More Pics From the Grandparents

Here's some more pictures of our fun at Granmommy & Grandaddy's house:

We made a trip to the junior museum





















"High Grandaddy!"





















Keelyn enjoying herself too (though she didn't require us to push her nearly as high!)





















She insisted on wearing her souvenir necklace like this - I think she wanted it to be a crown! I love how she's crossing her eyes to see it!




















Mackenzie posing (thanks to Granmommy's coaching!) in front of a motorcycle on the way to the pool





















Keelyn enjoying the water with Grandaddy at this great city pool that had the zero entry, water fountain mushrooms, a water slide, spray things, etc.....
















Mackenzie enjoying spraying the water!





















Posing with Mommy & eating a treat after some serious pool play!
















Blowing bubbles in the backyard with my monkey on my back!
















Making brownies with Granmommy
















Keelyn enjoying the swing in the backyard





















Grandaddy still has the knack for getting Keelyn to sleep!

Fourth of July

After almost a week with the McKays at the beach, the girls & I headed from Jacksonville over to visit my parents for the week in Tallahassee. Brannon headed back up to work in Atlanta & ready to travel some more & we headed for some more help from another set of grandparents! This was the one leg of the trip I drove by myself, figuring 3 hours would be doable. It was, but not much more! The girls did not sleep nearly as much as I hoped, there was a lot of screaming (mostly from the baby), and a blow out diaper I had to change at a rest stop. Yep, 3 hours is my max right now!

We went over on Sunday night, and got to spend July 4th with my parents. They just recently bought a paddle boat, so we went out in the late morning to give it a try. Mackenzie talked a big game while we walked down to the boat dock, while we carried & loaded it into the water, and then sat in the boat for a nice little picture. Then, when Grandaddy started to push it away from land, she freaked out. She insisted on getting OUT. Nothing we could do could convince her that it was safe, fun, etc. That girl has a decent little fear of the water! We let Mackenzie out & gave Keelyn a try. She thought it was fabulous! We paddled all over the lake with Grandaddy & she enjoyed it the whole time. And Mackenzie, happy to be out of the boat, played on the shore with Granmommy watching us!

After a morning out on the water, we went home and took some naps, ate dinner, and got ready to go see some fireworks. We went to a local church that does a big 4th of July celebration, which was just the right size for us. It had been raining a little & threatening to rain all afternoon, but we headed on. And we were lucky, the rain held off. I was glad we braved it! And I was also glad that the girls weren't too scared of the fireworks :) Keelyn seemed a little nervous at first, but didn't cry, and just took her bottle while watching the show! Mackenzie was really excited when they started and said, "It's like at Cinderella's castle!". We couldn't believe she remembered seeing fireworks at Disney! In the middle of the show, she got a little scared, which was wierd since they'd been going for a while when she did. She hid her face for a little while, then started watching again! Overall, I she enjoyed it :)

The McKay Open 2011

One of the reasons we hit the beach for the 4th of July is for the annual McKay Open golf tournament / McKay family reunion. It's a good time & we get to see all the family that we might only see once a year at this event. All the family started rolling in on Friday night - including Uncle Jake & Daddy! There was a family hors d'ouerves party on Saturday night, along with the "draft" for this year's golf teams! And Sunday was the golf tournament and a ladies tea that I attended :) Always a fun time with the McKays!

Mackenzie was excited that her Uncle Jake arrived!














Mommy & her sweet girls!














Another snooze after another rough day at the beach. This time she's cuddling up to her daddy who just got in town :)














Daddy & his festive girls on their way to the draft party!





















That sea breeze puts her to sleep every time! This time on Aunt Ginny














Still snoozing after a transfer to Aunt Bonnie





















Tickle time with Poppee














Mackenzie & Meemi














Family photo with 'gansta' Keelyn














The whole gang of McKays (minus a few)

Beach Trip!

We were lucky to get to take a trip to Florida again this year for about 2 weeks around the 4th of July. We've done this the past couple years, and I really like this tradition! This year, it was a bit more complicated b/c I've always driven without Brannon since he works & just meets us on the weekend of the 4th, but driving with two kiddos was just not something I was up for! So, my parents & in-laws stepped up to the plate! Poppee bought a one way ticket up to Atlanta and then drove down to the beach with me (anything to get to see the grandkids!) and my parents rode back to Atlanta with me at the end of our trip :)

We had a lot of fun at the beach. Mackenzie was pretty scared of the ocean & waves, so she didn't go out in the water too much but had a fantastic time in the sand and with buckets of water :) Keelyn LOVED the ocean. She took amazing naps on the beach each day, falling asleep on whoever was holding her! She also went out in the ocean with Poppee pretty deep and really enjoyed it :) She seems to be our water girl!

We enjoyed getting there the Tuesday before the weekend of the 4th b/c there was very few folks on the beach. The weather was pretty good. Pretty hot, but not as hot as it had been. We had some afternoon showers, but we were always off the beach by that time. We also spent a day at a neat Turtle research center where they do state of the art medical treatments on sea turtles that are sick or hurt and have been rescued. Another day, Brannon's cousin's three kids came and spent a day at the beach with us, so Mackenzie got to play with her (2nd?) cousins and it was nice to have some kids around for her!

Mackenzie & her cousins














At the sea turtle center with Meemi & Poppee














Meemi & Mackenzie checking out the sea turtle tanks. You can see one in the mirror reflecting back so they could be seen more easily.














One of the sea turtles in the tank

Her Best Friend

About a week ago we were at the beach with Brannon's extended family. We were all hanging out on the beach, lounging, while Mackenzie ran around playing in the sand. One of Brannon's cousins played with her a bit, and then asked Mackenzie if she was her best friend. Mackenzie responded with, "No. My mommy's my best friend!". How sweet. I love that little kid.

Raising a two year old is not easy. Thank goodness for moments like this that make it all worthwhile.....

8 Months Old

Hello World!

So, life sure has been busy for my family & me. Apparently, mommy & I completely missed my seven month post, so here's the two month update for you!

I'm still not crawling, but sometimes can get up on all fours. But frankly, I just would rather be held! I do not like being on the floor! Really, my main thing is to work more on standing up. I LOVE to try and stand up, grabbing onto mommy's (or other's) hands and pull myself up to standing. Then, I'm happy as can be as I stand and dance a little and try moving my legs. Mommy has said she wonders if I'll be one of those babies that skip the whole crawling thing. We'll see....... And even now, when I am held in your lap, I don't want to sit down. I want to be held, but be able to stand in your lap!

I've learned to shake my head back & forth, like I'm saying "no". I do it just for fun it seems, not for any real meaning :) I'm cooing alot, with 'da-da-da' and 'ba-ba-ba' mostly and still my favorite - high pitched sqeals and squawks! Sometimes I even like to try and sing along with you while doing my own little yell!

I developed a serious strong attraction to my mommy around the 5th month of my life. I did NOT like anyone else to hold me. ANYONE! Not even daddy! (Mommy said I was wearing her out, but last time I checked, isn't that her job??? To take care of me????) Well, over the past couple of weeks, I'm getting much more laid back in this arena. I still really prefer my mommy, but others are okay too. However, I really only let others hold me if mommy is out of sight/sound! If I can see her/hear her, you better give me to her! But still, progress! As long as mommy is not nearby or gone, I do just fine!

Other big news, is that I'm now taking bottles and have switched over to formula! Mommy never thought she'd see the day that I started taking bottles :) Around 6 months, I started taking pumped bottles from daddy, babysitters, etc (not mommy). Around 7 1/2 months, the doctor really wanted me to start taking formula b/c I just wasn't gaining weight well anymore (off the charts.....) and mommy came home and just made a bottle to see how it went & I just took it! WOW! From then, she started weaning me, and I'm now pretty much on formula, but gaining weight better. She's discovered that I'm a bit of a lazy eater. I only take 2-3 ounces from a lot of my feedings and push it away and wouldn't seem to care if I was totally done (probably what I did while breastfeeding, but no one knew since I seemed satisfied!). But now that she can see how little I've had, she waits 15 or so minutes and tries again and I take one or two more ounces. So. looks like now, I'll be able to start gaining some weight!

Mommy says I'm really at a fun stage - her favorite yet! Not yet crawling, but very interactive and fun to play with......but without all the busy-ness of a moving baby! I love my sister, and find her so funny. I'm on a more predictable schedule with two naps & sleeping through the night about 10, sometimes 11 hours! Good times :)

Well, that's about it for now!

-Keelyn

Puttin' out Fires

Well, not really. But our MOPs group had a playdate a couple weeks ago at the local fire station. Mackenzie was a bit young to understand what the firefighters were talking about, and was too scared to pose inside the truck, but she thoroughly enjoyed looking around at the truck and the fire house. Keelyn, meanwhile, enjoyed being my little monkey (as her daddy calls her) in her little pouch on my back! She conked out for about half of the tour!

She wouldn't get in the truck, but she sure did pose in front of it!





















A demonstration where the firefighter put on all of his gear














I think the demonstration put this sweet little guy to sleep!














Um, that's not quite right silly little ladies.....





















There, that's better!














We are quite a crew, our MOPs group has gotten so big! Those poor firemen had no idea what they were getting themselves into!












A family photo

The Diva & The Princess

This is how I thought of them when looking at these pictures tonight :)

The Diva





















The Princess

Busy, busy, busy.....

Can't believe how long it's been since I last posted. Wow. What is that like 3 weeks ago??? Well, all I know is we have been seriously busy! Brannon has been traveling for work much more than normal, we are completely remodeling the foreclosure that we bought, and then there's just life with 2 small children. I also had to escape the single parenting I was having to do while Brannon traveled, and come down to my parents & in-laws for a couple weeks, so we've been on the road the last couple weeks. So, I'll cut myself some slack on posting! I'm pretty sure my last post was shortly before Brannon started all of his travel! I definitely feel for anyone raising children alone, it's exhausting not having a little help!

Anyways, the girls continue to grow and keep me busy. We definitely have a strong-willed, emotional little diva of a 2 year old (almost 3, but that's a whole other post......) and a particular, sensitive princess of a baby. They keep me so busy, I hardly get a moment's rest it seems, even when Daddy is in town. Just when I think I'm getting to an easier phase with the two of them, one of them switches something up on me, and there we go again!

Somehow, someway, I occasionally manage to photograph these two cuties. They sure are developing a great relationship (in between excessive squeezing & high pitched squeals!) As exhausting as it is.....I'm glad I'm along for the ride :)