June 25th

Dear Madison,

I've been meaning to post something on here for months. You are now 9 1/2 months old. I can't believe how close you are to turning one!

We've finally moved to Ohio. I think you are adjusted to our new home now. You didn't hesitate to REALLY start crawling the first day we got here. (The 24th of May). I guess you decided there was plenty of open space, so you got up on those knees and moved yourself around. Before that you were doing the belly crawl!

We left SC the 23rd of May after Dwight got out of school. I was so sad to leave I couldn't help but cry. Our house held so many wonderful memories. I thought about the Poker Nights we shared with our family and friends, the day I brought you home from the hospital and how my mom slept on the full-sized bed in your room. I thought about the walls we had to sand down and paint in your room and how beautifully it turned out after all. There were so many memories in that house. It's the first time I've ever lived somewhere and wished I could stay!

The first couple of nights after leaving SC you didn't sleep too well. We stopped at your Aunt Tina's in TN the first night. It was the half-way point between SC and our new home. That was when I discovered you were saying more than just Mama and Dada.

You saw Aunt Tina's cute little puppy and kept saying, Dah!

"I think she's saying dog." Tina told me.

Sure enough, that's exactly what you were saying! That's when I started paying more attention to what you were saying.

I'm sure it was strange not sleeping in the room you've been used to sleeping in for the entire 8 months of your life. You were especially clingy once we got to our new home. I felt so bad and wished I could explain to you what was all going on. We all miss our home in South Carolina!

The day after you were crawling, you started to say "no, no!" It WAS so cute and funny. You would look at your brothers, shake your fingers and say, "nah, nah!" to them. They just giggled and laughed at you. Don't worry, they very rarely take me seriously either!

Since then, you've learned how to say, "Bite,Ibuh!), Nurse, (Nuh!), all done, (sometimes it's just done, as in "duh!" but other times you say all "ah" too). You can say stop and stop it, Bubba, you try to say Donavan, you say Hannah very easily (the first time you said it I was calling her and you decided to mimick me, raising your voice and everything!). You also say Fox, (fah), up, and bye bye. You even started waving (I think last week) by shaking your hand up and down.

So needless to say, you've reached many many milestones. You're about to get your first tooth (bottom right). It's just surfacing and should break through any day now. Until then you'll continue to need mommy a lot! Oh yes, and you LOVE Graeter's icecream - Rasberry Chip. Yum!

Right Before My Very Eyes

Last night I had a dream that Madison started crawling around really fast. But it was only for a brief moment. She quickly stood up and before I knew it, she was running at full speed. I was shocked. I mean, my baby went from crawling across the room one time to running around the house! I was sad at how fast my little girl was growing up right before my very eyes.

This morning I woke up thinking about how funny my dream was. And wouldn't you know it, this would be the day Madison started to crawl! So today marks another milestone, but at least she isn't running around.

I think having that dream inspired me to enjoy watching her scoot her little body forward even more than I would have on a typical day. She still hasn't mastered crawling like she did in my dream. In fact, she got a little frustrated as she struggled to press her little feet into the carpet and push her body forward. But I know all too well how quickly the days go by. Soon she will be running around the house and I'll watch her pass me by...wishing I could take back the days - the moments that so easily slip out of my grasp as I'm consumed with every day responsibilities and tasks. I can't take them back, but if I stop to enjoy those special moments, I'll be able to play them in my head over and over again. It's the memories I stop to cherish that makes being a mom a joyous calling. What a joyous calling it is!

No Means No

My how we grow up fast!

Six Month Pics

Dear Madison,

Today your Aunt Tina, cousin, and I took you to have your six month pics taken. I can't wait for them to be uploaded to the internet so I can post them on here! The photographer was absolutely awesome and you were just perfect. You smiled for every pose.

Needless to say, I spent a LOT of money. She took over 22 shots, and I bought about 70 sheets. Thank God I had a coupon because I spent over $300.

Today you hit another milestone. You said, Da-da! Of course, the first time you said it was in bed when Daddy was talking to you and he got to hear it. He was so excited. You also started saying "blah blah blah" yesterday. I guess you decided it was time to start sharing your thoughts with us!

We started feeding you baby food at about 5 1/2 weeks and you LOVE to eat. You will eat anything and every time you take a bite you say, MmmmmMMMMmmmmmM! Tonight your cousin Alexis fed you peaches for the first time and you were so loud eating them! MMMMM! You gobbled them right up!

I can't believe you will soon be crawling, and I think you are starting to feel the first irriations of teething. You've been biting on everything and chomping on your gums. I keep dreaming that that first tooth appears but so far, nothing. Poor baby!

Anyway, I started a post on your six month birthday, but life has been crazy. We are about to move from the Carolinas to Ohio. I'm going to miss it here. So many memories, your birth being the best.

I love you, beautiful Baby.

Love,
Mom

The Funniest Thing Happened Today!

I was nursing Madison just minutes ago and tickling her at the same time. (She's so ticklish!) She kept giggling and turning away. I guess it was finally just too much for her to handle because she laughed out loud and milk shot straight out of her nose! Oops! Sorry, Baby!

First Bite

Here's Madison trying out cereal for the first time! We did this at breakfast this morning.

Another Milestone Already?

Madison is about to hit a new milestone. She has been biting me when I nurse her! Thank God she doesn't have teeth because she is already hurting me with just bare gums! She started this thing where she likes to drink a couple gulps and then lean waaaaaaay back, arching her back so far back that she has the top of her head on the couch, as if she's standing on her head, and then bends her hands all the way back too. She keeps leaning back for a few seconds and then she's ready for me to pull her back into nursing position.

Since Madison got an ear infection and was prescribed antibiotics on Monday evening, she's really shown she's ready to eat. The first night she was disgusted and kept spitting out her medicine. By Wednesday, she was sucking it down and actually cried on two occasions when the medicine was "all gone!" She wanted more!

Last night as we sat as a family to eat, she wanted to eat too! She actually threw a fit because she wanted a bite of my food and reached for my plate. I mashed up a tiny bit of greenbeans and put it on her tongue and she chewed (gummed) it right up and swallowed it making a "mummm, mum, yum" sound while eating. It was so funny. Then she cried for more.

So, Daddy went to the store tonight and bought some rice cereal. We'll let her have her first bowl tomorrow. I can't believe she's already ready for baby food. It should be fun!

5 Months

My baby is FIVE MONTHS OLD today. I can't believe how fast time is flying by. Daddy and I watched her while she slept last night. She's so beautiful.

A Few Pics

Madison loves to shake things now, loves the sound paper makes.She wants to crawl so bad and I can definitely tell when she's reaching for someone now. When she is upset, she says, "Ma!" or even "mom." So cute. But she doesn't quite get what that means.

She's spoiled rotten. Even gets to go on dates with Mommy & Daddy.

I can't believe she's almost 5 months old. She's growing too fast.

Almost Five Months Old!

After reading my last post, it makes more sense now. Madison broke out in a rash about a week after her shots. I think it was Roseola because for a few days she seemed to have a fever. By the time I made an appointment with the Dr. the rash started to fade (of course, the day OF the appointment it was almost completely gone so I cancelled).

Yesterday Madison got to experience her first snow. I didn't take her out in it, but I brought a handful of snow in and let her touch it. She wasn't quite sure what to think about that!

She is growing up so fast. She rolls over like a pro and wants to crawl so bad. She ends up in a kicking fury! She now likes to shake things, her key set, her rattle, her pacifier. In fact, I think she started shaking things today.

Today she also started the fake coughing. It was so funny. Her big sister was responding to it, so she just kept going in order to get her attention. She thought it was hilarious. Gosh, is she really old enough to be doing this?

My little baby is growing up so fast. It makes me sad. Seems just like yesterday she was this tiny little sleeping newborn and now she laughs, plays, interacts, fusses, and has completely outgrown her 0-3 month clothes! I'm trying so hard to enjoy every moment, but that only makes time fly by faster. I wish there was a way to slow down time. I love her so much. I'm going to miss having a baby soon enough!

Fussyness

Madison got her second set of shots last Tuesday. I wonder if I didn't wait long enough for her to get over her cold first because she has been super fussy ever since. I think she has a tummy bug or something. She woke up at 1:30 Saturday night screaming. But only three shots this time...that was nice.
Daddy got jealous when I bought Madison an "I love Mommy" pacifer so I went out and got this one:

I love this picture. When she is "in the mood" she just LOVES her daddy and the attention she gets from him.

I need to close this post. She is fussing again. I can't wait for her to start feeling better again.

Separation Anxiety???

I don't know what got into Madison, but she is being so clingy and demanding. We took her with us on a date tonight and for a few minutes I thought it was going to be a dating disaster. We sat down to eat and she fussed and fussed. I was able to nurse her to sleep though and she slept through the rest of the meal and through part of a movie. (Thank God!) Then she fussed in the car on the way home so Scott took the babysitter home while I tried to get her to settle down and go to sleep. She's been insisting on me holding her for the last week or so - nobody else will do. I love holding her and I love that she wants her mommy, but I hope she gets over this phase real fast!

Poor Baby

Madison is sick. : ( She always wakes up in a great mood, however this morning she cried every time her little eyes opened. I nursed her back to sleep at about 8:50 a.m. and hopped in the shower for a very quick clean up!

To my surprise, she slept until after 10:00. At least when she woke up she babbled a bit instead of crying! (Until I pulled out the Saline nose spray and snot sucker! She hates that and fights me as soon as she sees me grab the Saline bottle!) I feel so bad when I have to do that to her, but after sucking out all that snot, I know it had to make her feel better.

She actually played in her saucer a bit and then wanted to nurse once again. I sang "Rain, Rain, Go Away" as I rocked her by the back door. She fell asleep listening to me sing about how badly I wanted the rain to stop pouring down on our house. But I know she feels bad. She keeps crying in her sleep. Hopefully the Tylenol I gave her will help ease any aches and pains. I hate that there's only so much that a mommy can do to make her baby feel better. If only I could take the cold from her - I'd gladly be sick for her!

One Year Ago Today

I found out I was pregnant with Madison. I had some symptoms and although it was several days early before I was supposed to take a test, I just had to try. The + popped up right away.

I couldn't believe my eyes! I woke Scott up, who was sleeping on the couch because his back was killing him. He looked at the test results and said, "Cool" before he went back to sleep. It about drove me crazy waiting for my mom to wake up that morning. When she went straight for the bathroom I contemplated knocking the door down, but I kept my cool and when she came down the stairs, I showed her. Needless to say, she was thrilled and couldn't believe that I not only was able to get the + so early in my pregnancy, but that I also got pregnant so easy.

And here she is almost 4 months old cooing and squealing to her heart's content. There was a period in my first trimester where I thought I was going to lose her - a big lesson in faith for me. Although I received a prophecy that everything was going to be okay before anyone even knew I was pregnant, I can't tell you how many days I stayed on the couch with my feet propped up just crying because I was afraid I was losing her. I'd lost a baby before and I just felt that if I lost this one too, I wouldn't be able to try again. It was just too heartbreaking. But God looked after her and the rest of the pregnancy went perfectly. I can't believe it's been a year. I praise God for the blessing He gave me when I was so afraid to try for another baby. I look back and can say God is good.

Happy New Year, Madison

You are getting so good at picking things up, especially your pacifier. You even get it back in your mouth sometimes! You can roll from your tummy to your back like a pro and are sooooo close to rolling from your back to your tummy. You try so hard!

Tonight is your first New Year's Celebration. We prefer to stay at home for New Years. The idea of surrounding myself with a bunch of drunk idiots just doesn't sound like fun when I can celebrate with my children in the safety of my own home. I must be getting old! Seriously though, I just feel that when I have children to come home to, some things just aren't worth risking, and there really is no telling who might decide to drive drunk on a night like tonight. So, here we are!

I wouldn't have posted this pic if you didn't look so darn cute! No makeup for us!

I can't believe all the things you are going to be doing this coming year. You will learn to crawl, then walk and talk. You are already growing so fast before my very eyes, I wish I could make time stand still!

Your big sis didn't even come close to staying up with us, and you crashed just 30 minutes til midnight (minutes after this pic was taken)! I suppose there's still a chance you could wake up in time to celebrate the New Year with us! If not, that's okay, there's always next year!

I love you and can't wait to see all the new things you will learn to do in 2007.

Cooing and Gooing

Madison started REALLY cooing and gooing Wednesday. I mean, she literally was saying coo and goo. Tonight she even said goo goo! She is laying in her pack n play squealing and shouting out loud. My little girl is growing up fast.

Oh yes, and she's enjoyed a few December days in shorts and short sleeves! Can't complain about that!

Good Morning!

Wake up sleepy head!

Strrrrrrretch!

Much Better!

Maddison is 3 months old today.

Tonight I got all kinds of squeals and laughter out of her. Real Squeals, not just grunting! Sure I had to torture her with all sorts of tickling, but I couldn't resist. She especially responds to me sort of nibbling on her ribs...it's almost too much for her to handle!

Daddy's Girl

Look At That Belly!

Sleeping Beauty