Don't Miss A Thing!

**** I have a tendency to write several blog posts in one sitting. I like to think of it as time management when I have a big block of time to sit down and get caught up. If you check in on the blog from time to time... be sure to scroll down, and you may have to even click onto the next page to be sure you've gotten all the latest Ramsey news. (Blogger has restricted the number of posts I can have on the first page, so I never know what exactly is coming up). Thanks for checking in with us, and following along on Our Great Life Adventure! ****

Monday, December 21, 2009

The End of this Adventure...

Tonight is the last night we'll spend at our house in Washington. Nearly two years ago we left Chicago and began our family adventure in Canada and the Northwest. I hope it's not the last time I'm in this area (it's gorgeous... if you haven't made it out this way... you should). People are kind here and I know while I'm really excited about what's ahead for us... I'll always have some really fond memories of our time here.

The moving company packed things up today and tomorrow everything is loaded on the truck. After that we take off for Seattle... and hope (mother nature, could you please cooperate with us?) we're back in Chicago on Wednesday. We'll spend 10 days hopping all over Illinois and fly out to Houston on January 3rd to begin the next chapter our lives... to the South... Deep in the Heart of Texas.

Current Signature Look

Vivian has a new look... her tongue sticking out... all. the. time.

At lunch today when I was snapping pictures of Vivian, Braden didn't want to be left out!

Viv is 3 months!!!

This past Saturday, after our family Christmas, Vivian and I got ready for her 3 month photo shoot. Nothing fancy... just her standard white onesie, a sign and a little lady getting cuter every day!
This month she's discovered her hands... in her mouth, grabbing things, she wants to hold our hands every chance she gets.
It's really about time to get closer to being on a "schedule", but with the chaos of moving and staying somewhere different nearly every night for the next 2.5 weeks... I'm holding off until we get settled. Until then we'll just keep going with the flow as best we can.
Her hair changed a lot this month, "they" say by now a lot of this hair will have fallen out... nope, not hers. You can't see it well in these pictures, but it's gotten a lot longer... and a lot lighter. This girl will be dark blond all over within 6 months.
When she sees the camera she stares it down, and the flash makes her eyes open really wide... so a lot of the pictures look like she's a deer in headlights :)

Santa came early!

Since we're moving and won't be here over Christmas Santa had to make an early appearance to the Ramsey household. It was Vivian's first one and it was the first time Braden totally got it and was completely excited about Santa... but even more excited about the presents! :)
I got Vivian an ornament for her first Christmas... and I got one for Braden this year too. It said, Braden's 3rd Christmas, 2009. Only I realized later... this is actually his fourth. He was still two years old in November when I got them, so I just in my head thought third... but nope. He had his first at 3 weeks old in 2006 in Chicago, his second in 2007 in Quincy, and his third in 2008 in Vancouver. So 2009 in Washington.. is in fact his fourth. Not my brightest moment.
On Black Friday I took the kids to the mall and Braden picked out this bunny at Build-A-Bear and stuffed it himself with a special beating heart. He named it "Hippy Hop". His gift to Vivian and she really loves it. It sounds strange, at 3 months they don't do much, but she really has taken an interest in her special present from her big brother! :)
Big B is really into puzzles. Here he is doing the one Santa brought him.
In a surprise move it seems his favorite was this fishing game. Chad doesn't remember it, but I know I had something like it growing up. It's not fancy, it's less than $10, but this game is a big hit!
We're looking forward to our two other Christmas celebrations with our families when we get back to Illinois in just a few short days!

School Party and Farewell

Big B started preschool in September... and it's something he really looks forward to. The final day of class for 2009 the kids had a PJ party and I came about 30 minutes early to snap some photos of Braden on his final day at his first school. As a thank you to his teachers Braden and I made gingerbread men... well I did and he decorated them. Well...
I didn't really account for how much bigger they get in the oven. Oops! So they are just chubby gingerbread men!
The end of Spanish class, singing songs
Musical chairs... he was super into this.

Vivian was with me of course and I had to snap a few of this little lady, she was in a great mood!
Braden with Miss Laura

And with Mrs. Millsbough. Thanks to his teachers and Whatcom Day Academy... Braden loved, loved his first experience at school!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Sunday Winter Fun

We got our first snow here in Washington, and since we're moving to Houston figured it was a good idea for Braden to take advantage and get out and play. Chad helped him build his first snowman (with a Bears Santa hat of course!). Earlier in the day Braden and I put together a gingerbread house... a nice winter afternoon!
Snow... I am ready for you!
Dad had the camera... and Braden throwing a snowball at him. Good form, son!



One snowman wasn't enough for him... they went to the backyard to build a second!

Gingerbread House before we decorated it
The finished product... I am not so great with the icing... the "icicles", those were accidental!
Braden enjoyed this little project... and discovered he likes icing in the process.


And this... well I just thought our little lady should be included! It was taken first thing this morning, (I haven't gotten too many of Vivian smiling, as soon as she sees the camera she just stares it down).

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Here Comes Santa Claus...

We went to visit Santa this weekend... Braden was very happy to tell him what he wanted for Christmas... Dinosaurs. (He's a bit obsessed!)

A three year old, a birthday and a cake

This past weekend Big B turned three! I can't believe another year has passed us by! We did things really low key... but I think Braden had a great day! We started the morning by opening presents as soon as he woke up.
He was so excited when he walked into his playroom and saw the presents

Gift from his godfather, Uncle Andy

I got him a harmonica... it's not that loud

All the animals in the new barn, new corral, and a house made of Lincoln Logs!

After he spent a few hours playing with all his cool new things we ate lunch and had birthday cake. But not just your typical birthday cake. A few weeks ago I asked Braden what he wanted for his birthday. Our exchange went a little something like this...
Me: What do you want for your birthday?
B: Cake and Presents
Me: What kind of cake?
B: A red cake.
Me: Do you want it to say anything on it?
B: Trick or Treat... purple Trick or Treat
Me: Ok, anything else?
B: A dinosaur.
Ask my dear son and you shall receive...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Things are finally moving... literally

More than 4 weeks after Chad accepted his new position... and just 10 days from when we targeted a moving date we have the movers booked! (We had to wait on Chad's parent company to arrange the details... and let's just say this is the second time they have moved us and we have some "feedback" for them)
So... Monday 12/21 they will pack us, that Tuesday everything gets loaded (and our cars picked up too).
Wed 12/23 we fly back to Illinois and make the rounds, depart on one way tickets to Houston on January 3rd.
Chad found a nice house for us there, we're renting for 18 months until we feel like we really know exactly where we want to be, etc before considering a purchase. If these last two years on the road have taught me anything, it's you never really know an area until you live there, the advantages, disadvantages, etc. The house has 4 bedrooms, a big backyard and they are leaving the swing set too (and a trampoline - the jury is still out on how I exactly feel about that part, we'll see how it goes). They just finished a tollway that literally takes Chad right to work and traffic from where we'll be is light (it's Houston, you hear about the nightmares of traffic... it's all relative, this should be the ideal place to commute into the city from). It is about 30-40 minutes, which is much shorter than his commute now.
It's in Katy, TX (actually the southern part of Katy, called Cinco Ranch)... and this is what I'm super excited about! Chad and I are social people, and always have been, but since we left Chicago we haven't been all that social. Whether it was not having access to a babysitter, or simply not really being able to meet too many people in the neighborhood, and included that I knew we weren't here forever, so maybe I didn't try hard enough. But I am hopeful that's all about to change!
Cinco Ranch (http://www.cincoranch.com/) is a huge master planned community designed for families. From the SIX neighborhood pools, to the Water Park and the Beach Park, playgrounds, Cinco Ranch ladies club and Lake House with social activities. While it's technically a part of Katy, TX it seems like it could almost be it's own town with all the shopping, schools, gyms, etc. It sounds like suburbia at it's finest and I'm looking forward to all the cheesy, family fun!

Monday, December 7, 2009

The name is Vivian...

Her name is Vivian... and she's getting cuter by the day (yes... biased mom here) and she's smiling a lot more, each morning when I get her... big smiles and I melt. Last week Vivian had a doctor's appointment (2 month well-baby check). She checked out well! :) Here are our girl's stats.
12 lbs, 4.5 oz (50th percentile)
24 inches long (75th percentile)
39 cm head (35th percentile)
Side note... I still don't know what to do with her crazy hair, it has a mind of it's own!