Tejas.

Birthday Celebration+Dallas World Aquarium+Cougars (previously ranked #20) beating Sooners (previously ranked #3) in new Cowboys stadium+New Birthday Camera+Insanely cute kid= really long post and too many pictures.

We started off the trip at the Dallas World Aquarium. Highly recommend it! (Where do you draw the line when you entitle something an aquarium? Are you really allowed to call it one when there are large cats, monkeys, birds of all kinds and reptiles? Pleasant surprise!)

This kitty took an obvious liking to me. I had a feeling it was the right move wearing those leggings.

Turning 26 didn't really phase me. I cried with 25, but really didn't mind 26. Maybe 30 will be traumatic. But those in-between years don't really feel like much, do they? I guess it helps to remember how many people I know who are lots older than me and way cooler than me too. Anyway, it was a great day. That evening we went to dinner at The Capital Grill. Don't recommend bringing your one year old to a place like this. I almost got in a few full-on fist fights with Lucy in between her chucking my phone and yelling at everyone (wanted to run around). And then I almost got in a few fist fights with people who I thought might have been looking at us and possibly thinking, "Why would they bring a baby to a place like this?" Luckily, she ended up pulling through for us, what a champ. We got out of there scuffle free and with a free dessert. :)

So, can we say the events of this following day were nothing short of monumental? Thought we were going to get spanked. Everyone did. Being in that stadium was unreal. I know Bradford got injured and was out the second half, that's all anyone seems to talk about on ESPN, but what about the fact that we played the entire game without our star running back? And won the game!! Has anyone mentioned that? Give credit.

Lucy was not scared to strut her stuff. Not scared at all.

Dallas treats us well!

*Welcome-to-Pregnancy highlight of the trip*: Running late as we board for our return flight. Flight leaves at 7:30 AM. Not a good time for me. Had been munching on cookies but fighting not to toss them since we woke at 5. Order biscuits and gravy for some absurd reason right before boarding. A full flight. Can't sit next to Jason. He sits behind me, I sit in between two rather interesting individuals with Lucy on my lap. Fighting the need to throw up. The large man I sit next to visibly rolls his eyes and sighs as I sit next to him. Adrenaline pumping. Planning the things I'm going to say to this baby hater. Decide I can't be angry at him the whole flight. Strike up a conversation with him. Immediately realize it's a big mistake. Smell his breath. I could probably smell the pilot's breath from here at this moment in time. Lucy falls asleep on my lap. I try not to breathe out of my nose. He drones about Obama, breathing heinousness in my direction. As a desperate attempt to escape, I throw my head in the opposite direction. Woman on other side of me hasn't looked up at us once. I glance down at the book she is engulfed in. Read one line, "He throws her onto the bed, they know this can only happen just this one time..." Whoa! I quickly avert my eyes, startled and embarrassed. She is sweating and wiping her brow. She is getting hot and bothered squished next to me. I look back at Jason in desperation, with a sleeping baby on my lap, feeling my stomach preparing to empty itself. Jason is fast asleep. I feel anger that he is asleep. I start to pray. Man is still talking about Obama and Texas and power plants and hunting. I keep praying. Lucy starts to wake. I reach back and grab Jason's leg, passing her back to him over my head. In attempt to relieve nausea, I completely inhale the now cold biscuits and gravy, pretty sure without chewing. Another big mistake. Halfway through eating them, I know it's not the last time I will see them. But we are preparing to land, and the fasten seatbelt sign is lit. I pray again. Please let me make it off this plane. Please. As we descend I am unbuckling my seatbelt, ready to dash. We land in Denver, taxi, and I run for it. Make it to the bathroom with not a second to spare. Big time heave, and start to cry. Ugly-face cry, big tears. Call my mom. Receive the necessary nurturing while my husband is getting our stuff ready to board again on our final leg home. Feel a little better but still need to cry. I thank Father in Heaven for getting me to the toilet.