Happy Birthday Mace-Face!

(FYI: If you'll notice the date this post was started was just about a MONTH ago. It took that much time for me to get G to upload some pics from his phone... Sweetness will be 7 months old in 10 days. Now I really can't believe that!)

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6 months has come and gone... CRAZY. My little Macers is 6 months old! She has been such a fun addition to our home. She is becoming very vocal and loves to roll around. Just recently she began to sit. Her girthy center keeps her perfectly balanced.

Tyson LOVES Macy. He says that she is his "best". Best as in friend, sister, wrestling partner, etc.

Just two weeks ago at her doctor's appointment, she weighed in at exactly 21 lbs. She is 27 inches long, which puts her in the 95th percentile for height and weight. I was kind of sad to see her drop from the the 100th percentile... although it is probably better for her heart to loose some weight. Her doctor discovered that she has a heart murmur. Since the fateful discovery at her 2 week appointment, we have been monitoring her little heart.

It is very common for babies to be born with heart murmurs. Most of them resolve quickly after birth on their own, and those that remain are usually innocent. It is uncommon, however, for a baby who has a real, legitimate murmur, to "thrive" as Macy has done. Thus, the testing. Mace's murmur sounded very small, so her Dr. thought it would have resolved on its own by this point in her life. Because it hadn't, he was a little more concerned and ordered an echo cardiogram just to make sure that it was not anything serious.

After sedating our little babe, and a 2 hour ultra-sound of her heart, we learned that Mace does in fact have a hear murmur. It is relatively small, like the doctor suspected, but she'll probably have it her whole life. She will most likely live with it with no problems. So, I am glad we know... I may think differently when we get the bill from the hospital!!

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Here I am trying to comfort my poked and drugged baby on her way to dreamland. She was a trooper...she did really well getting the IV, but did not want to succumb to sleep. She knew something was up!

(Isn't she a delicate little thing!)

There were no complications during the sedation. Once Mace was under, we could hear her light snoring while the tech did the ultra sound. I just wanted to squeeze her... she looked so peaceful.

Mace was as stubborn waking up as she was going to sleep.

It was our most peaceful ride home. Mace was pretty out-of-it for the rest of the day.

THANKS TO AUNT FAITH FOR WATCHING TYSON!!

Time for an update??

We’re back!!! Actually we have been here... Tyson. Mace-Face and I have been busy with nothing really, other than LIFE. Fall is here (well, it has been for the past few days), and I am LOVING it. I have to say one of the perks to living in Utah (I'll be honest, I thought there were none), is/are the season changes. Just when you get tired Summer, Fall sweeps in to rescue you.



We did slip away this past weekend to the Coral Pink sand dunes with our dear friends the Mohlers. Camping was never fun until I married Greg and had a baby boy. Tyson LOVES being outside, so I happily give up my bathroom and bed for a few days of sandy, dirty, unsanitary fun for him. Greg (who is the scoutmaster in our ward, might I add) is great to take care of everything camp oriented once we arrive at our destination.

Cloey, Macy (our Macy's namesake), and Tyson

Mohler Gals, and our Big Lady having a snack

Tyson's FAVORITE Tree. Perfect for his newly acquired skill of climbing.

The Sleeping Accommodations

We had so much fun. We miss the Mohlers, so it is always a treat to spend time with them.

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Since I am catching up a bit... Over Labor Day we ambitiously decided to hike to Timp Cave. Okay, not really that ambitious of an endeavor for Greg and Tyson, but for me and Macers... It was a CHALLENGE. Here are the pictures to prove it. (I am winded in every single picture!)

Here we are at the halfway mark... a bit tired.

We made it! We are standing just outside the CAVE!! Tyson was so thrilled that we were going to go inside a cave. Mace and I were just happy for the temperature change.

The "deer in the headlights" eyes are a result of it being dark, dark, dark in the cave and then the, you know, flash of the camera startling my little pupils.

Not so much for him... those are just excited two-year old eyes

Can you see how far UP we hiked?? Pretty impressive view.

(More impressive that Greg made it with Mace of his front the entire way up :)

Caves are so neat... especially to 2.5 year olds. We had a fun time, and got a little exercise in as well. Too bad Mace-Face couldn't do a little of the walking. That girl is HEAVY. We think she is on the brink of 22 Lbs. We go in tomorrow for an appointment. She'll be just over 5.5 months... so we'll see.

Build a HILL, and they will come....

When we met with our landscape architect to design our yard, we told him that we wanted it to be kid-friendly. Fortunately for us, he had done his master's thesis on kid spaces and imagination. Since the day our last dump-truck load of dirt was delivered, the kids have been in love with our yard. Each day we find new little ones playing on the hill, behind, or around it. Who would have thought something so simple as a HILL would bring about so much imagination and creativity with the kids. I have been told numerous times by the kids in the neighborhood, that "I am sooo lucky to have a mountain in my backyard!"...

Props to Brady, our landscape architect!! (or curse him until we can afford a fence!)

These are just a few shots I've taken of kids on the hill. Two nights ago I got home around 8:30 and our backyard was FILLED with kids (close to 20--no joke). I had to close the shutters before Tyson saw and wanted to join.

Another Zulauf Wedding...

We are down to just two unmarrieds... who ever thought that would happen?? Almost exactly 8 years after Greg and I were married, Court and Carly tied the knot! We are so happy to have another girl in the family. (Jenny is especially pleased to not me the only female in-law anymore, I am sure.)

So, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, LOVE!! and a BIG CONGRATS to Court and Carly Zulauf.

These were the few pictures I was able to get of the Happy Couple. Thankfully, since their wedding was in AZ, IN AUG, they had taken all of their pictures beforehand. They were so kind not to make us suffer.

AND US....

and by us, I of course, mean there are NO pics of me and Greg, because he is he biggest TURKEY about taking pictures. Sad for me. I am going to start taking them alone. Will that make him feel bad?? (probably not)

Forgot to get one of my parents too. Opps. Good thing I was not their photographer. Bad thing no one else brought a camera..

Leticia and Lacey (Josh had to work, so she brought Lacey as her date).

Lacey and her real date Jeffery

(Peek-a-boo Zach!)

Zach and Jenny

Of course I take a bad picture (blinding) of the best photographer in the fam... SORRY JEN!

Faith and Shaun

And the last two singletons... Tyler and Shelb

Here is Tyson Boy with Uncle Zachy. Zach taught him how to give knuckle sandwiches. How will we ever thank you Zach?

And Macer-Facer slept right through it all...

Fun at the B-L!!

Our annual trip to Bear Lake this year was as fun as ever. My family is growing so fast with marriages and births, that every year we have at least a couple first-timers at the Lake. It has almost doubled in a year and a half, which makes for a lot of bodies at any family gathering. It was nice to have a large, outdoor site to congregate at.

We spent just over two weeks at the cabin and were so busy having fun that we failed to get a family picture... Darn. We did get together just a few days later in Mesa, AZ for Court and Carly's wedding, so we snapped a more formal shot of us all then.

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Grammie SPOILS the grandkids with warm pools to swim in. I do not recall ever receiving such treatment as a Bear Lake youngster... Even the "Big Lady" Macy liked to go swimming in those conditions.

Kaden (Leticia's little boy) and Tyson are about 9 months apart. It was great for Tyson to have a buddy.. and fun for us to figure out who the instigator in their little disagreements was. Check out the sandy freckles... Who started throwing sand first??

...And these two. They are 5 months apart and destined to be besties!

Our biggest decison each day was pool or beach.... Oh what a life! I am sad it's over.

It was great having so many aunts and uncles around. Tyson was in heaven with all of the attention.

If you can picture...

This was too funny not to share (although it doesn't speak well of my parenting skills)...

This morning Tyson and I were having breakfast, and our house was shaking a little. We looked outside to see that our streets were being repaved. So, that was that, we kind of watched them then went on with our morning.

I was on the phone a bit with family planning our Bear Lake get-away, and apparently Tyson got tired of waiting for me, so he just disappeared. I searched the house for a few minutes while talking to Lacey, then decided I better get off the phone and begin a more concentrated search for my son. I could not find him in any of his usual hideouts (park, basement, my shower, closets, etc.) so I began to worry. Mostly because I was still in my PJs (as was he) and it was 10:30. What would the neighbors think? Then I heard the roar of the paver passing by, and I left my prideful thoughts, and turned to more serious ones of, hoping that Tyson was not out there by those big trucks. I swallowed my pride and headed OUTSIDE for the pavers.

Not far into my walk, way in the distance, standing on the sidewalk, I spotted a little bum in red undies. I thought, "That can't be Tyson, he had green jammies on... Wait. OH, yes, he was wearing red underwear." Upon closer appraisal, I could see the green pajama bottoms at his ankles. Now that he was fine, I laughed a bit, and wondered in what state I would find him. I got over to him, he was complete unphased by my presence, and saw him standing as close to the edge of the sidewalk as he could be, with his undies halfway up (they go hung up on his bum) and his shorts around his ankles. I asked him what he was doing and he told me he was watching the pavers. "The pavers are rolling the street then the 'ment mixer is dumping mud..." I asked what was going on with his undies. He said that he did his peeps on the grass while he was watching the pavers. Sure enough, there was just enough evidence on the sidewalk in front of him to confirm that.

There were about 4 big trucks out there and 5 or 6 additional workers standing around. What did they think of the parent-less child standing inches away from those big machines, UNATTENDED, PEEING in the grass as he couldn't take his eyes off of them? Oh my word! It is going to be a good day :)

Allergy Update

I thought we were through the worst of it when I posted those pictures of Tyson earlier... However, shortly thereafter, G was off to the ER with him. His joints were black and purple and his face was so swollen (Have you seen Hitch??). Thankfully he took an advised pit-stop at our doctor's office, which probably saved us a few $100. Dr. Clayton (the BEST pediatrician we've every had--okay-- there have only been 2, but he is the best) said that it was the worst case of hives he had ever seen--he's been in practice for 40-50 years. We got some more meds and a steroid to help fight it off... but not before I snapped a few more pics :)

He is doing fine, I guess. He is so doped up on Benadryl and other drowsy-causing medicines that he is a walking zombie, but the hives seem to be under control. We just wish we knew what they were from.

Can you say CHUBBY?

Those of you who knew my first born as a baby probably thought he was the fattest baby you had ever seen, and that it would simply be impossible to get any fatter. Well....

The impossible has happened. Mace is officially the LARGEST 14 week-old baby on earth. Check out these flattering pictures of my sweet daughter. She sports 12-18 month clothing these days... SERIOUSLY.

At least she's happy, right??