update

Hi all,
Just a quick update: our computer is dead, so until it's fixed, replaced or I figure out how to get pics onto Curt's computer, there won't be any new pics. Sorry! It's so hard not to mess with them. My night's are getting later and later as it's the only time I have on the computer.

Little Miss Adeline turned 10 months old today! She is a squealing, speed-crawling, opinionated littel girl. Such a delight to be around. She definitely let's us know what she wants. And, man, can she EAT! We are done with baby food. She occasionally let's me give her something on a spoon, but she mostly bats it away and screams for real food. She can shovel it in!

She adores McKinley, who has taken to singing "down by the bay" or reading a book to her whenever she cries. Of course, other times, he is the reason she's crying. She's gonna give him a run for his money!

She has seven teeth, can pull to standing and is obsessed with trying to get to our shoes to chew on them. She is doing well at daycare, and next week I will not be rushing off at lunch to let her nurse. She's been eating the refular food there for three weeks and doing well, so we're gonna try skipping the midday nursing (just on the day I work, she can still nurse whenever when she's with me). I think she'll do just fine.

Our daycare is a dream. It's so small and personal. I absolutely love it. Addie heads right to the ball pit every time. It's only open during the school year, which is the only downside. We're working on a babysitting swap with one of the other families for two days a week this summer.

Mac has recovered fully from his tonsillectomy and is doing great with the ear tubes. We are still working on improving his sleep - what's new?
He has become an avid bike rider, and can successfully complete the short, medium and long loops of our neighborhood. We've been doing it almost every night. He just gets on and away we go, his little legs pumping, helmet on - he's excellent at steering and controlling his speed while keeping his feet on the pedals. We are considering getting a two wheel bike with training wheels for the summer.
He's also loving his scooter, and even took it to Home Depot. Pretty cute.
We're hoping to take him to a trout farm fishing with Norah and Josephine this weekend, and he is so excited. He may be disappointed in the size of the trout, however, since he thinks he's gonna catch a salmon - oh, yeah, trained him right! We had salmon tonight for dinner, and Mac probably ate half of it. Addie thought it was pretty good too. I love it!
McKinley is also showing me that the hundreds of hours I have spent singing to him (both out of joy and out of necessity) have paid off. He ask me to sing with him the other night and sang at least five songs I had never heard him sing before. My favorite - "Tinkle, Tinkle, little star". Cracks me up! He's getting close to the right notes and definitely has the correct timing. So fun.

Curt and I are eagerly anticipating a weekend on the mountain this weekend. We're meeting Robin, Brian, Norah and Josephine for three days for some hiking, swimming, fishing and playing. We weren't daring enough to make camping reservations, but it would have been a good weekend for that. Summer's coming!

Mac and I went to the driving range for the first time on Sunday with the clubs that Santa brought him for Christmas. Becky and Addie came along for moral support.
It never really dawned on me how tough it's going to be teaching a left handed kid how to do things, until now. He may spend his entire adolescence in velcro shoes, I can't imagine showing him how to successfully tie laces.
He was very upset when we had to go. All-in-all it was a very good first trip and he can't wait to go back. Look! Nice ball launch, follow through, head down (kind of). It went a good 5-6 yards.....with his 7-iron!

Getting some pointers from Dad. If he doesn't become the next Tiger Woods he can blame me, the next Bill Murray.

Saying good-bye to the ball.

One of life's challenges being left handed; Dad can't remember which hand goes on top.

Getting ready to do some damage.

Smiley girl with FIVE teeth! Number six is almost through. I still can't believe she has teeth!
Adeline is happy and smiley most of the time. Her giggle is infectious! I love it.
And her little feet... yummy!

Happy Nine Month Birthday (on Earth Day). She was so tickled to be outside. Mac spiked her hair in the bathtub the night before, and it stayed!

Laughing at the grass and at my attempts to keep her on the blanket.

"Hi Mom!"

Addie often is talking or "singing" with her mouth wide open.

One of her newest things is to imitate McKinley - she'll make the same sound, shake her head back and forth when he's doing the same thing, or clap when he's clapping. Sometimes she claps when he stops doing something - I think she might be signing "more".

She signs more when she's eating, and Curt thought she signed "milk" the other night.

Tonight, she was signing more, then putting her hand up in the air and shouting. Curt said "Addie, do you want milk" and signed milk. She got a huge grin on her face and looked over at me and signed "more".

We get it, honey! You are signing! Oh, how I love this stage!

I am not exactly sure how doing video on here works, but let's try this and see... it's Addie on my legs giggling. I hope it works!

McKinley's surgery to have his tonsils and adenoid removed and to get ear tubes placed in both ears went well. I can't remember to upload the pics in reverse to how I want them to appear and it takes too long to rearrange them, so here are yesterday's events, in reverse order: Making vanila smoothies with Curt (Mac wouldn't drink them, but making them was fun).
Where he spent all afternoon. Thank you, Morphine!

Getting ready to go home. He's too heavy to carry, and I forgot to take the smaller stroller, so he got a ride in a wheelchair.

Dressed and ready to go home. Watching his all-time favorite "digger video" on the Zune (without sound because he couldn't wear the headphones after surgery).

Waking up after surgery.

Loopy after getting the pre-op meds. He told the anesthesiologist that he wanted "a hair net". Where he got that word, we'll never know!

Loopy, waiting with me. He couldn't sit up or talk well.

Watching TV with Creature. Mac and I made Creature on Wednesday.

Creature got a hair net too and got to go to surgery with him.

Today was harder than yesterday because McKinley was hungry, cranky and sore. We are trying to keep him well medicated, but it seems to be wearing off sooner than we can give him more. It's been better since I stopped giving him the Tylenol with Codeine and switched to ibuprofen alternating with regular Tylenol. He was really out of it for a few hours this afternoon, then perked up after we gave him Tylenol and we were able to take the kids for a walk. It was beautiful here! We expect that each day will be easier and less painful for him. It's going to be hard keeping him on a "soft" diet for a week because he really wants toast, chicken nuggets, and chewy fruits.

Walking with Lucy at the zoo.My birthday party!
Our Adeline.

Eatin' crackers. I can't get enough of her eyes!

These Cheerios are awesome!

A big worm! Then it pooped on his hand and he about had a heart attack!

Grandma Vickie saved the day by wiping it on her pants.

Paula, Vickie and Mac at a waterfall.

Mac and Addie on a walk.

Walking through the trees.

Adeline and her buddy Harris at library time. The scarves were for peek-a-boo, but I couldn't resist making them into doo-rags!

It is a delight to watch Mac and Addie grow!

Mac's in underwear!

No pics necessary for this post, but we believe Mac is "potty trained".
It happened yesterday. We've been taking his diaper off in the morning and letting him just have his jammy bottoms on. Yesterday, he ran into the bathroom and had already peed on the toilet by the time I got there.
Today he asked for just his jammy bottoms, and again did it all by himself. He had a couple of accidents today, but they both were when he was in the bathroom, trying to get on the toilet. Then I made the mistake of putting a pair of underwear on him that actually sort of hold the pee in because they have an outer layer made of the same material as the diaper wraps. I didn't tell him this, but he later informed me that "it's alright to pee a little in these underwear because they hold the pee in". What? I about peed my pants myself I was laughing so hard.
Later, he told Curt he wanted to wear his pants (no diaper or underwear) for his nap. OK. And he did it - dry as could be and then later went and peed on the toilet. Curt tried to help him that time, and Mac told him "No, Dad, I want to do it all by myself!" And he did, handwashing and all.
I was beginning to think the day would be a long time in coming as so many of his friends have been using the toilet for months. He's been asking me which friends pee in diapers and which use the toilet. He's also really motivated to use the little potties at school (which means he then can wash his hands at the very cool little sink), and last week told his teacher he needed to go on the toilet, but since she was the only adult in the room with 8 kids, she was unable to help him. That made a big impression.
We'll keep you posted!

Mexico was amazing! Curt and I got the chance to try boogie boarding and we both loved it!
Mac absolutely loved the beach and the water. He even got used to going in the waves! And boy, does the beach tire a boy out!

Playa del Sol Grand had a fantastic pool. Many, many hours were spent here.

Chillin' in their Hawaii clothes from Jim and Care. We couldn't get Addie's top to stay on, so she's looking like a boy in this pic!

Addie sprouted her second bottom tooth the day we left, her first top tooth the first day home, and the second top tooth the next day! Geez! And man, she'll be eating steak in a few weeks given how huge her top teeth are!

Curt and Mac "night swimming". Note the subtle change in the water... the pool had an infinity edge and looked right out onto the ocean. Incredible. I love night swimming!

Addie in her "I will NOT get burnt" get-up.

Papa getting "pushed" by two dolphins on their "Dolphin Adventure".

Nana getting "pushed".

Papa, Nana and Mac at the swim up bar, drinking "smoo-vies!" Mac thought that was the best, well, next to the little bags of Panditas (gummy bears) and Dolci Gomas (gummy fruit globs) that the mini mart sold for 10 pesos.

Mac swimming. Lois Baker filled us in ahead of time to bring floaties for McKinley.

I have always really hated these arm swim things due to my years of lifeguarding and parents that think these things make a kid safe (they don't). At swimming lessons, they use foam rings around their arms, and that is one of Mac's favorite times because he gets to swim by himself. He did great in the pool with these arm floaties because their were so many shallow parts for him to play in (one day, he spent about five hours in the pool, with one 20 minute break to devor a whole plate of fish tostadas... then, right back into the pool)

Heading to the pool.

Sweet post-swim nap.

Day trip to Sauyalita. Mac was sand from head to toe.

Addie and Daddy hanging on the beach in Sauyalita.

Sunset view from Playa del Sol Grande.

Sweet Mexican girls in Bucerias (up the beach from where we stayed) that adored Addie and were taking pictures of her on their phones. This picture doesn't display their enthusiasm!

Get this: one day old Leatherback turtles. Only the third time the have had Leatherbacks hatch on Puerta Vallarta beach, and we got to see them released.

Releasing one day old Olive Ridley sea turtles.

beach nap on dad.