A week of milestones and a 7 month birthday

In my last post I said that I was having a hard time keeping track of all the changes McKinley is making. I wasn't kidding. In just one week's time he has said his first words, which are quickly turning into many other jibbery noises, graduated to the 'big boy car seat' and rides in the grocery cart and a first try at 'puffs' (think melty rice cakes for babies). Note in that I said he is saying...WORDS.

Last Monday, Cary was changing McKinley's diaper and 'talking' to him, as we do, trying to get him to say "Mama". Guess what? He said it! OF COURSE, I was out of the room getting things ready for his bath. Of course, I was! Thankfully, he was all too happy to continue repeating it for me. And yesterday I was given a very special gift. I woke up to "mamamamamama" on the monitor. THAT is the BEST way to wake up, EVER!

Well, it would only be appropriate that Cary would hear McKinley say "Mama" and I would hear him say "Dada" first, right? That's how it happened! Last night, while Cary was in the shower and I was getting McKinley ready for his bath (I SWEAR this child gets 'talkie' before bathtime), he said "Dada"!!! I screamed Cary's name so loud it made McKinley jump! FUNNY! I ran into the bathroom, with a naked McKinley in arms, to tell Cary what I had just witnessed. Its kind of anti-climactic when it is 'your' word and you don't get to hear it, but I was so excited! I can't believe our baby boy is chattering so much already! It is amazing to see.

Last Saturday, McKinley took his very first ride in the big boy car seat, you see how it ended...zzzzzzzz. He was really able to look all over and even outside the car. I think he enjoys this one much more than the infant seat, he was WAY over that. I would be too, if I had the option of riding in what can only be described as a rear-facing lounger! Geez, if only we could all be so comfortable in our 'car seats'.

Anyway, it was a major realization for me and Cary that McKinley is really growing out of that baby phase. The first time we had to carry him from the car to a destination - not in a car seat - was startling to both of us.

On Sunday, McKinley had his yummy sweet potato flavored puffs. He wasn't so sure about them, but he sure liked pushing them around on his high chair tray. He finally got the hang of it...put puff piece in between finger and thumb, bring hand to mouth, put puff in mouth. It was a really entertaining process. Also, within the week we have tried out the grocery-cart cover. WHY didn't someone invent that sooner? BLAH! They need to make them for adults. Hmmm...there's an idea. Who wants to touch that nasty, dirty grocery cart handle anyway? YUCK! And don't even think about the germs you'll find on that little seat part. Ewwwww! Creeps me out.

Well, this thing just covers all of that funk and keeps McKinley (and us, for that matter) as germ free as we can manage. How have I turned into a germ-o-phobe?

So, tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Yay! I love it! Once again, the online 'July Mommy' group I belong to chose to do an exchange. This time we exchanged a book for our children. I don't know how, but we were lucky enough to have the same Mommy and baby we had for the Christmas outfit exchange draw us again! She and her son sent McKinley the cutest Elmo Valentine themed book, and a cute little pez dispenser for us. FUN!

Tomorrow evening we will read our two Valentine's Day books to McKinley, while he is in his 'Heartbreaker' sleeper and hope he will grow to appreciate the day as we do.

I'm so excited to share that I got my Valentine a little early this year. Cary and McKinley sent me the most gorgeous roses and a box of chocolates! I was so surprised, it was very sweet of my boys to think of me.

Can't wait to exchange Valentines with them tomorrow.

Not much else is new on the home front. I'm hard at work finishing up stuff for the Queen's Ball (NINE days and counting) with my chapter. We will all be glad when its over (husbands and family members included). I told Cary that after this is over I'm going to need a nice, stiff drink...or two, or three...hmmm, maybe 5?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lynn

Lovebug

Ahhh, so many things have been happening I have a hard time keeping up on the updates! Our lives are so busy right now what with planning our annual sorority Queen's Ball for this month and just the normal day-to-day life of parenthood, its crazy around here!



We've had fun times despite being so busy...McKinley and I have been 'lunching fools' lately sharing lunch with 'aunts' Lisa and Jodi and next week we'll see Honey and Papa (my Godparents)! But the best lunches are when we all three lunch together when Daddy comes home at noon to see us.

McKinley has been hard at work being my little helper, happily going right along with me as I run many errands for sorority and Queen's Ball. He's such a good sport. As long as he can see me, see what's going on around him, has his paci and maybe a toy he's very happy.

Some sad news in our lives, two weeks ago we lost our dear, dear neighbor and friend, Mickey. Many who have been to our home have met the famed pair next door, and if you haven't met them you've met/heard Badger their dog. Mickey has been battling leukemia for some time now, he had also recently developed some various skin cancers while Jane, his wife continues her second battle with breast cancer. Mickey left us on January 18th. Our hearts and our prayers are with Jane and their families. Cary and I keep talking about how they just don't make good neighbors like that anymore. He will be missed, especially this summer. He and Cary had a friendly 'grass cutting competition'. Jane once told me that every time Cary mowed, she 'got on Mickey' to get out there and cut it like Cary did and to learn from his beautiful work. So, Mickey began charting the directions he mowed every week on his calendar, changing it up just like Cary. TOO FUNNY! The yards on this block are always meticulous, that's for sure.

I fondly remember Mickey's kindness last winter. He and Jane were so happy to be welcoming a new 'neighbor' (McKinley), they couldn't wait! During our last big snow I lumbered out to the Eclipse (which we'd left outside) to leave for an appointment. Mickey was busy clearing off the sidewalk, but when he saw pregnant me he came right over and started digging out the car, insisting that I stand by and wait. This coming from an 80 year old man! He was always so kind to us. A true gentleman.
Our neighborhood will NOT be the same.


Last weekend we visited Grandma & Grandpa, Mamaw, Aunt Lori & Uncle Mike and cousins in Bloomington. We had a lot of fun, as you can tell! I LOVE this picture of Cary's parents and McKinley, it is precious. I also love the green bean face. Grandma was feeding McKinley and he could not have been happier to be having green beans,
served by his Grandma, while having his picture taken.

McKinley has been making some very big changes lately. So many, in fact that I am not sure I can keep up! I'm confident in saying that in a post in the not-so-distant-future I'll be reporting that we have a crawler! He's so close and very determined. We can really tell that he is tired of being immobile and is just ready to go. Great! Great...
As I previously posted, he started by saying, "Oh!" all the time. That was quickly followed by "Mmmm", which is leading to "mamamamama". Now his very favorite thing to do is where you say 'ahhhhhhhhhh' and you move your hand to and from your mouth, making an 'ahh, ahh, ahh' sound. Hard to explain, but very cute! Now he sings a very (VERY) high pitched squeal along with the funny mouth thing. It gets him so excited and he looks like he's going to burst. The best is when he does this in the middle of mass while everyone else is singing. I keep saying he's our 'Baby Idol' (I think he's going to love music like his Mommy and Daddy-Dave Matthews Band and Justin Timberlake, especially). Cary and I can't keep from laughing out loud when he sings in church when it is SILENT, or when Father Joel is speaking. I know the people around us are all greatly entertained, they don't mind his 'singing' and have reassured us that they enjoy such a happy baby. I could swear one of the greeters was going to clear 'our' pew so she could see him when some newish parishoners 'stole' our regular seat last week. After mass, she came up to us and told McKinley how much she'd missed him that night! She was even complaining about the other people who were sitting where we do! How funny is that? Cary and I are so glad that McKinley's loud expressions of happiness are so well received, sometimes you never know how people will react to a baby.

Also, new are the stage 2 foods. He has really enjoyed all the same old favorites (green beans, peas, applesauce, even pears!) in the thicker purees and now we've added turkey, macaroni and cheese and chicken to his repertoire (NASTY, we think). Here are some pictures of McKinley in his new high chair. He loves that thing, we are SO glad we got it!

Recently, McKinley has shown some interest in the television, so we whipped out the Baby Einstein DVD and let me just say that he is so taken by the whole thing we are just amazed. Its not like we sit him in front of it for hours, by any means (lol), just for the duration of the show. I get down on the floor and we do the moves that the DVD instructs together. He is so happy and just sings and watches very intently. It is so sweet.
Soon we will have our 6 month pictures back to post on here, but for now we'll share the 'home photo shoots' that we enjoy doing.

Busy weeks ahead as we finish all the Queen's Ball planning and prepare to host the event on February 23rd. I'm honored to be serving as our chapter's princess, and my sweet husband will be escorting me that evening. We will have many pictures, I'm sure.

Also, the day after Valentine's Day, Cary and I will be celebrating NINE great years together. I just can't believe it! Time flies when you're having fun, right?! It seems like yesterday that he walked up to my jewelry counter...I don't think we will ever forget that moment. Sometimes God puts us right where we're supposed to be, right when we're supposed to be there!
And speaking of Valentine's Day...here is our little Valentine Prince. He's our sweetie!









Have a great week!
Lynn