!!) Christmas.

This is Sawyer modeling her light-up Minnie Mouse heels.  Ridiculousness.

We then came back to Richmond to celebrate Christmas with my family…yes, still in PJs.

We had such a relaxing and wonderful week with family.  It was exhausting, but so much fun!

And…lesson learned:  you can buy ANYTHING and EVERYTHING princess themed.  There is a serious Disney princess explosion going on at our house.  

And, the next day…the first thing Sawyer said when she woke up was "where are my presents??"  She continues to ask where Santa is almost every day...

Ty: 24 Week Update

Last I left off, we found out we were having a baby boy and had finally decided on a name for him.  And here I am 9 weeks later (what?!?) just now catching up!

21 Weeks 

I am very thankful that this continues to be an uneventful pregnancy and generally pretty easy.  The worst thing has been the heart burn.  I had it was Sawyer too, but it seems to be worse this time around.  Fortunately, my doctor was able to prescribe something that helps and I haven't had any since.  So…no complains here!

22 Weeks 

I wish I could blame these terrible pictures on lack of sleep, but I had still been sleeping pretty well at this point.  We saw the doctor again at 23 weeks, nothing new to report!  Weight and blood pressure continue to be on track.

23 Weeks

Sawyer continues to be crazy!  As does Ty.  He is SUPER active - much more so than I remember Sawyer being.  I feel like with Sawyer her active times were pretty predictable…with Ty…its All. The.Time.  We made our next appointment for after the new year and scheduled my gestational diabetes test for the same time.  Right after the holidays.  Perfect.

24 Weeks

I feel waaaaaaay bigger with Ty than I was with Sawyer, but looks like I was actually a little bigger with Sawyer.  I blame the feeling on Thanksgiving and Christmas…and my lack of self control.  And turning 30.

Glad to see I have stepped up my wardrobe over the past two years……...

2 Years

Sawyer Beth aka Sigher Bef…my little princess.  I can't believe you are two years old!

I also can't believe I have kept up with 24 monthly posts over the past two years!  You are so much fun at this age!  You fully believe you are a princess and tell us often that your name is Sophia and you are a princess.  You LOVE to play with your babies and stuffed animals, you have at least one of them in your arms at all times.  I am hoping it is getting you ready to be a big sister.

You talk about your brudder a lot.  You really want to help me change his biaper (not a typo).  And, share your toys with him.  Let's hope that sticks.  You love your new "micycle" and playing in your new big girl room.  You are doing great sleeping in your big girl bed.  You are not at all a morning person, me either, I understand.

You love to help me - with the laundry, cook, work, pretty much everything which I love because we can do everything together.  You are my best little buddy.

Some days you are a daddy's girl, some days you are all about mommy, some times you get mad at us and only want your grandparents.  Some days you want "errbody gether."  You are pretty bossy and are always telling us and everyone else what to do.  You usually say please though.

You talk 98% of the time you are awake.  Basically whenever you aren't eating dinner or snacks.  All meals are dinner.  Your eating is getting better.  You have discovered ketchup and if you can dip it you will eat it.  Your favorite foods are waffles, pasta, peanut butter, nuts of any kind, grew-berries (blueberries), milk, peas, strawburs, nannas and ANY sweets.

You are a super girly-girl.  You love to do your "pintail" every morning and always ask for a bow or a clip hair- usually the "sparkedy" one.  You love to paint your nails, watch any show with a princess on it and sing songs, mostly jingle bells and Navidad.  At your two-year check up you weighed 26 pounds (59%) and were 34 inches tall (47%).  You are wearing mostly 2T clothes, size 6-7 shoes and size 4 diapers.  We are still working on potty training, you do awesome at school but not so much at home.  You make me laugh all the time and ask me what I am doing at least 10000000 times per day.  You have taught me patience I never knew I was capable of, thank you.  I wish I could press pause and keep you right here at this age, but at the same time I can't wait to see what the next year and beyond hold for you.  I know it will only get better.  I love you little squeak!!