Reunion

Every year, my best friends from college (Casey, Sara and Ryan) and I get together around Christmas time.  This year Ryan wasn’t able to make the trip, but we girls still managed to have a great time.  We didn’t really “do” anything – unless you count eating, gossiping, talking and LOTS of laughing as “doing something.”  But we did have a great time and I was so happy for Sara to meet Olivia.  We cherish our slumber parties and the fact that we pick right back up as if no time has passed at all.  I love these girls and am so grateful for them in my life.  

Three Months

Olivia is THREE months old!  These past three months have absolutely flown by.  She has been getting out a lot more, having much more “awake time” and is completely responsive to Matt and me.  She is constantly smiling at us and we’ve been able to make her laugh several times (a feat we both count as one of the biggest accomplishments of our lives!)  

She really is the sweetest, happiest little baby and, as we've said many times before, we feel completely blessed to call her ours!  Its hard to tell, but her onesie says "Loved" and she is!

Dean Family Road Trip 2011

Olivia had her first road-trip this month to Dallas!  Some of my best friends from college live in Dallas and so do some of Matt’s best friends from high school.  None of them had met Olivia yet, so it was the perfect opportunity to show off our little munchkin + do a little family bonding.

The car was packed a little differently for this trip compared to our previous road trips!  Little babies sure do need a LOT of stuff!

Olivia was very excited to hit the road.  She did great in the car.  We stopped 2 times on the way up and she slept the rest of the way. 

Olivia shares her mommy’s love of fancy hotels and felt right at home at the W Hotel. (Notice the hands in the mouth - this is her latest thing and makes picture taking quite difficult, it also makes keeping her clothes "drool free" almost impossible!)

 

 

On Friday night, my sweet friend Bethany hosted a dinner at her house.  Here is a picture of Bethany, Erica and I, along with our kiddos (Bethany and Erica swapped kids for the picture!).  It was a great night where all the kids got to meet each other and play, Bethany made a DELICIOUS dinner, and then we got to visit and drink wine once the babies were asleep!

 

On Saturday, we hung out with Erica, Greg and Blythe.  Blythe liked reading to Olivia and then showed off her Halloween costume!

 

Then on Sunday we met up with Matt’s best friends from high school – Jon and Ian.  Jon and his wife Jenna graciously hosted the gang at their house, complete with a delicious brunch.  Ian and his wife, Yocheved, + their 3 girls (Shalva, Bella and Zisi) also met us there.  I know Matt wishes he could get together with the guys more often, so it was great for all the families to meet up.

The first Dean Family Road Trip was a great success and we look forward to many more family vacations in our future!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Before Olivia was born, I said I was not going to go crazy for Christmas because she wouldn't know the difference either way.  However, then the cutest thing that ever happened to me was born and I decided that if there was even a small chance she would know or be happy, then I had to go crazy for Christmas. 

So....we decorated the house, complete with an "Olivia-sized" tree

We bought Christmas presents and let her open one early (a bottle warmer....I wouldn't exactly say that's "crazy")

 

And we took Christmas pictures.  I got her a ridiculously expensive smocked dress that I'm sure she will maybe wear 3 times.  But I love it and will forever remember it as her "first Christmas" dress. 

I'm not sure how much she actually enjoys or appreciates any of it, but the fact that I had so much fun doing it only makes me more excited for next year!

Thumbs down

Sucking your thumb is apparently harder than it looks...(don't worry, we aren't actually encouraging her to be a thumb-sucker, I was just trying to help the poor girl out!)

10 Weeks of Olivia

Matt and I have WAY too much time on our hands and are WAY too obsessed with this little girl...

The Texans, Take Your Daughter to Work and Babysitters

We have been very busy this week! On Sunday, Olivia and Matt watched the Texans game while I went to lunch with my dear friends Paige and Danielle. We had to get a few quick pics with Miss Olivia before we left, but then Matt was on his own! (He picked out the Texans onesie, I picked out the leg warmers. I'm told nothing says hard-core Texans fan like polka dot leg warmers!)



Special dad post:



This is a picture of me with Olivia before the Texans played Jacksonville. I had just given her a very serious talk about the game. I told her that under no circumstances was she to jinx the team. When we first got home from the hospital Olivia was the sole reason why the Texans blew a double-digit lead against the Saints. I was determined for that not to happen again.


After the Texans got behind early they scored 17 of the next 20 points to take a 17-10 lead with 5 minutes to go in the first half. Olivia was super happy! But, did I detect a little bit of evil behind that smile? Would Olivia purposely defy me and jinx my favorite team?!


What the hell Olivia? Matt Leinart gets hit from the side and the Texans lose their starting quarterback for the season for the second time in two weeks. I knew Olivia would ruin this game for me. I vow never again to watch the Texans with her.


"I am going to throw you through the television if the Texans blow this game!"

Luckily, the defense stepped up and the Texans survived 20-13. I can't take the stress and I really don't want to throw my daughter through the TV so I'll be watching the Falcons game alone this Sunday.




The rest of the week was jam packed. Olivia is 10 weeks old now; since she's so "big" we are feeling more and more comfortable getting out in public with her.

On Tuesday we took our first trip to Target to get Christmas decorations. I am hopeful this will be the first of many mommy-daughter Target trips in my future.


On Wednesday I took her to Exxon Mobil to introduce her to my co-workers. (She wouldn't take her eyes off the fan for a picture before we left).


Then on Thursday she went to a holiday party at Rice to meet all Matt's MBA friends.


As you can see, she partied hard.


She also went to Aunt Casey's house for the first time to meet Noah and Owen. Both boys loved her. Owen kept saying "Persis' baby!" and just staring at her. Noah quickly warmed up to her as well and then kept wanting to show "Miss Olivia" all the Christmas decorations and make funny faces trying to get her to laugh. We know Olivia will have lots of fun growing up with the Born boys.


And on Friday, we had a big "FIRST" --- first babysitters! Matt and I went to my Exxon Mobil holiday party while Yasmin and Nazreen babysat Olivia. We were a little sad to leave her and have to admit we told several stories about her to my co-workers and to each other during dinner. But, it was nice to have a night out and know she was in very capable hands (as you can see by the cute pictures they took!).