Thanksgiving

**Warning - picture overload**

Robbie's sister Andrea (who lives in Chattanooga) hosted Thanksgiving this year. Granddad Jake & GG Kathy were coming up from Florida, Mimi & Granddad and our family were all going to be attending. Andrea's husband's family owns a cluster of cabins on the lake in Chattanooga, so we all stayed there instead of getting hotel rooms. Mimi & Granddad headed up with Jake Wednesday morning and Rob, Hollon & I headed up that afternoon. 

I fed Hollon right before I thought we were leaving. Something with work came up and delayed me leaving by an hour. Then I had to stop by Rob's work downtown & pick him up, and then we had the 2.5 hour drive to the lake house. I hoped that Hollon would just sleep the whole way and not notice she was overdue for a feeding. (Such an unrealistic plan) She did good until traffic stopped coming into Chattanooga. She woke up, was not happy we were not moving and was especially not happy I wasn't feeding her. Robbie started taking backroads through sketchy neighborhoods to get us there faster. We were 15 minutes away, so we hated to stop, so we just kept going. That infuriated Hollon. I climbed in the back to try to calm her down and it just made her madder. This was the maddest I've ever seen her get. She was screaming, clawing, kicking. I don't know which I'm terrified more of with her - her terrible two's or teenage years. We finally made it. I'm sure everyone was excited to see us considering we walk in with a screaming baby. "Who wants to stay in our cabin?"

There was an old school rocking horse in our cabin (I had one when I was little!). Hollon was still mad at us at this point (even though she had eaten), so she was not amused. 

In her pajamas. Still mad at us. She was in a bad mood the entire night. 

Hoping sleep brings a better attitude in the morning.

Granddad reading to Jake

Jackson is Jake's only cousin on Robbie's side. He is 12 and Jake thinks he hung the moon. Poor Jackson, Jake is always right under his nose.

Or flung on top of him

This was Jackson's first time to meet Hollon.

THANKSGIVING DAY!

Thankful that Hollon woke up in a much better mood and was no longer mad at us.

Giving smiles to Daddy

With GG Kathy

Jackson & Jake's version of the "kids" table

Hollon giving smiles to Granddad Jake

With Aunt Andrea

Robbie was showing Andrea something on his phone and Hollon's eyes were glued to it

Our family

Miracle! All 4 of us are looking at the camera.

It was Hollon's first time to meet Uncle Johnathan

Happy Thanksgiving Turkeys! 

We took pictures for Mimi & Granddad's Christmas card

Jackson - age 12

Jake - 6 (in 3 weeks!)

Hollon - 3 months

Token goofy picture

Much better

Nice nap

Friday night, we went over to the Zach & Kimberly's house (parents to Addie & Tyler). Our friends Travis & Paulette (parents to Jonathan & Isabella) came as well. Zach, Travis & Robbie all went to high school together. 

Thanksgiving 2014
Jake (almost 6), Addie (5), Hollon (3 mths), Tyler (2), Jonathan (4), Isabella (1)

Thanksgiving 2010

The 3 oldest kids were wild turkeys

Hollon had no idea what was going on

Tyler was not amused by it at all

Tyler & Hollon both clinched to their parents
How chubby are Hollon's cheeks?!?!

Poor Zach & Kimberly's house

Addie got in some holding Hollon time

These silly 3
Their dads have been friends for over 20 years

Zach & Robbie with their girls

Addie giving Hollon some girl advice

2014

2009

We were headed home Saturday morning, but not before I nagged everyone for pictures before we left. (It didn't occur to me to take these on Thursday when we were all actually dressed up.)

Mimi & Granddad with our kids

Mimi & Granddad with their 3 grandchildren

The kids with Granddad Jake

The Bush Family Thanksgiving 2014

The Bush Family Thanksgiving 2009

Hollon getting some good advice from her 92 year-old great grandfather

On Sunday, we headed to Prattville to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family.

We got there early, because my mom wanted to try to get a picture of all the grandchildren for their Christmas card.

Hollon & Marrell in their matching Christmas outfits with Nana

Just trying to get a good picture of my 2 kids is almost impossible. Trying to get a picture of 6 kids (3 that are under the age of 3)? That's the equivalent of finding a unicorn. You get gems like this one...

Or this one...

Needless to say, that wasn't our day to get the perfect picture.

This is what Woody thought of all of it

Once we declared the photo shoot a disaster, the older kids decided to abandon ship and jump on the trampoline. This is Jake & Marrell in their "play clothes" from Nana's stash that they dressed themselves in. 

They call the bed of my dad's old work truck the prison

Back inside (and in clothes that matched), everyone gathered for lunch. My dad's only brother and his family came (which includes my 2 cousins & their 3 kids), as well as my mom's twin brother & his family. It was a full house!

Our family has added 3 new babies since Thanksgiving last year. I wanted to get a picture of the newest 3 babies. Guess how that went?

Hollon - 3 mths

Deacon - 6 mths
(My cousin Tiffany's first child)

Gaines - 9 mths
(My sister Lindsey's youngest son)

Me & my sweet girl

Hollon catching up with Nana & Gran

Hollon thinks Gran is too funny

Just our norm

Playing "Can Hollon's drool land in Uncle Billy's mouth"

My parents have no chairs or ottomans

Maw-Maw and her 9 great grandchildren

Back Row: Isabella (10) holding Deacon (6 mths), MawMaw, Maddox (10) holding Hollon (3 mths)
Front Row: Jackson (5), Woody (2), Gaines (9 mths), Marrell (6), Jake (5)
Interesting fact: Isabella & Maddox are in the same grade
Jackson, Marrell & Jake are all in the same grade
Gaines, Deacon & Hollon will all be in the same grade

The Hollon Family

Thanksgiving 2014

Thanksgiving 2009

What an amazing Thanksgiving it was for us. It was this time last year, that we started the fertility treatments. It was our 3rd Thanksgiving that we were trying to get pregnant. So for this Thanksgiving, it was such a blessing to actually get to spend it with our little girl in our arms. To be with our family who has loved, prayed & supported us through this journey gives us so much to be thankful for. 

Psalm 106:1     

Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Hollon Elizabeth - 3 Months

3 Months Old Recap:

Likes: She LOVES when people talk to her. If you get up in her face, and talk with a big smile on your face, she will smile like crazy back at you. She loves her changing table. Any time you put her on it, she smiles up a storm. She loves to eat. As you can tell by her cheeks & tummy, she doesn't miss a meal. She likes music, she likes to be swaddled, she likes to be held & cuddled. 

Dislikes: She gets very angry if she wakes up before it is time to eat. She does not like when the moving car stops. She does not like it if she wants social hour and mommy has to work. 

Milestones: We no longer use the infant sling in her bathtub. (I actually used it way longer than I should have. It didn't even occur to me that she was too big for it, until she almost fell out of it because it was too small for her. Mom fail #2,452,376.) Hollon also now giggles and laughs out loud. Of course I've tried a thousand times to get her laugh on video, but as soon as she sees my phone, she freezes. She will laugh the first time you tickle her under her arms, but after about 30 seconds, that annoys her.

Sleep: She usually goes down for naps about an hour after she eats during the day. During the day, sometimes she naps in the swing and other times in her crib.She goes to bed for the night after her 10:00 feeding. A few nights she has slept until 5:00 am. But the last 2 nights, she has gotten up at 2:00 to eat, so she certainly isn't sleeping through the night consistently. 

Eat: I went from milk flood to milk drought. The good news is she doesn't spit up anymore, bad news is sometimes she doesn't get enough to eat. Which makes her grouchy. She eats every 3 hours during the day and she doesn't go a minute over that. She can be in the deepest nap, and the minute it hits 3 hours, those eyes pop open. 

Appearance: Her hair is still dark, but it is starting to fall out. I noticed something black on her white crib sheet & freaked out. Then I looked closer and realized it was her hair! She has lost most of it on the sides, so she looks like she has a mohawk. And the top is long enough to stick up but not long enough to lie down. So she looks like Alfalfa with bald sides. Her eyes are still blue and still get huge when she is in a new environment. Her chin ate her neck, so she now has no neck and a double chin. She has her father's feet. They are long & skinny. Her legs are starting to get little rolls which makes my heart melt. I love love love chubby thighs on a baby. (On myself, not so much. But a baby, oh yes.)

Size: She is wearing 3-6 months clothing & a size 2 diaper.

Football Party

The Monday before Thanksgiving, Jake's football team had their end of season party.

Jake with Coach Joe

Team Pelham Panthers & their coaches