Wednesday, November 15, 2006

What a Month...

This has been a month of many firsts for us in the McKillip house. Maelie has sat up for the first time, eaten solid food for the first time, taken a bath in the big bath, gotten two teeth, gone from being on her tummy to sitting up on her own, sat in a high chair at a restraunt, sat in the buggy in the store, taken her first school picture, learned how to "give five" and clap....I'm sure I'm forgetting something. It seems like everyday she is doing something new and fabulous. I'm just so proud of her, not just of her accomplishments, but of the little person that she's becoming. She is so sweet, so happy - she just smiles and laughs so much of the time. Everywhere we go, people stop to talk to her, to tell me how pretty she is. She just attracts people. I love how secure she is. She will ususally go to anyone, be happy anywhere. Although when she won't go to someone else and just wants her Mommy, I have to admit that it doesn't break my heart. I love being the person that she depends on, the one she looks for when she's sad or tired or upset. She'll lean towards me, put her arms around my neck and nuzzle her little face into me, and I know that that moment is a gift. Don't get me wrong - she has her moments! She will definitely let you know what she likes and dislikes, but I love that about her, too. She's very opinionated, and it cracks me up.

Through all the joys of being a mommy, I think I have discovered the hardest part. With all this growing and changing and doing new things that Maelie is up to these days, I find it hard to find the balance between being excited about her accomplishments and grieving the end of her babyhood. When I look back at pictures of her in the hospital, the pictures where she's learning the smallest things like how to smile, part of me wants to cry (and sometimes does) that she's getting big. I cried so hard the first time I had to clean out her closet and put away things she was too big to wear. Then I had to laugh! Here I was sitting in her closet with tears on my cheeks, and she was in her crib playing away, babbling and rolling around. I feel like that is a special gift that God has given mommies - it is hard to get too sad about anything when one of the greatest joys He has given you is laughing nearby.

One of the other great gifts of Maelie growing is how her relationship with her Daddy is growing. Every Monday night several other couples and us meet at a restraunt and have dinner. This Monday night I had training at work so Kyle took her without me. I came home at 9:30 to find her in her jammies, with a fresh diaper and a full tummy laying on his shoulder. They both looked so sweet and content, I just stood at the door and watched them for a few moments. He has always been an active Daddy, but I think as she grows his confidence with her does, too. It is so precious to watch the two people you love most in the world bond and love each other.


Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Well, last night when I changed into my pjs I realized I had spit, barf, formula and cereal on me. Sometimes the things that become normal to you as a mother are pretty hilarious! Our preacher recently gavea a sermon on finding joy in the Lord, and I have to tell you that it's not hard with Maelie around our house. The hardest thing about being a mom is really just the constancy of it. There is always something to do, and unlike life before Maelie, the majority of those things cannot be put off. You have to get up at 4 am to make a bottle, feed her, change her, rock her. However, if I find myself being grumpy about being up as I walk toward her room with the bottle, that goes away instantly when I pick her up. She never fails to crack me up when I go to her late in the night. She'll be crying, but not really awake. As soon as I pick her up she immediately opens her little mouth and shakes her head looking for her bottle - still without opening her eyes! In that moment I think I feel the most like a Mommy. It's like she knows that I am there and I will take care of her, and she doesn't even really have to wake up!

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

School Days



Well, YCW has started back to our regular school schedule and I have to say that having Maelie come to school has been the biggest blessing. It is so much fun to see her playing in the nursery and my favorite time of day on Mondays and Thursdays is getting out her folder and seeing what she did all day. I really can't believe how good my life is. The other day Maelie wasn't feeling that great at school (we found out the next day she had an ear infection), and I got to go into her classroom and rock her to sleep. Another change in our schedule has been going to the gym. We started working out at LA Fitness near our house, and Maelie gets to play with her best bud Elizabeth while Kelli and I work out. Luckily Kelli is a workout queen and has been sweet enough to show this beginner the ropes. I don't see a lot if big changes yet, but it sure does feel good to do something good for myself and I know the changes are coming!!

Maelie has been so much fun lately!! Her personality has just blossomed the past week or so and she is such a happy girl. Mom took this picture right after her nap the other day. A lot of times you will just hear her gibber jabbering in her crib when she wakes up from her nap. When you go to pick her up, her little face just breaks into the biggest smile.

Friday, June 30, 2006

Summer Spectacular

This has been a crazy summer, but I think we've finally started to settle down a bit. Looking back I probably jumped back into things a little too quickly. Summer Spectacular was so awesome, but I'd forgotten how much work it is. My poor body was screaming "Enough!!" about two days before it actually started. Thank goodness for painkillers!! It has taught me quite a bit about being a mommy. Like how important it is to stop and take time for myself, and most importantly to stop and take time to focus on my precious baby. Saying no or enough is so hard for me, especially when it's for a good cause or for something I love, but now I'm beginning to see that sometimes saying no to one thing is really saying yes to something else. I feel like I didn't really take the time to figure out Life with Maelie before I jumped back into my old life, so I've felt pretty overwhelmed at times. Luckily she's a pretty laid back gal and as long as she's got a nap under her belt and a full tummy, she's usually cool. That makes life much easier and less-guilt ridden for her Mommy. Oh, and if all else fails, you can always depend on her friend Stevie the TV to help calm her down. By the way, that is an extreme pet peve of mine. While at the doctor's office recently they were talking about how awful it is for kids to watch TV, how it's just a cop out for parents, how children under two should NEVER watch the evil t.v., etc. Luckily I live in the real world and can realize that my baby gets LOTS of love and undivided attention throughout the day. She's played with, read to, loved, cuddled, kissed, sang to, whatever and 25 fun-filled minutes of Praise Baby while Mommy collects her thoughts, downs some Blue Bell and thinks about what she really should be doing is laundry is not going to send her in a downward spiral toward an IQ of two. However, I know that there are lots of super stressed-out new mommies out there who would see that and toss their tvs to the curb. I hope whatever numbnuts with no kids (obviously) who made that video at the doctor's office has three kids in two years and they all have extreme colic. Sorry about the rant, but seriously!!




This is Maels with Rahab, aka her Fairy Godmother, aka one of the most precious people in my life, Lauren Becera. Don't let the hobag get up throw you, she's really a stand up gal. Seriously, if she turns out to be one of Maelie's role-models, that would just make my life. She is the perfect balance of outrageous fun and good-hearted, godliness. No one so precious should be that gorgeous, but she pulls it off beautifully!


This is the first picture I took right after Maelie rolled over for the first time - yes, she's a genius! I was definitely amazed and astounded, and from the look on her face, she was, too.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Tomorrow I am going to a birthday party for 144 kids! I am so excited. Royal Family Kids Camp is a camp for abused and neglected children that our church supports and each year we give each kiddo there a birthday party. It is so much fun! It is also very humbling to know that this is only a portion of the children in our area who could be attending. These kids are so precious and it breaks my heart to think that there are so many kids out there with such sad stories. Thank the Lord that we serve a God who can give each of us a lineage in Him, a Father who loves us and an awesome hope for the future. I just hope that seeds are planted in each of those little hearts and that even if it's only for one week they will see the love of Christ that will last them throughout the year and throughout their lives. Please pray for the kids and the counselors there (as you can imagine, it's a very emotional week all around) and for the foster families and other family members who are getting the chance to rest for the week.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Grandma Dane



One of my favorite things to see is my sweet Grandma, who wants her great-grandkids to call her Grandma Dane, holding my sweet Maelie. Grandma can always make her smile. She is becoming so much more expressive! She loves to smile, coo, and even sing a little. It just makes my day.

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Short and Sweet!


I just wanted to share this picture of Maelie that my mom took of her the other day. Mom loves it because the dress she's wearing used to be mine, and I just LOVE the expression on her face! She's right in the middle of a "coo" and it just makes me laugh.

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Shhh!!

It's so quiet at my house today! It's Saturday - Maelie and Kyle are napping, and I'm a little restless and wondering what I used to do before I was a Mommy. I can't believe how it seems the speed of time has picked up. Maelie is almost 7 weeks old! She is so precious and I love how each day her little personality seems to peek out a little more. She is just such a real little person to me - we never call her "the baby" anymore. She is always our little Maelie. This week I went to one of the most awesome funerals I've ever been to. My friend Lauren lost her grandmother, known to the world (or at least all of Lauren's friends) as Lyn. She was such an amazing woman, and to hear all of the things that God did through her - many great stories I'd never gotten to hear before - it made me very reflective and humbled by our Lord. All the people that Lyn touched and all the ways that she glorified God and loved life - it makes me stand in hopeful awe at the things that He will accomplish through my daughter. As a parent, the main thing I pray over her is that she will love Jesus and follow God, but after hearing so many people talk about all the great things Lyn did, it makes me think that I am short changing both Maelie and the Lord to ONLY pray that she will know Him. I know He is so much bigger than that - from now on I will pray that she will know Him, and that He will use her to do mighty things in His kingdom and touch many people.

This is Maelie napping beside me as I blog about her!


This one's a little blurry, but I love the expression on her face! This is Maelie all dressed up for Wednesday night church. By the way, while she was at church she pooped all over this outfit - she AND her teacher had to change clothes.


Maelie shows off her new trick - smiling!!!

Monday, May 01, 2006

First Day Back!

Well, today Maelie and I went to YCW for the first time since she was born. I didn't get a ton of work done, but it was great just to be there and see all those precious women I work with. I'm sure Maelie felt like a superstar - she definitely got the princess treatment! Ms. Mindy even brought her a new onsie with a sparkly tiara on it! She got loved on by lots of people and got to spend some quality time with one of our favorite people, Jayne. You know, I have always appreciated the awesome job that I have, but having Maelie there just increased the blessing that YCW has been in my life. I have loved the children, staff and work at YCW from day one, but knowing that Maelie will get to come there is overwhelming. I need to work - finacially and for my own sanity - and the Lord has blessed me with the perfect Mommy job. I still get to work and (hopefully) use my talents doing something I love with people I love, and now my own sweetie will get to come with me and share in the love and learning that goes on there. I hope that I remember to thank God EVERYDAY that I walk in those doors.

Oh, and Maelie lost her little bellybutton cord today! I know that it's silly, but as glad as I am that that gross thing is gone, I'm also a little sad. Somehow it seems like she's already reached a milestone, like maybe she's not as much of a baby as she was before. I'm the girl who cries taking down the Christmas tree, though, so I guess I should be used to this bittersweet feeling!

Monday, April 24, 2006

Hey, Guys! Well, this is the first post, so we'll see how it goes. We have had the best day, Maelie and I just hanging out. I feel like this is the first day since she was born that I got to just sit and relax with her. Slow days let me spend more time just looking at her. The fact that the good Lord thinks that I'm fit to be given such a miracle is perhaps the second most humbling thing next to His saving me that I have ever experienced. I always knew that I would love being a Mommy, but I guess it's just one of those things that you have to experience to know the full joy of it. Just the sight of her can bring tears to my eyes. Even when she wakes me up in the middle of the night (again!) I feel like the most blessed woman. What really makes me want to cry is the realization that my Heavenly Father feels the same way and more about me. Maelie has given me a new perspective on His love - the depth of it, the pure acceptance, I can't even really put it into words. All I can do is praise Him!