Sic 'Em, Baylor Homecoming!

Last weekend was the best one of the year! Baylor Homecoming is one of the most fun and full weekends in the fall.. It was Cara's 2nd Homecoming, and we hope to keep the consecutive tradition alive for many more years to come. Here she is at the parade last year, sleeping through most of it.

We did have to modify some of our traditions this year, but we hit all the highlights and made a lot of memories. Here, our weekend in photos...

Amanda and I had a girls' night at Pigskin. We missed Sing in February because of my baby and her belly, but this time both babies were fine at home with their daddies. :) We decided there are only a certain few friends who can appreciate your running commentary of the acts and the associations we make from them. We had fun together and ran into Allison (and baby Clara) too! What a fun Friday night--and we made the good decision to go at 6:30 instead of 10, which didn't end until 1 a.m...

The next morning was the parade, bright and early. We thought we would get to 5th St. "early", but underestimated what time the rest of the entire Baylor alumni base would arrive as well. We snagged some spaces at the very end of 5th St. behind some barricades and bundled up. It was cold!!!! Very windy and chilly. I thought Cara would want to sit in her camp chair and watch the parade, but she ended up in my lap, snuggling under 2 blankets and her jacket for most of the parade.

She did like to look at the horses and dogs that walked by and the giant inflatable bear. She would point and "ooooh" at several things, and she waved at the pretty girls in the cars. Next year, she'll be running to catch the candy they throw too. When it was over, we walked to look at the floats all lined up, and Cara toddled up and down the street and sidewalk. I had to help her up the curb, but she did so good walking back and forth. She's getting such confidence!

Afterwards, we went home for Cara's nap and to warm up! Chance went out to tailgate with our friends, and I got to rest and clean up too. Cara discovered that her PBK chair is her reading spot, and she took a book from her basket, walked over to her chair, climbed up in it and "read it" (babbled) to herself. So sweet!

After naptime, we headed to the tailgate. We were a little late, so we had to walk pretty far, but we got there in plenty of time to see lots of friends.

 {Cara is checking out Reed's sweet bear hat! One day we'll get pictures of them looking at the camera too.}

Cara was a squirmy worm in our seats during the game. We made it through halftime and the show, and then it was definitely bedtime, so I took her home while Chance stayed for the rest of the game. I was grateful it wasn't as cold as the morning had been so that we could enjoy it a little more.

It was such a fun weekend celebrating Baylor and seeing friends and introducing Cara more and more to the school and traditions we love so much. Can't wait for next year!

And some wonderful quotes from Baylor's former president, Samuel Palmer Brooks, that I always think of when Homecoming comes around: "Will you not, as a loyal student of dear old Baylor, lay aside for a few days the usual cares of life, come back to your alma mater, renew former associations and friendships, and catch that Baylor spirit again?"

"Because of what Baylor has meant to you in the past, because of what she will mean to you in the future, oh, my students, have a care for her."