Back to the USA and to our Elizabeth

Shane and I made it back safely to Houston, spent the night at my parent's house (although neither of them were there!), and then came immediately to Austin to get Elizabeth. We walked in the house and saw her, and her reaction was so cute. She was playing with a blanket and pulled it up in front of her face and hid from us, all the while giggling and grinning. Then, she put her blanket down and ran to me and gave me a great big hug. She couldn't stop smiling for like two hours and clung to me for a long time, which she never does (she is not a cuddler, except for a few minutes when she's sick). She almost seemed surprised to see us finally! We are still in Austin enjoying time with Shane's parents and will go back home tomorrow. We're both suffering from some jet lag (Italy is 7 hours ahead), but we are glad to be here, safe and sound. When I get back home, I'll upload some pictures and write more about our trip (and read all of your blogs, too!). Take care!

Observations from Roma

Here I am in an _Internet Point_ using a computer that doesn't quite match the one I know very well. We are having a grand ole time here in the Eternal City. We've seen and toured the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman Forums, Vatican Museums, St. Peter's Basilica, Castl Sant'Angelo, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, beautiful parks, and several beautiful churches.

We're also eating wonderful food--lots and lots of pizzas of all different varieties and same with the ice cream! Yum-O! We already have several hilarious moments and wonderful memories between the two of us, several of which Shane has probably posted on his blog as he sits next to me and types a post (I can't see it right now or I would read it.).

Tonight is our last night in Rome and tomorrow we go by train to Venice, which we are really looking forward to (Venice and the train ride!). We've enjoyed Rome, in spite of the intense humidity and lack of the level of air conditioning we're used to, long lines everywhere, and the millions of other people who had the same idea we did. Seriously, millions. And most of them were in the Sistine Chapel!

I am writing in a journal while I'm here, and when I get back I'll share some excerpts from it with you. For now, ciao!

Family Recognition

Elizabeth and I went to the movie store to rent a movie the other day (Shane was making a hospital visit), and as we were walking around, Elizabeth pointed and said, "Ook! There's Pooh." (I didn't know that she even knew about Winnie the Pooh!) Anyway, then she pointed and said, "Ook. There's Daddy!" I looked down at the DVD cases and didn't see anyone that looked like Daddy, so I kept looking for something to rent. She kept saying, "Ook! There's Daddy!" I finally turned around to see what she was pointing at and noticed a man all the way across the video store. He didn't look like Shane from the back. And then when I looked up, I giggled a little because I saw what she was talking about...the man had a Texas Longhorn hat on his head and so it must be Daddy!

Birthday celebrations

With the move (and so small a space right now), our trip, and so many of her friends being out-of-town, we decided to bypass a bigger party this year and celebrated with my mom, Shane's parents, and Uncle Zach. Elizabeth had a great time.

The birthday girl. Whenever we say, "Say 'cheese'," she pokes out her bottom lip and squints! Elizabeth got a lot of Mickey and Minnie Mouse books. She already has them memorized!
Granbarry, Daddy, and Granna. Granbarry and Shane were really excited to wear these Minnie Mouse hats!
Nana came from Houston for the party (well, mainly to help us move!). Thank you, Nana!
Elizabeth knew how to blow but it didn't quite work, so I helped out.
Yummy cookie cake!!
We got Elizabeth a tricycle to ride, but her feet aren't quite long enough.
So most of the time, she "rode" it like this...

On her actual birthday, Shane and I took her to Chuck E Cheese Pizza. She LOVES this place. I think she would be content without ever having a single coin. When we do put coins in, like in the car below, she starts crying and wants down immediately!

Daddy and Elizabeth are having a great time on the motorcycle, which Shane likes to refer to as "organ donation."

Here she is pretending to ride the car. I think she might even be singing "The horn on the bus goes honk, honk, honk."Afterwards, we went to Stone Cold Creamery for ice cream. Granna gave Elizabeth this cute red dress for her birthday and everyone we saw would comment that she looked like Minnie Mouse. She really liked that since Minnie Mouse is her favorite right now!Elizabeth loves her ice cream! Happy birthday, sweet girl!

Oh my!

My husband came home a few days ago with his head shaved. I really don't know what he was thinking, except for the fact that he wanted his hair "shorter" for our trip. I didn't know he was going to go that short. I asked Shane if he had joined the Army! I sure feel like I'm married to a military guy right now. Here's a pic. Every time I see him I'm taken aback because I've forgotten that this is what he looks like! I'll let you decide for yourself what to think!


Now, when we get back from Italy and I post the pics, he will most likely be wearing an Astros cap in all of them! No offense, babe! Go Army!

Welcome, John Preston Davidson

Our dear friends John and Amy had their baby last week, and we are soooo excited that he has finally arrived. We have been waiting for him to get here for what seems like a very long time (hee hee) and think he is such an adorable baby. He was born on July 5, weighing in a 8 lbs, 6 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. We got to see him less than an hour after he was born and Elizabeth didn't know quite how to respond. She clung to us at the hospital and would barely look at John, Amy, or the baby! John and Amy have been her friends for the longest time, and Elizabeth even stayed with Amy on the days I worked for most of this past year, and so they are very special to her. I can just see her thinking, "Who is this kid, and why are "my John" and "my Mamy" always holding him?!!

She did better when we went to their house and took them food. She kissed his head and had a good time. She's still walking around saying, "Me have baby in my tummy, too," as she lifts up her shirt and points at her belly. The other day I asked her, "When is your baby going to be born, and she said what sounded to me as, "July 10th." Hmm. I don't know if that's what she said or not, but it sure did sound like it to me, so I got a little chuckle from that! Here are some of the pics of sweet baby Preston. He sure is a cutie!!

Mama Amy, Baby Preston, and me

I love Elizabeth's face in this picture. What is she thinking?!!

Elizabeth gets to kiss Baby Preston on his head. And check out her cute Minnie Mouse outfit that Aunt Kellee sent her for her birthday. She LOVES it!

Congratulations, John and Amy on the birth of your first child. You have always been so sweet and loving to Elizabeth, and she loves you guys so much. You're already wonderful parents! I'm excited for Elizabeth and Preston to get to know each other better. Blessing to your extended family, and remember to sign his name when you sign cards from now on!! Ha! :) We love you!

I love you, my child

Elizabeth at two days old

Elizabeth at two weeks old

Elizabeth at one







Elizabeth at two

Today is Elizabeth’s second birthday (although she’s been telling everyone she’s two for the last few weeks). These two years have gone by fast and Elizabeth changes daily. It’s so nice to have this online forum to document her developments, her personality, and her appearance (she can never say, “What happened to all the pictures of me when I was young?”, or “What was I like when I was young?”!). I really think that the person you were in the past—the child, the daughter, the sibling, the friend—whether you remember that person or not, plays into your identity today. Remembrances and memories are something that give people hope about all they can be, all they hope to be, all they are at their core. Understanding who we were in the past allows us to see how the people who loved us first—our parents—saw us in the past (and still see us today), even when we may doubt ourselves, our abilities, and our identity. It gives us comfort and assurance. The same is true of God and how he feels about us (although to an even greater extent, I’m sure). I pray that Elizabeth never experiences these same fears and angsts in her own life, but if she does, she will know that she can always look back here to be reminded of who she really is, even when she may get off track for a while.

So, Elizabeth, on your second birthday, I want you to know how loved you are on this day and always. Your daddy and I are proud of you, and we will always love you. And no matter where you go or what you do, know that you are precious in our (and God’s) sight.

"Silly Elizabeth!"

Nothing much new going on here, except packing for our trip, finishing the move, and writing a chapter for an edited collection in which submitting the essay (which I finally got sent off!! Yea!). Most of the news around here involves Elizabeth, especially with some of the things she’s been saying and doing. Here are just a few:

1. I accidentally stepped on one of Elizabeth’s stuffed animals and said, “Oops, I’m sorry, Elizabeth.” She responded, “It’s okay, Mommy. It’s OKAYYYYY!” She was trying to comfort me.

2. We were eating dinner at a Mexican restaurant and she started singing, “Rain, rain, go away” very, very loudly. And this just happened to be the one moment in the last few months in which it was NOT raining!

3. Every time we ask her where she wants to go eat, she says, “Chuck E Cheese.” The closest one is in Waco, and we have promised we will take her there on her birthday. We’ve gone there once and she was scared of everything, so I’m not sure that she really wants to eat there, but she keeps insisting. I think it’s because they advertise on Disney, and she likes the commercial.

4. The town-home we are living in temporarily has stairs and Elizabeth doesn’t like to be upstairs when we are all downstairs. Occasionally, however, we will find her upstairs alone—not in her room playing but at the sink in her bathroom, washing her hands and brushing her teeth. If she’s not doing that, then she’s allowing Cago, Lilly, Baby, and some of her other stuffed animals to go potty and wash their hands, too. She loves to take them through the routine she goes through every time she uses the potty!

5. After the Wiggles phase ended, Elizabeth became obsessed with Mickey Mouse and gang. She still is, but a new favorite of hers is Dora. She LOVES Dora, and even answers the questions Dora asks on her show. She loves saying, “Swiper, no swiping!” and “Everybody, let’s go,” as well as all the Spanish words she’s learning.

6. Every time someone does something funny or that makes her laugh, Elizabeth always says, "Silly _______ (Mommy, Daddy, Nana, John, etc.)!"

That’s enough memories for now. I want to make a record of these incidents so that years from now she can look through them and know what she was like. Elizabeth, in case you’re reading this in 2030, I want you to know how sweet, loving, and caring you are. You are so special!

Chaotic but cute

Taking pictures with children can be soooo chaotic. These are the best ones I got, so here they are. Nana bought Elizabeth and Brooklyn (and Shaelyn--will get one with all three very soon hopefully) these matching outfits and they sure do look cute in them. I'm sure Barrett will thank Nana later that she didn't try to find a matching outfit for him!

Pictures

Here are those pictures from Sea World and the Austin Children's Museum I've been promising you. Here we are before we got all wet. Elizabeth loves the water. Elizabeth anxiously waiting for the dolphin show to begin. In the aqarium running around barefoot. She cannot and will not keep her shoes on her feet...at least she's wearing her clothes in this one!

Elizabeth LOVES her Uncle Zach!

"Wow! That's amazing!"

She was asleep before we even reached the car. I guess a day without a nap will do that to you!Cousin Barrett and ElizabethCould this be the beginning of a band?!!Playing chess like her daddy loves to do.Slides are one of her favorite things.And so are bubbles!

Don't they look so big?!!

Gleefully settled, almost

This past weekend (and all last week) was spent boxing up all our belongings, deciding what goes to storage and what goes to the new townhome, and figuring out how to do all this in the rain. Fun, fun! At least we had wonderful friends and my mom come and help us do all this. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We are pretty much moved in but still have to clean the house before we close. We have put about half our stuff in storage and it's nice to be living a little more simply right now. Elizabeth's toys aren't infesting every corner of our house (not yet anyway), and we have a little more room here since we've put so much in storage. We will be so ready to move into a house in six months!!

Here's some WONDERFUL news...we FINALLY got our passports. If any of you are still waiting or you know people who are, I recommend that you call your congressional representative. I had heard so many different stories about how long you had to wait to call, so I wasn't going to call until two weeks before our trip. Then I started worrying about the move and how long it would take to get to us since it would have to be forwarded and so I decided to call our congressman's office (John Carter out of Round Rock--Isn't it odd that he has such a big district?!!). I spoke with a nice woman there who told me that anyone who called is put through faster and given a "Congressional Upgrade." And we had our passports within two weeks (We also got lucky because the lady I talked to called the national passport office and told them that since we were moving we just HAD to have them before then, so the move actually helped us! Who would have thought that would be the case?). So the trip finally feels real. Now we can really start the planning!

On the Elizabeth front, she knows and understands so many words, and many I had no idea she even knew or had heard (no bad ones yet, thank goodness.). She surprises me quite often with her vocabulary, and watching her language development is one of my favorite things so far. Potty training is also going all right. She's in panties most of the day but still won't go #2 on the potty. I'm sure that will come. She even takes her baby dolls and her stuffed animals to the potty. She told me today, "Mama, Baby needs to go tee-tee." Funny. She also hates to be dressed right now and de-clothes herself multiple times throughout the day. She did take an entire nap yesterday without wetting, though, so there's some progress, especially since she was buck naked, and we didn't want to have to change the sheets again!

By the way, I WILL post those pictures soon. I promise! Have a great evening.