4th Annual

I know! I know! I love Halloween but I am so glad it's over! So why am I posting about it still?Because I couldn't not post about our MacGillivray 4th Annual Night of Frights and Spooky Delights dinner! I have to admit, this year totally got away from me and I didn't go to the extreme that I have in the past....you remember the brain centerpiece from last year, right? The boys still talk about that one and I think I will have to incorporate it in every year because they were a little disappointed it didn't make the table this year. However, I think I can count the night as a success due to the fact that Dax said he couldn't eat his dinner because it gave him "the chills." Austin and I enjoyed it while the boys feasted on Pez and Gummy worms. Here's the menu-- (Side note-I am so bad at giving credit where credit is due! I looked at so many sites and did a horrible job at keeping track of where these ideas were found. So, to all those out there who's ideas these are, thank you! I did create the drink myself, so there!)
1. Mummies: Can't go wrong with hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls2. Monster Mouths: Large pasta shells, with a fried hamburger/diced tomatoes/Parmesan cheese mixture. Loved the eyes and tongues. 3. Witch's Brew: Sugar frosted canning jars, Power Aid, gummy worms, and Craisins at the bottom which I so disgustingly told Dax were scabs. Chills. Check.4. Chocolate Covered Mice: Enough said.

The boys are always such good sports and this is still one of our family's favorite traditions that I hope will continue for many more years.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from the powerful warrior Thor, the amazing web-slinging Spider-man, and super princess Wonder Woman. In case you were wondering, that translates to Dax, Wyatt and Quinn. Definitely my personal superheros. I love them so much.

P.S I figure if I start from the most recent and work my way back though the month of October, with all that's been going on, I'll sure to be caught up eventually. One can only hope. More to come...

Grandma Great

Dear Little Quinn Emerson,

We're glad that you are here. You've come to a home filled with love and good cheer.
You have many here that love you, two brothers, parents, grandparents, great grandparents too. Aunts, uncles, and cousins, to name just a few.

No not long before you came here to us here on Earth you were still up in Heaven, surrounded by God's Heavenly love. There were so many of you little spirits running around up there. God said "as much as it grieves me, I have to send some down to Earth, for Earth parents to take care of them there." So he called them all to Him, and for a brief moment held each one on his knee. Then he had them line up in one long straight row. He then walked slowly past them and reached out and touched each little round belly before letting them go, saying, "I think I'll send you, you, and definitely you." Now little Quinn, that little belly button so pink and so new, is where the finger of God so very lovingly touched you. Now when you get older and kneel each night by your bed to say prayers, God wants you to know, He's still up in Heaven and for you he still cares. He sent you to parents, much older and wise than you. He wants you to heed their wise counsel and always do what they ask you to do.

Choose your friends wisely. Those that will help you stay honest and true. To your parents you'll be a pleasure, a joy beyond measure a treasure more precious than silver or gold.

When you're grown to be a sweet young lady, a young man will take you by the hand, and on your finger put a ring and say, "Dear Quinn please marry me and we'll have our own family. A girl for you and a boy for me and how happy we will be."

Remember, my dear, your a daughter of God so walk tall and hold your head high. So as long as I'm here on Earth, I'll always be here to love and support you.

Your loving great grandmother
Selma Clark Kreipl

Words can not express the love that I have for my grandma. She has written a priceless letter to each of my children. These letters are so dear to me, beyond words. She has always been an amazing writer and poet and has always so lovingly put into words her feelings and thoughts; one of the many things I admire about her. She hasn't met Quinn yet, so until I can replace this picture with one of the two of them, here we are this past summer at her 90th birthday party, one month before Quinn arrived.

cool tricks

Yup, slept seven hours straight last night. And then I smiled for the camera.

I'm so cool (but my mom says things like adorable, sweet, gorgeous, lovable, cute, and delectable.)

Oh, and I promise, I do have brothers, but one is at school all day and the other runs from the camera. I guess you are stuck with me for a little bit.

fast forward

Quinn wore this little number today. Courtesy of Dax. He loves to pick out what she wears each day. I never object. I can see how proud it makes him to dress his little sis. I figure she'll get her own spitfire opinion about what she wears sooner than I like to think, so for now, her brother gets to dress her. And contrary to this little sour face (which I think is adorable), everyone is pleased as pie about it.
I couldn't stop my mind from fast forwarding through the years of her life as we ruffled her skirt and put clips in her hair. I thought of tea parties, ballet recitals, princess birthday parties, daddy daughter dates, school dances, girls night out, first dates...all the girly things that we'll be ruffling skirts and putting clips in for.
Not to mention, the curlers, flat irons, de-tanglers, leave in conditioners, blow dryers, curling irons, hair sprays and Bed Head products needed to maintain this mane for all these special occasions.
Really, has the shock worn off for you? It has for me. I don't get nearly as surprised when I am holding her and we walk by a mirror like I used to. But the reaction is always the same, "Look all that hair!"
I just smile. Because I love it. And I love it even more that I am pretty convinced she visited the beauty salon before she even arrived to our family. Because believe it or not, this here hair is coming in blond. You just wait.

Today

Today Iam feeling so blessed, grateful, and loved.

I love my sweet family.

(Note: I'm pretty sure our computer is going to blow up one of these days when I turn it on. Updates are short and few and far between. Know that things are great in the MacGillivray household. Quinn is a whopping 8lbs at 4 weeks and Dax has started kindergarten. Things are exciting and I am enjoying it all!)

just thinking

Just thinking how today was my due date. I can't imagine. I'm so happy to be holding her instead. Watching her sleep. Falling more and more in love. Life is so good.

Welcome

Quinn Emerson MacGillivray

Born July 10, 2011

12:09pm

6 pounds 14 ounces

19 1/2 inches

Remember the paper chain from last post? It haunts me.

How do you explain to your boys when you call them from the hospital that even though there are still 17 links left, their baby sister is coming that day. It was very confusing for them. And a huge surprise for us. Here's how it all went down...

The Saturday before Quinn arrived could not have been any more perfect. Well, except that we greeted the day with 113 degrees of blazing heat. I have decided that being that pregnant in Arizona in July is super un-cool. I won't really try to do that ever again. Regardless, we packed the boys up and headed to see Cars 2. We had some fun in the Disney Store afterwards where we felt the need to spoil our boys; something we never do just for the heck of it. Then we headed around town to do some back to school shopping. Our great friends who were out of town offered us their pool (thank goodness), so we spent the rest of the day swimming and relaxing. Austin made a wonderful barbeque dinner and the boys were so wiped out they were asleep in a flash. Austin and I stayed up late preparing for our Sunday responsibilities and I remember thinking how glad I was that we had such a wonderful day as a family a four. Because soon, all that was going to change. Little did I know it would be that night; 17 days earlier than expected.

You know how they say that change in crazy weather and the barometric pressure sends preggos like me into labor? Well, it's totally true. I fell asleep that night to a classic Arizona July monsoon.

I woke up at 12:45 am to my water breaking. Yup, I'm three for three in that department. I don't mind...as long as I'm at home when it happens. For the record, I'm three for three there too.

We weren't packed. I had no bag ready. Other than that, I was 100% ready. I was excited and nervous and so anxious to see my little lady. I kissed me two little children for the last time before welcoming another, and we headed to the hospital.

For the most part, the hospital was pretty uneventful. Austin was pretty ticked that our room wasn't equipped with ESPN and he was missing the Women's World Cup Soccer game. You'll never know how boring it is to watch 120 minutes of soccer on live stream Internet with sentence updates popping up every 10 minutes. Thankfully we (as in the USA soccer team) got the win just before the baby was born and Austin playfully suggested Wambach for a middle name. I didn't think it was funny.

The delivery went flawlessly and in less than 10 minutes after kicking out all our visitors I was holding the newest member of our family. Nothing explains the moment where you hold your baby for the first time. She was perfect. She is perfect. She is beautiful. And yes, she is all ours. Can you believe that dark hair?! Not the blonde piggy tails I was imagining, but by far the cutest thing I've ever seen. We're obsessed with her. All of us.

I'm so beyond grateful for our family of five.

Coming Soon

Pictures of our precious lady coming soon.

We're too busy staring at her. And cooing over her. And checking on her. And playing with her hair. And kissing her.

We're in love. She's a doll.

Hello July, hello baby!

Dearest Sweet Pea,

This is the month we've been waiting for. Hurry little darling, hurry.

Much love,

Your Family

P.S Please don't even think about trying for an August birthday. xoxoxo

take me back

I love Arizona. I really do. But when temperatures are pushing 117 degrees, breaking all sorts of records, and it's only June, I kinda get crabby. Way more pictures to come from our awesome beach trip, but I couldn't help look at these, close my eyes real tight, and let my imagination take me back there.

And then the sweat dripped down over my pregnant belly and I was reminded instantly right where I was. Ugh!

Final Countdown

Swollen ankles: check

Leg cramps: check

Varicose veins: check

Backache: check

Sleepless nights: check

Continued cravings: check

Continued late night snacks: check

Continued weight gain: check, check and check

Weekly appointments: check

Frequent bathroom breaks: check

115 degree weather: Unfortunately, check

Daily dips in the pool: Thankfully, check

Hospital pre-registration: check

Nursery complete: check

Two big brothers who play in the nursery all day long: check

lil' sis

I may be partial, but I am pretty sure she is already feeling lucky to have these little goof balls as her big brothers.

I'm kinda lucky myself.

Fish-y

After two weeks of swim and only one day of hysterics, we officially have ourselves a fish. A "lion"fish to be exact. Go figure. A heated pool and temperatures near 100, you can't go wrong. Thank you Miss Pam!

Side note: Sorry for the picture overload. The camera has been tucked away way too long and I couldn't contain myself.