A Bundle of Joy

I just thought I'd post some pictures of Emma being that Truett often gets the spotlight in my posts. Emma doesn't really 'do' anything, but she could win an award for being so cute!


Here is Emma all bundled up, ready to face the cold weather we've been having.



She has started staying awake for longer stretches of time and it is also obvious that she is seeing alot more, too.

Aunt Sarah and Nannie Em love trying to make Emma smile/laugh and 75% of the time, they are pretty successful! I've tried snapping some pictures and getting some video footage of her smiling but I never seem to be quick enough to get any really good shots...maybe one of these days.

Here's somewhat of a little smile...

Until then, we'll just have to enjoy the still shots of her sweet little face...smile or no smile. :)

Emma and Flat Stanley...

Truett's Backyard Friends

I thought it only appropriate to start this post the way the Backyardigans start each one of their shows. And yes, I typed it all from memory because in our house, the Backyardigans are definitely a staple!!! :)

"We're your backyard friends, the Backyardigans. Together in the backyard again...in the place where we belong where we'll probably sing a song and we'll maybe dance along. We've got the whole wide world in our yard to explore. We always find things we've never seen before that's why everyday we're back for more with your friends, the Backyardigans!"

The Backyardigans from left to right: Tyrone the Moose, Pablo the Penguin, Uniqua (not sure what she is...she's unique, hence the name), Austin the Kangaroo and Tasha the Hippo

Just a little background about the Backyardigans...It's a show (animated) about 5 friends who all live in the same neighborhood. They get together each day in one of their backyards and use their imagination to go on different adventures. Truett LOVES the show and other than having to watch the same episodes OVER AND OVER, I don't mind the show, either. I am thrilled when Truett gets over one episode and is ready to move on to the next!

Anyyway, the Backyardigans LIVE was here in Dallas this weekend and Jay and I took Truett to the show. We had been counting down for 5 days and each time Truett would tell someone where we were going, he had to sing it the way they do at the start of the show. Jay and I couldn't wait to see his reactions!!

After mass yesterday morning, we went to my mom's and had lunch. We had to keep telling Truett that after lunch he was going to have to take his nap and that after his nap, we were going to see the show. Luckily, he went down pretty easily for his nap so when he woke up, he was well rested and in a great mood. He was definitely fired up about it. He threw a small crying fit when he found out that Emma wasn't coming with us. He kept telling us that he didn't want to leave Emma and said, "Her wants to go wif us." :( He soon recovered, though! :)

We got to the Nokia Theatre and it was pretty funny because I was imagining it being crazy crowded like other concert or shows that I've been to before. Apparently, the Backyardigans don't draw in quite the crowd the Phantom of the Opera does! There was NO ONE in the parking lot, to the point where I started getting nervous that I had gotten the date wrong.

We parked and headed into the building, and as soon as we walked in, they handed Truett a paper 'shield' (the show was about knights) so he was pretty excited. Jay then stood in line to get a 'souvenir' from the show. I wanted Truett to get a t-shirt because they last longer and I think they're a better bargain for your money. Well, Truett didn't want a shirt, he wanted to plastic wand with the plastic star on the end that lit up...at least it was SUPPOSED to light up. Jay bought the wand and as we were heading to our seats, we discovered that this wand wasn't so 'magical'.

A rare view of the star all 'a glow'.
Truett wasn't too happy about his 'fallen' star.

We found our seats and Jay went back to get a snack and drinks for all of us while Truett and I tried to figure our what the deal was with his wand. When Jay got back with the snacks, the wand was still a bust, so Jay went and got back in line to return it. He came back with a t-shirt instead. When Jay showed Truett the t-shirt, Truett said, "No. I don't want THAT shirt. I want the one with the dragon on it." When the show was over, Jay stood in line AGAIN and asked to exchange the shirt for the one with the dragon on it. Truett LOVED it and wore it home. Thanks, Papa!!!

Truett sporting the shirt 'wif dat dragon on it'.

Anyway, once the show started, I don't think Truett even blinked again until the show was over! His eyes were glued to the stage and he just sat on Jay's lap, eating his popcorn and taking it all in. During the second act, I think the cotton candy kicked because Truett started dancing in his chair, jumping up and down. He had a blast! He was talking a mile a minute the entire way home and couldn't wait to get home to give Emma the Backyardigans magnetic picture frame he gotten for her! :)

"We've got the whole wide world in our yard to explore. Now it's time for us to have a snack. Meet you next time when we're back with our friends, The Backyardigans."

Too Sweet Not to Share

Today, when I went to pick up Truett from school I left Emma with Gramma (Jay's mom). When I got there, his class was having Circle Time and the teacher was reading a book to the kids about Thanksgiving. Truett saw me when I got there so I went in and sat with him while Ms. Gwen finished the book.

The whole time, Truett was cuddling up to me, holding my hand, putting his head on my shoulder...all of these things aren't necessarily scarce but definitely don't happen as often as I would like them to! My heart was melting because this usually playful and wild little boy was sitting quietly listening to a sweet story about Thanksgiving and loving on me. :)

At one point, he looked up at me with this excitement in his eyes and just whispered, "Is Emma here?" It was like he was so happy in the moment that he had forgotten that Emma existed and then, when he remembered that she DOES exist, he wanted her to be with us.

I guess I think it was such a sweet moment because I am constantly trying to think of ways that we can make Truett feel special and not like the first born who we're pushing out of the way. The whole time I was with him at school, I was thinking how great it was that he and I were there together and he was wondering where his sweet baby sister was...awwwwwe!!!! :)

Sleeping in Heavenly Chaos!

Naptime/bedtime with Truett is not always fun. He usually throws a fit and then hollers from his bed for 20-30 minutes that he, "Needs you to ___________." Fill in the blank with whatever, and I PROMISE, he's asked for it before! :)

Today was one of those rare and wonderful times when I told Truett it was naptime and he walked straight into his room and climbed into his bed without any complaining (don't be jealous, Jay!). I really think God was in my corner today because we had just come in from the grocery store (a whole separate story!) and Emma needed to be fed. Needless to say, I was thrilled when Truett went down on his own.

After feeding Emma, I walked in to check on Truett and this is what I found.

It cracks me up that he threw all of the gator pillows off of his bed to make room for the stack of books and the Elmo chair! Hey, if that's what it takes for him to go to bed without a hitch, I'm all for it!

Tonight, I put Truett down for bed and when Jay got home, he went in to check on Truett. He discovered, at bedtime, the same thing I had found at naptime. This time, Truett had a death grip on Elmo. I guess he was wanting to be sure that Elmo wouldn't get up and leave after he fell asleep like Jay and I do. :)

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!

Sarah had her first soccer games this weekend. The first one was Friday night and we weren't able to make it, so we went to her game yesterday morning.

Before going to the game, we stopped for breakfast at the Local Diner in Coppell. We told Truett that we would go to the game after we ate. He said, "I no want to eat breakfast anymore. I'll just go to the game and have a nack (snack)."

After we finished our breakfast (by the way...Truett ate a huge pancake and bacon for the breakfast that he DIDN'T want to eat!) the cashier gave Truett a peppermint patty. He couldn't WAIT to tear it open, but of course, I wasn't about to let a 2-year-old loose in my car with CHOCOLATE. I told him he could have it as soon as we got to the soccer game. He said, "I no want to go to the soccer game anymore. I'll just stay here and eat my candy." :)

Truett was so excited once we got to the game. There was a HUGE area where he could run around and play. Plus, LeeLa', PaGou and Uncle John were there. My mom was working in the concession stand so Truett started asking everyone, "What you want to order for today?" This continued at home once we returned from the game, too. :)

Sarah is the player in white. My camera wouldn't zoom close enough to get a good shot on the field, but I bought a new lens recently, so that won't happen again!

Dan was working the score board, which you KNOW was such a huge temptation for Truett. He was DYING to touch the buttons showed no lack in effort in trying to do so. Dan kept having to fuss Truett and at one point, Truett ran in, smiled at Dan, said, "Hi, PaGou!", quickly took a slap at the buttons and ran off!

Dan - Guard of the Scoreboard

Thankfully, Truett discovered some old lockers that he found very amusing. He and Uncle John spent the last part of the game hanging out in the lockers and at one point, I heard Truett yell at someone passing by, "Hurry! We need your help!" and then growled like a tiger! BOYS! :)

Emma was at the game, too, just enjoying being held by all of us.

Unfortunately, the Blazers did not win their game, but it's still early in the season! Great game, Nannie!!!! We love you! GO WHITE!

Costumes from Halloweens Past

Here are pictures of Truett from his first 2 Halloweens...Enjoy!

Our Cajun Crawfish...

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

After looking at these pictures, I realized that he WAS a spider amputee! The weather was too hot for him to wear a long sleeved shirt (for the last 2 of 8 legs of the spider) so he wore a short sleeved shirt instead! :)

Nugs got in on the action, too!

Lions and Tigers and Bears...OH MY!

This year for Halloween, I decided to dress Truett and Emma as the Scarecrow and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz (of course, Nugs was to be Toto). I thought a scarecrow costume would be pretty easy to do and would be a 'weather friendly' costume (last year, Truett was a spider and almost had to go as an amputee spider because the warm weather ALMOST wasn't condusive for a long-sleeved black shirt!)

Anyway, I want to start by saying that whoever created the tie-on, 'scarecrow straw' is my new best friend and I think $6.99 is WAY too cheap for such a convenient item! I went to Party City weeks ago to try to find a grass skirt that I could doctor up and sew into Truett's costume to make him appear to be stuffed with straw. I almost started crying tears of joy in the store when I saw this perfectly packaged bag of tie-on pieces that go around the neck, the wrists and the ankles...I LOVE YOU, WHOEVER YOU ARE! :)

Back to Halloween night...When John and Sarah were 'trick-or-treating' age, my parents would walk around the neighborhood with them and Emily and I would stay at my mom's to pass out candy. A few years ago, it changed slightly and now it seems that my parents' house is the "one-stop-shopping" house on the block. All of the neighbors come over with their buckets of candy, lawn chairs, appetizers, and drinks and we all sit in the yard visiting while the rest of the neighborhood kiddos come by and get their candy.

A group shot of my mom's yard with all the neighbors...

The 102nd Dalmatian and Dorothy...There's no place like LeeLa's!

So, the afternoon of Halloween, I loaded up all (and I mean ALL) of Truett and Emma's "stuff" (for the G-rated version) and head to my mom's house. I got Truett and Emma dressed and ready in their costumes and we headed to a neighbor's house for a Halloweenie Roast before trick-or-treating began. Truett had so much fun running around with the other kids and it was all we could do to try to get a picture of him! Emma on the other hand...never moved an inch!

Truett is already showing signs of following in Jay's footsteps. Here he is using the bottled water to water the flowers in the the flower bed of the playhouse.

Here is my sorry attempt to try to get a picture of Truett while he was standing still. He caught on quickly and this is the shot I got!

Another failed attempt on my part to get a good picture of Truett in his costume! :)

Unfortunately, the Halloweenie Roast was the end of Halloween for Emma and I. Once we got back to my mom's, it was time for me to feed Emma (which takes about an hour from start to finish) so Jay and Truett went out trick-or-treating without Emma and I (no pictures!). When they came back, Truett could hardly stand it! He was so excited about the candy he had gotten and couldn't wait to show it to me. He spent the rest of the night running around the yard, playing with the neighborhood kids and eating candy. I'm already looking forward to next year so that Emma and I can join in on the fun, too!

Truett taking inventory of his candy!