Croup and scoop

One night I told Landry to bring me some jammies to get her dressed
and she brought my nightgown.  I couldn't say no that that clever little face!

I couldn't resist putting my vintage necklace on Barrett
for a little gangster/Guido snapshot.  

Cristina showing him how to crawl

Trying so hard!

Landry and her baby doll watching Curious George,
her new favorite movie that we watched at least four times this weekend.
She's also obsessed with her doll "Vicky" (not sure where that came from) and popcorn.

Dinner date at home with my friend Jaclyn mid week.
I've been having fun experimenting with homemade sangria lately.

Happy has a clam at the doctor's office

Her first happy meal with mommy (I think Mimi has spoiled her with one before).
Friday post doctor's office I caved.  She was over the moon, of course!

Lovely family lunch date this weekend.  

Landry and I owned the park on Saturday after the storms passed.

She's really interested in painting and drawing these days.
She'll doodle just about anywhere, clearly!

Getting ready for the pool this weekend.  She was watching Barrett
very closely hoping he'd wake up soon to join us.

His straw fedora finally fits.  Now he can match mommy and sissy!

This week had its ups and downs.

On Monday I toured a space that I think will house the new Dallas Flea.  I'm so thrilled I can hardly see straight.  Since finding out I was pregnant with Barrett -- and spending much of 2013 working around the clock on the Missouri project -- I had to table all talks about the flea to keep my head on straight.

But with things at a nice pace now and me reprioritizing the flea, I've been on the hunt for a month or so and think I found THE ONE.  I have a big meeting mid July to talk finish out and numbers and will hopefully ink a deal by late summer to open in early 2015.  This space is so huge -- 70,000 square feet -- the possibilities are endless for my company's expansion.

But with the good this week, came the bad.  All week Landry was battling a little cold (probably caught at summer school).  We think she passed it on to Barrett.  By Thursday he had a really high pitched bark-like cough and was struggling to catch his breath at times.  Friday he was diagnosed by the doctor with croup and put on liquid steroids.  Luckily he's feeling nearly 100-percent better today.

We had planned to go to the lake this weekend but decided to lay low at home to let Barrett relax and get well.  With no plans, it was kind of fun to just see where the days took us.  From lobster rolls for lunch to a park date and pool time, we just had a lazy, lovely weekend.  Michael and I even fit in a little date night last night thanks to our sitter being available last minute.

Summer is here!

Dinner date with aunt Jackie

Pizza with Pappy

My little muscle man

Selfie with my girl to show off our happy prints

Kari's 30th pink and white surprise birthday party

Happy boy hanging in his Mamaroo 

Landry loving on Barrett

And then poking his eyeballs out...

Play date with Charlie and Gabriella.  

Landry's new bounce house

She's obsessed with styling her hair with bubbles.
This was my best longhorn attempt for daddy.

Feeding the ducks in her jammies and jellies

Frozen yogurt face

Checking out the aquarium

Love his little expressions!

Eiffel tower hair

Playing with her new bubbles from Millie's birthday party

What a fun-filled week we've had.  Summer is definitely in full swing!

Monday I kicked off the week with dinner with two of my oldest Dallas friends back from my Dallas Morning News days.  Jackie and Evans hadn't met Barrett yet so we got together for pizza, wine and some good snuggle time with the little guy.

Later in the week we had a fun surprise party for our friend Kari.  It was a huge event and such a good time.  It was nice to catch up with several people I hadn't really seen since last year between installing the Jones job and then having Barrett.

Michael got to meet some of the Jones clan at the party, which was nice for him.  He gave Jerry a hard time for making him a single parent for much of 2013.

Friday Paula and I had a fun playdate with the three amigos.  They came over to romp around the house and then we walked to lunch down the street.  Landry can have a hard time sharing toys with kids she doesn't know very well but she's so sweet with the twins.  I think because they've known eachother so long they truly love eachother.

Saturday was the official first day of summer.  We took full advantage of the longest day of the year.  We started with a walk with the kiddos that included feeding the ducks near our little neighborhood lake.  Landry loves feeding the ducks and is getting quite an arm on her with so much practice now!

Later we took her for frozen yogurt -- she's obsessed with vanilla topped with sprinkles, M&M's and blueberries -- and then to the aquarium downtown.  She's always been intrigued by fish so we thought she'd love it.  She was really excited about the fish tank exhibits but timid around the large birds, monkeys and reptiles.  I don't think we'll go back for a few more years until she can truly enjoy it.

Last night we kicked off summer with Paula and Todd and some other friends.  We had a great time relaxing over drinks and dinner at one of our favorite neighborhood spots.

Today was a cozy, rainy day so we took the kids to a pancake filled brunch and then just relaxed at home.  Landry has fallen in love with painting so we did several messy art projects in the playroom before bath time.

We had a birthday first party late this afternoon that was ice cream parlor themed so Landry was in heaven.  The party favor was an ice cream shaped bubble set.  We've tried blowing bubbles for several months now but she finally caught on today and is hooked.  At one point I even sat in the shower with her so she could blow more bubbles since it was raining outside.

Landry's new favorite thing is to mimic phone conversations.  She'll say, "hello?" and want you to go back and forth like you're talking on your cell phone.  She also finds shaping her hair in funny styles while taking a bath to be the funniest thing ever.  She loves to look in my mirror while I coif her soapy curls into silly things like a longhorn or skyscraper.

She's absolutely obsessed with ice cream (make that "ice peam") and this cartoon called Caillou.  We think she has a crush on Caillou, actually.

Barrett is just the sweetest thing.  He's so happy, never whines unless he's hungry and is always smiling or making funny expressions.  He recently starting smacking his gums like an old man.  It's hysterical.  It will make me laugh out loud which makes him then laugh out loud.  He is just such a pleasure to be around.  I can't even begin to imagine life without these kiddos.  They are the best thing that ever happened to Michael and me.

Happy summer, y'all!

Barrett turns 5 months; Father's Day

It's hard to believe Barrett turned five months old yesterday.  A part of me feels like he was a newborn last week and another part of me feels like he acts twice his age.

He's just the sweetest, best, little guy.  He loves to sit upright in his Bumbo and to move around in his walker.  Last weekend he took his first dip in the pool.  He was a little uneasy at first and then really liked the refreshing water on his little legs and belly.

His hair is starting to come in and it's blond and straight.  It reminds me a lot of Landry's at this age so we'll see if he gets wavy curls down the road.

Landry is talking more and more.  She's also dancing just about anytime she hears music.  It's the cutest thing!  She started potty training about two weeks ago.  She's been doing great but far from being out of diapers.

Summer has had us very social lately.  Last weekend we had a Mexican fiesta themed dinner party.  Landry helped me pick flowers for the table centerpieces and cook our taco feast.  She loves to be helpful in the garden and kitchen.

The next night Jon and David hosted us for dinner along with Paula and Todd.  It was very nice to have a lovely adults night out!  

Michael and I have made an effort to have date nights mid-week since our weekends are starting to fill up with birthday parties and kiddo functions.  This week we had a lovely dinner and then holed up at the Mansion for drinks.  

Yesterday was Leila's 2nd birthday pool party.  It's so sweet to watch the kids all interact and play around.  It's far from our former Saturday routine (lazy lunches, happy hours, poolside not worrying about a toddler falling in), but so fun in it's own right.

Today we celebrated Michael with brunch at one of his favorite restaurants.  We soaked up some sun afterwards in the pool before having drinks with friends in the cabana.  It was the perfect, low key day.  Landry and Barrett are so lucky to call him Dad.

And to my dad -- and granddads and father-in-law -- I'm so lucky to have all of you in my life and love y'all very much.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy boy in his Bumbo

Dinner party at the house; Landry helped
pick the flowers from our garden for the centerpiece

Sandbox fun outside

Barrett's first dip in the pool

Look at his rolls!  Such a chunky monkey

Fun in the sun with uncle B

Didn't want to leave Arden's birthday party 

Dinner party with Jon and Paula 

Play date with Owen and Hadley

Watching the big kids play outside

The three amigos

Landry's first at-home pedicure!

Love my morning snuggles with this little bunny 

Caught this funny scary face on Friday the 13th  

Playing around in mommy and daddy's bed 

Loved this tender little moment  

Dancing on mommy's bed  

Play date with Arden

Play date with Leila

Wearing our new matching skirts to Father's Day brunch

Father's Day pool fun