The McNulty Family: Our First Christmas and a Happy New Year

New Years with Brady

We spent our New Years Eve with Amber, Robert, and Brady! Mallory loved having her little friend around and we loved having Amber and Robert here. We had a great time. The kiddos played, took a bath, and went to bed early. Then we got to play cards and have adult conversation and watch the New Year ring in. We had a great time at home and got the best of both worlds for New Years. We were all laughing at how it was a miracle we made it to midnight! But we toasted to the new year at midnight.

We had a great Christmas holiday with family and friends. We did our annual dollar Christmas at our house this year. For those of you who don't know this is where you have to get a 1 dollar present for everyone. You cannot spend any more than a dollar. Then Christmas Eve we went to my parents for lunch with my family. Nana and Pop Pop ,Mema & Papa, Tiff, JC, Hailey, Uncle Trav, and my Uncle Mark, Jan and Jennifer. Then it was off to the church where Mallory was Baby Jesus in the Christmas Service Play. She did such a great job. We were nervous that she would not sit still for that long but she made it through ( and so did we) We then finished Christmas at my parents with the whole family. It was truly a blessed time with family and we were so happy to have my Aunt, Uncle, and cousin with us.

Then Christmas day it was off to have Christmas with Mark's family. We went to Meredith's this year and they were wonderful hosts. We had Christmas lunch and opened presents and had great family time. We played family feud, and there was card playing. This was Mallory's first time in the pak-n-play since post swaddling. We soon found out after the first night that she MUST have bumpers to snuggle up to. She sleeps in her crib with her face snuggled in the bumpers at home and there were NO bumpers in the pak-n-play. After getting up every hour and a half we figured it out and created towel bumpers. This worked much better and the next night was better with only 1 nighttime interruption. It is so funny how even at this early age she has her quirks.

Mallory is growing so quickly now. She is sitting all on her own and would prefer to be sitting playing now than on her tummy or back. She is now up on her knees rocking back and forth and she is even moving (backwards, but still moving) It is just a matter of time and our world is going to be chasing a crawling baby around. She has a walker that my parents got for her just to play in but she has actually starting walking around in it. Her Jump-a-roo is a hit right now. She screeches and jumps up and down. We say she is developing into a little crazy child. She screeches all the time, Talks non stops (lots of mamamama, dadadada, nananana, babababa ) She started blowing raspberries with her lips. She bangs her hand on her toys and her little legs don't stop kicking or jumping, or wiggling. She is developing this little personality that is so fun to watch. She smiles with her entire body still and laughs when something strikes her. Her laugh is this loud giggle. We crack up on a daily basis with her. She is eating Rice Cereal at lunch and Oatmeal at dinner with a veggie and a fruit. She LOVES her solid food. Oatmeal has been a huge hit. She sleeps on her tummy up in the corner of the crib with her face in the bumpers and her arms under her and her little bottom in the air. On the weekends she goes down about 8:30 and sleeps until 8 am. Love getting a full nights sleep. She takes about a 2 hour nap every morning with her taggi over her face and about an hour to hour and half in the afternoon. Plus she cat naps in the evening for about 30 min. She likes her sleep. This is truly a very fun age. We enjoy watching her learn and react to her actions. Lots of fun in our house these days.