Baby Names

There are SO many other things I really should be doing right now, but....I just HAD to post this real fast. :) 

So...Obviously, Brian and I have been trying to find a name suitable for our sweet little girl who is on her way. You'd think after 27 weeks we'd be farther along with a name than we are, but...this little girl kinda has us stumped. Thankfully, we did reach my goal. I desired to have a pretty definite name by Thanksgiving, which we can toss around until Christmas to make sure we like it. Then, after that, hopefully we won't be back 'at the drawing board'. :) I believe we came up with at least the first name... :) It's a start right?! In case your wondering... Yes, it's a secret. You'll just have to wait to hear the name...gotta keep ya'll guessing & in suspense. 

BUT...the whole point of this post isn't to tease you. No, I thought ya'll could leave comments and maybe even vote. Over Thanksgiving dinner at the McDonald's, we began discussing our name dilemma  and tossing around the most popular 'nicknames' baby girl has accumulated...

Uncle Ruben has dubbed her, from before we were even expecting...

A) Cypress Creek

Granny Jane lovingly, after reading in her Bible one morning....

B) Cedar

Uncle Caleb, I think because of CO and other trees there...

C) Willow

and Paw Paw Wade, after hearing the above 3...

D) Cedar Bayou

Cedar Bayou has definitely caused us to laugh!!! Now, in case some of you feel out of the loop, Aspen's middle name is Brooks...thus, her name is technically a tree & body of water. Thus, Paw Paw Wade's tree & body of water suggestion. Poor child...Cedar Bayou...  

Feel free to let us know what trees you like best, or what you think of our family's creativity! In case you're wondering...we're not planning on naming our newest addition after a tree...I will say though, that the first name we considered, randomly meant 'tree'. lol... :D

"Shirt off..."

Aspen somehow got into the habit of pulling her arms through her pajama top last winter. It has continued through the summer, and progressively gotten worse. It used to just be one arm through the neck hole; then it was two. Now, the how shirt ends up off and thrown on the floor. Most morning I end up hearing the sweetest little voice saying, "shirt off? shirt off?...." I've learned what that means... :) Some mornings I hear "stuck"...that usually means the shirt is stuck somewhere she didn't want it to be. On Sunday morning, I heard her rambling about her shirt as I was getting breakfast ready. I figured the shirt would be on the floor when I opened the door. The sight I saw upon opening the door was TOO CUTE. Off to see Daddy we went, where He took pictures for us. (I thought I was out of the picture..or something.)

Wecoming Justin...

Our niece, Marisa got married several weeks ago. We are SO excited & happy for her. Mom Moreno planned a little family get together for Marisa & Justin one weekend and here are some pictures from it. I missed snapping pictures of the kids - who were playing outside the fence, and Dad, Christi, & Marisa who were inside I believe.

Aspen had an instant friend when Justin started pulling her in the wagon...

Marisa & Justin's new puppy is laying in the grass...cute thing! Won't be little for long...Ranger (I think is his name)...8-12 week old German Shepherd.

 

Bear, Mom, Roni, Arnold, & Jason 

Jason is incredible at the grill... he & Roni make a great team marinating & grilling the meat!!!! Yum! (they also make a great team in general! :))

After Justin finished pulling Aspen, she decided to try it...didn't get too far, but a few steps!

 

My Pretty Flowers

My husband sent me flowers!!!! I was SUPER impressed. :D Evidently, he had ordered them, and asked for them to be delivered by 4 o'clock p.m. He didn't call me all day that day, which, is very unusual. He didn't get home until really late that night, so it kinda made for a long day. Brian kept waiting for me to call, all excited about my flowers, and I never did. When he got home, he realized they never came. So, the next day, unbeknownst me to he called the company asking about the flowers. We had a nice leisure morning, then I went to get my haircut while Aspen was napping. Brian had hoped the flowers would come before I left, but they didn't. I think he made 2 calls to the company that day. When I got home...There were 2 beautiful flower arrangements on the table, each with their own note. I was surprised and puzzled...it's not Christmas, Birthday, or Anniversary, so, why would people send flowers?! After reading the note on both the cards, and it being identical, I looked at Brian wondering why there were two. He then explained that the company he ordered the flowers from, then finds smaller florists to create & deliver the bouquets. In all the phone calls, and missed delivery time, 2 bouquets were sent out from separate florists in the area. When the second florist delivered the flowers 20 minutes after the first, they told Brian to just keep it too. So, even though my flowers were a day late, I think I came out on top. :) Thank you Brian for my sweet flowers!!! You're too thoughtful...they make me smile each time I walk by or see them.

The pictures certainly aren't the best...my lighting was bad that day.

Being Cute....

Aspen no doubt keeps us busy. She rarely stops. But, it's a fun, sweet, 'i love it' type of busy....most the time. :) This first picture Aspen was trying out our "new" table..Anyone recognize it? I'll be doing a post on it by itself in a few weeks, I'm sure.

Mom McDonald took me (and the girls) out for a fun day, celebrating my Spiritual birthday. I desperately needed some shoes, so we were mostly shoe shopping. I forget sometimes I have a toddler who recognizes things, then want to try it out too. Mom McDonald & I were looking at a wall of shoes on the left, then Mom realized Aspen was talking and grabbing shoes off the clearance on the right. I looked down, and this is what I saw...

 

It's nice having Daddy around again for Saturday morning breakfast!!! I was cooking, something happened that made Aspen want to dance on Daddy's feet. She has a book that counts, and #8 says 'dance on daddy's feet, cha-cha-cha'....so that's what they did.

 

Coloring...

At the Texas City vs. Friendswood Game Nana Glenda gave Aspen a goodie bag. It was full of all kinds of fun stuff!!! That goodie bag has been a lifesaver! :) I think the most popular items (and it's definitely hard to discern!) were the colors & coloring book. It's Aspens first set of both. Nana Glenda got the jumbo size colors which are perfect for Aspen right now. I had to snap some pictures of her coloring...she was having so much fun. Thank you Nana Glenda!!!!!!!!!

 The little arm & hand is Malia's...

 

 

Finally...a little bit of Mommy!

Let's see...a couple weeks ago was Brian's bands' UIL Marching Competition. It's what they work for all season. Lots of blood, sweat and tears are shed each marching season with the goal of making 1's at UIL...for some bands its more than UIL...rather, past UIL on to Area & State Marching contest. For us, this year, we were just hoping for 1's. The kids (and directors!) worked super hard, and it was still a little shaky, but by God's grace, they pulled it off. Brian & the band left the stadium that night smiling, and carrying a UIL superior rating with trophy. Praise the Lord!!! I, as the wife, was super proud of my husband, and his band...but was SO thankful for the Lord's graciousness in helping the band do so well. I was very grateful....we were able to enjoy our peach cobbler a little bit better I believe, than if 2's had been given. (a little background...before Brian came to this band program, they were receiving 3's & 4's at UIL...they've come a looooooooong way.) So...both McDonald & Moreno parents came to support Brian & the band that night along with Aunt Cindy, and Aunt Laura in heart... :) 

After the performance, and watching a couple other bands, the Moreno's and I headed out to meet Brian for dinner in celebration. :) We decided to go to Kelly's since that was closest to Brian - or - Bear, as they call him. :) By the time we got to the restaurant, then Bear joined us, it was pushing 7:30/8:00....Aspen's bedtime. She hung in there, and Nanny saved the day by getting her some crackers! My entree came with a side salad...and not really caring about the dressing, I chose Ranch. Well...Aspen saw my salad, and dressing, then so sweetly said, "Some? Some dat?" Like she so regularly does. I passed her a cucumber slice, then the leftover bowl of Ranch to dip it in. She LOVED it. I knew she liked Ranch, but she REALLY liked this one. I had to get pictures and post it. Brian/Bear just sat watching, laughing...he doesn't like Ranch...says it's not 'Moreno'. :D So, finally a bit of Mommy showing through in our Aspen!

Miscellaneous....

This is somewhat a random post...just a few pictures taken the same weekend...

 

Aspen had never had store-bought Applesause, and I haven't made any in ages, so this was the first she ever remembers having any. She sat there and ate it all...I think. Sandie might have helped her a little...I was busy working in the kitchen...the snack occupied her for a few minutes. :)

 

 

We're still thinking she's going to be a lefty...

 

 

The McDonald girl cousins! Out with Granny to check out a Craft Show!

 

Some of you heard about this cake...it's not perfect, I didn't notice somethings until I looked at the picture and was embarrassed I didn't notice it when I assembled the crazy thing, or I'd of fixed it!!! Nevertheless, this cake was a huge stretching point for me. It's funny the things the Lord uses to teach me through. This cake, the Lord used to teach me faith & trust. I know, crazy, but He did. I was intimidated to fill this cake order, but the sweet family who asked me to do it had full confidence in me. Praise the Lord He is in me, and choses to work through me! I never could've done it without Him. It wasn't that this cake was hard, it just had a lot of creativity to it - something my cakes don't generally require. I'd love to give you every detail, but that'd ruin my decorators secrets, or cheats rather, so, I'll just let you look at it and wonder.... :D

 



 

 

 

Not the greatest picture, but works...

Big Girl....

The church nursery is right next to the 3 & 4 yr old sunday school class room. Sometime when Aspen is the only little one, I'll take her to that class and sit with her to let her color with the big kids for a little while. After church one Wednesday night, Aspen had found a friend who would follow her around, thus I went looking for her after I finished up whatever it was I had to tend to. I found her sitting in 'the big kids' class room, chair pushed all the way up, sitting where the teacher normall would, coloring. She looked like such a BIG girl! Perhaps a flash into her teaching that class or someother class one day?! Who knows....

 

 

I love how her toes are no where near the floor in this picture...

 

 

She picked her hairbow that day... I thought it was pretty cute; a little big, but cute!!!! (Thank you Mrs. McCaslin for it!)

 

The Fence

We have a very small backyard. One I'm very grateful for!! Aspen LOVES playing in the backyard. One day recently, she discovered a loose board in the fence. She enjoyed pushing it in out... A few days later, she was out there again, but this time there was a gentleman mowing the neighbors yard behind us. It was SO funny watching her push the board and leaning as far as she could through it, to see the man. It was equally as fun to watch the man's reaction once he noticed Aspen!!!! I got quite the laugh that afternoon...he couldn't quite figure it out...and when he did, he smiled at her, but kept a watchful eye out for her. Too funny!

 

 

To all of you who may be concerned about my sweet little girl escaping...Brian fixed that board this past weekend. :)