Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy, Healthy & Thankful

I am thankful for our happy, healthy son.

Reid in San Antonio - Nov 2010  Reid in Austin - Nov 2010

I am thankful for our happy, healthy marriage.

Jer & Jenny in Florida - April 2010

I am thankful for our happy, healthy pregnancy.

Newbaby @ 28 weeks 

I have so much to be thankful for!  Happy Thanksgiving to our friends & family!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Getting a Jumpstart on our Holiday Cards

Today we met with Beverly to take some family portraits for our holiday card.  Knowing Bev, she somehow managed to capture some good ones even with our crazy little guy and crazy puppy!

What’s funny is that this was the calendar entry on my “Count Down to my Birth” calendar we have for newbaby:It's hard to read so here is the text: "I wish I could see what 'we' look like right now.  Please take a picture of your belly to show me someday when I'm older."I guess it was a good day to take photos!

And then I remembered that my friend Kim did a blog post last week about free Shutterfly cards for bloggers so I decided to check it out.  Of course, there is a catch:  you have to do a blog post about it.  Well, okay.  I probably would have anyway…

For the past five years I’ve made Jer a calendar from Shutterfly with pictures of Sadie Belle for his office.  Last year she had to share the spotlight with Baby Reid.  (What’s new there?!)  So while Reid is napping, I’m working on Jer’s 2011 calendar.  He’s sitting right next to me…I think the surprise is gone.  :)  I think this photo will be my inspiration for this year’s calendar.Reid & SB playing tug - Nov. 2010

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Good Customer Service

So many times, bad customer service gets our attention and sticks in our mind.  (For example, I will NEVER AGAIN shop at my neighborhood Walgreens.  Never. Ever.)

In the past week, we’ve had two great examples of customer service that are worth sharing.

Angie’s List sent Jer a big bag of M&Ms for referring someone to their service.  M&Ms - Mmmmmm...We enjoyed the M&Ms while sorting mail and paying bills.  It was a nice, unexpected gesture from a company we already like doing business with.

Today, Reid got a letter from his new dentist reminding us of the regular cleaning visits, and asking what he’s interested in so they could get to know him better:Letter from Dr. JennyThey included a photo of a serious Reid holding a giant toothbrush they took during the visit. Reid's first dentist visit - Oct 2010Despite the look on Reid’s face, we had a great experience at the dentist.  And this was a nice way to follow up, don’t you think?

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Flashback: Summer Fun in the Water

Reid *loves* the water. Dada & Reid - Sept 2010 He loves baths… Taking a tubby with his cousin Alex - Sept 2010 …pools…Reid & Dada - May 2010…lakes…Reid & Dada go tubing behind a jetski while Momma is very nervous on the shore! - Sept 2010…boats…Reid loves wind in his hair! - Sept 2010…fish tanks…Fish tank at the Austin Children's Museum - April 2010…hoses…Reid - 2010…Barton Springs…IMG_0301…puddles…you name it!!  Reid loves the rain and his rain boots! - Sept 2010

We are especially lucky that our favorite neighbor offered to teach Reid swim lessons this summer.  She has taught every other kiddo in the n’hood how to swim, and Reid just adores Ms. Beth.  Our friends Stacey & Charlie joined us for lessons, but somehow I never snapped photos when we were together!  (Argh!)

Here are some fun pics of Reid learning to swim this summer with Beth: Reid the water baby - Sept 2010Ms. Beth teaches Reid how to blow bubbles - Sept 2010Learning to jump in off the side of the pool! - Sept 2010"Reach for momma's toes!" - Sept 2010Thank you, THANK YOU, Beth!!  We are so lucky to have you as a neighbor and a friend!  Reid just loves you and your family…and so do we!!

Ms. Beth, Paige (her daugher) and Reid - Aug 2010

Friday, November 12, 2010

October Fun with the Allaire Cousins!

How many snapshots does it take to get five kids to look at the camera?!?  Well, I wouldn’t know.  This is the best we could do (and there were three cameras going and each took at least 10 shots before one kiddo escaped!)Allaire cousins:  Faith, Annabelle, Carly, Reid & Avery Okay, let’s try again later and see what happens…Carly, Avery, Reid, Faith & Annabelle - Oct. 2010 Action shot! Carly, Avery, Reid, Faith & Annabelle - Oct. 2010 Umm…no.  We’ll keep trying! 

A few weekends ago Reid and I spent a few days in Ft. Worth with my family while Jer went to State College, PA to have some fun (and beer and a clam bake and a tailgate and no babies and…).

Reid, Gramma and I went to Trinity Park in Fort Worth to ride the train.  He LOVED it!Gramma & Reid - Oct 2010Gramma, Jenny & Reid - Oct. 2010 Reid and Grampa went on a bike ride and had fun making “music.”Reid & Grampa go for a buggy ride - Oct. 2010Reid & Grampa make music - Oct. 2010We went with the Flores family to a farm park to see the animals. Reid adores his big cousin Avery…can you tell? :)Reid & Avery - Oct 2010Reid & Carly check out the chickens.Reid & Carly check out the chickens - Oct 2010The only animal Reid wanted to touch was the baby cow.  Reid & Dada - Oct 2010Reid - Oct 2010 Apparently, the test of a good pumpkin is how well does it sit. :)Reid - Oct 2010He’s our happy little pumpkin!Reid - Oct 2010Reid - Oct 2010

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Uh oh!

It won’t be long now!Reid & Dada on the momo - Aug 2010

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Our Little Pirate Says, “Yo ho! Yo ho!”

Last year, our little guy was a delicious little sushi.  He was crawling around, pulling up, laughing and generally being his sweet little self.Sushi Reid - Halloween 2009This year, he went as something  slightly more grown up, but every bit as charming.  Our little pirate - Halloween 2010

Jer, Jenny & Reid - Halloween 2010Reid wouldn’t say, “Trick-or-treat!” but he would say, “Yo ho! Yo ho!”  (I attribute this to his favorite potty book.)Our neighbors thought he was really cute, even if he wouldn't say "trick or treat."Reid loved walking around and seeing all the big kids.  He especially loved the “Biiiig Cat!!”  (He’s still talking about this cat after more than a week!)"Dats a biiiig cat!"We went trick-or-treating with our good friends Stacey, Jean and Charlie.  The Bossert Family - Halloween 2010Charlie was a birthday cake for Halloween! :Charlie was willing to wear the costume for some candy...but only for a little bit! :)Reid left the eye patch and head wrap on the entire time!  We couldn’t believe it.  :) Happy Little Pirate - Halloween 2010We had so many kids come through our neighborhood this year – it was great!  We even ran out of candy for the first time (whoops!)  When the last group of teenagers came through, I told them I only had a little bit more candy and that we’d give it to our favorite costume.  Wouldn’t you know it:  there was a giant Elmo in the group.  Reid went nuts for “dat big Elmo!”  :)

Happy Halloween!  (a little late…as usual…)