Happy Holidays!

This year we had a very eventful Christmas. We did a lot of traveling, saw a lot of family, ate a lot of food, and had a lot of fun! Even though we did spend a lot of time in the doctor's office. I thought I'd break it down into days to make this post easier to read. I hope you enjoy reading about our Christmas vacation!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20- CHRISTMAS IN OKLAHOMA CITY

We left Saturday afternoon and headed to OKC to visit Jason's family. We got there and dropped Andrew off (who was starting to develop a little cough) with his Nana and went to Ted's to get our Mexican food fix. After that, we went over to Jason's grandmother's house and had Christmas with her and Ronnie and Mike and Amy and their kids Sarah and Jorja. Andrew had a good time playing with his cousins. He is starting to walk from person to person, but not more then 7 or 8 steps at a time.

Andrew enjoyed climbing on the gifts the most- he was very proud that he could do this!
Andrew's new four wheeler- just his size!

Sarah, Andrew, and Jorja in matching pajama's

Andrew and Jorja playing together

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21 AND MONDAY, DECEMBER 22

As it turns out, the little cough that I mentioned before was not just a cough it was pneumonia. Just a touch of it, but enough to cause us to have to go to the doctor twice. We found this great walk in clinic on Sunday when I had to go for a urinary track infection (glamourous I know). After I had been to the doctor there, we decided that we should take Andrew the next day if he wasn't sounding better. He wasn't so Jason took him- I was out for most of the day due to pain. The doctor gave us a nebulizer and albuteral to put in it that he could inhale. This stuff works wonders! He was feeling great within a couple of days! The downside is that the albuteral wires him worse then a sugar high. He was literally sitting on his knees and boucing up and down for a long time. I guess better that then a sick baby!

Here is Andrew getting his albuteral. He did not enjoy it at all, but he handles it well. We are still doing treatments once or twice a day.

Andrew still participated in gift opening with Nana. If you notice his hair- I had washed it, but didn't want him to go around with wet hair so I dried it with the hairdryer and ta da!

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23- EMILY'S BIRTHDAY

After getting the all clear from the doctor, we loaded up and headed to Conway. Tuesday was Emily's 23rd birthday and we always have a family party at Mom and Dad's house to celebrate. Andrew was still feeling kind of sick, but was glad to see everyone.

Andrew did enjoy one of his Great Aunt LeAnne's Christmas cookies and later a small piece of birthday cake!

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24- CHRISTMAS EVE AND DAD'S BIRTHDAY

Andrew woke up on Chirstmas Eve feeling much better! I guess he knew that Santa was coming! We spent the afternoon at the store for Dad's birthday. We always have a BBQ lunch on Christmas Eve down there and we enjoyed getting to do that.

Andrew says that next year he would like a mule.....so does his Daddy!

On Christmas Eve we had a long standing tradition of getting everyone on my mom's side of the family together for our own Chirstmas Eve "program". It started when my great grandparents were alive and has continued since then. My great grandparents have three daughters (one being my grandmother) so we have our three branches of family that gets together. It is pretty special, because it is difficult to get together with everyone during the year.

Here is Andrew before the party under Mimi and Grandad's Christmas tree.

Our little family on Christmas Eve

Mere and Don (Andrew's great grandparents) got him this chair. It was sitting in the living room and he immedietly went to it and sat down!

Baby Jesus attacking the wise men during the Christmas program! This year our theme for the program was "The Gift". It was in reference to the gifts that the wise men brought baby Jesus. Last year was the proclamation of Jesus' birth by the angels. Andrew was Jesus at the time of the wise men's visit- since it was later after his birth. Natalie was Mary, Barrett was Joseph, John, Mark, and Steven were the wise men.

Andrew loves to play rough! He thinks it is so funny to climb on people and push them over. He just laughed and laughed! I think that baby Jesus probably enjoyed playing with them wise men when they came to visit him in Bethleham!

Andrew wanted to help Don play Silent Night on the guitar. Andrew is now taking more steps on his own- he's getting a lot sturdier!

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25- CHRISTMAS DAY!

I guess Andrew was good this year!

We got up Christmas morning and waited for Andrew to get up! He slept in until about 9:30...you've gotta love that! We opened presents and played with Andrew's toys. We also got a new dog- Biscuit. It's a fur-real friends dog. It can do tricks! I think it's histarical! Andrew thinks it's a horse! We had Christmas lunch at Mere and Don's and stayed there and visited for a while. Jason had to go back to work on Friday so he drove home (with a full truck load) and worked then came back Friday evening.

Andrew enjoyed all his toys- especially the golf clubs!

Like I said, Andrew especially enjoyed the golf clubs!

Auntie Em drew Andrew's name and got him some cute clothes from a store in LA. His shirt is Bruce Springsteen Born In The USA.

Andrew also got a shopping cart that he LOVES to push around. Here he is sitting in it, just about three seconds before he fell out and busted his lip open.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26- CAROL AND JENNY COME TO VISIT

Carol and Jenny came down to visit us. Andrew enjoyed playing with Jenny- or bossing her around and taking her toys I guess would be more accurate. We played a lot and mom cooked a really good prime rib and Mere and Don came over to eat with us. We had a great time visiting.

Andrew decided that he would share his chair with Jenny- after he pushed her out a couple of times.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27

We headed to Little Rock to do some shopping and returning. It was Jason, Andrew, Mom, Dad, Emily and I. We ate at a really good Mexican place. When we got home, Mere and Don and Nancy and Cecile and Natalie came over to play with Andrew. Andrew loves his cousins Cecile and Natalie- we think he said "Natalie". He also loves his great grandparents and his great great aunt Nancy!

Andrew was showing Cecile and Natalie all of his toys!

He loves to push his lawn "mooer". He prefers to do it sitting down instead of standing up- who knows? He also started standing up on is own without pulling up and walking today. It's amazing how quickly they figure things out!

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28- DON'S 80TH BIRTHDAY!

Today was a really special day, it is my grandfather Don's eightieth birthday. We had brunch with family at Michelangelo's in Conway. Don is my grandfather and Andrew's great grandfather. Don and Mere (my grandmother) took me all over the United States in their motor home(s) when I was young up to high school. I loved to travel with them. Don also helped to teach me how to drive- he drove me out to the middle of the pasture at their Texas farm and got out of the truck and started walking to the house. He told me that I could just meet him back there with the truck. So I did. He also let me drive the car all the way back home to Conway. I'm so glad that Andrew gets the chance to know Don. His middle name is Harrison after Mere and Don.

Andrew and his great grandfather Don.

Don with Jason, Andrew and Me. Don gave Andrew a knife that he got when he retired from Riggs. He wants us to give it to Andrew when he turns 21, because that's when Don will be 100 years old. We took it away because Andrew put it in his mouth.

Dad, Andrew, Don, and Jason

Here is our family- Larry and LeAnne (holding up a picture of Thomas and Jenny who were unable to be there) Don and Mere, Andrew, Me, Mom and Dad, and Jason. Emily was in route home to LA.

Also, Andrew is pretty much walking now!

TOMORROW (IN ONE MINUTE IT WILL BE TODAY) MONDAY, DECEMBER 29

I will be taking care of this mess. We have unloaded everything and just piled it in the living room. I'm going to have to sort it out and put it away. Oh what fun!

Andrew is looking up at Ally sitting on the balcony. He loves that cat!