Last of the Texans

So we're back home in Carpentersville! On Monday we took a 5:00 p.m. flight home. On the way to the airport Aidan was telling me that his mom is going to cry a lot and that she will do this for hours and needs to just get over it! Kerry has raised one empathetic little boy. Then Cole asked me if I had another baby if it would be a girl because if that happens then they can take Ella!

When I got to the gate, I politely spoke to the gate agent and let him know that I was flying with a baby and if there was any way to get an open seat next to me I would greatly appreciate it. Well he can suck balls because not only did he not comply, he put me in a row right in front of an open seat! To tease me! I was super nervous because Ella and I had a window seat and if she pooped, we'd have to get through two sleeping passengers to get out of our seats. But alas, she only farted on the way home. She couldn't have been better and once again Teresa's portable DVD player saved the day. She and I shared my iPhone headphones and rocked out to some Florence and the Machine and she even did a little snuggling. As the plane was landing, she felt the need to say, no scream, DaDa over and over again. For like five minutes. It was cute to me but I can only imagine how annoying for the others!

Now we are back to normal and Ella and Adriana start their new baby class tomorrow at the park district. If all goes well, we will be back to Austin in January.

Austin: Day Five

Our only goal for my last full day in Austin was to get some cute shots of Ella and the boys. This proved to be a bit challenging.

This one is my favorite:

If you look close, Ella and Blake have the same look on their faces.

So all of a sudden, Ella has become a momma's girl (which I kind of love, except for when we're taking photos). She wouldn't let me even put her down for these pictures. Too bad because the location and lighting were perfect! Her modeling career may be over before it began.

I was trying to get the boys to walk Reservoir Dogs style down this path but they had a hard time with it.

Right now, I'm packing up our suitcases and we'll be leaving for the airport in a couple hours. Another Texas trip has flown by and we won't be back until at least January. We had a great time as always and will be sad to say goodbye. What's that you say? Oh there's no pictures of my sister from this trip (except for her Halloween costume). That's because camera girl won't let me take any pictures of her. Jerk!

Austin: Day Four

Aidan has a soccer game Saturday afternoon and Ella practices her moves. What a multitasker!

Aidan is the rock star of the soccer team.

My sister's annual Halloween party is that night and I make these eyeball deviled eggs.

She goes all out for this party and everything looks awesome.

We go as Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi. We flipped a coin to see who would have to be Ellen and Kerry lost which was good cuz it was her party and she was more comfortable busting out Ellen's lame dance moves than I would have been...

Kerry taught Ella a few moves too.

My bro in law was supposed to be Vanilla Ice but we decided he made a better K.D. Lang.

Here's best costume winner: There's a guy strapped to his back that says, Border Patrol.

Best couple costume: The Recession, the guy was before (suit) and after (McDonald's employee) and the chick had photos of all the houses in the neighborhood with selling and current plummeted prices. Impressive!

While looking at the 300 photos from the party, my oldest nephew, Blake, says to me, "Why is my mom always humping in pictures?"

There were some great costumes and and the party went until 4 or 5 am. These forty-somethings still know how to rock. My lame ass snuck upstairs around midnight to read a book. It's hard to be at a party with strangers who are drunk when you don't drink.

Austin: Day Three

Doesn't Ella look like she loves Uncle Michael? Michael, Kerry, Ella and I head out to do what we do best...lunch. After visiting a few more Halloween stores, we head home.

Just before sunset, we head out to try to get some cute shots of Ella.

That night Ella meets the first person that wasn't interested in her and she's not too happy about it.

But Aidan cheers her up.

So We Thought We Could Dance!

Austin: Day Two

Our second day started with Aidan feeling much better. He took the day off to recover and later complained that he'd rather be at school than shopping with the girls all day. We went to the Halloween store in search of wigs for my sister and I for tomorrow night's party. Then we had lunch where Aidan learned to use chopsticks and Ella refused every food offered to her other than her cheddar bunnies. I'd also like to throw my sister under the bus because we walked in the food place and I had my purse, Ella and a diaper bag and I was trying to open the door. I said to my sister, "thanks for your help." and she loudly replied for all to hear, "Oh whatever, I carted three boys around by myself for all those years." Totally missing the point Barbie!

Aidan picked out a Halloween costume for Ziggy.

Later that evening, Kerry took Aidan to soccer and Michael took Cole to football. Ella was sleeping and I was in the front office on the computer. Blake comes in and tells me that we have a problem...He put 6 chicken nuggets in the microwave for 11 MINUTES! I open the office door and the house is filled with smoke. I mean filled! We open all the doors and windows and turn on all the fans. What a disaster. I tell Blake that he's not the sharpest crayon in the box ;)

The joke among my friends is that Ella is still rocking an baby tub because we only have one tub/shower and I AM not cleaning it everyday and I'm not letting Ella bathe in our scum so she sure enjoyed Aunt Kerry's jacuzzi tub. Although, not surprisingly, she stayed in one spot the entire time.

Ella Grimley

Aidan put Ella to bed and we played some Just Dance to cap off the night before heading out to a chick flick.