Happy Birthday, Emma!

We celebrated Emma's 4th birthday last weekend with an awesome party at the gymnastics center. I had already planned to sign Mackenzie up for classes, so this was great exposure to see if she would like it. What do you think?

Crab-walking up the balance beam

Jumping!

Oops! Logjam at the foam pit!

Noah and Mackenzie on the obstacle course
Mackenzie's favorite part--swinging on the rope into the foam pit!

Singing "Happy Birthday" to Emma, with her cool Hannah Montana cake
I finally got Mackenzie to slow down long enough to smile for the camera
Thank you, Ms. Sara, for the yummy ring pop!

Fun times...

Just a few things we've been up to...

Mackayla and Mackenzie motivating me while I work out!

(Mackenzie perfecting her ab crunches!)
Eric, Michelle, and kids came to visit...and off to Chuck E. Cheese!!!

Mackenzie and Chris (Mackenize was winning...beginner's luck?!

The girls and I finally made it to the new play center at the mall. We like it much better than Arbor Place!

2 Months!

Mackayla turned 2 months old on July 23. We went for her well visit today. She had to get a few vaccines, and she wasn't too happy with that. In fact, she had one of the worst afternoons yet. After her appointment I had to go to work, so Jon took both girls home after he got off work. When I got home later, she had her bottle and a dose of Tylenol per the pediatrician's advice. That was at 8:30 Monday night. She went to sleep immediately afterwards in her swing, and as I'm typing this at 1 AM Tuesday morning, she is still asleep. Poor kid, I don't remember Mackenzie reacting this way. Hopefully when she wakes up she will be back to her normal, happy self.

Now, on to her monthly update!

Mackayla, at two months old, you are:

• 10.3 pounds (50th percentile)
• 23 inches long (95th percentile)
• STILL wearing Newborn-sized diapers
• Wearing 0-3 month size clothes
• Cooing, spontaneously and in response to us (and we've had one squeal)
• LOVING your baths!
• Eating every 3-4 hours during the day
• Sleeping 6-7 hours at night, without fail
• Loving to sit in your bouncer seat on the kitchen counter (far away from the stove!) to watch me cook
• Are a seasoned traveler, having made 3 trips to Murphy, NC to see Mommy's side of the family, and 1 trip to Charlotte, NC to see Daddy's side
• Getting ready to attend your first wedding (Yay, Aunt Beth!)
• Melting our hearts more and more each day as your personality continues to emerge

Enjoy the smiley pictures!!!!

Wedding Prep!

Jon's sister, the girls' Aunt Beth, is getting married in 6 weeks!!! We've had Mackenzie's flower girl (or as Mackenzie calls it, her princess) dress for a while, and I wanted to make sure she wasn't going to outgrow it before the ceremony. I took some pics to pass on to Beth, and couldn't resist posting them here. (On a side note, AJ's nephew Preston, who is about 6 months younger than Mackenize, is the ring bearer. Mackenzie has told me countless times that she's the princess, he's the prince, and they're going to dance together, like on the Taylor Swift song. Her words, not mine!)

Full body pose...

With socks...

Without socks... (I love this picture!!!!)

I swear she is imitating Marilyn Monroe! Too cute!

One of my favorites!

Poolside!

We FINALLY made it to the pool! Last Friday was Jon's final week of 4 day work-weeks and having Fridays off (only during the summer), and it was cool enough for all 4 of us to go to the pool. Of course, Mackayla and I only watched, but Jon and Mackenzie had a blast!

Kaitlyn's 3rd Birthday!

We went to NC last weekend for my niece, Katie's, 3rd birthday party. My dad went with us, and we loved being able to spend time with my sister and her family. Since they moved 2 years ago, it's been hard to get everyone together.

Katie had a Tinkerbell party!

I thought it was hilarious that Katie opened EVERY card and pretended to read it! Mackenzie enjoying watching her cousin open her gifts. I love this serious face!
I am almost too embarrassed to post this video. Mackenzie has never done this before...she blew out the candles instead of the birthday girl. I'm only posting it because it is kinda funny. :)

However, we had a nice chat about it, and she won't be blowing out anyone else's candles!

Mackenzie on her 1st 4-wheeler ride--she loved it. Jon and the kids rode for literally hours that day!
Michael and Mackayla
Stephen and Christopher with Mackayla

Mackenzie with a gorgeous butterfly

This picture cracks me up...we're all looking and walking in different directions. I have no clue why I was staring at the hill?!
On the way home, Mackenzie had a snack of M&M's out of Mackayla's bottle lid--what a nut!

Wow I feel old...

After spending time with my sister and her family last weekend, I was reminded of how much her kids have grown. My prime example: her oldest son, Michael. He was 5 when Jon and I got married. I was in the 8th grade when he was born, and he was my whole world. I babysat him as much as Michelle would let me, and we were inseparable.

Now he's 13, taller than me, and such a handsome guy!

I adore the young man he has grown into, and can't wait to see the man he will become.