Stinker's Baptism

On Sunday December 26th, Stinker received the sacrament of baptism in front of our spiritual/church family and our physical family. It was a beautiful day! Stinker was loving being in front of everyone and soaked up Pastor David's attention. He was giggling and babbling away to the delight of Speedy and I. I even received a phone call from one of the elders and a couple offhanded comments from other members who said it was the 'best baptism of 2010' hahaha.

Truly ALL baptisms are the best and special in their own way. Each one I have witnessed always taps a spiritual soft spot in my heart that results in making me tear up.

McKenzie Christmas

This past weekend we celebrated Christmas with the McKenzie side of the family by driving around looking at lights, decorating gingerbread cookies, playing games, watching movies, and going for walks.

Ever since I can remember we have always had these Christmas traditions:

> We each get to open ONE present before attending Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

> Go to church

> Eat hors d'oeuvres while opening the rest of the presents

> Wake up Christmas morning to open our stockings

> Go see a movie in the movie theater - Stinker slept in my arms through the WHOLE thing!

> Share a Christmas meal

On Christmas Eve Stinker tried solid food, on the menu....organic avocado! Jury is out about just how much he has actually swallowed but he seems to like it.

We just said "adios" to my parents this morning but Stinker is scheduled for some 'Auntie Snack' time for the next few afternoons this week :)

Merry Christmas Friends!

Gallagher Christmas

(Got my par-tay clothes on!)

Last night we celebrated Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Gallagher and Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Jefts. They came over for Christmas cookies and Holiday drinks. I made Gingerbread Bars (Great Grandma's favorite), and Grandma Gallagher made a variety of Christmas cookies. We had Peppermint Hot Coco, Pear Cinnamon Cider (Great Grandpa's new favorite!), decaf coffee, and Vanilla Cinnamon hot tea to choose from.

Stinker is really into sucking on tags of blankets, toys, whatever has a tag! Each gift he opened he went right for the tags :) A couple evenings a week Speedy and I sit outside to roast marshmallows on our grill and make smores...we can't wait to use our gift.

We opened gifts and chatted over the drinks and dessert while listening to Christmas music, it was a cozy evening!

First All-Nighter With a Sick Baby

I has experienced a motherhood rite of passage, being woken up multiple times throughout the night by my sick baby. During the day he was sneezing, eyes watering, coughing, the works. But at night his poor little nose was all stuffed up so when he went to suck on his pacifier he couldn't breath well so he would wake up and cry :(

I woke up so many times last night at one point I was certain it was 5:30am and thinking that I should just go pump his bottle for the next day (while I was up so that I could go back to sleep and not try to wake up just before him) but when I checked a clock it was only 12:30am!

I have to admit I kinda liked taking care of and being woke up all night...it just reminded me how helpless he still is and that made me think of the sermon we just heard the Sunday before about how you can only truly love someone when you know and have experienced the love of Christ. So yes, Stinker it is a pleasure to love you more than I love sleep because in a small way, it is a reflection of the love I have experienced through my heavenly father.

Speedy's Birthday Weekend

Every year we go to Knott's Berry Farm for Speedy's birthday with the Gallaghers so this marked the first year Stinker joined us :)

(us at the front gate)

In the name of tradition, we spent 5 hours in the car roundtrip for 3.5 hours in the actual park eating lunch, walking through the Christmas craft tables, and watching 'A Christmas Carol' at the Birdcage Theater. Its just different going to an amusement park with a 6 month old huh? Actually Stinker did FABULOUS for such a long, fun, day. He loved being pushed in his stroller outside takin in all the sights and sounds :)

(having fun around the park)

(Soooooo full from Mrs. Knott's Restaurant)

On Speedy's actual birthday we did our annual dinner at Stone - such a fantastic place. We sat outside again enjoying the beautiful weather and the atmosphere of the backyard gardens. I am so thankful to have such a God-loving, humble, strong, hard-working, and funny best friend to do this life with.

The Stink Creep

He sees it...

...reaches for it....

....just outta reach...

....maybe just maybe...

....ah, success!!!!

I think it's safe to say that life is about to change...

The Old Lady in Me

Bedtime has changed for us...I was talking to a close friend on the phone about how our lives have changed - we have reversed roles. She used to have a strict 9pm bedtime and Speedy and I were night owls who stayed up until midnight on average. My friend's baby needs a late late night feeding so she has to gear up for that. I used to not get tired until 11ish but now I am so sleepy I force myself to stay up until 9 to feed Stinker.



Now Stinker is getting so tall my rocker doesnt really work for us anymore! But we try to make it work anyway :)

Freakin' Time Change!

So my once excellent napper and sleep-through-the-night baby has morphed into a crib-resisting, red-eyed, rebel! Before we 'fell back' Stinker went to bed at 7:30 woke at 10 for one last meal then slept until 6:45am. He would happily nap from 8am-9:30am and 10:45am-1:00pm like clockwork but now he is waking up at all hours of the night and cries when I try to lay him down for a nap :(

So yesterday my day started with a 4am wakeup call (where after I changed his diaper and gave him his pacifier he cried for an hour) and ended with him puking on my dinner plate! Whoof. I am thankful for the mommies in my life who I can call for tricks. Anywho, here are some pics of our drooly little man!

Virtual Christmas Card

We have our car insurance through State Farm and every year they send us a new pack of return address labels with super cute Christmas decorations on them. This year they have gingerbread men, Christmas trees, or snowmen on them. They remind me each year that I should take a moment and write down the happenings of this year and stay in contact with friends and family through the customary mailing of Christmas cards. Needless to say, each year passes me by and I have NO Christmas cards to show for it :)

Being a first-time mom, Shutterfly has received several orders from me and now with the holidays approaching they have received several more. Out of the kindness of this company's heart they sent me an email with a code for 10 free Christmas cards - that combined with the super cute return address labels meant this was my year!

I have written out my envelopes and stamped and sealed all 10 to be sent out to immediate family, once you start to create your family list you realize how many friends you would love to include...I have high hopes that if I can't get a reorder in time for this year next year looks promising...but bear with me people baby steps....baby steps.

Stinker's First Thanksgiving!!!

We drove over to Arizona for the long weekend. Its amazing how one tiny person and add a couple more stops along the way :) Here are some pics from our time with Grammy and Poppa.

Stinker's measuring stick - someday when this cactus is full grown we can look back at this pic

Stinker loved this texture of this one

Camo Boys

They are just about the same height :)

Cuddling outside with Poppa

Storytime with Grandmommy86 a Clifford story while holding Clifford :)

We went for walks to work off our Thanksgiving meal!

Grammy and I daringly ventured out to Kohls the day after Thanksgiving (just like last year but not at 3AM!) and Stinker was so great! We made friends with the people standing in line and they all thought he was so cute ahaha. The next day Speedy and I got a massage it was so awesome, seriously the best one I have ever got. I kept walking around saying "I miss Niki" (the woman who gave me my massage). This was the first date Speedy and I have had since Stinker came along! Needless to say, we had a great weekend.

Welcome to the North Pole!

This past weekend it poured rain and was very chilly so spontaneously Speedy and I decided to order in Marie Calendars and watch a movie. We ordered total comfort food...chicken potpie and country fried steak dinners with a slice of pie each :) Filled our bellies with warm food while we snuggled under blankets and watched a movie so fun!

Over the weekend, we decorated for Christmas...as my facebook status said: "usually i am a strick 'after thanksgiving' christmas decorator but i couldnt take it anymore, so i opened the windows to cool down the apartment so i could drink hot coco and transform it into the north pole"... i love this time of year!


Last year was the first year Speedy and I had a Christmas tree of our own - it was so fun. This year with Stinker it is even better!

Bath Time!

Stinker's hair is growing in more and more everyday but still in the same spot...straight down the middle! :)






So...after his bath I combed his hair straight back to really spike his mohawk (this is the first time I intentionally 'styled' it this way!) It ended up drying this way and looked so cute :)

Nursery Buddy

Here are some pics of Stinker and his buddy enjoying the church nursery. This buddy is just 4 months older than Stinker and is FULL of personality :)



It has been so enjoyable to see how these two are very different. Stinker is quiet, observant, curious, and focused. His buddy is charismatic, chatty, excitable, and a bit of a daredevil it seems. As they continue to grow up together it will be interesting to see how these differences solidify and/or change over time.


Here Stinker was learning how jumpers are really supposed to be used! He usually sucks on the fabric although he is spinning himself around to bat at the toys more these days. His buddy goes to town on these things it was entertaining to watch Stinker enamored with all the noise his buddy was able to make!

An Outfit for Daddy

A downhill skiing polo and your 'I love my Irish Daddy' bib! Daddy used to be an avid skier, and he loves his Irish heritage... Everyone says you and daddy look so much alike you are his 'mini-me'. They even get your names confused - just last night at community group one of our church elders called your daddy by your name :)

Brace Yourself

This weekend, while we were walking up the stairs to our apartment with our arms full of groceries, we went to unlock our door. Speedy set the baby carrier down to get out his keys and we noticed a little hand clutching the side of his carseat...scared much??

It was so hilarious we burst in the door to quick grab the camera to document this. (Can you tell we are 1st time parents??? hahaha)