Unpluged

Today Maddy and I are attempting to unplug. (See Jodie's grand plan here to find out more.) I will blog about our day on June 1. See you soon!

* Logo courtesy of Jodified Photography and Design.

mg

Oh Olive

Today Kevin and I organized the junk we had piled in the basement during our move. This was a task I was not looking forward to. Needless to say it is done and Kevin and I are no worse for the wear. Although I think both of us want to hand our sweet kitty over to someone who doesn't have cardboard, or plastic or carpet in their home. Maybe a home made entirely out of concrete and granite?
A photo to remind me how cute she is, despite the mess we cleaned up this afternoon.

And for all you people who think dogs are the way to go because of this post, read this... Gina I feel your pain and I don't think either one of us are winners in the pet department today!

mg

Ice cubes

In my dreams, heaven is a place where I am always comfortable, happy, content and loved. There are also endless swimming pools, lots of Mexican food, chocolate and you never ever run out of ice cubes. I've talked about this love of ice before. It isn't a new thing and I don't think it will be changing any time soon.

During my first pregnancy my love of ice intensified... and I was pregnant mostly through the winter months. This time around I am going to be pretty huge come August (what were we thinking?!?!) So Kevin got me an incredible mother's day gift.


Do you see that? That is a little piece of heaven right in my own freezer! When we looked at the house the first time I was thrilled to see an ice maker! Little did we know that there was no line run for water and therefore it didn't run.

So for mother's day Kev hooked that baby up and after a couple of days (of pure torture, because you have to throw the first 48 hours of ice away just to be safe, argh) I can now have ice to my hearts content.

Although I still love the "tiny ice" you get here and here you will never hear me complain about my ice situation ever again. Oh, I know my husband loves me and boy does he know me well.

I should go... there is an ice water in my immediate future.

mg

Hair days

Hello Monday... again.

Although I L.O.V.E. three day weekends, I have to say it has lost some luster as a {mostly} stay at home mom. Instead of feeling rested and relaxed I am kinda stressed out today because I feel like I have lost a day.

Today is Tuesday, but I honestly feel like it is a Monday, and then I remember that it isn't Monday, but Tuesday and I get all freaked out that I missed a day of my life when in reality I just ate my way through my actual Monday at not one but two great BBQs. (that was quite the sentence huh?)

Which reminds me, I need to find a better homemade pizza crust recipe. Our second BBQ of the day was at our friend Anna and Joe's house and they made us the best grilled pizza! They had two different crusts, and both were delicious. And two of the 4 pizza's had bacon on them. It was awesome. (Thanks Anna and Joe!)

So Friday, (and the real reason I started this blog post...) Madeline had the weirdest hair day. I should start this by saying I love my daughter's hair. My hair has been straight my entire life (or at least as much of it as I can remember). Not that I don't like my hair, I do, but the grass is always greener on the other person's head right? So when Madeline's hair started growing in and it was curly I was thrilled. She honestly has the best curls, and I love her hair after a bath. She has such tight ringlet curls they make me swoon.

Friday was no exception. Most of the day her hair was fine, but after her afternoon nap she had a clump right on top of her head that wouldn't lay down. Not having anywhere to be I wasn't too concerned with it, and I just let it go. Three hours after her nap this is what it looked like:

Hurricane Madeline!

You can see it a little better here:

She had a perfectly formed hurricane directly on top of her head. These photos where taken while sitting above her on some stairs.

Madeline has never had a hair cut and I am nervous about it. Not that I think she is going to freak out, but I am worried I am. I don't want to cut those curls off just to be left with straight hair. Although they are pretty tight curls on the ends, the more her hair grows in, the straighter it seems to be. I don't want to cut those baby curls and loose my baby girl! She is getting so big and a hair cut is just another milestone in her growth.

I know we are getting ready to welcome #2, but I am just not sure how I feel about losing my first baby to the grips of childhood. She has already begun asserting her independence and informing us that she can do things on her own. I am afraid that if I set her in that chair and they snip those curls from her neck I won't be able to see any of my baby left. I guess I will still have her chubby legs and arms, but even that is only for a few more months I am afraid.


My brother in law is getting married at the end of July. I know that I should have her hair cut before then. I just don't know that I am emotionally ready.

mg

So Much Better

More photos from our time outside last night.


Music: "So Much Better" performed by Rockapella

Today Madeline and I went to the park with some friends and had a fantastic time walking and playing around the lake there. I expected her to crash in the car but she talked to me the whole way home about how much fun she had at the park and our trip to the airport to drop off my Grandma (aka. Ma) this morning. She has been so much fun lately! She is such a doll. We got home ate lunch and now she is napping, and so should I! Off I go!

mg

Joy.

Would you like to know what the happiest 2 year old girl in the world was doing tonight?

Playing in her big back yard with water and her daddy!

Do you see that smile? Oh, my stars how I love that girl!

More from our backyard playtime tomorrow... now I am off to bed!

mg

Sorry to keep you in the dark...

I don't like keeping secrets, but sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do. Tonight is the night I come clean.

Kevin and I have had a big 5 years.

In 2003:

We bought our first house.

In 2004:

We got engaged.

In 2005:

We got married!

In 2006:

I graduated with a masters degree.

In 2007:

We had a baby... and what an adorable baby she is!

In 2008:

Honestly, not a lot happened in 2008.
But I have a feeling 2009 will make up for that.

In 2009:

We moved out of our first house and into our second... and hopefully last (at least for the foreseeable future!)

And:

We made Ms. Madeline a big sister.

Meet #2.
Yes, we are calling this little one #2 (kinda like this clip from Scrubs.)

Like last time, we are not finding out the sex of this little nugget who we will officially meet in mid-October.

We found out #2 was joining our family the EXACT SAME DAY we found out we had gotten the new house. Our first OB appointment was on the day we closed on the new house. I'd say the two go hand in hand.

I have been feeling like crap. (Thanks for asking.) I had morning (noon and night) sickness with Madeline for the first 5 almost 6 months. I was hoping for an early reprieve this time around. I am feeling better than I was, but not 100% ok yet, and I am 4 months along. I also am very glad that Madeline is an excellent sleeper, because I have been taking naps along with her whenever I can. Hence the house is not yet unpacked :)

We are totally excited and of course scared. Life with two is going to be a change. But we have until October to prepare. Any advice on dealing with #2 please pass it along.

mg

Dear __________,

Dear Godly Trash Company*,

Since you began our cities trash service a little under a year ago we have been impressed with the courteousness of your drivers, we love the curb-side pick up of all recycling goods and your employees are some of the strongest people on the planet. (They have to be to pick up some of our more recent yard waste cans!) We thank you for all of that.

At the old house you picked up our trash at a reasonable 11am. On the nose, every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. We only moved 8 blocks away. Why, OH WHY, must you pick up our trash at 7:15am?!?!?!? With every roar of the trucks engine and every squeak of the compactors crunch our entire household... including our currently sleep deprived ME and our little 2 year old girl... are awoken from our much needed rest. Those 30 to 45 minutes of sleep are important to me.

Please consider us as you plan your next change of route? Please? And PLEASE don't get any earlier! I don't think we (I) can take it!

Sincerely,

Maureen


* our actual trash company only serves a few cities in our area. Hence I am not sharing the name so that if there are any creeps out there they can't track us down. This is the same reason I don't EVER tell you what we are doing before we've done it, use last names, give street names or even our school district. I share a lot on here... but you have to protect what you can right?

mg

fwing?

So that Madeline's other favorite birthday gifts are not left out I thought I would share them as well.
Madeline loves to swing, and what is better than moving into a house with swings just half a block away? Having a swing to hang in your own back yard! There hasn't been a day in the last 8 days that she hasn't gone "fwing-ing."

Then there is the sand crab. We can't walk out the door without Madeline asking to take the lid off the crab... hours and hours of fun. Not to mention an adorable hat!

mg

I'd rather be a chicken, yes a chicken

As a child, my mother used to sing me a bed time song that we now refer to lovingly as "the potato song." Of course I sing it to Madeline frequently as well. (It is one of the few that I learned as a child that doesn't involve death or dying... 'suffocation' anyone? Oh, you think I'm joking... oh, how I wish I was!)

Today Madeline was playing with her new kitchen, a birthday present from Granny and Poppy, and I noticed something that I have to share.


There are potatoes in the oven, in the oven and they're getting nice and brown.

There'll be lots of watermelon, watermelon, when the season rolls around.
In the pantry there is chicken oh boy chicken
In the smoke house lots of ham.
Oh I'd rather be a chicken, yes a chicken, than a poor smoked ham.
A poor smoked ham!

Did you happen to see that the potato looks totally terrified AND has a pig nose? Talk about a poor smoked ham!

mg

two birds, one stone

Mother's Day huh?

Ok, I will pay a small service to this most cheesy of holidays. I can't say it came at a very good time this year however. Right after Madeline's birthday and at the end of what I would call a banner week as a mother... (This week consisted of record amounts of the Street and boxes of teddy grahams which has left me doubting my ability to parent... but then again who doesn't have those weeks, right? right?? Please tell me you do?!?)

All I have for this mother's day is some thank you's.

First to Madeline.


Thank you for making me a mother. You make me smile everyday and you give life so much more purpose than it had before. You make me a better person all around and I thank you for giving me that gift. You're amazing.

There is no one else in the world I would rather share my Teddy Grahams with.

The second Thank you goes out to MY mother. Thank you for being the best example of what a mother is. I learned from one of the best and I couldn't have had a better teacher. You taught me how to love, laugh and play. I love watching you teach those same things to Madeline. You rock.

Mom and Elliot, wondering where exactly his diploma is?

(I apologize for not having a photo of the two of us... but this one will have to do.)

Which brings me to my second bird.

HAPPY GRADUATION ELLIOT!

After 7 years of undergrad, my brother Elliot graduated yesterday. Way to go Buddy! We couldn't be prouder of all the work you have done!

mg

Madeline is 2 years old!

It is that time again folks! It's time for a big old update post!*

*I've done update posts before. If you are interested you can click on the links to see where Madeline was at six months, one year, and 18 months old.


I waited until today instead of posting on her actual birthday because today we visited the doctor so I have her official stats as well! (See how smart I am?!)

Stats:
height: 35 5/8th inches (80th percentile)
weight: 28 1/2 pounds (70th percentile)
Her doctor didn't have any questions or concerns about her
growth and development and said she can ditch the vitamin D
milk and drink skim like the rest of us! Other than that she
is 100% percent healthy and 110% adorable!
(Medically speaking of course!)


Gross Motor:
Madeline is moving a mile a minute. She is climbing anything she can reach and skips all over the house. Today at the doctor he asked if she could jump, and she looked at him and said, very matter of factly, "like a kangaroo!" She was more than happy to demonstrate for him as well! She is working on balancing on one foot. She likes to stand on one foot while holding on to something and say she is practicing ballet. She is quite the little dancer too.

Uncle Bryan and Aunt Beth got Madeline a t-ball set for her birthday and she L.O.V.E.S. playing baseball. She is really pretty accurate in hitting the ball and has really walloped it a couple of times.


Fine motor:
Madeline loves to color with crayons or anything else she can get her hands on. This is problematic when moving because there are sharpies all over the house... but we did safely avoid damage! She is using a fork and a spoon and loves to stab watermelon and spoon up her "go-gert." (Not that icky flavored kid yogurt... that's just how she says it.)

She is working on lacing with the two lacing cards we have and she strings big beads onto an old shoelace. She spent almost 20 minutes working with puzzles this morning too. She loves her puzzles! (Thank you Scott and Becky, Bruce and Sue and Kathy and Elliot! The purchasers of said puzzles!)

Kevin and I got her this cutting food for her birthday. She loves using the cutter to slice the pieces of food apart. Some of the pieces are difficult to cut because the Velcro is still new, but she works through it.

Next is to work with her on cutting with scissors. For some reason this scares the junk out of me... do I really want to share the key to cutting with a 2 year old? I know you give them safety scissors but do I really want her to know what they are for? I mean that doesn't sound like a good idea to me AT ALL!


Language Development:
The last few times I've done this I've listed all the words Madeline has. If I were to try to do that I would be here for a very, very long time. Let's just say her language development is going along swimmingly! She is speaking in very meaningful and clear sentences. Some of them even have 8 or 9 words in them! The other day she used the word "is" in a sentence. (i.e. 'Where is Daddy?) This is significant because until then she would leave that out and just ask the question 'Where Daddy?' See how smart she is?

She seems to know more words every day and sometimes she surprises us with words she knows. Like shovel and elevator... didn't know she knew those words until she used them!


Social Development:
Madeline loves spending time with other kids. She is always asking how her friends are. ('Where is Madeline today?', 'Leo and Max come to park with me?') She is a social butterfly to say the least and loves being with her friends.

As for adults, she loves them too. She is very friendly with just about everyone friends, family and strangers. Every time she meets someone new she will say hi and then introduce Kevin and I as "This my Mommy and Daddy." Just in case someone didn't know.

She is begining to show compasion or simpathy for others. She will pretend that her baby doll Maggie has a boo boo and will then comfort her until she is better. Today Madeline got a shot at the doctor, so of course Maggie had a shot too... but she is all better after hugs and kisses by mommy Madeline. She is also totally obsessed with Olive the cat. Poor Olive.

__________

Ok, I think that wraps it up. I am not going to address toilet training because since the move happened all efforts at toilet training were officially haulted. We have yet to resume. Soon, however, we will begin again. Once I have my mental energy back!

We can't believe our little baby is 2 years old. She is so much fun and it is so wonderful to see her grow. I miss my little baby sometimes, but it is amazing to see the kid she is becoming. She has the best personality and I love seeing her develop into an incredible little girl. We can always have more babies? Right?

mg

Where to start

I don't have a traditional post in mind. Just a bunch of random thoughts that I feel the need to share so bare with me and then comment so I know I am not crazy. Deal? Deal.

• I hate hic-ups and I have had them for 15 minutes. I could get up and get water, but that would involve movement of my legs and that just isn't happening right now.
• Does any other parent out there sigh a sigh of disappointment when they hear their child waking up from their nap? (Not every time of course...)
• My sister in law was laid off two months ago (and is still unemployed) and yesterday my brother found out they are cutting his hours back at work. What exactly is fair about that? I for one am ready for this 'economic turn around' every one is talking about. You?
• I'm tired. And whiny. Pity, party of one?
• I have eaten so many hot dogs in the last 5 days that I'm not sure I want to eat one ever again. (They really are good though, maybe I'll have one as a snack?)
• Monday we bought our plane tickets for Kevin's brother's wedding in Florida. Is it July yet?

Ok. I think I am done. Sorry this is totally random. I need a nap and vacation. Anyone else?

mg

Two!

Today our baby girl turned two. It was a crazy and wonderful day. More on that later.

Center photo: Today.
Clockwise from top left: May, April, March, February, December, October, June, July, August, September, November, January (all from the past 12 months)

mg

Dogwood

All of the blossoms have fallen from our red dogwood. Although I hate my spring allergies, it is always sad to leave the beauty behind. I miss the daffodils and tulips already.

As you can tell Madeline is not fazed by the passing of spring and is ready for the pool to open. Only four more weeks!

May 2009

New month, new masthead. Since Madeline is turning 2 this month I dedicate this 'the month of Madeline'.

But really, what month in the last two years HASN'T been the month of Madeline?

mg

Sunshine

I should be mopping my kitchen floor. Instead I am feeling sorry for myself because I haven't seen the sunshine in 4 days.

Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day.

mg