Thankful

We have so much to be thankful for this year! I am thankful for this family photo where we are all looking at the camera and smiling! Those don't happen very often:)


We have been blessed this year with so many great things. A growing, healthy toddler...a new baby on the way...a perfect new house to celebrate the holidays in...cooler weather that arrived just in time for Thanksgiving...family and friends both near and far. This long holiday weekend has gone too fast, as they always do, but nonetheless I am VERY thankful for the extra time off.

The week began with a new adventure. The arrival of Bridget's big girl bed! She loved it from the second we put it in her room and her face lights up everytime she sees it. She chants, "Big Girl Bed! Big Girl Bed!" The first few nights were too good to be true. She slept nearly the whole night through. We've taken a few steps back the past couple of nights. She's been waking often and wanting Todd or I to come in and lay with her. She loves being in there, she'd just prefer some company! Overall though, it's going great. I know she'll get it perfect soon enough.

Thanksgiving day was spent at my parents house, followed by some Black Friday shopping, Gator Football and decking the halls for Christmas. We are ready for Santa and all the festivities that come with this wonderful time of the year!


Happily jumping into her big girl bed!



Bedtime stories with Daddy



Making her 'Home Alone' face!



Thanksgiving morning waffles



Trying so hard to be like the big kids!

A Day at Disney We Won't Forget

We'd been looking forward to Bridget's first trip to Disney for a long, long time and last weekend we made the trip. We were NOT disappointed! It was perfect! We planned just one day at the Magic Kingdom for our first trip. We are quickly learning that everything you do with a 2 year old is hit or miss...it could be wonderful or it could be the last time you do it! We were prepared for either, but the day turned as perfect as I had hoped!



Our first ride was "It's a Small World"...this was her reaction to most of the rides. I don't think she was quite sure what to think!


My sister Caroline drove to Orlando from Gainesville to spend the day (and her 20th birthday!) with us. Bridget was very surprised to spot her down below as her and I rode through the sky on Dumbo! We made our way through all the Fantasyland rides, but Bridget's clear favorite was the carousel. She kept saying, "Again, again!" after each time and then moved her hands around in a circular motion to really get her point across! Just as we were about the board the Winnie the Pooh Ride she conked out for a much needed rest. She slept through the ride and slept through lunch, but woke up just in time for the parade. We used an ice cream cone as a bribe to get her to sit still on Main Street while waiting for the parade to start. It worked! She finished her ice cream with just a few minutes to spare before the parade started. She, of course, used those few minutes to put on her own show on Main Street-twirling and spinning and then running away from us while laughing hysterically as we chased her! She loved the all the characters and waved to them as they paraded past us.

Ride #2 on the carousel with Caroline



Somebody loves ice cream!

Main Street Parade



Next we were off to meet Mickey and Minnie in person. These days at Disney, the characters don't roam the park like they used to...you have to wait in a line to get a chance to meet them. Thanks goodness we did-she loved Mickey and Minnie! She high-fived them and gave them both a hug and a kiss.

She loved them!




Our day ended with a few more rides and a long visit to Pooh's play area. We called it a day just as evening came and Cinderella's castle lit up. It made us so happy to see Bridget have so much fun. I can't wait to go back again with a little brother or sister in tow!

Making herself at home in Pooh's house



A completey exhausted little girl...sweet Disney dreams!

Halloween: She Got It!

The holiday season is officially underway and I'm happy to announce that Bridget "got it"! From carving our pumpking, to trick-or-treating, to It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown...Bridget loved it all!

We carved our Pumpkin on Friday and Bridget alternated between "helping" us carve to watching Charlie Brown. We recorded it from TV earlier in the week, and I think we've watched it everyday since then! The pumpkin transformed into a spooky Jack-O-Lantern much to Bridget's delight. She seemed to like all the spooky and creepy Halloween decorations the best!


She didn't even mind to ooey-gooey inside of the pumpkin




Laughing out loud at that silly dog, Snoopy!



Our Jack-O-Lantern

On Saturday our ladybug was ready for treats! My parents and our good friends, the Baileys, came over to watch the FL/GA game (FL won!) and celebrate Halloween. Bridget was a little hesitant at first, but after about 4 houses, she got exactly what was going on! She started to walk up to the houses all by herself, say her jumbled little version of "Trick or Treat!", and then waited for the good stuff. Most houses held out the bowl for her to pick from which she loved. M&M's were the most popular treat much to her delight. We're still working on saying "Thank You", but she had the "Bye-Bye" part down pat! She slugged her trick or treat bag over her shoulder and moved on the next house.

There must have been 100 or so kids just on our street trick-or-treating. Bridget loved seeing the other kids in their costumes and looked like such a big girl trying to be just like them! By the end of the street our ladybug was getting tired and sweaty, so she opted for the wagon on our way home.

This morning when I asked what she got when she said "Trick or Treat" she told me, "M&M's!"



Baby Gabe was a hot dog!





Walked up to the door all by herself!




Coolest house in the neighborhood...they had Charlie Brown playing on their garage! Between that and the M&M's, Bridget was in heaven!





All done!