Monday-Monday!

Not sure that these pictures really need any words!

One will do for now:

JOY!

We got into the kitchen drawer...


We pulled everything out and played with it...

We tore up the phone book, because who even looks at those anymore...

We played with a red bandana...

We also played with every car and truck we had...

We watched a little bob the builder...

We helped Mommy put the diapers away in the basket...

We read some books...

We looked so cute Mommy wanted to smother him in kisses...

We tried on our new boots...

pantsless of course...

we did a little climbing...


and backpack wearing...

we even found a much better use for the block basket...

Things Mac ~ 16 months

• He is still a great talker. He LOVES to talk.

• He knows what sounds the letters A, B, C, D, M, W and sometimes S make, when asked.

• He is starting to put two words together: "no bampa", "hi car-car"

• He can tell if you give him a book upside down and will turn right side up on his own.

• He did awesome on our plane rides last week. Slept the entire time on the way to Spokane and was such a good boy, and awake on the way home.

• He knows when we are home, and when we pull in the drive way will look at me and say "home",

• He has figured out what keys are for, he loves to put them up to the door handle.

• It seems that he is getting to be a pickier eater than ever. And of course his favorite things have milk in them.

• When he gets up in the morning he is usually grouchy until he gets a full sippy of milk and a bowl of instant oatmeal.

• Last night when we were having our cuddle time right before bed, he was so tired that he ended up falling asleep in my arms. WOW! LOVED it!

• Next week we will get to visit C. And we are so excited! I can't wait for her to see how he is grown!

• He fell down the stairs (only two steps) at my friends house and fell right on his forehead on the tile floor.

• He is now at the stage of continuous bruises on his forehead. He has had at least two on his head at a time for a couple of weeks now.

• He is getting his 14th and 15th tooth, both canines, one on top and the other on bottom (he already has one canine on the bottom). After he gets his last one he will be done until his two year molars come in.

• He is doing much better at playing in nursery (just for play time). Only 7 more weeks until he can go in full time. I am thinking it will be a pretty smooth transition.

• He can tell the difference between a car and a truck. He still says "k-k" for truck and he says "ca" for car.

• today when I told him to sit down on his chair, he said "bum-bum". Daddy always tells him to sit on his bum-bum.

That's our boy, growing up so fast, and so smart!

He is our life!

away...

 ...he is all mine!

Hubs and I went on a little get away to the coast/lake, to celebrate our anniversary and the end of busy season. We stayed at the family lake house that is near the coast, the weather was beautiful. We left Mac with my parents, left him for the first time. We had a great time, and Mac was very well taken care of.

We poked around downtown Florence. We went to our favorite beach, Sunset Bay. We looked at tide pools. We went to a beautiful garden near by. We ate at the Mill Casino. We watched movies. We went to a Historical Museum for the Coos Bay area. We went on a walk. We ate chips and salsa. We took naps and slept in. And called to check on Mac at least 5 times a day, it was only to help keep my sanity.

It was delightful and relaxing!

EIGHT years...

This picture looks like it was taken 50 years ago, but really it was just eight.

(sorry for the bad picture, it is a picture of a picture and the only one I could find.)

Ode to Eight Years...

two people, one wedding.

5 years of school: one bachelors in finance and one masters in accounting.

lived in 4 cities and two states: 6 moves, 3 apartments, 3 duplexes, zero houses.

12 different jobs between the two of us: Hubs-8, Me-4

6 Wards, 1 Branch

14 months living away from our family and friends.

4 cars, still have two.

lost two family members very tragically.

7 months of foster-respite care to a sweet, beautiful ,little girl.

6.66 years childless, with millions of tears.

8 months of fertility treatments: one surgery, 2 failed IUIs, thousands of dollars spent.

3 months of paperwork for Adoption: 5 months to be "chosen", 5 months of waiting.

one amazing selfless women, one beautiful miracle baby boy, OUR SON.

16 months of parenthood: one sweet baby that is now one sweet toddler.

millions of tears, smiles, laughs, hugs, kisses and blessings.

one very amazing husband!

...and ETERNITY to go!

going on vacation...

I haven't felt like blogging much...hence the lack of blog posts lately.

But I wanted to quickly get down some of the things we have done in the last week or so.

I will be gone alot the next couple of weeks, so I will be blogging even less than I have the last month. But when I get back I will for sure be sharing about all the trips we have taken.

Last weekend, General Conference weekend we spent at my parents house. The weather was so nice and warm. Did alot of rides in my dad's 31 Model A Ford. Spent alot of time out side, and watched as much conference as we could. Took some pictures but will share later.

Got to meet our new new adorable nephew, hopefully I will get the chance to take some newborn shots of him soon.

Spent the day in shorts and outside last Monday. Found a beautiful park full of Blossoming Magnolia trees.

Mac and I invited a friend to go to the coast with us for the day. I thought the weather would be much nicer, and I was wrong. So the coast was basically a bust. But I do get a "Mother of The Year" Award for letting Mac fall down in the cold ocean water. Thankfully I was fully prepared for anything and had a change of clothes for him and the trusty baby powder to get all the sand off. The highlight was getting to talk alot with my friend Angie. Her and her husband will be approved to adopt very soon. I am so excited for them.

Wednesday, my niece Brenna flew into town. So I went and spent Thursday and Friday at my parents house to hang with her. She then came down and stayed the night with us on Friday night and spent the day with us on Saturday.

We watched two movies, Seven Pounds and Marley and Me. Loved them both!

Tried to get to an Easter egg hunt on time, but no luck. But did meet up with my friend Brynne and Mac enjoyed running around with Brenna chasing him.

We have been house hunting and Saturday went and looked at some Hayden Homes. Very beautiful!

Mac got a cute dog from Build-A-Bear from his Grandma Cammy.

Easter Sunday was a little chaotic and mostly not so fun. Spent most of the day without Hubs because of his meetings, so we never got a family picture. Mac looked pretty handsome in the outfit that his cousin Brenna got him. Mac was awful at church! And only did well through most of Sacrament meeting because I brought the bribe food: oreos and goldfish! Hubs split the back of his pants at church and had to run home and change (he is going to kill me for posting that). Not a big deal since the suit pants were at least 5 years old. I had a migraine by the end of church. We went home and waited for Hubs to finish his duties at church. Then headed to my parents house for dinner and to say goodbye to Brenna.

Mac took the Sacrament for the first time yesterday.

Mac has been way more cuddly and loving the last two weeks or so. I am loving it. After our bedtime routine Hubs would usually put him in his crib after I gave Mac kisses. Now Mac wants me to hold him and cuddle him before he goes down at night. I love it. He will put his head down on my shoulder and just lay there. This is unheard of from Mac. He has also at times sat on our lap and cuddled for five or more minutes at a time.

This week (the 14th) Hubs and I will be celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary! Busy season ends for Hubs on the 15th and then next day we will leave Mac (for the very first time) with my parents and go to the coast for a couple of days.

Next Monday Mac and I will be flying to Spokane to visit my friend for five days.

The beginning of May we will be driving to Utah with my parents to visit my brothers. They have never met Mac. We are also hoping to meet up with C, Mac's birthmother. We haven't seen her since last August. I am so excited to see her and for her to see how big Mac is getting.

As soon as we get back from Utah, Hubs's brother will be going through the Temple for the first time. He is getting married in June.

welcome...

T. M.April 3, 2009
6 lbs. 12 oz.

Hubs's sister and her family welcomed this adorable little guy last Friday.

We were lucky enough to go and see him (and S) on Saturday.

Oh, he is seriously adorable, with lots of hair.

Perfect and healthy and home today with his family.

Big brother, S was pretty set on naming him Moses.

Congrats to S & J

and big sisters, H & A

and big brother, S and just some more that I took, that I thought were pretty cute...

Funny Things Mac...

(15 1/2 months old)

-yesterday, my parents were in town. Mac has a serious obsession with my dad. he asks for "bumpa" at least ten times a day. Mac was so excited when grandma and grandpa got here. we went out to lunch and my dad sat in the back with Mac and Mac would put his hand on my dads arm and pat it and say "bampa" over and over. seriously precious!

-Mac had pasta and sauce one day this week for dinner. he was totally chowing down on it. i asked him "Is that good stuff?" He thought I said "soft" so he started rubbing his slimy hands on his head saying "sof". he had to have a bath after that.

-I had just cleaned up the mess in the family room and picked up the blanket that is usually on the floor that Mac lays on or sits on or we get him dressed on. I put the blanket on our blanket basket. Not long after that Mac was wanting some milk. I told him to go lay down and I would bring him some milk. He usually just goes and lays down on his blanket. But he obviously noticed his blanket wasnt on the floor so he went over to the blanket basket and grabbed his blanket and dragged it across the floor and layed down on it waiting for me to bring him some milk. I was a little taken back it.

-He picked up a bag that was laying around and put it over his shoulder (like you would a purse) and started walking to the door. He then looked over at us and waved and said "goodbye". We were cracking up obviously!

-(picture above) Mac is obsessed with any vehicle and as I have said before with his Grandpa M. My dad sat down to look at his latest issue of Hemmings magazine. Mac was sitting there reading it to Grandpa and pointing to every car and jabbering away. It was too adorable.

-(picture below) we don't make a habit of letting Mac play with hammers, but Grandpa was fixing the garbage disposal and Mac wanted to help.

-when we are now at my parents house, Mac constantly hangs around the door that goes out to the garage and says "bampa, k-k (truck)". He is a little obsessed with my dads 31 Model A Ford. And my dad usually humors him and takes him out to play in the old Ford.

-he now can fold his arms perfectly when we tell him we are going to say prayer. He also know exactly when to say "amen" at the end of prayer. I am pretty sure he knows what prayers are compared to normal talking because in church alot he will say amen over and over in the middle of someone saying the prayer.

-he also says "num-num" when ever he like some food. he was watching me take banana bread out of the oven and he looked at it and said "num-num" over and over again. He got upset when I wouldn't give him some right away.

March Happenings...

-we have been doing family home evening every Monday. it only last about 30 seconds and it is usually just showing Mac a picture of Jesus and telling about the picture. Mac recognized Jesus and any Temple and can say both and point to them when he sees them.



-work for Hubs has actually slowed down sooner then the actual end of busy season. so he has been working normal hours this last week and he won't be working on Saturdays anymore.

-got invited to see a movie with friends from church. saw bride wars, and actually liked it.



-saw a friend from high school that i haven't seen in probably 7 or 8 years. it was really great to see him, and do a quick catch-up. (i wish i hadn't been in such a hurry so that we could have talked longer).



-i turned 30 years old. i still don't really believe it. my parents happily watched Mac on the Saturday before my birthday and Hubs took me to see Twilight and to PF Changs. Sorry, but I didn't like the movie, either did Hubs. we both thought it was corny and the actors were awful. I ended the date with a massive migraine.



-Mac was pretty good at church the last two Sundays. we have sacrament meeting in the third hour, which is hard on Mac, but with lots of snacks we can usually make it through. at one point Mac caught sight of Hubs sitting on the stand and started laughing. he kept on doing all the way through the meeting. he would say "dada" and then just start cracking up.



-Mac can now climb on his little chairs without wanting to climb up on the table all the time. when he climb up on the chair he usually ends up on his knees and then has figured out how to get his legs out so that he is sitting on his bum. when he ends up on his feet, he is having a harder time figuring out how to get to his bum. it is very cute to watch, he is just growing up so fast.


-Hubs got to take Mac and visit one of his good buddies from high school, while I was at the movie. Hubs really enjoyed visiting and showing off mac.



-we have been looking at houses a little. we are really hoping to buy a house by the end of summer.



-I have bought tickets to go see my friend in Spokane. I am really excited to see her and her family. But not excited about flying with Mac who is not a lap sitter and hates being confined in any way. So we will see how that goes.

-i have really felt like I need to build up our food storage lately. So I have been trying to buy a few jugs of water and a case of canned food a couple of times a month. I am also going to make a list of stuff for a couple of 72 hours kits and start getting a few things every week.

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