Picture of the Week *Happy New Year – Old Schol*

Guess what?!?  2012 was an awesome year!  I can blog for days about how life-changing it was, or how great it is to be parents, but I’ve done that a lot already this year.  And aside from that, I’m quite sure you think I’m a boring old fart Momma.  Well friends, it’s time to let a little cat out of the bag…   I once was a party girl!!  Yep, it’s true!   Although NYE 2013 won’t exactly include any Junction Punches, there once was a time when that tasty purple drink was a staple of my diet.  In honor of the big holiday tonight, the time has come to transport back to one of my favorite nights of all time…

It was the cusp of 2005. 

I was about to graduate from OU in a few months.

My friends and Denny and I decided there was only one place on the earth we needed to be for December 31st.. Athens, Ohio!! 

(Obviously, we would have loved Vegas, or NYC or Miami but we were poor college kids).

I could tell you more about that night but I figured that the pictures will say enough.  Enjoy!!

Holidays 2004 067

My checks & balances BFF Sara!! We were quite out of balance that night.

Holidays 2004 065

Before diapers, wipes and tubby time, we were fun! Although I’m not exactly sure why he married me after that fashion disaster I was wearing.

Holidays 2004 076

Happy New Year from 3 reasons OU was a top party school!

new years 5-on the floor

The ending to my night in 2005
(and I realize it is likely also the ending to any future political aspirations because I am posting this photo)

So there you have it… the Pre-Mommy days of my life!  Our NYE tonight will be much more low-key, but I don’t mind one bit.  Tomorrow I’ll be glad to wake up to a cute baby face versus waking up next to a big old bottle of Tylenol.

Wishing you and yours a WONDERFUL 2013!!  We are forever grateful for all the blessing and memories of 2012.

Cheers!

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Mommy McBlog’s 12 Days of Giftmas

Mommy McBlog’s 12 Days of Giftmas!

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Festivus and Boxing Day are just around the corner and what’s the holiday season without gift lists?  Since I’ve been a Mom for a whopping 68 days (a pro, right?) I thought I would put together the Mommy McBlog 12 Days of Giftmas!  Whether you are about to become a Mom, whether you know a Mom, or whether you just want to waste 10 seconds of the next 12 days, this list is for you!

Mommy McBlog’s 12 Days of Giftmas is just like Oprah’s favorite things, except I’m not Oprah and the studio audience won’t get any gifts (sorry, but I haven’t made enough millions from this blog yet).

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DAY TWELVE  –  Diapers & Wipes

Going to a shower and not sure what to buy? Go with diapers and wipes! They are the LBD (little black dress) of the infant world. Practical, necessary and always in demand!
Still not convinced?  Still contemplating buying your Mom-to-be friend a little ducky outfit?  Think about this… have you ever heard a Mom say, “My baby never even wore all of the diapers in their closet”?  Heck no!  When it comes to a nursery, diapers are a hotter commodity than a Furbie on Black Friday in 1998.
Now that you’re convinced diapers are the way to go, check out the Pampers with the Wetness Indicator.  They are my favorite and I’m pretty sure Makenzie thinks it’s cool when she can make her diapers change from yellow to blue. Click here to buy them today.

We Love these Pampers in the McGee house!

We Love these Pampers in the McGee house!

PS The bonus part of this gift is that you don’t even need to wrap these. Stick a bow on the box, and you can head right over to that baby shower!

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DAY ELEVEN – Notecards and stamps

Looking for another practical gift for a Mom-to-be?  Give her some cute note cards and a book or two of stamps.  I’m pretty sure every Mom in the world has “Write Thank You notes” as an item on her To Do list (especially after the shower).  And in the rare case that this new Mom has time to find the gift list, then write the note, then address the note there is a strong likelihood she won’t have a stamp.  Yep, been there, done that!  And when this new Mama is tired, hormonal and unable to mail an already-late thank you note, there is a likelihood that a tear-filled meltdown will ensue.  Again, been there, done that.

So, help a mama out and do her the favor of saving her from a meltdown (and actually accomplishing an item on her To Do list).   I promise she will thank you!  If you don’t believe me, check your mailbox…. you’ll have the note in there to prove it)!

Thank You... for the Thank You notes!


Thank you for being a friend, travel down the road and back again. Your heart is true your a pal and a confidant.

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DAY TEN – Fisher Price Rock N Play Soother

I picked this item based on my daughter’s love of her bed!   Lately she’s been sleeping like a champ (hallelujah!!) and I somewhat attribute it to the Rock N Play Soother.

Some other fabulous points about this product:

  • During the first nights home from the hospital it can sit right next to Mom’s bed for midnight feedings (I was easily able to toss cookies to Makenzie from the comfort of my bed – babies eat those right?)
  • It folds up easily for trips to grandparents (please remove baby first before folding & packing)
  • Very lightweight to move with one hand while holding the babe in the other hand (I bring it in the bathroom while I shower, I bring it in the family room while I’m downstairs and I bring it to the bar while I’m taking advantage of happy hour specials )
  • It’s adorable!  I don’t know of any cribs that have bunny ears on it.

If they sold an adult version of this, I’d be sleeping in it right now instead of blogging, but they haven’t made one yet.  However, you can find a Rock N Play soother for your little one at Target of Babies R Us!  Sweet Dreams to your baby, and Cheers to you (it’s 5 o’clock somewhere)

A baby's version of a Simmons Beautyrest

A baby’s version of a Simmons Beautyrest

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DAY NINE – Leg warmers and headbands

If you’ve ever seen adorable chubby baby thighs you know why I love them, and Makenzie’s are definitely the cutest little baby legs I’ve ever seen.  They melt my heart!  When I put her in pants, they are covered up so I love dressing Makenzie in leg warmers.  She stays warm and I get to peek at her cutie thighs all day.  Win, win!  We buy ours at www.babylegs.com and if you like them on Facebook can take advantage of their great promotions (perfect for stocking stuffers)!

Purple ruffle legwarmers with a peek of chubby baby thigh  :)

Purple ruffle leg warmers with a peek of chubby baby thigh 🙂

If you’ve met my daughter or visited our blog, you’ll know that we love headbands just as much as leg warmers!  They add the perfect touch to her outfits and we have fun getting her dressed every morning when she has matching accessories.    Amazon offers tons of headbands and hair accessories, or you can buy them at pretty much any baby store.   Enjoy!

I think she has a future in headband modeling

I think she has a future in headband modeling

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DAY EIGHT – Smartphone

Smartphones for smartmamas!  You might not be able to add this item to your Babies R Us registry but it’s a must have.   I’m not sure I would have survived being a Mom so far without my Samsung Galaxy S3.

Thanks to the contraction app we knew when we needed to go to the hospital.

Thanks to the Facebook app, we introduced Makenzie to the world.

Thanks to the breastfeeding app, Makenzie gets fed.

Thanks to the camera, we’ve been able to document every single day of our daughter’s life.

See where I’m going with this?   If I didn’t have a smartphone I would have delivered our daughter in the backseat of a cab… she would be hungry and undocumented… and you would all still think I was pregnant.

So before you pop out that babe, pop into your cell phone store and pick up a smartphone.

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DAY SEVEN – PickyStickys!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE these!   It’s such a fun way for a new Mom-to-be to watch their little one grow and change each month.  Rather than ramble on about these, check them out yourself 

Guess who LOVES their monthly photo shoot?!?

Guess who LOVES their monthly photo shoot?!?

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DAY SIX – The EASY Method

Number #6 is not something to be wrapped up under the tree, it is a gift of knowledge.

When Makenzie was first born I remember feeling overwhelmed at the uncertainty of each day.  I was always scared to leave her side for more than 5 because I had no clue what was next on her baby clipboard of fun (yes, I do love Danny Tanner still).   As a type-A person I felt I needed some type of loose schedule to better anticipate her needs.  After some quick google searches I found the EASY method, and we’ve used it ever since.  Here it is… learn it, love it, tattoo it on your arm!   It made our lives much EASY-ier now that we know it and I hope it can do the same for you.

E Eat.  Yum yum, num num, oink oink, chowing down, you get the picture… just feed that babe!

A – Activity.  Bust out the playmat, sing songs, give that baby a bath, play Charades, twirl a baton, sing Karaoke, etc. etc. etc.  The goal is to keep the baby stimulated and happy.  This can go on for 15 minutes to 2 hours depending the age of the baby.

S – Sleep.  Naptime already??  Hell yeah!  No explanation needed for this one, time for the little one to close those eyes.

Y – You time.  Yes, this is true.  There is time for You!   Don’t believe me??  Say it with me… time for Y-O-U.   Just don’t spend too much time processing this because your little one might be ready to wake up already.  Take a few minutes to nap, shower, blog, whatever makes your happy!

Lather, rinse, repeat!

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DAY FIVE – A Little Bling goes a Long Way!

Need a sentimental gift for a new Mom or soon-to-be Mom this holiday season?  Go with a bracelet or necklace with the baby’s initial and a stone or charm!  My sister got me a beautiful “M” necklace with a little pink stone in honor of my favorite girl.  It’s a great way to treat Mom to something nice and meaningful (major bonus —  she doesn’t have to lose the baby weight to enjoy it, yeah!)

Check out this Fabulous etsy vendor to customize your gift today!

Bird Necklace - Personalized Jewelry - Hand Stamped Mommy Jewelry - Sterling Silver Necklace - Mama Bird

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DAY FOUR – Photo Shoot Gift Certificate

Pictures of our sweet baby girl just a few days old… priceless!!  This is a GREAT gift to give to a new Mom.   All we had to do was to call the photographer, have the babe ready for photos, and we ended up with beautiful shots of our little girl.  See below if you don’t believe me (PS  I’ve heard that if you fail to have the baby calm when the photographer shows up, the pictures still end up good)

pink hat color

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DAY THREE – Nipple Shields

Ah, what’s Christmas without your blogger friend bringing up an awkward topic like this?!?  Yes, nipple shields made the #3 Mommy McBlog Giftmas spot.  Curious about why these made the list?  First, imagine the tackling that takes place in the NFL… now imagine the tackling that takes place in the NFL if the players did NOT wear helmets.  Ouch!   Do you see where I’m going with this?  Nipple shields might not be the most glamorous gift, but the breastfeeding recipient of this fine gift will thank you!

The best 9.99 you’ll ever spend (or spend on a stocking stuffer for a friend you love)

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DAY TWO – The Five “S’s”

We. LOVE. These!   They helped us survive the first few weeks as parents.  Not familiar, here is the overview…

Dr. Karp’s Five “S’s” For Calming A Fussy Baby – As he explains All babies are born with an automatic ‘off’ switch for their crying called the calming reflex and using these 5 S’s can help turn on the calming reflex

 Swaddling

Side/stomach position

Swinging

Shushing

Sucking

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DAY ONE – Momfidence

 “Momfidence” AKA  Mom confidence!!

Think about the “Mother Knows Best” phrase.   It seems great until you become the Mother.  I think back to October — suddenly I was holding a crying Makenzie in the wee hours of the night and thinking, Why the heck can’t I calm her down?, Who authorized ME to take care of her? and Where is this kid’s Mother??

Mother Knows best

It’s not that hard to go without sleep, and it’s easy to change diapers and love a baby forever, but it is almosr impossible to ALWAYS know the right thing to do.  I felt terrified the first time we took Kenzie out in public because I was worried she would have a meltdown and I’d be left clueless of how to calm her down.  I could just imagine all the angry shoppers whispering to each other “Can you believe that mother doesn’t know how to calm down her child?”  “What kind of mother is she?”.  Yikes, what a terrifying thought!!  I still sweat profusely in large groups or in quiet places for that same reason.  And I’m sure this feeling continues – did we baby proof the house enough?, did I give her the right advice about that boy?, did I prepare her enough for college?…

So for this Christmas, find that special Mom in your life and give her a hug, give her a pat on the back, or give her some supportive words!  It will be WAY more appreciated than you’ll ever know!  Momfidence is indeed the gift that keeps on giving.  One size fits all, gift reciepts are not needed, and you can even skip the fancy wrapping!  🙂

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Two Months!

This shouldn’t come as a surprise since Denny and I have been with Makenzie every day since birth but our daughter is Two Months Old!!  How did that happen?  She is so cute and really brightens our world (I know that sounds cheesy but it’s true)!

Here is what she has been up to for the past 30 days:

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 ::  Moving into her own room!  ::

Our first moving day as parents happened this month.  We decided Makenzie was old enough to finally start sleeping in her own room, so we packed up her cute little Rock & Play Sleeper and moved it 11 steps away (yes, I counted).  Don’t worry, we did our due diligence before we shipped her across the hall.  We checked that there were no escaped prisoners or zoo animals within 90 miles.  We also checked the batteries in the baby monitor and the carbon monoxide detector.  The results…So far, so good!  Denny and I can go to bed without using the flashlight app on our cell phone so we don’t wake her, and we think she’s enjoying the new freedom too.  In 18 years and 9 months she will possibly be heading to Athens to start her freshman year at OU so we are proud we have started working on giving her some space.

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::  Lots of playtime!  ::

Makenzie has recently discovered that her arms and legs are attached and she loves to kick and move them!

11_29 Playmat

She is actually having fun, but this picture doesn’t really capture her level of happiness.

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::  Smiling  ::

Lots more of this!  Her sweet smiles make us SO happy!  (Too bad I’m not great at capturing it on the camera)

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::  Getting ready for Christmas  ::

Over the past few weeks Makenzie and I have been having lots of holiday song dance parties!  She loves staring at the tree lights, and she has even gone along with me on some Christmas shopping trips.  She does great in stores and is very patient with me as I try to decide what to buy people.

12_2 Kenzie under tree

Cutie elf!

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::  Growing, growing, growing!!  ::

Here are some pictures of her 2 month photo shoot so you can see how she is changing (check out those cute chunky thighs that she unfortunately gets from her mom).

Enjoy!

12_4 2 months 7

I’m finally getting a use for the letters we bought for her room (but have yet to hang)

12_4 2 months 3

Sweetie pie

12_4 2 months 1

I think this is her thoughts about the photo shoot

12_4 2 mo tutu

She can’t escape the monthly tutu photo

12_4 2 months 5

Keeping Baby Legs in business

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Picture of the Week *Meeting Santa*

Santa Success!

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This weekend we took Makenzie to meet the Jolly man from the North Pole and we were able to accomplish what we set out to do in one attempt, hooray!!  We took her to an awesome little toy store called Bloomsbury Lane Toy Shoppe right in downtown Lancaster and it was a great experience!  WNY Mommies, I highly recommend going here.  There was no line, there were no fees, and we even got to meet the Mayor of Lancaster himself.  Talk about dedication to small businesses in the town.

Here are a few pictures of Makenzie with Mr. Claus.  She did great in the beginning but then got a little bit nervous.  I’m pretty sure the tears were caused by her inability to vocalize everything on her list — new leg warmers, the end of the NHL lockout and endless Fancy Feast buffet for her big sister, Lex.  The poor girl just couldn’t express it all at once!

12_1 Kenzie with Santa 1

So far, so good!

12_1 Kenzie with Santa 2

Minor meltdown

Shortly after the second picture, we called it a day and headed home… but not before our free family caricature!  How great is this!?!?

Family photo

Love those chubby cheeks on our girl!

So, it looks like our holidays are off to a great start.   Hoping yours are just as jolly!

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Pictures of the Week *Giving Thanks with our little turkey*

Almost December?!?  But where did November go?  Before another month flies by, I want to post about our Turkey Day week.  Denny was off work and we had a full week of family fun!

Here are some highlights:

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Makenzie’s 1st trip to Ohio! 

We went to Cleveland for a night and Makenzie got to meet lots of family.  Not only did our girl travel well, but Denny and I also fared okay.  I was so nervous about all the “what ifs” while traveling with an infant that I was up at 4 AM before we left to check and double-check everything (we are such rookies).  For any new moms, my best advice is to pack some extra outfits and the Stain Stick (especially if your baby shares her excitement in an explosive way like Kenzie does).

Makenzie and her always hilarious & crafty Aunt Lorraine

Makenzie meeting her cousins in town from Germany, so fun!  Come back soon!

Makenzie’s GREAT grandparents. What a lucky lady to have 6 grandparents!

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Makenzie’s 1st Biggest Party Night of the Year! 

Having two parents that went to one of the Top Party Schools in the Nation puts a lot of pressure on Makenzie, but on Thanksgiving Eve our little one managed to toss back a few bottles in the wee hours of the night!  Party on baby girl!

Just about to pass out after a few Breastmilk Lites

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Makenzie’s 1st McGee Thanksgiving!

On Thanksgiving morning (after we started the turkey of course) we got to snuggle with our girl and watch the parade!  I loved the parade as a kid and I can’t wait until Makenzie can enjoy it just as much.  Then she gave us the ultimate reminder of why we are so thankful, a HUGE melt-your-heart grin (bonus – we actually captured it on film).  Denny’s parents came to town and we had a great meal and Makenzie got some special time with her MaMaw and PapPap.

Can you handle the cuteness??

Kenzie and Mamaw. “Can you say pierced ears, Makenzie?”

The girl was passed out by the end of the day! Apparently she overate too.

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Makenzie’s 1st Quilty Thanksgiving

My parents and my sister and her family came up Saturday for another celebration!  With 2 little kiddos under 18 months, it was a great (and tiring) end to the week.  Kenzie LOVES her cousin Ryan and is super excited for another little boy cousin arriving around St. Patty’s Day.

Fun times!

Now that Turkey Day is over, we can tell Ryan all about Santa. 🙂

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So now it’s on to Christmas and New Year’s…  We’re trying to enjoy every moment because it is Makenzie’s 1st holidays and the end of my maternity leave.  Without sounding cheesy, we can’t say just how thankful we are to have such wonderful friends, family and beautiful baby girl!

See you in December!

Pin this!

Once upon a time, I had a love affair with Pinterest.  We spent tons of time together… I started deeply into Pinterest’s Website and poured my heart and soul onto my PinBoards.  We spent late nights together and we spent relaxing Sundays snuggled up on the couch.  Our Someday seemed so bright…

Or so I thought!!

Ever since Makenzie entered the picture, Pinterest has never treated me the same.  Granted, I don’t have as much time to dedicate to the relationship, but I feel a bit betrayed.  And sometimes I even feel that Pinterest is trying to make me feel like a bad person.

I can’t tell you how many times I log onto Facebook to see other Moms boasting about their new homemade wreath made from Scrabble tiles, or their amazing mandarin salad served in a glass jar with a homemade label using festive tissue squares.  Really Pinterest?  Just because I don’t have time to construct a crib from paper mache doesn’t mean you should move on so quickly.  And to the other Moms crafting their hearts out, HOW do you find time to do it??

Perhaps I’m slightly jealous of the other Moms spending so much time with my old flame, but I think it’s time to share my new version of reality.

Introducing FINterest… for Moms who actually want to FINish something.

This specific FinBoard is entitled

Reality! 

Health & Beauty
SHOWER, a cheap and easy craft project to maintain your sanity and your marriage. Grab a washcloth from the linen closet (or dirty laundry if need be) … it doesn’t matter, just get your butt in the shower before crying begins!

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Crafty Time
GIFTING MADE EASY… Wow your friends by wrapping their holiday gifts using the bags under your eyes. You don’t need to leave the house for these, they can easily be created when your little one enters his or her growth spurts.

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Entertaining Time!
YUM! Oops, did you run out of time to bake those cookies using your grandmas recipe? Pick up some festive Oreos and call it a day!  (Can be served with breastmilk if needed – just make sure Jr. isn’t hungry before you share the supply)

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And the Finterest Season Favorite…

Deck the Halls!
FESTIVE AND FUN, As a busy Mom you barely have time to sleep let alone create a fancy themed tree. This year use everyday products from your home to decorate the tree.  (Don’t worry Once your guests have some egg nog they won’t even notice that your breast pump tubes are being used as garland.)

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With Christmas just a few weeks away, let’s toast to non-stressful holidays and realistic To Do Lists!!

Happy Finning!

Pictures of the Week **So Thankful!**

Maybe it was because I rocked Makenzie to sleep tonight and fell in love all over…  Maybe it’s the crazy hormones (yes, still)…. Or maybe it’s just the warm fuzzies I get thinking of the upcoming holidays.  But regardless of the reason, I feel very thankful tonight!

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I haven’t been great about updating this blog, or returning calls & messages, or finishing Thank you notes.  In fact I haven’t been great at much lately (the Health Dept. would be scared of my kitchen floors right now) but I have been great at spending lots and lots of time with our sweet baby girl, and taking pictures to prove it.

So I thought I would make a quick slideshow of why we are so incredibly thankful this Thanksgiving!  She will be 7 weeks on Turkey Day and she is getting so big and changing everyday!  See for yourself…

Happy Thanksgiving from the McGees!

(click here)

Wishing you and your families a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

May your dinners be yummy, may your pants be elastic and may your Black Friday shopping adventures be fabulous!!

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Pictures of the Week *Happy Halloween!*

What’s Bigger than the election and Bigger than SuperStorm Sandy?…

Makenzie’s 1st HALLOWEEN!!

(It’s honestly not bigger than either of the aforementioned events, but it’s pretty important to us )

Ever since I found out we were having an October baby I dreamed about taking her to Pumpkinville, a huge farm a few towns over full of corn mazes, live animals, crafts and thousands of pumpkins!

I envisioned a crisp fall day…  I envisioned Denny and I dressed in fall colors…  And I envisioned pushing Kenzie in the stroller while we kicked the fall leaves and sipped pumpkin spice latte…

And then we had Makenzie and got real.  We realized bringing a newborn to a giant farm to pick out a pumpkin, in between feedings nonetheless, was not happening.

Enter Plan B… the convenient ice cream stand down the street that sells pumpkins and bales of hay.  Hold the lattes, we’ll take the pumpkin express please!

So here she is on the big day of picking out her first pumpkin…

She was so excited she slept right through it all!

Denny and his little pumpkin

I might be partial but check out how adorable she is!!

And what’s Halloween without a costume?!?  Yes, we may have deprived Makenzie of her first trip to pumpkinville but we’re certainly going to dress her up for the big occasion!  We made a few trips to Target and Babies R Us to scope out the adorable infant costumes – pumpkins, ladybugs and bumblebees – but we couldn’t commit to any of these.  Then one night at about 4 AM while I was feeding her, my sleep-deprived eyes spotted her red and white striped onesie in her closet, and BOOM her first Halloween costume idea was born…

Meet the Little (and cutest) Where’s Waldo!!

Just try and find that babe in the midst of all of her toys!

A costume close-up

We’re pretty excited for the big day tomorrow!  She might not make it out to Trick or Treat, but we’ve done our best to capture the big moments of Makenzie’s 1st Halloween (okay, we haven’t yet carved that pumpkin, but we’ve still got 26 hours and 46 minutes and we work quite well under pressure).

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Happy Halloween to you!! May you have a wonderful holiday and get lots of delicious candy!!

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