D at the Beach

Dylan and I had a great morning at Lincoln Park. An old friend was in town with her kids so we headed to the park, found some shade, and had a great visit ~ well as good of a visit as you can with three kids. Nice to see you again Denise!

Pool Party

With the heat wave we're having in Seattle we decided to get a pool! Yes we are the proud owners of a pool. We can now say 'I'm sitting poolside'. Growing up I remember loving my little backyard pool, I'd spend hours in it. We're not quite to that point yet as Dylan spent all of 5 minutes in hers and I think that was pushing it. The water was a little cold but Maggie sure is loving it! And really the pool was second to the cute little bathing suit - come on look at that thing and those chunky thighs - too cute!

Is it wonder woman? Is it Miss America? No it's super cute D in her tini little star'd swimsuit.

Splashing is fun.

Oh boy ~ toys.

As D sat down in the pool she let out a big sigh ~ I think the water was a little cold.

Maggie joining in on the fun!

Johnny Jump Up You're the One...

.... you make play time so much fun, Johnny Jump Up I'm so in love with you....

Dad & Lil D

Pappa Matt has been healing up great since our crazy Philly adventure.  Although he's still having to take things slow he seems to be getting better everyday.  It's been great having him around more and he and d have been having some fun adventures.  Every morning they've been watching the Tour de France, playing in the garden, reading stories, working on rolling over, and laughing.  It warms my heart watching them together.  Matt's a great dad and D just lights up when he walks into the room with the biggest smile.

4 Month Check Up

Well it's been 4 months already - can't believe it. We've been warned by many that the time goes by fast and I have to say they are right! Dylan got her 4 month check up the other day. She's doing great, learning tons, and right on track. She's weighing in at 16lbs 7.5 oz (95% percentile), her height is 25.5" (90% percentile), and her head circumference is 42.2 cm (82% percentile). The doc gave the go ahead to start rice cereal - oh boy, here comes the fun. All went well until the shots came, then it wasn't such a happy moment for any of us. Matt's comment "I haven't heard that cry before", mine "I hate shot day", and D's "weeeeee, weeeeee, weeeee, all the way home".

Rockin' Circle C Ranch

Dylan'w first day in jeans & on a John Deere!!!!  Classic!!!

A Visit from Uncle Shawn & G-ma McBride

McBride family outing. We hit the West Seattle Street Fair & had a little lunch time fun. Thanks for the photo's Kelly!

Dylan, G-ma McBride, Uncle Shawn, Auntie Beans, Momma C

Uncle Shawn & Lil D chillin'

Dylan & G-ma McBride posing pretty.

Clark Family Hat

The Clark's have had this little hat in their family since Uncle Ben was born.  It was then passed on to Matt and several cousins.  Now Dylan is representing and looking good, I must say (but then again I am her Momma). 

Bath Time Fun

Our little fish sure loves her bath - can you blame her, she's a pisces, and holding true to her sign. Her favorite bath spot is our kitchen sink - and the fuller the bath the better the splashing! Here's a couple of great shots we got while G-ma Montana was out visiting.

Awe, Wakin' up

Here's a few cute pictures of D waking up.  Also a funny video that Matt captured.  

D Has a Few Words

Dylan has continued to crack us up - this is her new thing.... chatty cathy.  Let me tell you the girl's not just gurgling words but whole paragraphs.  I recently worked on my first photo shoot since D's birth.  When I got home she and I were spending some quality time before bed - I asked her how her day was with Dad and G-ma Montana, oh boy, she went on for 5 minutes straight laughing and talking up a storm.  We had a whole conversation about our days.  It was so fun and funny!  Here's a video Matt took of her the other day on her changing table.

Back at Home

Now that we are back at home Dylan and Dad are spending some quality time together.  Every morning they have a standing date catching up on the Tour de France.  I was placing my bets on Dylan's first word being Levi but now that he's out of the race I'm going with Contador.  

A Special Thanks.

Great Uncle Cupcake & Auntie D.

Dylan, Auntie Beans, Great Uncle Cupcake, Great Auntie D, & Momma C

Cousin Alyssa & friend Shawn Rockin' it at the Phillies Game - go Phillies!

We'd like to send out a special thanks to the Sifer's and Auntie Beans for all their help, support, and love during our Philly trip. Thanks for helping us laugh through the tough times, to Uncle Cupcake for running the milk truck, Auntie D for the rides, advise, and the shoulder to cry on, and to Auntie Beans for just being you! AND to Alyssa and her friend Shawn for not only advising us to go to the ER but for hanging out in 2 crazy waiting rooms all night long! You all are truly the best. We love you!!!

While Gone D Learns a Few Tricks

While in Philly Dylan learned a few new tricks, like picking up her head, rolling over, sucking her fingers, and busting out of her swaddle.  

I just have to say that she's my hero - after all that we went through she was a real champ!  Even before the accident she was an angel and all during not one peep, she just hung in with everything that was thrown her direction!  It was so hard to be away from her for 6 days but I knew she was in the best of hands!

AND Philly CONTINUES! & First Father's Day

And here's the extended vacation story in a nut shell.... After the Phillies game Matt passed out smacking his head so hard on the concrete that his brain actually was forced forward in his head hitting his front right lobe.  After coming to we opted to take him to the ER.  Well 2 ER's, an ambulance ride, 2 hospitals, a fractured skull, bleeding & internal bruising to brain, 6 glorious days, many tests, CAT scans, Xrays, monitors, a breastpump (that was for me), a Neuro team, a Trauma team, and a Cardio team we were released to go back to the Sifer's.  Amongst all this Lil D was back at the Ranch with Auntie Jill and the Sifer's.  They were driving into the city, an hour each way, picking up milk supplies to take back for Dylan.  Matt spent his first Father's Day in Jefferson Hospital - not much fun, but we did sneak Dylan in.  After spending a few days at the Sifer's and just about to get on a plane to come home Matt took a turn for the worse and we had to pull the plug and get him back to yet another hospital for 3 more days. Thank goodness for the Sifer's family friend, Dr. Tinkoff, who just happens to be head of the Trauma department at Christianna Hospital (the 3rd hospital we were at).  He was a huge help through it all - I can't begin to thank him enough!!!!!  AND a very special thank you to the Sifer's and Auntie Jill - they were all such a huge support and help!!!!  We love you guys. 

Matt getting busted out of the hospital.

First Father's Day.  To the best Dad - we love you!!!  Here's to next year, maybe we'll do something a little more fun!

Phillies Game Video

Here's a little video Matt took while enjoying our sweet box seats at the Phillies Game.  Dylan seemed to enjoy her first baseball game - we didn't see her most of the night, as she was passed around the entire night but what we did see of her seem was having a good night.

While in Philly

While in Philly we did a family history tour.  Momma C was born in Philly so it's always fun to go visit the old spots in growing up.  We all piled in the car and headed to go find my family's first town house, both my grandparents houses, and to go visit the grave yard where my dad's family is buried.  We also drove by my Aunt & Uncle's first house.  It was a great time.  I know this isn't directly about Dylan but it's part of her roots.

Momma C & Auntie Beans showing Lil D her Great Great Uncle Wayne's & G-pa McBride's gravestone.  They would have just loved her!

Momma C & Lil D sharing a little McBride family history.

Dylan's Great G-ma & G-pa Douglas's house.  Momma C spent many a night catching fireflies there.

Momma C's first townhouse.  I was 2 years old when we lived there.   Funny, I remember those side stairs being soooo big! ~ new owners must have shrunk them.  Also I'd listen every night for the ice creme truck to come by - I'd catch wind of the first chimes of the truck, would grab my little purse and be at the corner waiting in an instant.  I was and still am a girl who loves her ice creme.  

Philly Continues

We had a great time visiting Philly. There was the crazy graduation party for Alyssa, the family history tour, the downtown Philly history tour with tour guide Uncle Cupcake, Rita's water ice - uh, yum!, the Herr's potato chip factory tour with hostess with mostess, Alyssa, the mushroom growing tour, AND the Phillies game, awe the Phillies game, that one will never leave our memory banks! The night that extended our vacation - but that's another blog entry. Up to that point it was all fun, laughs, and tours! And Lil D was a champ through it all!

Uncle Cupcake scored us a box @ the Phillies Game - it was sweet!

Family time fun.

Great Auntie D explainin' to Dylan the game of baseball.

Great Auntie Doris & D - all love & hugs!

Alyssa & D.

The Herr's family tour - hair nets and all!

Family shot in front of the Liberty Bell.

Doris & Dylan.

Girl's day out @ pick color. D opt'd to say home with Dad & Uncle Cupcake.

Shhh! Deer.

Awe, Rita's Water ice!!! Love it!!! Look at D eyen' up her dads.

This is a rare picture of the "McBride's" side of family. Ken (My Dad's Cousin), Christine, Dylan, Louise (Ken's sister, my Dad's Cousin), Doris (My Dad's Sister/Aunt), Jill, Danny (Cousin), & Alyssa (Cousin).

A Trip to Philly

Well it's been a while since we've posted an entry, a long story which we'll get to.  Oh, where to start ...perhaps at the beginning?  In June we took Dylan back east to Philly to visit Mamma C's roots (that's where I was born).  Matt and I soon discovered that traveling with an infant there is a lot of gear that goes along for the ride (and actually Great Auntie Doris had us all set up on the other side so we didn't have to take too much).  Here's a few shots of our adventure getting back east.  We were so proud of D, what a great traveler she was - taking after her Mom and Dad.  Before we even took off she was passed out.  We laughed as on one of our flights someone had a dog which made a lot more noise that Dylan - everyone on the plane was very impressed.  AND we were very relieved - Dylan's first plane adventure was a success!  Although we were bummed that she didn't get her first wings due to the fact that the airline flight attendant was out (darn airlines cost cutbacks!).  

On the approach to land in Philly.  

Here we are in Denver about to get on our second plane.  You can see Dylan is very comfortable...and asleep.

She's still asleep and stayed that way for 95% of the flying time.

More proof of her ability to sleep where ever.

Didn't matter who was holding her, she just slept.  That made us very happy!

But she was excited to be in Philly to see Uncle Cupcake and Auntie Doris.

That's only about a quarter of the gear we had to take on the trip that Matt has there.  Babies need so much stuff!

This is our driver that took us to the airport.  The car service is so much better than a cab and the same price.  He had great stories to tell, too!