Burleson

A few weeks ago we went to Burleson for Thanksgiving. Cailin had a blast playing with Brayden in his huge playroom filled with toys. She was actually sad to have to come home and when we pulled into our drive way she asked if she could go back to Maggie's house.

It seems like Grandma always has a way of bringing out the firsts in kids. She was the first one to get Cailin to smile and giggle when she was a baby and sure enough she was the first one to get Chase to really belly laugh. He had smiled and giggled a little bit before this but here is one of his first good laughs.

I thought this was the cutest hat ever!! We didn't actually buy it but I kinda wish I would have cause he just looks so darn handsome. I can't imagine when he would have actually worn it though.

Cailin has her moments where she will sit and snuggle with Chase. Usually though she never sits still long enough to snuggle with anyone let alone Chase.

Cailin and her Aunt Maggie. I swear when I'm in Burleson, between Grandma and Aunt Maggie, you would think I don't exist. I don't mind really, I love that she loves her family so much.

Uncle Brad doesn't often get down on the floor and play with the kiddos but when he does, he's all theirs. Cailin was leading him around like a pony.

Good ol Elicia stopped by for a rare visit. She too is a hard person to pin down but she is great at stopping by when she has a chance. This was her first time to meet Chase.

This is Chase's first taste of solid foods. I'm not sure if he is going to be quite as easy going with foods as Cailin is. He seems like he might be a little more picky but we'll see.

To Grandma

We all were thousands of miles away on a snowy night in Paris on Christmas Eve when we got a call from Linda telling us Grandma Virginia had mere hours left. We all braced ourselves for the call we knew would come and only minutes later we received the call that she had passed away. Grandma had gone home to be with Grandpa and her son John. She died peacefully at her home surrounded by her loved ones. The Friday before we had all gathered at her house for an early Christmas celebration since we knew we'd all be scattered around the globe when Christmas came. Grandma, who has suffered from Alzheimer's for the past several years, had a remarkably good night that night. She was with us more than she had previously been the last several times we had seen and she even remembered Chase's name for the first time.

She held her new grandson for a long time and sang Christmas carols with Cailin. She smiled and had a lot of fun watching Cailin, Cooper and Cody play all around her. We all believe that that night she felt at peace and that she had gotten to see all her little grandchildren one last time.

I'm so glad I got to know Virginia. She was a kind, sweet and soft spoken and we all will miss her dearly.