A warm end to a wild year

Aaah, December in Texas. It could be 10 degrees or 80 degrees. You just never know. Today, it was closer to 80. So we got out and enjoyed the heck out of the beautiful day. Which, naturally, involved dressing up in my pink camisole and a full skirted tutu.

And lots of playing chase with Greta, a very willing participant.

She thought R's tutu was a lovely dog toy.

Flamenco pose!



I feel like I've spent a good portion of the day cleaning, cooking, and then cleaning again, while dealing with potty and chewing mishaps, mainly from the puppy, but also from the toddler. So, I think I will follow Greta's lead and hit the rack, minus the seemingly wildly uncomfortable neck craning. This is seriously how she is sleeping at the moment.

I had to take the picture from two angles because she is such a puff of fur, and I'm not sure you can really tell what a crazy position it is.

This will likely be the last Babble post for 2008...Reese and I are heading off to relax and ring in the new year at the ranch, after our FL vacay plans were nixed this time around...I hope you all have a lovely and safe celebration, and here's to 2009 being a wonderful, happy, healthy year for everyone, all around! Much love!

Silence is golden(doodle)

Okay, Greta is technically a labradoodle, but still, the title works because--the crate training has turned a corner! Becca and Monique gave me some great advice, and I did a little online research and realized--ooops!--we were approaching it all wrong with the little pup. She was scared and lonely and just wanted to be with us, so not only did I move her crate into our room, I also put it up on two chairs right next to my side of the bed. Trust me, we are quite cozy, but it works like a charm! Two nights ago, she went right in, curled up and was out before I could even turn off the light. Same thing last night. And the only whimpers come once a night when she needs to go outside and do her business, or sometimes when I get up to do mine. Then she kennels right up again, happy as a clam. We are going to gradually move her crate to the floor, then to the corner, etc. But it's just a slow process that takes patience. And that patience is a lot easier to muster when there is silence and sleep at night.
See, you can see how well crate trained she is:


Okay, so she isn't always in her crate, and yes, she's on the couch, but she doesn't shed nor does she smell, so I figured it's okay. And honestly, the nighttime routine is so. much. better. Aaah, relief!

Holiday wrap-up & new member of the Bain fam!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful celebration. We sure did. And also mini-Texas tour. We spent Christmas Eve at my parent's ranch west of Austin, then came home and on the 26th, David flew to DFW & back to pick up the newest addition to our family (scroll down if you can't stand the suspense). Then we packed up and headed to David's family farm east of Austin for a night. Now we are home. Pics of all of it below.
The tree at the ranch. How they find such a huge, gorgeous tree each year is beyond me.

Reese in front of the tree and presents. This year, she really understood Christmas (much discussion of Baby Jesus) and also Santa Claus, which made Christmas so much fun. Although she was not real keen on some guy coming into the house while we were sleeping. Can't say I blame her--it does defy logic. Also, all the discussion of naughty v. nice this season has had an effect on her. She calls this nighttime garb her "Cinderella naughty" instead of nightie. Many jokes can be made about getting in your "naughty," etc.

Reesie and her Papa, Christmas morning.

Trying on her new "tutu dress"

Just lounging in the Diva dress--on the new beloved pillow she got from Nanci.

Now, for the pics many of you skipped forward to see. Introducing Greta, our new mini labradoodle pup! Her is the big introduction between Reese and Greta. Love at first sight on both ends.

She's a precious and super soft little thing.

Reese was determined that although it was 78 degrees and dogs have fur, Greta desperately needed her blankie.

Goofing around with Greta. Before we left for the farm, they were out in the yard, running around together like two peas in a pod. The breeder told David Greta went everywhere with her 4-yr-old daughter, so she's used to the little ones.

Reese, on our way into the Union Hill Farm. She wanted to hold Greta and be the one to present her to the family.



Georgia, preparing canapes for the family. Yummy!

Bain & the pup--new buddies!

Blake can't move.

Because Greta has found a new favorite spot.

Mary Blake and Reese, chillin'. Reese pretty much follows any and all of her cousins around, in awe of them.

Greta and her pal, Bevo.

Greta is adorable and very sweet. The first night (at the farm), she went right into her crate and barely cried through the night. Last night (first night home), she went into her crate and shrieked like a wounded banshee spider monkey for 2 hours straight, until David insisted that I go get her and bring her into our room. Through my pounding headache and tears of stress, I agreed. I am going to try to just put her in the crate throughout the day today so it isn't so sudden--she pretty much napped on my lap all day yesterday. But she's supposed to be crate trained, and it's something that really needs to happen. Crate training advice, anyone? Lay it on! Please!

More playdate and Steph's graduation!

Yep, I was right--Shannon did get some better pics!
First, here is one of sweet Ainsley and myself--love, love her piggies! Tatum has such cute ones as well. It makes me want to stop trimming R's hair so she can have cute pigtails like her buddies.

And a much better one of the three gals. I wish I remember what we were saying to them because it was eliciting some bemused reactions...it's almost as if you can hear a collective, "Huh."

Last night, we attended a fun graduation party for my sweet cousin, Stephanie! She graduated from Texas State and already has a teaching job underway in the Eanes district. Way to go, Steph!
Here's a partial family shot--Steph and Bo, me and R, my folks and my aunt Janise and grandma Margaret.

Naturally, we are all quite proud of her. Reese likes to express her pride in affectionate ways.

Two lovely ladies!

We're so proud of you, Stephanie! xoxoxo

At long last...

I'm back! Did you miss me much?
"Well, I'm Shelly B, back from the dead, chillin' at the beach, down at Club Med" (not really, but beach pics are to follow) (bonus points to the first one to guess the lyric reference....Monique's got my money!)
So, I am giving up on the Handycam cord sitch until David can help me to really focus on it. Finding the cord is impossible, and really, that starts to irk me, because how stupid is that to have a different cord than every other camcorder currently known to man? C'mon, Sony--seriously!
So I am going to start blogging again, and will start with some catch up pics from our TG trip to FL. Because they were on the camera and are new downloads, not because I am anywhere remotely timely on these babies. So here they are...
I give you goofy beach pics! Yes, the water was very cold. That's why David got the duty of water patrol, and Mommy got the laying out on the sand duty. And of course there is such a duty, don't be silly.
Stylin' shades there, girlfriend

Digging away

Daddy, pre-freezing water

Serious digging bidness

Braving the chilly temps (water, not air, that is)

Loving on Gigi at Cafe Dada

Dressed to impress for the turkey day feast

Reese decided David's friend Matt was allowed to escort her down the stairs

C'mon, Matt!!!

Well, whaddaya know, Reese is wearing pink! Of all colors...

Eating at the delicious Shallot Thai restaurant in FL, where the waitstaff was one of the nicest I have experienced with a child. They doted on her and brought her all sorts of stuff, including these cool "chopstick training wheels," which she naturally loved.

And could also use!

Pretty well, even! Now she always asks to use chopsticks. Luckily, I just found where I had stashed these in one of my purses, so I foresee many future meals tackled with chopsticks. Fruit, waffles, mac and cheese....

Hello, most random blog post ever! Here's R last week, just being a princess at my parent's house.

And continuing with the randomness...Reese and I loaded up with Grandma Margaret and aunts Kathy and Janise a few nights ago and hit the road to go see the Johnson City Christmas lights. They are really amazing!

We stopped by the Pedernales Electric Co-op offices first. Despite being embroiled in controversy, they still did it up big time.

With white, red and green lights.

If Reese looks like she's standing in daylight, it's because she is basking in the glow of 1.5 million (meeellion, in the words of Dr. Evil--insert finger in mouth now) lights. And they re-hang these every year.

It is really breath-taking. We also visited the areas around the courthouse and took a ride on a horse-drawn carriage. I am deathly allergic to horses and apparently find it necessary to get near one every few years just to be reminded of this. Turns out, I am still deathly allergic.

We had a ton of fun at our holiday playdate today at the Shiflets. Tatum invited Reese and Ainsley over to play with her and Tinsley. Oh, and the mommies too. ;) Thank you, sweet Tatum!

Ainsley and Tinsley

Reese, pretty excited about the whole thing!

Giving a shout-out to Lulu, who was very good-natured about being uprooted by the gaggle of girls.

Reese gets to play with Tatum's pink kitchen! This is a very big deal, since she is asking one Mr. Nicholas Claus for a pink kitchen as well!

Ainsley rides the "neigh-neigh"

We really did try to get a good group pic of the three girls. These are some of the, um, better ones. Maybe Shannon got a good one...




Tinsley, such a precious, happy baby!

Shannon and Ainsley get some Tinsley-time

Which she seems to enjoy equally!

Anne had it all planned out perfectly: playtime, homemade Play-doh, and even cookie decorating. See how Ainsley and Tatum sat sweetly and decorated/ate the cookies?

Meanwhile, Reese is trying to ride the Bumbo sled-style down the stairs. Nice.

Before we left, they all lined up so sweetly to peer at the tree and decorations.

It was great to see our friends--thank you for a wonderful morning!