(How'd you like THOSE camera angles???)THEN CAME THE BIG NEWS - Sunday morning we didn't go to church and stayed home trying to get some things accomplished for the week. It was then that I posted THIS on Facebook - MALACHI IS OFFICIALLY A WALKER!!! He took 5 steps to daddy earlier and then we went to Lolli and Pops' house this evening and he was walking (however wobbly) to them too!! YEA MALACHI!!! so incredibly exciting! Since then, he's been doing a LOT better as we've been keeping him out of shoes and socks so he can feel the ground. Especially this week he's really taking off! I'm just so proud (and scared) all at the same time! Thomas and I also think he's grown a couple of inches in the last couple of months! He seems SO MUCH TALLER!
Then, Malachi got his 5th ear infection in the last 7 months and it was back to the Dr. Medicine and ear drops and things seemed to be better! So, it was off to vacation we went on July 15th. Lolli, Pops, Me, Thomas, Malachi, Logan, Logan's best friend, Tanner and our cousin, Hannah, all piled into a 15 passenger van Wednesday afternoon and headed down towards San Antonio!
Sounds a little "Beverly Hillbilly"ish...I know...BACK OFF! At least Grandmommy wasn't strapped to the top in her rockin' chair!
Before you judge...YES, we took Malachi out of his carseat for parts of the trip...I don't want to hear it, we're good parents, we strapped him in ALMOST ALL OF THE TIME - this was one of the few exceptions to that rule!
Malachi was absolutely FIXATED on those fans! They are pretty cool, though!
Here's just a few random Cheddars shots!
After eating it was time to head back to the hotel and daddy and Mali got in a good swim before bedtime! Is this not THE CUTEST PICTURE EVER????
It was back on the road Thursday morning and our first stop was New Braunfels, TX. What does that mean? Schlitterbahn? What did that mean for us? (mommy, daddy and Mali?) Sitting under a hot tent with mommy and daddy going back and forth from the wave pool, to keep cool, while Malachi slept and we tried to keep him cool. Everyone else rode a few rides, mommy and daddy left Mali asleep with Lolli and Pops for a little while to ride one ride and then it was time to leave. Schlitterbahn = 1 expensive ride! Oh well...such is the life when you have a little one!
It was SO HOT!
Friday morning it was OFF to Sea World - we were a little nervous because that morning Malachi seemed a little warm, but when we temped him, the thermometer showed 99, so we didn't think anything of it. He was playing REALLY well and seemed to be in a GREAT mood so we vowed to keep him cool and hydrated and headed off to Sea World!!! The first half of the day was spent in the water park and we got to watch all but ONE of their awesome shows! We even sat front and center watching the Shamu show and had a GREAT time getting splashed - BIG TIME! Malachi didn't really seem like himself much of the time, but in the water he seemed FINE. Then, it rained and cooled the air down and all of the sudden, his wet clothes made him COLD. Unfortunately, we were all WET and his blanket was stolen while we were watching one of the shows. SO, we had to think fast and take his clothes off. Daddy turned his shirt around since the back of his shirt was dry and we held him close until he warmed up. He was miserable during that time and mommy was a little nervous because his lips were turning blue and so were his hands and feet. He warmed back up after a little while, though, and everything was okay. BUT, with the rain and lightning, Sea World all but shut down. So, we headed home a little earlier than planned, unfortunately.Waiting to Get In!!!
Chillin' with Dad!
Our Awesome Parents!
Finally, after a MUCH more restful Saturday night, we packed up the van, again, to head back home. It was a...stressful, but fun vacation. Needless to say, this picture pretty much sums up how we ALL felt by the end! 
As far as sweet sleepy boy up there is concerned, he is developing an absolutely adorable personality and everyday we have more and more fun with him! He has learned how to say no. Only, it's not verbal, it's just a shaking of his head and flapping of his arms. It's actually pretty funny! When he's done eating, if you try to offer him another bite, he looks down, shakes his head and his hands and then looks back up at you to see if you got the message! Lolli tries to pick him up sometimes when he's playing with her trains at daycare and he'll go all the way into the corner (against the wall between the little toddler couch and the train table) and shake his head and his hands to get away from her! Of course, he thinks this is a game now and Lolli LOVES to show it off! It really is quite funny!! We can ask him to find George, his monkey or Gizzy (a stuffed sock animal kinda thingy that he loves) or his phone or his sippy or his blanket and he'll go get it and hand it to you. He knows when you say thank you and put your hand out that he is to give you whatever it is he has. (Generally this means one of our cell phones, his pacifier, which he is weaning from, or the remote control) He also knows what no means when WE say it and most of the time we only have to say it once or twice before he gets the picture. Of course, it goes without saying that a third "no" is never spoken as being told once and reminded once is more than enough warning...I'll let you deduce what you will as to what follows two "no-nos" if the behavior continues...but if you know me well, at all, I'm sure you can figure it out pretty easily!
Health wise, we are still struggling, somewhat. He's been relatively well for the last 4-5 weeks, meaning no strep, no viruses, etc. However, the ear infections are getting out of control. So, I've already made an appointment with an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist on August 12. I KNOW we're headed in the direction of tubes and I'm TOTALLY okay with that. In fact, just last night he was up most of the night crying and pulling at his ear and we just finished a second round of antibiotics for this ear infection on Tuesday. I credit him not getting sick with anything from the antibiotics he's been on, but I don't think it'll be long before Lolli's calling from daycare saying he's sick again. Needless to say, I'm getting ready to REALLY push for immune system testing, since, as many of you know, his Uncle Logie was born completely without an immune system and had to take IV therapy for a good long while when he was a kid. I don't know, we'll see. But, I am learning that my instincts haven't been wrong, yet, so I'm not going to back down anytime soon.
Okay, this has been a book, and for that, I'm sorry. BUT, hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things on this blog and keep it updated more often! Until then, I'll leave you with this gem!
