Cute Hat

Thank you, Nana, for the cute hat!!

Cousins

I did my best to get a picture of Mason and Roper with their one and only first cousin. Robert wasn't so sure about it. I love the look on Roper's face...you can tell he is used to being the only crying baby.

Christmas Card

I got this great picture of the boys the other day. It would make a fabulous Christmas card picture...but I already bought my cards and they have a spot for a horizontal picture. I like to buy the kind of cards where you insert a picture or stick one on because if anyone wants to save the picture and toss the card they can! So...we won't be using this shot but hopefully I can get one equally as cute soon because finishing my cards is at the top of my very long "To Do" list!



A cute one of Mason by himself...

Christmas with our Supper Club

We celebrated Christmas with our Supper Club last week. It was the McCarty's turn to host, and they treated us with prime rib and Tara's delicious twice baked potatoes. For the third year in a row, the girls (the Mamas) and the children have done Secret Santa gift exchanges. I look forward to giving and receiving these gifts each year! It is fun to buy a gift for someone when you know that person will love it -- and we all know each other so well that the gift buying is fun and easy! I was especially excited this year, because Mason and Roper drew the names of these two:



I love buying gifts for little girls and as the mother of two boys I don't get to do it very often. My favorite thing to buy for a little girl is a new dress or cute outfit, but Christmas is for toys...and I knew immediately what I was going to get for these girls. My little cousins, Caroline & Ruthanna, love their bitty babies and I know that Ruth Ann and Betsy will love their new baby dolls as well!



We wanted to get a picture of all the children in the precious shirts that Tara made for them. Tara did a great job on these -- they are so cute. She has all sorts of cute appliques -- you can get in touch with her via her blog if you are interested in purchasing some. I'm still learning to use my camera...I guess I need to pull out the instruction manual because it always focuses on whatever is in the foreground...which, in this case, was Mason.



It would have been really cute if all the other children were in focus. I stole this picture from Tara's blog...you can actually see all the faces in this one.



After our feast, Jay started hovering around the presents. He couldn't wait to open them!



Mason got a horse from Jay, which Ruth Ann helped him open...he loves it...



Me and the girls. I'm so happy to have these ladies in my life!

Trim

When Roper was first born, I nicknamed him "Baby Bear" because he was so cuddly, chubby and had so much hair! He is still cuddly and chubby, but his hair started falling out about a month ago. The hair on the sides of his head fell out, leaving a mohawk on top and some long old-man hair in the back across the bottom.







Last week when my mother was in town, we decided to give him a little trim. I guess we got a little carried away and cut off most all of his hair. FYI: cutting a 4-month old's hair with a comb and scissors is very difficult. But he seems happy with the results.



I'm not entirely satisfied...it is still a little patchy. I borrowed my brother's clippers and I'm considering buzzing it all off...we'll see!

Happy Birthday, Ruth Ann!

Little Miss Ruth Ann turned the big 0-1 last week and we celebrated with her over the weekend at a party that was all decked out in pink!

I can hardly believe that this little girl is already one. It seems like just yesterday that I was baking a cake for her baby shower...and just 13 short months later I found myself baking cakes for her first birthday party! The cakes turned out really cute, and most importantly, they got a thumbs up from Ruth Ann. She did a great job of digging right into her big cupcake.

For the supersized cupcakes, we used a Wilton cake pan that Tara found at Hobby Lobby. The pink polka dots are Sweet Tarts that Tara rolled out flat and then cut into circles.





Ruth Ann's "bubba," who also had a milestone birthday recently. Happy belated 15th birthday, Spencer...and beware to all the motorists of South Carolina! The roads are a little more dangerous these days.



Check out Roper's mohawk...



Ruth Ann got lots of really cute gifts. She seems to be enjoying the overseeing of her presents being opened.



Here are two of my favorite people.



Wild Man enjoyed sporting Ruth Ann's Mickey Mouse ears and he really enjoyed taking a ride (or 12) on her rocking horse that whinnies when he rocks...



I wish that I could make time move more slowly...I don't even want to think about my baby boy turning one next summer!

Gobble til you Wobble

We had Thanksgiving dinner at Aunt Ruth's house with the Roper family this year. It was just as delicious as always and everyone enjoyed spending time with Gigi and with our family's two newest members: baby Roper and baby Robert. My Daddy has come up with his own personal nicknames for these two: "R. Hank" for Roper Henry and "R. Hudge" for Robert Hudgens!

There are many things I'm thankful for...everything, really. It would be truly impossible to count all my blessings or articulate the many things I'm thankful for. So, instead of coming up with a list, I'll just get on with it and give you people what you really want...pictures from our Thanksgiving feast.







What a funny face!


Mason shared his flower with Gigi...


Then shared a kiss with her...


In return, she shared some peppermint bark with him!

(Let me interject -- Sydney and I agreed that we both love Gigi's sweater. How many people covet their grandmother's clothes? But...it wouldn't fit me. Sigh.)









I didn't get many pictures during dinner, because I was eating {of course}! Robert and Mason sat next to each other during dinner (neither Graem nor I were at the table with him). This was Mason's first experience eating from fine china! When I got married, Aunt Ruth told me that I should make it a point to use my china and silver about once a month. I love to get out the "good dishes," but with small children it doesn't happen nearly as often as once a month -- and Mason has certainly never had the opportunity to eat from them! He has now proved that he is up to the task. Such a big boy all of a sudden!