Texas

It's been another busy 2 weeks for the Broxterman clan. After we arrived in Dallas, Grandma, Grandpa and Great Grandma all came up for a visit as well as Uncle John, Misty and baby Brooke (also born on the same exact day as Jacob!) Then, Jacob and I headed to Houston last week to see everyone there since Mark was working and we were getting a little restless in the hotel. Mark drove down to Houston over the Memorial Day weekend to join us as well.

It has been wonderful getting to see all of our old friends and family these last couple of weeks. I must admit, I forgot how HOT it can get here. I think Jacob is in shock. Every time he gets in his car seat (after the car has been baking in the sun), he says "Mommy, it's HOT in here!" Poor thing. He's got these permanent red cheeks and sweaty hair too even though he's in t-shirts, shorts and sandals everyday. His little body isn't used to this heat! I imagine by the end of the summer, he's going to be a little bronzed boy with blonde hair. I can't wait!!!

We closed on our house yesterday and as I type, the movers are unloading the big moving truck. Jacob was SO excited to see all of his toys and things coming through our front door. He has been such a trooper since we got here. He's been sleeping well and adjusting to all of this travel like a super champ and I am just so happy that we are finally almost settled.

Nanny and Papa arrive tonight and Uncle Eric arrives this weekend which will be such a huge help. We'll be up and running in no time! And I'm sure Jacob will get many trips to the pool with all of these loving, attentive hands around him. He can't wait to go swimming. Yesterday he kept telling me "Mommy, go put swim diaper on right now." ha. We might just live in our new pool this summer.

Here are some pics from the last 2 weeks.

Mark with Jacob and Brooke in our hotel



The birthday twins, Jacob and Brooke, outside at Pappasitos



Jacob chasing the ducks at the park in The Woodlands



Cousin Hayden shooting rockets on the golf tee outside of Grandpa's house (I can't believe how big he has gotten!)



Jacob chasing Cousin Hallie (who is pretending to be a tiger in this picture)



Jacob and Cousin Hallie :)



Mark and all the kids: Cousins Hallie, Hayden and Hudson and of course, Jacob



Jacob loving swimming (by the way, he's wearing 5T swim shorts. I'm not joking.)



Daddy and Jacob in the pool (the neighbors let us use their pool in Houston)



Jacob in front of the main fountain in Southlake's town center



Jacob in front of Southlake's city hall

The Big M's - Moving & Mother's Day

Yesterday was a great day. We had originally planned to fly out of San Francisco on Mother's Day but I am so glad Mark agreed to fly out the day before instead so that we could actually celebrate Mother's Day instead of traveling straight through it.

To begin, the move went really well. As well as moves can go at least (as moving is never an easy process no matter how much you plan and prepare.) The movers packed us up on Thursday and had finished loading the truck by early afternoon on Friday. Jacob and I spent most of last week saying tearful goodbyes to our amazing friends in California which makes me sad every time I think about it. We've been through this before, but for some reason, this time it felt different. I think it's because Jacob is older now and will miss his friends...yet he's not old enough to understand why they won't be around anymore. Explaining to him that "we're moving to Texas" meant nothing. He just thinks Texas is a place where you go swimming.

Needless to say, the emotional part of it was not easy, but the physical part of it was not nearly as bad as I had anticipated. Jacob did great in the hotel room on Thursday and Friday night (where we stayed after our house was empty) and was awesome on the plane on Saturday. We are now in a hotel room in Irving, Texas where we will be until we close on our house on May 26th. Jacob has been a trooper -- he's been sleeping/napping great everywhere we go!

We had made reservations at Sneaky Pete's in Lewisville, Texas for Mother's Day brunch and I have to tell you, this place was fantastic! It's right on Lake Lewisville and it was decked out for Mother's Day with the most amazing spread on the buffet tables (an indecisive pregnant woman's dream!) We had a wonderful time. Jacob especially loved running around outside and checking out the docks and boats. He kept begging to "go on the boats mommy, daddy!" We spent the rest of the day being lazy (just the way I like it) and relaxing now that the first half of our move is behind us. It's nice to know that we are making progress and will be in our new home soon!

Happy Mother's Day to our wonderful mommies, mommy friends and grandmommies! We love you all!

p.s. I had to get a couple of profile pics showing off my belly now that we are almost halfway through the pregnancy. I would say 50% of that belly is due to the buffet we had just consumed!

Cinco de Mayo

Four years ago today, I was working at Williams-Sonoma and before I left for work, Mark had packed a bag for me and left it by the door. “Don’t open it until the end of the day” he said. “Open it later this afternoon and change into what’s inside and I’ll pick you up after work.” I had been suspicious that our engagement was coming, but after opening up the bag (yes, I waited until the end of the day) and seeing a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, I was convinced we were going to some sort of sporting event. Still, my heart hoped that that day would be the day. The day he asked me to marry him.

Well, most of you know how the rest of the story goes. It started with a private sailboat ride on the Bay under a beautiful setting sun with views of the Golden Gate Bridge I had never seen before. A thoughtful photo album followed with pictures of our lives together – all the memories we had created and shared thus far – that had taken us there, under that bridge, on that night. And then he was on his knee. Up to that point, I had never felt so overjoyed and content. We celebrated with champagne and later drove home where yet another surprise was waiting. My apartment was filled with candles and rose petals and a small gift basket lay on my bed. There were 2 plane tickets inside to Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. It was then I was told we were leaving on a plane the next day for a 5 day vacation.

I can’t believe that was 4 years ago. We have lived in San Francisco twice, Chicago and will now be living in Dallas in just a few short days. Jacob blessed our lives even more when he arrived in 2007 and now we have another little blessing to come in 2009 (baby girl? baby boy?) It’s amazing how life changes in just a few short years.

I like to remind myself of that night. In the midst of the packing and the moving and the physical separation Mark and I have had to endure in the last 6 weeks, I remind myself of the hopes and the dreams we had when we made that commitment to each other that night. And most importantly, how all of them have come true so far.

Happy Cinco de May everyone. Hopefully you find this day as special as we do.

Four years ago today...

St. Lucia

C & J

Some of you already know that I have been actively searching for a new, loving home for Catcher. I've found two homes for him in the last couple of months but they keep sending the little guy back. Apparently he hasn't adjusted well to having other pets in the house and he's the type of kitty that requires a single-pet-only home. As I type, he's cuddled up asleep on the bed on top of a few dirty clothes. He looks peaceful and happy.

I don't think anyone was more excited to see Catcher return as Jacob. And, more surprisingly, Catcher has become even more tolerant of Jacob and his tail-grabbing, body-slamming antics. Jacob even got to lay with him without Catcher running for his life. Who knows -- maybe it's in the cards that Jacob and Catcher become best pals??