Austin's first Thanksgiving

On Tuesday afternoon, Austin, David and I flew to Jacksonville, Florida.  Amazingly, the flight wasn't full so Austin got his own seat on the plane.  He was awake the whole flight which worked out well because we still had a 3 hour drive to Vidalia, GA that night.  I think Jacksonville's humidity is worse than Houston.  After walking from the terminal to the rent car lot and putting the bags in the car, I felt like I had run 10 miles. My clothes were drenched and my face was dripping in sweat.  It wasn't just me; David felt the same.  We hit the road to Vidalia and Austin napped.  We stopped for dinner at the Cracker Barrel in Brunswick, GA and gave Austin a bottle while there.  It reminded me of my childhood when we used to drive to Georgia from San Antonio.  We would always eat at a Cracker Barrel along the way.  We arrived at the Americinn in Vidalia around 11pm.  Luckily we had reserved the "honeymoon suite" so that we would have more space.  They gave it to us at the McArthur family reunion discount rate of $100/night.  It was spacious (had a corner for the pac 'n play crib that came all the way from Houston in my aunt's car) and had a fireplace and whirlpool tub.  Although it was spacious, we could still hear every noise Austin made, including his coughing.  He was wide awake from 3:30-5 that first night and I ended up nursing him back to sleep.  The other two nights he did fine; it must have been the new place.  On Wednesday my mom came to the hotel (she had been there since Monday sleeping at the farm house) to see Austin.  We all went out to McGregor, where the farm house is, to see Uncle Don (my mom's uncle) and eat lunch.  My aunt Mary Carol and cousin Camille were there too since they drove from Houston with my mom.  Austin enjoyed rocking in the chairs on the porch, so much that he fell asleep.

On Wednesday afternoon, we went to visit uncle Bill and his wife Evelyn.  Bill is my Granddaddy's only remaining sibling.  Austin decided to snooze through this visit.  Every Wednesday night, we all go to Anice's house (my mom's cousin) for a Brunswick stew dinner, complete with congealed salads and caramel layered cake.

Uncle Stephen holding our little man while waiting for Brunswick stew

After dinner, we went back to the hotel and visited with all of the other cousins who were staying there.  Austin enjoyed playing on the bed in the room with all his girl cousins.  He was the center of attention!

Smiling big for DiDi

Thanksgiving morning always starts off with a small church service at McGregor Presbyterian church.  It is just our family and we fill the whole sanctuary.  We sing a couple of songs and share our family news from the past year.  This year Anice shared the history of the McArthur house and farm with everyone.  Austin enjoyed singing with everyone and continuing to talk during the family news.  David walked outside with him when he started to fuss, and he eventually dozed off on his shoulder.  We headed back to the house for a group photo (all 73 of us).  Only one camera is allowed for that one and everyone can order a copy (thank goodness).  After the photo, lunch is served.  Tables are set-up throughout the house so that all 73 can have a seat.  DiDi and Aunt Ricki were kind enough to hold the little guy while David and I ate our Thanksgiving turkey, etc.  

Stephens/Hunt/Hendrix shot

Family shot

Who are all these cousins?

Mommy's happy little turkey!

After changing clothes back at the hotel, we headed out to the Little House.  The Little House is a cabin on Anice's property that has a fishing pond and land to ride horses and drive 4 wheelers.  We eat dinner out there every Thanksgiving evening, including leftovers and some BBQ ribs.  After the sun goes down, we gather around the fire.  Austin put on his "bear" fleece to keep warm.  

My little bear

Hanging out with Aunt Lauren

Happy with Great Aunt Mary Carol

Austin loves his cousin Camille

And of course his cousin Claire

After dinner at the Little House, we headed back to the hotel to take over the lobby to watch the last Texas vs Texas A&M game.  What a great game!!!  Hook 'em!  Austin entertained us on the floor while we watched the game.  

Happy boy with Aunt Lauren

Mommy's little turkey

On Friday, we packed up, said some goodbyes, and headed back to the Little House for leftovers for lunch.  Austin wore his other Thanksgiving outfit (thanks Aunt Ricki!).  

I love my turkey shirt!

Happy boy with DiDi and Stacy

I love DiDi

Check it out - I am sitting up!

We flew out of Atlanta on Friday night and Austin did great on the flight again.  The next time we go to Georgia for Thanksgiving, Austin will be eating turkey and stuffing!

This past week

Last Friday, 11/11, I picked Austin up from school a little early because I had a bowling event at work and we were finished at 3.  Something was up with his right eye.  It had a ton of yucky stuff in it.  We called his doctor and made an appointment at 4:45.  The diagnosis was pink eye.  No fun!  So we got a prescription antibiotic ointment and started him on it right away.  We did find out his weight at the doctor- 13 lbs 6 oz.  After 24 hours of being on the antibiotic, he was not contagious.  We just had to be sure to wash our hands to avoid getting it ourselves.  He also was starting to have cold symptoms -- a cough and a stuffy nose.  The doctor said that he would probably develop a cold and cough and to take his temperature a couple times a day to monitor a fever.  Sure enough, his cold got worse on Saturday and then on Sunday he had a mild fever.  This meant no school on Monday (24 hour rule).  I called the on-call doctor on Sunday to report the fever and she wanted him to come in on Monday morning to check him out.  He also did not want to take all of his 6 oz bottle so we could tell he didn't feel very good.  We gave him a dose of Tylenol to bring the fever down.  His cough had turned into a congested cough.  He was in pretty good spirits but just tired.  I took Austin to the doctor at 9:30 on Monday morning.  She wanted to make sure he didn't have an ear infection or bronchitis.  Thank God he didn't have either of these.  It was just a nasty cold and cough.  By then, the fever had gone away.  He only weighed 13 lbs on Monday (vs 13lbs 6 oz on Friday).  I stayed home with Austin the whole day on Monday and David stayed home with him on Tuesday.  Our home remedies were saline nose drops, steam room, elevate his head, and the dreaded suction bulb.  Austin returned to school on Wednesday and is doing much better now.  He has a little bit of a lingering cough and some congestion, but is as happy as can be.  He has started sucking his thumb (as shown in previous post).  It is a good signal for us when he is tired.  Last night he rolled from his tummy to his back for the first time.  On Friday night, Austin and I had a date night at home while David went to the DU hockey game with Ryan.  Yesterday we hung around the house and then, of course, watched the Horns lose again.  Today we are packing for Georgia (we leave Tuesday afternoon).  Austin is going to be a pro airplane passenger.  Later we are headed to eat dinner at Adam, Rachel and Brody's house.  Check back for a long post about Austin's first Thanksgiving in Georgia.

Here are some pictures from Austin's first sick day.

Sick little guy....keeping the head elevated

 I can still smile and talk though

Being sick is no fun

Go Horns Go!

Someone found his thumb!

3 Months!

Austin turned 3 months on Wednesday.  It is hard to believe he has been with us that long.  He has grown so fast and changed so much just in a few months.  To sum up the most recent development - when I picked him up from school earlier this week, his teacher, Miss Lora, said "Man, this boy loves to talk!".  We have a loud mouth on our hands.  He blabs and blabs pretty much non-stop when he is not eating or sleeping.  It is such a joy to hear these noises!  He also got a note on his daily sheet at school this week that said he was smiling at himself in the mirror during tummy time.  These happy things make me feel better about leaving him all day.  I know that he is happy there and acting the same as he does at home.  He is holding his head up better, but he is still not completely stable.  We have tried out the bumbo chair a few times as a way to practice.  When he plays on his activity mat in the mornings and evenings, he moves and kicks his legs so hard that I think he might bruise his heels on the floor.  This week he has started grabbing the dangling toys in the activity mat all by himself!  He has come close to a true laugh too.  I need to take a new video and post it soon - maybe this weekend.  He still love his hands and his teachers always comment on how he holds his hands in fists in front of his face (like he is boxing) and blabs away.  Today was picture day at his school so we dressed him in his best (see below).

Let's just call it a big, tough adjustment

Last Tuesday, November 1 was my first day back at work.  I am going to be working full time and Austin is going to "school" at Bright Horizons.  It is about 6 minutes from my office and about 2 minutes from David's office.  It is nice to have him so close to both of our offices so that either of us can take him or pick him up.  I can go during my lunch break to nurse him and then I send 2 bottles for the mid-morning and afternoon feedings.  His teachers are Miss Mira and Miss Jaime and he has received good reports so far.  He has been napping as usual and they say he is an easy baby, which is how he is at home, so that makes me feel good.  There are 11 "infants" in his room and three teachers.  They are around his age through 18 months, which is a wide range.  He is doing great and I am taking it one day at a time.  Last week was a short week since I started on Tuesday and Wednesday was a snow day for his school.  David and I split the day - I went to work in the morning and David went to work in the afternoon.  Thursday and Friday were rough since there is so much work to do and not enough time to do it in.  I just want to leave right at 5 every day so that I can see my little guy for a few hours before he goes to bed.  I definitely stress myself out about work since I want to still perform at my best, but I know that taking care of Austin is much much more important than my job.  There is just so much work to do and not enough time to do it in.  Please pray for me to realize that the work will get done and Austin will do great at school.  I think I am almost making myself sick thinking about it.  I was sick when we were in Houston - not sure what it was, but it might have been nerves.  And today I have felt sick most of the day.  I trust that God will get me through it and my little guy will be just fine.

This weekend was fun - we went to dinner with Christy, Corrie, Dianne, Hayden and Maddie (David's cousins and aunt) on Friday.  Austin slept the whole time and then also slept for 9 hours Friday night.  That was nice except that I barely saw him awake on Friday :(.  On Saturday we rooted for the Horns and did lots of laundry.  We went to our first birthday party - at Gymboree!  It was my friend Pippa's, daughter Hannah's 2nd birthday.  Today I went on a long run to Wash park while David stayed with Austin and Savannah.  And this afternoon we went to our friends' Brandon and Christina's housewarming party.  They just bought a house and had about 25 people over to eat, watch football and just hang out.  Austin was not the only little one - Brody (9 mos) and Kaylee (3.5 months) were there.  Good times!  Here are a couple of recent pictures.

 Tie-dyed baby

 Family photo (for the bulletin board at Austin's school)

 Take 2 - found the hands

 I enjoy being naked!