Yesterday Madelyn wore a little flower clip in her hair all day, sans headband for the very first time.I love this picture of Madelyn and her little nursery buddy Pierce. They both wanted a snack (each other's snack at that) and they decided that it would be best to just dump them out and eat them off the floor.
She has done so well playing in there the times that I have left her. She just smiles a lot and plays with the toys. Yesterday Pierce would take her toy away (and throw it-ha) and she would just laugh. Poor thing doesn't even know to be mad about that considering she hasn't really experienced it much. I am just waiting for the day when she decides to start taking things back that are taken away from her. That will be a funny sight. Until then...she will just have a good time thinking he's just playing with her!
They were a little shorthanded on yesterday morning so I was able to help out in her class at the last minute and had a blast with the little munchkins! Too cute.
Saturday evening Allison and my mom came over to hang out for a little while. The next nine pictures make me laugh so hard. I would title this series of events, "Super Toddler attacked by crazy cousin".
Hmm...if Madelyn had an ad in the newspaper...it wouldn't read, "plays well with others". I'm only joking. She was just trying to give her cousin some love, the only problem was that her Super Toddler cousin wasn't feeling it at the moment.
Dear Madelyn, Friday morning I packed your bags and loaded up all of your gear (which surprisingly wasn't much). Just after lunch, we headed over to Grandma & Grandpa's house for your first sleepover away from Mommy. I was trying not to be emotional when we left because I knew you were in good hands and would have lots of fun (not to mention I was excited about a night away with Daddy). I gave you a couple of sugars and a hug. I don't think you even noticed that we were gone.
I left the camera with Grandma that way she could take pictures of all the fun that you had. Aunt Rachel was babysitting the Baker kids (their mom and dad were in Dallas too) so they came over to hang out with you at Grandma's. It looks like you had a lot of fun playing with Griffin and Mallory and all the toys at Grandma's house. Grandma said that you had a nice stroll around the neighborhood too.
All the fun must have worn you out. You slept really well and did not wake up until 5:30am (for a bottle...you've been doing that a little lately) and then went back to sleep until 8:30am. Once you were awake for good, Grandma fed you a yummy breakfast. Then it was play time! I am sure you loved making some noise with the pots and pans! I love this picture of you taking a bath in the sink. You always give your smiles so freely and I love that. I know that you had fun in the sink, just like your cousins have in the past! I know that you enjoyed your first sleepover away from Daddy and I (and my bet would be that Grandma loved it even more)! Maybe now that I know I can survive without you next to me at all times :) we can do this again. I love you sweet girl and I am glad you had a fun sleepover!
I was noticing the other day that of the 17,782 pictures in my iPhoto library since Madelyn was born, only a handful of them are of all three of us. That's one thing I want to be more intentional about. Wednesday night before church started I remembered and had my sister take a quick picture of our family of three. Luke has been excited about this past Wednesday and telling the students how awesome it was going to be. One of his friends since childhood (and mine since high school) came to help lead worship. Kristin has an amazing voice.
After church she came to the house for dinner, to catch up and play with the munchkin. Spending time with old friends is always refreshing and this was just the start of that for us for the week.
Blair and James came out after church too and I loved how much Madelyn and James looked alike sitting next to each other on the couch.
Thursday Highlights:
We loaded up the car and headed to Martin's Mill on Thursday to see BJ before he left for Africa this summer. It was nice taking a little drive through the country, eating at an old favorite restaurant when we lived in the Mill and spending time with BJ.
I am so proud of what he is doing this summer and totally excited to hear how God uses him.
In student ministry, it seems that there are always those students that end up becoming more of a friend than a "former student". BJ is one of those. When Madelyn was sick, I remember reading some words that he wrote in reference to her, "Our petition is that she grows up; our desire is that her Creator be glorified" (I blogged about it here). He could have never known (and still doesn't because I have never told him) how powerful those words would be for me.
They were very timely then, as they were written when a ventilator was breathing for our precious daughter and doctors were trying to find out what was keeping her from being able to breath on her own. Every day since then, God has brought those words to my mind. They are still timely.
Our petition is that she grows up; our desire is that her Creator be glorified.
In short, that's the one prayer I whisper the same every single day.
Recently during an interview for the Children's Miracle Network, Luke and I were asked what our dreams for Madelyn were. Luke answered that question, but the only words that came to my mind were the ones BJ had said for her back in September...
Our petition is that she grows up; our desire is that her Creator be glorified.
If you think about it, pray for him. He leaves this week for Africa.
After we dropped BJ back off at his house we stopped by to visit with Katie and Nathan and then headed over to Judy and Rex's for dinner (their house is the best place to just "show up" at dinner time).
Madelyn had such a fun time playing with Judy
and Katie (and Nathan but somehow I didn't get a picture of the two of them playing together).
We ate delicious steaks and enjoyed time sitting around the dinner table with old friends. Nothing is better than that.
Dear Madelyn Kate, On Monday you turned eight months old. You are now 2/3's of the way to your first birthday! Daily I am amazed at how far we have come and how much you have grown. Your personality continues to blossom and you constantly have Daddy and I laughing. We are so in love with you.
One of your favorite things to do these days is pull yourself up to your music stand and sing in to the microphone. The other night I put you in your Beatles shirt (that Daddy insisted we buy you) for a little concert. I thought the shirt was going to be terrible...but you make everything cute! You loved putting on a show and singing (err screaming) in to the microphone. You love to hear yourself and bang on the piano. I know your daddy loves the idea of you loving music. I am sure growing up in this house that you will! Here is a video of you performing for Daddy and I one morning right after you woke up... You are always ready to put on a show. I tried to get a couple of pictures where we could actually see your shirt. That didn't work out too well but you were still your smiley little self. If you see the camera (or even when we hold our phones up to take a picture of you), you smile instantly.
You still love to eat your feet. I hope this is something that you outgrow quickly considering you are standing a lot more these days. I even bought you a "foot" chew toy (disturbing, I know) to see if you liked it. No such luck. I guess you prefer toe jam.
For two weeks now, you have been taking bottles. At first it was just supplemental, but at the end of last week you decided that was all you wanted. I guess that means that you are officially weaned. It happened a little sooner than I expected, but you are doing really well with them! Sometimes you are such a turkey...you will hold your bottle if Daddy gives it to you, but you act like you don't know how when I give it to you. I decided to put you in the Nap Nanny and see if you would hold it then. Of course you did, and you even held it with your feet at one point. You constantly grab things with your feet (toys, books, your paci) so that wasn't much of a shocker. It's pretty sweet watching you feed yourself. You get so excited when you see your bottle that you start to scream if we do not get it to you fast enough! Before you weaned, you were down to nursing three times a day. Once at 2am, again around noon, and then right before bed. In the last week you have totally cut out the middle of the night feeding and were only taking two bottles a day along with your baby food for breakfast and dinner.
You are such a good eater! You love carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, cereal with cinnamon, mum mums, puffs, yogurt melts, green beans, pears, peas (which aren't your favorite-just like Daddy), bananas, banana yogurt, peach yogurt, avocados, and apples. We think you are allergic to strawberries because your face has broken out the two times we have tried them. You have started to notice our food more and more. It's only a matter of time that you realize your food does not taste that good (in comparison of course). On Monday, you and I laid a blanket out on the floor and read some books together. We usually read one or two a day snuggled up in the big chair before nap time, so it was fun to read some together while you were fully awake and wanting to hold the book yourself. I Love You Through and Through is one of our favorites. You are always so captivated by books. I love to watch you pull all of your board books out of the basket and flip through them (or chew on them). Everyone always asks how I get you to keep your headbands and hair bows on. You just do. You don't yank at them until you are really sleepy and then it is off with the bow! You have the most precious smile that I have ever seen. I see so much of your Daddy in your eyes. Today you weighed in at the doctor at just under 17 pounds! You wear 6-9 months clothing, but you are starting to get a little long for the 6 month footed pajamas. You still wear size 2 diapers. Although you gnaw on everything and I keep swearing that I see a tooth that is about to poke through, you are still our little toothless wonder. You are so easy going and laid back. You love to ride in your stroller or the buggy at Target! I love taking you new places with me because you look around and study everything so closely. I wish I knew what you were thinking!
There are so many things that I love about being your mommy. One of my favorites is watching you with Daddy. I love to watch you snuggle. You cry when he leaves the room. I think it is so sweet the way you play with his beard or when you watch him play the guitar. The other night I walk around the corner in the kitchen to the two of you dancing and it absolutely made my heart melt.
I love you Madelyn Kate. I am proud to be your mommy. I am thankful to our creator for the gift of 8 months with you, dear one.
Follower of Jesus, wife of Luke, & mommy to Madelyn. I love photography, attempting to sew, cooking, creating new things, Uganda, am addicted to spray paint and drink too much diet dr. pepper.
Mr. Wonderful Himself
My high school sweetheart of a hubby who happens to be my best friend & the one who keeps me laughing constantly. He's the most passionate man I know. Loves Jesus, his family and good music.
The Light of Our Lives
Madelyn Kate, our unexpected little miracle. She's equal parts sweet, spunk and sass. We love her dearly and could not be more blessed!
I love this picture of Madelyn and her little nursery buddy Pierce. They both wanted a snack (each other's snack at that) and they decided that it would be best to just dump them out and eat them off the floor.
I love this picture of Madelyn and her little nursery buddy Pierce. They both wanted a snack (each other's snack at that) and they decided that it would be best to just dump them out and eat them off the floor.
She has done so well playing in there the times that I have left her. She just smiles a lot and plays with the toys. Yesterday Pierce would take her toy away (and throw it-ha) and she would just laugh. Poor thing doesn't even know to be mad about that considering she hasn't really experienced it much. I am just waiting for the day when she decides to start taking things back that are taken away from her. That will be a funny sight. Until then...she will just have a good time thinking he's just playing with her!
They were a little shorthanded on yesterday morning so I was able to help out in her class at the last minute and had a blast with the little munchkins! Too cute.
