Friday, September 30, 2011

On My Mind and Obnoxious...

It NEVER rains here...I mean almost never anyway. There are a lot of problems with that -- serious problems I mean. There are a lot of farmers here and they suffer so much during droughts like these. There's also the animals that suffer, not to mention everything is just brown and sad looking.

You ready? The obnoxious part is next...
You know what else is sad? Since I was pregnant I have wanted Madeline to have rain boots and a rain coat. Well, now that she is starting to walk, I feel like it is time. Except that it NEVER rains. So tonight, I am going to bed without ordering this...



                                                          And these...


But I do have more money in my pocket for those Ugg boots she needs for the bitter cold we have coming soon! haha


9 Months

 My Sweet Madeline,


You are 9 months old (and two days)!!!! I cannot believe how fast you are growing!!! You weigh 19lbs --  I'm not sure how tall you are but we'll find out in a couple of weeks at your dr's appt. You wear size 3 diapers, size 3 shoes, and size 9 month clothes. I have been buying size 12m clothes because you are long!


All of the sudden you look like a toddler to me...you've lost your "baby" look and are looking more like a little girl now! You are SO pretty! If I distract you I can get a headband on your head, but I can never be sure how long it will stay there!


You have a special relationship with Gizmo, Phoebe, and Polly. You have started feeding them...I really thought I had a few more months before that would happen! They also take your food sometimes and you cry. It is so sad and funny at the same time!


 You look like you are mad in this picture (above) but this is your face every time you see the camera. You sorta cheese but you squeeze your eyes shut as tight as you can! You also make a huge mess when you eat -- you eat quite a few meals in the nude now because you are SO messy!

 You are very busy! You love to push the dining chairs around the dining room and kitchen! You are CONSTANTLY moving, getting into something, or trying to climb on or in something!



I've yet to find anything you are really afraid of...I am afraid you are going to be a dare devil! You had your first big injury last week. I HATED being in the ER with you but I am afraid it won't be the last time!

I think my favorite thing about this age is how much you like to play! Daddy and I get on the floor and you will climb all over us! You pat us on the back now and try to give high fives! We are still working on waving...sometimes I find you in your crib waving to yourself! You laugh a lot now, and you love the theme song to Cheers. It puts you in a happy mood and inevitably leads to dancing! You also still love to play in the bathtub!

You really love to eat! You are not real thrilled with baby food anymore though. You prefer "people food" as I call it but I think the technical name is "table food". You LOVE bananas, cheerios,graham crackers, but macaroni and cheese is your favorite. You will eat an entire side of mac and cheese from McAllister's - you even licked the bowl last time I gave it to you! I have to add you also really love dog food...anytime the pantry door is open you crawl as fast as you can to get a little taste! You always end up with a piece or two in each hand, and one in your mouth! You also love to dump out their water bowl!

I think the biggest change I have noticed this month is ALL your hair! You are getting so much hair! I can't wait until I can put it in pigtails!

Nothing makes you happier than paper...it is your favorite thing to play with, and the more there is, the happier you are!


Your sleeping habits are about the same. You sleep all night from about 9pm to 9am. Sometimes you wake up but you always go back to sleep. I can no longer put you in bed with me if I want because you think it is play time! I am SO thankful you have turned into a good sleeper! 

Even as I type this I cannot believe how big you are! You get more fun every day. I think I really realized just how much I love you when you got hurt a couple of weeks ago. I would have taken on all your pain if I could have, and I have no doubt Daddy or I would give our lives for you. You are an amazing, precious gift from God, and we are so thankful He gave you to us. I feel so blessed to be your mommy! My prayer for you is that you will love Jesus and some day get to experience the same immense joy I have been able to experience since you were born. I love you, sweet girl!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Weekend Recap and Big News...

This past weekend went by in a blur...Friday night Terry and I just lounged because I was tired. We are on the go non-stop...well, I am. Terry gets a little more time at home than I do. I did my homework and called it a night a little before 12 and got up early Saturday to watch a few kids for what was supposed to be short day and ended up lasting until 5:30. I was so bummed I spent my Saturday working and made a rule that I have worked my last weekend. I need sleep! :)  I managed to somehow get my house cleaned Saturday which I LOVE! Too bad it doesn't last very long! :(  We also managed to watch the Alabama/Arkansas game where we whooped some Sooie booty!


Madeline in her game day gear! It's a little big but it is SO cute! 

When the kids left, we went to a birthday party for a girl at church who was turning three! It was a carnival theme and it was so cute...complete with a carnival ride, cotton candy, lollipops, caramel apples...I should've remembered my camera. Madeline got her picture made wearing a clown wig and I got a little glimpse of what she might look like with my hair! haha Sunday we had church. After church we stopped by a jewelry party and then we came home. I took a nap, did homework, and played with Madeline until bedtime. When Madeline went to bed I did more homework! I feel like I blinked and it was over! In other exciting news, I ordered Madeline bigger and better hairbows and she got to wear them Saturday!

The bigger, the better!!!


The Big News happened this afternoon...Madeline took three steps!!! She had a bear in one hand and a book in the other and just walked to me! It was so exciting...I think I scared her because every time I have stood her up to get her to do it again, she sits down. One day I will learn not to scream and clap when she does something new and scare the crap out of her. It has been a good Monday!!! 

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Secret Sunday

I thought it might be fun to tell a little secret on here on Sundays. Don't get excited -- no big news here! Just things I keep to myself for the most part and thought I'd start revealing them on my blog. Again -- don't get excited -- they are so dumb but I think for the most part they will give people a laugh! So here goes...I really  love a clean kitchen. I can honestly say it is the one thing I am all over. I rarely go to bed with a dirty kitchen. However, I HATE unloading the dishwasher. I know it is such a simple chore but I just really despise it so on occasion, I have loaded my dirty dishes into the dishwasher with clean dishes and re-ran the dishwasher. This is not a habit...but I have done it once or twice...or five-ish times.

I mean over the course of 8+ years that's not really that much, right? :)

I Can't Win...

How am I supposed to protect Madeline when this is her favorite thing to do right now???




Inevitably, this happens....



Which causes this to happen...




I think we have just experienced the tip of the injury iceberg with Madeline. She has no fear...she sure is cute though!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Neat Freak...

Madeline is obsessed with baby wipes. I can't imagine that they taste good, but she loves them. She knows what the box looks like and she hunts them down!




Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Happy Birthday TWayne!

I am SO late posting this but better late than never, right?? My sweet husband celebrated his 30th birthday on September 10! We had a football themed party and so many of our friends came out to celebrate! I cannot believe he is 30...I remember driving out to Destin to see him on his 19th birthday. His mom rented a hotel room for him and his friends that year. When I was leaving he kissed me good-bye and told me he loved me for the first time. I can't believe how fast time is going by!

Anyway, we had such a fun time at the party!


The Food





The cake
I got Terry his own cake because he specifically requested yellow cake with chocolate frosting. He thought it was a "diabetic" cake and didn't even eat any...communication breakdown!


You know you're old when the smoke detector goes off when the candles on your birthday cake are lit...just sayin'

 The Gifts

He got lots of good gifts like an age eraser, pill box, fiber, a jar opener...all useful for a man of his age! ;)
 The Games


I bought a pin the tail on the donkey for the kids...and they were having a blast with it and all of the sudden Kylee took the donkey and ran...it was hilarious!

Isn't she so cute? No way she'd steal a donkey on purpose!

The kids made their own game of pouring bubbles into the A/C unit and watching them fly everywhere!


Washers...a game I didn't even bother to attempt but it looks so fun!

Our little family! Somehow I didn't get one good picture of Madeline by herself in her cheerleading outfit!

I could never have pulled the party off without these gals...they shopped, cooked, decorated, cleaned, and baby-sat! Also, notice our awesome puff painted matching shirts! ;) You can never go wrong with puff paint!


Happy Birthday, my love! I hope you know how much I love you and how thankful I am for you!

Best Day Ever...



**I changed the title of this post from worst day ever to best day ever after thinking all day today about how God had His hand on Madeline. It very well could have been the worst day ever, but He protected us. I am so very thankful for His protection over Madeline**

That would be yesterday. Seriously one of the very worst days of my entire life. Terry came home for lunch and Madeline was playing with him on the futon. Nothing new there...she loves playing on furniture. I realize this is dangerous but we are always all over her...well, almost always. She was getting close to the edge and I was setting up a pack and play for another child right in front of where she was on the futon. She stood up and before I could get to her, she fell straight back onto the floor and landed on a plug. Like an AC adapter type plug -- the thick wide kind. She cried at first and I picked her up within a second. She threw her head back and was doing what I thought was the silent cry. I lifted her up to blow on her to get her to breathe (mind this is all happening much faster than it sounds when I am writing it out). When I lifted her up, I was horrified to see her eyes rolled back in her head and my sweet baby unconscious. I have never been more terrified in my life. I handed her to Terry and ran to call 911. The paramedics arrived and by the time they got here, which seemed like 2 hours later, but was probably within 5 minutes, she was crying. They checked her out and said she seemed ok and that the ER probably would just watch her and not really do much for her.  Following their advice, I decided to just keep an eye on her and stay home. I did call her pediatrician but they said just to watch her neurological signs closely.

So that's what I did but when I gave her a bottle and she laid back to drink it, she screamed bloody murder. So I called the doctor on call who said the paramedics should have brought her in and she needed a scan to be sure there was no fracture or bleeding. So off we went to the ER. The left side of Madeline's head was what I can only describe as mushy. They took and x-ray and thank God there was no fracture and no signs of internal bleeding. They sent us home with instructions to watch her closely.

So last night I was still a little panicked by the way her head felt and I called the ER again. (We all know I am a little crazy to begin with when it comes to Madeline so you shouldn't expect any different, especially since she got hurt ;) ) The radiologist assured me the x-ray was normal even on the left side. Then I spoke to a PA who told me the reason her head feels so soft is because their heads are so much more vascular than ours. So my poor baby had her first concussion at less than 9 months old. I cried every time I looked at her  yesterday. It felt like the day we brought her home from the hospital and I just cried nonstop.  I had some terrible dreams during the little sleep I got last night but Madeline woke up happy this morning.

My sweet friend Stephanie came by to cheer us up and brought Madeline this caterpillar. I am so thankful for her friendship. Life can change in a second, and I am so thankful that God had His hand on Madeline. I am thankful for Terry who never ceases to amaze me by how calm he stays when crazy things happen.

As you can see, Madeline is already back to her happy self...thinking it will take me a little longer to recover!


 I know this picture is terrible but Madeline gets SO excited about this caterpillar -- she bounces up and down, flailing her arms up and down with her body! It is so cute!!!

I just can't get enough of this sweet face!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Depressed

The weather here is getting a tiny bit cooler and in the mornings has even been a little cold. Okay, not Maryland or Virginia cold, but anything below 90 feels cold here. Well, Madeline has nothing for cold or even cooler weather. I decided I better go shopping and get her a few things for cooler weather. I really hate shopping for her :) but I drug myself out of the house tonight and went anyway! I went to the baby section in The Children's Place and the nice sales lady looked at Madeline and said, "oh you may need to shop in the purple section. That's where the 12 months and up clothing is!" I almost had a melt down in the store. I can't believe  she is out of the newborn stuff and off to infant/toddler clothing. Tonight I just want to get her out of her crib, squeeze her tight, and stop time for a while.




Side note, my depression was made a little better by finding some super cute Halloween shirts for her!  

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Wine-O

I do not consider myself a drinker or partier by any means but I do LOVE a glass of wine occassionally. I love wineries and vineyards and visiting Napa Valley is on my top 5 places I would love to travel. There is an Air Force base just north of Napa Valley where we could potentially get stationed when we leave here. Mind you, Terry's job isn't just at any base. So I thought this conversation was funny and had to write it down -- it makes me sound a little like a lush but I promise that's not the case!

Terry: Would you want to go back to Ft Meade (the base where we were before TX) when we leave here? SSgt so-and-so requested it and got it no problem.

Me: I was kind of hoping to go to Beale (the base in California)

Terry: Really? Why?

Me: It's so close to Napa Valley and I am dying to go there.

Terry: So you would move to liberal California literally across the country from family to be close to Napa Valley?

Me: Yes

But before you judge me harshly...check this out! You will want to visit us! :)






Side note we aren't going anywhere for at least 3 years but we like to talk about things that we can't control, dont matter at the time, and give us things to unncessarily worry about!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Unfaithful

That's the only word I know to describe my actions since college football started over two weeks ago. You see, Alabama football is one of the top loves in my life, and never have I been so unfaithful to them.




You see I am related to our starting running back...Trent Richardson. He is an amazing athlete and there is already a lot of buzz about him getting the Heisman trophy this year. I am excited to see what he's gonna do since he's been in Mark Ingram's shadow for 2 years. Don't get me wrong, I loved Mark Ingram...but he left us for the NFL so I'm moving on! Here's Trent...and his jersey so you can see we are related! ;)




Ok, so he isn't Terry's cousin like I joke that he is, but he still has a great last name, and he is a phenomenal athlete!


The first game of the season we played Kent State, and it was a major blowout. I fell asleep watched the game but it was extremely boring and I was VERY tired uneventful. Then last weekend was Terry's birthday and I didn't even have time to turn the TV on. BUT this weekend we play North Texas which is sure to be another huge blowout an exciting game, and I WILL be watching even though I'm pretty sure it comes on ESPN3 which is via the Internet. I have seen the err of my ways, and will be a dedicated fan the rest of the season...no matter how tired I am or how much homework I have! Roll Tide!!!