My dog ate it.

I am horrible at excuses. Even this post title is a sham because we don't even have a dog.

In the last post I promised photos from our family packed holiday. I got my camera out once, took two photos (both of which are blurry, only had Madeline in them and were all around bad), and then put it away. So two huge family gatherings and I have nothing to show for it.

We did have a wonderful Thanksgiving. It was a grand old time and Madeline loved being the center of attention (at my in-laws at least, she had Mia and Maz to contend with at my parents.)

I hope everyone's holiday was awesome. Now it is time to clean and put up the Christmas decorations. I have been looking forward to this for weeks. I will try to take more than 2 (very cruddy) photographs!

I am thankful for...

...my blurry but totally lovable family! (we took this photo with our tripod... not so good...)

...little girls with smiles as heart melting as this one. (I know it isn't the greatest photo, but look at how happy she looks! That is totally Madeline right now.)

...a husband who is the most amazing father to our daughter. (Why yes, that is a pop-oo in his mouth!)

...that Winne the Pooh is machine washable. Yep, dip #2.

I hope you all have wonderful Thanksgivings! I will have photos of our family packed day after the holiday!

mg

Childcare anyone?

Madeline has been a two day regular at DoodleBuggs! Love and Learn Childcare for almost four months! It is an in home daycare with small numbers and big hearts! Madeline loves her buddies and Angie, the woman who runs the day care. Why am I posting this? Well there is an opening (which is rare) at DoodleBuggs! So if you or anyone you know is looking for a place to send your little ones (in the Kirkwood, Glendale, DesPeres, Webster Groves area) leave me a comment and I will get back to you with Angie's contact information.

*logo courtesy of Jodified Designs! Go visit Jodie's blog, she is an awesome designer and photographer!

Dentistry?

Christy commented on the shirt my brother was wearing in the previous post so I have to tell you all the story behind it. Then you will understand why I love my family and my brother so much.

First go back, way back, to this post and read the comment under the photo I originally posted of my brother wearing this shirt. (The shirt was my Christmas gift to him so that is why he is wearing it over his other clothing.)

Welcome back. What took you so long? And did you see how little Madeline was!?!?! AWE!

So the story:

Many many years ago, before most people had computers in their homes, we were at a close family friend's house for a party. These friends had a computer. It played games like number munchers and of course, Oregon Trail. Elliot, who was about 7 or 8 at the time, was in the play room on the computer playing the wondrous game. His wagon was fully loaded. He had successfully forded the river, twice! He had only lost one ox and 3 pounds of food. He was cruising right along.

At some point he came out into the living room where all the adults were hanging out and asked, "Mom, what's dentistry?" She explained what dentistry was and then he went back to the play room. About 5 minutes later he came back into the living room looking a little paler than normal. "I just died of dentistry. I didn't know you could die by going to the dentist?!?!"

At that point my mom went back into the playroom and saw the computer screen.

"Elliot has died of dysentary."

This story always makes my family laugh and when I saw that shirt I had to get it for him. I don't know how happy he is that I told that story to the world but I hope he thinks it's funny too. I am sure he will. Right Buddy?

mg

whiskers off kittens

Christmas 2007

When we were kids, my brother and I collected the whiskers of our cats. It wasn't anything cruel. Cats shed their whiskers just like their fur and when we would find one on the ground we would put them in a bowl in the roll top desk.

This is only one of the thousands of happy memories that involve my brother. Happy Birthday Elliot. Here's to many more years of happy memories!

Love,

Your sister

mg

I have been in a funk. This happens at this time every year. The sun sets too early in the evening. The beautiful colors fall from the trees and turn a cruddy color of brown. The weather turns cold and I have to pack on the clothes and although I love my hoodie and sweats, I could do with out my coat. I feel stuck.

I'm stuck without sunshine. I'm stuck without color. I'm stuck in my darn coat.

I am fighting this funk really hard. In the past I have just succumbed to it but that does me no good. (just ask Kevin, I am no fun when that happens) I am trying to see the positive, be glass 1/2 full and soak up the sun when I can. So instead of focusing on what is wrong, I am going to focus on what is making me happy right now.

• Madeline Opal. I mean she might be a crazy toddler, but when she walks up and gives you a kiss for no reason, I can't stop my hear from melting.
  
• Kevin. I enjoy my time with him more than he knows.
  
• Crafting has always been a way for me to get my mind relaxed and although I don't have much time I have found time over the past few days. I'll share photos some time soon.
• Tea. I have a hot cup next to me now. Ahhh.
• The semester count down. I only have three more days of classes for my regular semester classes. I have some really interesting students this semester. I wish I could share my stories with you all. Although I have one that I don't think anyone would believe. Maybe someday I can share... until then.
• And this is making me feel better too.

mg

behind the time

I am feeling a little (or a lot) behind. But I don't want to stop posting. So another photo from two weeks ago.

When I asked Madeline to smile this is the face I got. It is almost cartoonish. I have never seen that face before. Nor have I seen it since. But isn't it adorable?

mg

what the...

Madeline is down to one nap a day. (unless she is at Doodlebugs, then she still takes two, but I digress.) I try to have her nap in the afternoon. It works best with our schedule. Today however, at 10:45am Madeline and I had the following conversation:

Maddy: Momma, nigh nigh.
Me: Madeline, do you want to go to bed.
Maddy: Yesss. Mad-line bed.
Me: are you sure?
Maddy: Yessssss.

So I changed her dipe, read her a book and put her down. She slept for 3 hours.

*******

Now, fast forward to 4pm, only two hours and 15 min since she woke up from this 3 hour nap.

Maddy: Nigh nigh.
Me: You can't really want to nap again can you?
Maddy: Nigh nigh.
Me: You want to get in bed with Grover and Kiki?
Maddy: kiki! go-vie!
Me: Ok.

So I made sure she was dry, put her in bed, and I haven't heard a peep from her since. I think I am living in the twilight zone. My big hope is that this doesn't mean she is sick. She isn't acting sick... but you know how that goes. One minute fine, the next minute pukie, pukie...

For now I am creeping around the house trying to be quiet!

mg

I suck.

I have been a lazy blogger. I don't even have a good reason. I need another week to catch up on my life and then maybe I can get back to my bloggy business. Until then, know I love you.

And here is a fairly good photo of a ridiculously cute little girl.

mg

Happy Birthday Poppy!

Thank you for being the best Daddy-o I could have asked for and an awesome poppy to my little Loula Belle. We love you and I hope you liked your snickerdoodles!

Love, Maureen, Kevin and Madeline!

mg

Toddler Lesson #3

Poo and Pooh may not be the same thing to you, but to a toddler there is no difference.

Toilet training is going well. So well in fact, Madeline 'Pooh'ed in the toilet this morning. And no, that isn't a misspelling.

For weeks we have been discussing, as best you can with an 18 month old, that pee and poop goes into the toilet. She has even been asking to sit on the toilet, and has successfully peed multiple times. Today, as Kevin was getting read to head to work she walked into the bathroom lifted up the lid and proclaimed "POO!" very proudly.

Milliseconds later her sweet Winnie the Pooh was hurled into the toilet. Gross. Boy am I glad the tag says its machine washable.

mg

I'm back

But it doesn't look like anyone missed me anyway.*

The above statement is very representative of the mood I am in today. I am embracing my glass 1/2 emptiness today because I know tomorrow I have to go back to working on my 1/2 full mentality. Today I am wallowing in it. Soaking myself in a bath 1/2 full. Drinking until my thirst is 1/2 quenched. Eating until I am 1/2 full and whining until you are 1/2 sick of me.

Only a few more hours until tomorrow. I have to go wallow some more.



*Wow, that was a loaded statement wasn't it?!?! Do you feel guilty for not commenting yet???

mg

So much to say, so little time

I have so much I want to get out, but not a lot of time in which to do that so I am going to do a quickly post and touch on everything, but no nothing justice.

1. Madeline had her 18m check up today. She weights 25#7oz (average) and is 33 1/4 inches tall! (that is the 90th percentile!) She is healthy as can be. She did get three shots today though. Bummer.

2. Sunday night EMHE (extreme makeover: home edition) that was filmed in STL will be on TV. It is on ABC, but I forget what time. Check your local listings (... or set your DVR like us!)

3. I am taking a mini trip this weekend with my grad-school girl friends, Janine and Colene. It is an "een" Reunion! (Get it? MaurEEN, JanINE, ColENE?!?!) So I will be away from my computer, and away from my blogs. I hope you will miss me as much as I will miss you.

4. I will be back in the STL and posting by Monday, I know you will be waiting with baited breath right? I promise to show you all the goodies that I purchase on my trip! (Did I mention the entire reason we are going is IKEA?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!) (!!!=total and utter excitement!) (I think I need some sleep.) (I am a little obsesed with my parenthesis) (I loose all literary creativity when I need sleep)

5. Is anybody else obsesed with Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew on VH1? (Hense the lack of sleep) I mean what is with Gary Busse? He is totally off his rocker!

Ok, good night. See you all in a few days.

mg

Madeline is 18 months old!

Tuesday I taught all day long, then I stayed up way to late watching election news on TV. It was worth it though.

Tuesday was also Madeline's 18 month birthday! Remember last year when I made her 1/2 a cake? Back when I was a 'good' mother? Ok, I know I am a good mom... it was some light humor. Well I didn't get around to it this year. We did however have Jimmy John's for dinner. That is totally a celebration if you ask me.

So I am finally getting around to it. The last update post can be found here and much of the stuff talked about there is still accurate. So you can go back and refresh. I'll wait right here.

Madeline, pointing to the Mummy on her shirt.

Welcome back.

As for new info:

Gross Motor:
She is still dancing up a storm. She as mastered up and down stairs and can now climb the ladder at the playground near our house. On Monday she tried to climb a ladder at her uncle Bryan's new house. I wasn't there, but from what I heard she didn't get too far up. (Although I am sure she could have!)

Madeline is much more sure footed and runs with ease these days. Good for her, bad for me. She's as hard to catch as a greased pig at the county fair! Ok, not really but didn't that sound cool?!?!

This week she has started spinning in place and getting totally dizzy, then falling to the ground. I thought maybe she was playing ring around the rosy this way at day care, but when I sing the song she looks at me like, "what is your damage? I'm spinning here mom!" I am guessing that isn't it. She is still not jumping, but I know that is coming. She's still trying!

At the butterfly house with Madeline (Maddie) and Madeline (Maddy).

Fine Motor:
She still loves to draw. Although it isn't keeping her attention like it used to. I may have to mix it up and let her color odd stuff like paper towel tubes and paper plates.

She still prefers her fingers to a fork, but we have been giving her a spoon with her apple sauce or oatmeal and she manages that really well. That is until she gets fed up and shoves her hand in the bowl!

Momma and Mads, hanging with the "but-fies"
Please click on this photo to make it larger. We are totally out of focus, but I love it anyway. I love that face!

Language Development:
She is busting out new words every minute. Or at least it seems that way. I have recorded the ones I can remember below. Just like last time, I am going to list the real word and then her pronunciation in parenthesis.

bread (bed)
ham
egg
waffle (awful)
Rory or Ro Ro - a little girl at day care
bubble
pop - what a bubble does
apple
apple sauce (apple suc)
home
green beans (geeen beeeen)
toast
hockey
Blue note
puck (you don't want to know, but I am sure you can guess)
sleep (seep)
yummies
beans
oh my
oh no - this is one of my favorites, when accompanied by "the face", I'll get it on video!
hotsie-totsie
lock (ack)
cook
please (pees)
nigh-nigh
a piece (a pees)
me
mine
balloon (boon moom)
momma's or daddy's or maddy's
airplane (airbut)
bus (but)
pocket
Kathy (Kat E)
Elliot (El ut)
G.G. - Kevin's grandma
Ma -my grandma
fork (oak)
spoon (oon)
burp (buup)- totally one of my favorites!
bed (ed)
pillow
ho ho ho - what Santa Claus says
brush (bu sshh)
butterfly (but-fye)
hat
shoe (oooo)
tea
Lovies - what we say at bedtime as we are tucking her in
pasta (ah pa)
juice (ju sshh)
pretzel (pet sel)
pumpkin (pucket)
pancake (pnake)
bag
blow
kiki - what she calls her blanket, as blankie
whine - I said, "Maddy don't whine" She says, "WHINE!" in return. I was told.
turkeys (ukies)
high chair

And my least favorite?
no

Of course this doesn't include the first list that included 45 words which brings the grand total to 106! I know there are more. I'll update when I can.

Social Development:
Yesterday, when I dropped her off at Doodlebugs daycare, she ran right up to Rory and gave her a HUGE hug! She is also much more interactive with other kids at day care and her good friend Maddie! They are so cute together, even when they are fighting over the toys!

I don't know if this is really social, (maybe more emotional development) but she has gone to the bathroom in the toilet at least 5 times! Yesterday she told Kevin she had to pee and so he put her on the seat, and she did! It was a big moment. We celebrated with mini m&ms. Then before bathtime I put her on the toilet again and she peed AGAIN! No m&ms this time... she had just had a cookie. (I am going to have to write a post dedicated solely to my "word issues" in relation to toilet training. They are big issues. That post is coming. I can feel it in the air.)

Food:
Madeline eats just about everything still. She doesn't like rice or potatoes. I think it is just a texture thing. I am going to keep trying. She has finally given in to broccoli, but only if it is covered in cheese or cream sauce. It's a start right?

Madeline, with her "pucket" or pumpkin to you

Growth:
Madeline goes to see her doctor on Friday so I will have official stats then. She is at least as tall as a Koala, according to the chart at the zoo!

As for teeth, she is working on her canines as we speak. It has been a rough week because of that. These are the first teeth that have really bothered her. Or more likely, it is the first time she has been able to understand and communicate where her pain is. Before she was just crabby. Now she is unreasonable at times. I love me some children's Tylenol!
__________

That's it! You are all up to date. We are totally looking forward to this Christmas with our big girl! She is going to be so excited! Next year will be magical... this year is going to be pretty great though.

mg

I should be doing work

Instead I found Pork Chops, with Vincent Price.

And the Darth Vader Theme on Ukelele, penny whistle and tuba.

It's been a productive evening.

mg

Lula Belle

I have always been huge on nicknames. I have at least half a dozen myself. I am not very good at giving them normally, that is until I became a mother. Before we even knew our child was a Madeline, Kevin and I had chosen the name and we knew that we would shorten it to Maddy as a nickname. But I couldn't just stop there. This girl is so much more than a Maddy.

Madeline's nickname is Lula Belle.

Why Lula Belle? Well it took a while to get here. My mom calls my cousin Adeline, Adeloo. So she naturally started calling Madeline, Madeloo. Then I took that and changed it to Madelooloo. Then just Loo, then Lula and doesn't that just scream for a Belle? Say it out loud, "Lula." Then say "Lula Belle." Isn't that much better!?!?!

Sometimes I call her Talula Belle... but I don't want to infringe on Bruce and Demi. (They have a daughter named Talula).

It is the perfect name for her. And it is MY name for her, so don't try to call her that! It is all mine. (Wow, possessive much?!) I hope she will love it as much as I love the nickname I have from my mother. (It's Mutzie and yes, there is a story behind that one too!) I have a student who hates the pet name her family gave her. I hope that never happens. Because I think she will always be my Lula Belle.

mg

"Democracy is... the conviction that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people." -Harry Emmerson Fosdick in Harper's Monthy Magazine (November 1925)

Go





mg

Easy like a Sunday morning

* Music for this post, Easy by Lionel Richie.
"Everybody wants me to be, what they want me to be. I'm not happy when I try to fake it. Oh no. That's why I'm easy. Easy like Sunday morning."

mg

Why Blog?

I have been asked that question a lot. I have many different personal reasons. Fern sums one of those reasons up with ease. Go here and read this. Then check out her blog. Because she is also one of my reasons. I hope to be half as witty. Blog on Fern. Blog on.

mg

Jokes heard on Halloween 2008

Why did the mouse steal my joke? Because it was cheesy.

Where were the first french fries made? In grease.

Knock knock. Who's there? Silent Cow. Silent Cow who? ......................

Why did the chicken cross the internet? To get to the other site.

What did Tennessee? The same thing Arkansas!

Where does the hamburger like to dance? The meat ball.

What runs all around the yard, but never moves? A fence.

And my personal favorite:

Why was the math book so sad? Because he was full of problems.

mg

Happy Anniversary!

Five years ago today Kevin and I moved into our house.


I like our house and our neighborhood. Although we aren't ready yet, it will be hard to leave when the time comes. I am going to have so many memories of this home. Don't you just love Olive in the window?!?! Happy Anniversary Home!

mg