The Shed!

Dave did a beautiful job with the shed! He still needs to paint it and put some final finishing touches to make it "perfect", but I couldn't wait to show you how awesome he is! :o) The inside of it is carpeted and already filled with stuff. I will post pictures of his NEWEST project that has already made its home in the garage soon. Way to go Babe...you're the man!
This was only the beginning!


The "finished" product!
I was too lazy to go all the way outside for this shot :o)

7 Months!

Can't believe it's already this time again...time for ANOTHER monthly update on our girl. We are fast approaching the one year mark and I just don't know if Mommy's heart is ready!!!
McKenna is at such a fun age and stage right now! I feel like she is changing by the minute! We definitely have some highlights to share!

First off, we took McK to the pediatrician at the beginning of this month (Jan. 7th) and she was weighing in at 17.3 lbs (50%) and was 26.5in (75%). She's doing great on the growing aspect of things! Her hair is even starting to come in a bit more! :o) She got her shots at that appt. and was such a trooper! We are finishing a pack of size 2-3 diapers and then we'll go right into size 3. I just laundered all of her 6-9 month clothes and need to switch them out for her 3-6 month clothes. Crazy! Also at the beginning of the month, McK's first tooth came in!!! The 2nd tooth came in just 3 days later! They're the sweetest little toofers you've ever seen! She was a bit cranky and clingy for a day or 2 before the first one came through, but other than that she did beautifully....just SO MUCH DROOL...it's hard to believe!

We got McKenna a big girl chair to sit at the table with us for meals. She was having too much fun eating her feet and getting her socks all dirty with her food in her other little chair. I found exactly what I wanted on Craig's List and got her a "seat saver" made by Fisher Price. I love it! We don't have a lot of room, so I didn't want a full-on high chair, so this was perfect. It straps into a regular chair. The seat reclines and the tray is adjustable. The seat with "grow with her" until she's about 3 years old and won't need a booster seat! Since we've moved to the table, I've started using sign language with McKenna during her meal time. Obviously she isn't signing back or anything, but I'm hoping that it will pay off sooner than later. We sign milk, more, eat, all done, cereal, and please. Speaking of food, this has been the month for fruit! We have tried peaches and real bananas this month, along with other mixed fruits thanks to Gerber! :o) She usually has fruit with her cereal for breakfast and then she'll have some fruit for "dessert" when she finishes her veges from lunch/dinner.

McKenna finally started stringing some of her consonants together. Her first was doe-doe-doe which ofcourse turned into da-da-da. We're still working on ma-ma-ma :o) She will also string her f's into foe-foe-foe. She still loves to "oooooo" and "awwww" though more than anything! She still has shown no interest in crawling. She will lay on her tummy and kick her legs and spin a 360 in the same spot, but no scooting! She is so clever...I'll lay toys out in front of her, just out of her reach, and she'll pull the blanket towards her so that the toys will slide closer when the blanket does....that girl :o) We have just introduced the sippy cup. She's not real interested in that either...neither is Mommy, so we really need to get on that and do better :o/

McK is a snuggler! Especially when she's sleepy she loves to be held and snuggled. She is very ticklish too! You gotta get her right under her jaw, right in that sweet spot in her neck. She'll scrunch up her shoulders and burry her face into your shoulder...so sweet!!!

Still no stranger anxiety....YAY! She is good to be in the church nursery and we're at the YMCA almost every morning during the week these days. I hoping that being around so many people will lend itself to us not really struggling with strangers...we shall see! After battling with the RSV over Christmas, McK has really held up well and not been sick (knock on wood). I'm so thankful! Now if we could just keep her healthy for a little while longer...

I need to get my "What to Expect..." book and read what's going to happen with our girl this next month. I'm sure just like this past one it's going to be full of more firsts and surprises! Thank you Jesus for our sweet and precious gift! All the glory goes to You!


My girl is happy in her big girl seat! This is her after some peaches!

"Look Mom...no hands!"
McK is leaned back and ready for her bottle!


Some close ups to show off her 2 bottom teeth! Can you see them??


The Baughmans let us borrow a new toy to play with. McKenna loves it! Thanks for sharing Baughmans!

Hangin' with Easy "E"!

We got to watch Mr. Ezekiel Baughman a little while ago and I had to post some pictures from McKenna's time with him. They had a blast. Ezekiel, also known as "E", is about 14 months old. McK watched him like he was a movie star! She watched his every move and thought he was hilarious (we did too). I could hear her thoughts, "I want to be big like Ezekiel...he's so handsome!" :o) ha ha! E's mom, Lauren, is a great friend of mine from church. Lauren and I always tell E to protect McK in the nursery :o) E's such a sweet boy and I'd be happy if McK and him were friends forever!! Thanks for letting us watch Ezekiel...he's a precious joy!


See McK watching him!
I love this child!
They both chew on stuff...match made in Heaven!
E was sure he could still fit...nope!
Watching his every silly move!


E would stand in front of McK's exersaucer and shake it! Everyone would giggle!


E would lean down and put his head on McKenna's and say, "awww!"

Dancin' and Talkin'

Can you see my tooth? I know you prob. can't, but I thought I'd give it a whirl anyways :o)

Sometimes I just look at McKenna and think, "Oh my word, we're in so much trouble!" I do believe our girl is going to just give us a run for our money sometimes :o) She has started to wiggle like she's dancing to her music. It's too funny! I also tried to catch her "fake cough" on camera, as well as her latest talking! She is growing and changing so much...it feels like by the minute! She's so much fun and we love her oodles and ca-boodles!



Listen to the fake cough in the very beginning! McKenna's first big girl babble!

Ty was here!

My life long friend Jennifer, her husband, and her little 6 month old Ty came to Jax on their way home and stayed the night with us! We had a blast! Dave smoked a pork butt and we ate it with all the fixin's: corn on the cob, baked beans, potatoes, and garlic toast! YUM! We roasted marshmallows and made s'mores on the back porch. We played a lengthy game of RummiKub and hit the hay! It was a hoot to watch Ty and McKenna check each other out. I think Jennifer and I had a better time than they did! We laughed out loud (as you'll hear in the video). It's so fun to have the babies be so close in age (2 days a part). Thank you Chad and Jennifer (and Ty) for taking the time to swing in! We'll take ya'll any time we can get you!


2 men and their babies! Yes, the Burke family does love Ty!

Yes, they are checking each other out! No...they are NOT kissing! No...McK did not hit Ty after he tried to kiss her! :o)


No, McKenna has not been working out...that IS a ring of drool :o) Her teeth are about to pop through ANY day! I can see them, but still can't feel 'em. Ty had a tooth pop through while he was here! Way to go buddy!
Jennifer and I giggled so hard watching them. Chad and Dave just rolled their eyes :o)

Christmas Present

Pop and Gigi gave McKenna the leap frog learn-n-groove table for Christmas! We finally got batteries put in it and away she went! It's neat b/c it sits right on the floor until she's standing up and then it'll go on legs as a table. Thanks Gigi and Pop for the fun toy!

Big Girl Bath!

Like I stated in McKenna's 6 month update, she has graduated to the "big girl" spot in her bathtub! She is really starting to play with the foam letters, teapot, and rubber ducky! She has ALWAYS loved bath time! She will stay in there until she's pruned up!

Dave's latest project!

With a new year comes a new project for Dave! He's building a shed out in the back yard for some of his "toys" (a.k.a. tools, etc.) He is making room in the garage for his NEWEST toy, an old camaro. He plans on restoring it to the beautiful muscle car it was meant to be :o) Here are the beginning stages...we'll show you the end product when it's finished.






This is what it will look like when it's all done!