FIRST haircut!

Mac got his FIRST haircut today.

He was starting to get these long hairs and they would get all fuzzy, and it was just really bugging both Hubs and I. Also it was only on one side of his head, so it looked a little lopsided.

BEFORE

We just staged this picture.

I wanted Hubs to catch the hair because I didn't want to lose one little strand.

Keepsake

I had these little self laminating cards and it worked perfect.

AFTER

how did I do?

BEFORE

looking so big...

yesterday...

yesterday we stayed in our PJs all day! it has been awhile since we have had one of those days, it felt good!

Anyways these are the funny things Mac did yesterday...

learned to sit on a ball without falling off...I was impressed!

and went with out a shirt for awhile because he has taken an interest in drinking out of cups now that he has figured out the whole tilting head back thing. so he was soaked and his top was in the dryer.

decided to pull himself up onto the window ledge!

my cute kid!

I ran upstairs for just a second and when I came back down this is what he was doing...
(this is his new favorite "truck" book)

and after he realized I had the camera he stood himself up and clapped.

When he first started standing himself up last week we would clap and get all excited and he would join in. So now he still claps when he stands himself even though he is a total pro at it now. What a cute kid!

"wheel-wheel"

Mac can't say just "wheel" when he sees one...it is always "wheel-wheel"!

Last week we went on a walk with Mac in Grandma's garden wagon we came upon some construction rigs parked near by. We got Mac out to look at them and he was in heaven.

I am in love with this picture as well as the cute little boy in it!

This is when we were trying to get him back in the wagon after looking at the construction rigs. He would have nothing to do with it. All he wanted to do after that was to push the wagon all the way home. It took us awhile to get back home because of this. What a kid!

my sleeping babe...

...dReAmY!

a THINGS Mac quicky!

I just needed to jot down a few things before I forget...

Mac is 15 months old:

This week he has finally figured out how to tilt his head back to drink from a sippy or a cup. And he has also figured out how to stand himself up without any assistance.

Tonight he was getting all excited that we were excited about him standing himself up that he started turning himself in circles. It was too funny! Hubs and I were laughing so hard, and when anyone laughs he has to join in. So he would stop twirling and look at us and laugh with his hand on his mouth. I was so upset when I went to get our video camera and the battery was dead.

When you ask Mac a question he ALWAYS responds with "no" and shakes his head at the same time.

He can say "pancake" and "oatmeal" perfectly.

He is constantly asking to take a bath. He says "ba" and also signs it the best he can.

He has become VERY clingy lately. Which I both love and dislike at times.

Even though he is still 3 months away from nursery, with approval from the nursery leaders, I left Mac in Nursery for just a little while last week. I needed to teach my lesson and I couldn't find Hubs. Come to find out Mac is not much of a fan when he realizes that I am not there. He doesn't get hysterical I guess but he becomes clingy to the leaders and wants to be held the whole time. The same thing happened when I left him in the nursery during out Enrichment RS Birthday on Saturday. I thought Mac would be a piece of cake when it finally came his turn, I hope things change by then because I won't be able to stay in there with him.

He has grown an attachment to the blanket I made him for Christmas. Almost every time I go and get him from his crib he will hand me the blanket then put his arms out for me.

He suprised me the other day looking at a book with an owl in it and pointed to it and said "hooo". I was shocked, except that I shouldnt be, because this is how randomly he has picked up on all his animal sounds. I may show him an animal once or twice and tell him the sound than randomly a week or more later he will remember what I showed him and say the sound perfectly, usually without me asking.

He has been saying "bampa" (grandpa) non-stop since we visited my parents last week.

He has a serious obsession with cars and trucks and now trains. Animals and animal sounds are old news to him. He has a book that has pictures of farm stuff, mostly animals. But there is one spread of pages that has a tractor and combine harvester and when he gets to that page he always gets excited and looks at it forever. I also always find the book open to that page alot.

Mac is as cute as ever. I am loving this age except for the "tantrum" days, and those have been pretty few and far between. Today happened to be one of those days.

The CALL...(Mac's Adoption Story~Part 4)

If you need a refresher on how we got to this point or if you have not had the chance to read our story make sure you do...

Part ONE

Part TWO

Part THREE

and now for Part FOUR...

(this part is actually taken from a previous post I had written on the year anniversary of us receiving this call.)

"My cell phone rang on Tuesday, July 24th, 2007, and I did not recognize the phone number so I didn't answer it. After a minute my phone made a little noise telling me they had left a message. It was our social worker, Cary. He said that he would track down Hubs at work. I got a little antsy thinking maybe this was the call we had hoped for, but I wasn't jumping to too many conclusions, I didn't want to get my hopes up. A few minutes later Hubs calls me from work, and said that Cary had called him and told him that we had been chosen by a Birthmother. He gave us her name, age and phone number and told us when the baby was due. He told us to call her and it was up to us how we went forward with the Birthmother and that he didn't really need to be involved. I was kind of in shock, I didn't cry or get hysterical, I just said, OK. I guess this is it.
I waited until Thursday evening to call C. I was a bit terrified, since I really hate talking on the phone. So Hubs and I kneeled down together to pray for the strength we needed to do this. I gave her a call and we talked for about a half hour or so. One thing I remember very clearly her asking us was, "So are you excited?" I couldn't believe that she was so sweet to ask us that. She told me that she was going to find out the next day if the baby was a boy or girl and she was going to have the ultrasound recorded on a video tape for us. She said that she thought that the baby would have brown curly hair and brown eyes (so we have been quite surprised by his red hair and bright blue eyes, which we love). We tried to come up with a good weekend we could get together with her since she only lived an hour away. It wouldn't be for weeks that we would all be able to do this and I was a bit disappointed because I was so anxious to meet her. C called me the next afternoon to tell me that it was a BOY. I was so excited! Except that Hubs and I could not ever agree on boy names, ever.
I called my mom and dad that afternoon. My parents had already planned on coming for Christmas, so I had asked my mom if they were still planning on coming for Christmas, she said yes. So I told her I just got her the best Christmas present and I asked her if she wanted to know what it was. She said yes, so I said "a baby boy". She was a little confused. So I then told her that we were going to adopt a baby boy due in December. She started to cry.
Hubs's parents were coming the next day to visit for a few days. So we decided to wait and tell them when they got there. When they got there Hubs waited till he was ready and told them that they would have another grandson coming in December. They were confused too, and we had to explain that we were CHOSEN by a birthmother to adopt her baby boy. Hubs's Mom was in tears. "

We knew from the moment we got this call that this is the reason Heavenly Father had lead us to Montana (of all places). We are very grateful that we followed those promptings that lead us to where we needed to be for C to find us.

We had almost five months to wait for our little guy, which sometimes seemed like forever. But I am so ever grateful for that time that we got to know C and create a relationship with her that means the world to us. It also gave us time to prepare to become parents to this precious little guy.

Friday and Saturday...

Friday...

I called my friend J and her two boys to go and play at the park with us. There was a nice break in the rain and it wasn't too cold. This was Mac's first time at the park since he can actually walk and climb. This kid doesn't stop...I was chasing after him constantly. He loved going down the slide, but he loved running to the dogs that everyone seemed to have. It was very tiring, but nice that Mac could actually play. I also tried to not be to uptight about how dirty Mac was getting, although it was really bothering me. He came home filthy and I just let that be ok. It was also very nice to be with friends.

Saturday...

Oh, we just had the most wonderful day! Hubs and I were able to leave Mac with my parents and we went up to Portland to go to the Temple. Hubs had to be at the Temple for youth baptisms already, so we just went a little earlier to catch a session. I saw so many people that I know there, I loved it. After our session we went and ate in the cafeteria and then met up with the Ward/Branch for baptisms. They didn't need my help so I left and went to the book store and Babies R Us. And got back to the Temple just in time for Hubs to walk out. Then we drove home. It was nice to sit and talk with Hubs non stop on our car ride there and back home. I think I talked his ear off. The day was just low key, no rush, went perfect, and quality time with my cute Hubs. It was all much needed! But we were so glad to get back to our cute little guy, who looked like he had grown up in the entire day we were away. He loves his grandma and grandpa, and especially loves grandpa old Model A Ford. He can't get enough of that thing. This kids is seriously big into cars, it is crazy!

Now we are ready for our busy, chaotic, tiring Sunday of teaching, and wrangling Mac through Primary and Sacrament Meeting.

the good and not so good of February...

good...we got our taxes done(and thanks to Mac and his adoption costs, we will get everything back! YAHOO!)

bad...both Mac and I had the flu

good...I got to go on a couple of dates with my cute hubby thanks to Grandma

bad...tax season is only half over, blah! (i guess this could be a good too)

good...Mac is a full time walker

bad...Mac thinks it is ok to wake up at 5am, ugh

good...my really expensive migraine medication is now in generic form so we will now save $40 a month

bad...Mac has learned to climb over my barrier to the dining room and kitchen

good...because of all the overtime Hubs is putting in he will have about 5-6 weeks vacation to use up after tax season is over.

bad...our CD burner doesn't work on our computer, dang!

good...I had almost half of my money budgeted (for our envelope budgeting) left at the end of the month. (this is mostly due to not going anywhere for two weeks while I and Mac were sick.)

bad...my heals keep on cracking and bleeding, it hurts! (I inherited really dry feet from my mother)

good...C called me last week. I love talking to that girl!

bad...I have been lonely and bored because I don't have any friends around here that I feel like I can just call up and see if they want to get together.

good...I have had alot of cool experiences to do with adoption recently. (hopefully I will get around to posting about that)

bad... having a hard time finding stuff for Mac to eat...picky plus allergic to milk equals frustrating!

good...Hubs was called to be the 1st counselor in the Spanish Branch Presidency

(the great thing about this post is that I really had to think hard to come up with some of the "bad".)

today...

...Mac has come into FULL toddler hood!

Oh my goodness has he ever!

(sorry about the cell phone pics, my camera was upstairs by the computer.)

Just this morning he was just trying to get up to sit on the chair, and was having a really hard time. Later in the afternoon however, I look over and see him standing on the chair and as I thought he was going to fall, he actually climbed up on the table.

I have this feeling he is going to be a climber, oh brother!

So I just got done feeding Mac and I got him cleaned up and got him down from his highchair. I ran upstairs for just a minute to use the restroom and when I come down...

Mac is sitting on the floor by the table with the can of pears I had been feeding him for dinner(I had obviously left it with in hands reach on the table). Thankfully the jagged, sharp lid was pushed down into the can. As I ran to grab it from him, he dumped the can over, leaving a big puddle of pear juice. He was covered in it as was the floor. I pulled him away and he comes back to splash and play in the sticky juice.

Now for the explanation of the picture above...

as I was trying to clean up the sticky pear juice (all of my kitchen towels were in the dryer so I had to use Mac's bath towel that was sitting on the couch). I look over at Mac, who had just grabbed the container of rice and veggies he had just eaten for dinner (I had also obviously left it with in hands reach on the table). He was trying to eat the leftovers with the spoon and spilling it all over the floor.

Thankfully I was in a good mood, as Mac has actually been in a good mood all day. So I was laughing hysterically, and Mac was too, because he always laughs when someone else is laughing.

This is how Mac stands most of the time (with his hands behind his back) and he will sometimes walk around like this too. It is the cutest thing ever!

And to just get something else down that he was doing tonight that was cute...

he was walking and running around the house saying something that sounded like he was saying "ready, set, GO!" but in his own jibberish language. When he would get to the GO part he would start running. I was thinking where on earth did he get that, I really have no clue! So I then started saying "ready, set..." and he would yell out "GO!"

What a smart boy!

He has also picked up on saying "no way!" This is mostly due to me playing with him and I will act like I am giving him something and then will take it back and say "no way". He LOVES that game.

this...

cute boy...

those eyelashes...

and that smile!

I can't get enough!

things Mac ~ 14 months

words (not perfectly pronounced) -

mik (milk-and signs), mo (more-and signs), magma (grandma), pa (grandpa), makie (blankie), up, light, toe (toast-he has his own weird sign for this), crckr (cracker-same sign as toast), nana (banana),vroom, memo (elmo-recognizes him correctly), sof (soft-as he pets), hewo (hello-puts hand up to ear), hot-and signs, yay (claps hands), sh (shoe), ba (bath-and signs), bu (book), tee (three), da (dada-and signs), bir (bird-signs and makes a tweet sound), side (outside), da (dog-signs or barks/grunts), tay-too (thank you-when he wants something or he gives you something), boo (peekabo), apple (recognizes it), bike, a-b-c (as in saying the start of the alphabet)...and honestly he can say almost anything you ask him to say.

can do:

blow kisses, high fives, blows on his hot food, stacks up to 5 blocks without knocking them down,

pretends to read, count and sing (too cute), can climb up on couch sometimes, recognize and say their sounds: cow , dog, bird , horse ("neah"), sheep, chicken ("bawk"). He knows the sounds of the letters A and B when asked, can sit and listen to a whole book with out turning the pages, is more gentle with paper books, his favorite is hymn books, walking everywhere, climb up the stairs, slide down stairs on tummy, can bend down to pick something up from standing and then stand back up, can climb on the couch, can climb over the barrier/baby gate,

funny things he does:

when he wants milk he will go lay himself down on the floor. He has never figured out how to put his head back to drink out of a sippy or cup when he is sitting up.

he loves to throw things over the baby gate, especially socks for some reason.

this was awhile ago...but I was putting his converse on and I gave him one of the shoes to play with so he would sit still long enough to get the other shoe on. He kept putting it in his mouth, and when I took it away to put it on his foot, he leaned down and to bite the shoe that I had already gotten on his foot. I was cracking up, this boy is bound and determined in what ever he does.

He literally will have a full conversation with you in baby talk. And it is as if he knows exactly what he is saying. It is the funniest thing I think he does.

He loves to empty baskets and bags and then put everything back in it and then empty it again.

if you ask him to honk his nose, he goes for it but he can never find his nose right off. Then he will repeatedly honk our nose, ouch.

he loves to move furniture around, he pushes the chairs all over the place.

he pretends to read or count if he sees any letters or numbers on anything.

he LOVE music and to look at hymn books. he will wave his arms in the air like he is directing.

he is still a really picky eater - he no longer likes bread or toast which used to be his absolute favorite. He loves oatmeal and pasta and sauce.

He recognized pictures of Jesus and will point and try to say Jesus.

bed time routine:
even with Hubs working so much he still usually seems to be home in time to help put Mac down to bed. Mac does not do well unless Hubs is doing our routine with us.

Get PJs on, climb up the stairs, brush teeth, fluoride (which he loves), Hubs sits in the rocking chair with him and kneel down next to them, we read scripture stories and sing a few songs, then we say prayer, then put him down.

We tried adding bath time to this and he usually ends up in an uproar, because he really hates to fussed with.