The Downing Family

We put the finishing touches in this weekend. Ted found the perfect light fixture, Elizabeth suggested adding Ted's Grandmother's sailboat painting, and we finally talked Sally into letting her rocker come in baby brother's room.

Just another great afternoon with our princess. Now, let's get out the Christmas decorations!

Well, time to catch up on blogging. There has been so much going on that it's hard to keep up! It's official. We have a 2 year old who thinks she's 10.

Sally has been enjoying school. We've gotten to go to the Pumpkin Patch, made a Jack-o-Lantern, got to go to a Halloween party, went trick or treating and watched a LOT of the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown...

The Downing Family at OU for the Tailgating Sooner's Annual ShishKaRob. Sadly, we did not bring home the trophy this year.
Sometimes it's just too much to make it all the way to Oklahoma without taking a nap.
We have a pumpkin patch very close to our house. Of course, Sally got her very own pumpkin.

Sally helped Daddy carve her first Jack0lantern! She was such a big help washing off the pumpkin seeds for mommy to bake.
Sally was a black kitty cat for Halloween! Sally with one of her best buddies, Jack Koenning. He was Jack the Pirate! I think she's going to be a great big sister.

She even got to go trick or treating with our neighbors! Wow! This neighborhood does it right! One of the families had a bounce house for the kids and hot dogs for everyone.
Lastly, Sally had a very special friend from Tulsa come by. Michael Briggs and his mommy were on their way to Houston and made a pit stop to see us! The kids haven't seen each other in a year, so they had a lot to talk about. Toys, toys, and more toys. It was a pretty fun night.

We had a huge day in the Downing house today! Sally went to her first day at Alpha Academy, Ted started his new job as a marketing director in Dallas, and I started my new year at Liberty.


The pictures were a great indicator of a great day for Sally. She loves her school! She didn't take a nap today, but we didn't expect her to....just way too much going on! She's told us all about her first day and she's ready to go again!

Ted and I also had good days! I love new beginnings!

Sally's "baby brudder" will be here sometime around January! We're all so excited to welcome a new little boy! He's already got a painted nursery, bedding, and even some clothes!

So far I think Operation Big Girl Bed is a success!

Last week I put her new bed in her room. I didn't think she was ready to move into it, but that night there was no convincing her to sleep in her crib. The bed wasn't completely ready. I had to quickly put sheets on it at bed time and in she went!
Thursday, July 28, 2011...Big Girl Bed night # 1.
The first night we told her that she has to stay in her bed and if she got out she would have to get in her crib (its still in her room, hence the awkward bed positioning). Now she tells me before bed, "Remember, if I get out of my bed, I have to get in my crib." So, as long as this works, the crib might have to stay in there forever! Now, she did fall out that first night. Our sweet girl just rolled over on the floor and went back to sleep. She never flinched when I moved her back to her bed. Since then she's been happy (and still) as a clam in there!
Since last Thursday she has been sleeping like a champ and taking marathon naps!
These pictures were taken during a 3+ hour nap yesterday afternoon. I tried to wake her up once and it didn't work. I guess that bed is comfy!

Her room is definitely still a work in progress. I thought moving to a big bed would be a process and it would give me a little time to get everything together...I better shift into high gear now and get that big girl room finished!

One of the highlights of our OKC trip was fishing off of Grandmums and Grampa's dock. Sally caught her first fish!
She loved fishing with her daddy (but doesn't she look hot in this picture??).
"More bread please, Grandmums. Those fish are hungry!"
Patience....
This makes me think of the song "She Thinks We're Just Fishing," and I tear up a little each time I think about it! I love these two!

And-- of course the picture of her prize first fish is on my phone.....