San Diego: Mack's First Family Vacation!

We spent the last 4 days in beautiful San Diego. We went to Coronado Island, the Scripp's Aquarium, and explored San Diego's ports, bays, and villages. We had a great time and Mack was a joy to have along. The photos above were taken at Seaport Village.

Mack was more interested in the fish than we expected. So though he won't remember this, it was worth the trip to the aquarium.

We were lucky enough to hit Coronado Island on the warmest day. Mack was interested in the sand, but didn't care much for the sun or surf. Something tells me he'll love it all in a year or so. Still, watching him experience it all for the first time was so much fun.

Seven Months

Mack is now 7 months, which twice as old now as he was the last time I took him to have pictures taken. So I figured it was time. Here are the results. I hope you think they are half as cute as I do. He certain knows how to make his Mom and Dad proud.

What a big kid, right? At 6 months he was in the 100th percentile for height and 88th for weight. I only wish I could bottle him up and keep him from getting any bigger.

Merry Christmas

We will enjoy our first Christmas with our baby boy.

Merry Christmas to all of you who read this blog.

Christmas Pictures

We had Mack's pictures taken for Christmas. He was not too smiley, but pretty cooperative for a 4 month old. What a good sport!

First Day of "School"

When we moved Mack to a different daycare during my first full week back at work, his first day at the new daycare happened to coincide with picture day. So now we have a darling little photo to remember the day by. Mack was just 8 weeks old in this picture--the youngest in his "class" by quite a bit. He's now 3 1/2 months and 17lbs. The difference is amazing!

Mack at the Bottom of the Stack

On the far-away island of Sala-ma-Sond,

Yertle the Turtle was king of the pond.

A nice little pond. It was clean. It was neat.

The water was warm. There was plenty to eat.

The turtles had everything turtles might need.

And they were all happy. Quite happy indeed.

They were… until Yertle, the king of them all,

Decided the kingdom he ruled was too small.

“I’m ruler”, said Yertle, “of all that I see.

But I don’t see enough. That’s the trouble with me.

With this stone for a throne, I look down on my pond

But I cannot look down on the places beyond.

This throne that I sit on is too, too low down.

It ought to be higher!” he said with a frown.

“If I could sit high, how much greater I’d be!

What a king! I’d be ruler of all that I see!”

And Yertle, the Turtle King, gave a command.

He ordered nine turtles to swim to his stone

And, using these turtles, he built a new throne.

He made each turtle stand on another one’s back

And he piled them all up in a nine-turtle stack.

And then Yertle climbed up. He sat down on the pile.

What a wonderful view! He could see ‘most a mile!

“All mine!” Yertle cried. “Oh, the things I now rule!

I’m the king of a cow! And I’m the king of a mule!

I’m the king of a house! And, what’s more, beyond that

I’m the king of a blueberry bush and a cat!

I’m Yertle the Turtle! Oh, marvelous me!

For I am the ruler of all that I see!”

And all through the morning, he sat up there high

Saying over and over, “A great king am I!”

Until ‘long about noon. Then he heard a faint sigh.

“What’s that?” snapped the king, and he looked down the stack.

And he saw, at the bottom, a turtle named Mack.

Just a part of his throne. And this plain little turtle

Looked up and he said, “Beg your pardon, King Yertle.

I’ve pains in my back and my shoulders and knees.

How long must we stand here, Your Majesty, please?”

“SILENCE!” the King of the Turtles barked back.

“I’m king, and you’re only a turtle named Mack.”
“You stay in your place while I sit here and rule.

I’m the king of a cow! And I’m the king of a mule!

I’m the king of a house! And a bush! And a cat!

But that isn’t all. I’ll do better than that!

My throne shall be higher!” his royal voice thundered,

“So pile up more turtles! I want ’bout two hundred!”

“Turtles! More turtles!” he bellowed and brayed.

And the turtles ‘way down in the pond were afraid.

They trembled. They shook. But they came. They obeyed.

From all over the pond, they came swimming by dozens.

Whole families of turtles, with uncles and cousins.

And all of them stepped on the head of poor Mack.

One after another, they climbed up the stack.

Then Yertle the Turtle was perched up so high,

He could see forty miles from his throne in the sky!

“Hooray!” shouted Yertle. “I’m the king of the trees!

I’m king of the birds! And I’m king of the bees!

I’m king of the butterflies! King of the air!

Ah, me! What a throne! What a wonderful chair!

I’m Yertle the Turtle! Oh, marvelous me!

For I am the ruler of all that I see!”

Then again, from below, in the great heavy stack,

Came a groan from that plain little turtle named Mack.

“Your Majesty, please… I don’t like to complain,

But down here below, we are feeling great pain.

I know, up on top you are seeing great sights,

But down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights.

We turtles can’t stand it. Our shells will all crack!

Besides, we need food. We are starving!” groaned Mack.

“You hush up your mouth!” howled the mighty King Yertle.

“You’ve no right to talk to the world’s highest turtle.

I rule from the clouds! Over land! Over sea!

There’s nothing, no, NOTHING, that’s higher than me!”

But, while he was shouting, he saw with surprise

That the moon of the evening was starting to rise

Up over his head in the darkening skies.

“What’s THAT?” snorted Yertle. “Say, what IS that thing

That dares to be higher than Yertle the King?

I shall not allow it! I’ll go higher still!

I’ll build my throne higher! I can and I will!

I’ll call some more turtles. I’ll stack ‘em to heaven!

I need ’bout five thousand, six hundred and seven!”

But, as Yertle, the Turtle King, lifted his hand

And started to order and give the command,

That plain little turtle below in the stack,

That plain little turtle whose name was just Mack,

Decided he’d taken enough. And he had.

And that plain little lad got a bit mad.

And that plain little Mack did a plain little thing.

He burped!

And his burp shook the throne of the king!

And Yertle the Turtle, the king of the trees,

The king of the air and the birds and the bees,

The king of a house and a cow and a mule…

Well, that was the end of the Turtle King’s rule!

For Yertle, the King of all Sala-ma-Sond,

Fell off his high throne and fell Plunk! in the pond!

And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he,

Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see.

And the turtles, of course… all the turtles are free
As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.

- Yertle the Turtle, by Dr. Seuss

Big Mack

Mack is growing like a weed--if weeds can double their weight in 2 months! Here he is today being as cute as ever.