LOTS of pictures and LOTS of words

*This post is long. I realize that. If you have something to do in the next half hour, you may want to click away :)*

Dear Madelyn,
It's been a few days since I blogged about the "daily life". I feel somewhat like a slacker and have contemplated all week whether this would be the beginning of the end or at least the slowing (which would ultimately mean the end) of daily blogs. The thing is, I don't like to journal or blog or do things half way. That's why I have an absorbent amount of scrapbook supplies and few books to show from them all. So instead of just blogging occasionally, I am the type of person that is either going to do it or not going to do it. To be quite honest, when I started blogging, I did not think I would write anything beyond my first post. When I kept it up, no one was more shocked than I was.
This tiny little corner of cyberspace that I call mine, has been something that allowed me to journal as your Daddy and I anticipated your arrival. As the days drew closer for you to be here, I began to wish I had embarked on this journey of blogging sooner. Then when you were born, it became so much more to us. It became a place of comfort. I was able to write of the ups and the downs. The joy that we experienced seeing you for the first time and all the triumphs and setbacks we experienced in the days to follow. This is for you and for me. A way to look back on the little moments that are so precious, yet fade from my mind faster than I would like to admit. It has been a way for me to share my heart with you. I have hoped that some day you will look back on your story and see that God orchestrated every moment, every detail. That you would see how much you are loved. That you would have the, although possibly mundane to some, details of your daily life as a precious baby.

I remember one day fast forwarding in my brain to the day you start Kindergarten, and writing about it here with the slew of pictures that would accompany it. I was sure I would still be blogging the day-to-day ins and outs for years to come.

Then this week, I was not so sure. I have really felt like this may be nearing the end.

Then something happened. I uploaded 20+ pictures of you below from the last few days. To me and to no one else, each one has a story. A story that for many of them, only I can tell you. So many of these moments are shared just between the two of us. I want you to be able to look back on these pictures and know the "little details" that went with them.

So even though I thought this week held the beginning of the end, in reality, it has brought a new motivation. A new passion for each word you read here.

Like this picture of you playing on your mat from Tuesday...

trying hard to look over your shoulder at the TV. I really do not want you to be a TV junkie. Especially at four months old. However, if it is on and you are in the room, you try your darndest to catch a glimpse. The American Academy of Pediatrics says you should not watch any TV until you are two years old. Although I know that would be a tough task, I'd like to shoot for at least one year!

No one else could tell you that immediately following that picture, I moved you to where you could not see the TV and you screamed so hard that you pooped. I try not to discuss your bowel movements here...but it was so funny. You strained so hard with your screams that you had a mega blowout and we headed straight for the changing table...
It wore you out so much that you took a little siesta on the floor once you were all cleaned up...
You woke up a happy girl though. I sat your swing up and you loved it. If it did not make me sound crazy, I would swear that you said "wee" out of sheer enjoyment.
Later that afternoon, your cousins and Aunt Marlo came by to hang out. Allison was her usual smiley self...
and Emily was totally in to her Uncle Luke (also as usual)...
You loved all the faces your Aunt Marlo was making at you. Every time I would try to snap a picture of the two of you, you would smirk and bury your face in her shirt...
After they left, your Daddy and I let you play on the floor naked (except for your diaper of course). You LOVE to play without your clothes on!
Your Grandma showed up that night with some super cute black and cream accessories for your room including a much needed dirty clothes hamper. You were already asleep but I gave you a tour of them the next day :)

On Wednesday morning at 8am (while we were still in bed) I decided that we would go to MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) for the first time. I thought it started at 9am. Thanks to your Daddy's help, we made it by 9am. It started at 9:30am. MOPS is so much more than what I thought it was and I look forward to taking you back with me. One good thing about the location that had an opening is that your Aunt Rachel works there. The two of you played for a little while towards the end. While you were in there with me, you were SO good! Your alarm did go off towards the beginning...I felt so terrible because it interrupted the speaker...but really I felt terrible because it meant your reflux was bothering you. It was sort of an emotional moment for me as I am not used to that happening when we are around people we do not know.
Then we went over to your Aunt Rachel's desk before we headed out to get your apnea monitor replaced (it was acting up) and to lunch.
You were showing off for the camera so we had to snap a few shots...
Sometimes I let you sit back in the recliner and I make all sorts of crazy sounds to entertain you. I think your drool was way more entertaining than anything I was doing. You kept blowing bubbles then giggling.
And when you would giggle...
the drool would spill out and flow...
like a little river.
I think I took 50 pictures of your drool to show your Daddy. At least 20 times a day I restrain myself from calling him and telling him of the adorable things you do. Yes, I even think your drool is adorable.

After that we gave your new stroller a test ride around the house. "A new stroller?" Yes. A new stroller. You see, Madelyn, I have had stroller envy. In.the.biggest.way.possible.

Rewind to 10 months ago.
When I was pregnant with you, I tore a page...(yes I still have it) out of one of the parenting magazines in my doctor's office (sorry Dr. K) at one of my first visits that showcased strollers that had rear facing capabilities (along with the article that told how great this "new" type of stroller was for development). I knew that I wanted one...a stroller that allowed even older children to face their parents (you know, because in most they can only face out)-I had to have it...but most of them are big bucks. I settled for the standard travel system combo for you (and we got a steal on that I might add).

Fast forward to a few weeks ago.

When my Grandma and I took you to the mall in Oklahoma City, we rode the elevator with this dad and his son who was sitting in the most amazing stroller I have ever seen. The child was probably two but was facing his dad. Then we saw them sitting at a table in the food court. The stroller was parked at the end of a table and the child's seat rotated towards the table. I was sold. Right when we got to the house I googled the name of the stroller by the brand I had snapped a picture of with my phone. I then realized they paid about as much for that stroller as your Daddy and I paid for our (overpriced) laptops.

Fast forward to last week.

When you and I went for a stroll at the Tyler mall (which is so lame compared to the one in OKC), you were not happy about laying back in your car seat that hooks on to your stroller. I was definitely not about to put you in the stroller part where I would not be able to keep an eye on you though. You kept trying to sit up out of it, so I eventually just carried you around. I knew right then that I was on a mission to find an affordable stroller that allowed you to face me with the option of turning around and facing out also. Thus began the seemingly endless searching of the web, reading reviews, and trying to find a reasonably priced rear facing stroller for you.

That brings us to Wednesday.

Your Aunt Rachel and I were killing time around town while your apnea monitor was being repaired. We went over to Storkland because I wanted to see if they had any that I could at least see in person before using what was left of your "Maddie Money" and ordering one off the internet. They had only one. It was marked like half the price of most that I had read good reviews for. BUT it was blue. Then the salesman mentioned that it had been out for at least a year and they were trying to get rid of it. I knew that meant they would probably take more off. After calling your Daddy and Grandma and talking it over with your Aunt Rachel, they all convinced me it was less about the color and more about being able to see you! Then they took 33% off the already discounted price so it was pretty much a no brainer (even considering it was blue).

So that night, we took it for a stroll around the house and you LOVED it!
It has been rainy since then so I have been anxiously waiting for a sunny day to take you out for a walk in it!
I love getting a deal and I LOVE that even though we bought you a travel system AND this stroller we still only spent about $20 more than we would have spent on the original travel system combo we were going to buy. More than that, I love that you will be able to face me for as long as I want you to!

Grandma stopped by to see the stroller and you of course!
You showed her how you like to give your glow worm kisses and love...Yesterday was so rainy and blah (and I REALLY wanted to take you out in your stroller) but for the most part we just hung around the house...playing together and baking for the Super Bowl party on Sunday night!You see, there are so many little things that I want to tell you about each day. "Things" that may seem unimportant and that probably are, yet I cherish them all. I hate that it is so easy to forget the little details. I love that this place...my little corner of cyberspace...allows me to share them all with you.

So this week is not the "beginning of the end", it's simply allowed me to realize how special it is is to me to be able to do this for the two of us. Your Daddy enjoys it too, but that is just a bonus.

I love you Madelyn Kate. I love the moments that we share that no one else sees. The time we spend together during the day when your Daddy is at work. The night time feedings that you have decided you need again. I love it all and I look forward to many more months of sharing it with you here in our little corner of cyberspace.

Love,
Mommy