End of day three in Houston

We feel like we are pretty well settled in Houston.  Today Rachel, my mom, and Jenny went to the Houston Ballet to see the Nutcracker.  My dad and I hung back at the hotel with Ava.  It was so relaxing.  We bundled Ava into the stroller and headed over to the shopping mall across the street from the hotel.  We got some lunch and then spent a few hours sitting outside the Starbucks.  It really was nice (it also happens to be sunny and 75 degrees, which helps).  On the way back, we walked by a cigar store and I resisted temptation to buy a few stogies to smoke with my dad later.  It was funny poking our heads into the cigar store -- there were a bunch of guys sitting around on big leather lounge chairs smoking cigars and watching NFL football.  Not too shabby.  Instead of stopping there, we headed back to the hotel and Jenny and Ava and I watched a few football games on TV (my dad joined us in the room later).

When Jenny, Rachel, and my mom got home from the ballet in the afternoon, I took Jenny to the hotel pool and it felt so good to swim with her (and of course go in the hotel jacuzzi).  Then we all had dinner in the room as a family and then watched The Sound of Music on the DVD player.  I couldn't think of a better way to spend a day.

Here are a few good photos I took today - one of my mom with Ava, one of Rachel feeding Ava, and one of Ava wrapped in her little straight jacket outfit that Jane and Greg gave us.

Tomorrow morning we head to the pediatrician for our first visit since we left the hospital.  We will likely leave Jenny with my parents and they will either take her to the pool or perhaps to a museum.  According to the hotel staff, it's supposed to be 80 degrees in Houston tomorrow.  Remind me again why we don't live somewhere warm in the winter?  Speaking of which, we have been liking Texas more and more.  We have a Texas A&M outfit for Ava and now we have a special place in our hearts for Texas.

J.