You have a Baby in a Bar?!

After we left the aquarium we stopped at a local brewery. The weather was good and the porch was nice. Plus there was a sno cone truck and this appealed to the boys. I joked as we were walking in that we were taking a baby into a bar! But apparently, this isn't the typical (what you think of) bar. And in fact, there were a bunch of kids and moms with strollers and babies all over the porch! Babies in a bar! It was a big joke the whole time we were there. The boys were also enjoying cheering on a corn hole game going on near our table.

I took a picture of dad taking a selfie and Keagan photo-bombing!

After we returned home the boys really wanted to go swimming. I don't remember exactly what the temp was, but they were bound and determined to swim and it was coooooold. I'm fairly certain they'd beg to go swimming even if we came to Texas at Christmastime! Poor kids were teeth-chattering the whole time...but they went swimming!

Meanwhile...Grandpa got twisted tighter around Mac's baby finger!

Texas for Spring Break!

Now that I have a child in the school system, our "time off" revolves around his breaks. During Spring Break we decided to take the kids down to Texas to visit my parents. The boys had been begging to go see their Grandma and Grandpa, and Grandma and Grandpa missed their boys and were dying to see Maclyn. We crammed all kinds of fun, and great quality time, into our visit...starting with a visit to the Aquarium in Austin.

The aquarium was the perfect adventure because it was kind of rainy that day. But by the time we left, the weather was perfect and ready for some outdoor adventures! The boys loved that they could interact with the stingrays, sharks, lizards, birds,  etc, and Maclyn really seemed to enjoy watching all the fish!

Grandpa didn't mind toting this little lady around the whole time! I did bring her stroller...but he preferred to hold her. Can we say "wrapped around her finger" ???

Funny Faces in the photobooth with Grandma!!

Fish are Friends...not Food! (channeling Finding Nemo)   

(but, we like fish to eat)

9 months!!!

No, for real. This nugget is 9 months old. Well, 12 days ago she was 9 months...so I guess technically she is nearly 9.5 months. Can I go cry now?! Denial...it isn't just a river in Egypt.

If you haven't been blessed by meeting this sweet baby, you are missing out. I know she's mine and that automatically causes a lot of bias, but this baby is hands-down the sweetest baby ever. She's a lover all the time, she smiles a lot, and she is generally happy. As I have said for the past several months, she only gets upset when she is hungry/wet/tired. She gets her loudest and most upset during tummy time or "therapy" as I have now begun calling it.

Yep. Mac is still not rolling, crawling, or bearing weight through her feet. I can't decide if it's a problem and something I should be concerned about, the doctor says no - her muscle tone is fine and she is developing in all other areas just fine. She is just content and nothing motivates her. Personally, it does bother me. I am ok with her being a baby a little longer, and because she is so content she is super easy also being immobile. But I have to say, my physical therapy background and mind goes to dark places when my kids don't meet their motor milestones. So, I have begun doing "therapy" with her daily. This consists of a lot of screaming because I put her in positions she won't get in herself! The boys hate it, they don't like to see their baby upset. I don't particularly like it either. And lucky for us all, I can only stand about 15 minutes!

But...back to my happy baby!

At 9 months old Mac weighs in at 20lbs 6 ounces, and length is 28.5 inches tall. She is nursing 4 times a day now, eating solids at every meal and some soft table foods when we have them. She drinks from a straw cup and tries her darndest to eat out of my hand if I am holding food or drink while holding her! She is sitting good, reaches far outside of her base of support, taking big-girl baths in the tub, and can twist around on her back like she's going to roll (but she never does). She still has no teeth, and none on the horizon according to the doctor and much to her mommy's chagrin. I've blamed any whiny times on teething. But...yeah...she is a ways off.

She is still the love of her brothers' lives and the feeling is still mutual. She cannot get enough of them. From the minute she wakes until she goes to bed, both of the boys must know what she's doing and love on her every chance they get. She watches their every move and smiles and talks and waves at them. With my whole heart, I pray that this love between the three of them sticks around. If so, these will be the tightest siblings ever. And isn't that what every momma dreams of and prays for?

Have I mentioned I blame everything on teething? Eating the decorations is normal around here...

Happy 9 Months, Baby Mac!