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!