A tale about bath time

If I had to rank Mac's favorites things in the whole wide world bath time would be top on his list. The kid LOVES it. Sure we may sing the naked song every night before he gets in the bath which really gets him revved up and kicking to get out of my arms before I can hand him over to his daddy. Sure he LOVES his plain rubbery duck that he dunks and then looks up at us and laughs like he has just done something that no one else have ever done...and sure we may encourage all of this behavior because it's just as much for our amusement as it is for him :)

I probably should mention that even if the kid didn't like bath time it is essential in our house. Mac loves to eat. He also loves to feed himself which can make him look like this....

Do you notice the top TWO teeth....??? See those fat cheeks smothered in spaghetti? I am almost certain that he has sauce caught in between his two chins. I could eat that spaghetti right off that face...I love it.

So the bath process begins. Grant starts his bath and "places his order" while I get him stripped down to his birthday suit and bring him in the bathroom (all while singing our naked song which I will spare everyone who reads this blog...all 3 of you).



Have I mentioned that I love that face....those big blue eyes and that bright red hair...well I do...can you blame me? Once we get him in the bath and wash his pits and manly bits we may give him a shampoo Mohawk. I hope this is the only Mohawk he ever has and/or wants.



After all the soap and Mohawk has been washed away it's time to get out. He doesn't normally love this part but his Cookie Monster bath towel helps ease the pain.

Then it's PJs, book and bed and lucky for all of us we start the process over the next night!!!

CLC

10 months...let the countdown begin!!

Mac Chiles you are 10 MONTHS OLD!!!! Of course I'm late with this post but our little man celebrated 10 months on 2/20. The countdown to birthday town has started and this mama is getting a tad bit sentimental that her baby is about to be the BIG 01!!!!

I'm not sure of his stats this month. I did take him to the doctor this past Monday (2/27) and he weighed 18lbs 3ozs. HE FINALLY BROKE 18 POUNDS!!! He is a small fry but the doctor is not worried.

Still no crawling forward but crawling backwards and in a complete circle. This is his main way he gets around. For a baby who doesn't crawl the "traditional" way he sure gets around.

He is still our happy boy. The kid loves to laugh and CLAP!!! He smiles when we smile but he is not afraid to show us when he is not happy. This month we started playing around with his schedule. We put him in the bath earlier so we can give him his "night time" bottle early. We let him play and then we put him to bed WITHOUT rocking him with his bottle. He hasn't seemed to mind. I hear that taking away the night time bottle is the hardest so I hope this helps!

A few random stats....he wears 9-12 month clothes and a size 3 diaper. He eats anything and everything. We haven't come across a food yet that he does not like :)

I can hardly believe that MY BABY will be ONE in less than two months....my heart is about to burst!

Mac we love you so much!!

CLC

Mac's 9 month post...way late!

Mac celebrated 9 months on January 20th and I'm just now posting this on 2/12. It is hard to believe that in 2.5 month my little man will be one! 9 was another tough month with weight loss and sickness that hit our house again but I'm happy to report that we are all back on the mend!!!

Here are Mac's 9 month stats -

Weight - 16lbs 11ozs (17 lbs 8 ozs as of 2/7)
Height - 27 3/4
Head Circ - 16 1/4

And for comparison here are his 6 month stats -

Weight - 16lbs 6ozs
Length - 25 3/4 inches
Head Circ - 16

I hate to show this comparison b/c when he got the devil flu he dropped a lot of weight and he is still not back to where he was before he got sick BUT I took him for a weight check on 2/7 and he had gained almost a pound since his 9 month appointment two weeks before so the doc signed off on his weight and I'm HOPING and PRAYING that we are finally on the road to recovery!!!

It is crazy how much Mac has changed. Even in the last two weeks. My little boy that never wanted to roll now is a rolling machine. He first rolled on 10/7. He rolled from his tummy to his back. It took months before anyone saw it again and even then it was only once every month or so and he never rolled from back to tummy. Well that has all changed as of last night (2/11). He now rolls and rolls. He no longer likes to be on his back and as soon as he is done with his bottle he wiggles out of the boppy and rolls on his tummy and up on all fours.

Speaking of all fours he has been rocking on all fours and "crawling" backwards for weeks. He still hasn't figured out how to move forward but it is coming. He gets so frustrated when he is trying to get a toy or the dog and he keeps moving further away!!!

Even in the middle of cutting 3 teeth (yes, three at ONE TIME!) he is still so happy and so much fun! The picture below says it all! He is always smiling, laughing and making his mommy and daddy laugh. We are so blessed. WE LOVE YOU McALISTER AUSTIN CHILES!

CLC

Chrismas Part II - Photo dump!

This is going to be a jumbled mess. The pictures are not in order so bare with me! I will explain as I go! I can go ahead and say that my little family of three had a FABULOUS Christmas. Minus all the sickness that lead up to the big celebration we were able to spend it with family and friends and celebrate what really matters.

I want to mention the toys for tots dinner that Grant and I host every year. I didn't get any pictures but we had over 20 folks that showed up and brought toys. This is our 3rd year doing this at 5 seasons and it is always a good time. We have done this in the past at our tacky sweater party but b/c everyone lives in different areas of ATL it was easier to do this at a central location. This year my Mom came in town and kept Mac so Grant and I could have a night out on the town. We stayed at the Ritz in downtown and it was beautiful!!!! I hate I didn't get any pictures but it was a great night!

Now...a quick recap before I move on to the pictures. Christmas is the only holiday that we split. We all spend Thanksgivings together and we flip flop every year for Christmas. This year was the Chiles year so we make the trip to Warner Robins the Thursday before Christmas. We spent two nights in WR and headed home on Christmas Eve morning. We joined Grant's parents on Christmas Eve night for the Candle light service and we were able to wake up on Christmas morning at our own house for Mac's first Christmas! After our Christmas we headed to Rick and Eve's for Christmas and a wonderful Christmas lunch and then came back to our house where Grant's parents, my parents, bother and nephew came by to have dessert. I love it when we can get both sides together!!

Enjoy the pictures!!

Like I said...these are WAY out of order.


Nana and Papa (my folks) gave Mac a GIANT stocking. It is almost as tall as I am and all the stuff below was stuffed inside!

My brother and nephew got Mac his very first Wagon!

Here is Mac opening presents at Grandma-ma and Coach's house (Grant's Parents). We didn't get many pictures but he got a TON of stuff!!! Toys, clothes and more toys! I also have to mention that Mac's Aunt Courty and Uncle Jason gave him a superman and batman onesie...I love them!!!

Hanging out with his daddy on Christmas morning!!

Family picture in front of Grandma-ma's tree!

This is the end of Christmas morning at our house. Mac was ready for his morning nap!!

One of his Widespread Panic shirts that his daddy got him!

Mac with his loot from Santa :)

This was him when he woke up. He is always smiling in the morning! Grant and I were both awake just waiting for him to wake up!

Santa and Mom and Dad's gifts!

Mac's loot from Santa!

Daddy helping him open gifts at Nana and Papa's house

I love the bow on his head - haha!!

The theme of Christmas year was paper...all he wanted to do was rip the paper!

Mac and his Cousin Stephen! I hate that all of my pictures of the two of them are blurry! Mac LOVES him and just laughs whenever he is around!

We are so incredibly blessed! Christmas this year was so much fun with Mac and I can't wait until next year!

CLC

8 Months!

Mac celebrated 8 months on December 20th! I wish I could say we stayed healthy after our devil flu experience but sadly the Macster got his first ear infection on his 8 month birthday! He started running a temp Sunday (12/18) and it continued into Monday. I was able to keep it off of him with Tylenol and Motrin but when it spiked to 103 on Monday we decided to take him in the next day. So we got our first round of antibiotics which he LOVED and we were sent on our way. 24 hrs after having the medicine in his system he was fever free and back to his normal happy self!

Mac also cut his first tooth AND said Mama on 12/23!! This is his first real word and I was shocked!! I love hearing him say it over and over :)

Because I use this blog to document everything this next little part is more for me...so stopped reading because inappropriate BF talk is coming up next.....due of our devil flu experience I started to supplement with formula the begining of December. Over the next month my supply continued to drop and knowing I couldn't increase it I made the decision to slowly stop nursing him. I nursed him for the last time on Christmas Eve and pumped for the last time on 12/30. I started out 2012 with complete freedom! As sad as I was about this there was nothing I could do and luckily Mac took to formula without any issues!

Okay...enough about that...here are a couple super cute pictures of my little man on his 8 month birthday!

His monkey doesn't stand a chance now...

He is SUCH a happy boy. We are so lucky!!!


We love you Macster!!

CLC

SANTA....I KNOW HIM!!!!

Mac went to meet Santa on Saturday 12/3. To say he loved him is putting it lightly. I know most kids are not big fans of Santa the first time they meet him but Mac didn't seem to have a problem!

This is the picture we used for our 2011 Christmas card! I love that he is holding on to Santa finger!

Sweet Boy!

Look at that Smile...our own little Chris Kringle!

Santa was pretty fond of him as well. I'm sure we will get plenty of crying pictures but I'm happy to have at least one where he is smiling!!

CLC

Christmas Catch Up Part 1

The day before the devil flu hit the Chiles house we did make it out to pick out our first family of three Christmas tree. I have been thinking about this day for a while. Grant and I always get our tree the day after Thanksgiving but this year we had to push it back a day b/c of the Macster not feeling well (little did we know). So we got up the Saturday after Thanksgiving and headed out to get our tree.

Right now Grant and I both drive sedans, this will be changing b/c it is impossible to transport all of our stuff, Mac's stuff plus the dogs! Luckily Grant is restoring his Papa's old truck so he was able to drive it to get the tree while Mac and I followed behind in safer vehicle :)

We have always bought our tree at Lowe's and this year was no different. I would eventually like to go to a tree farm and cut down our own but that won't be until Mac gets a little bit older. The last few years we have actually gone home with the first tree that we pick out, we look at others but always come back to the first one. The same thing happened this year...it was nice!

Here is daddy and Mac in the old truck...not sure if you can tell but the seat is covered in a yellow and brown plaid...fancy!

The Chiles Family of Three Christmas Tree!!!!

Christmas Catch Up Part 2 will cover Christmas in WR, Christmas Morning and Christmas with the Chiles....stay tuned!

CLC