We are repainting Mackenzie’s room this weekend and starting her big girl room makeover. I have so many ideas swimming in my head (check my Pinterest boards to see what I’m thinking), but one thing is for sure… if Mackenzie’s room had a soundtrack, this song would be it.

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Copyright 2012 Chris Wilcox

Copyright 2012 Chris Wilcox

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As luck would have it, there was an outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease at Mackenzie’s preschool. She and seven other sweet hearts caught it. I won’t get into the details of it, but it really is the WORST.

Anyway, we had to keep her home from school until today. I stayed with her Monday and Wednesday, and Chris stayed with her on Tuesday.

Yesterday, after her nap and lunch, I decided to take Mackenzie on a hike at Lake Radnor. We saw a doe, lots of birds, geese, ducks, turtles, a squirrel, and a blue-tailed lizard. The hike took 2 hours with lots of rest and snack breaks.

Mackenzie is feeling much better now, but I have learned not to take days at home with her — just the two of us — for granted. I hope we have another mommy-daughter day again soon.

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Copyright 2012 Chris Wilcox

We had a great weekend as a family. We made pancakes on Saturday, and Mackenzie got to help. I gave her her own bowl of flour to work on while I made the batter. She had so much fun with it!!

Saturday was very low-key. We rented Happy Feet 2 and hung around the house most of the day. We did go to the park for a little while, just to get out. Mackenzie got to play with two other little girls her age, and she had lots of fun. After that, Miss Devon came over to watch her while Chris went on a little date.

On Sunday we went to church and then ate at Chipotle for lunch. When we got to Chipotle, I told Mackenzie, “We are going in to eat,” and her jaw dropped. She looked at me like, “Whoa, what? Really? Let’s get moving!” And then she started smiling and signing, “Eat, eat, eat.” She ate really well, too — all of her chicken, most of her beans and cheese, all of her milk, and some of her corn. When she was finished, she waved her hands in the air and said, “All un!” (That’s toddler for “All done.”)

After lunch, we went home and played for a while and then took a nap. When Mackenzie woke up, she was kind of fussy and kept pointing to the door say, “ow eye, ow eye,” which I take to mean, “Out side.” She LOVES to play outside. First, she helped me weed and straighten the herb and flower beds in the front of the house, and then she helped Chris sweep the sawdust up from back patio. After that, she helped us with the gardening. Even with daily baby sunblock, she’s got a nice little farmer’s tan going on, too.

Sunday evening was my favorite part of the whole weekend. I’m pretty sure it was Chris and Mackenzie’s favorite, too. Instead of a bowl of flour, I gave Mackenzie gardening pots and a trowel to play with while I repotted some herbs — or tried to. She loves to “weed” the plants (i.e., pull them up by their roots) and take dirt out of one pot and put it in another. She also “washed” her hands with the dirt, clapped dirt all over her lap, and yes, even tasted it.

She’s a gardener’s kid, that’s for sure.

Copyright 2012 Chris Wilcox

Mackenzie knows a lot of words, tries to say a few, and signs a few. She communicates very well. She understands us when we ask her questions, and she can nod her head yes and no. She walks everywhere, and I think running is not too far off. She loves her Red Flyer scoot-about, and her scooter riding toy. She loves to read stories and play with balls. She has fun putting bows in her hair (and taking them out), trying to put her shoes on (and taking them off). She also loves to get dirty, and then to wash her hands afterwards. Sesame Street is her favorite show. We haven’t really introduced her to much of Disney yet, but she knows who Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh are. Mackenzie also loves music, clapping her hands, bopping her head, and dancing. She loves peekaboo, pretend, and copycat games.

There really aren’t words for all of the amazing ways that Mackenzie is growing and changing right now. I have been nervous about this phase (and the upcoming two-year-old phase), but instead of being anxious, we are embracing this season. Mackenzie’s personality is blossoming beautifully, and it is so much fun to interact with her and teach her.

Honestly, I look forward to just playing with her, and I never imagined myself doing that. I used to feel like I didn’t know how to play, and I marveled that it comes so naturally to kids. Mackenzie has a way of bringing that playfulness out without even trying. She’s the best. Really.

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Photo Copyright Chris Wilcox 2012

She goes straight into Gordon Ramsay mode. Better watch out!

Photo Copyright Chris Wilcox 2012

Happy Monday!

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We recently started giving Mackenzie naked bottom time after her bath, before story time.

At first it was a little awkward, and well, yeah, scary. For obvious reasons.

But now it’s just plain adorable.

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What that something is exactly, we’re not sure. But it was enough to cause us pause.

It’s that time of year again when we need to decide if we want to renew our lease or move, and if we want to move, do we want to lease again or buy, and if we want to buy, where on earth and what kind of house do we want to buy, and if we buy an older home, what kind of older home? Do we invest in an up and coming (but rundown) neighborhood, or buy a renovated home in a renovated neighborhood? And why do cookie cutter houses suddenly feel so cookie cutter, when just a few years ago, they were absolutely fine?

Our minds have been swimming with all of these decisions and choices, and it feels as if we have been going around and around this topic, with no clear answer.

But I am thankful to my friend, for sharing her journey, because it was enough to give us a brief bit of clarity, at least so far as what we don’t want.

• We don’t want to do something that isn’t us, that doesn’t fit who we are, or our vision for our family.
• We want to be a part of something that matters.
• We don’t want to continue in the same holding pattern, just because we can’t summon up the guts and resolve to make a decision and act on it.
• We want to plant our feet.

So that’s where we’re at. Who knows what big adventure awaits.

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Instead, she reached for a cardboard jewelry box I’ve been letting her play with. She leaned back in my arms, closed her eyes, and turned the little box over and over in her hands, taking the lid off and repositioning the box and lid until they fit again. Eyes still closed, she smiled just a little and ever so briefly when the two pieces fit together, and then she started the game over again.

Mackenzie played with that box, half dozing, for at least fifteen minutes before she finally fell asleep. It reminded me so much of the way I turn thoughts over in my mind, the way I problem solve, and the way I approach so many things.

My first thought was, “My baby is a GENIUS. Can somebody say Rubicks cube?!”

My second thought was, “Oh, my word, my toddler has insomnia.”

But that’s kind of how creativity and problem solving work, right? It’s a tight line between abundant, fulfilling, creative work, and obsessive, stressful, insomniatic madness.

I should know.

Anyway… Over the weekend we took Mackenzie to the park and let her walk around every chance we got. I think she’s just about got this walking thing figured out.

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We had been lucky. Until last Sunday, that is.

Chris has been recovering from the longest cold ever for the last few weeks, so I have been keeping Mackenzie with me as much as possible.

On Sunday evening, I had five loads of laundry to do and dinner to make. I reached a crucial point where one load of laundry needed to go in the dryer, another in the washer, and the chicken needed to go in the oven. Thinking, “It will only take one second,” I took Mackenzie to the laundry room with me.

I know that sounds like no big deal, because it shouldn’t be, but our laundry room is not a kid-safe zone. It is located through the garage in an add-on on top of the back patio. The floor is cinder block, it floods frequently, and it has no temperature control.

Oh, and there is a four-inch concrete “step-over” that separates the laundry room from the garage. Perfect for tripping on.

So, I wisely put Mackenzie in a laundry basket on the floor while I put clothes in the dryer. Of course, being her toddler self, Mackenzie couldn’t resist trying to climb out. No amount of, “Mackenzie, just wait a minute–” could stop her.

And there you have it.

Thank goodness babies are resilient!!

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

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We took Mackenzie to her favorite park yesterday, and this time I got some video. Makes me smile every time I watch it.

Happy Monday!

xo

[Now with video]

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Yesterday we took Mackenzie to our favorite park, and this time I got some video. Makes me smile every time I watch it.

xo

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I’m not a political activist, but please consider watching this video and contacting your senator. Tell them to vote “NO” on the Protect IP | SOPA bill on January 24, 2012. I did.

Learn more at sopastrike.org.

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… is what I’m in.

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Love,
Chris, Dee, and Mackenzie

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It has been so long that picking up where I left off feels impossible, and starting right here, right now lands us somewhere in the middle of the story.

I am notorious for starting stories in the middle. I don’t mean to do it; it’s just that I forget who knows what and whom, and I don’t always remember to build the backstory.

I will try to do better this time.

Mackenzie

Let’s start with December 1. Mackenzie turned fourteen months old! FOURTEEN MONTHS!! She weighs a little over 23 pounds, and she is so tall. We just bought 18-month-old pants for her, mostly to cover her tummy. She wears fewer onesies and more shirts and pants now. One of my favorite things to see do is ask her where her belly button is. She will lift up her shirt and show you, and then she’ll reach for your shirt to look for yours.

Mackenzie loves to wave, to clap, to dance, to play with colorful, shiny things. Christmas ornaments and toy blocks are current favorites. She loves Elmo, and she’ll sing along with the la las in the Elmo Song. She loves matching games, boxes, and putting things inside of things. She understands simple sentences, and she “talks” a lot. She gets frustrated when I misunderstand her.

She is so curious. Her balance and coordination are great, and she pushes up on one foot a lot when she’s crawling. I think she’ll be walking soon.

Actually, things are getting really, really fun with Mackenzie. We can communicate with her, and we are learning her personality and what interests her and makes her happy. She is so sweet, and so quick to smile, even when her one-year molars are doing their worst.

We added bath time to our nightly routine, and it Mackenzie’s absolute favorite. Here’s a peak into how much fun she has:

I am so grateful for our nigh-time routine. It ends the day in such a peaceful, consistent way. It’s time the three of us spend together, and no matter how busy or chaotic the day was, we end it peacefully, happily, kind of a reset for the next day.

Family

We spent Thanksgiving at my Mom’s in Missouri, and it was amazing. All of my brothers and sisters were there, most with their kids and loved ones. We had a packed house and tons of food. It was just so great. Mackenzie did a great job in the car on the way there and back, and she warmed up to all of the new people in no time. My mom and my brothers and sisters made a fantastic, delicious meal. It was wonderful.

It has been nine years since we were all together, but this year was special. There was a little extra incentive for all of us to make it happen this year. I haven’t written about this here yet because I haven’t known how, so I suppose I’ll just get it out there — my mother has been fighting cancer for about the last year. A tumor was discovered in her throat just after Christmas last year, and she is just now finishing a second round of treatment. The summer was particularly difficult — she had surgery, radiation, chemo, so many complications, and so much pain. But then the cancer was gone, and we were all so happy. Unfortunately, it seems like it was coming back, so she agreed to a second round of treatment. Thankfully (SO thankfully), this round has been much easier on her. I’m not sure when we’ll have test results, though.

So Thanksgiving was extra special. The last two times I’ve seen my mom, she wasn’t strong enough to hold Mackenzie, and I didn’t get any pictures of them together. But THIS time, she was strong enough, and we got pictures. Chris even got a little bit of video. This photo is my favorite.

Work

Another big change for us recently has been that I’ve gone back to work full-time, and I’m not doing much freelance any more. This has been a huge change, but it is so good in so many ways. The agency I work for is fantastic, I’m still in web development, but I’m with people (grown ups!) all day, and Mackenzie has a fantastic teacher and is learning and growing in amazing new ways all the time. It has been a positive change for both of us, albeit definitely an adjustment.

So. There you have it. There is so much more to say, and many more pictures to share, but that’s the back story. I’ll be back tomorrow with some photos of Mackenzie at Christmastime last year, as well as some more recent ones. Baby girl is growing up!

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One post was titled, “Night Moves,” and it was going to be about Mackenzie at age 13 months and all the non-sleeping going on here. Another one was called, “Up All Night,” and it was going to be about the new hit TV show and — you guessed it — Mackenzie NOT SLEEPING.

But then we decided to do sleep training again, and for the last four or five nights, we have all been sleeping better. Thank you, Mom, for praying for us.

I took photos for a couple of Wordless Wednesday posts that also never materialized. Ahem.

The pictures aren’t great, but they give you an idea of our lives lately.

No photos of this weekend. Chris was sick, and Mackenzie had a fever. I held her almost nonstop all weekend, and two of her molars broke through. We looked at more houses and ruled them all out. We also tried out formula with Mackenzie, but she pushed the bottle away. (Got any tips for me?)

So. Tonight’s post is a little abrupt, a little haphazard. I know. There’s no point, really, except to break the silence and say hello. Big things, good things are happening here. I hope to be back soon with {more and better} photos and all the details.

xo

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I mean, Instagram is great, but this? This is just… Well, you be the judge.

Chris did an incredible job, right? I am so proud of him, and so unbelievably thankful to have such a talented photographer actually living in my house.

More photos to come soon, I’m sure!

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