Bedtime Snack

We had a long afternoon. Went from Mrs. Linda's to Fayetteville to help Aunt Amy decide on a wedding/reception venue...played a lot with Uncle Nathan (or soon-to-be, I guess), went to Mimi's for dinner, then went to the gym and watched daddy play basketball games (I get lots of attention there!).
Then mommy thought it would be a good idea to come home and give me my bedtime bottle before I retired for the evening.
So instead of cradling me like a good mommy, she let me sit by myself and feed myself while she cleaned up the kitchen.
Boy did I show her.
When she was done in the kitchen and came to check on me, I had successfully squirted at least 1/3 of my milk all over me - I even had it dripping from my eyelids and matted in my hair.
Maybe next time she'll hold me. :)

Hot, Sunny Weekend!!!

Yesterday was a milestone - we took Lincoln swimming for the first time! We only stayed 30 minutes, though, so he (or us) wouldn't get burned. We trying to get him used to the water before the beach in a few weeks!
Below is him getting lathered in sunscreen by daddy:
Mimi bought him this floaty deal...he wasn't too sure about it yet, but he'll get the hang of it! He really liked sitting in the shallow slope of the pool and splashing around.

Jason and I went and played tennis with my parents today after church...the little Lincoln was a trooper! We played in his little son tent his aunt gave him the WHOLE time and loved it! His favorite thing is the wind blowing - he always has this confused look on his face; can't quite figure out where it's coming from!

Mimi bought Lincoln this life jacket for the beach...he looks like a fish in this picture - gearing up!!

Sara Taylor - Unsung Hero :)

Before you read this, please understand that I'M NOT A DOG THIEF and you really don't have to teach your dogs to "avoid that lady with the long dark hair and brown eyes that drives the black Camry"...I promise.

That said, we just found out (just, as in, 15 minutes ago) that Bruce's brother is, in fact, not Bruce's brother.
No folks...his name is actually "Pilot" and his owner is a college student named Jordan.
You see, my darling Sara was driving tonight and saw a flyer of a missing dog that looked an awful like "Bruce's Brother". She sent me a message via facebook telling me this, and I drove out to the spot where the flyer was (at 10:30pm), took one glance, and ripped down the flyer, because there was no need for it anymore.
Even funny is Jason coached the kid on his team some years ago. Saw I called Jason with the number and the kid was at our house in one minute - no joke.
And what a reunion it was - ha. we know how that feels. To get a phone call when you think your baby's gone for good, telling you he's found and alive!

Now back to what I started this post with (how I'm not a dog thief), I want you all to try and understand the HUGE coincidence that this dog had gotten out and was roaming with the pack of stray labs we see DAILY (who really are Bruce's brothers!).
I won't steal your dog. I promise.
Besides, Pilot made some good friends, he doesn't have to pay a pound fee, and he got to take naps in the bed. Dogs usually enjoy the McMahan house. :)
But this story couldn't of had a more perfect ending - Pilot's home (in a GOOD home) and we don't have a third dog!!!!!! :)

There's Gonna Be a Weddin'

And it's about time!! Nathan proposed to my baby sister last night and, thank the Lord - we're gonna have a weddin' people! For those of you who know me (and them, I guess), you KNOW how crazy insane their relationship story is - a true testament to God's faithfulness for those who patiently wait...and wait and wait and wait (then maybe even wait some more).
After the engagement, the new soon-to-be fam celebrated at my parents house. We're all going to the beach together in a few weeks (a long-time tradition of the 2 families since I was a Junior in high school), and this new excitement will add more sweetness to the trip!
Nathan and Amy dated for a bit when she was in Junior High School...after they broke up, they have never officially date until about 6 months ago. All those years in between, they were best friends, but Amy never felt like they were suppose to be dating. But Nathan did. And he pursued her and pursued her - never giving up, but exercising an amount of patience I'm not sure I'm even capable of! But last night it all paid off! And there has never been ANYONE that I would rather have marry my sister!!!
In reminiscing mode, I remember when our families went to Florida for vacation in 1999 (10 freaking years ago!), that Nathan and I went out by ourselves on the town and ALL HE TALKED ABOUT was how serious his feelings were for Amy (they weren't dating at the time), and 10 years ago my thought was "Man, you need to move one."
Boy was I wrong.
God is faithful.
And you can bet our conversations at the beach this year are gonna be quite different.
Here's some pictures from the night.

Lincoln has always loved his Uncle Nathan!!! (I can call him that, right?)

The proud mother and mother-in-laws

Check out this face! He's too young for that face!!!

7 Months

Baby Lincoln,
Wow. Everyone has been warning me about how fast time will go by with you, but WOW month six has by far stolen the lead for fastest-flying-by-month so far of your tiny little life. And what a good month this past one has been!!! I think the most consistent compliment you get these days is how content and easy-going you are to be ANYWHERE and how you always have that charming smile swiped across your face. You've become quite the entertainment wherever we go with your "pacifier trick" (see older post) and forceful rocking (sometimes it looks like dancing) when your sitting on the floor or in your high chair.
You're eating solids consistently these days: you have cereal for breakfast, and a vegetable for lunch and one for dinner. Mommy made you carrots and sweet potatoes, but the other ones you eat are from jars (green beans, sweet peas, and squash). Your favorite is sweet peas, but really, you love them all! Mommy hasn't given you fruit yet because the doctor told me to hold off as long as possible on this one so you can get good and used to those veggies! I need another veggie-eating man in the house!
You get 5 bottles (6 oz.) throughout the day.
Your still taking about 4 naps a day! We have a little routine where we both take one of those naps together from about 5-6pm. Then you stay up longer and play with mommy and daddy which we LOVE. You're usually in a hilarious mood from then until you go to bed for the night around 9:00pm. Dad thinks you might be quite the comedian someday because you love to make us laugh and you even crack your own self up sometimes.
You usually wake up at 7:00am, but this month you did something new and AMAZING. On the weekends, you sleep till 9:00am!!! Way to go Lincoln! You're a true McMahan, apparently.
Other things you're doing these days:
* Sitting up perfectly on your own
* When you're sitting, you like to do this rocking thing back and forth...if music's on, it looks like you're dancing
* You like getting two toys in your hands and banging them together - it's very loud!
* You're VERY ticklish and I probably spend hours a day just tickling you because that laugh is priceless. Your thighs, tummy, sides, and chin are the most vulnerable.
* You finally like your tummy a lot more. You roll over on it frequently (we call it the cobra position).
* You can't crawl yet, but you're starting to bring your knees up
* You can spin in all directions on your belly and get to whatever you want if it's not too far.
* You can find your Pacifier ANYWHERE and you will do everything in your power to get to it.
* You feed yourself (we'll start sippy cups soon)

This next month should be very exciting cause we're going to Destin, FL with you for the first time! We can hardly wait to see you at the beach!! I'll be taking you to our neighborhood pool soon to get you used to the water. Oh yeah - and mommy doesn't have to work as much after next week!!!!!!
I love sweet baby and can't wait to see all your new tricks this next month!

Here you are with your new-85 pound-interum puppy. You like him (I think the feelings mutual).You like him so much you wanna eat him.

Double the fun.

Update

Talked to the Animal Shelter (we have good working relationship with them) and they said they hold Bruce's brother and try and find him a home, but if that never happened, they'd call us before they did the unthinkable (can't believe people actually put dogs down!). They actually seemed optimistic about finding him a new home because of some new agency they'd partnered up with in Colorado. Apparently, Colorado-ians (I know - not a word) have a shortage of dogs...? He told me the reason but it still didn't make much sense. Anyway, there's a rescue agency trying to place dogs with good families in Colorado where apparently, they're needing more dogs there. Our Animal Shelter is shipping 9 dogs today to new homes in Colorado. And they have pretty strict criteria, but Bruce's brother meets them all! So I'm gonna let the little fella chill here again tonight and then take him to the AS to see if they can find him a home.
By the way - I got him de-wormed at the vet this morning and he weighs a whopping 85 pounds!!!

Hi, I'm Melissa...and I Have a Problem

I've been known to be somewhat stubborn from time to time, but I also rarely have trouble admitting when I'm wrong or when I have a problem too big for me to handle. Sometimes you have to squeeze the near life out of me to get to the root of my "stuff", but nonetheless, I'm right there in agreement with ya when you point out my wrong doings. And sometimes I'll even apologize (if I, in fact also agree I was wrong, that is).
So here I am, in all my humility and shame, admitting that I - Melissa McMahan - have, what should be, a DSM diagnosable problem.
What's my disorder?
See below:

Innocent picture of Bruce Wayne, right?

That was a cropped picture...now look closer at the full picture:
TWO Bruce Wayne's????
No folks.
My disorder is Obsessive Dog-Rescuer Syndrome, and that is Bruce Wayne and his brother.
No joke.
It all happened so fast. I was driving home from my parent's who live out on HWY 16 today and we forever see Bruce's brothers wandering around the highway aimlessly and my heart always goes out for them - but today, this one (pictured) was lying in the MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY with NO COLLAR and FAR FROM HIS HOUSE.
I couldn't take it anymore.
And then before I knew it, I'm taking pictures of him in my backyard. It was all a flash but I'm sure somewhere in there I might have opened my car door on the highway and he might have jumped in and we might have driven home...maybe.
I know, I know. You're all wondering "Don't you have trouble keeping dogs safe??" Yes. When notorious-dig-out-beagle-Benny lives at the house. But he's still not living here. :( So no problem anymore - Benny was our problem. Sad. We still love you, Benny.
But don't worry. We're NOT keeping him. Just letting him chill with his long lost brother Bruce while we find him a good home. Is it terrible I took him??? Struggling with this one but I can't stand the way he's treated there!! And he was FAR from his HWY home when he jumped in my car!
So Papi's out-colored. But LOVING the new friend. More to play with.