Oh, What a Night...

Well, this may be a record - two postings in two days! However, I thought this would be the best way to share our Halloween fun. We met the Daddys for dinner at Chick-Fil-A, then headed to church. It was crazy!!! So much fun stuff to do - a petting zoo, carnival games, so much more. However, the girls had more fun on the usual stuff they play on - the slide, the playhouse, etc. Then we headed to James and Linda's house for a little trick-or-treating and wrapped it up by stopping at Carol's for a little Grammy lovin'. All in all, it was a great night!
We started off a great day by meeting Papa at Fuzzy Taco's for lunch. Maelie had oranges, rice, beans and - what else - guacamole!











The little buggy friends at the petting zoo.













"A li -i -ide!" as Maelie would say.













What a little lady!













This is Maelie trick or treating at Linda and James' house. She was so excited about her treat - a box of Dots that made a fun noise when you shook them!











She was pretty tired by the end of it all. Grammy gave her a new Mickey Mouse and she kissed him all the way home, then went to right to sleep with him snuggled up next to her.

Here We Go Again.....

Well, I was just thinking the other day that I either need to start blogging again or just close it out. I was leaning toward closing it out, but once again the Great LaLa has inspired me and I decided to give it another go. About a million things have happened since my last post, so I'll just start with where we are and go from there.

1. I don't know why I love the Fall. I know that part of it is the weather - if you're not from Texas, I'm not sure that you understand what a relief some cool weather can be. Even though this summer was pretty mild, I'm loving the cold nights. I think the air smells differently, too, and makes me remember so many good memories from childhood, through high school and college, and up until now. I think people are wrong to always talk about spring as the season of renewal and starting fresh. The Fall makes me want to do something fun and new....

2. On that point, I started sewing!! I'm terrible at it, but maybe that will change. I made Maelie a little Mickey Mouse book (she is so obsessed with MM), and it was so much fun. I had the kind of Mom who was always making something - cookies, sewing projects, ceramic somethings - every occasion was marked with something homemade and that's always the type of mom I pictured myself being. Breaking out hte sewing machine (after three years in the closet, literally still in the box!) made me feel very accomplished!

3. Kasey and Rob are back in Texas, which is good and bad. Good because it gives us a taste of what it would be like to live close to one another and see each other often, but bad because I think it will make it even harder when they have to leave again. Maelie has really gotten close to them and asks frequently "A Sasey? A Wob? A Ollo?" Ollo would be their dog.

4. Can you believe I made it this far without dedicating a whole segment to Maelie? OKay, I have about a million stories I could tell you about her - she is at such a funny age and is cracking me up constantly. Here are a few of my favorites. She thinks it is hysterical to put things on her head. We'll be in the car and she will say, "Mama, where is it?" I'll look back and her binky, her shoe, anything handy, will be on her head. The first time she did it I laughed until I cried because the expression on her face is so funny - she cracks herself up!

5. She truly is obsessed with Mickey Mouse. On one hand, I think what better to be obsessed with - he's a wholesome guy and his cartoon is very age appropriate and teaches her things I want her to know. But, on the other hand I do get a little tired of her saying "A Pete (a MM character)" when I go to pick her up from sleep these days instead of "Hi Mama" She loves to say "hot dog" (or, ha dohg) which is a favorite MM saying. The other day she was supposed to be napping but when I put my ear to the door I could hear her jabbering away and when I peeked in she was rolling around on her back playing with her binky saying "hot dog, hot dog, hot dog...."

6. My truly favortie new thing she does is praying hands. I have not taught her that - usually I pray over her as we're rocking, but did not think she could really sit down and pray with me yet. The other night after our family Bible time I asked Kyle to pray for us to see what she would do, and she made the cutest little praying hands and looked down at them. I peeked at her while we were praying and she kept them there the whole time. She would kind of look back and forth at Kyle and I, then look back down. It was the most precious things I've ever seen . I know that she learned that at school - go Ms. Heather! She also loves to look through her Bible looking for "sesus." It makes my life!

Some recent pics...

Maelie on our trip to California to see Rob and Kasey. Rob graduated from the language school there and we all had a great time celebrating. Maelie looked so cute that a couple of strangers asked if they could take her picture!









When Kasey got to Texas she wanted to take Maelie to the zoo. This trip was SO much more fun than the last one. The last time we went she wasn't quite old enough to walk and was very frustrated about that - we ended up leaving early. But this time she was great!!! We had a great time. We can't wait to do it again with Baby Henry!







Fun at the Pumpkin Patch! It was a little harder to get good pics of her this year - she is on the go! She even says "gogo!!"











I thought this picture was funny! Especially since her favorite game is Peek-a-Boo. The other day in the car she put both of her hands under her legs and said "Mama, where is it?" I was a little puzzled at first about what she was getting at, but then she pulled them both out and said "Here it is!" and died laughing. Then she waved her hands at each other, said "bye bye" and hid her hands again.





The fam!













Of course, the Pumpkin Patch wouldn't be complete with out Elizabeth!!

No time like the present

Well, almost three months have passed since my last blog. Time seems to fly more quickly and sweetly than ever. I know it sounds so cliche, but I cannot believe my baby will be one soon. Here's a little bit of what life has been like around the McKillip household.

1. Well, I suppose the biggest news is that Maelie has taken her first steps. I have known countless babies in my life, but I never dreamt how my heart would catch in my throat at the sight of my baby on her unsure little feet looking so proud of herself. I've known it was coming for awhile now, but it still made me a little sad. I know each new phase of her life will be even more precious than the last, but this first big one, this moving from babyhood to toddlerhood, tugs at my heart. It feels bittersweet in the best and worst way.

2. She's also learned several new words. She can now say mama, dada, bye bye, hi (this one is probably her favorite. It gets a little embarassing at Target should someone not say hi back, as she repeats it louder and louder. Luckily, she's such a little cutie that most people respond instantly), duck, thank you (or, "ang ooo"), and most recently, baby. She loves her babies and will look ferverously around until she finds one and then kiss it.

3. You know, a lot of researchers will tell you that children don't really have friends until they're two. Maelie and Elizabeth would definitely stump them. They love each other so much, it is probably the greatest joy of my life to watch them. Whenever they see each other, they just light up. Squeeling, "tarydactyl talk," and/or kissing inevitably ensue. Even in Bible class with lots of other babies around they recognize each other and single each other out. The other day Maelie found Elizabeth's paci and, rather than stick it in her own mouth as is the usual case, gave it to her friend. I consider it the first real time Maelie shared. After all, she loves a binky as much as the next gal! Later that night Maelie was in her crib crying as she tried to get to sleep and everytime she cried out her sweet friend Elizabeth would drop her toy and make a bee line for Maelie's room. I cannot wait to see their friendship develop over the years!! Some of the greatest blessings in my life are the precious friends God has given me, and it is a feeling beyond belief to see Maelie receiving that same gift of friendship.

4. Okay, so maybe this isn't a landmark milestone, but Tuesday morning while I was getting ready to go to Bible class Maelie sat in her exersaucer and watched Praise Baby. She has always been immune to Praise Baby's draw. She'll watch Baby Einstein forever, but could care less about the Praise Baby videos I had so hoped she would love. But Tuesday!! For some reason it clicked. Not that I want her watching TV all the time, but watching her sweet face as she sat enrapt listening to praises was a great experience for her mommy. I just watched her for awhile and prayed that His words quoted in the songs and the sweet praise would be embedded in her heart. Little seeds, start growing!

5. Kyle has had to work quite a bit these past few months. There are nights he doesn't get home until after midnight. It is very humbling to see him sacraficing so much for our family. Maelie LOVES her Daddy. One Monday morning after spending the weekend all together, Maelie was crawling past the door. I scooped her up and she got this funny little puzzled face as she looked out the door where we always wait for Daddy to come home and said, "dada?" It was like the door reminded her that he wasn't here.

6. A sweet friend of ours (well, our future in-laws as we like to joke!) have had a very rough time. Christine is pregnant with her second little boy (the first, Jack, is the would-be son-in-law). She has been in and out of the hospital, more in that out it seems, so sick with her pregnancy. Luckily, (or blessedly), Little Samuel is doing well. Please pray that his mommy will get well, soon, too. They are such a sweet family, such a precious example of faith and love. We are truly blessed to know them. Even through this amazingly hard time (literally, I don't know how they do it) they are amazing to watch as they love each other so deeply and trust God so faitfully. Pray for all of four of them, plus their amazing extended family who have pretty much put their lives on hold to serve them. (Doesn't that sound like a family you'd want your precious daughter marrying in to?!)

Christmas is Back!

Ever since I was a little girl Christmas has been my favorite time of year. When I was little I got so caught up in the magic of it all - I mean, seriously, Santa came to visit me at our aparment the first two years of our marriage. I buy a new Christmas tree every year, much to my husband's chagrin, just because I can't stand to walk by a good deal at the after Christmas sales and how can anyone have too many Christmas trees? True confessions - I found one on sale this year (my sixth, but only my third over four feet) the week after Christmas for a GREAT price and snuck it into the garage while Kyle wasn't home. Seriously, it's not just the trees and the lights and all that other fun stuff - though, and I hate to sound judgemental, but you are crazy if you don't think that stuff is the greatest - it's the tradition, the family, the "our family always...", the "when I was little...", the "my mom makes sugar cookies like this..." And this year we got to start our own family traditions! As an adult I still love Christmas, but having Maelie has definitely brought a little of the spark back. I don't even mind travelling all over the world, going to seven family Christmas parties in two days (seriously, we challenge Santa in the milage). It is so much fun to see all these people that we love and don't get to see nearly enough loving on my baby!

She has brought an entirely new perspective to the sweet baby in the manger, too. I think having my own little one has really made it hit home and made me think of Mary in a whole new way and made her so much more real to me. It really makes me appreciate her sacrafice and her faith more. I can't imagine the faith it must have taken to do what she did. I cried when I thought I might not get an epidural - I can't imagine what I would have done if Kyle had told me, Sorry, hon, but I think we'll just have to deliver in the barn. It makes my heart hurt on Christmas to think that we wouldn't have Easter if it weren't for Christmas - that God knew from the moment Jesus was born what would ulitimately happen to him here on earth. Christmas this year has given me an even deeper yearning in my heart for Maelie to know and love Him. I would love to hear from anyone out there what your family does at Christmastime especially to remind your children why we celebrate.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!!!

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!

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!