I wasn't thinking clearly (which isn't all that unusual) when I said I wouldn't post again this year. Today is not only New Year's Eve, but a very good friend of mine's birthday!!
So, happy new year and

Happy Birthday Ellen!! Hope you enjoyed your chicken tetrazzini! :o)

Closing Out The Year With....

...antibiotics. Poor Laura Anne was diagnosed with a double ear infection this week so she's now taking another antibiotic. She was downright miserable on Thursday and so was I, to be honest. My arm is still a little sore from having to hold her constantly for 4 hours. But she seems to be feeling a little better now. Unfortunately we had to cancel our trip to Tennessee because of her discomfort. So we're trying to schedule a quick trip to Florida in January instead. This was, after all, supposed to be our last visit with family until after the baby comes. The end is near...my 3rd trimester starts tomorrow!!!! I can't believe how fast it has gone! There's still so much to do!

Well anyway, Happy New Year! I probably won't post again until 2008. Until then......

Another Birthday To Celebrate!

Happy Birthday to Pops!!

We'll see you soon!

Love, Chris, Brianna and Laura Anne (and baby)

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Happy birthday Garrett!!!

Say A Little Prayer

Laura Anne has had a cough for a few weeks, but just since her check-up last Wednesday it has gotten worse. Friday night she went to bed with a fever. Saturday and Sunday she hardly ate anything. Sunday afternoon her fever was 102.1 so I called her doctor. They wanted us to bring her in and after examining her the doctor confirmed that Laura Anne has pneumonia. It's not very advanced, which we're thankful for, but she's still to be on an antibiotic for four days. We need to take her back to the doctor on Thursday for a check-up.

Needless to say, she's uncomfortable, clingy, fussy, irritable and so on. Night time is really hard on all of us. So if you all could please remember her (and us) in your prayers for the next few days we would greatly appreciate it. So far today, she is eating a little better which is definitely a good thing.

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas! Don't forget the Baby in the manger. I'm reminded of the lyrics to a song I like:

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long awaited Holy Stranger
Make yourself at home
Bring your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
World now breaking Heaven's silence
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us unto us is born
So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
perfect Son of God

2 Years Old!!

Happy Birthday to Laura Anne!! The party turned out great and the cake didn't look so bad either, in my opinion. :o) Our friends Jerry, Ellen, Arelys, Ciara and Sophie all came to celebrate this special occasion. Everybody had a great time!

Laura Anne and her friend Sophie

What a cheesy grin

From Uncle Jerry and Aunt Ellen: a set of 3 mini teacups and saucers!!

From Mommy and Daddy: Princess luggage set!

From Grandma and Papa: a tricycle!

Now it's cake time!

She wasted no time in sticking her finger into the frosting!

~Mommy, Daddy and Laura Anne~

We took a ton of pictures and I obviously couldn't post them all here, so I selected several more and put them on Shutterfly for you all to view and enjoy. The link is www.castleberrymoments.shutterfly.com and the password is Brianna. It is case sensitive so capitalized the B.

I Almost Forgot...

Happy 1st Birthday to Sadie!!

Silent Night, Holy Night

We had our Live Nativity at church last weekend. Laura Anne was fascinated by the animals, especially Clyde the camel. She also had fun singing with the carolers. I get a kick out of watching her sing because she sings at the top of her lungs and you can't understand a word! She just loves it!

Petting the goat
The sheep is so fluffy!
Here's Clyde! He gave her a kiss right on her cheek! She wasn't even scared.
The reason we celebrate Christmas...and hubby is Joseph! :o)

"For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord"

Luke 2:11

D-d-deer

This is "reindeer" in Laura Anne language. When we sing "Rudolph" it goes something like this:

me: Rudolph, the red-nosed..
LA: d-d-deer
me: had a very
LA: shiny nose
me: and if you ever
LA: saw it
me: you would even say
LA: close it!

I Can't Believe It

A little girl I know will be celebrating her second birthday next Friday! I really can't believe that it's been two years since Laura Anne came into our lives. She has been such a joy and I can't imagine life without her.
Now, past the mushy stuff. Her birthday theme this year is Disney Princess! We're having a small celebration this year. We're having just a couple of friends over. I plan on making a really fabulous cake (at least I hope it turns out fabulous!) I've been searching the internet for ideas for castle cakes, and I'm really excited with what I found. My plan is to get some princess figurines from the Disney store to decorate the cake with.
I made the mistake of buying the princess plates and cups and such while Laura Anne was with me. It took some major distracting to hide them once we got home. I knew she wouldn't understand the concept of "it's for your party next week". But anyhow, I think she's going to be really excited about her party.
So stay tuned for the party news!

Chee Chee Chee

This is how Laura Anne says "christmas tree". She can say "Christmas" and she can say "tree", but put them together and they come out "chee chee chee". She's absolutely fascinated by everything Christmas. It is so much fun! She loves to drive around and look at lights, loves candy canes, loves the trees and ornaments, and loves the reindeer. Although she seems a little confused when it comes to reindeer. 98% of the time she calls them kangaroos. Don't ask me why! It's so funny. She loves to watch "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Kangaroo". :o)

Saturday night we decorated our Christmas tree. Laura Anne thoroughly enjoyed hanging ornaments. She came across a few that didn't want to stay on the branch and if she didn't feel like picking it up and trying again, she'd just leave it on the floor and go searching for another ornament to hang. At one point there were at least three ornaments laying on the floor and she was still coming to me for more to hang! :o)

We all had lots of fun and made some great memories! Here are a few snapshots of the fun.

Cinderella ornament

Helping Daddy hang ornaments
Little reindeer girl
Trying hot chocolate for the first time...boy is it good!
Finished Christmas tree and our goofy girl

Predictions

Almost everyone I talk to thinks we're having a boy. For the past several weeks we've been trying to get Laura Anne's opinion, but her opinion is always the last thing she hears. For example, if you say "do you want a boy or a girl?" she'll say "girl". But if you say "girl or boy?" she'll say "boy".

Well, apparently she really does have her own opinion. Sunday morning, we were all laying in bed talking about the baby, no gender was mentioned. Out of nowhere, Laura Anne pointed to my tummy and said "boy". Short, sweet, and definitely to the point. Me and Chris looked at each other like, "did she really just say that?" It was so cute! So I guess we'll find out in about 4 months if she's right!

Laura Anne the Explorer

She decided to see what it was like inside Sadie's cage.

Sadie's Playdate

Sadie had her first playdate on Saturday. We met a coworker of Chris' at a dog park. Her dog is a chocolate lab also. His name is Kai. Sadie and Kai had great fun playing together, along with a bunch of other dogs. We will probably take Sadie there more regularly now. It's great exercise for her, and she really seemed to enjoy herself. We had fun watching her and all the other dogs, too.
(Sadie is the lighter brown lab)

Happy December!

Click on the link below. This should help get you in the Christmas spirit! Make sure your volume is turned up!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9550433552