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Monday, February 8, 2010

Emotions Gone Wild...

Apparently Mac turning one has made me into a big old ball of emotions. I heard the song "Chicken Fried" the other day and in the chorus it says "the touch of an innocent child" and I seriously teared up. Really??? Then today we were in our Mommy and Me music class and I was holding him while we were singing and I teared up because I started thinking about how he was going to be too big to do this one day. Fortunately no one saw me and I pulled it together. It really does make me sad that he is turning one. He needs me less and less everyday it seems like. I told Eric I can see myself giving him a bottle too long because it's one of the few times he is still enough to let me hold him anymore. I just didn't realize that the whole baby phase comes and goes to quickly. I mean, he will always be MY baby, but he's not a baby anymore. One of my friends told me the other day that life will be so much as he gets older...I just want to freeze time for a little while. I know that every month (or probably week at this point) I say "this is my favorite age/stage, so I'm sure I will love to watch him grow, but it is really stirring up a lot of emotions I didn't expect.
On a little more upbeat note, I have decided that every year on Mac's birthday I am going to write him a letter. Eric and I (and a lot of friends/family) wrote Mac letters before he was born. We sealed them, put them away, and one day I will give them to him. I don't know when...maybe when he has his first child. I like the idea of writing and sealing the letters because you feel like you can write the most personal of things to your child, knowing that no one else will ever see it (Eric and I never even saw each others letters).
Party plans are coming along smoothly. We are cheating a little bit and ordering a little bit of the food for Saturday. It will just be easier. I'm just hoping for a happy little man to show up to the party!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Road Trip

A year ago today we scheduled the date that Mac would be born! I was NOT happy. A C-section was not part of my plan, but as you have probably figured out by now, it all worked out =).

So much has happened in a year. He's walking, talking (okay...babbling), waving, etc, etc...I finally understand why people say you just don't get it until you have a child. It is an eye opening experience.

Another eye opening experience involves going on a 5 hour car ride with an 11 month old. It's not really something I recommend. We went to Louisiana last weekend for my brother's 21st birthday and had a blast (once we got there). Mac actually wasn't that bad on the way up, but it's just involves constant entertaining to get him there without a meltdown (or just have your sister feed your child Twizzlers...that works too).
The last time we went to Louisiana Mac loved all the animals. Not so much this time. We took him to see two calves that had to be bottle fed. Great photo op, right? Mac didn't think so.
Mommy on the other hand had a good time.
The only animals that Mac seemed to enjoy were a duck and goose combo that wanted to attack him! The goose and I have had previous issues (I didn't like him and he wanted to bite me)...so I was not so thrilled to see him. Mac was standing at the door looking out when I saw our not so welcome feathered friends come waddling up. Mac thought they were hilarious as they quacked and honked and pecked at the window. Little did he know they were trying to get him!
My brothers party went really well. Lots of relatives we never see came and it was a good time. Mac tried to make friends with his little cousin Jasey by chasing her around, but she was not as impressed. She kept running away saying "you can't touch me!!!"
Hope you had a great birthday Kevin!!!

Here are a few more pictures from our trip...plus some of my destructive child and dog:

Friday, January 22, 2010

Get Out Of My Way!

It seems like Mac is becoming more and more independent every day. Perfect example...Mac and I always get to school a little early so that we can have a little playtime before it's time to drop him off. Until a few weeks ago that involved sitting on the steps outside of his room and making him laugh. It's a whole new ball game now. He loves to crawl down the hall, stand up and hit the wall, and today he even climbed 3 stairs (something he has never done before). When his teacher opened the door to let everyone in, I turned to grab his bag and when I looked back, there was Mac...crawling into his classroom! He just took off like he knew where he was going. I guess I should be thankful that he enjoys school because there is one little girl that screams every single time her Mom drops her off. My point is, he is really starting to do things by himself.

When he is crawling on the floor at home (which is usually scattered with baby and/or dog toys) Mac doesn't try to crawl over the top of the toys anymore...he actually stops, picks them up, and moves them out of his way. I know this probably doesn't sound like a major milestone, but I am just amazed to see him grow and learn! He has even started slapping my hand away when he doesn't want me to play with his toy (probably not a good habit to start). I really feel like he is starting to show some signs of independence which of course makes me happy and sad all at the same time. He is really growing faster than I could have ever imagined.
Another thing that is really growing is Mac's hair. It's starting to look like he has a shaggy little mop on his head. It's over the top of his ears at this point and he even has a few of those cute little curly fly-aways in the back. It's time for a hair cut! Unfortunately somebody won't let me cut it until he is officially 1. I try to tuck it behind his years and part it to keep it out of his eyes, but it's not going to last much longer. His birthday is on a Friday and that next Tuesday (they are closed on Mondays) he is getting it cut.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Possibility of Disaster!

I have made a decision....I am going to make Mac's birthday cake. I know, I'm scared too! The actual baking of the cake is no big deal. I anticipate the problem will be trying to decorate the thing. I went to Hobby Lobby today and bought a football cake pan and the tips/bags I need to decorate it. It looks very simple, but I am not good at decorating cakes. I have never iced a cake that looked right. Fortunately my friend Beth is going to help me so there is some hope of it looking okay. So if you show up at Mac's party and there is an unrecognizable object with a candle in it laying on the table, compliment me on the cake!
In other Mac news....he apparently had 4 teeth pop up over night. I was playing with him today and noticed 4 little white specks peeking through his gums (2 on top , 2 on bottom). I am hoping that this finding explains why Mac has been attacking me like a rabid dog the past few days.
He is also increasing his vocabulary...he now says "Bye Bye." It actually comes out sounding like "O-Bye, O-Bye" and I don't think he has any idea what it means, but he's still saying it! We are working on waving, but that one is hit or miss. If he's in the mood you get it, if not you don't.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Busy Little Bee....

The 10th month has been the busiest/most productive for Mac so far. When the month started he wasn't even really crawling and now he's standing up all by himself! We have traded in the days of lounging around the house for a full time game of chase....

Mac, at 10 months....

-You have a head full of shaggy blonde hair

-You love to give kisses (especially to Heisman)

-You not only know what "no" means, but you like to repeat it to me when I change your diaper

-You can stand up all by yourself for up to a minute!

-You are almost completely off of baby food

-You love green beans and Cheerios (yummy combination)

-You like to drink out of big people cups (beware of the backwash)

-You wear a size 5 diaper

-You wear a size 5 shoe

-You can crawl like a pro

-You weigh 22 lbs

-You like to lick Heisman...and he likes to lick you back

-You fall asleep on Daddy on the couch almost every night

Since it has been a while since I posted pictures here is a bunch for yall to see...enjoy!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Well Hello.....

Hello long lost blogging world! I think it has been a month since I've been on here! So much has happened in just the past few weeks. Mac is chatting non stop now and he is even standing up on his own! Right before Christmas he started doing what we lovingly refer to as the "sumo squat." He would just prop himself up and squat in the floor, look around, and then sit back down. Well that has turned into him just standing right up! The look on his face every time he realizes that he is standing is priceless. He is just so proud of himself...almost as proud as me. He has also learned to say "No." I don't know that I'm too terribly thrilled about that one. He has only done it a few times, but he definitely knows what he's saying. Today I was trying to change his diaper and he just kept saying "no, no, no, no!!" We have also noticed that Mac has become quite capable of telling us when he doesn't want something. The days of lounging in the Bethea house are over!

Lets rewind a little to Christmas Eve. We had our first experience with the Children's Service at church. It is actually quite comical when you realize that the preacher is giving his sermon in a much louder voice than normal to drown out the chatter, cries, and laughter of all the children. Mac was so great during the service. Something caught his attention (I think it was all the lights) and he didn't make a peep the whole time. Actually, I think it was the lights that kept him busy during his baptism as well. That night we put food out for Santa and the reindeer (Oreos, milk and veggies) and Mac got to have his first Oreo...which he loved! And then came Santa...and boy did him deliver! Mac got a Radio Flyer wagon, a tent, and in his stocking he found what every little boy needs...his first gun (not a real one). There must be something built into little boys because as soon as that gun came out of the stocking his eyes lit up! We had people over that night and had a great time. The next day we went to my grandparents house where once again, Mac was the star of the show! He really got some great toys that he loves playing with. That afternoon we went to Austin to see Eric's family. Everyone was shocked to see how much he had grown. The last time they saw him I think that sitting was his big accomplishment so to see him crawling, standing up, eating table food, and 'talking' was a whole new thing. And as great as holidays are it is so nice to have everything back to normal! Mac stayed up way to late during the holidays and didn't take enough naps so we are getting him back into the routine now...

And the bad news...our lap top is experiencing some technical difficulties so no pictures!!!! It is driving me crazy! I should hear back from them tomorrow about what is wrong so I hope to post some new pictures soon!

Happy 2010!