Walking the Walk

Dear Mackenzie,

You began walking with your toy walker today! It was so exciting to watch you take those first (assisted) steps! And you had the proudest smile on your face, as if you knew that you were doing something awesome!

Love,

Mom

Baby Bumps

Dear Mackenzie,

How is it that everything you do is SO CUTE?! You have so many adorable mannerisms, including:

- moving your mouth as if you are chewing gum

- clicking your tongue against the roof of your mouth

- squeezing your belly rolls 

- tilting your head and smiling at me

- covering your face with your hands and peeking out from behind them when you want to play peek-a-boo

- holding your pointer and middle finger up to make the cutest baby peace sign

-getting a huge grin on your face whenever you pull yourself up to standing or when someone helps you stand up

-getting a huge grin on your face when you see your reflection in the mirror (I don't blame you; you are pretty dang cute!)

- getting a huge grin on your face, flapping your arms like a penguin and immediately crawling over to me when I come into your room (the BEST greeting!)

You are so happy and active and I love watching how you interact with the world around you. We were playing in your room one day when you looked into your playmat mirror. You must have seen something in there that really interested you because you then pressed your face so hard against the mirror trying to see whatever it was that you saw in it. And a few weeks ago, we went to the beach and it was your first time playing in the sand. The first time GuhGaw went to the beach as a baby, he ate a fistful of sand. The first time JieJie went to the beach, she cried hysterically when we tried to set her down on the sand. The first time Second GuhGaw went, he was fine and played happily with his trucks. You were pretty chill. You had no problem sitting in the sand but you did seem a little put-off by it--you didn't really touch it at all and didn't crawl around anywhere the whole afternoon, probably because it felt strange on your skin. As for the ocean, the water was really cold that day so when I tried to put your feet in the water, you stood on one leg with the other one bent--like a flamingo!

When we're not on the beach, you are crawling everywhere and pulling yourself up to standing all of the time. It's so exciting watching you become more mobile but all the accidentally hitting your face on your crib bars, falling backward on the floor, bumping your head on one thing or another . . . ugh!

Love,

Mom

First Wave and Scary Faces

Dear Mackenzie,

Yesterday, you waved goodbye for the very first time! We video chat with PoiPoi on the phone every day and when we said bye yesterday, you waved! So cute!

Less cute (but still kind of cute) was today, when we were watching the Food Network in the living room. You were chilling in your playard when Alton Brown's face suddenly came on up close and LARGE on the screen. You turned to se his big, bulging eyes on our huge screen and started WAILING. Aww, I'm so sorry you got so scared!

The last time I saw you that frightened was back around May. You were sitting in your high chair and facing the windows that look out into our backyard. Daddy had gone out the front door and then walked around to the back to check on the sprinklers. When you saw him through the windows, you started wailing so hard! I guess you hadn't expected to see anyone outside! You calmed down when I picked you up but you were so shaken, when Daddy came back in the house, you started crying as soon as you saw him again! Poor thing!

Love,

Mom