2008 has definitely been a year we will never forget and one of the best and most important in our lives! Of course, we are referring to the fact that our little Brendan was born this year. He arrived on July 1 at 12:16 a.m. after nine months that felt like an eternity! He was 8 lbs 9 oz and 20 inches long. 
Brendan is a really wonderful baby! He has the sweetest personality and is so happy all the time. He smiles and laughs all day long and is really a joy to be around. He has changed so much from the day we brought him home from the hospital that we can't even believe he is the same baby looking back at the pictures! He is now 5 1/2 months old, and we think he will start crawling any day now. He is adored by his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, so he is a very lucky kid, and we feel lucky to have him as well. Here are a few pictures from the last 5 months:
Nash & Sam, our two Beagles, have adjusted to Brendan very well, though they are definitely a lot more neglected than they used to be! One advantage to having them is that they have developed an affinity for Brendan's spit-up and have become the inadvertant clean up crew! In fact, every time he burps now, they come running, so I guess Pavlov was right about that Classical Conditioning stuff!
Eddie and I are still very involved with judo both here in Texas and around the world. In fact, in November we traveled to Finland where I refereed at the Finnish Open which was a very interesting experience. We took a little time while we were in that part of the world to visit St. Petersburg, Russia and enjoyed seeing all of the amazing architecture and learning a little bit more about Russian history. I've always wanted to see Russia, so this was a great experience that I would not have had if it wasn't for judo!
Eddie continues to do well with his job as a recruiter for the Lucas Group. Though the economy has slowed things down a bit, we are confident that things will turn around for the better. I am no longer teaching and can't say that I miss it too much! While taking care of Brendan is definitely my full time job, my business - Significant Events of Texas - has become very much "full time" as well. I joke that Brendan is my good luck charm, because right after he was born, things with the business got very busy and, thankfully, have stayed that way. You can view my recent events at www.significanteventsoftexas.com. I plan to update this blog on a monthly basis with new pictures of Brendan so keep checking! We wish the very best to you and your family this Holiday Season!
Love,
Eddie, Meredith, & Brendan
