Bye Bye Baby

Another month has passed and we are just WEEKS away from Maggie’s FIRST BIRTHDAY!!  I just can’t believe it!  I keep remembering this time last year and just how BIG and PREGNANT I was and it just really doesn’t seem like this is really her first Christmas.  She’s still SOOO sweet!!  But REALLY rotten.  She goes to a Mother’s Day Out on Tuesdays and Thursday.  She was REALLY taken with on of the ladies, Ms. Kelly.  To the point she would really pitch a HUGE fit unless Ms. Kelly was giving her undivided attention to Maggie.  Can we say DIVA!  So when I went to pick her up one day, the babies were cruising in the world’s largest stroller.

Isn’t she precious?!

Maggie actually took her first steps on December 1st!!!  She isn’t walking yet but she will let go and take steps towards me.  I just can’t believe it!!  She’s growing up so fast!!!  Well, because she is really growing up she “graduated” to a new class in Mother’s Day Out.  She really seems to loved it.  There are kids her size and her developmental level as well as toys better suited for her stage.  She has her first best friend – the cutest little girl names Ruthann.  Ruthann crawls as fast as she can to Maggie EVERY morning and just can’t wait for Maggie to get on the floor to play.  It’s really sweet.  Maggie still hasn’t grown much.  She has two new teeth for a total of 8!!  She is wearing mostly 12 month clothing and some 18 mth just for the length.  She still isn’t 20 lbs!!  Crazy!  She weaned about a week before Thanksgiving and has been doing great ever since.  She LOVES real food and is just growing so fast!  Every day she is becoming less and less of a baby – but thankfully she still looks like a bald-headed baby (however, she is even starting to get more hair!!)

In November, Annika and Ted came to visit.  Annika is the sweetest little girl.  We LOVED getting to spend some time with her.  One day, we met Sugah and Annika at the Nature Center in Pine Bluff.  All three kiddos had lots of fun.  They played on the “boat”, “cropduster”, crawling through a “tree” and looking at ALL the stuffed animals.

 

 

We had lots of fun hanging out in Sherrill and visiting with all the family!!!

The Alabama McNultys came to town for Thanksgiving.  As always, we loved visiting with them.  Molly and I decided to go for a walk/run VERY late one day.  When we left the house it was daylight but definitely getting dark.  About 15 minutes into our run it starting getting really dark and became night almost immediately.  It wasn’t a big deal until we heard the COYOTES!!!!!!  I have never been so scared.  Molly and I TOOK off running!  Imagine running on a muddy dirt road in the pitch black dark while trying to use your phone to call for help!  It was crazy.  Lucky for us, Uncle Shawn saved the day!!

The next morning Molly, Shawn and I got up for the First Annual McNulty Turkey Trot – basically we decided to get in a jog before we ate ourselves into a coma.  (That way we wouldn’t feel SO terrible about ourselves!)  I’m definitely a slow runner – however, I “won” the trot b/c Molly and Shawn decided to run sprints (trying to beat on another while I kept my slow but steady pace) - Definitely the tortoise and the hare!    It was so sweet because Linda and the kids made a sign.  I’ll have to get a picture to post.  It was precious!!

We also went to watch the Razorbacks play in November too.  Kelly and I went to the game at War Memorial.  My sweet aunt and uncle watched the babies.  It worked out GREAT!!

Here are Harper and Max walking around and visiting Tusk – isn’t it SOOOO sweet!!  People literally would stop us to tell us how cute they were walking while holding hands – even young college aged men – that’s how sweet it was that a college kid thought it was sweet!!

Max and Maggie and I also went to Andrew’s (a boy from Max’s class) birthday party at the Wonder Place.  It was great fun!!!  Both kids had lots of fun playing in the water and just running around!

Max has really started talking about Andrew a lot lately.  It’s really sweet.  He even named our Elf on a Shelf Andrew.  Max is still such a sweet little boy.  I just LOVE cuddling with him (I’m so glad he’s a cuddlier – Maggie really isn’t).   He’s been referred to be assessed for speak therapy.  So we’ll see if he qualifies and go from there.

Max is a WONDERFUL big brother.  He plays with Maggie and usually he is REALLY great about sharing.  He LOVES to love on Maggie.  Max is REALLY growing up.  It DEFINITELY hurts my heart.  He tells me all the time – “I do it.  I a big boy!”  He is always talking about when he grows up or when he is a grown up.

Here they are playing – she’s digging in the “toy box” and it cracks me up how she lifts her leg to reach a toy!

We put Maggie in a doll stroller that Terri Lynn bought for Max and Harper when they were babies.  He LOVED strolling her around and she LOVED going for a ride.  Look at the enjoyment on his face!!

Max is such an animated child.  When he is sad you can see it all over his face.  Likewise, when he is happy his ENTIRE face just lights up.  He has a great imagination.  I just love listening to him play.  When we pray at night, I ask him to name one thing he is thankful for and last night he said his music box!  Too funny!!  I’m so blessed to be his mom.  Pray for us as we decide what type of pre-k program he should attend next year.

November was full!!  In addition to visit with all the McNulty family, we were able to visit with my family too.  My mom, Allen and Zach came for Thanksgiving.  It was great to see them.  Max of course wanted to do EVERYTHING Zach did – even shoot the bb gun (dad was in charge when that happened).  My mom watched the kids while Kelly and I went out for the LSU game and fun!  And Maggie was just happy, happy, happy.  Kelly even got to meet Bobby Petrino last week!!  Take a peek:

My mom and sister gave my kids their Christmas presents.  Max got a Spiderman costume which HE LOVES!!!!!!!  HE has already worn it out!!!  My sister gave him a Toy Story came with a little disc gun – well he LOVED shooting the disc and they are ALL lost.  Whoops!  Maggie got a sweet kitchen and steering wheel toy.  She LOVES her new toys.

The last picture of Maggie just cracks me up. She’s pretty animated as well.  She looks like one of those overly happy cheerleaders when she smiles with her mouth wide open.  She definitely smiles with her eyes – it’s like they twinkle!!

She’s really into putting things on her head – maybe it is all the bows!  We really have to keep our eye on her!!

Maggie also HATES getting her diaper changed or changing clothes.  She is just too busy to have to be still for that long.  If she can make a break for it – she will!!!  She apparently loves to be naked!!  Too bad for he it is entirely too cold for that!! 

We got the best news of all – My sister is expecting her first baby!!  SOOOOO exciting!!  She’s due June 20th!!  We also recently learned my cousin Michael and his wife are expecting #4 – think pink!!!

Well we hope you have a great week and a MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!  We saw Santa yesterday, I’ll do a whole post once I get pictures uploaded.  LOVE and HUGS to you ALL!!!!!

THE END!!

 

Live, Learn and Laugh

Those three words pretty much sum up our lives!  We are livin’, learnin’ and laughin’ all the while!!  October was a GREAT month.  Maggie turned 10 months old on the 31st!!  And Max is 3.5 years old!!  I just can’t believe it!

We had Kelly’s 10 year reunion in October.  It was lots of fun.  Max stayed the night at my dad’s house without us for the first time.  I think he had lots of fun.  And Maggie got lots of quality time with Joe and Gayle.  It was a CRAZY busy weekend but luckily we got to see lots of family on Sunday at church (and Howard’s donuts – I randomly ran into Carolyn and Delaney while getting “breakfast”)

We went to visit Memaw and Papaw a couple of times during October.  We LOVE visiting with them.  We even got to see Aunt Toochie!  Here are pawpaw and Maggie enjoying some snacks!  Maggie even shared!  So sweet!!

Maggie also got some good quality time with Pop!  Maggie just stares at Ted whenever she is around him. 

I know I’ve said it before but Max and Ted are so funny together.  It always makes me laugh to watch them interact.  Now when we go to Ted and Linda’s Max ALWAYS wants to go “help” Pop in his shop.  I think it’s so sweet watching him run over to the shop to help.

We went on a play date to paint/decorate pumpkins this October.  Maggie LOVED “driving” around in the car.  I think I may have to find her one of these.  She LOVED it!! 

Our travels also took us to Stuttgart.  Sweet John David was baptized on his mommy’s birthday.  We were so proud to be there to welcome our newest Catholic into the church!

Here is Maggie, John David and Beckett hanging out!

I don’t have pictures but Maggie went to her first Razorback game in Fayetteville.  She did GREAT!!!!  We left Trey’s house around 9.  Maggie and I went to play with Bridget and Kate.  We went for a little jog and hung out until about noon.  She slept during lunch at the restaurant but woke up in time to tailgate.  We got to campus around 1 and stayed until after the game (which was around 10:30)!!!  She cried when the fireworks woke her up during the game but that was about it.  I mean I cannot believe how GREAT she did.  She was super cute to boot!  I think we are going to take them both to the Tennessee game – we’ll see!  Her bad momma forgot to take pictures.

 

We’ve been doing lots of learning too this month.  When we were in Pine Bluff we went to see the replicas of the Nina and Pinta.  It was really neat.  Max had lots of fun.  He called them Pirate ships.  We bought a little map souvenir and he used it as his telescope. 

The quarters for the captain and crew are in the bottom of the boat.  In the below picture Max was just yelling – HELLO – over and over and over again.  Well I didn’t think anyone was down there – we were wrong.  All of the sudden the captain pop his head up!  Max’s face was PRICELESS.  He was so surprised!!

HELLO!!

Max loves doing “hard work” with Kelly.  They are my yard boys.  Well, Papaw taught him how to rake.  Max was so proud of himself.  He has this little smirk that he gets on his face when he is really impressed or proud about something but is either too embarrassed to show it or just doesn’t want to show it – and he had that look when he was showing of his raking “skills.”

He also learned to drive a house boat!?  Well one on a trailer parked in Sherrill.  When we got to Sherrill, Kelly took Max on the house boat.  Well, Ted asked Max if he wanted to go on a ride in the house boat.  Ted was obviously talking about a ride in the future.  Max thought he meant that night but Ted explained that they could ride the boat until they had water to put it in.  After this conversation, Max asked Ted for a glass of water.  Ted helped him out.  Then Max said, “Ok, Pop let’s go ride the boat, I got the water.”  We all got a good laugh that Max thought the glass of water would allow them to ride the boat. 

Max also learned to be a cowboy!!  We went to Mitchell Stone’s 2nd Birthday party and he rode a little pony.  He was SO proud – he got his little smirk on his face and was SO serious.  It was so sweet!  I don’t think he ever changed his expression!

Maggie was busy learning too.  She is NOW learning to take formula at school.  I think she is going to need me less and less.  In fact, she just took 3 oz. of formula just today!  She is still crawling all over the place.  She’s REALLY fast.  She can walk along furniture.  She is really starting to eat, but she likes eating what we are eating.  She eats three really big meals a day (usually) with some snacks and milk sprinkled in.  She’s a precious little girl.  She is definitely learning to be a diva.  She still screams at you when you take something from her.  So, she’s “learning” to be a good girl!    She is also perfecting her art of making a mess.  See:

Max and Maggie also learned to carve Pumpkins.  We had Chris, Shannon, Owen, AG, Shugah and Rob and Amy over for a pumpkin carving party.  We had LOTS of fun!!

My precious babies!

Maggie and Mrs. Amy – we love the Byfords

Sweet Cousins!

We’ve also had lots of laughing!!  Halloween was SO much fun.  Max wanted to be Max from Where the Wild Things Are.  Maggie was a Wild Thing monster so they would coordinate.  Max was SO excited about his costume.  He would jump up and down screaming “I LOVE MY COSTUME, Thank you so much Mommy.”  And ALWAYS wanted to wear it.  In fact we had to exchange it and EVERY day he asked if the mail man brought his costume.  (As a side because of this he thinks you just ask the mail man for whatever you want and he brings it to you – kind of like Santa Clause I guess.  He wanted to get Kelly a costume and he said, “It’s ok Daddy, we’ll just ask the mail man and he’ll bring it to you.”  If it were only that easy!)

Well the night of Halloween was SO hectic.  I had my car serviced and on the way home we had a blow out on the interstate.  Luckily (or may not so lucky) I was able to make it down the off ramp.  However it was a TERRIBLE part of town.  So much so that I was nervous to have my back to turned while changing the tire.  Lucky for us a street sweeper stopped and helped.  He was such a nice man.  We made it home just in time to dress and leave for Owen and Shannon’s.  I got the kids dressed.  Max was so excited.  Just running around.  Then we told him it was time to go and he insisted on taking his costume off and would NOT put it back on.  So he trick or treated in shorts and a pumpkin t-shirt.  CRAZY kid!!

Here is my Wild Thing Maggie (Notice I accessorized her Monster costume with a Halloween bow!)

So we went to Owen and Shannon’s for dinner and fun.  It was GREAT!!  Then we (about 10 adults, 5 three year olds, 2 babies, a 5 year old, and a dog) ALL went trick or treating.  It was SO much fun.  The kids would take off running as fast as their little legs would go and just descend upon each house yelling.  They would immediately begin ringing the door bell or knocking and yelling, “anybody home.”  Of course, as soon as someone answered they would yell Trick or Treat.  It was SOOOO funny!!!  We told Max to only take one piece and say thank you.  So after each house he would return to us and say, I only took one piece and I said thank you.  At one house the man gave Max a handful of candy.  Max immediately started handing the candy back to the man saying, “I can only have one.”  When the man told Max it was ok because he gave him the candy, Max responded, “No, Momma say 1.”  That kid cracks me up!!

Here they all are squeezed into the back of my car leaving Sugah and Pop’s – raise your hand if you think I need a new (bigger) car!?

Max makes us laugh – A LOT!  He saw a crucifix the other day and Kelly asked Max, do you know who that is and Max responded, “Yes, that’s Jesus.”  Kelly asked Max do you know who Jesus is and Max answered, “Yes, Jesus saved us and he wrestles.”  Really?!  His Godmother (Christina) and cousin Bridget both explain that Max was correct because Jesus wrestles sin! 

One weekend, Linda, Ted and company cleaned out their entire attic.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) I was at John David’s baptism.  She sent us home with LOTS of sweet hand-me-downs that were Kelly’s!!!!  Think Max loves them as much as I do:

or maybe not?

We couldn’t do a fashion shoot without including Maggie?

October was SOOOOO busy!!  I hope November is just as fun (but without the illnesses)!!  Have a WONDERFUL week.  Love and Hugs to you all!!!