Smile for Andrea

Well folks, we did it. We found the most outstanding babysitter in the history of the world. Her name is Andrea, she's from Hungary, and we're SO glad she found her way to Memphis. We want to thank her for taking care of Meredith this month...and for the adorable outfit she bought for Meredith for Christmas. So the "smile for Andrea" is above and the pic in the outfit is below...we weren't quite able to coordinate both occurences into one picture.

THANK YOU ANDREA!

Highwaters

So, if you want some proof that the girl is growing, here ya go.

Unfortunately, her shoulders are still very narrow. Suffice it to say, we're between sizes.

Relax

If you'll permit us to brag about our daughter for a moment (and we think that most of you will), we'd like to say that she's an incredible girl. She's been to about 97 Christmas parties, she's been Christmas shopping, she's hosted a fourteen year old's birthday party (and you KNOW that every kid had to hold her) and she's come through it all like a champ. Meredith goes with the party-flow and we're grateful to her for putting up with our shenanigans.

Perhaps the secret to Meredith's staying power throughout this holiday season has been her ability to relax when and where she is able. Today, for instance, mom set her down for about 30 seconds and went to answer the phone. When mom returned, mom saw the above picture of complete and total relaxation. That's right folks: 0 to unconscious in 30 seconds. Jealous?

Meredith's Army

Chris has re-christened his soccer team. He feels strongly that they should now be called Meredith's Army. The team hasn't consented to the name-change, but they did consent to having their picture taken with the angel. And below is the latest installment in the Baby's First Christmas series. Notice the smocked Christmas dress. Okay, maybe you can't see it -- but you need to know it's there!

Me and the Mouse

So Meredith has this adorable little mouse (thanks to the Scammahorns!) and it's really her first toy! She grips it tightly in her little fist, flings it about, chews on it and mashes it into her face. Trust us, it's cute. Well heck, here's proof!

Just Watchin' Some Soccer with My Dad

Okay, generally speaking, we won't be encouraging a whole lot of t.v. watching in Meredith's life. But I've noticed that she really likes to watch soccer. I'm not saying she's developed an appreciation for the finer points...it probably has a lot more to do with the pretty contrast between the bright green field and the white lines.

Here's a smile-picture, too. It's fuzzy, but sweet.

Almost Christmas Angel

She's getting so big! Her Tia Sarah wants her to still be "wee" when she meets her, but we're not sure that's going to be possible. Tiny or not so tiny, she's still the fairest baby in the land. Here's our first Christmas pic (no doubt the first of zillions).

Aunts and Uncles

Chris and I both agree that our Meredith is just as blessed in the Aunt and Uncle department as we have been. Her Aunt Beth and Uncle Matt (sorry mom-Kedra, but Uncle Matt does have more of a ring to it than Uncle Matthew) love her a lot and take really good care of her (and so did Aunt Kayle when she was here!). Because they love her so much, they don't go running for help when the little dear gets a bit fussy. They don't even go running for help when she gets a lot fussy. Aunt Beth watched Meredith for two days last week when mom went back to work. It was such a blessing to know that she was with someone who loved her so much. And Uncle Matt was in charge today while we watched a soccer game. He kept her little ears covered when the fans got vocal and even lulled her to sleep, eventually. We're so happy to have loved ones here to help us with Meredith. Life is good. And just think...she hasn't even met Uncle Dan yet!

Two Months

It's been two months since the little beauty entered our lives. We're madly in love with her and continually shocked by her preciousness. Two or three minutes of her cooing and smiling can reduce us to puddles of tears.

Her two month check up revealed her perfection. She did her standing trick for the doctor (while looking over mom's shoulder, she stands in mom's hand - just barely leaning on mom for support) and he was suitably impressed--or at least really good at dealing with moms who think he should be impressed. She's still a skinny thing, coming in at the 25th percentile for weight and the 75th for length. So she's basically exactly like her mom was at that age--and pretty darn Lareau-like as well. In related news, the doctor says she has perfect ears and won't get infections easily. Who knew, a few months ago, that such tidbits would thrill us so?

Thankful

"So let me get this straight...I can't eat ANY of that?"

We were rockin' the rock (Calico Rock, AR that is) for Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time. Got to watch a lot of football, eat a lot of pie and hang out with the lovely Meredith while also having dozens of willing hands to help meet her daily cuddle-qouta. Meredith also got to meet more of the charming Czech side of the family, which was certainly good for her. Holidays are fun even when you're too young to eat pie! Oh - and the wonderful Calico Rock church even gave Meredith a shower. The spoiling continues unchecked!

COUSIN ANDREA
COUSIN HUNTER TEACHING MEREDITH SOME TRICKS
MOLLY & GRAHAM LET MEREDITH HAVE A SHOWER AT THEIR HOUSE

Baby Mullet

Our Meredith was born with an inordinate amount of hair and for the last couple weeks this bounty of lovely locks has been creating an unfortunate effect. That's right folks, our baby's got a mullet. We plan to amend the situation soon, but had to capture the look for posterity.

Thanksgiving and 2 month birthday pics coming soon...

Bring Home the Bacon, Fry It up in the Pan

He's a hard-working daddy and we love him so much!

Dad's Request

For the full camping story, see below. However, once Meredith's dad saw this picture and realized it hadn't been shared with the world via the internet, he demanded that it be posted. Silly daddy...

You Know You're in Arkansas When...

...Babies wear camouflage! I promise, we really did have a sweet little pink hat for Meredith. But we couldn't find it at the beginning of the camping trip (in Village Creek, AR), and so Wyatt Simmons offered his hat to Meredith (he's really quite a gentleman). It was a great first camping trip for Meredith. I won't lie, it was cold out there. But she was all bundled up and was held at all times, so she never had a chance to get cold. She slept really well, though her parents couldn't claim the same. I'm also posting a pic of Meredith's big brothers, Taurean and Robert, who helped take care of her on the trip. Robert is in the background, preparing a gourmet breakfast of leftover grilled chicken and marshmallows...ah, the palate of a 13 year old. Taurean is talking about how he kicked everyone else's behind during campfire games the night before. Good times!

Look Ma I've Got Hands!

THUMB?

I'm holding the little dumplin' as I type, so this will be brief. Suffice it to say that Meredith has discovered her hands and is not altogether thrilled. She's been kind of grouchy the last couple days and I attribute it to the frustration she's feeling as a result of not being able to jam her entire fist into her mouth. Equally frustrating is the unfortunate habit she has of clamping her thumbs tightly under her pointer fingers. Some part of her little instinct-filled self knows that there should be a lovely thumb there to suck on, but no one told the pointer fingers yet. Tough times for a 7 week old...

PEACEFUL HANDS

Big Girl

Big girls can smile...and take baths. She's getting more long than anything else, but she's definitely getting bigger and stronger. She smiles at her dad pretty frequently. I don't have to tell anyone reading this the reason for that -- he's certifiable and I wish you could all see the faces and hear the noises that he's making right now in an attempt to amuse her. He also speaks in a very questionable French accent. I guess babies think that's funny. She alternates between mildly amused and a look that seems to say "um, dad, you're nuttier than a fruitcake." Big girls also can sleep through the night...and she's getting darn close. She only wakes up once in the wee hours (knock on wood) when she's hungry. Of course mom had kind of adjusted to the 3-4 hours of sleep schedule and now when she gets 5-6 she feels a bit like a train wreck. But trust me, we're NOT complaining! Soon, we hope to bring you evidence of Meredith's latest discovery -- hands!

Our Little Pooh Bear

Here's our Meredith wearing her Pooh Bear outfit from Aunt Judy. Isn't she an angel? I tell ya, when she's on, she's on and it would take an ACTUAL angel to beat Meredith in a charm-your-socks-off contest. After I took this picture we went for a loooonnnnggg walk in the perfect fall weather. She's patient when the acorns send the stroller awry and the when the imperfect sidewalk causes seismic activity in her little world. She's really such a dear...

From Colorado with Love

Grandpa Rick and Aunt Kayle came to visit last weekend and we had a wonderful time. Meredith quite obviously loved meeting more Lareaus. She's still pretty desperate to get some Dan and Karen in her life, but all in good time. Here's some pics of our weekend fun!

Going to the Chapel

Not to get married. Please, I'm six weeks old. But I did go to church this morning, and I was good the whole time. Mom and Dad sat on the back row and were ready to make a break for it in case I did anything outlandish. Please guys, have a little confidence. There's a time and a place for everything. I'm just relieved I had something to wear to church. If Gran hadn't saved one of Mom's dresses from when she was little, I wouldn't have looked half as cute. Thanks Gran (you know we can't rely on Mom to keep me girly).

By the way, my Grandpa Rick and Aunt Kayle came to visit this weekend and we've had a marvelous time. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow!

Deep in the Heart of Texas

As you can see, Meredith is worn out from her first big trip. She weathered her first multi-state jouney with her usual grace and flexibility. She met lots of loved ones and was thoroughly impressed by the mother land (Texas). Meredith and I want to thank all the friends and family that made us feel so welcome and loved.

With Great Grandmother Florence SuggPhil and Pawpaw Rose
Debbie (the Baby Whisperer) and Meredith
Granny (actually great aunt once removed or something-we'll go w/Granny)
Aunt Judy: Queen of Baby Talk
Uncle Paul: Arms of Steel (we stopped counting how many hours he held her)
Good Vibes: Meredith slept 5! hours straight in Tia Sarah's peaceful bedroom
Roger & Meredith
The Sugg and Willis Women

Nature Girl

You may recall a previous entry wherein we stated that one of Meredith's favorite things was the outdoor life. Today she insisted on a trip outside (in other words she was crying and couldn't be comforted). So I wrapped her in two blankets, found a hat for her and a scarf for me and we sat on the front porch, despite the cold. And as she did stop crying within 30 seconds of getting outside, I guess that was what she wanted. And who am I to question a girl's need for nature? Although I will say, it may be a very long winter...

Meredith and Her Posse

"Yes, Virginia, I know that you think Georgia is the best team in the land."

On Saturday, Meredith got to hang out with her best friends. She's known them her ENTIRE LIFE. We went on a picnic with Walt (and his parents) and watched football with Virginia (and her parents).

"Don't block my sun, Walty."