The World of Mackay

Owen is talking up a storm these days, though it's not always immediately evident what he's saying. While getting him dressed the other day, Bill was naming clothing components, and Owen, quite adamantly, told Bill that he was putting on his 'oo' and his 'ock'. Apparently the letter 's' has not yet made it into his lexicon. Anyway - Bill took Owen to a occupation/child development specialist recently to try to figure out how to help him move on from formula to solid food. While they determined that he has a hair trigger gag reflex (which we knew), they were evidently impressed by how far ahead he is in his verbal development and in his physical coordination - even despite his diminutive size. Meanwhile, Miss Mac is growing taller by the minute, it seems. According to the people/websites that calculate such things, given her height at 3, she's likely to be 5'8" What a pair! Small or big -- they both love to swing! Here's a recent pic our ...

We had a wonderful holiday! Everyone is growing and reasonably healthy. Owen is talking (some comprehensible, a lot that isn't). Like his sister, he's a big climber. He scales anything his little legs can reach, but often finds himself unable to get back down. On these occasions, you'll hear his little voice ring from another room... 'I'm 'tuck!!!' Very cute. Mackay is loving pre-school and despite being nicely potty trained there, we think she's just trying to tweak us at home. A recent conversation in the car: Mackay: So, when I go poop in the potty, I get a pillow pet! Bill: Yes. When do you think that will be? Mackay: Oh, maybe, like, a couple years? I recommend you buy Pampers stock. Maybe we can get a Vegas line going on whether Owen will be potty trained before Mackay. I think the odds are good.

"Ball." This is pretty much his favorite word, his favorite toy, and anything remotely round is put into this category.

Dear Santa, I would like a bicycle and real fruit. Oh, and lots of presents. Love, Mackay.

Miss Mackay officially turned 3. Owen is back from the hospital and doing a good job gaining some weight back, and generally keeping us entertained with his new words. We got our tree (a sad, Charlie Brown sort of tree as we were pressed in time and realistic about its survival among two kids). Within minutes of decorating it, I - who thought I placed any breakable ornaments well above Owen's reach - saw Owen stretch up and pull a red, shiny ornament off the tree. As always happens, slow motion ensues, as I yell 'Oweeennnn, nooooooooo', he says 'Ball!' and hucks it across the room. Needless to say, the ornament shattered into a million pieces. He was quite impressed. So, our already less than ideal tree is now naked of ornaments on its entire lower half. I guess we won't be making Sunset Magazine this year. And, I apologize in advance, but I simply am not going to be able to manage holiday cards... I promise to post one here! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and...

Owen is home from the hospital, and gaining weight - all of this is good. Despite many tests, the docs can only tell us so far what is NOT wrong with Owen, but he is doing better regardless. We hope the trend continues. Mackay is happy to have him home, and continues with her wonderful verbal development, thanks, in large part, to her dad. She was sitting across from the sink this morning - up at the breakfast bar so Owen couldn't get to her crayons - when I turned on the garbage disposal. "That scared the crap out of me!!" she said. Great.

Here's a pic of Owen in the hospital. He had a probe inserted through his nostril this am to test for possible acid reflux (he was NOT a happy camper about that process). But he's adjusted with his usual aplomb. The biggest issue is that there is a fairly heavy monitor attached to the wires that gave only about two feet of distance to the person holding it. With Owen being 'on the move' - this kind of tether was pretty much unacceptable. Bill,being the resourceful guy he is, quickly ran to a local shop and found this little backpack, so Owen can now tote around his monitor himself. After some adjustment to walking with this weight on his back (he'll probably fall flat on his face once we remove the backpack), he is now roaming the halls at will, with his food intake paperwork in hand - looking for all the world like one of the doctors checking their charts. This little guy is truly amazing.