Mac is ONE!

 Our sweet little Mac, how did the year go by so fast? Although I woke up on his birthday a little sad about him being one, I can't help but keep loving every moment with this kid, watching him learn, intensely observing his sister, and seeing more fun-loving personality each day.

Mac took his first two steps on his birthday, but is still incredibly comfortable crawling everywhere. Aside from mommy, daddy, nona (Lola), nana, bub, and row-row (Rachy), he is also now saying moo, ruff, mo (more), appy (happy), ack (Jack), no (nose), and trying to repeat many, many words! What a talker!

 

One of my most favorite moments of every day is when Mac come crawling across the room as fast as he can, and in his loudest voice, calls out, "Mommy! Mommy!" Then he will grab my leg, stand up, and hug my leg as tight as he can and softly say, "Mommy!" How could I ever ignore that?

 

When we pick Dan up from work, he will reach his hand back to Mac's car seat and Mac will grab his hand and hold on for most of the ride home, sweetly saying, "Daddy". Then when Dan gets him out of his car seat, Mac buries his head into Dan's chest and gives him a huge hug.

 

Mac, our life is so much fuller with you in it. We love & adore you, and as much as we would like to freeze this point of your life and hold onto you as a sweet, soft baby, we are so excited for many more first moments and all of the little boy things you have to look forward to! Happy birthday Mac Branson!

Mac's first dessert. Bub fed it to him on his birthday. He loved every bite!

 

 A gift from the grandmas.

Mac got a swing set to share with Lola. They both love it. Lola especially loves pushing Mac in the baby swing. Two very lucky and happy grandkids! Thanks Grandma Linda & Nana!

Girls Weekend...Plus Mac

 A little shopping in U Village before heading off to Vashon Island.

 

Every year, my three best friends, our mothers, and I all get together at my friend Via's place on Vashon Island. It is a fabulous weekend of delicious food, wine, great discussions, hot tubing, beach walking, etc. It is so amazing that with all of our crazy schedules, we make it possible for all 8 of us to get together. It is even more amazing that we are all blessed to have such close relationships with our moms, and that our moms all get along as well as the four of us!

 Beautiful sunset from the deck.

 Little man invading mom's weekend. He was a sweetie pie :)

 Early riser. Checking out the beach treasures.

 First time on Vashon during Mom's weekend with 80 degree weather & sunbathing. It was much too hot to enjoy the hot tub this year - no complaints about that!

 Our signature engagement photo. Meghan's getting married this August and we CAN. NOT. WAIT!

 Another fabulous Mom's Weekend in the books.

Daddy Time

 This girl loves her daddy. They had some serious bonding time this past week and weekend. Dan surprised Lola with a night out to see Sesame Street Live. She couldn't even nap before because she was so excited.

 Getting a closer look and loving every minute of it.

While Mac and I were out of town, Lola and Dan spent the weekend together and ran together with Bub in Lola's first race - the Marmot March in Riverfront Park. She insisted on wearing her butterfly wings because they make her run faster!

 Bub and the Bug, waiting for the race to begin.

 "Come on Bub!"

 

 How lucky that Lola gets to have such a sweet relationship with her dad. She had such a great time with him. Every day this week when he went to work, she would say, "I really wish Daddy didn't have to go to work and hung out with me all day. I just love being with him."

Moments

 Mac is a cuddler, and such a sweet boy, but I have never been very successful at getting him to sit and look at books with me. Leave it to Nana, the English teacher, to be his favorite lap to sit on and look at books with. (I love the roundness of his cheeks too!)

 Lola, 3 years old, celebrating with her great grandma, Mama Bear, on her 93rd birthday. Ninety years between these ladies. Pretty amazing.

 For a moment, Mac was not eating grass and enjoying the soccer entertainment.

A moment...again... all it takes for Mac to get into something new. I found him pulling all of the spaghetti noodles out of the box, trying to eat a few, and crawling on them. My reaction was to start cleaning up the mess, but then I realized that I needed to capture this sweet, curious moment in his life. Oh Mac!