Ice Capades

Let It Snow

This was from the parking lot at Kick, so not very scenic, but you get the idea of how hard the snow was falling.

The Big 0-2

An Elmo-rific birthday celebration with Eric's family welcomed us home from our weeklong AZ visit yesterday. Woo hoo-- Mer is 2!!!

Happy Birthday Bobbie!

Mer enjoying the chocolate cake at Bobbie's birthday dinner.

Mer's 2nd Birthday Celebrating Begins!

Merritt's grandparents from San Antonio came in town for a weekend visit to celebrate an early 2nd Birthday for Mer.

Silly Pet Tricks

Life in the Lane Lane

I guess I was a little shortsighted with my original blog title and address-- didn't take into account that there might someday be another little Lane. So from here on out, same address (http://www.merritthood.blogspot.com/), but new blog title!

"Uncle Mark! Uncle Mark!"

...was all we heard around our house for a few days while Tia and Uncle Mark visited from L.A.

It's a...

BOY!!!

ETA: 3-13-10

Fall Back

No one gave Mer the memo that Daylight Savings Time in the fall means an extra hour of sleep-- she was up waaaaaay too early this morning. Fortunately, I was able to convince her to snuggle up with Jessie and some recorded Sesame Street episodes until I could properly wake up myself.

Happy Halloween!

Had a great Halloween celebration with the Littles and Moellers last night, where the older kids showed first-timers Merritt and Mallory the trick-or-treating ropes.

Hoop & Bobbie's Halloween Party

1,2,3,6..

Still missing a couple of numbers, but we'll get there!

Big Shoes to Fill

Happy Birthday DiDi (and Aunt Jamie again)

Last month, when we celebrated Aunt Jamie's birthday, Mer learned the birthday song for the occasion and still sings it pretty much every day. Unfortunately, she's not getting the idea that Aunt Jamie isn't the only one who has birthdays, so my 20-30 attempts to get her to sing "Happy Birthday DiDi" on camera didn't go so well...here's one of many before I finally gave up.

Fall Farm Fun

The weather has been beautiful lately so last weekend, we drove out to "the country" (30 minutes outside Houston) to check out some farm animals and fall festivities.

Gettin' Witchy With It

We are getting really excited about Halloween around here. Merritt is beside herself everytime she spots a pumpkin in someone's yard or we cruise down the Halloween aisle at the grocery store, not to mention screaming "Happy Halloween Jessie!" at the top of her lungs 20 times a day and I have to admit, I'm loving it more than ever myself. Definitely an underrated perk of parenthood that I'm just now learning-- enjoying the holidays in a whole new way. Thank you Mer!

A New Fave

Merritt rode a tiger on the carousel at the mall the other day and LOVED it-- brave girl! While Eric and I were both fighting off the dizziness and nausea, Mer was unfazed.

Couch Potatoes

Mer and Jess taking in some Elmo.

1st Day of School!

Such a big girl-- this fall, Merritt is enrolled in two half-days a week at a little school program up the street from us and today was her first day. A little rocky for both of us, I must say, but my girlfriends assure me we'll be pros in no time!

Crazy Uncle Z Videos

M & D in TX

The Discovery Green fountains downtown

OysterFest '09

Drinking contest at Cedar Creek

One of many dual baths, per tradition

Indy Girls' Weekend

While Eric and Mer enjoyed a fun-filled father/daughter weekend (Children's Museum, the park, Home Depot- oh my!), I jetted to Indianapolis to spend time with some very dear college girlfriends. We were having too much fun all weekend to take many pictures, but did manage to snap one after stuffing ourselves on sushi.

Tex-Mex Friday

Dinner with Hoop and Bobbie at our favorite cheap n' deep Mexican restaurant!

Newport '09 Cont'd

Just returned from the annual family pilgrimage to Newport Beach and had a fantastic time. Gorgeous weather, huge 30-40 person dinners on the patio every night and two beautiful babies who couldn't get enough of the beach-- a perfect vacay!