If adorable had a name...

It would be MADELINE CLAIRE COPELAND!!! I mean, I know every mom thinks their child is the cutest but I think I might actually have this one in the bag....

I thought I hated Barney until.....

Possibly the best weekend ever!

It was just one of those weekends...we had great weather, Maddie was in sweeter-than-usual spirits and we were all stir crazy and wanted to be outside! We found so many fun things to do and had an absolute blast together. With my little family is where I most like to be...

PUGFEST 2011!!! This is a crazy gathering of snorting, stout pugs from all over the area (all dogs welcome, but mostly pugs!) that we try to get to every year. Meatball is beside himself with excitement and typically walks in insane circles. This year, Maddie followed suit. She became one with the dogs, sitting on their level, making snorting sounds, trying to drink from dog bowls...too funny!

The most amazing crepes with Nutella we had for a snack! Heaven on a plate!!

Hanging out with the puggies!

Since Daddy was back from his basketball game, we thought we'd head out to the park again....why not? Another beautiful day to enjoy!

"Where are the ducks??"

She's finally getting brave enough to go down the slide all alone!

playing her favorite game...run away from the Mommy and Daddy!!

Monique and Rob hosted a Potluck for the Caleb's Crusade runners. It was really great....terrific food, awesome people and plans for another quest to Disney next year! Full Marathon perhaps?? We shall see!

The amazing cake Josie made! So cute and even more delicious!

The kids all had a blast and Maddie kept in tow with all the bigger kids!

We met with Leslie and Jay (only for a few minutes...they were late and we were getting close to nap time!:), at Estero Park. The weather was amazing. It was sunny and about 70 degrees...perfect! My little dare-devil ran all over and tried just about everything! She is so fast and has no fear so no rest for mommy! Daddy had a basketball game in Tampa so it was just us girls...no help for me! I think I needed a nap just as much as she did!

Eyes and ears and mouth and nose...

Beautiful eyes....

I caught her before the finger went completely up her nose...

This has become a fun little game! I have her identify all her "parts"...she also does bellybutton and hair but alas, no camera present for those (I know, shocking...).

Is it just me?

I am only slightly embarrassed to admit, I enjoy the suffering of other moms. Wait, let me explain. I often wonder if I'm a good mother, and lately, is Maddie a good child? What with the temper tantrums, sassiness, furrowed brow...I really don't know if her rotten behavior is normal. None of my friends have kids her age so I have no real basis for comparison. And then...

Going for the candles I tell her constantly not to touch! Clever...she moved her chair close to the table so she could reach them.

I'm at the grocery store and I see a friend I haven't seen in a while with her similarly-aged daughter (I, on the other hand am kid-free..whoo-hoo!). Before I noticed mom, baby is running in the aisle, something unidentifiable all over her face. I see mom, exasperated trying to get her items on the belt while monitoring afore-mentioned wild child. I just smile....I have sooo been there. I then notice she's a friend. We exchange the usual pleasantries then proceed to compare notes on our "challenging" little ones. She advises me they have opened several food items, she's whined for a balloon, she and her husband can barely take her anywhere...and I am oddly happy. I have sympathy of course, but I am so happy this is all just normal.

This was mid temper-tantrum, throwing herself over her chair in dramatic fashion...

I actually started to refuse to bring Maddie in public for a short while because it was such a mortifying experience. I like to think I'm strict-ish, meaning I don't tolerate tantrums, sassiness without some repercussion. However, it seems to just not work. In reading some literature recently, I understand the science behind it. They get angry/frustrated, cortisol levels rise causing elevated blood pressure and heart rate, and they have a "me" mentality and are too immature to reason with. But I also believe kids just have a certain personality...they seem to be born with it. If she is a "difficult" child, well, Lord knows she gets it honest. I can be quite willful and sassy myself. Ugh...why couldn't she just get daddy's laid-back attitude?


The point is, there are some inherent personality traits, however at least some of this will pass. So, grocery-store-mommy...there is hope. Life will return to some semblance of normalcy and no, we are absolutely not alone.

Really?!

So Maddie is playing in her newly redecorated room...play kitchen and all, when I hear her crying. More of an annoyed cry than a worrisome one. I run up the stairs to see her in her kitchen. She has pulled out the sink, climbed into it and is currently stuck, feet protruding from the "oven". Really?? I leave the child alone for a minute and she is knee-deep, literally, in the thing. Oy.

On a high note, she got to color and seemed to enjoy that when she wasn't attempting to eat the crayon. Double oy.

Beach bunny....

I honestly cannot remember the last time we took Maddie to the beach. I know she was barely crawling. We decided to drive down just for a walk along the beach to watch the sun setting. It was a bit chilly so no bathing suits, just regular clothes. Um, Maddie apparently didn't get the notice. Not only did she run right to the water (that was so cold, by the way!), she sat down, propelled forward...a swift wave would taken her away were it not for her daddy! It'll be fun to take her when the weather and water are warmer. She may actually not eat the sand...hence the long delay between beach excursions!

Electronic Babysitter

So one thing I swore I would do as a new mom is be real about my (mis)adventures. It's no wonder women all over feel inadequate what with all the "My kids are perfect, I'm perfect" nonsense we're fed to believe we need to uphold. I say ENOUGH! Soooo...

I confess. I try to be good, I do. I do all of the things I hoped I would...not every day mind you, but most. The one thing I swore I would not do, ever, is stick my kid in front of the television for ridiculous amounts of time. Well, the electronic babysitter, as it shall henceforth be referred to, has saved my life (ok, slightly dramatic...saved my day, anyway) on more than one occasion. It is impossible...I repeat: impossible, to be home, sans daddy for hours at a time with a toddler and get anything accomplished. So, Barney (ugh...) and Dora (blech...) have become our friends. I still limit the loss of brain cells, but were it not for the uncoordinated purple dinosaur and adventurous little lady, the dishes and laundry would be worse than they already are. Oh, and how do you think Maddie learned how to "Ring-around-the-rosy"?? Not from me, I can assure you...

My growing girl....

Kisses all the way around!!!

Riding her 4 wheeler from Papa!

Being silly...
My little helper!







Best Friends Forever!

Playtime with Bella! Dropping food for Meatball then getting mad that he ate it!

such a silly girl...she's making us laugh constantly!

CONSTANTLY outside! She really like balls...of any kind!

I realized I haven't really updated much about Maddie's "progress" at 18 months! Where to begin?? There is so much happening right now. She is so fun and energetic. She is like a sponge...we have to be careful what we say! She also is willful and can try my patience daily! It's so amazing watching her little personality develop and seeing her gain new skills every day. I'm in awe of the whole process, really! Some more tidbits:

~She baaarely fills out 18 month clothes...she's kind of a pipsqueak! Very petite like Mamma, but has Daddy's long torso.

~She wants to be outside...all day every day, weather permitting or not. She seems to have no regard for the record low temperatures SW Florida is experiencing!!

~She talks...all the time! I suppose she gets it honest :). She can say lots of words and is starting to put them together: "all done, so cute, so big, yes please, oh no (her current favorite)..." She "converses" quite a bit although much of it is in what I like to call Baby Latin. But if you engage her, it really feels like a conversations, facial expressions and all!

~She just discovered Barney, much to my dismay! I try to keep TV time to a minimum, but it is a fun distraction and she does love the music and the other children in the video. A purple dinosaur. Who thinks of these things??

~She has always been a great sleeper (7pm-7am) for months now...until about a week ago. she is suddenly waking up around 10pm every night. We've pushed bedtime back to 8...so let's hope that works! She takes one nap a day, for about 2 hrs.

~She and Meatball are finally starting to bond...especially when she drops food on the floor (usually intentionally, for him).

~She's developing quite the little sense of humor! She does funny things that makes us laugh and, seeing there is a response, she does it over and over!

~We're trying to teach her how to share. She's not doing so well :). She and Bella bicker quite a bit over toys, food...anything and everything! But they are also best buds and I am so glad they have each other, especially sice Bella lost her brother :(!

~She loves to help or just be into whatever I'm doing. If I'm vaccuming, she wants to also...she really likes to wipe surfaces down. I'm hoping to harness this and eventually have her cleaning the whole house while I sit on the couch eating Bob-Bons...

~she's quite affectionate and gives lotsa kisses...my favorite thing about her :)

Catching uuuup!

No comments from the Peanut Gallery...

The birthday crew!

"May you live to be 100 and may the last voice you hear be mine..." ~Frank Sinatra

Ok, not really...he's still younger and always will be. What can I say, I like my men a little younger! ;) We had a great time celebrating Garret's big 3-3 (on 1/11/11, by the way!)...both with a family dinner (excuse the very cheesy and amateur football cake to which Garret smirked, "What am I 12?") and a fun night out at the local Japanese Steakhouse and our favorite bar! Maddie was with Yaya while the grown-ups had some grown-up fun. One of the two best days of my life when that man was born....