Patrick says: this picture sums her up (see her expression in the photo above above)
Sister Fun: Skylar & Leila both at 6 months
Each photo: Skylar on the left, Leila on the right
Monday, April 30, 2012
Skylar's 6 month portraits
My has she grown! Thankfully, Skylar had a good nap that morning. Once she decided the camera did not want to hurt her, she actually smiled. In fact, she she did surprisingly well and we got many more good shots than I expected. She turned seven months yesterday, and is about to start crawling. She is sitting up pretty well. We are still introducing solids and she has yet to cut a tooth. She is still terrified of a lot, but honestly I am ok with a child that is not a daredevil. Skylar is my cuddlebug and a pretty happy girl. We love you cupcake :)
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Bad, Bad Bumbos
I never had a Bumbo chair for Leila. They were one of those cool kid things I figured we could live without since we own every other cool kid thing ever made. When a friend offered to let me use hers for Skylar, I was thankful and have used it for a month or two... until today.
SKYLAR FELL OUT OF HER BUMBO. She is officially a reason the CPSC issued a recall for the Bumbo several years ago.
NO, SHE IS NOT HURT. And no, I did not see her fall out. I placed her in the chair on the floor, placed two toys on her lap and next thing I knew she was on her tummy next to the Bumbo. Not crying, just doing the superman thing and looking around.
BUT IT GETS WORSE. I googled "Yellow Bumbo" to find a picture of the chair to show you, and guess what? Those yellow bumbos are full of cadmium and lead. And it is not even from China. They are made in South America.
NO MORE BUMBOS FOR US. I will tell everyone I know that is having a baby this story. We were lucky. Other babies suffered skull fractures, or concussions. This is not a safe product. It just takes a second for an injury to happen. If you have one and never had a problem, say a little thank you prayer.
QUESTIONS? See these articles:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/story/2012-02-09/bumbo-baby-seats-safety/53032746/1
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/7_on_your_side&id=8538195
http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2011/11/infants-in-bumbo-baby-seats-falling-from-elevated-surfaces-and-suffering-serious-head-injuries/
http://blog.essco-safetycheck.com/2010/01/30/lead-cadmium-found-in-yellow-bumbo-seats/
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Skylar is 6 months old!!
Sweet girl deserves a post. What a joy she is! We just got back from a trip to Orlando with Skylar (Leilabug had her own adventure here) and she was just wonderful. She certainly has her own personality at only 6 months old. Skylar is more reserved than her older sister. She is playful, happy, hungry, and quite the cuddler. She made her way into our bed every night in Orlando and I have to admit I loved cuddling with her. She is back in her crib now. Skylar is more uncertain of things, and needs to feel comfortable. She doesn't quite know what to do with solid food. She loves her sister and laughs hysterically at everything she does. She likes to be outside and swing. She is quite the observer and seems to be taking things in and thinking about them. In the morning, she rolls around in her crib until she turns her mobile on and just stares at it--so cute. She loves her room. On Easter, she cried the entire hour home from my parent's until I put her in her bed to sleep. She just rolls over and goes to sleep, just like that. Sucking her left thumb, of course. With her bottom in the air. Cutest thing ever.
Her nicknames are: Skylark, Cupcake, and Baby Bit. I can't believe she is 6 months old. She is 50% for weight and 60% for height, but everyone says she looks tiny. As her mother, I carry her around all day so I can assure you she is not that tiny. She is wearing 6-month clothes, some 9-month, and her hair is growing slowly. It is turning light brown and blondish, so perhaps may not have red in it after all. She has been teething since 4 months but no teeth yet--that is ok with me though. She is sleeping all night with only one feeding around 2:00 a.m. so life is good.
We lost our precious pet last month, and I still get sad about it. We are really busy right now so I am not blogging much. School is wrapping up, dance recital is coming soon, my sister Lisa's wedding is next month (!), so lots of posts to think about.
Her nicknames are: Skylark, Cupcake, and Baby Bit. I can't believe she is 6 months old. She is 50% for weight and 60% for height, but everyone says she looks tiny. As her mother, I carry her around all day so I can assure you she is not that tiny. She is wearing 6-month clothes, some 9-month, and her hair is growing slowly. It is turning light brown and blondish, so perhaps may not have red in it after all. She has been teething since 4 months but no teeth yet--that is ok with me though. She is sleeping all night with only one feeding around 2:00 a.m. so life is good.
We lost our precious pet last month, and I still get sad about it. We are really busy right now so I am not blogging much. School is wrapping up, dance recital is coming soon, my sister Lisa's wedding is next month (!), so lots of posts to think about.
Hanging out in Skylar's crib
Looking fabulous at our resort in Orlando
Avacadoes... not so much
Her onesie has a picture of a chick and says "Just hatched"
Our family on Easter
With my brothers Jimmy & Josh
With my sister Lisa & sil Courtney
Thank you for the chick Uncle Sean & Aunt Aimee!
Friday, March 2, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
2 little girls= Loud and Louder
My subtitle to this post should read my girl's nicknames are "Loud Leila & Screamin' Skylar"
Our house is LOUD. People are always amazed that Skylar can sleep in public places, but our house is unbelievably noisy so it is just white noise to her. Leila is 3...enough said. At 4 months, Skylar started SCREAMING at the top of her lungs when upset or excited. It is ear piercing. The irony is when she hears an extremely loud, startling noise, she cries.
Skylar is five months old on February 29. She is so cute. She has a beautiful smile and laugh and a wonderful disposition. Gorgeous blue eyes! She wakes up happy. (Nope, still not sleeping through the night.) She can roll around all over the place and push her arms and head up. She figured out the jumperoo last week and can jump like crazy. It is sooo cute. We started rice cereal last week and she LOVED it. Skylar did not even hesitate and ate the whole bowl (a whole 1 TBS!!) She is on a break from it for a few days since she started having gassy crying spells again and I want to determine the cause (please don't let it be my much-needed coffee in the morning...)
Skylar likes to be held, upright, and especially held so she can stand on her little legs. She sleeps on her tummy with her bottom in the air, which is how my parents told me I slept as an infant. She goes nuts over her bed when it is naptime (when placed in her bed will immediately roll over and go to sleep) and Patrick's mom said he was the same. She LOVES her left thumb. My mom calls it her "be happy" button--and it is. The right thumb will do, of course. Sadly,(for me) she knows who her mommy is which means she knows who is NOT her mommy and will cry if handed off when she is sleepy or cranky...sigh.
She likes walks in the Baby Bjorn--Shrek is still hanging in there so we try to take him as much as we can. She loves her sister and thinks anything Leila does in hilarious. Leila is so sweet to her sissy and will entertain her for me while I am cooking dinner.
As sweet as Skylar is, she is also opinionated and is proving to be another high-maintenance child.... I love my girls and I love being home with them. We have so much fun! But mama is tired!! Leila does not nap and Skylar's naps are still not super-scheduled due to always running around for Leila's stuff. We were very strict with Leila's sleep schedule so I hope Skylar can adapt--we promise to do or best for her with what we have... Skylar is in her beautiful nursery now so hopefully I will get more sleep soon.
I have to close with an update on Shrek (aka "Shrekie-pooh" or "Shrekers".) He is still alive. It has been 3 weeks since we were told he had only days left. He is not doing great, but he is still eating, going on walks, going in and out his doggie door, and hanging out with us. The vet said he is "not in pain" and that the "quality of life" was still there. I am not kidding myself, it is coming soon, but I love him and love him being with me. He started a steroid after seeing the vet that day which has slowed the growth of his tumors for the time being. So he takes his 5 meds a day and eats his $2 cans of dog food and he is ALIVE and doing WELL. I guess as well as you can be with terminal cancer, that is. My talented sister-in-law, Courtney Griffin, has taken some beautiful photos of the girls with him to preserve his memory. I could barely look at them they were so beautiful. Thank you, Courtney! (www.courtneygriffinphotography.com.)
Our house is LOUD. People are always amazed that Skylar can sleep in public places, but our house is unbelievably noisy so it is just white noise to her. Leila is 3...enough said. At 4 months, Skylar started SCREAMING at the top of her lungs when upset or excited. It is ear piercing. The irony is when she hears an extremely loud, startling noise, she cries.
Skylar is five months old on February 29. She is so cute. She has a beautiful smile and laugh and a wonderful disposition. Gorgeous blue eyes! She wakes up happy. (Nope, still not sleeping through the night.) She can roll around all over the place and push her arms and head up. She figured out the jumperoo last week and can jump like crazy. It is sooo cute. We started rice cereal last week and she LOVED it. Skylar did not even hesitate and ate the whole bowl (a whole 1 TBS!!) She is on a break from it for a few days since she started having gassy crying spells again and I want to determine the cause (please don't let it be my much-needed coffee in the morning...)
Skylar likes to be held, upright, and especially held so she can stand on her little legs. She sleeps on her tummy with her bottom in the air, which is how my parents told me I slept as an infant. She goes nuts over her bed when it is naptime (when placed in her bed will immediately roll over and go to sleep) and Patrick's mom said he was the same. She LOVES her left thumb. My mom calls it her "be happy" button--and it is. The right thumb will do, of course. Sadly,(for me) she knows who her mommy is which means she knows who is NOT her mommy and will cry if handed off when she is sleepy or cranky...sigh.
She likes walks in the Baby Bjorn--Shrek is still hanging in there so we try to take him as much as we can. She loves her sister and thinks anything Leila does in hilarious. Leila is so sweet to her sissy and will entertain her for me while I am cooking dinner.
As sweet as Skylar is, she is also opinionated and is proving to be another high-maintenance child.... I love my girls and I love being home with them. We have so much fun! But mama is tired!! Leila does not nap and Skylar's naps are still not super-scheduled due to always running around for Leila's stuff. We were very strict with Leila's sleep schedule so I hope Skylar can adapt--we promise to do or best for her with what we have... Skylar is in her beautiful nursery now so hopefully I will get more sleep soon.
I have to close with an update on Shrek (aka "Shrekie-pooh" or "Shrekers".) He is still alive. It has been 3 weeks since we were told he had only days left. He is not doing great, but he is still eating, going on walks, going in and out his doggie door, and hanging out with us. The vet said he is "not in pain" and that the "quality of life" was still there. I am not kidding myself, it is coming soon, but I love him and love him being with me. He started a steroid after seeing the vet that day which has slowed the growth of his tumors for the time being. So he takes his 5 meds a day and eats his $2 cans of dog food and he is ALIVE and doing WELL. I guess as well as you can be with terminal cancer, that is. My talented sister-in-law, Courtney Griffin, has taken some beautiful photos of the girls with him to preserve his memory. I could barely look at them they were so beautiful. Thank you, Courtney! (www.courtneygriffinphotography.com.)
What a cute doggie. You can see his tumor on the right side of his face.
Sweet babies
This is just a great picture. Age 3 going on 20.
Yes, she is adorable.
This is Skylar's serious face. There is a lot going on in there for such a tiny little person.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Saying goodbye to our buddy
Well, this is it. We got the saddest news today that our buddy's days are numbered. Poor Shrek fought the good fight but the cancer won. He has days left until we are going to have to say goodbye. Please keep us in your prayers. He was my first "baby" and certainly means a lot to us. After his last stay at the vet, we can tell now he is tired. I think he is ready too.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
A belated McKinney Christmas
I am aware we are well into the new year.... but blogging is so low on my list of things to do right now. Sleep is a much higher priority. Baby is still not sleeping through the night (boo!) She is on a good daytime schedule now though, which makes everything run smoother. Leila's schedule keeps me busy--preschool, dance, gymnastics, playgroup, playdates. And on top of that I am busy with my own activities.
Skylar's 1st Christmas was wonderful. She made the day easy. It was so much fun with Leila understanding more about Santa and the nativity. We are blessed to both have our parents nearby so it is a busy day but we get to celebrate with everyone. Santa was good to both of the girls--yes Skylar needed her own presents! Santa brought Leila a camera and Mrs. Potato Head, among other things. He brought Skylar Mr. Potato Head so they can play together. Skylar also got some Weebles from mom & dad--we had to get our baby something of her own.
We saw the whole family at my parent's, including four dogs: Shrek, Missy, Lucy, and puppy Aspen, who is bigger than all 3 other dogs. At the McKinney's, Mary surprised the guys with "McKinney & Sons" Dozer Company hats, which is hilarious since my father-in-law just bought a bull dozer! It was a great holiday.
Little Skylar (almost 3 months here!) balances pretty well in the bebepod. Just a little bit of cushioning needed.
Skylar's 1st Christmas was wonderful. She made the day easy. It was so much fun with Leila understanding more about Santa and the nativity. We are blessed to both have our parents nearby so it is a busy day but we get to celebrate with everyone. Santa was good to both of the girls--yes Skylar needed her own presents! Santa brought Leila a camera and Mrs. Potato Head, among other things. He brought Skylar Mr. Potato Head so they can play together. Skylar also got some Weebles from mom & dad--we had to get our baby something of her own.
We saw the whole family at my parent's, including four dogs: Shrek, Missy, Lucy, and puppy Aspen, who is bigger than all 3 other dogs. At the McKinney's, Mary surprised the guys with "McKinney & Sons" Dozer Company hats, which is hilarious since my father-in-law just bought a bull dozer! It was a great holiday.
The 4 of us on Christmas Eve. Never wake a sleeping baby, not even for a picture opportunity.
Daddy got Leila tools (hey, every girl should have some!). We heard all morning "I want to tool something." Ha!
I couldn't get enough of this ridiculous flower head band. Thanks April!
My sister Lisa with her fiance Jerry holding Skylar.
All of the cute doggies. Why did we even try to get them to pose??
Aunt Courtney with Skylar. Both look gorgeous!
McKinney & Sons... Dozer work done right!
Skylar with her Mimi, who gave her the adorable gingerbread outfit. Poor Skylar looks terrified in most of these pictures!
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