Good night!

There is a French message board in Madeline's room where we have hung wedding and birth announcements for many of our friends. Each night Madeline says goodnight to all of her friends before bed. It may be hard to see but I have labeled the photos for you. (Aside from the two of Kevin and I...) You might want to click on the photo to make it bigger. As we say good night Maddy waves to all of her friends.

"Good night Scott and Becky, Good night Leo, Good night Ethan, Good night Steven and Good night Quentin!"

mg

Super Grover to the rescue!

Madeline has a new friend. I don't normally buy stuffies but I could not pass this one up. Both Kevin and I have an affinity towards this blue haired, super Muppet and how cute is this particular version?!?! When I picked him up in the store Madeline started giggling almost instantaneously. She has been dragging him around the house and taking him into bed for naps ever since!

What is it they say about owners looking like their pets?

Feb. 28- This is my current favorite photo of Madeline. It is hilarious!!!

Feb. 28- Hangin' with Grover before bed.

mg

Scrub a Dub!

Feb. 21- Bathtime!

Madeline out grew her bath bear sponge a long time ago. She didn't want to lay in a bath, she wanted to splash wildly in the water. So after a few traumatic baths (for Mom not Maddy) we found this wonderful little invention called a bath seat. It suction cups to the bottom of the tub and allows Madeline to feel secure and safe in the water without mom and dad having to hold her out of the water. (Lets just say that Maddy's idea of bath time included diving face first into the tube over and over and over and over...)

Of course we never leave her side, and are never out of arms reach, but at least now she isn't face planting into the water and freaking both her parents out. She can calmly reach for the toys in front of her without getting a face full of bath water! Let the parade of baby photos begin!

Feb. 21- Madeline is rockin' a wicked surfers pipe up top. Whoa dude, gnarly!

Feb. 21- artistic tub shot #1
We call this one "the letters that float"

Feb. 21- We have taken to all day bib wearing so that our clothes don't get soaked through. I'd say there is another tooth on the way!

mg

What's new?

So I was asked by a friend over the weekend, "what's new?" I thought for a moment and I realized that there really is a lot of new in our world. So I thought I would share.

In January we purchased a new love seat and chair for our living room. Call it a belated Christmas present for Kevin and Me. We were a little hesitant about the color at first, but we love it now that it is in the house and we can see how well it works with our decor! Best of all they are Madeline and Olive approved.

Jan. 20- The new furniture!

Jan. 20- Madeline inspecting the chair.

Jan. 20- She gives the chair a sit test and finally approves!

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Valentines day has come and gone but I thought you might enjoy this photo. I made individual meat loaves, smashed potatoes and biscuits. (The salad just wouldn't go with our "heart" themed dinner so it didn't make it into the photo!!) Am I nuts or what!?!

Feb. 14- Yummo! I (heart) Hearts!

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Finally, I have been dreaming about artwork for Madeline's room since before she was born. I just couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. So, I took the bull by the horns and made it myself!

Eric Carle is an amazing illustrator (and author) of children's books and I really wanted wall art from his book, The Very Hungry Catepillar. Of course I couldn't find it anywhere so I set to making it myself.

I decoupaged tissue paper to art canvases to create four works that are similar to scenes from his book. Over Madeline's crib we hung the sun and the moon. On the opposite wall over her changer/dresser we hung the catepillar and the beautiful butterfly. They turned out wonderfully! They are not identical to the originals, I couldn't have even begun to duplicate them to his skill level, but they are reminiscent of Carle's work. Each one took about two hours (with the butterfly taking almost 3 1/2 and the sun taking only an hour) but I love them! And now when Madeline asks where they came from I can say I made them with love! (Not, I got them on the internet...)

Feb. 17- "in the light of moon a small egg lay on a leaf."

Feb. 17- "the warm sun came out and -pop- out of the egg came a tiny and very hungry caterpillar"

Feb. 17- The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Feb. 17- "and he was a beautiful butterfly!"

Feb. 17- The Caterpillar and butterfly on the wall over her changing table/dresser.

Of course I can't leave you without more photos of our darling daughter!

Feb. 17- Madeline approves of her new art work!

Feb. 17- Madeline likes to play with her feet after a change. If only we were all that flexible! What is cuter than that baby huh?

mg

Ask and you shall receive!

Feb. 12- Madeline, distorted.
(and obviously hungry)

Here

Now quit your belly aching.

Feb. 13- Maddy, enjoying her Cheerios.

mg

"in and out" day

Today is a very special day in our household. Today is what I have been calling "in and out" day. Madeline was born 40 weeks and three days ago. This is a milestone because this means that Maddy has been in our arms longer than she was in my belly! That's right folks. I carried our little pumello (the name we had for Madeline before we knew she was a Madeline) for 40 weeks and two days.

The last eighteen months have had ups and downs but I have to say that Madeline has been worth all the morning sickness, the swollen ankles, aching backs, labor pains (or at least those I remember...), sleepless nights, crying spells (both hers and mine), dirty diapers, nursing woes, and fits of boredom.

Happy "in and out" day Maddy!

To celebrate here are some photos of our adorable daughter!

Feb. 8- argh! She's a pirate!
On Friday Maddy was wearing one of her pirate onesies so we had to have a bandana to match.

Feb. 8- In this photo you can see her onesie better. "argh!"

Feb. 1- This is way back on the first, Maddy and I spent some time in the snow, and when we came inside I had to "peel" her out of her snow suit!

mg

Thank you J and J!

When informed about Janine's planned trip to IKEA a few months ago I asked if she would look for this stuffed frog for me. Little did I know it would be a three person stuffy hunt for her, her mother and her sister! Thank you Janine, Michelle and Mrs. T! Madeline loves her new prince charming pajama holding stuffy!

Feb. 6- Madeline, warming up to her charming little frog!

Feb. 6- When you unzip his mouth to put your jammies in he has a fly in his mouth... Maddy is showing how she "catches flies."

mg

My First...

Pancake breakfast!

Now that I have teeth I am eating some real food. (none of that mushy junk for me!) Mom made pancakes on Sunday morning. They were yumm-o! I had some banana pieces too. I have to call Grandpa Waffle and tell him to get the waffle iron ready! Mmmm.... waffles....

Feb. 3

mg

My First...

TEETH!!!!

It is official. I have teeth. My first tooth came up about two weeks ago, and then this Friday my second tooth finally cut through. Can you believe it? Although I get kinda crabby when they pop up, Dad keeps telling me that it will all be worth it in the end. He keeps talking about something called "steak."

Feb. 1- Click on the photo above to see my chompers better.

mg