Erin and I can only hope that when McKinna grows up she will have friends as great as ours.  This past Saturday Allison Brownlow, Emily Gray, Katie McKarthy, Blair Phillips, and Ashley Tubs hosted our couples shower.  It was an absolute blast.  Not only because of the wonderful gifts that McKinna received, but just being able to spend some much needed adult time with our friends was priceless.

Things are really coming together with McKinna’s room.  Her room is roughly 90% complete.  The biggest item, the crib, is completely setup and I must admit…it looks GREAT.

Erin and I only have ~5 more weeks before the stork brings our little bundle of joy.  We definitely want her to be healthy, but at the sametime McKinna can’t get here fast enough.

Don’t forget over and check out the new photos.

Of all the pieces of furniture that soon-to-be/new parents receive or purchase, nothing is more iconic for babies than the crib.  Most mom’s look forward to receiving them and most dads dread putting them together.

After a month of Baby’s R Us cancelling the order that my Mom placed (after that charged her of course), having to replace the order, Niki and Stephanie GRACIOUSLY picked up the 100+ pound crib and brought it to our house.

Erin isn’t like most moms…she definitely likes to be involved with putting things together.  So the next day we open the box, laid out all the pieces and started down the dreaded assembly of putting the crib together.  We got 97% of the way through without any problems then the last 3% hit.  We had the side rail to attach and that stubborn thing did not want to corporate.  We finally figured out that the instructions where incorrect.  Step 12 (final) should have been step (10) and vice versa.

None the less we accomplished our task and are VERY happy with seeing McKinna’s bed now snuggled up in its final resting place.  Her room has more furniture than ours.  She is already spoiled and hasn’t even arrived yet.

I guess things end up how they start out.

Without music life would be a mistake.  ~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Life would be a mistake if there was no music to experience. (Have you ever been experienced…well…I have).  I have started playing music to McKinna at night to hopefully get her used to the “colors” of sound that await her in the world.  To make sure that she has been exposed to the best possible music, the selections are taken from her daddy’s playlist.  So far she has heard Bob Marley, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin.


Upcoming artists will contain Allman Brothers, Credence Clearwater Rivial, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday.

Last weekend my Mom, Aunt Linda and Diane McKinna threw Erin and I a WONDERFUL baby shower.  We are so grateful to all of our family and close friends who took the time out to share with us in this occasion.  McKinna received so many wonderful gifts that certainly come in handy.  Everything from high chairs, diapers, portrait gowns, the crib, booties and my personal favorite - Leroy.

The next day Erin put together lots of the furniture and everything looks GREAT!!!!!

If you have pictures from the shower, please forward them to me so that I can post them.

When I was growing up my favorite story was Peter Pan. Over the years I have been to see it at Play House on the Square and any movie that has come out related to Peter Pan I always make it a point to go and see it.   It was a special moment when I was able to read to McKinna for the first time even if it sounded like story time under water.  My your daddy’s words fall over your ears and heart like pixie dust as you fly through the adventures in life.

I have posted the lastest shower pictures on McKinna’s Gallery.  Thank you SOOO much to Greg, Rachael and the rest of my department for throwing us a wonderful shower.

Yesterday marked the 7th month of the pregnancy. I can’t believe how fast it is going by, especially with all the upcoming events. Last week started with our first shower thrown by Greg Jordan and his wife Rachel with the rest of my department. It was very nice and we received many wonderful gifts for McKinna. However, I think the biggest hit of the evening was the crab/English muffin creation provided by my hetero-life mate, Ben McMeen.

Erin and I are slowly adding on to McKinna’s room. (More pictures to be posted shortly.)

Hi Mommy,

So today is the day that you found out that God brought you a little present. (Me!). I just wanted to let you know that I can’t wait to see you and daddy. Before I wrote this Daddy told me a little bit about you. He talked about your incredible beauty, how smart you are (much smarter than he is), and how well you treat him. I wish I could be with you two now, but that time will come soon enough. Until then, please make sure you take your Juice Plus+ so that I am healthy, but most of all, though I may cause you to gain weight or to occasionally feel sick, know that I LOVE you sooo much and think of you as much as you and daddy think of me.

Daddy also told me to remind you that if you or I need anything to let him know and he will get it. We are his two miracles (one more and you can become a Saint).

I love you Mommy very much and will see you soon…

Love,
Baby McWiles

(original written Jan. 17th, 2008)

About two or three weeks after Erin told me that she was pregnant I had a dream that the baby was a little girl. McKinna was about 4 months old and Erin was holding her. Besides having my eyes, she looked just like her Mommy. Shoulder length, slightly curly, blonde hair, soft skin and a BIG smile.

Last night I had another dream very similar to the first one. McKinna was older and her personality had started to take shape. She had my patience (yes I do have patience, usually only with Erin though), loved Frank Sinatra music and riding in her daddy’s bright yellow car. She had Erin’s intelligence, beauty, determinination, and desire to always explore new things.

September 21st can’t get here fast enough.

Until then I guess we’ll just have to see what dreams may come. I posted new pictures of her room after it has been painted.

Bright and early Saturday morning Erin and I went to Home Depot and picked up what painting supplies that we needed so that we could begin the baby room decoration process. My 10am my grandparents and I were well under our way in painting McKinna’s room. By mid afternoon the room had been primed and painted.

Everyone was very happy with the way that it turned out. As an aside, I now have a great appreciation for professional painters. Being an amateur and OCD don’t go very well together. I had to do a few touch ups yesterday and today. I just want to make sure that everything is perfect.

This morning since all the paint has dried and most of the touch-ups complete Erin started putting up some of the room decors for McKinna and I must admit that the base color she picked out goes amazing with the accent colors.

I can’t wait to get more of her furniture and pictures on the walls.