Happy New Year!!

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So you HABLA my ENGLASE?!

Our computer basically crashed yesterday, which is why i haven't been able to blog lately. I'm not sure what happened, but it just died. Thank god for the helpful man at Dell. Not the man from Indonesia or China or India that can't speak english, yet still think they can help us lowly Americans that can't speak your language and have to say "HUH" and "WHAT" after everything you say, but the man we managed to get that actually spoke english! He was very helpful and nice, and helped us computer illiterate folk get our computer back to it's previously running state. Thank you Dell man, for giving me my blog back, and my computer friends that i would inevitably be lost without. Thank you Dell man, for bringing back my pictures and files, even though i was finally smart enough to save them on back-up discs (since this computer crashing thing seems to happen to us qiute often). Thank you Dell man, for not frustrating my husband this morning, as he isn't always a morning person. And thank you Dell man, for HABLA-ing my ENGLASE!

Our Christmas, the recap version...

So this being Mady's first Christmas, i was very worried how it would go. Would it be memorable, or would it be a nightmare? Only time would tell, and i'm not a big fan of patience. It all started with Christmas Eve. We had our traditional Viglia dinner at my Aunt's house. A wonderful meal with wonderful people, who could ask for more?! I have to say that Mady enjoyed herself, so much in fact that she pooped! That's one of those things that makes her smile, largely. Our next big feet was getting her to sleep and keeping ourselves awake to make it to midnight mass. Our church is the only church in the area that has it's midnight mass ACTUALLY at midnight. Imagine that. As always, mass was beautiful. I love the spirit during midnight mass. The people that are there are there because they WANT to be, not because they feel they have some "obligation" to be there...it's quite refreshing. And the singing isn't just by the choir, but by the whole church of people. It really is a celebration, and not just another mass.

Then came Christmas Day. This was to be my biggest task ever. Dare i say, bigger than giving birth? Possibly. Let's say it's in that same category...the "first time" category. I was making 2 dinners in one day. That's right, i said 2. I was making a full dinner at 12 for my in-laws, and another full dinner at 530 for my family. I know you're wondering, "what's wrong with you?! Why would you want to do that?!" I actually volunteered to do it! I wanted to! And if i have to say so myself, i think i did a wonderful job. I successfully made my first turkey, my first ham that feeds more than just Frank and I, and my first batch of homemade stuffing...and we didn't have to go to McDonalds!! Surprisingly enough, i can't wait to do it again!

My first turkey ever!

Here is all the food...cooked and edible!


As for Mady, she just saw it as another day, which i figured she would. But Frank and I had a great time for her. Everyone was more than generous, and now she has enough clothes to wear a new outfit everyday for a year, lol. Everything was beautiful, and we want to say thank you to everyone for everything you got her, we truly appreciate it. Frank and I also bought her a jumperoo. We tried to put her in it once on Christmas Day, and she was having none of it. But we put her in it the next day and she seemed to like it. She is still a bit small for it, and we have to put pillows (or boxes, or whatever is handy) under her feet so she can reach the ground to push, but it still works. She also got lots of toys that make noises and sounds and such, and lots of books so we can expand her vocabulary and have her talking up a storm by 9 months, lol.

Mady in her jumperoo..she really IS having fun, i swear

Our Christmas was wonderful, and we hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!

Re-post of our Christmas dance

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Santa Claus is coming to town...

Would you believe this is our typical Christmas morning?!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

From our family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas. May it be filled with all the happiness you deserve.
All our love,
Frank, Stacey, Madylinn, Ecko and Dakota

Giggle bug

So it's official...yesterday when Frank and I were playing with Mady, she giggled. It wasn't the half laugh thing she was doing before, where she would try to laugh and just end up coughing. This was a full fledged, all out, cute as heck laugh. It was so amazing! Unfortunately, she hasn't done it since, but now we know she can do it when she's really happy. Hopefully i'll have the video camera on and ready to go when she does it again, but she is very camera shy. When she sees a camera of any kind, she stops smiling, stops giggling, stops moving all together and just stares..that or cries.

This is Mady's first Christmas outfit. This is her "Who needs Santa when i have Grandma" onesie, complete with red pants to keep her chubby little legs warm. Don't you just want to eat her up, lol.

A star is born...in Bethlehem!

This was right before her big debut

So last night was Mady's debut as an actress...or should i say actor? She played the baby Jesus in the christmas play at our church. She was really iffy there for a while, i wasn't sure she was going to make it. She was asleep when we got there, and with all the people around, she woke up to say hi. Well, she was ok for about 10 minutes, and then it all started to go downhill. She screamed...not just screamed, but wailed! She cried so hard she had the sniffles all through the play. It took the whole time before the play started to calm her down. I wasn't about to take any chances by passing her off to anyone in my family, as i knew she would immediately start screaming again, and i didn't think i could get her to stop again. So i held her, and rocked her until she fell asleep. It was dark and there was singing, so she was pretty happy. I was rocking the baby in one arm and trying to take pictures with the other, but i did manage to take a great deal of pictures. We waited for our cue, the angels assending on the manger, and then we were supposed to leave. I had to get her up and out of the church, and we had to speed around the side of the church and in the back side door where i would sneek onto the "stage" and pass her off to Mary and Joseph. This was where i got worried. Not because i was passing my baby off, but because i didn't want her to cry. She babbled to her onscreen parents for a few minutes, then they put her in the manger. It wasn't really a manger, it was really her carseat surrounded by manger like things, but it looked real. Once they got her down, she was surprisingly good. She laid there and looked around at the people and lights. Then, the angels around her starting singing, and i could tell she was going to be ok...she loves singing! Joseph held her hand while she wiggled and made herself known as the LIVING baby Jesus and not just a prop doll. By the time the play was over, she was a natural, and she was in heaven. Mary and Joseph were great actors and they took such good care of our little baby Jesus. I think it was divine intervention that kept her from crying, but i'll take it. The play was truly amazing, and it was a great story. All the actors were wonderful, and you could tell they put a lot of work into it. I'm so glad that Mady got to be a part of it, it's something i'm sure Frank and I will always remember, and we have it on tape so she'll be able to have it forever too.

Here is Mady, i mean baby Jesus, and her OTHER parents, Mary and Joseph

Here we all are, Mady and her on and off screen parents

Three-fold...

This weekend was an exciting and crazy time for us. It all started with Friday. Frank has finally gotten laid off from his job. I know what you're thinking...Who WANTS to get laid off from their job right now, in this economy, right around Christmas? The answer, my friends, is Frank. It's not like he's totally unemployed. He's part of a union, and all he has to do is call the hall and they will find him work, most likely by monday. But he wants to have some time off to spend with his daughter around the holidays. Plus, his friend is most likely going to get him into the job over at the Geisinger hospital, which is great because it's so much closer than what he's been doing. So anyway, back to our weekend. Frank was off on friday, and school ended up being closed for me too, so we spent the day having a pajama party with the baby. We watched movies and did, seriously, nothing, all day long! It was great! I'm sure there was something i should have been doing, cleaning, cooking, baking, something. I didn't even bother to think about it until 8pm. That's when i decided to bake cookies. I know i know, that late at night...but i was eating all the raw dough in the refridgerator, i thought it was about time. So i made 3 tins worth of chocolate chip cookies, and let me tell you that they are good (this is me, patting myself on the back).

The saturday came along. We decided to venture to the mall to try to finish our holiday shopping. That was a big mistake. We weren't the only ones with that idea. There were about 100,000 people with that idea as well. For those of you that know the area, we were stuck on the beginning of the bridge between sunbury and the strip for at least 30min, and it was all traffic related, no accidents or weather factors, just lots and lots of people. We were in traffic so long that we decided we wanted to eat before we got to the mall. After we ate, we began our journey into the hell that is last minute shopping. The mall was packed with people, all of which were in the same boat as us...not done shopping and no idea what to buy. We spent about 6 hours in the mall and we're STILL not done! Our first duty at the mall was to get Mady's ears pierced. I knew this was going to be difficult...for me, not for her. That's what Frank was there for, to hold her when she cried. She did cry. But it was only short lived, as 5 min later she was asleep. Her new earrings are so cute though! I'm so glad that we got it done. We also ended up with another wonderful surprise. We were walking through the mall and Frank was carrying Mady. This man walks up to us and hands us an envelope and says "Merry Christmas from the Susquehanna Valley Mall!", and walks away. Of course, Frank thought it would just be a scratch off ticket or something, but i thought it could be more. We opened the card and, to our surprise, it was a $25 gift card! Wow! That was just crazy! We of course realized that the only reason we got this was because of Mady, so we went to the Gymborree store and bought her some stuff with it, lol. It was definately unexpected, and a wonderful holiday surprise.

Now today is Mady's acting debut. She doesn't have any words, no lines, no nothing. All she has to do is sit there and look cute, let someone pick her up and talk, and then sit back down and look cute. My baby is the baby Jesus tonight in the Christmas play at our church! Let's all just say a prayer that she doesn't scream at all. The organizer jinxed us i think. He told me that he hasn't had a baby jesus cry to date. Let's see how long it takes for my baby to prove him wrong. Check back tomorrow for an update.

Tag, i'm it!

So i was tagged in a blog to do this Christmas survey thing. I have a few minutes now, and i wasn't sure what i was going to say today anyways, so here goes.

1. What is your favorite Christmas Movie?
This is a tough one, as i love many movies around this time of year. There are the recent ones, like Elf and Christmas with the Kranks, and there are the traditional favorites like National Lampoons Christmas, a Christmas Story and Miracle on 34th St...but i'm going to have to say that my favorite movie this time of year is How the Grinch stole Christmas (either version, the cartoon or the Jim Carrey one). I just love how he is so miserable at first, and then how he realizes the true meaning of Christmas.

2. Favorite Christmas Song?
My favorite Christmas song is "All i want for Christmas is you" by Mariah Carey. I just think it's very appropriate, especially now with my wonderful husband and my perfect daughter :)

3. Favorite Holiday Memory?
I have lots of favorite memories from when i was younger, from decorating the trees with my family to baking cookies and just spending time with them. They were wonderful times that i'll never forget, but i'm sure my favorite memories are yet to come, especially since i have my own little family now.

4. What is your favorite cookie/treat to make?
My favorite cookies to make are traditional chocolate chip ones, they are so yummy! But my favorite cookies to eat are my moms pecan tea biscuits. They are, by far, the best cookies ever. Everyone i've ever given them to agrees with me to!

5. Have you ever made an igloo?
It wasn't an ACTUAL igloo, but it was what i considered one. It was really more like a snow fort in my grandparents backyard (which is now MY backyard), but it was totally made of snow and i could sit in it, so it was my own little igloo.

6. Do you love Starbucks?
No. I'm not a coffee person, so coffee places don't interest me. I do, however, love french vanilla coolata's from Dunkin Donuts.

7. What makes the perfect Snowman? It can't be a powdery snow, it has to be a wet snow that is a little heavy, so that it all sticks together. If it's wet enough, you can make a little snowball, then just roll it on the ground in a line and it gets bigger and bigger. Voila! Perfect snowman. But there has to be enough snow to make a snowman family so they aren't alone.

8. Maids a-milking...funny story...i was at work just the other day and we were talking about this song. We could remember all the things that were in the song, but once we got to number 9, 10, 11 and 12, we couldn't remember what order they went in. We refused to look it up on the computer, so it took us forever to figure it out on our own...but we finally did! That is basically what i do at work, isn't that great?!

9. Best gift you have ever received?
I am truly appreciative of all the presents that i've received over the years, my family has truly spoiled me and i'll be forever greatful for all their generosity..but despite all of that, i have to say that my favorite gift ever was my engagement ring. It's a symbol of the day that my best friend wanted to spend the rest of his life with me (and for those of you who know me, you know that isn't an easy task to take on).

10. What is the snowman's name on Rudolph?
Sam the snowman, who was voiced by Burt Ives!

11.Silver or Gold?
It doesn't much matter to me, sadly enough

12. What is your favorite Christmas decoration?
My favorite thing is the angel that i have for my tree. It was my Grandmothers. It's a bit old, and a bit worn, and maybe a bit out-dated, but i love it none the less. I always remember seeing it on the tree, and now i'm proud to say that it has a home on my treetop every year. Love you Grammy.

13. What's your Christmas decorating style?
I don't know that I have a particular Christmas decorating style. I'm not into that monochromatic Christmas tree look. I hate white lights. I like to colored ones. My husband would be perfectly happy with white lights on the house and on the tree, but not me. I want colors galore, and i want homemade or personal ornaments. I guess that's just who i am.

14. Do you hang stockings?
We do, but we don't have a fireplace to hang them on...yet. We hang them on the banister going up the steps. We still need to get Mady one though.

15. How many days do you celebrate Christmas?
I hate people who start before Thanksgiving. That's just wrong, knock it off people! Black Friday is early enough for me.

16. What was your favorite ornament on the tree as a child?
I don't think i really had a favorite one in particular. Like i said above, i always loved the angel and the tree toppers that my mom had, but all the ornaments were nice in their own ways.

17. Where will you be spending this Christmas?
For the first time ever, i will be making Christmas dinner at my house. Everyone is invited here, so come one come all!

18. When you do open presents?
Depends on who's family you're talking about. We usually have it all spread out and we open gifts whenever we make it to someones house. But this year it will all be here since they are all coming to us...hooray!

19. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
My favorite tradition is Christmas Eve dinner at my Aunt's house, and then midnight mass. We started this tradition in 1995, which was the last year my Gram was alive. It made her so happy to see us all together and happy, that i think it's just fitting that we always do it no matter what. It's a great way to look back and remember her and think what she has done for this family. And i love midnight mass. The church is lit up so nicely, and everyone there is there because they want to be, not because they feel they have to be in order to get into heaven. We sing wonderful carols and it's just such a great experience.

20.What do you have for Christmas dinner?
My side of the family always has turkey and all the trimmings, while Franks side of the family has ham and mashed potatoes and filling and corn...It's neat to see how people do things differently.

21. My question: Do you go Black Friday shopping?


Now, when i tag you, you are supposed to add this to your blog and answer all the questions honestly. Then, at the end, you should add your own question and tag other people to do this as well. I am going to tag Colleen (because like me, i know you have ALL this time to do this survery...plus i love your answers). Have fun :)

Where is the snow?

I can already tell that some of you are mad at me, just from you reading the title of this post. But don't be mad, i'm only saying it for purely selfish reasons. I want school to be canceled so i can spend more time with my baby! It doesn't have to be BAD snow, just enough so i don't have to go to work. Where is this HORRIBLE winter that everyone predicted? I thought we were supposed to have the worst winter in years and years. I laugh at that now.

Yesterday school let out 2 hours early, so i had more time with my baby since i didn't have to go to work. I still had to take her to daycare though, since school didn't let out until late and i still was paying for it. I used that time to run around town and the plaza across from WalMart and get some more xmas shopping done. I still have more shopping to do, but who knows when i'll get that all done now. I am hoping online shopping and express delivery will work this year.

Like mommy, like Mady...

I have officially decided that Mady is more like me than i thought. My best example is one that everyone who has ever met her has noticed on their own, and some people chose to comment on. This would be her clothes. We are facing a certain dilemma when it comes to what she wears. It isn't the normal "what do i wear" question that most girls/women face, it's the "what fits me" question, that surprisingly some women still face when looking at their clothes. With Mady its the same, what fits her. The 0-3 month clothes fit her in the legs and arms, but she needs newborn clothes to fit her short torso. She is just like her mommy, and someday she will need "long" pants to fit her long long legs. So we're reduced to wearing either 0-3 onesies that are super baggy in the crotch area, or newborn clothes that squish her poor little legs. I have bought a few newborn onesies with the long arms and no legs, and i buy 0-3 pants seperately for her...the only problem with that is that the 0-3 pants are too big in her waist, so they fall down. Oh, the problems of an infant. lol.

Mady's 2 month birthday video

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It's alive, it's ALIVE!

So i finally found some time to decorate our monster tree. Everything at my school was canceled last night, so i managed to get home around 530-6pm. This left me plenty of time to decorate our tree. Mady finally fell asleep around 6pm (she didn't sleep all day long, so it was overdue time for her nap), so Frank helped me with the lights and the ornaments. It took us quite a while to get the tree done, but i'm very happy with how it turned out. Other than his occasional "There's an empty spot here, i need a ball" or "You can't really see the lights on the outside of the tree over here" or my ever favorite "Are you going to do it that way?"...no, i just thought i would start out like this and wait until you said something so i could rip it all down and start again YOUR way! This is why straight men aren't decorators, they just don't understand how things are done.

I did, however, come to a conclusion. I like my ornaments better than i like the balls. They just have so much more meaning, and they are each so unique and individual. I can't wait until Mady is older and we can make our own ornaments and things to decorate the tree with, it will be so much fun! Every time i put the ornaments on the tree, i get to think back to when i got those ornaments, or a great memory from that specific year. I can't wait to be able to pass these things along to my daughter...the special ornaments, the memories, and decorations of her own that she can treasure. Man, i'm turning sappy now that i have a baby.

Boo boo legs...

So Mady had her 2 month doctor's appointment yesterday. I knew it was going to be a rough day when i woke up at 7am and realized how much stuff i had to do, and still get her to the doctors by 930am. Then i noticed it was raining outside, and not just raining but pouring. The rain always makes traveling harder, and now it's even worse with an infant. So we were up and moving and out the door by 910, and of course we were a bit late (that's just who i am), but they didnt mind because of the weather.

At the doctor's office, they weighed and measured her. I was expecting her to be longer, since i can feel that and see it in how her outfits fit her now. I knew she would have to be heavier too, i just couldn't tell by how much since i hold her everyday. Well, she is now 22 1/4 inches long (which is up almost a full inch since the last visit), and she is 8lbs 14oz (which is up 15oz since last visit). My lil oinker! I didn't realize she was up that much, but she is still in the 45 percentile, which is very good.

Mady's 1 month pic with tigger

And the doctor told me she was healthy and beautiful (which i already knew, lol). Then it was the time i was dreading...shot time. I wasn't sure i could handle it at first, and i thought i would cry more than her, but i did really well...lollipop for me! Mady on the other hand, cried like she was being shot at first. But they gave her three shots, 2 in the left leg and 1 in the right, and then i picked her up and she stopped crying. Thank goodness. She was such a trooper, i'll have to remind myself to give her a lollipop in a few years for this one...i'll keep an ongoing tally. I'm sure we'll hit double digits before she starts solid foods. That will be the day (or days) she goes to her grandparents houses.

Mady's boo-boo legs

I bought her some baby tylenol and i gave her some right away, as the doctor told me to in case she would get a fever or other reaction. She did pretty well She slept for about 30min when we got home, which is good for her. She didn't really have a problem with her boo-boos until it was time to take the band-aids off. That always hurts, even me, so i wasn't surprised that she cried a bit, but that was only short lived as well. Daddy did that, but once he was done she was back to smiling at him.

Now we have to learn how we're going to get through ear piercing.

So i saw this on Megan's blog, and i decided to do it on my blog as well.

RULES: There are 100 statements and you bold the ones you have done. Grab it and play for yourself!!
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Finished a NY Times crossword puzzle
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept in an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (solar)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Fullfilled a lifelong dream
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Taken yoga
65. Ridden a train
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten cavier.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chicken pox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

56...well, i guess it's not that bad! I can't wait to do some of the thing on that list though

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well, we're well on our way to being decorated finally. I spent a great deal of time this weekend decorating the house. I was freezing cold, but i stayed outside anyways to hang the lights and garland. Unfortunately, i forgot to test all the lights before i hung them, and now we have a few lights here and there that don't quite work. I'm hoping that Frank can figure it out and make them work, and i don't have to tear it all down and re-do it. Every year i put more and more outside, and i'm happier and happier with it. I really don't want to have to tear it all down to fix a few lights and then have to put it all back up again.

Yup, thats Frank cutting the tree down!

And here i am with my "work" tree

We also got our tree this weekend. We made our annual hike over to Snyders tree farm, and searced and searched through the rows of trees until we found the most perfect one. We then took the trusty saw that they give you to use, and we cut that bad boy down. Our friend Mark was there with his wife Sally, and they helped us drag the tree down to the main building. There, they shake the tree quite violently and bundle it up for you. We then strapped that baby to the top of the Yukon and brought it home. This is where the fun began. We had an idea of where we wanted the tree, but we decided to wait until we actually HAD the tree to move any furniture so we knew how much space we really needed. We spent a good 30min arguing over how we were going to fit the tree and all the furniture into the computer room. Well, we finally got all the furniture set, and the tree in. We unbundled the tree, and it took up about half of our computer room! At least it's a nice tree. Now i just have to find time to decorate it. How does a new mom go about finding that time?

Mady, posing with the baby tree

Parenting styles...

There is this one lady at our daycare that is really pushing on my last nerve. Let me refresh everyone's memory. At this daycare, you need to tell them the previous week what your schedule will be for the next week. So the week before i took Mady to daycare for the first time, i went in to give them our schedule. I kindly explained to them that my daughter is a "loving" child, and enjoys being held, and that she is so used to being held most of the time that there is a good chance she will cry if she ISN"T being held. They told me this wasn't a big deal because there was only 1 other infant at the time, and all the rest were either almost a year or over that, and that the ladies LOVED to hold the babies. This made me very happy. Well, i took her that first week, and mind you she is only there about 2 1/2-3 hours max. When Frank picked her up the second day, the one lady proceeded to tell him that we should leave a bottle there with Mady. Well, we feed Mady on a schedule, and she doesn't eat while she is at daycare...i feed and change her litterally immediately before i drop her off. Well, he told the lady that, and she said that they wanted the bottle "just in case Frank was going to be very late and mady would need to eat". Ok, i thought, that might be a good reason, so i packed the bottle. Well, I come to find out that on Wednesday of this week that they fed her the bottle, after i told them not to HOW many times! Well, i was pissed, of course. I didn't pack a bottle for thursday then, so they would not be able to go against my wishes again. When Frank went to get her, the lady practically yelled at him, telling him that she had requested a bottle for Mady before and that we should continue to pack it for her. He then explained to her that we had told them numerous times that she is not to eat while she is there, and that she was fed the other day and we didn't appreciate it. Well, now you have to hear this, you may want to sit down. The lady tells him that she is too fussy sometimes, and that when other parents come to get their kids and Mady is in the swing and is screaming, that the other parents look at her like she is not a good caregiver. WELL DUH LADY!! I told you from the begining that she liked to be held and she would scream until you held her sometimes. And i don't think another parent would mind if you were holding an INFANT while their 2 year old is playing with toys. If i would have been there i think i would have killed that lady right there! I mean, it's bad enough that i work so hard to get and keep my child on a schedule that works for us as well as her, and she is trying to impose HER parenting styles on my child and in turn ruin what i've worked so hard to establish...but now you're going to tell me i have a bad child?!?! And the kicker is, she won't tell me when i drop Mady off, she will only tell my husband when he picks her up. What, does she already KNOW that i will tell her what i think and make her wish she was never born? And does she think Frank is a pushover?! This lady really is pushing on my last nerve. My child is an angel. Yes, she likes to be held a lot, and she does scream sometimes when she is not being held, but she likes to feel secure and loved...and that security is going to help her build trust and self-confidence for the future, so she'll be a better child/adult. Who is that lady to try to undermine that?! I'm going to have to have a talk with this lady.

Feeling, well, eh...

So i know i'm sick, that's one thing for sure, but how bad is the question. I don't feel as bad as i usually do when i get sick. Maybe it's because i caught it early and started doing something about it, maybe it's because i don't really have time during the day to think about it. Either way, i'm hoping it goes away quickly. It's really hard to take care of a baby when you don't even want to get near her for fear of getting her sick. I'm at the stuffy nose phase, so i'm hoping a few decongestants for the rest of the week and i'll be as good as new...hopefully.

The eventful, and sometimes not...

Yesterday started out as a typical day for us here, except for the fact that Mady thought it "funny" to wake up at 645am with her hands free and scream until i woke up with her and took her downstairs to hold her. Of course, the little bugger fell asleep in my arms not 5 minutes after we got downstairs, leaving me awake by myself, and very tired. Well, i've learned a trick of two in the past few days...we have an over the shoulder carrier that Frank's mom bought us for the shower, and i decided to break it out a few days ago and use it with her. Frank insisted she was still too little, but i did what i wanted anyway (Love you dear!). After she fell asleep, i carefully manuevered her up out of my arms and into the carrier that i had ever so carefully put on while i was holding her sleeping (i am such a great multitasker now, i even scare myself). With Mady secure in the carrier, i went about my morning routine...i had a bowl of cereal, i mixed her bottle, i brushed my teeth, it was nice! Then when she woke up i fed her. After about 2 hours of playing and talking to her, she decided to take a well deserved nap, which i would have loved too by the way. I thought i would use my time wisely, so i put her in her crib and took my shower. Of course, by the time i was done, she was aware that she wasn't in my arms and she was alone in her room and she had started crying. Once i got her and put her on some pillows on my bed where she could watch me the whole time, she was fine. I got dressed and we proceeded on our way to town to run errands. When we got home, again the carrier came in handy. I put Mady in it and proceeded to start dinner and make her bottle. Thank God for that carrier, or i would never get things done i think.

My day got even more eventful when i got to work. It must have been about 615pm when one of the wrestlers had an asthma attack. This was not your ordinary attack mind you, this was the attack from hell...unlike any i've ever seen before. I kid you not, he laid on the floor gasping like a fish out of water for 45min until it started to sound even remotely better. He had taken his inhaler twice, so it wasn't a good idea to take it again. There wasn't really anything for me to do except to try to regulate his breathing with him and "coach" him through it. Apparently, this has happened to him quite a few times at his other school. By the time it was completely over, it was 90min later, and by then his hands and feet were completly locked up and numb from lack of oxygen. After 2 hours, he was ready to go back in the mat room. I've never experienced an asthma attack myself, but that just looked awful. There was a few times i thought i was going to need to call 911 and start CPR because he totally stopped breathing. Thank God we got through it without that happening.

And to top my day off, my throat is a bit scratchy...i have started drinking orange juice and hot tea with honey, and taking medicine now to hopefully thrawt off any impending cold. With me being the only one home with Mady all morning and into the afternoon, getting sick would be very very not good.

Too little for xmas...

So i've decided that Mady really IS too young for Christmas. I wasn't quite sure, but i am now. She won't know if she has 1 or 31 presents under the tree this year. This fact has given me some peace of mind though. I have bought a few "newborn" sized things for her, and i was afraid she wouldn't fit into them in 24 days...but now that i have come to accept that she won't know the difference, i'm just going to wash the stuff and give it to her now. I also bought a few bigger things that i'm going to wrap up and put under the tree, along with the jumperoo that we bought her, and that will make it look nice. And i will be able to take pictures of it all and show her, and she will still be able to wear all the newborn stuff i've bought for her before she outgrows it all. I love sales~!

Heavier blankets...

So Mady had daycare again yesterday. It wasn't as bad for ME as it was on monday. I didn't cry this time, so that's a good thing. And of course, she was an angel. But the daycare is kinda getting on my nerves a bit. When Frank picked her up on monday, they told him to pretty much tell me to put a bottle in her diaper bag for them. Now, i don't want them feeding her because she eats right before she goes, and she doesn't eat again until Frank picks her up because her next meal is at 5pm. Well, i thought, i won't argue, i'll just put the bottle in there and i'll make sure to tell them NOT to feed her. Ok, so that went ok...then Frank picks her up yesterday and they ask him if he would like to take her home in their blanket, since she was already wrapped in it. I think they were trying to tell us that the blanket that she's already wrapped in isn't warm enough. Personally, i think it was plenty warm to get from the warm building to the warm car, which was litterally 5 steps away, and then into the house. I'm not sure if i should be offended, like they're calling me a bad mom or what. I don't think there was anything wrong with her blanket! Frank told me to not worry about it, and to just pack the heavier blanket, and that it's not a big deal. Easier said than done.

I guess it wasn't so bad...

Yesterday was my first day back at work since having Madylinn. I had a list of things to try to get done in the morning before i left. I never realized how much i had to do until i had to try to cram it all into a morning! I managed to get everything done though, and i fed Mady one last time before i left. I dropped her off, and i could only stay a little bit...when i left i started crying. I'm not really sure why. I knew she was only going to be there for 3 hours, and i knew they were very capable of taking really good care of her, and she was safe and all, but i still felt like i was abandoning her. She was really good for them though, as i knew she would be. I just don't know how working mothers do it, especially the ones that work the same shift as the father and have to leave their babies there from 7am to 5pm...i couldn't do that. Thank god my job is the way it is.

Go Red!

Our weekend was fairly uneventful. I used to hate to say that, it made me feel so boring and like i wasted days. Now having Mady, uneventful is the best thing in a way.

Friday was probably our most eventful day of the whole weekend. We hit an important milestone...Mady's first smile. It was her first REAL smile too, not just a gassy fake one. I was checking my email with Mady on my lap, and i was making faces at her like usual (she likes to watch me make faces and then try to make them back). She was making noises, and then there it was! A big grin just for mommy. Of course i didn't believe that it happened for real, so i had to try to do it again to see if it was real, and there it was again! So i had to rush for the camera at that point and hope that she would do it again, at least one more time, so i could prove it to everyone that i wasn't just seeing things. And sure enough, she did it a few more times, so i got some nice pics of her first REAL smile :)

Also on Friday, Frank's dad and step mom came over to watch Madylinn for a few hours while we went down to the Mount Carmel football game. It was really really cold out, so she had to stay home. There was a point at the game where i wished i was home with her in the warmth. But it was nice to be out with other adults, having adult conversations, not talking about poop, and still know that Mady wasn't far away and she was very well taken care of.

Saturday was pretty boring. We did our grocery shopping today so we wouldn't have to rush around on Sunday trying to get that AND everything else done. Mady enjoys grocery shopping. She pretty much sleeps the whole time.

Sunday was a regular sunday for us as well. We went to church, ate lunch and then watched football all day. Frank's mom and Marv came over for a bit to see Madylinn. She slept most of the day, which is rare for her, but at least she was happy. I think she might be catching a cold, she has a bit of a stuffy nose. I'm not sure if i should call the doctor or just ride it out a bit and see if it goes away.

A few days late...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Better and better...

Last night was a bath night for Mady. For a while there she absolutely hated baths! At first it was because they were sponge baths, since she couldn't be in the tub with her umbilical stump. Then, when we finally got her in the tub, she hated it because she was pretty much suspended over the water and was just being splashed, so i think she was cold. So the past 2 baths, i made an executive decision...i decided to take her off the newborn sling thing and put her right in her baby tub. Of course, i hold her up so she doesn't fall in the tub and drown, but she sits pretty well on her own. She has really taken to this. She doesn't cry near as much, only when we lift her a bit out of the tub to wash her back or the back of her hair. She just kinda sits there...i'm trying to teach her to splash around, but i think that's a ways away yet. At least we've cleared the "screaming your guts out until you are red in the face and can't breath" hurdle.

Madylinn also likes to stare at the ceiling fan in the computer room, or at least in that area. I'm not sure what she sees, but i know she isn't just staring randomly. Yesterday i noticed her staring when i was standing by the rocker, so i decided to test my theory and see if it was coincidence or what. I started walking toward the dining room, and she stayed staring at the ceiling fan, like there was something (or someone) there. I'm convinced it's not just random, and she's looking at someone or something that is there. I keep telling her it's her guardian angle, and to tell them she loves them. She just coos when i say that. It's really cute to see!

She has also taken to her swing. Sometimes she really just wants to be in my arms and she won't take no for an answer, but sometimes she will relax in her swing for about 15-30min. It's very refreshing, as i can get dressed or eat lunch in that time and i don't have to be holding her. I just have to have the rock on a higher level. She just looks around and stares. I have to make sure she's strapped in all the time though, she is definately a wiggler. Everyone watch out when she learns to crawl...which i don't think will be much longer with the way she moves and groves.

A real snow...

Yesterday was the first day that it really snowed here. There was actual snow accumulated on the ground, and it was pretty slick. Thank goodness Mady and I were done running around and were home by then. Frank, on the other hand, was on his way home from work. The way he tells it, he greatly underestimated the slickness of the roads. He saw an accident and wondered to himself "why did they wreck?", and then just beyond that, he hit a patch of ice and slid a bit. Then he was most of the way home and he saw a much worse accident where the people were still stuck in the car when he went past, which made him very nervous. Well, he was about 1 mile from home, at the top of the mountain, and he hit some ice and spun sideways into the other lane. Thank god there was no traffic coming the other way, and thank god he got control before he started down the hill again or he would have been in trouble. Needless to say, we weren't allowed to leave the house all night.
On another note, Frank is feeling a bit better. Gotta keep taking the meds.

He's a "strep"ing young man...

Well, Frank went to the doctor yesterday, and he has a mild case of strep throat. The doctor gave him a prescrition, but told him he didn't have to take it. Of course, i told him he did. This way it will go away as soon as possible. The good news of all of this is that the doctor said the chance's of Mady getting it were slim unless he gets saliva in her mouth, which isn't likely.

Yesterday i took Ecko for a run. I was going to go for a long run by myself, but Frank insisted i take Ecko so he only had 1 baby to take care of while i was gone. So we ran our usual 4 mile run, and at about mile 2 1/2, i decided to add 2 more miles in the other woods. Well, we weren't 100 meters up the dirt road when out pops a huge doe and runs across the path. She got to the edge of the path, stopped and turned around and ran back across the path with another doe. Well, this thrilled Ecko to pieces! He started running after them, when out pops a huge buck with huge antlers! He almost stepped on Ecko, he was that close to him, but he took off after the does, and of course so did Ecko. Luckily for me, he came back when i called him a few times. What did he really think he was going to do with those deer, lick them till they played with him?!

A whiny weekend for all...

This weekend, overall, was whiny and somewhat miserable for us all.

Friday night i had my football game. It was the district finals. This is the third year in a row that we've been there, fighting for 1st place and a state playoff birth. This is the third year in a row we've come up short and been eliminated from the state playoffs with a second place finish. It was a hard fight, we just didn't have it in the end.

Saturday, we went to pick up the boat from the winterization place. We decided, since we were going out that way, to call Frank's dad and step mom and go out for lunch with them. We went to Quaker Steak and Lube, and Mady was really good. Then we stopped at Lowe's, and Frank started to feel "off". By the time we got the boat dropped off and we got home, Frank wasn't feeling well at all. We got changed and went to my Aunt's for game night, and Frank was feeling miserable. He had a sore throat and a slight fever. He felt good after a few beers, but by 10pm he was asleep on the couch with Mady.

Sunday, Frank didn't feel any better, so he stayed home from church. I tried to keep Madylinn away from him as much as i could, just in case he was contagious. That meant i had to do EVERYTHING, and all with a baby. I made Frank breakfast, got dressed, started the laundry, went to church, did some more laundry, went grocery shopping, made lunch, finished the laundry, made dinner, did the dishes, made his lunch for monday, remade the bed with new sheets, gave the baby a bath, got a shower and watched a bit of football...all with the baby. And that was a challenge, believe me. When i was going for groceries, Frank told me not to come home with my food because he would be hungry for it and couldn't eat it...i didn't think it would be a big deal. Well, i got to WalMart and was going to eat subway, but it was super crowded, so i decided to get the groceries first and eat afterwards. Well, as i was shopping, i came to realize that Mady wasn't happy when we stopped moving. So everytime we stopped (especially in the check out line), she would scream. Needless to say, i paid for the groceries and left so she would stop crying. I drove to Burger King to get something to eat, and i had to drive around until i was done eating because i couldn't take the food home because of Frank, and i couldn't sit and eat it anywhere because Mady would cry. Thank god by the end of the night, Mady was ready for bed, because i was exhausted enough for the both of us.

Many checks...

Yesterday, Mady and I got ready early and went out to the high school for the day. I had to be there for the winter physicals, and since everyone else works during the day, i took her with me. She napped only about half the way down, and spent the other half of the trip babbling to herself. Then she was awake most of the time at the school. She, of course, was a huge hit with the people who haven't seen her yet. That's my girl, the star of the show! We spent about 4 hours at the school, and then we came home. She, again, slept only about half the way and spent the other half of the trip babbling to herself. She is definately going to be a talker, just like her mommy. While i was at the school, i finally remembered to get my mail out of my mailbox...which means i finally remembered to bring home the papers i needed to fill out to put Mady on my insurance. Which reminds me of the other thing, we finally got her social security number in the mail. Now she is completely official, with a birth certificate and soc!

Being at the school yesterday made me a bit sad though. Don't get me wrong, i'm totally excited to go back to work because i miss the coaches and the kids and they all miss me and can't wait till i get back...but i hate the thought of leaving Mady. I know, she's at a professional daycare, and it's only for 3 hours a day (which will be good for her, learning to be around other people and babies and kids, etc), and i know they know what they are doing there and she will be totally safe and all, but it still kills me. It kinda makes me wish for a bad winter, so i have lots of snow days to spend at home with her. I know we'll have to make those days up, but if it's bad enough they won't have to make them up until spring, and my days are short in the spring so i won't mind. I wish i lived in Canada, they get 1 year paid maternity leave. That's gotta be the best ever, count me in!

Babble...

Mady has started a new thing...she likes to babble. You know what i mean, that baby talk that is just a bunch of "Oohs" and "Aahs" and "Goo-Goos", etc. She totally entertains herself for hours with that talk. I really think she likes the sound of her own voice. And she has also started talking to herself when she wakes up at night. Before, she would wake up during the night and just lay there and stare at things until she fell back asleep. Now i know when she wakes up because she starts babbling to herself, which ultimately wakes me up. It's very cute and all, don't get me wrong, i love it...just not at 1:15am. I can only imagine what it's going to be like when she can actually talk!

A day out...

Yesterday, my mom, Mady and I went to the mall together. I had to pick Frank's ring up from getting fixed, and i wanted to look around a bit, since i don't get there that often anymore. We stopped at Target and Kohl's first to look around a bit, then we went for lunch. Mady was pretty sleepy all day, which was good, because then she didn't cry in public. Then we walked around the mall for a few hours, which was really nice. It was a really fun day, and it was so nice to be out.

And a side note that probably won't make much sense to everyone, but they had mittens at Target, and they let me buy them! Finally!

1 month

Yesterday was Mady's 1 month birthday. I can't believe it's been a whole month already. Time really does fly by, it's kinda sad. She has learned to do so many things already, and i can still remember looking at her for the very first time. Now she can recognize a few voices, she can follow things with her eyes, she can babble, she can hold her head up pretty darn well, she can push up with her legs, and she can wiggle around.

Mady had her 1 month doctor's appointment yesterday too. I must admit, i was very excited to go...i was dying to know how much bigger she got and how much she weighed. I also had some general questions i wanted to ask the doctor. Well, as i suspected, she grew quite a bit. She is now 21 1/2 inches long (which means she can fit into a few of her newborn outfits, lol), and she is a whopping 7pounds 15ounces. She gained 12 ounces in 3 weeks. I'm not sure if that's good or if that's a lot. She's perfectly healthy, so i guess that's all that matters.

Here is Mady's 1 month picture. I am going to take this exact picture every month, so we can all see how much she is growing in comparison to the Tigger. I figure that's the best way to be able to notice it. Don't mind my hand, i had to hold her back against Tigger, she was slipping off the chair.

Just another weekend...

This past weekend wasn't all that exciting, and that's not always a bad thing anymore. Friday we went to town to pay bills, and we took a long walk. Then Frank called and said he wanted to go out with his boss after work, so Mady and i spent a fairly quiet night together at home.

Then Saturday i had my football game...well, not MINE per say, but my boys, Line Mountain. We left really early in the morning because we had to drive all the way up to Canton. And for those of you who don't know where that is, it's about a 2-2 1/2 hour drive from Line Mountain. We won, thank god, and it made the trip tolerable. I didn't get home until later that night, so Frank had Mady all day long. It was good father-daughter bonding time for them. Now my boys play Southern Columbia for the District 4 A title, on Friday night at 7pm @ Southern.

Then Sunday was pretty boring as well. We went to church and then we spent about 2 hours walking around WalMart. I don't even know what we were looking at or doing there for so long, but before i knew it it was getting late. We also took Mady to Pizza Hut for the first time. She'll grow to love it as much as we do, lol.

Hoo Hum...

Yesterday wasn't all that exciting of a day. We didn't do anything special. We went for a long walk, and that's about all. Sounds great, i know...that's my life now. Mady has started a new morning tradition. She likes to wake up at 7am and cry for about 15min, and then go back to bed. She cries just long enough to make sure i'm officially awake and can't go back to bed, then she goes back to bed herself and i'm up for the day. It's been 4 days now that she's doing this. I think she thinks it's funny. Ha ha ha :)

Mady's first double...

Yesterday, for the first time since she was born, Mady pooped twice in one day! I know i know, it really isn't all that great of news to be sharing, and it's not that exciting to anyone else, but to me it was really big. For a while there, she was pooping every other day, and then we started getting one a day...and now, to have two in one day, it's a big improvement. Oh the things a new mother will brag about, lol.

I also got my haircut yesterday. I rescheduled my appointment from in the morning to in the afternoon so i could leave Mady at home and not have to take her with me. It was nice to get away for 2 hours, but it was even nicer to come home to her. I always love going to the hairdresser though, we always have a good time. We talked yesterday about her new engagement and about her upcoming wedding. It was so fun! She already picked out her dress, and it's so pretty! Weddings are so exciting...and then comes baby!!

A big first...

Yesterday was Mady's first time voting. Well, she didn't actually vote herself, but she did go with me while i voted. I could tell she wanted to vote herself, but she'll have to wait a few years for that. But i let her tell me her opinions, and i took those into consideration.
We also took her paperwork down to the daycare yesterday, so she's officially registered and can start in about 2 1/2 weeks...when she's 6 weeks old.
We gave her another bath last night as well. She's getting better with them, but she still doesn't like them very much. I thought once her bellybutton fell off and she could get into her "big girl tub", that things would get better...but it didn't really, only a little bit. Maybe it's because she's not totally covered in water and she's still getting chilly, i don't know. She cries less, thats for sure, but she's still crying and not having a good time. Maybe when she can hold her head up on her own and we can get into the ACTUAL big tub, things will get better. Wishful thinking.

Monday, what a day...

Yesterday was Mady's day all the way. She woke up at about 830am, and that was pretty much it for most of the day. She was wide awake. She took about a 10min nap around 11:00am, and then she took about a 45min-1hour nap when we went for a walk, and that was it until 7pm when it was Daddy's nap time, then they took naps together in the chair. I don't know if you know it or not, but it's really hard to get things done with a baby in your arms. That's pretty much why i just sit and stare at her most of the day. Then, when i wake her up at 815pm so she will sleep at night, and she cries, Frank tells me i'm not really a good parent because i have her spoiled to where she HAS to be held. I don't think she HAS to be held, i just like to hold her while i can, because one day she won't want anything to do with us and we will miss these days. He doesn't quite understand that just yet, but one day he will. I think he just gets cranky that he can't lay in the chair and sleep until bed time like he used to. Oh well, i guess he'll have to get over that pretty quick.

A busy weekend...

Well, we had a busy weekend this past weekend. It was Mady's first Halloween and it was her Baptism. On friday, i dressed Mady in her costume and took her "Trick or treating"...which this year means i took her to see people within a walking distance of me during the day. Then on saturday i had to work at a basketball tournament at the school, so Frank brought her down for everyone to see. She was the most popular thing there! She got lots of "Ooohhs" and "Aaahhss" and "She's such a beautiful baby"...thank you, i know, lol! Then on sunday we had her baptism. We had to share with someone else, which made me a bit unhappy, but our baby was so much cuter, so it was ok. Then we had family over afterwards for a little party. It was really nice. There is a flood of pictures below, so be prepared.

Isn't she the cutest tiger?!

Grrr...

Don't wake the sleeping Tiger

Our little Christian family

Our parents, Father Frank and Madylinn

Mady with her godparents

Madylinn in her pretty dress

Happy Halloween!

Yesterday, we put Mady in her pumpkin onesie, her pumpkin hat and her pumpkin socks. It was her "pre" halloween costume. She looked so cute! Even though everything was a bit big on her (and it was all newborn sized), it was still so adorable. I think she enjoyed being a pumpkin for the day.

Smile for the camera!

Kickin on the couch

Doing her Thriller inpersonation

I have yet to upload pics of her in her Halloween costume from today, so be sure to check back...she looks so cute!

And from our family to yours, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

A pretty dress...

Frank, Mady and I went to the mall last night. It was Mady's first mall trip. We went to look for a christening dress for her to wear this Sunday. We found the cutest, nicest dress in Boscov's...i can't wait for her to wear it! I will post pics of her in it probably on Monday.

We also took her out to eat for the first time. We had to rush out the door when Frank got home so we could make it home in time to stay on our schedule (so she would sleep at night), so we did'nt get a chance to eat. So after we got her dress and got our rings cleaned and inspected, we decided to go to Applebee's. She was really good! She was asleep at first, and then about half-way through dinner she woke up, but she just sat there with her binky and looked around. She didn't really cry at all until we were leaving, then she fell asleep on the way home. All in all, it was a really good trip! It's much different going to the mall with a baby.

Mady's first big girl bath...

Since her umbilical cord fell off on Monday, we decided it was time for Madylinn to have her first big girl bath. We didn't actually put her OUR tub, we put her in her own little tub. She wasn't very happy about it at first, but she eventually relaxed. I think there still might be too much cool air hitting her and making her chilly.

We also didn't get out for our daily walk yesterday, what with all the rain and wind. I was hoping it would stop long enough for us to get a short one in, but it didn't. I think that didn't help her crankyness...walking puts her to sleep, and that's pretty much her late afternoon nap.

If Jesus were a woman...

Sunday night into Monday was a rough night for us. Mady was a bit, well make that a lot, fussy. She didn't want to go to bed until around midnight, and then she was up at 430am to eat, and then she was up at 815am for the day. And all day long, i'd say she slept about 2 hours total, she was just wide awake! Well, i took her for a walk, since she likes walking and being out and moving so much. We stopped over at the church so i could confirm our godparent choices, and i came upon a pleasant surprise. A bit odd, but exciting non-the-less. In December, our church is putting on a play...a passion play type thing, called "Through the eyes of the Innkeeper". It's basically the story of the birth of Jesus. Well, they like to use ALL real people, no dolls or anything. Well, guess who they want to play baby Jesus?!?! Thats right, our very own Madylinn Regina Grindstaff will be making her acting debut, and as baby Jesus! I know what you're thinking, she's a girl and Jesus is a boy...well, what if Jesus was a woman?! LOL. Frank said the same thing when i told him i already said yes. He said "People that don't know her are going to think she's a boy!" Oh well, i said. I think it's very neat that she will get to do this, and i (of course) will be THAT mom, the one who takes a million pictures. How many people can say their baby is Jesus?! :)

In other news, Mady's bellybutton cord thing finally fell off. I didn't think it would ever fall off, and then when i was changing her clothes yesterday morning, i noticed it was hanging on by a little thread..and then when we changed her diaper last night, it was off! Now we can finally give her a big girl bath...hopefully she'll like that more than the sponge baths she was getting.

What a weekend...

Well, it was quite a weekend, that's for sure. Friday night we stayed home and listened to the Mt. Carmel/Southern game on the radio. I told Frank to go to the game, but he didn't want to go alone, and it was too cold to take Mady, so there was no way i was going. It wasn't that bad listening to it on the radio though...we were warm, dry, and comfortable!
Then on Saturday, i had Line Mountain's football game. We were playing a team from Baltimore. They were supposed to drive up the night before and stay over and then leave after the game, so we changed the time from 7pm to 2pm. Well, i got there early to get everything ready and tape the guys, and it was pouring rain all day long...and i mean pouring! I was soaked going from my car to the school! But we were there and ready to go, and we find out that they didn't come up the night before, they decided to drive up that day because the weather was bad Friday night and they thought it would get better by Saturday. Well, we also find out that they are lost in Harrisburg...and this was at around 1:15pm...and they were a good hour away and didn't warm up or anything! So needless to say, we didn't start at 2pm, but 3pm instead. This wouldn't have been too bad, except that it was raining harder as the day went on. It was a complete mud bath, literally. The mud was ankle deep on most of the field, the sidelines were flooded out, and we were all soaked. And then the wind kicked in. We were wet and cold, not a good combo. And the game seemed to go forever because it was so wet and muddy everyone kept fumbling and stopping the clock! So the game didn't end until around 6pm! Standing in the rain from 2pm to 6pm is no fun at all! At least i got home in time to watch the Penn State game AND the Notre Dame games on tv.
Yesterday we took a HUGE step. We left the baby with his dad and step mom to go to the movies. I know, it sounds bad, but it wasn't for a long time, and we really wanted to see this movie. We went to see Saw 5...not exactly a kid friendly movie, lol. It was a good movie. It took all i had to not call every 5 minutes to see how she was. I enjoyed the movie, and i followed it, but i thought about Mady the whole time. At least i proved to myself that i CAN let her go for a few hours. I'm gonna need that in about 4 weeks when i have to leave her at a daycare for 2-3 hours a day.

Falling off...

So i'm still waiting for her umbilical cord to fall off. I know they say it could take anywhere from 1-4 weeks, but it doesn't even look like it's starting to fall off! At the hospital they told us to use a cotton ball and alcohol and to dab it a few times a day, but our pediatrician told us to NOT use the alcohol and to just keep it dry and it will fall off on it's own. I have read that it doesn't make a difference either way, but i'm wondering if i should start the alcohol, since it hasn't seemed to make any progress just yet.
We gave Mady a bath last night. This is another reason i can't wait for that stump to fall off...i can't wait to put her in the tub! She really doesn't like sponge baths at all. She likes the touch at first, but then the water cools on her skin and she cries, and i can't blame her. I think she will like it when she can sit in the warm water the whole time.
We are still doing really good here at home alone. We are really bonding. I'd like to think that she knows my voice and my touch, but i think she's too young yet...but in my mind she knows me. I can't believe she's 2 weeks old already! I have no idea where this 2 weeks went, it seemed to fly by so fast! She is growing up so quickly, lol.

More today than yesterday...

It still amazes me. I know it shouldn't, but it does. Everytime i look at Madylinn's face, i love her more and more. I didn't even think it was possible to love someone so much! Don't get me wrong, i love my family and friends, i love my dogs, and i love Frank with all my heart, but there is something about this little girl that just tops everyone (don't tell Frank). The way she looks at me when she's awake, i could sweat she knows who i am. I talk to her whenever she's awake, and i sing to her too (even though its bad, she doesn't know that yet, lol). I don't know if it's still the post-pregnancy hormones or what, but i still cry everyday because i feel so lucky, what with everything i have. I have the best husband, who would do anything for me and for Mady. I have the best family and friends. I have the 2 best dogs. And now i'm blessed with the best daughter ever. I guess that makes me a sap, but i can't help it. I hope all these extra hormones go away soon, before Mady is old enough to think i'm nuts.

Still learning...

Well, we made it 2 days alone, and we're both still alive and happy! It was a bit chillier yesterday, so we had to bundle up extra good to take our walk. She was also thrown off her schedule a bit yesterday. She didn't want to eat a full 2 1/2 ounces like usual at each feeding, she was at about 1 1/2 - 2 ounces, and a bit more frequently. It wasn't bad once i realized what was going on and how to soothe her. So the day ended up flying by pretty quickly until Frank came home. He still has a bit to learn about taking care of the baby. Not that i'm an expert or anything now, but i think being home with her all day and having nobody to pass her off to, i think i'm starting to figure things out pretty quickly. Frank, on the other hand, is taking a bit longer. He tends to get frustrated quicker, and he doesn't know what to do to soothe her. I said to him last night, "You need to calm down, she can pick up on your frustration and that makes her fuss more. If you are calm, she will calm down too" He doesn't seem to believe me, but when i take her from him and she calms down, how can he not?! He will learn, it'll just take him time i guess.

We made it...

Yesterday was my first day alone with Madylinn. I'll admit it, i was scared at first. I wasn't sure how the day would go...would she cry, would she sleep, would i get anything done?! Well, she was awake at about 730am, which wasn't that bad, i at least got some sleep. We went through our typical morning routine..eat, change diaper, stare at each other for a while, back to sleep. Well, the only problem with that routine was that she didn't want to nap in her pack-n-play, she wanted to nap on me! Well, like the books say, she's too young to be spoiled right now, she's just looking for comfort and love and security, so i let her nap on me. Everytime i tried to put her down, she would lay there for about 2min and then start to cry until i picked her up. So she slept on my chest until about noon, then i had to eat something. So i put her down and ran, literally, for the kitchen. Frank called to see how everything was going, so i was talking to him and trying to make myself something to eat really quick while i had a few minutes. I decided to make myself a beef hot dog in the microwave..i know, yummy lunch! LOL. Well, Frank's phone was dying, so we only talked for 3min, and as soon as i hung up with him the microwave beeped that my dog was done and Mady started to cry, all at the same time. Well, i quick made my dog, and i learned how to eat with one arm...LOL. After i ate, we sat for a bit and then it was time for Mady to eat again. After she ate, i took her upstairs with me so i could get dressed and then we went for a walk. I had to go to the bank and to the dry cleaners to drop off Frank's suit (so he has it clean for the baptism), then we just went walking around town. We walked about 2miles, then Frank was home. So overall, it was a pretty good day. We're both alive, and we still have all of our body parts, so i'm going to say that yesterday was pretty darn sucessful.

Our first weekend at home...

This was our first weekend at home with Mady, and it went pretty well! Friday we went out to Line Mtn so i could tape the guys for the football game, then we left before the game started (since i would want to be on the field with them). So we came home and ended up going down to the MCA game. We bundled the baby up and off we went. She was awake for the first quarter, then she fell asleep. I left just after half time with Mady, and Frank stayed till the end.

Saturday, we were supposed to go to Berwick and Mifflinville to see his family, but plans all changed. His dad and step mom had a wedding to go to, and we couldn't get a hold of our friend to get a strap to tow the boat over to Buckhorn to get winterized, so Frank just suggested we stay home. So we made our first trip to WalMart. It's a whole new experience now. We have to take 2 carts, one for groceries and one for Mady. We were warned how unsafe it is to put the carseat on top of the cart, so we opted for the safe way to go. We bought her a new dress for church, and a cute little onesie, and we tried to buy her more mittens but they wouldn't scan (something about them being recalled...are you serious? It's 2 pieces of fabric sewed together, what could happen, it would fray at the seam and you would have to re-sew it?! Seriously). Then we went up to see my gram, Mady's great gram. She was very happy to see her. Unfortunately i forgot my camera...we want to get a pic of my gram, my dad, me and mady..to put in the paper as 4 generations..next time i guess.

Then sunday, Franks dad and step mom and mom came over to see Mady. She was pretty good. She slept for a decent amount of time. She isn't a big fan of sleeping during the day though. I guess that is a good thing, i'd rather have her awake during the day and asleep at night, but she fights naps during the day. She'll close her eyes and sleep for about 15min, and then basically scare awake and fight going back to sleep for as long as she can. But at least she's still sleeping good at night...knock on wood.

Today Frank went back to work, so it's our first day home alone together. Hopefully all will go well. Check back tomorrow to see if i'm still alive, lol.

A big day...

Yesterday was a MUCH better day for us than the previous few. We decided to try to start a routine for her, to help us all out a bit. We feed her, change her, and try to keep her up for about an hour, then we let her sleep for about 3 hours, then we do it all over again. It's a much better plan than the whole "let her sleep as long as she wants" plan...at least we get sleep with this one. Then at night we put her down and we only leave the nightlight on. When she wakes up during the night, we don't turn any lights on. We feed her and change her, and we don't talk to her or make any excessive noises, and then we swaddle her back up and put her right back down in the crib to sleep. Even if she lays there awake a bit, we do it. Hopefully this will help her start to distinguish night from day. It worked pretty well yesterday, and it's working so far today...knock on wood.

Yesterday we made our first venture out to WalMart. We went to buy Mady a new church outfit and a few other things. We only managed to get a few things before she started to wake up hungry and we had to get going. We did, however, manage to get something to eat at Subway before we left there. Then we went out to work so i could tape the guys before the game. Frank went with me and we took Mady. Everyone out there was shocked to see me, and thrilled to see Mady. She was the most exciting thing there :) I left after i taped the guys...i didn't think it would be a good idea to be running out on the field just quite yet. We came home and fed and changed Mady, and then we ventured out to the MCA game. Everyone was excited to see her there too. I know what you're thinking..it was cold out last night, what did you have the baby out for?! Well, she was bundled up so tight, you'd swear she was sweating..and she slept a good chunk of the time we were there. I left just after halftime with her, and Frank stayed till the end. When he got home, i wasn't sure if i should wake Mady up and try to keep her awake for a bit, hoping she would go back to sleep, or if i should let her sleep and see what happens. Well, we decided to just let her sleep and go lay down ourselves. She ended up waking up about 45min later, but luckily she was only hungry...so we fed her and she went back to sleep until she was hungry again this morning. It was quite nice, if you ask me. I know it's only going to get harder, not easier, from here, but aside from a few days, i'm really loving it so far.

One heck of a day...

Well, yesterday was quite a challenge for us. Mady slept great, and then when she got up at around 10:30am, that was it for her. She was up, litterally, all day long. She took 3 short naps, all of which were about 30min long, and that was it all day. She was awake the whole day! And she was fussing and screaming about 75% of the time. I thought babies were supposed to sleep 16-18hours a day?! You think she would have been exhausted, but she kept fighting the urge to sleep. And we couldn't figure out what was bothering her either, that was a problem. Sometimes she was hungry, sometimes she needed a new diaper, sometimes she was chilly, sometimes she was hot, sometimes she just wanted to be in someones arms. Now don't get me wrong, i love her very very very much, but ALL DAY LONG!?!?!
Last night went better though, thank god. She fell asleep around 10pm, then woke up around 1030pm and was up until around 1130pm, then she was out for the night. She slept until about 530-545am and then she wanted a bottle. We changed her diaper, and about 15-20min later she was asleep again. She is still sleeping now, and it's about 9am. It's so hard to decide when to wake her and when to let her sleep, because i'm afraid she'll never go back to sleep once we wake her up. I was hoping to try to get her on a schedule, but to be honest i have no idea how to get a baby on a schedule...i thought we had one there for a while, at least a general guideline, but after yesterday i'm just lost again. Oh well, i guess that's part of being a new parent. It just breaks my heart when she cries and i don't know why..Frank is better at that "let her cry it out" part.