Holiday Traditions

With just a few days left to go until December (two days to be exact!) I've been thinking a lot about holiday traditions and which ones we should adopt as a family. Both of our families have a few family traditions that we really enjoy- but I want to start new traditions that will be just ours.

Here are a few that I've thought of:

• Opening up new PJs on Christmas Eve to wear that night
• Going to Christmas Eve church service (I guess it depends on where we are)
• Maddie will get a new ornament each year that will be hers when she is an adult (I want to try to get an ornament that has a special meaning and write down what that is so she'll have it to cherish)
• Doing at least one community service event each December
• Picture with Santa every year
• Hosting a holiday gathering for friends
• Giving homemade gifts to the neighbors
• Making a gingerbread house (we did this a few years ago with my mom and it was SO much fun!)
• Watching all of the classics - Charlie Brown, the Grinch, etc.

What traditions do you and your family have? Id LOVE to hear them!

Happy 3 Month Birthday Baby!

Walk with Rudolph

On Saturday afternoon (I know, Im still catching up on the weekend!) Jim and I decided to take a walk downtown and check out the Christmas decorations that have been put up, get some exercise and get my FIRST EGG NOG Latte from Starshmucks of the season! WOO HOO!!! I love those things.

Well, it was pretty darn cold here on Saturday (don't laugh yankees... it was) and Maddie didnt really have a warm winter coat/bunting that fit her - so we got to break out the holiday reindeer suit that we bought for our trip home. She looked so darn cute I had to grab the camera.

Gives new meaning to "deer in headlights"

and Im thankful for finding my camera cord

ok- i found the cord and realized there were a bunch of pictures on there that were post worthy so here goes.

Maddie and Tuck and I went for a walk last week to get a good look at the leaves before they dropped. I wanted to show all those New Englanders that we have pretty colored trees down here too (I wouldnt have thought so either). Here are a few pics I took with our new camera.

Okay-and here's our bird. He came out really well. Jim made a orange-herb rub and it was absolutely delicious. We'll have to save the recipe and make it again next year.

Maddie wants to dig in

Maddie with her Aunt Susan

All in all it was a good turkey day. This was the second year hosting thanksgiving at our house and it really wasn't so bad. We have it down pretty well and I think everything came out okay. Nothing was burned... and nothing was undercooked (although my 7-Up Salad was a little watery). I think when we do go to some one elses house it'll seem easy!

And here are Maddie and Jim just minutes after our company left.

more to come

Our camera bag which contains the camera cord is MIA... so we only have a few pics of Thanksgiving to post. We've asked Tucker numerous times to go get the camera bag - but he always comes back with his treat bone. I'll post more when we find it. Here's what we have from the crappy point-and-shoot.

The table pre-bird

a time to give thanks...

Im thankful for having the cutest baby in the world (I might be a LITTLE biased)

Im thankful for a husband that makes me coffee every morning

Im thankful my husband is a man who encouraged me to breastfeed our daughter when I wasn't sure if I could

Im thankful for a family that still sings Happy Birthday to eachother on the phone even though we're all adults

Im thankful for a mom that was thoughtful enough to make my baby a beautiful babyquilt and knit hats and sweaters and still sends boxes of wonderful things for her

Im thankful for a dad who is willing to drive 18 hours in a car with me, a dog and a 3 month old just so I wouldnt have to do it alone

Im thankful I have a sister who makes me laugh so hard my stomach hurts and one I know I can count on no matter what

Im thankful for a dog that makes me smile every morning when he brings in the paper

Im thankful for the 3rd cousins I have that sent Maddie both Halloween and Thanksgiving cards ( I didnt even know they made "Babys First Thanksgiving" cards)

Im thankful I had a hard time deciding which of our amazing friends to put as Maddie's emergency contact

Im thankful for neighbors who miss us when we're gone

Im thankful I have a job that will allow me to go back part time so I can spend more time with Maddie

Im thankful that my life is so full of riches and blessings that I feel like I could go on like this for days

Elf Yourself

This is so funny... thanks Jamie! We'll be playing with this for hours!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9561218448

Lovely new camera and the Upcoming Holiday

After 2.5 months of complaining about our new digital camera taking really crappy, blurry, washed out pictures of our precious baby girl... I decided to invest in a digital SLR camera. I asked a few of my photographer friends their advice and decided to go with a Canon Rebel xti and I love it. Its a lot like my old Canon SLR I got right out of college so the controls and the feel of it are very familiar. I can't wait to play around with it but Im already so happy with the few pictures I've taken of the babe. They're so clear and crisp. Sorry crappy Sony - but you've been banished to the diaper bag for emergency situations only.

So are you ready for Thanksgiving? We are definitely enjoying the fall colors and the somewhat cooler temps, but I have to say- Thanksgiving snuck up on us this year. We are happy that we have family coming to us for the weekend but with that comes the responsibility of cooking dinner. I'm sure it'll all work out just fine, but there's always some nervousness and anticipation with cooking the bulk of Thanksgiving dinner yourself (and nursing and generally taking care of a 3 month old at the same time). I'm certainly no cook. I enjoy cooking when I am inspired to try a new recipe I see in a magazine or to bring something to an event but I'm not really a big dinner kind of a cook. I hope mom doesn't mind having me on speakerphone for most of the morning. Just go ahead and open your phone lines from 9am-noon mom... thanks! Wish me luck!

Oh how I'll miss maternity leave

I love these days...

What a difference 12 weeks makes!

Bush Vetoes Legislation That Impacts Autism Research

Since having a baby, I've been trying to get as educated as possible on illnesses that effect children. One that has kept coming up over and over again in all of the literature I've read is autism. The number of cases has increased by up to 6000% in the past 20 years and at least a half million American children have been diagnosed with the illness. This is obviously an epidemic that has gotten little attention (in my mind). Congress passed a bill that would increase funding to do autism research as well as find new therapies, etc. and Bush vetoed it. Below is the statement from the Autism Society of America urging everyone to contact your congressional delegate in hopes they'll override the Presidents veto.


This morning, President Bush vetoed the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill. This bipartisan bill had strong support in both the House and the Senate, but the President objected to the overall funding levels of the bill, which includes modest increases for vital programs - most of which have experienced significant cuts, lost purchasing power or both over the past three years.

This legislation includes significant increases for autism programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Health Resources and Services Administration and the National Institutes of Health. These increases represent full funding of the Combating Autism Act, and are critical in improving our ability to diagnose, intervene and develop new therapies for autism. We need this crucial investment!

The House could move to override the President's veto as early as this week. Contact your Member of Congress and urge them to vote YES on the veto override.

To send an email to your congressional delegation click here.

For Nana

Here she is ... styled by Nana. The first few were leaving for church on Sunday. We snapped a few in the carseat and although I had hoped we could get some better ones when we got home - she was in full meltdown mode and in desparate need for a nap, so I couldnt. She made it thru the whole service AWAKE and not crying! Jim and I were shocked (and of course - totally nervous the entire time). By the way - all our friends at church can't wait til the next week to see which Nana outfit Maddie will be dressed in next! :)

The last one is just yesterday in a very cute "love birds" ensemble. An old lady did call her a boy when we were at Michaels... but I think all old people call babies "him." I have a theory on that.

I have lots of pictures from the last week or so ... so more posts to come!

Cute pic stolen from the Linkers

I just looked at this picture again on the Linker Blog and had to steal it and put it on mine. Its such a cute picture of Jim looking like a happy dad holding his little Blue Devil before the tailgate. Notice how both he and M are wearing their Duke Blue. By the way- her onesie says "Thank Heaven for Little Blue Devils." It only made it til about 1pm that day before she had a diaper blowout and we had to change it. And yes, she is wearing the smallest blue jeans ever made.

Fun times in the backseat

Maddie and I had some fun times in the backseat on the way home from Stone Mountain.

Fingers crossed, knock on wood... etc etc

So I haven't said anything to anyone because I was so afraid I would jinx it - but our little Maddie has been going to bed at 8:30pm every night this week (on her OWN) and sleeping pretty much thru til about 4:30am!!! She eats and then goes right back to sleep. This is HUGE for all of you out there that have never had a newborn. This is considered "sleeping thru the night" even though I don't really feel that way when I we get up at 8am and I still have bags under my eyes. I'm so proud of my little Maddie. Fingers crossed it stays this way!

First Trip to the Aquarium

The world's largest aquarium... the only whale sharks on display outside of Asia... over a million different kind of fish species... touch tanks... beluga whales... she wasnt impressed and slept right thru the whole thing.

Maddie meets her Aunt Jen and Cousin Tay

Maddie finally got to meet her Aunt Jen and Cousin Taylor this weekend who came to visit all the way from Rhode Island. We had such a great time seeing some of the sights around Atlanta, shopping, celebrating Taylors birthday a few weeks early, and just enjoying Maddie. Here are some pics from the weekend - we can't wait til Christmas when we can see them again! Thanks for coming guys!

I told you I needed my pacifier...

Be careful when you go to kiss Maddie if she's hankering for a pacifier... she just might latch on and not let go!!!

Road Trip!

Maddie had her first road trip this weekend. Our Georgia Peach headed to Carolina (the state, not the school) to watch daddy's football team get killed against Clemson. This was the 4th year meeting up with Jims college buds for a weekend of fun and football and the 1st year for us toting a little one - so it was different thats for sure.

Here she is staring out the window. It was a LLOONNG ride for poor Baby Herndon. She did a good job. Our first stop when we got there was Raleigh to visit Sandy and her new baby Noah! He was such a cutie and was very gracious to share his toys with Maddie and I.

Next stop - the hotel. We weren't sure how Maddie would do with the sleeping arrangements (and throwing what little schedule we had out the window for a few days) but she was a champ. She slept with Mommy in the big bed and actually slept for 6 hours straight! It was nice. She said she could get used to this bed.

Saturday morning we headed to Duke for the tailgating party. Like I said - it was a bit different but we had a blast. Baby Evy was there and of course- the cutest 3 year old in the world Campbell was there too to keep us entertained. I dont have many pictures of them but I'll post what Ive got.

How did John get a date with the cutest Duke cheerleader?

And here she is telling Mr. Jim "Go Tigers" She was smart to cheer for the winning team.

The family at Duke Chapel

Our weekend to NC wouldn't be complete without stopping at the Herndons to give them some time with their new grandbaby and for Jim and Mr. Herndon to show her around their favorite golf course.

Jim and Grandpa at MacGregor Downs

Quality time

Dancin' in my pack-n-play

We're back in HotLanta now catching our breath and getting ready for our visit with Aunt Jen and Cousin Taylor. Stay tuned for that!