Today we went to get our Christmas tree. It was short-lived (as most of our out-of-the-house trips are) because C man got hungry, but we still had a lot of fun. It was awesome seeing Campbell smell and touch a tree for the first time!

Rolllll Over!

I have mixed feelings about daycare. I tell myself every day that it's a good thing. Great for socialization! I don't allow myself to focus on the cons. We all know that Campbell is more likely to get a snotty nose and ear infection, but hey, Dad's an ENT. We have in-home health care!

So the pros - Campbell has developed rapidly in the last three weeks. Since starting at Uptown Learning Center, he makes sounds that I've never heard before. And on Monday (11/15), my daycare daily report read: Campbell rolled over - twice! What, are you serious? Rolled over? I was so excited that I almost forgot to feel sad that I missed it. There's a cute girl in Campbell's class that can hold her head up well, and every day Campbell has tummy time with her since they are close in age. This week, he has started to hold his head up and yes, roll over. I guess the cute girl at school was all the motivation he needed to get that head up. Brad assured me that Campbell would roll over a million more times, so we were bound to witness it eventually. Well, this morning it happened. I didn't get a great view because I was busy taking pictures of the little man propping himself up on his arms... when ... all of a sudden... rollll over! Way to go Campbell!

Catching up... What a busy October!

Going back to work has cut into my blogging time. There is so much to post about! I turned 30 in October. It was a very special day for lots of reasons, but mainly, a year ago that same day we found out I was pregnant. Brad and Campbell made it such a wonderful day. I took the afternoon off from work. We had lunch at my favorite lunch place, St. James Cheese Company, and ended the day with super delicious cupcakes. Thanks to my boys!!

The gorgeous flowers that were delivered to the house! What a surprise!

Yummy! We love cupcakes!

During October we had visits from Paw-Paw and Rosie. Paw-Paw of course came on TX's bye-week. We all enjoyed the break from this year's disappointing football season, and spent the weekend hanging out at the house. Brad was on call at two hospitals, and it was great having an extra pair of hands. We finally made it out of the house for church and brunch on Sunday. Campbell as always did great, slept through church and enjoyed all the sights and sounds at Dante's Kitchen.

I see a striking resemblance.

Brunch at Dante's Kitchen!

Pap-paw and Campbell enjoying a post-Sunday-brunch nap! Love this picture!

Rosie visited the following weekend. We got Campbell out for dinner - only his second dinner out! Little man was so curious about everything happening at the restaurant, he was too distracted to eat. That's never happened before. We found a quiet corner, he pounded his bottle and then back to the table so mom could pound her dinner! Everyone enjoyed chowing down at Ye Old College Inn.

Weekly Saturday lunch at Superior Grill.

The next weekend Campbell attended his first birthday party. Our friend's son had his 4 year old birthday party at a Carousel. It was really fun and made for some great photo ops!

The birthday boy hamming it up for the camera!

Harper meet Campbell!

The whole family in front of the Carousel!

Before we knew it was Halloween weekend! It was an especially fun and busy weekend. Our friend Matt was in town for the Panic concerts. We met him in the French Quarter for lunch and Campbell took his first stroll (strapped to mom in the BabyBjorn) down Bourbon street. We had to cover up those virgin eyes a couple of times!

Matt and Campbell during lunch at the Bourbon House!

After our active Saturday in the French Quarter, we rested up Sunday for the big event - our first Trick or Treating with C man. With a PBK giftcard that was begging to be used, I felt it was okay to splurge on a too cute pumpkin outfit. Campbell only wore it for two hours on Sunday evening - but it was totally worth it.

Our little pumpkin ready for his first trick or treating!

We didn't last long, only two blocks! What a tired little pumpkin!

Pumpkin Patch!

For weeks I've wanted to go to a pumpkin patch to take pictures of our little man! One week prior to Halloween, and we still did not have pumpkins...or pictures. I'm usually that person on the block that has pumpkins on the porch in SEPTEMBER, but this year I was a little behind on my seasonal flair.

So my birthday wish - pictures at the Pumpkin Patch!

A Birthday Cameo

I don't blog as often as I probably should, but I thought a recent event made it appropo. Well, it finally happened last week. I could no longer prolong the inevitable. I turned 30. The "college years" are gone. But I've come to the conclusion that age really is completely relative though. It all depends on your audience, and most importantly, how you see the glass.

I can say that we have lived our 20s to the fullest. We've done more things in our 20s than most folks do in a lifetime. From traveling around Europe to ski trips in Beaver Creek staying at the Ritz (thank you Marriott points) to laying on the beaches of Mexico and the Caribbean (thank you again Marriott points), we have definitely lived it up in ways that are too numerous to count.

Katherine's 30th birthday is swiftly approaching, and I should mention that she continues to get carded at Whole Foods, mainly because that's the only place where we're buying alcohol these days. For some reason, that still frustrates her! I'm not sure why? I think it's all an act and deep down it really is satisfying.

She did make me her "irresistible chocolate cake" recipe again for my Birthday. The first time she made the cake was one weekend when I went down to visit her in Austin. We managed to polish off the whole pan that weekend before I went back to Georgetown. Since the first tasting, that cake has marked many a milestone in our relationship, including graduation from medical school. She will sometimes put nuts in the icing or fresh raspberries on top, but one thing's for sure, it never gets old. I think it is my favorite cake next to our wedding cakes, which in my professional cake-eating opinion were the best cakes I have ever eaten, respectively.

We didn't eat the whole cake in one weekend this time around, but we did still eat it over the course of 72 hours as my Birthday was on a Sunday. One casual observation I have made since turning 30 is that my waistline is not as forgiving as it was that weekend in Austin.

Shopping with an Eating Machine

Unfortunately Campbell is as slow of an eater as his mom. He is a grazer, muncher, the ultimate snacker. Here's how our Sunday afternoon went.

2:30: Breastfeed, Campbell falls asleep

2:45: Mom pumps

3:15: Just kidding, Campbell awake, breastfeed again

3:25: Mom makes executive decision to load up and head out. Off to Plant Gallery for fall plants for the planter boxes.

3:40: Enjoying the gorgeous weather walking around Plant Gallery showing all the different flowers to Campbell. Pick out new plants and go to pay.

4:15: Campbell squawking again. Dad pays, mom and C man book it to the car. Breastfeed in the car. Dad loads up flowers. Campbell falls asleep. Onward to Old Navy - little man has outgrown his NB size pants.

4:35: Caffeine break for mom and dad. Campbell starts squawking again. Leave Starbucks, drive across parking lot to Old Navy.

4:45: Campbell squawking louder. Dad runs into Old Navy, Campbell eats again in car.

4:55: Drive back to Starbucks - they got our order wrong - Campbell still breastfeeding.

5:00: New yummy drinks - off to Home Depot - across the parking lot again - Campbell still breastfeeding.

5:10: Dad gets needed items at Home Depot. Campbell finishes eating, then blows out diaper.

All I can say, thank goodness for the dark tinted windows on the Yukon! After the Plant Gallery, Campbell and I never made it out of the car. Great team effort. Thanks Brad for doing all our shopping!

TX/OU... on TV?

It's with bittersweet emotion that I announce this will be my first TX/OU game to miss in 25 years. That's right... 25 years! At least we think so. Dad can't remember if I was 4 or 5 for my first game. But 25 years is a nice, round number, so I'm going with it. Dad's record is even more impressive - since 1965 he has attended 42/45 games. To say that TX football was an important part of my childhood is understatement.

Growing up in Dallas, TX/OU was the highlight of the season. That one day at the fair symbolized fall. We had a family ritual and did the same thing every year. Get to fair super early, eat a Fletcher's Corny Dog, go to the car shows, run through the petting zoo (yes, I made Brad go with me to the petting zoo even in college), play one midway game because my sister loved it, the main event - watch the football game, go to the food court across the stadium after the game, then to Jack's Frys out in front of the Cotton Bowl, end with a quick trip to the Women's building so mom could see the quilts. It was an exhausting day that I looked forward to every year!

Really TX football was a family ritual. My parent's had season tickets and growing up we went to all the home games. I remember waking up super early on Saturday mornings. Being hoisted into the car, still in my PJs, and barreling down I-35. Prior to NAFTA, Dad could make it to Austin in less than 3 hours! We would arrive in Austin hours before kickoff, change in the car into our game day clothes and head to the Alumni building for snacks before watching the game. My favorite home game was Cowboy Reunion weekend. Dad would take my sister and I onto the field at half time to form the line that they players ran though to start the second half. They looked like giants running past us! After the game, it was back to the car, back in our PJs and zooming home to get to bed to be ready for church on Sunday. What a great weekend!

This year I have the best excuse ever for not attending the game. Brad even offered to watch little guy for the day if I wanted to fly in and out for the game. I love TX football and will miss watching the game live, but I'm very excited to watch the game on TV with my son... for the first time.

At the game - 2009:

30... and a smile!

Well, it's finally here. Brad and I turn 30 this year. I feel so old when I say things like - oh my where has the time gone - but I truly feel that way. Brad and I met when we were 20. Doesn't seem like its been almost 10 years, and yet that fateful ski trip in January 2001 sometimes feels like a lifetime ago. Brad takes the plunge first this Sunday, and I'm a month and a day after him. This year we received the most precious gift of all, the birth of our son. And to capture all the wonderful moments with Campbell, we bought a ridiculously fabulous SLR camera as our birthday (and Christmas!) gift to each other.

Campbell will be 11 weeks old on Brad's birthday and I was starting to stress over his smile. Apparently, social smiling is a 6-8 week milestone. But Campbell was holding out. He wanted to give Brad his own special present - and finally last night we got to see that huge ear-to-ear grin over and over again.

Recently, a friend asked how I felt about turning 30. Honestly, I could not be happier!

Of course like little kids, we had to open our present early... Here are some shots with the new camera - we're still learning all the features and how to use them - but it really takes great pictures.

Mimi's Visit

Brad's mom came to visit Campbell (and us) last weekend. We had lots more firsts for him as we trooped Campbell all across the city. He loves riding in the car and is getting used to the Baby Bjorn. The only problem with the Baby Bjorn is that he can't face out yet and unless he is asleep he likes to look around, so I resort to holding him with the carrier hanging off my waist so he can see where we are going and what we are doing!

We ate lunch at the famous Parkway Bakery and Tavern and our favorite mexican food place - Superior. Visited two malls and bought our first Saints onesie - now Campbell is game day ready for Saturdays and Sundays. We walked to the New Orleans Seafood Festival so Dad could eat crabcakes... at least we thought we did. The festival was moved from last year's location so we aborted "mission to eat crabcakes" and went to Drago's instead - where Dad was able to order and eat crabcakes and charbroiled oysters in the A/C - thank goodness for A/C! Campbell got hungry too along the way and has become a BF pro. He thought the food at Drago's and Superior smelled so good, that it was time for him to eat. Thankfully the hosttess at each restaurant sat us in a corner and little guy was able to nurse with relative privacy.

So it's one thing to get dressed and ready to go with no time restrictions. Lunch at "whenever we get to the restaurant"... no problem. But trying to be at a specific event "on time" is a whole different ball game. Seemed like a small miracle that we made it to church on time during Mimi's visit. Everyone dressed in their best including Campbell! Five minutes into the service Campbell started squawking for food. According to the Team Johnson playbook, dad was the designated hitter so to speak. Brad took Campbell and a bottle into the Narthex for a mid-morning snack. A friend of ours who was ushering that Sunday informed me that Campbell was in a post-bottle coma! So why were Brad and C man not back in church? Apparently, little guy had a post-bottle blow out as well. Nothing too unusual there - that typically happens after eating. But this one was special! Campbell is a rather neat baby, rarely spits-up and not known for dirtying outfits. But at church, in his precious seersucker outfit, Campbell got poo every where including Dad's pants! Amen!

On the porch of the Land Building with Mimi. First night time outing with mom and dad's friends!

Ready for football season!

Post church pictures in the backyard - poo outfits and all...

Almost 2 Months!

Tomorrow Campbell will be two months old. Wow - where has the time gone! Although he hasn't started social smiling on a regular basis, he has started cooing. Now our little guy makes all sorts of noises besides just crying, and it's awesome to hear him "talking" to us. Every day he gets bigger and more interactive. He has started to grow out of some of his NB clothes - finally getting into the 0-3 month size. A little part of me is nostalgic at the thought of packing up his tiny baby clothes, but the other (bigger) part of me is so excited to see him grow into all the cute clothes we have for him. God willing, I hope we will have another tiny one some day that can fit into those itty bitty NB size t-shirts, so for now I'll celebrate packing those up as our little guy gets bigger.

Another shocker, Campbell has slept 6+ hours twice this week. I thought our Labor Day surprise was just a fluke - he went to sleep at midnight and woke up at 6:30 AM on Labor Day. Brad and I were both so confused when we woke up - "did you wake up with him during the night" - "no, did you wake up with him during the night?" - "NO!" - "OMG he slept THROUGH the night!" Then again we repeated that conversation this morning. Campbell went to sleep at midnight and made it till 6:30! Way to go buddy - we are so proud of you!

Here are some new favorite photos!

Thanks Kathleen for my awesome I love NY onesie! My feet aren't really that big, it's just a really funny picture!

My favorite toy - the playgym. This thing is great!!

Doing what we do best - napping!

Some day I'll be as big as Waylon!

The boys catching up on their sleep.

Game day ready - "watching" my first Horns game. Mom in burnt orange, me in white - we were ready! Waylon enjoyed the game too.

Dad's favorite picture - seriously why do you insist on taking so many pictures of me!

Campbell's Bouncer

Campbell has this awesome bouncer that vibrates and plays fun music. We all love it - it puts him back to sleep at 3 AM so whoever else is up can go back to sleep on the couch!

The bouncer has a panda and lion that hangs down and Campbell now looks at them. We typically have the bouncer on the kitchen island so we can talk to him when we make breakfast/lunch/dinner.

My favorite running commentary is when Brad talks to Campbell while he is in his bouncer. He has said the following so many times and I laugh every time:

"Campbell, what does the lion do?"

"Lions go roarrrr!!!!"

"Campbell, what does the panda do?"

Pause... "I don't know!"

Does anyone know what noise pandas make?!?

Kathleen's Visit

My dear friend Kathleen came to visit us last weekend to meet Campbell. She brought her super awesome SLR camera, and we took hundreds of photos. We had a great time with lots of firsts for Campbell including his first trip to the French Quarter and Audubon Park. Thanks Kathleen for such a fun and special weekend! We love the books and I Love NY onesie!!

Morning play time on the floor. Maggie and Waylon keeping watch!

Play time on the beautiful quilt Aunt Diane made for me.

"Auntie" Kathleen!

First trip to Cafe du Monde with Campbell. It was so hot outside but we had a great time:
Mom loves beignets!Silly dad put powdered sugar on my face for the pictures!

No more kisses Dad - it's too hot outside!

Walking the French Quarter...

My photo shoot... there's 50 more pictures like this!

Hot but fun walk in Audubon Park!