2009: Year in review

Blessing n.

A thing conducive to happiness or welfare; a special favor, mercy, or benefit.

Yeah, that describes 2009 for the McCues. This year especially, we have been reminded that we truly have the best, most generous, most caring family and friends. Thanks again for all of your wonderful gifts, cards, prayers, and good thoughts this year.

• Most of our blessings center around our special little girl, Slane Augusta, born March 23. Initially she had some thriving issues, but now she's a happy, chatty baby, crawling everywhere. She loves people and other kids and doesn't seem to be intimidated by anything. She is expanding her vocabulary, too and can say “dada,” “mama,” “nom-nom” (when her food is good), “kigee” (kitty, or any animal, really), “hi!”, and “yeah, yeah, yeah!” She is also excellent at clapping/patty-caking and giving out the high fives.
• Mamacue has been blessed with full-time employment. She started off the year teaching music at both Grinnell Community Daycare and Central Iowa Christian School. Over the summer she served as co-director of music at Pilgrim Heights camp and ticket agent at the Iowa Speedway. This spring, Marshalltown School District offered her a full-time position, teaching music at Fisher Elementary and Lenihan Intermediate. She didn't really plan to take the job, but things just fell into place. She teaches grades 3-6 general music (and the 5th grade flutes) and gets along with her administrators, fellow teachers, and students, even though she sees 21 classes every 3 days. Mamacue continues teaching piano to the children of Grinnell. She also joined the board of the Kodaly Educators of Iowa.
• Q has been blessed with his work, too. Q continues his job in alumni relations at Grinnell College. In addition to alumni events, volunteering, and...relations, he has worked hard on the launch of their new online community for alumni. He remains active in the community, serving on the boards of Grinnell United Way and First Presbyterian Church. He helped to raise funds and build the first 18-hole disc golf course in Grinnell and officiated football games from mites to varsity.
• The opportunity to travel has been a blessing as well. The summer and fall brought many adventures. Fortunately, we are all good travelers. We served again as counselors at Win-Some Bible Camp. Slane loved camp and camp loved her back! We visited Michigan three times: first, the wedding of Mamacue's friend Andrea, then Q's 10-year reunion at Hope College. Each trip gave us opportunities to visit with family and friends. We also traveled to Ohio (with a stop in Ann Arbor for a Grinnell College alumni event) to introduce Slane to aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. We will return to Columbus this Christmas.
• We've been blessed with excellent childcare. Finding childcare was an adventure. Following Slane's birth, Q pulled daddy duty during his six-week paternity leave (thank you, Grinnell College!). Over the summer, Mamacue's cousin Lisa helped with Slane and around the house. (Her chocolate chip muffins are delish!) Since Mamacue began teaching in Marshalltown, we take Slane to Miss Denise, an in-home childcare provider. Slane is her only full-time child, so she gets lots of love and attention. We couldn't have asked for a better person to take care of Slane. Many friends, family, and members of our church have also helped watch Slane; we're not sure who enjoys the time more.
• Our new friends and family members have blessed us. There have been several other babies in our lives this year, bringing new cousins and friends. The list could take up the whole page. Slane has met several of them, and played with them too (if stealing their food and toys counts!). We also welcomed our first niece, Ella Jean, who was born on October 2. Yes, Mamacue's parents got two granddaughters within 6 months!

Ours has truly been a year of blessings. May the Christmas season and 2010 bring you blessings as well!

With love,
Q, Mamacue, and Slane

Slane and the Incrediball

Slane has a ball with a ball.

Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi....

Slane's newest word is "hi." Miss Denise blames herself for teaching it to Slane, but I think we did it too. And we think it is crazy cute. She almost whispers it, and never says just one. It is always, "hi, hi, hi, hi, hi..." with a big smile and a scrunched nose. Between that and "kigee" we really can't get a word in.



Hi. Hi. Hi.

Hi. Hi.

Hi.

Don't high five me. Hold me.

Slane is now more direct in her non-verbal communication. I offer her high fives (one of our favorite games to play together), but she grabs my arm and puts it around her side. It's as if she's saying, "Dada, you need to pick me up. I am not interested in high fiving you when you could be holding me." Hint taken, Slane.

PS: If you haven't already seen it, definitely watch They Might Be Giants' "High Five" from They Might Be Giants Sing the 123s.

Slane: Lover of Playscapes

Over the weekend, we made the trek with GrannieCue and Papa Smurf to Des Moines to do a little holiday shopping. The crowds were large, but not overwhelming. We found parking with relative ease. We also found things that parted us from our money. Most importantly, we found that Slane is ready to play in the Jordan Creek playscape and loved it.



I admit, I was nervous about this. Big Kids bounding from turtle to hippopotamus might mistake Slane for a pony and bound off her, too. Instead, little kids smiled and played with her.


She slid down slides (with assistance)...


...and greeted sliders as they departed the slide.



She loved it. Look at this expression of joy:



Don't you want to be that happy? The girl was euphoric. She loves People. She loves New. She loves Adventure. Have you met our daughter, Slane de Gama?