Thumbs are for Wussies

Diaper changing just got a little bit harder.

Get Outside!

McKenzie LOVES to be outside. I'm trying to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible before it gets too cold. Right now we can go in and out with ease but it will be harder when I have to bundle her up with a million layers. Here are a couple pictures from a recent hike LeighAnn, Lily, McKenzie, Kona and I took.

Snore the Night Away

McKenzie has her first official runny nose. Here's a little play-by-play of my night...

• Rock Kenzie until 11:15 pm when she finally falls to sleep


• Quietly crawl into bed, hoping the squeaky bed spring stays quiet this one time


• Sleep until 1:30 am when my internal clock tells me Kenzie will be waking up (which she has done precisely at 1:30 every night for the past two weeks)


• Lie awake listening to Dustin, Kenzie, and Kona and try to determine which one of them is making that incredibly annoying gurgling sound with each exhale


• Nudge Dustin, he rolls over...still hear the gurgling...wasn't him


• Reach to the nightstand for something to throw at Kona (I don't want to wake the baby by calling his name)
  
• After three missed throws finally hit Kona with toy, he stretches, rolls over...still hear snoring


• Realize it's my little angel, stuffed up, poor thing, but still sleeping soundly


• Fall back to sleep with the discovery that as a wife and pet owner I loathe snoring, but as a mom I find it surprisingly bearable.

Chalk it up to another lesson learned by a new mom.

Pumpkin Head

At Plymouth Rock

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say "pumpkin hat" while out with McKenzie this weekend I could afford to be a stay-at-home mom until she graduates college. This hat was a gift from my Aunt Gail and Uncle Steve and earned us more attention than we've ever had before. I think I'll have to leave it at home if I actually want to accomplish anything while I'm out because everyone wants to stop and talk about the gorgeous girl under the adorable pumpkin hat. Can you blame them?

The Must-Have List: Part One

Kenzie, meet Bumbo. Bumbo, Kenzie.

When Dustin and I first found out I was pregnant and began looking for items to register for, we were overwhelmed by the sheer number of products in Babies R Us. We tried not to get taken by the cute duckies and all the pink flowers and focused on just the items we felt we "needed" not the ones we "wanted." Now that I've been a mom for four and a half months (but who's counting) I'd like to take this opportunity to add a couple items to the must-have list.

The Bumbo is amazing. LeighAnn handed this down to us when Lily grew out of it and I can't believe that such a simple thing can be so useful. (Dustin is always saying, "why couldn't I have thought of that.") Kenzie can't sit up on her own yet but likes to be propped up and it gets pretty wearing on my arms and back. Now McKenzie sits next to me so I can interact with her while I prepare dinner and she is the centerpiece at our table. She entertains us while she takes turns watching daddy, mommy and Uncle Matt eat.

Another back saver: the Moby wrap. This 16 ft. long piece of fabric is a little intimidating at first (so much fabric, so little baby), but it is the coolest thing. McKenzie loves being nestled in close to me and it makes it so much more comfortable to take long walks. When I face her forward in the wrap she gets to giggle at all the crazy things Kona does while we are walking in the woods around our house. Babywearing is all the rage right now and I would definitely recommend it. It is enjoyable for both mom and baby (and probably would be for dad, too, if I could only get him to wrap himself up Obi Wan Kenobi style).