My little Pumpkin...

Guen's first trip to the pumpkin patch:

Guen's first trip to Chick fil A eating ice cream:

Guen's 1st Birthday!

I have six days off and have I been busy. Thursday, my first day off, I took Guen to Mother’s Day Out and started running my errands, That involved getting Ryan's car washed, going to Walmart, going to Target, and going to HEB. Then I went home to make Ryan and I some lunch before running to go get Guen. That afternoon we went to Kohl’s to get Guen her new outfit for her birthday pics.

Side note: I was doing all of this stuff for Ryan not just because I am a wonderful wife, but Ryan finally had back surgery and is currently on the mend. Recovery has been a bit rough for him, but changes in his meds have improved things. It looks promising.

This weather has been gorgeous, so on Friday Guen and I went for a walk. Then after Guen's nap we ate some lunch and got her ready for her photo session at JC Penny. We went to another place in the mall, then to Hobby Lobby and CVS. Guen was tired and took another nap, while I ran to the grocery store again for some things I forgot for the party.

Saturday we woke up and finished decorating (Katherine and Chad added some great balloons.) and had the Mears’ birthday party for Guen over at our house. We had some appetizers and put together her hand-me-down slide in the backyard. She had some piña colada cake that my mom made. She gobbled it up! But Guen was a princess and did not smash it in her face. Instead, she wanted someone to feed it to her.

Guen was a little more hands-on with the gift opening though and she got a bunch of great stuff, including a lunch bag and a stuffed dog. For those counting at home Guen officially tries to carry all of these things at one time around the house:

Doll
Teddy Bear
Stuffed Dog
Lunch Bag
Plastic Chair
Dora the Explorer Birthday Card
At Least One Pacifier

Sunday was the Fennell side of the family’s turn to celebrate with Guen. It was a full house with family and friends of family. Guen made out like a bandit. There were wagons and toys galore. And since we were having cupcakes she decided to get her hands and everything else messy.

Our StayCation

So these past 10 days were supposed to be Ryan and I's vacation to Portland, Oregon. But last month with Ryan's back getting worse and worse, we decided to not go. Good thing because....read on. My first day of vacation was last Tuesday. This was the first day of Mother's Day Out for Guen, see picture. She cried when I dropped her off, but I figured that would happen. I ran home and planted some flowers in some of my pots, cleaned the house for a visit from my cousin that evening and ran some errands. She was having a ball playing at Mother's Day Out when I went to pick her up and they said she did not cry long, ate well, and suprisingly took a nap too. I was a proud mama. I picked Guen up at 2pm and since it was still pouring, we did not do much but hang out in the house. So anywho my cousin Phillip, from Arkansas, was in town for business. Since this was the first time he has visited H-Town, we gave him the Mears tour. Because his flight was delayed due to all the rain, he had to skip seeing our house, darn, I cleaned for nothing. But instead Tootie picked him up at the airport and Ryan and I went over to my parents house were we had a huge dinner. Our niece, Jessica, babysat Guen that evening for the first time and they had a fun. Ryan and I could actually visit my cousin, instead of chasing after Guen. After dinner, Tootie took him to his hotel downtown and Ryan and I called it a night. Wednesday was a big day for Guen. It was her baby dedication up at our church. I had my wedding gown cut up to make her little dress, see pics. My sister, my parents, Ryan's mom, Ryan's brother and family came and even my friend Sarah. It was a nice ceremony with cake and punch afterward. Guen made mama proud and behaved considering it was way past her bedtime when the ceremony was held that evening. The rest of my vacation day consisted of running errands, visiting my friend Sarah and baby Kate and a trip to the ER. Yes, that is right, a trip to the emergency room on Sunday morning. Ryan's back pain was getting worse at the end of the week and by the time Sunday morning rolled around, he thought he was going to throwup/passout from the pain. We went to one of those ER's in a strip mall and got immediately seen. Nobody was there on a Sunday morning. They gave him ONE Vicodin, a steriod shot and pain shot and a prescription for meds. We already had an appointment that we made back in August to see a neurosurgeon this Thursday Sept 16th. So Ryan just needed something to get him to this date. I think Ryan is going to have to have back surgery. This is our second consult, and that is what the first doc said. After all the pain this weekend, Ryan thinks he cannot put it off anymore and he is ready to have surgery. We have heard this neurosurgeon is good, Dr Blacklock. I remember him vaguely from working at Methodist Hospital. I will have an update after todays appointment which is this late afternoon. Back to work tomorrow for me.

Baby Dedication Night:





First Day of Mother's Day Out, she looks thrilled!


Having fun with babysitter Cousin Jessica:

11 months old on September 3rd...

My sweet Guenie! To think you will be a year old soon. Goodness, time flies when you are having fun!

Happy 4th Wedding Anniversary Ryan!!!

Pictures of our us on our anniversaries...

It all started with:


Our first anniversary when we still lived in Austin at Uni Sushi:


In Toronto Canada at some sushi restaurant:


At Ousie's Restaurant very pregnant with Guen:


And now our 4th anniversary picture going to Jasper's in The Woodlands:

Guen Does Laundry

I am getting bad about updating...

Maybe it is because I lead such a boring life. But let me tell you about it....Ryan and I had off together a 3 day weekend. Something we have not had almost all summer. Ryan has been busy working a lot of extra weekends and it is lame.

Friday I went for my usual walk with Guen and then Ryan and I did a bunch of things around the house, rotating who watched Guen while the other did some work. We got our grill up and running again. It was so dirty with grease from using it for 3 years and not cleaning it that it broke. After a new starter lighter thingy and a good scrubbin by Ryan, we are back in grillin' business. I have missed my grill these past couple of weeks. I got to go get a pedicure with a GC that Sarah gave me as a prezzie from her baby shower. My toes were like bear claws. I always think of the Dumb and Dumber movie where the nail lady has to get out the chainsaw to do my toes. But it is hard to coordinate Ryan and I both being off and not having something to do, to get my toes did. Guen and I ran to Kohl's to get her another set of PJ's and a frame with my GC leftover from xmas. It was crazy busy with back to school but we managed to make it out with what we needed. That evening my parents came over to babysit Guen so Ryan and I could go out for our 4th wedding anniversary that is coming up this Thursday Aug 19th. We went to eat at Jasper's in The Woodlands and had Cold Stone Creamery for dessert. We walked around a little bit in The Woodlands Market Place and relaxed sans baby. It was nice.

Saturday, we went downtown to the big city of Houston. We stopped by the Homer's to see Baby Kate. She is getting so big and technically 1 month old today. Happy 1 month old birthday Kate! She slept the entire 2 hours we were there. I don't remember our baby doing that. She is an angel. They were showing us pictures of an adorable house they just put a bid on in the Rice area . Good luck, I hope it goes through. We took off from their house and ate some lunch at Yia Yia Mary's Greek Kitchen. It was delicious. Dare I say that it is better than Niko Niko's Houstonians. Yes! It was. Then we headed to the New Balance store so I could get some new shoes for work. That was the big reason why we went to the big city, besides seeing the Homers. We got home and Guen played and played until bedtime. She was the best kid on Saturday. So well behaved.

Sunday was another story. We had our usual routine of going to church, eating lunch with my mother in law at our house, and Guen taking a nap. But Guen woke up on the wrong side of the crib. She was really crabby all afternoon long. Ryan took her swimming with his family while I did things around the house. She was ready to go to bed when she got home!!! Did I mention she was READY to go to BED when she got HOME. Nough said. If you are a parent, you understand. So now I finally have some peace and quiet to write and share some pictures since I last wrote. Hope you had a great weekend.

My big eater:


Our big Friday night anniversary date:

10 months old as of August 3rd: