Twisted McKameys

Faces Only a Mother Could Love

2013....Where did you come from so fast?

 My big girl is getting bigger. There is no denying it. And with that come some pretty nice perks. She can be quite helpful now days. Making sandwiches for the whole family on New Years Day.

 Little Miss Carys' eyes were looking quite blue at 2 months! And that crazy hair was getting lighter and lighter. And seriously, just Look at those cheeks!

Mommy and Kenna were able to go out on a little Mommy/Daughter date. She is the one that I get the least one on one time with these days. It was some much needed time together to just be girls and chat and go and get a treat and our toes painted. She was just cute as can be. I love knowing we have a lifetime of this stuff to look forward to.

 Those gummy smiles were just coming left and right all the sudden. 

 Most of the time if you want to find Conner, then just look near Carys. Seriously, I have been shocked at how attached he has been to this little girl. He can hardly help himself. He just wants to be near her, touching her, sharing his nigh night with her, holding her every second that he can. 

 During Christmas break we were able to take a trip to the zoo with Grammy. It was a gorgeous day and seriously, no matter how many times we go we always seem to have so much fun. One of my favorite things to do with my kids. 

 I think Conner's second love, immediately following Carys, is yogurt!

 I looked at her once and she stole my heart!

 This is what happens to you when you are a mom of boys.

 I love when babies find their tongues....

 ...and when little boys believe every day they are solely responsible for protecting the world from evil... 

Kellen now joins Daddy on his trips to the barber. I think he really loves going and getting a serious "big boy" haircut. And my heart just melts every time I see that handsome face when he comes back. I mean seriously....movie star?

Bicycle, Bicycle!

 The couple weeks after Christmas we spent a lot of time out at the park with our bikes. This is one of the great things about living in San Diego. You can get a bike for Christmas and be able to take it out and ride it right away. Makenna is a biking maniac these days. She loves to peddle as fast as her legs can go and gets a thrill whipping around corners! Which she loved to do this on her tricycle at 2, so there is no surprise that she is doing it still.

Conner is also a biking fool right now! Since Kellen got his new bike that meant the balance bike went to Conner full time. Con couldn't be more thrilled about this! And let me tell you, the little boy is good. He looks so cute and funny cruising around, pushing with his feet and getting himself on the move fast. He can already balance really good too.

The experience with Kellen on his bike has been an evolving one. Initially Daddy and I were both thinking he was ready to learn to ride without training wheels. He was really good at balancing on the balance bike. And in theory, if you can balance then all you need to do is add in the peddling. Well, this proved to be a bit of a challenge. Mostly because Kellen gets quite distracted while riding. He wants to cruise, to take it easy, to look around at the trees and plants he is passing, or stare off at the kids playing on the playground. Well, this doesn't work well when you are learning to ride a bike. You need to go fast to keep yourself balanced and you need to watch where you are going. Neither of these things were happening. He could balance once you got him going fast enough and you could let him go and he could do it on his own. But he would get side tracked by something and start heading into the bushes without even realizing it.
So, the training wheels went on. We figure it won't hurt to give him some time practicing how to peddle and ride and get going that way first, and then once he is more comfy on the bike we will start practicing training wheel free once again.

 Christmas Eve...kids got to open a gift from Grammy and Pa. Makenna- Thrilled to get her kitten. Kellen- Sporting his new Spider Man hat.

 It was a big Christmas morning for the McKameys! Kellen and Conner, our early risers, were out first to see what Santa had dragged down the chimney. Somehow he managed to fit a new "big boy bike" for Kellen! 

 Makenna opened her much hoped for bow and arrow....what every little girl wants. Right?

Con is our little builder. Our rough and tough Man's man. And I guess Santa knew that and knew just how appropriate a workbench and tools would be for this little guy. 

 Daddy got his gifts too. And mommy got a gorgeous cashmere sweater from Santa which she is anxious to wear once the threat of baby vomit landing on it has passed.

 A few days after Christmas Grammy and I took the kiddos to the temple. I had promised them we would go there to walk around and see the temple light and the life size nativity. It was a really fun time. Freezing (by san diego standards), but it was gorgeous and was such a nice night, walking around listening to the music and seeing the lights.

 The San Diego Temple will always be a special place for me and for our family. The place where Todd proposed, with Makenna there running around, and we became a family. The place where Todd and I were sealed, a year and a half later and then were sealed to Kellen and Makenna...making us an eternal family. Probably the most important moments of my life have happened in this temple. I hope my children always have a love for it the way that I do.

During Christmas break we took a fun family trip to Sea World. It was still decorated for the season and the older kids had a great time getting to go sledding!

As a kid I was never too thrilled about having my birthday in December (especially seeing my sister have beach and pool parties in the summer). But as I have gotten older I have learned to love it! Especially with Kellen as my son and the way he makes the Christmas season so magical. It is fun to have my birthday thrown in the mix of all the celebrating!

Last birthday in my 20's. It's a bit strange, but nothing to be depressed over. I do have a goal to be in incredible shape when I turn 30. I get an excuse for looking gross this year since I had a 2 month old :) Sometimes babies are nice excuses....

"Happy Birthday to Us...oh, I mean to Mom"

Kellen did a wonderful job, seriously, a Great job at his preschool Christmas singing program. He had been singing the songs all day long for weeks. He was definitely very practiced and prepared. Even though it is the 4th time I have seen this Christmas program it isn't any less cute than the first time. It also made him look really big and grown up being there. We love you Kellen and your cute, adorable, little singing voice.

Carys trying out her bumbo for the first time. Its funny to see them vertical for the first time, and it made the kids absolutely thrilled!

A new tradition for our family is that on the last weekend before Christmas the kids get to sleep out in the living room under the tree. Con was a bit too antsy to participate this year. But Makenna and Kellen (the "big" kids) loved it. It was so cute listening to them talk back and forth until 10:00 and they were too exhausted and finally passed out. And there was something magical about seeing them sleeping next to the twinkling lights of the tree. And after all, Christmas is meant to be a magical time for all.

The family at Church on Christmas Sunday.

Our annual Santa Picture. Too many McKamey's for Santa's lap this year. It seems like every other year we have no tears. But I am sure next year it will be Carys screaming her head off. Conner had me a little worried. He had seen last years picture and seen him crying on Santa's lap and he kept saying "Me cry with ho ho" and seemed very disturbed about it all. But he didn't even hesitate a bit once we were there. The promise of a candy cane was enough to get that boy to hop right up there. 

2 Months Old

2 Months goes by so fast! Seriously! You blink, and then your newborn is pretty much gone and suddenly you have an official "baby". I think that 2 months is also when you start to see some real personality come out. As Pa calls it, the 'blob' phase sort of ends and suddenly they start to "really" interact. I don't totally agree with Pa, but I understand what he is trying to say.

Right around 2 months old sweet Carys is smiling and cooing. She Loves it when you look right into her eyes and sing to her and smile at her. She just sits, mesmerized and coos right back at you. She is still such an easy going baby. She hates the car and screams her head off pretty much any time we are in it for more than a few minutes. Most kids are soothed to sleep in the car. Not Carys. But that is pretty much the only time that she cries. Other than that she is happy and smiling and content. Despite my many efforts, she has no desire to take a pacifier. But she does love to suck on her hand or her fingers all the time. She is also still a big snuggler and is just the most darling little girl. We love her to pieces.

At her 2 month check up Carys was 10 lbs 7 oz (30%) and 22 inches long (25%). Definitely growing, but also still just a little one. So far she is running pretty true to size with her clothing. Finally out of newborn clothes and wearing 0-3 months. All growth and development is right on track. She has found her hands, she loves to be talked to, she responds to noise and even turns to look for Mama when she hears her voice.

Carys, we love you to pieces!!

I predict that this pouty lip will get her her way a lot!