Christmas has come and gone...on to the New Year!

It is amazing how a 2 year old can understand Christmas. Campbell was very excited to put out cookies and milk for Santa and reindeer food for Rudolph. I wonder how they got eaten, wink, wink! After a fun Christmas Eve gathering at our house with 3 other families, Campbell fell fast asleep and I am sure dreaming of all the goodies he was going to get the following morning.

Christmas morning, Jason and I woke up at 7:30 and literally had to wake Campbell up at 8:30. I am sure that will be the ONLY Christmas that we will have to do that. He loved opening his gifts and playing with all of his new toys!

Christmas afternoon we headed to Charlottesville to be with Jason's brother and his family. Their girls are 12, almost 10, and 7. They provided constant entertainment for Campbell and he LOVED following them around and doing whatever they told him to do!

On Saturday we went to Lynchburg to see the rest of Jason's family. Had a wonderful time seeing everyone and Campbell did quite a good job of showing off!

We returned last night and are now ready to ring in the New Year! 2009 is going to be a great year and we are thrilled to announce that Baby #2 will arrive in mid-July! Happy Happy New Year everyone!

Ho, Ho, Ho!

We had a rainy and cold day this week, so I decided to take Campbell to the mall to see Santa. He's been talking a lot about Santa and I wanted to see if he'd really sit on his lap for a picture. He did get a little shy but enjoyed sitting on his lap. He especially enjoyed the candy cane that Santa gave him after the picture was taken!

Merry Christmas!

It's hard to believe that Christmas is here. Last week ended up being a whirlwind with returning early Monday morning from NOLA then heading into activities for the Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend (put on by the organization that I am on the board). Somehow, we found time between walking in a parade on Saturday morning (in the 30 degree weather), a baby shower, and birthday party on Sunday, to get a Christmas tree! We ventured out after Campbell's nap on Saturday in the light snow that was falling...certainly made it feel like a true Christmas season. Jason, Campbell, and I went thru the nursery and found the perfect tree! It's full, tall and smells fabulous. Campbell is enjoying singing "Oh Christmas Tree" - although he can only repeat that phrase and does it over and over again! I must teach him a new song!

Last night, I covered the tree in bows (something I've wanted to do every year but just never had the time). Campbell then decided to "cheese" it up for the camera!

Merry Christmas and more fun pictures to come!

Good Times!

Jason and I went to Suffolk, Va this weekend for his fraternity brother's wedding. We started off the weekend with the rehearsal dinner at Planters Peanut Farm. A really neat place and fabulous dinner! We went to a great brunch on Saturday morning, then the wedding and reception at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. Betsy and Danny were a beautiful couple and we had such a great time sharing their special weekend! Took some fun pictures, but this one is my favorite!

Off to New Orleans in less than 24 hours. Campbell is SOOOOOO excited. We bought him his own little suitcase that he can pull on his own.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

One more thing...Happy Birthday Jim!

Today is my brother, Jim's 42nd birthday! Happy Birthday GIP! I love you and hope you have a wonderful day!

xoxo,
Bug

Happy Tuesday...Campbell is at school!

I always look forward to Tuesdays and Fridays when Campbell gets to go to school. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my little guy and LOVE being with him, but I also LOVE the 4 hours to myself on each of those days. We woke up this morning to 32 degree weather, burrr! Winter is here and Campbell was super excited to put on his gloves and new hat he got for his birthday. (I will take a picture of him in the hat - it's so cute). The minute we were in the car - the gloves were off! I explained to him that when we got to school he'd need to put them back on, which he did without any fussing.

We had a low-key weekend with lots of Daddy/Campbell time. I had some Junior Friends obligations so it left the two boys entertaining eachother. Saturday was a VERY rainy day, so the pony rides were going to go on were cancelled. We did go to a birthday party (was supposed to be outdoors but got moved inside). Campbell was very excited about the cake and cookies! We then went to the English's house for dinner. Our wonderful sleeper came along and went to bed at their house while we enjoyed an evening with friends. On Sunday, I continued doing my Jr. Friends things and Campbell and Jason relaxed and watched football. A perfect Sunday!

On Friday, Jason and I are leaving for Suffolk,VA for a wedding. One of Jason's fraternity brothers is getting married to his highschool sweetheart! Should be a great time. Campbell's favorite babysitter - Ashby will be here to provide tons of entertainment and fun!

Then in 7 days, we're NOLA bound! WOOHOO! Campbell is so excited to go on an airplane - that's his latest fascination.

Off to continue enjoying my free time! Have a great week everyone.
xoxoxo!

Cool Find

I saw this just now - a chance to win a watercolor. All I have to do is create a link to it and hopefully I will win it! Wouldn't it be so cool to have a watercolor done of Campbell?

Campbell had a great day at school today. They weighed all of the kids today and he is the 2nd heaviest - weighing in at 28 pounds. A few ounces more than his 2 year check up last week!

Happy Friday to all. Counting down to Thanksgiving...13 days!

http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2008/11/commissioned-watercolor-portrait.html

Trip to Lynchburg

Last Friday, we packed up our things and headed to Lynchburg to see Jason's family for the weekend. Campbell was very excited to see Ma-Ma, Grandaddy, Grandpa, GG, Auntie Amy, Mason, Dwayne, Derrick, Andrea, and Ella. It was a whirlwind of visits with the family.

We took Jason's grandparents with us to an indoor play room on Saturday morning. Campbell loved it but loved running up and down the large and loud hallway. Ma-Ma and Grandaddy loved seeing Campbell in action and were amazed at his constant talking and non-stop movement.

Ma-Ma had to get her hair cut, so we dropped her off and went to see if the trains were being loaded and switched. We parked the car and let Campbell sit in the driver's seat to "drive." After a couple of minutes he stood up, opened the visor and mirror and proceeded to fix his hair. See video on blog.

We then went to a playground for a few minutes before picking Ma-Ma up and Campbell loved going up the ladders and coming down the slides.

Sunday, we visited with Jason's sister and her family. Jason's nephew, Mason, gave Campbell two of his old toys - an airplane and a helicopter. They are a huge hit!

After a fun-filled weekend, we headed home to begin another week!

Stay tuned for more posts - a weekend filled with a pony ride and a birthday party are to come!

Campbell's 2 Year Check Up

Campbell went to Dr. Gallagher the other day for his two year check up. He's a perfectly healthy little boy who put on quite a show for her. Laughing, talking, dancing...his typical personality. I was so glad he did not get quiet around her because I wanted her to see him how we see him all of the time. He even ran thru her office yelling for "Dr. G!"

He was a brave little boy getting his flu shot and held my hand while I got mine. Because he was SO good, they gave him 2 stickers and that made him forget all about the shot.

So now, we don't go back to Dr. G until he turns 3 - unless he gets sick of course. It's hard to believe that we go every few months for 2 years then only once a year. Another sign that my baby is a big boy now.

I think he has finally gotten over the Halloween and Birthday hangover. It definitely took a few days. Life is back to normal for the Spences!

Campbell's 2nd Birthday and Halloween!

Friday was very bitter-sweet for me. Bitter because my baby is getting to be such a big boy and is officially a toddler! I feel like it was just yesterday that I had him and now he's got his own personality (and what a personality it is) and has become so independent. Sweet because he pretty much understood his birthday, so it was incredible to watch his excitement and joy! Jason and I wanted to make sure that he could enjoy both his birthday and halloween, so we did birthday in the morning and Halloween at night. We started the morning by going into his room and singing the first round of Happy Birthday. Then went downstairs for breakfast where we put a candle in his pancakes and sang the second round of Happy Birthday. After he finished breakfast, he opened his presents (a doctor's kit, horse on a stick, shopping cart, and basketball goal). The doctor's kit was a huge hit!

Campbell went to school yesterday and I made cupcakes for his class. They sang Happy Birthday (3rd round) and they even made him his own birthday crown!

Now comes trick or treat time! Our friends, the Prices and the Shattls, came over to go around the neighborhood. 6 Adults and 5 Children - Ella (4) - Sleeping Beauty, Sophia (2 - another Halloween baby) - Duck, Campbell (2) - Monkey, Maddie (2 in January) - Flower, and Sylvia (1 month - Cow). We were quite a sight. The kids had a blast going up to the houses. When we asked Campbell what to say after he got a treat, he quickly replied "More!" No kidding.

It was a perfect 2nd birthday and 1st real Halloween for our little guy.

On Saturday, we had 19 of Campbell's friends and their parents over for snacks and cake. We filled the backyard with a small moon bounce (borrowed from the Prices), a tunnel with a truck ball pit, kids basketball goal, other fun outdoor toys. We made a mini-carnival in the yard. Jason's brother and his family came up from Charlottesville. His girls are now 12, 9, and 7 and were huge helpers with the little kids. Many of the kids were completely enamoured with our nieces - quite cute. All of the children were suffering from Halloween Hangovers, especially Campbell who take a little while to get into the party. But once he did, he had a blast. LOVED the cake and the pigs in a blanket (dad, you would have loved them) most. After everyone left, we sat back and watched him open his gifts. Our friends were too generous with their gifts and I know Campbell will have so much fun playing with them. We are so fortunate to have met tons of great people up here.

So now we're gearing up for Thanksgiving and heading to New Orleans and then Christmas, where we'll stay up here.

I'll put a few pictures of the weekend here, but most are on the Spence Family Web Album - click the link to the left to be taken to the album.

Thank You Kiki and Tater!

Campbell wanted to send his thanks to Kiki and Tater for his bouncing zebra toy!

It's Happy Birthday Campbell Week!

So, Campbell has been going to many birthday parties over the past few months and loves them because he gets cake. Well, all month we've been talking to him about Halloween and his birthday being the same day. Yesterday, he and I were driving around and he started singing Happy Birthday Campbell! Up until yesterday, he had only been saying Happy Campbell. This time, he not only got the "birthday" part, he got the tune right too.

Campbell is also very excited about being a Monkey for Halloween. We went to a parade and party on Sunday where he got to wear the costume for the first time. After that, we went to his school's Fall Festival. Tons of fun jiThen yesterday, we went to our MOMS club Halloween party and he wore it again. Thank goodness it's cold outside because it's definitely keeping him warm. We were in CVS this evening and someone asked how old he is and I told them that he'll be two on Friday and his response was MONKEY (at the top of his lungs)!

Today was picture day at school. They suggested that the kids wear primary colored clothes. Fortunately we had the perfect outfit (see picture below). His friends, Ella and Maddie, came over before school and they too were in their primary colored clothes. You would think that these three children were siblings - the way they're dressed.

I am baking cupcakes for Campbell's class on Friday. The Price family, including Meredith's grandmother, is going to come and trick or treat in the neighborhood with us. Then Saturday - we are going to celebrate Campbell's birthday. We have about 16 kids ranging in age from 2 to 4 and their parents coming for cake and ice cream. The weather report today shows for mid-60's and partly sunny. Say a prayer that it goes that way.

Until this weekend, have a great week and Happy Halloween!

101 Things About Me...

Apparently, this is something a lot of people do in their blogs and I thought I'd give it a try! See what you didn't know or already knew about me!

1. Born and raised in New Orleans

2. 1 of 4 children

3. A product of single-sex education for a total of 18 years

4. I HATE tomatoes

5. I LOVE sweets

6. I've been married for almost 7 years

7. I am a nervous nelly

8. I'm a picky eater

9. I LOVE to talk - to anyone and have been known to talk to brick walls!

10. I am obsessed with the computer (emailing, googling, facebooking, and now blogging)

11. I love to walk into Campbell's room in the morning and hear him say "Good Morning, Mommy!"

12. I love that Campbell can help say the Lord's Prayer with me and Jason at night

13. My favorite thing to do in the morning is to have snuggle time with C and Jason

14. I am learning to cook

15. I am attempting to become crafty (thanks to Meredith)

16. I just made cupcakes for the first time in my life - and they actually turned out great!

17. I love, love, love weddings

18. I cry at anything, even funny things

19. I hate driving on interstates - especially next to 18-wheelers - I always think they're coming into my lane.

20. I'm a seasonal wine drinker - white in summer and red in winter

21. My favorite fast food is Burger King chicken sandwich

22. I grew up with two dogs, two cats, and a bird

23. I'm almost a year and a half older than Jason

24. I am terrified of bridges over water - especially the Chesapeake Bay Bridge

25. I am a pack rat

26. My college friends call me Janie

27. My nickname from my family is bug

28. I am 14 years younger than my oldest brother

29. My parents thought my mom had a tumor and it turned out to be me!

30. My mother is an ovarian cancer survivor and an extremely strong woman - such a role model

31. My father almost died in the early 90's and is so amazing for making the sacrifices he has to live a healthy life! Thanks Dad!

32. My favorite game to play as a child was "school." I used to make my friends sit down and I'd teach. I even had a chalk board in my room.

33. One of my best friends, Shelley, and I used to go to TCBY every afternoon after school and then drive past our boyfriend's houses.

34. I'm right handed

35. I hilight my hair and have been doing so since highschool

36. I majored in sociology although my parents think I got a degree in socializing

37. My grandmother (dad's mom) was born and raised in Mexico City and I wish she would've made us learn Spanish right from the start

38. My mom's mom's first language was French and I wish she made us learn it from the start - then I'd be trilingual.

39. I've always wanted to go skydiving

40. I dance around the kitchen during Campbell's meals to keep him entertained (I'm sure there are tons of people who would like to see that)

41. I'm a hypochondriac

42. I fear not seeing my children grow into adulthood

43. I love curling up on the couch watching my shows on tivo - no commercials

44. My college mascot was the fighting squirrels

45. I only applied to women's colleges

46. I LOVE to sleep and going to bed early (especially on the couch)

47. I love that my child NEVER wakes up crying in the morning and that we have to go in there to wake him up. Such an easy little guy!

48. I love Campbell's sensitivity and kindness (except when he says MINE about everything)

49. I dislocated my knee cap and tore the tendon trying to go over a baby gate when I was in 9th grade. Ended up being in a 5 rod splint for almost 2 months, ugh!

50. I learned how to drive in my mom's LTD Crown Victoria Station Wagon - yes, it had wood paneling!

51. I thought I was SO cool when my parents gave me a 1985 Ford Bronco as my first car - you could hear me coming from a mile away!

52. The first time I ran a 4-way stop sign was driving my grandmother around New Orleans - how embarassing

53. I have hyper-mobility syndrome (my knees and other joints bend backwards and too much)

54. I have had probably 50 moles removed from my body in my lifetime (starting at about age 5)

55. I can't sing to save my life - really - it's really bad - just ask Jason and Shelley S.

56. I was in a carpool for school until the 10th grade

57. My brother, Jim, used to teach me football plays in the backyard. He'd also take me on "candy runs" to what used to be called Sam's Food Mart. Our favorite candy - Skittles!

58. My brother, Mike, used to take me to his band practice at a bar call Shanahans - I'd sit on top of the bar while the guys played.

59. My sister taught me how to smoke, then tried to rat me out to my parents - they already knew somehow.

60. My parents made me have the Dorothy Hammel haircut and I'm still not over how bad it looked. Seriously, you can ask the sister of the hair dresser that I went to, she even knows how much I hated it.

61. My favorite dinner when Jason isn't home is wine and cheese.

62. I love to shop

63. My favorite fried chicken and mashed potatos are from Edna - the WONDERFUL woman who worked for my parents since I was 1. If mom wasn't there, Edna was the next best thing - those of you who know her will agree.

64. One of my best friends, Ariane, and I tried to bring back the cat from the dead thru a seance.

65. Ariane and I shared an imaginary friend, Penelope.

66. One of my best friends, Shelley, and her family bought my grandparent's house after my grandmother died. At the time, I was jealous but now I love going over there - such great memories and we couldn't ask for a better family to live there!

67. Jason and I are both the youngest in our families - with siblings much older.

68. I am having a hard time coming up with 101 things about myself.

69. I went to an all girls summer camp for 7 years and was a counselor for 2

70. I won an archery tournament at camp

71. I slept with a lamb named Scout all thru high school and college - now it's in Campbell's bed

72. My roommate from MBC, Holly, and I were issued noise violations our senior year - Dad likes to say we were almost arrested. It really wasn't our fault

73. I worked at a local bar in Staunton serving beer and wine my junior year.

74. I am terrified of snakes

75. I love getting older each year - I know it's weird - I get it from my dad who is 72 and tells people he's almost 80.

76. I look a lot like my mom but more and more people say they see a lot of my dad in me as I am getting older. I know I definitely have a lot of his personality (don't worry dad, it's a compliment) - a bit strong headed and quick to make decisions and get the ball rolling.

77. Jason is definitely my opposite in terms of decision making and more laid back - definitely the yin to my yang! I needed someone who could keep me on track - he's so much like my mom:)

78. I love that my brother and I have children 2 months to the day apart and they are both named after the same person.

79. I can hardly believe that my nephew is going to be 20 in April - I am really starting to feel old. I'll never forget the day he was born - Mom came into the middle school library that he had been born.

80. I wish I could've known my mother-in-law

81. I wish Jason could've known my sister

82. I have blue eyes

83. You can tell when I'm tired - my right eye starts to droop

84. I'm a messy person but trying to be neater

85. I can raise one eyebrow - the right one

86. I can wiggle my ears

87. I've always wanted to know how to "pop" chewing gum the way my mom used to do it.

88. My mom and I used to go on road trips (to and from NC or wherever) - those were some of the best times. Best thing we learned - if you get off on the wrong exit - you can always get back on! Right mom?

89. My mom and I were on the Today show my senior year of college. Mom attacked Al Roker with a squirrel puppet.

90. My mom and I went to Atlanta to shop before my wedding, it was the best trip ever.

91. I'll turn 33 in February

92. I can't wait for Thanksgiving - we're going to New Orleans - haven't been there for Turkey Day since 2003

93. I love jewelry and especially trying on my mom's - yes, I'm 32 and love to play "dress up" in my mother's closet

94. I stress out easily

95. I am a strict mommy

96. I love when Campbell makes me laugh - a daily occurance

97. I love when Campbell requests a "family hug" from me and Jason

98. I love that Campbell waves to Jason in the window every morning when he leaves for work

99. I went to another Sacred Heart school in California for 3 months my sophomore year in high school

100. I don't know how to drive a stick shift

101. I am an extremely happy wife and mommy!

Happy Friday!

So Jason left this morning for a bachelor party weekend in Nagshead. Fortunately, we have an action packed weekend starting with a birthday party this afternoon, my sewing class tomorrow, and a halloween parade and party on Sunday! Yes, you read correctly...I am taking a sewing class! You can stop laughing now. I have been wanting to learn for a while and finally bit the bullet and signed up for a class. Campbell is going to play at his friend Maddie's house while I take the class. Maddie's mom is the one who convinced me to do this blog. Meredith is from Shreveport and we met at the school open house where C and Maddie and her older sister Ella go. We have become fast friends with the Price family and don't know what we'd do without them. Below are some cute pictures of C and the Price girls from a few months ago.

Welcome to The Spence Family Blog!

Hi Y'all,
One of my good friends up here has a blog and uses it to keep her friends and family udpated on her little ones. So...I thought it would be a fun way to let you know what we're up to and a great way to "keep a journal!"

We are one week away from Campbell's 2nd Birthday and I can hardly believe how fast the last two years have flown by. I still feel the anxiety and excitement that I had waiting for him to make his appearance. He has truly opened my eyes to a whole new world. Each day he says a new phrase or comment and Jason and I are constantly amazed! He is a non-stop talker (I guess he gets that from me) and keeps us on our toes!

Not only are we gearing up for his birthday but he's very excited about Halloween. When we ask him what to say on Halloween he replies with two answers - "Happy Campbell" (meaning Happy Birthday Campbell) and "Tick o Teat" (trick or treat). Stay tuned for fun photos of Campbell in his monkey costume. Above are two photos from our day at the pumpkin patch!