Just Call me Martha
I am only posting this 1) because my mom doesn't read my blog 2) my MIL doesn't do technology/internet ....and 3) because I am uber-proud of my crafty genes!! :-) Here is what I have been up to the past few nights...in preparation for Mother's Day.... A lovely shadow box with plaster casts of Macyn's "wittle wimbs"! If only someone...he who shall not be named...would do something sentimental for my first M-day....sigh!
Mas hamburgesas por favor y mas Macyn!!
I took this picture today, and I love it...why? you say...because Macyn looks like a baby hill-jack! Ha! And yes, I gave her hamburger today...and she loved it. She also had tomatoes, grilled corn, zuchhini and pickles! Yum! What a big eater!
Piggy Tails!!!! She hates getting her hair did...but mommy can't help it..she looks too cute!! :-)
Party time...we need a party tu-tu! Love it!!Miss Independence
So Macyn hasn't been eating so well for us lately...at least not baby food. I and my mom were attributing this to her teething. Now I am starting to debate that hypothesis. I have been trying to allow her to feed herself more often...but now it seems like that is all she wants to do. If I try to give her food from a spoon...she shuns me. :-( But, if I put the same food on her high chair tray she goes to town. So today, I said to heck with even attempting baby food, and just gave her what we had for dinner. Vegetarian sloppy Joe's, corn and green beans...yes it looks disgusting all mixed up and mish-mashed together...but she loved it and she let us know...she was still eating and umming and yumming after we were finished with our own dinner and had started cleaning up the kitchen.
I swear she is just growing up and gaining that independence too fast...I wonder who she takes after?!?!?
The origin of Macyn "I." Jackson
Some of you may, but most of you probably don't know that Macyn's middle name is Irie....yes, say it with me now...Irie. Now let me tell you how we arrived at that middle name, and then I can share my family's reaction! :-)
Selecting Macyn's first name was pretty simple for us, well for me at least--I tend to get my way with some smooth talking and persuasion--that is the marketing genius in me...Ha! :-) Anyway, one weekend we were heading up to Indy, or Lafayette an I took my laptop and spreadsheet I had created to keep track of the baby names I liked...so I popped open the laptop and told Chad...we are going to have this baby named by the time we get to....umm wherever it was we were going...maybe it was Indy...oh my aching brain cells! Okay, back to the story. We went over all the names we had listed and narrowed it down to 4 or 5 names...Macyn, Macy, Kendall and Piper. Once we narrowed it down we each picked our top two and plead our case for those two names. Kendall was almost a definite out, since we can't name our kid after a brand of wine...so it was down to Macy and Macyn...not much difference...Macyn won simply because she can always shorten it to Macy if she chooses...or in our case if her Grammy chooses! Grammy calls Macyn Macy-poos!
We still didn't determine the middle name, but all in all it was a productive trip I thought...we had finally named our baby! So for the next month or two we pondered over middle names. Chad kept saying I think we should name her Macyn Rena after you, even though I know you hate your middle name. I, being in my pregnant, and often emotionally fragile mind was absolutely and 100% opposed to that. Where was his lack of creativity...and really did he think I would fall for--"It has a nice ring to it!" Bah! NO! Not only is my middle name Rena, but so is my Mom's, Britni's, Amanda's and Kailie's! We did not need another Rena in the family.
So I started asking other people's opinions. Friends, family, co-workers...pretty much whoever for fun name ideas. One particular co-worker--Deon Gobinsingh told me that he would figure out the middle name for me because he had named like all of his nieces and nephews--yeah right...this guy barely knew me...like he's really going to pick my kid's namesake. Somehow he managed to be true to his word, though I don't think he really intended to do so. Deon kept telling me, I really think you should name her Macyn Marie...uh no. Again, he tried to con me with the..."but it has a good ring to it"...nope sorry dude...not happening.
One day, we were in a department meeting and Deon used an island slang which I hadn't heard in a while...and it struck me...I was like D...what did you say? And he repeated himself, "ya know, everything is Irie, its all good! That was it right there! Happy face on me!! I told him, I think you just came up with Macyn's middle name! :-)
And that folks, is how Macyn became Miss Macyn Irie Jackson! Chad loved the name, I loved the name, and it meant something to us. We had honeymooned in Jamaica and fell in love with the term there...and it's meaning was simple and finite--Everything is going to be all right!
So the fam's reaction--What? How do you pronounce it again? What does it mean? My Grandma--"can I just call her Tinkerbell?" sure grandma! :-) People grew to love it though...she's our sweet little island girl! Can you guess what the theme of her 1st birthday is going to be? YAY!
P.S. So, I hope to keep posting these random thoughts about Macyn on a more regular basis in an attempt to have some sort of document of her first year and prior to, because I am doing a poor...very poor job at keeping her baby book updated!
P.S.S. Here's a self "family" portrait taken on vacation...we are all tan and in bright colors...I thought it was appropriate!
Mommy's sorry Macyn
I never thought I could love anyone as much as I love my little baby girl! Her smile brightens my everyday...even my worst days...and even at 4 in the morning! Your little gummy-grin still makes me giggle and my heart smile! Her tears, hurts and struggles affect me in a way I never thought possible...who knew one could hurt so badly in response to another's feelings. That is what being a Mom is all about..and every time you hurt or struggle...I will hurt and struggle too, and I will always be there for you.
Today something happened to you which I thought hurt you, but thankfully only scared you badly. I think it scared me even more. I took my eyes and hands off of you for a split second to grab one of your socks off the floor, and in that instant you wiggled your way off of the changing table and onto the floor with a thud. :-( My cries were probably as loud as yours and my heart never pounded so quickly or hurt so badly. Luckily you were okay...no bumps, no bruises. :-)
Mommy is lucky that God teaches her simple lessons in the book of parenting...I learn daily with you...and will continue to learn....just hopefully not at your expense! I love you P-pie!
Spring Fevah!
Sweet sweet spring! Heck, just warmer, sunny weather is good for me! I am a big fan of the outdoors and have been waiting for this weather to hang out in the "hood" (neighborhood) with all the other kiddos! We had so much fun today with Macyn. We took her and the dogs for a short stroll around the neighborhood and then decided to let her burn some rubber in the cul-de-sac. Macyn loved hanging out with all the other kids on our street, though some of the older boys weren't so thrilled. As one of them breezed by me on his bike I heard him mumble..."jeez why does everybody have their babies out today!" Chad and I cracked up...such a typical "dude" thing to say! Macyn's buddy (future bff perhaps) Kaitlyn came outside to play with her. Macyn tried to mow her over with the walker but Kaitlyn was ready to turn the tables on her! It was so cute to watch Kaitlyn push Macyn around in her walker! The picture is not the best...but you get the gist!
My first Pig-tails!
Love em'