Mack's Friends

Introducing Mack's first friends.....the elephant and the giraffe!

Marching toward Crawl

Mack is demonstrating some great leg strength as she learns how to use her body. She's also almost ready to hold her head by herself. (She's been almost able to do this since she was born). I can't say we've prepped our house yet for crawling - since we're moving in mid-July to northern Virginia/D.C. One thing is for sure - she's very curious and alert. We're going to have to be VERY thorough in our baby-proofing.

Good Morning Dad!

At 5:45 am, it's hard to really motivate. Except for Mackenzie, of course. She's ready to roll. I'll have what she's having, thank you.

Represent!

Mack shows off her banana-slug roots.

Baby books that we love

In preparation for Mack's arrival, we bought a few books that we use to help guide us through the maze of parenting. Here is my list:

1. Baby 411 - an encyclopedia of sorts with short snippets of information on topics ranging from breastfeeding to choosing a pediatrician to immunizations. This is a helpful guide when you need quick information.

2. What to expect during the first year - one of the more popular books in the "what to expect" series. This book has a chapter for each month of the first year which really helps when you are trying to understand the developmental milestones.

3. Be prepared - a humorous book for dads which handy information on how to construct a diaper from a flannel shirt. The illustrations are wonderful.

4.Happiest baby on the block - the famous Dr. Karp method is outlined in this book. He presents his theory of the 4th trimester with a detailed method for calming a fussy baby. The book is good, but the DVD is great. The DVD is a "must buy" for any first time parent!

5. Secrets of the baby whisperer - another very popular book that has received high acclaim. The author discusses her EASY (eat, activity, sleep, and you) method. This book is really helpful when trying to think about how you want to parent a newborn. One caveat, the EASY method does not apply for babies under 6 weeks old.

6. Baby's first year journal - this book provides a short discussion for each day of a baby's first year. I find that much of it is repetitive, but it does work well in companion with the "what to expect" book.

Feel free to add additional books by adding a comment to this post.

Reincarnated?

Some may say that she looks like... click here.

Love the binkie...love the binkie

As anticipated, Craig and I have a "different" child. While most babies are happy to suck on a pacifier (or a binkie), we have to hypnotize her by chanting "love the binkie, love the binkie." Sometimes this works....

Happy Birthday to Mac!

May 23rd was Mack's 2 month birthday!

In praise of single mothers

As many of you may know, Craig was living in Charlottesville Monday-Thursday during the month of April. Some of the time, I had grandparents around to help while at other times, I was at home alone with Mack. These were not easy days as Mack requires 100% attention, extreme patience, and marathon-like stamina. As I counted the days until Craig returned and tried to find moments of relief, I realized that I was functioning like a single mom. But...I was only alone part of the week and I could look toward the inevitable moment when Craig walked through the door, saving me from a screaming baby. How do single parents raise a child alone? Where do they find the strength and patience? Are they super-human?

I am humbled by those women (and men) who raise a child alone.



Praise to single moms (and dads)! You should be given a medal of honor!

Tummy Time

Just so you know... babies are practically required by law now to sleep on their backs. Which is fine for Mack, since she pretty much can't stand being on her stomach. Of course the doctor said she now needs to be on her stomach for some 'tummy time' periodically throughout the day. Mackenzie is NOT a fan of this. Without tummy time, one runs the risk of a flat head and trouble learning to crawl. Therefore we endure her protests.

So just remember. No tummy time - you get a flat head. You've been warned.

For all the preggers people out there!

This post is much overdue. When I was pregnant, I could not believe how many times people would tell me, "Your life is going to change or you will not get any sleep or being a parent is really hard." Well, I am here to tell all of you to ignore the cynical words of some parents. Yes, you do not get any sleep. Yes, you will feel frustrated. Yes, your life becomes all about the child. Yes, you are not going to get to go to the movies, hang out at bars, or be available at a moments notice.

But.....

You will have this amazing little person who you brought into the world.
You will have a physical manifestation of the love that you and your partner share.
You will experience strong, wonderful emotions that you have never felt before.
You will be amazed at how beautiful and precious your child is even when you are cleaning up nasty diapers. (They really are poop machines!)
You will want to cherish every moment as your child will grow so fast.
You will be happy to stay up all night just to find a way to comfort your child.

I could go on and on about all the wonderful moments of being a parent. Don't listen to the cynics. Being a parent is a wonderful and we are lucky to even have the opportunity!

Mom makes an appearance

Contributing to this blog is something that I think about daily. But, with Mackenzie, work, chores, and the impending move, I seem to struggle with finding the time to post a few words. I promise that I will do better in the coming weeks!

Thanks to Craig who has done such an amazing job at posting pictures and showcasing his wit. I was just on the phone with our wonderful friend Sarahanne laughing about the elf ears and 'Obey the Mack' post. Mack is lucky to have such a great dad!

Sarahanne was also mentioning how this blog helps her to watch Mack grow; she lives in Michigan. I hope that you all feel as if we are keeping you connected to our family. We have always been blessed with wonderful and loving family and friends and we want you all to be in Mack' life, regardless of the distance.

So, you all will have to deal with my musings on motherhood and the adventures of parenting Mack.

Guest Cat Blogging

Hi, this is Hermy (Hermione, for the uninitiated). Craig, Jaime, and Mackenzie will be house hunting this weekend, so I've been asked to fill in as a guest blogger. Posting will likely be light.

Do not adjust your screen settings

The Mack sees all... knows all.

OBEY MACK!!

Resistence is futile

Few can withstand her cuteness.

Another person implicated in the Mackenzie Phenomenon

Here is a pic of Sharon, who was the midwife who delivered Mackenzie. I have to say she was amazing, and would recommend her to any expecting family. We took this picture after a follow-up appointment with the OB yesterday.

Her new friends

Mackenzie socializes with the giraffe and elephant. I'm sure they are impressed.

Dad's Eye View

Witness how Mackenzie manipulates me on a daily basis.

Milk addiction claims another victim

And she told me she could quit anytime. Kids these days...

You might be a parent if...

...you fully comprehend this picture.

You may also note that I'm not blogging here. So much for staying on top of that. On a related note - I've uploaded some more pictures to the Mackenzie picture gallery.

No seriously...

... "The Wire" is a really good show. Mack would say so herself, but she sleeps while we watch it. I guess that's not a terribly ringing endorsement.

Ok, I just wanted an excuse to plug the show, and celebrate how Netflix allows us to enjoy the .02 seconds of free time we have.

UPDATE - I have to give some props to John White, who really turned us on to The Wire. And to our friend Tony Diaz, who was telling me this like 4 years ago.

Have baby, will travel

We just got back from a 4 day conference in DC. It was Mack's first extended stay away from home. Here, you can see how thrilled she is about more hotel reward points.

The Final Five Revealed

The wait is over for Battlestar Galactica fans. The final Cylon model has been located - on Earth!

Of course, the red eyes were the clue. I'm sure the fan community will be amazed.

Armchair General

Check out my awesome throne. It even comes with parent-slaves who operate the super-chariot that magically takes me places and puts me to sleep now and then. Now go away - you no longer amuse me.

[p.s. - sorry for the light blogging. Been busy lately here at baby central]