McCord is One Year Old!

...and he's absolutely stolen our hearts. 

1-year-old McCord standing next to the maple we planted in his honor when he was just 2 weeks old

A few things your Daddy and I love that you are doing at 1 year old:

• the way you play with my hair when you're tired
• the way you look at your daddy with such admiration
• you've recently discovered that you can walk on your own if you use your walker (on wheels).  I love how your tiny body waddles through the kitchen without hardly bending your knees.  Sometimes, your Daddy and I think you look like a little old man hobbling to the cafeteria as you'll see from the sideways video below. 
• You love being outside and especially enjoy watching birds and playing with sticks.
• Your favorite toy right now may very well be the Dyson vacuum.  Since we moved recently, it hasn't found a good home yet - and it's hanging out in the playroom.  You couldn't be happier. 

McCord, you have made life so grand!  Whatever did we do without you?!!  We love you so much and are so thankful for the past 12 months.  We consider every day with you a true blessing.

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McCord is 11 months old!

Dear McCord,

Today you are 11 months old, and your Daddy and I are madly in love with you. 

We are so amazed at how much you've learned this month.  You've amended your crawling style using your left knee to support your weight and you kick the other leg out to the side to push and guide - it's sort of like your rudder.  We think you made this adjustment to protect one of your knees from the hardwood floor.  It's a little awkward, but it works for you and I adore your ingenuity! 

You're pretty good at pulling up now, and you practice this new skill when I'm unloading the dishwasher and folding clothes from the dryer.  When you hear me open up the dishwasher or dryer, you come scooting my way (quickly with that rudder of yours!) to practice your new trick. 

Here are some things you've done recently that we don't want to forget:

• You reach out from the stroller to hold your Daddy's hand when we walk around the block
• I'll never forget one time when you were nursing, you stopped, looked up at me, and leaned in to kiss me on the lips, then went back to eating.  Melt my heart!
• When I brush your hair at night, you like to take the brush from me and brush my hair.
• You've also learned how to pick up two things with one hand!  It was quite a revelation for you when you discovered this and Aiya and I enjoyed watching that light go off in your head.  Now you do it all the time. 

This month we went to feed the ducks...



...and learned that those geese are quite bossy!  We were completely outnumbered - I had to hold you the whole time because I was afraid they were going to run away with you!

• You are on the go!  Your favorite thing right now is to explore all the corners of our house.  You know how to open a cracked door, and it's not unusual to find you contentedly sitting on the floor of the pantry playing with all kinds of items Daddy and I didn't even know we had.  Same goes for my closet!
• You've also discovered all of the door stops in the house and you love to pull the white cap off of each one!
• Most recently, you and Daddy devised a little game with your paci.  He pretends like he's going to put it in his mouth and you take it out of yours and try to fit it in his mouth.  This makes Daddy roar with laughter!  You are quite a funny little fellow.

This is an especially sentimental month for us - this 11th month of your life - because it's the last month we'll be living on Surrey Lane.  The day we brought you home from the hospital, I cried when we turned onto Surrey Lane, because I just knew that we would have so many wonderful memories in this place.  We couldn't wait to get you home.  I still remember walking you through each room and telling you all about the house and how we used each room.  I was so proud to show you your nursery - by far my favorite room in the house - because we assembled it especially for you.  We are so thankful for you and for the ways that you've enriched our life here and forever. 

Here you are standing next to your maple on your 11 month birthday.  My how you and the maple have grown!

McCord, Monkey, Baby, we love you like crazy.

McCord is 10 Months Old

First family vacation with Daddy and Mama to Mansfield Plantation in Georgetown, SC

Dear McCord,

You are 10 months old.  With every day that passes, I am in awe of the little boy God has created.  You are tender and sweet.  Your usual silly and playful side is tempered with shy and serious times.  You are easily comforted and entertained.  I am so impressed by how adaptable you are to whatever situation we're in.  You love smiling at strangers in the check-out line at the grocery store, and you are content to travel several hours in the car. 

As an infant you slept through the night at only 8 weeks old, and you have continued to do that regardless of whether you're in a new environment and sleeping in a pack n' play.  Tonight however, you're cutting your two front teeth and every couple of hours you cry out in the darkness.  Oh!  How I've relished scooping you up and holding you in my arms until you fall asleep.  It's been so long since you've needed me in that way, and I'm treasuring these middle-of-the-night moments.  Lately, you've found comfort in reaching for my hair and rubbing it between your fingers.  And I am comforted in knowing that brings you peace. 

One of your signature smiles

Your daddy and I have so enjoyed watching your personality unfold.  Already, there are things you do that are "so McCord" - like giving us one of your signature looks - a smile so subtle with eyes so full of meaning - you can have us laughing hystarically in seconds flat.  The expressions you've mastered are so grown-up and intentional that sometimes I have to remind myself that you're only 10 months old.  Amazing how your eyes say so much and you can't even talk yet!

You, my son, are a gift and a true blessing from God.  How proud I am to be called your Mama.  Not a day passes that I don't thank God for you.  Remember this one thing: You are loved beyond measure. 

Standing next to your maple with Daddy on Easter Sunday, just a week prior to your 10 month birthday

Look at how much you've grown!

Happy 10 month birthday, McCord!

Love, Mama


10 months:

• your smile: 2 bottom teeth and cutting 2 top teeth
• favorite food: strawberries
• favorite pastimes: getting into the dog bowl and rearranging the records

Expanding your taste in music

• loves: kindermusic, Rocky, Hank, Jackson, and the vaccume cleaner
• signature gesture: throwing your head in your hands when you're tired
• lately: you've been kissing us, Rocky, your grandparents, toys and also sticking out your tongue - but not at the same time
• this month you: experienced your first Come-See-Me, first Easter, and first Redmond Family Vacation to Mansfield Plantation
• I'm surprised you enjoy: going to the assisted living facility and visiting elderly folks
• you've gotten pretty good at: crawling/sliding around on your belly to get places

Watch out world!

• you're still trying to: pull up to a standing position
• we've been trying to teach you: sign language and how to wave

What a joy it has been!

McCord is 7 Months Old...

...and looking more and more like his Daddy.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Here they are next to McCord's maple





McCord at Kindermusik with his friends

You're not too sure about all of this eating  business

Meet Little Bo aka: McCord

Hey Doe Doe and Aiya, do you recognize this outfit?



And finally, here's my trusty sewing buddy



Dear McCord,

We've had so much fun this past month watching you grow and learn. 

• One of your biggest accomplishments has been sitting up on your own - and oh! how proud you are of yourself - you can self-entertain sometimes for 30 minutes or so.  Your Daddy and I just love to watch you!  It is so fascinating to see you choose certain toys over others. 
• You, my baby who doesn't take naps, surprised us all and became a regular napper this week! This is still a new accomplishment, but you will sleep for 2 hours in the a.m. and 1 hour in the afternoon. 
• Your favorite time of day is definitely bathtime around 7 pm.  You get so excited when we walk up the stairs to start the routine, and your Daddy and I look forward to this happy moment every day. 
• We've also nicknamed you "our little pterodactyl" because you love to scream and shriek.  Most babies are cooing and babbling when happy, but no, not you - you are squealing with delight!
• Recently we've been introducing foods, and you've tried carrots, avocados and bananas.  So far you seem to like the avocados the most.
• We just started another class with Kindermusik this month - your favorite song last session was "Hello, Hello" and I can't wait to see what you enjoy this time. 
• You had your first sickness at 6 1/2 months.  It started out as a stomach bug that moved to a cold and bronchiolitis.
• This past month, you've really developed a fondness for Rocky.  Wherever Rocky goes, you want to see what he's doing.  One time I was scolding Rocky, and you thought it was so funny you started laughing! Of course that made me laugh.  So here we were rolling with laughter over something so silly. You can imagine, Rocky was so confused why I was telling him "no, no" and laughing at the same time!
• And finally, you are using sign language to communicate with us.  We've been checking out this book from the library so frequently that they won't let us check it out for a while.  So Doe Doe got it for you for Christmas, and at 6 1/2 months you did your first sign: MILK! Since then, you've attempted the signs for "eat" and "diaper change."  Other signs we're working on include "music," "sleep," "Daddy" (Bo made up his own sign for this important word), "more," and "Rocky/dog."



Dear McCord,

Tonight I wrapped my arms around you,

and we said your prayers. 

You, at 6 1/2 months,

are grabbing everything in sight -

my hair, mouth, and cheek. 

But tonight,

you wrapped your hand around my finger,

pulled it in close to your face, 

and held it until you fell asleep. 

And there we sat, in the nursery -

me holding you holding me,

and at that moment,

my heart grew bigger. 

McCord is 6 Months Old!

Dear McCord,

Your Daddy and I are amazed at how quickly 6 months has flown by.  It seems like yesterday that we planted your maple, and now both of you have seen a half a year on Surrey Lane. 

This has been a huge month of discovery for you and it is so fun to watch you learn new things every day. 

• You sprouted your two bottom teeth!  You've been working on these for about 3 months now and they strarted to break the surface the day after Christmas when you were one week shy of your 6 month birthday.
• You're sitting up on your own but still need a little bit of help to make sure you don't wobble over.
• For a couple of days in a row, I noticed that you'd smash your face into mine, coming at me with a wide-open drooly mouth - and finally, I figured out that you were trying to kiss me, but you just couldn't figure out how to pucker up your lips!!!  Sometimes, you'll give a drooly open mouth kiss, sometimes you'll stick out your tongue - either way, your Daddy and I can't get enough!



A "McCord Kiss" looks something like this coming straight for your lips



You've mastered rolling over and can move half-way across the room in the blink of an eye rolling like a log

• You love to grab things with your hand - anything that's in front of you, like my nose and your daddy's chin
• You've taken a keen interest in Rocky, Hank, and Jackson, and love to hold your hand out and feel their fur
• We've been working on eating rice cereal, and like a true Redmond, you enjoy mealtime!
• While you've always enjoyed music, this month we've really noticed you noticing music - especially when we sing your Kindermusic songs around the house.  Your favorite song is "Hello, hello!  Let's sing together!" followed by your Daddy singing the Beatles' "Norweigan Wood."  You have quite eclectic taste for a 6 month old!
• Your Daddy and I enjoy watching your personality emerge.  In your younger months, you were quite the social butterfly, talking and smiling at everyone, and now we've started to see an endearing, shyer side of McCord.  You were invited to a Christmas party with lots of other babies, and we noticed that you were really reserved for the first 45 minutes or so until you'd warmed up to everyone.  Eventually, you began smiling, laughing, and doing your signature happy squeal, but not until you had gotten used to everyone. 
• Here you are pictured with your two favorite things: Daddy and Marley.  Marley is a great friend - he's always there for naptime and he lets you suck on his ears with no complaint! 

• Here a couple of pictures I snapped of you at your 6 month check-up.  This was the first time we were in the penguin room, and you look like you just took a plunge with them and are all wrapped up in your warm blanket.  At your appointment, you weighed 16 lbs. 2 oz (25th percentile) and measured in at 26 1/2 inches (95th percentile).  No wonder all your pants are short on you!  It's time to pack up the 3 - 6 month clothes and dive into the 6 - 9 month old hand-me-downs from cousin Bayer!

And finally, one of your biggest accomplishments this month is that you have learned how to put your paci in your mouth all by yourself.  I'll never forget, I was laying in the bed and I heard you bumping around in your crib - I looked at the video monitor, and in complete darkness, you managed to feel around your crib for your paci, locate it, and put it in your mouth! 

Happy 6 month birthday McCord!  We love you and treasure each day we have to watch you grow and develop.   

McCord is 5 Months Old

Dear McCord,

What a big month it's been for you!  Here are a few fun things you did this month:

Celebrated your first Thanksgiving

 Learned to roll over - starting with belly to back at about 4.5 months and back to belly about 2 weeks later.

You've enjoyed playing in your exersaucer, laughed and smiled a lot this month, and you've really been working on your fine motor skills.  Your daddy and I have really enjoyed watching you play with your toys - it's a joy to see which ones are your favorite.  Regardless of which toy you choose, the first thing you do is put it in your mouth.  You've really been teething this month (so we've used the statement "drool is the new bling" a lot lately because it's not unusual to see a long string of drool when you smile). We are expecting your first tooth any day now. 

 You also graduated from your first Kindermusik class this month.  Here's a group shot of all of your Kindermusik buddies dressed up in their Halloween costumes.  Left to right are Miriam (pumpkin), Pressley (lady bug), and Cope (tiger).

Here you are with your teacher, Ms. Connie.

Look at how much you changed in 3 months - here you are on your first day of Kindermusik...

...and here you are with your daddy the day you graduated.  We can't wait for the next class to start after the new year. 

I'll post pictures of you and your daddy next to your maple soon.

...Here they are at 5 1/2 months