Daddy's Little Helper

Tonight, McKenzie was playing outside with Mom and I. Jason was watering the flowers. McKenzie was watching him water the entire time he was watering. When the watering can was empty Jason walked over to McKenzie and she took the empty watering can from him. She walked right back down to the flower he last watered and watered it again! It was so cute! I had to run and get the camera!

I can do it!

Chuck E Cheese

Today I took McKenzie to Chuck E Cheese for the first time! We met our cousins Karen, John Russell, and Connor there. It was really fun! We ate pizza and then McKenzie got to ride a few of the rides. McKenzie now does not like you to cut her food up for her. She wants to pick it up and bit it off. So, today at Chuck E Cheese she ate a piece of pizza just like we do! She is getting so big! She really liked the rides at first and then seemed not very interested. Her very favorite one was the ride with Chuck E! She cried when I took her off that one so that she could try the others. Needless to say we went back to Chuck E!

Karen and McKenzie watching the show!

Clifford! McKenzie did not Clifford!

Stuart Little...Very fun!

She looks so scared!

McKenzie hated the kiddie coaster!

She got off early!

McKenzie and Chuck E!

McKenzie and her buddy!

Happy Birthday Patrick

Happy Birthday Patrick! Patrick was a dear friend of mine in high school. Today he would have been 28 years old. He was one day older than me! I would always call him today and tomorrow he would return the birthday call to me. However, Patrick's life was cut very short on May 5, 2004. Patrick was killed in a car accident. I am not writing this post to bring everyone down. I am writing this post to celebrate his life and to remember him. So, today I am still wishing my friend Patrick, a very happy birthday!

A Special Thank Ewe

A very special thank ewe to Auntie A, U.B., and Cousin Tate for letting McKenzie be a part of the flock! McKenzie had such a great time with you guys this week. She is definitely tired after playing with Tater! Auntie Amber always has fun things going on too...like play group, mowing lawn, sidewalk chalk, swimming, Nana coming, and even going for ice cream! McKenzie was very sad to leave Tate today. When he had to go up for his nap I explained to her that we would be leaving before he woke up. So she leaned over and kissed him right on the lips. Thank you also for lunch today! When we got there from the airport Amber and Brian had made us lunch. So sweet! I wish that we lived closer to them so Tate and McKenzie could play more often.

When we got home today she walked through our house and cried on and off looking all around as if to say, you mean Tate is not here? It was so sad. However, McKenzie was happy to see us...which made us feel good! She kept saying MaMa and would not let me put her down. She was so sweet tonight when I put her to bed. She had finished her milk and was enjoying her pacifier as I was singing to her. All of a sudden she pulled out her pacifier and kissed me right on the lips and then put her pacifier right back into her mouth. It was so sweet.

Jason and I had a wonderful trip to Philadelphia. We had time to tour around and see lots of the "visitor" hot spots. I also got to spend all day Saturday with Cookie! Her parents were in town also and her sister so I got to see them as well. There is never enough time for Cookie and I to exchange all of our stories but we did a pretty good job! There was never a quiet moment!

Saturday night was the Waddell and Reed awards ceremony. Jason and I had to sit at a reserved table up front because he had hit certain levels this year to do so. It is very interesting to sit at a table of "big wigs." It was totally out of our comfort zone but very fun to say the least! I am so very proud of Jason! He got 4 awards last night. He was the only one from his office to get 4! Also, I must say that one of his awards last night was for bringing in the most new clients. Jason brought on 223 new clients last year and that is more than any one else. I am just so proud of him and how hard he works for our family. It is truly a blessing to be able to stay at home with McKenzie every day and watch her grow!

15 Months

Wow! McKenzie Grace is 15 months today! That does not seem possible. We can't believe how fast she is growing up. McKenzie is now a very good little walker. She can bend over and pick things up off the floor and stand right back up. She is "talking" all the time now. Our house is always filled with her little voice. It is so sweet and so much fun! She is working on saying ball now and dog. She almost has it. MaMa and Da Da are mastered! She can also tell you where her nose is, her hair, and her ears! When she points to her nose she usually sticks her fingers up it. She loves that her nose has holes in it! Too funny! We love you lots our little 15 months old, Kenzie Grace!

Clueless

Well this is a weird feeling and I am so glad that I do not have it often. Today Jason and I dropped off Baxter at Granny and Granddaddy's house and then took McKenzie to Amber and Brian's house. We are leaving in the morning for Philadelphia with Jason's company. I am pretty much just clueless. What did I used to do without a dog to trip over and a baby to keep up with? Our house is so quiet tonight. I almost could not even use the bathroom because my little audience was missing! It is just so funny how fast life changes when a sweet baby enters your life and so hard to remember what it used to be until there are quiet nights likes this.

Here is a funny story...I just got off the phone with Amber. She said that when they put McKenzie to bed she cried. Not an unusual thing to do for her when going to bed in a different place. However, shortly after putting her to bed, Amber's next door neighbor came over to see if everything was all right. They picked up McKenzie's screaming through their son's monitor in his room! Now granted, houses where they live are very close together. However, leave it to my child to be so loud that the neighbor had to come over to make sure everything was okay! Thank God for good neighbors!

I am really exicted to go to Philadelphia. Not only because it is going to be a nice get-a-way, but because my Cookie lives in Philadelphia! If you don't know about Cookie she is my oldest, bestest friend! We do not get to see each other near as much as we would like...once, maybe twice a year. So I am looking very forward to spending Saturday with her!

Check out the Lamb Family blog on the right side of ours to track McKenzie and Tate the next few days! They are a pair to keep an eye on! Thanks Auntie Amber and U.B.! Enjoy having twins!

Turn Around....

...Bright Eyes...Yes! Today, McKenzie's car seat got turned forward facing! She is now tall enough and weighs enough to sit facing forward! It was so funny to watch her look out the window and the windshield facing the right way for the first time. She just had this look of amazement on her face. She also loves that I can just turn my head and see her without using a mirror. It is so easy to hand her things and take her shoes off. She hates to wear her shoes in the car! Now she can see her pacifiers that are in the pocket of the seat in front of her.

Signing please...she sees her pacifiers! So smart...this girl is!


Looking out the windshield for the very first time!

McKenzie got a bubble mower today! She is going to stay with
Tate on Wednesday until Sunday while we go out of town
and Tate has a bubble mower that he loves! So now
they can mow the grass together!

Cuttin' and squealin'

We had a great 4th of July in the mountains with Jason's parents and youngest brother, Jared. Jeffrey was there in spirit and we talked about him several times. We went up to the mountains on Thursday. We celebrated mine and Jason's birthdays Thursday night. Friday we went to visit Jason's grandparents and had lunch with them. Jason's grandpa has a big garden and we took McKenzie to see it. His grandparents also have a huge set of wind chimes. McKenzie found them on the back porch and she could ring them from standing on the ground they are so long. She thought that was great! They make the most beautiful sound. Saturday, the 4th we went White Water Rafting! It was really fun. The water was very cold! McKenzie stayed home and played with grandma. She is way too little for rafting! McKenzie took a good nap on Saturday and was all rested up for the fireworks. I really wanted to take her because I thought she would love them...and she did! The very first firework was loud and she jumped at the sound but when she saw the result in the sky she immediately started clapping and yelling! She absolutely loved them! We came home on Sunday morning. Sunday evening we went to the Slocumb house for dinner to celebrate Jason's birthday. They were at the beach when we all went out to celebrate. Jason loved extending his birthday even longer!

McKenzie with a B-O-W! We spell it when I can slip it into her hair without

her realizing it is there! She always finds it eventually!

Daddy and Kenz

Our birthday cake! Jason's mom always adds our

years together! We are 55 this year!

Grandma and Papa bought McKenzie a pool! She loved it!

Still wearing the B-O-W!!

Picking flowers for great-grandma!


Mommy and Kenz

Precious Great-Grandma and McKenzie


Waiting for it to get dark so that fireworks can begin!

Still waiting for it to get dark! Grandma, Grandpa, McKenzie, Uncle

Jared, Megan, and Amber (Jared's girlfriend) (Jason took the pic!)

Our little 4th of July family!

Here is a new face that McKenzie discovered she could make!

M&M at the fireworks! It got cold and late
so the pjs went on!

Amber, Jared, and Kenzie

Kenzie biting Daddy's head!

Curls, curls, beautiful curls!

Jason and I leave for Philadelphia on Thursday. We are really excited! This is another trip with his company. Lots of people from his office will be there so it will be lots of fun! However, I am even more excited because Cookie lives in Philly now! For those of you who do not know Cookie is my best friend and has been since we were 3 and in nursery school together. I will fill you all in on our trip when we return on Sunday. McKenzie will be spending some time with Cousin Tate, Auntie Amber, and U.B.! She is very excited and can't wait to push bubble mowers with Tate!