The World's Sweetest Girl Speaks

Click on the video link to see and hear the WSG talk to ya. It's almost as sweet as pie!



rosa jane speaks on Vimeo

A Very Merry Christmas

The Brown family flocked to our house for the first holiday gathering time ever. Everyone had a great time, but especially the kids -- Brett and Rosa Jane. Bree, the teenager, slept a lot, but that's no surprise, really. :-)

Click on the picture to see more from our fun time together.

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, too. Here's looking at 2007: May it be filled with good health, peace, prosperity and laughter heard from miles and miles around . . .

Santa Pinches

Here's Rosa Jane at Don's company Christmas party. I guess you could say she didn't have the best time with Santa, but we sure did have fun meeting new folks tied to the baby leash.

The Pip Squeaker Sneaker

Laurie gives Rosa Jane special new shoes for her birthday. Rosa Jane LOVES them and wears them well. Check out the video:


RJ Eats and Squeaks on Vimeo

What a tribe!

Here we are at Aunt Page and Uncle Ken's house for the afternoon. It was wonderful to be together but way too short a time to visit with everyone. It's funny how kids change everything! We used to sit around the table and tell stories but now it's hurry up and eat so we can open the presents! The biggest hit were Caren's presents to the boys -- water ball shooting guns. Rosa Jane's new fascination is her new doll with zippers and buttons and velcro. Now Mama's purse is no longer safe zipped up. Thanks, Honey! ;-)

Good news! New Baby and Baby on the Way (Neither are ours!)

Congratulations to one of my all time best friends growing up, Laurie and her family, on the newest addition of Sloan Elise who was born today at 1:20 pm. They are the proud parents of Sam who so graciously is sharing his car with RJ. I can't wait to go meet the little sugar later this week. Not to mention to take pictures! I LOVE newborns!



And here's a happy couple, James and Kelly. They were my first wedding clients and are expecting their first baby in 8 weeks. I'm so happy for them and wish them all the best.

Leopard Best

First Craft

For those of you who know me well, I've been hankering for some good-n-messy art project for over a year now. Every day I ask myself, "is RJ old enough to enjoy some paper mache today?" I know the answer is always "NO! not today", but I just want to be ready for when the time has come.

Santa was visiting the Bee Cave Civic Hall yesterday so I dressed RJ up in her fanciest leopard print skirt. I didn't count on having to be in the picture with her. Following the brief photo session we went to the library and made our first craft. The girl scouts painted RJ's hand and we pressed it on a burlap sack hanging thingamabob. It was messy -- real messy -- but it all came out in the wash.

Nevertheless, I won't be trying any more crafts for a couple of months, or perhaps if she's stripped down to her diaper and there is another adult close by it would be okay.

Never mind that while I'm typing all of this, she digs through my pen jar on my desk and BINGO! She finds the one leaky pink pen. The spilled ink covers her hands, belly and feet. Pen caps on the markers no longer stand in her way.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are in the dawn of the new era -- that of the terrifying toddler with marker in hand! Yikes! My, my this day has come earlier than expected.

Top of the agenda today: Find all markers and put them in a safety deposit box down at the bank. Only then will our walls and furniture truly be safe, I hope!

Lake Austin Rosa Jane

We went to Lake Austin yesterday afternoon to capture Amy and her family on film. The proofs would make a great flipbook. Amy and Peter frozen while the dogs keep watch for squirrels.

Afterwards the girls headed to First Thursday -- finally! It was so fun! Just wait 'til you see my new boots... They'll make you weep for sure.

Rules to Live By:

1. Never volunteer for a hair show even when it is your sister-in-law sweetly asking you to participate.

2. Never host a playgroup of 14 kids (12m - 5yrs) and 7 moms. It was all fine and dandy until the moms thought the 60 degree weather was too chilly to be outside.

Survival of the Fittest

There are many skills and traits for which parents like to assume credit. The fact that I've taught Rosa Jane to mimic my behavior is pretty cool -- like the rollers in her hair, for instance. When she started toting around one of my smaller purses I thought I needed to be more careful of my behavior around her, because while some is specifically taught, others are picked up just by observing. Rosa Jane does a lot of things of which I'm very proud.

But every morning the one behavior that blows me away is her natural instinct to survive. She instinctfully walks quickly to the edge of the stairs, then goes down to a crawl to slide on her belly all the way down. In my heart, it gives me great pride knowing she's innately a survivor.

Nevermind the tumble she took from the metal chairs to the concrete floor last week while dining with Robyn and me at Amy's Ice Cream.

Home Sweet Christmas Home

My good brother came over today to hang our festive lights. I do believe this is the first time I've ever had Christmas lights decorate my residence. I really like it. Thanks, Kev-O! You get the gold star today.

Although, I do have to mention that Rosa Jane was looking at a book of my photographs today and making "oooh" and "ahhhh" sounds at every page turn. I think she's quickly approaching sweet donr as my number one fan. ;-)

Auntie Robyn is the Coolest!

Yesterday Robyn and I had a couple of errands with the State. I knew it would be a long day of waiting and patience for the peanut. Towards the end, I tried to reward her good behavior with some play time at the playscape. Although it is no real surprise, I learned she just isn't old enough to be able to appreciate all the fun to be had there. Instead it was a frustrating experience of fall upon fall as she tried desperately to be a big kid.

On the way home, she cried and cried and was just so deliriously tired. I felt guilty for making such an unfun day for her that when we got home I put her in her new car for a little stroll around the driveway. It was ridiculous. I am a foolish mother. Of course she liked it, but she was too tired and it was just enough stimulation to keep her up even longer when what I really should have done was put her to bed to rest. Sometimes taking care of your youngster means being unfun and tears are shed and my heart breaks, but someone has to be brave enough to do what's right.

RJ gets a NEW CAR!!!

well, it's really on loan from the sweet boy running as fast as he can with RJ's baby stroller. We had a great visit with ol' Liberty folks Amy and Laurie as the kids played in the driveway. This was two days ago before the crazy 50 degree drop in temperatures. It's a chilly 30 degrees today, but the car sits outside the front window and RJ wimpers to go play with it.

More Snaps from Thanksgiving

Click on the picture to see more of my beautiful and thankful family.