Merry Christmas

Many of you have probably already seen this...

Merry Christmas with love,

The Harris Family

NO!

I got told "NO!" today and (as you can see by my reaction) I was not very happy about it! Oh, what we at the Harris house have to look forward to!

Nine Months

Our baby is nine months old. Where has the time gone?!?! Our nine month pictures didn't turn out very good, because......Simple.... She doesn't sit still!!! Not even for 30 seconds!

We had to settle for this picture with her birthday sign! At this point she had crumpled the sign and had crawled out of her leg warmers. This is right before she crawled over to her baby crib and pulled out all the stuffed animals followed by crawling across the room and getting into her trashcan. No Joke, I am a busy momma these days!

We burn an advent candle every evening in the month of December. This is a tradition that Flint grew up doing and now we have started it. Here we are on December 9th. We have a nine month old! I really can't believe it! We have so much to be thankful for! Each day we try to reflect on what the season is really all about.

Since our nine month pictures were unsuccessful, I thought I would open a little door into Cilla's world and show you what she is up to!

She is crawling EVERYWHERE and is into EVERYTHING!!!

She has a new fascination with playing under this end table.

I know this little blue outfit is a little boy outfit, but I just love it. It has a football on the front. Don't worry, she wore a brown bow with it!!!

She crawls from room to room. Luckily, she makes a noise (that sounds like a panting dog) when she is on the move, so even if she is out of my sight I can still hear her!

Oh, and the icing on the cupcake...

This morning, while I was starting a load of laundry, she made her way over to the dog bowl and had water all over the floor before I could get to her! This is what I found.

Of course, I grabbed the camera before grabbing a towel!

"What's wrong, mom? Was this not here for me to play in?!?!"

Look her dirty, wet knees! I need to mop!

More about Cilla:

*She eats like a champ. She love to try foods and has eaten just about everything.

*Has started sleeping like a champ. No kidding, some nights she sleeps 13 hours! If I would keep her home more and on a tighter schedule, she would take 2 good naps.

*LOVES puffs! They keep us sane when we are out in public!

*Has two bottom teeth and four (yes, four) top teeth coming in!

*Is developing such a fun and outgoing little personality! She really loves people!

*She is still pretty serious and is very resilient!

*She says "mama" and "da" sometimes "dada". Her very first real sound was "baba"! We are not sure if this was a coincidence or if it meant "bye bye" or "bottle".

*She claps when we say YAY! She gets so excited for herself and I never get tired of it.

*She waves to everyone! Like I said, doesn't meet a stranger!

*Cilla loves our puppies....actually, all dogs!

*She loves to read (or look at) books. She is into turning the pages all by herself.

*She loves light switches and door stops! I wish life would stay this simple!!!

We just love this little girl more and more with each passing day! She brings so much joy into our family.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

It has finally gotten cold here in Waco and is starting to feel more like Christmas! We actually got some snow flurries a couple of days ago!

I needed to make a Wal-Mart run, so here Cilla is all bundled up and waiting on me to get ready. No, I did not leave her on the bed...she would have crawled her way off!!!

She loves to look in the mirror! She was fascinated by her hat in this picture! I love this little hat. It is suppose to be a cupcake! How cute is that?!?!

My little cupcake!

We got some snow (you have to look closely to see it). I think our puppies have forgotten what snow is! Look at Sophie trying to get in the door! Burrrrr, mom!

Of course, Cilla napped right through the snow. She missed her very first snow. Next time. Never wake a sleeping baby, right?!?!

Jerry World....I mean Baylor vs. Tech

The Baylor/Texas Tech game was actually exciting, but the highlight of the trip was getting to visit the new Cowboy Stadium (a.k.a. Jerry World) in Arlington. As all of our Arkansas and A&M friends and family already know....IT IS A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!!! Flint went up with my dad, our friend Katie, and I instead of going with the team so that he would not have to stay overnight in a hotel. He was regretting his decision after sitting in traffic trying to find our assigned lot. He has gotten spoiled to the police escorts that drive the team buses right up the stadium! HA! Here are a few pics.

Flint and I

Dad and I

The JUMBOtron.

It is literally over half the length of the field and still more clear than our TV at home!!!

Taking the field

Flint

From the back!

Flint again (standing on the 42 yard line)

Sic.Em.Bears.

We had club seats and I felt a little spoiled. They were awesome and we had access to the indoor club with all of the TV's. I could only imagine at a Cowboy game all the Who's Who of Dallas standing around in there drinking their cocktails and making some business deals, oh yes, and watching football! After the game was over, we went inside and found the Razorbacks on TV. We sat there and watch their heartbreaking loss to LSU, all while the stadium staff were trying to close down and run us out! Flint kept telling them...it is almost over!

All of our Baylor friends and avid football fan friends probably already know the outcome of the Baylor/Tech game. And you probably already know that it was a really great game in which Baylor was ahead most of the game and had a chance to win right at the end. Unfortunately, the Bears just didn't have enough in them. Such a bummer, especially after such a close game.

Thanksgiving Week

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving week-Cilla's first Thanksgiving. My parents came from Arkansas to spend the holiday with us, since Flint had to be back for the Baylor game.

Flint took Tuesday off, in honor of his mom, so we decided to head to Dallas for a little overnight getaway. What is normally a short little trip, turned into quite a fiasco! The traffic was horrible because of Thanksgiving and Cilla chose not to have her afternoon nap that day. This equals no fun for anyone!!!

She was a little happier when I crawled in the backseat with her and fed her puffs!

We stayed with our friends, Lauren, Corby, and Harper! Look at this precious face! She is just a doll! Cilla liked playing with Harper and all of Harper's toys! It is so nice to stay with people who have all the baby stuff you need. It requires you packing lots less!

We went out to dinner Tuesday night with two tired and unhappy babies! How pitiful is this picture?!? They cried the entire way home from dinner. SUPER PLEASANT!!!

Wednesday morning before heading back to Waco, we finally got to meet Baby Braysen! My best friend, Laura, had a baby November 5th and we were finally getting to meet him. Having a 9 month old puts a damper on the spontaneous road trips to Dallas!!! Oh, I must say, it was love at first sight. This little guy is so precious, seriously! I look forward to helping spoil him and all the fun we will have with him in the years to come! I hope he and Cilla are best friends, too!

Cilla is clapping all the time these days! She tried to show Braysen and Aunt Laura all of her tricks!

After meeting Braysen, lunch with Uncle Peter, and hitting up The Cupcakery, we finally got on the road along with everyone else in Central Texas. Of course it was time for Cilla's bottle and of course we left her formula at the Pardue's house! We finally made it back home...again, a fiasco!!!

Sophie needed a bath, so we managed to fit that in!

Our friend Katie, who works with Flint, is from Washington and since she is going home at Christmas, she stayed in Waco for Thanksgiving. So, she came over and had Thanksgiving with us! We were so glad to have her! And she made THE most yummy sweet potato casserole I have ever put in my mouth!!!

Cilla with daddy on her first Thanksgiving! Dinner was delicious! Cilla tried lots of the food and loved it all!!!

It was a wonderful week. We have lots to be thankful for!