Goblins, witches, ghosts..and LADYBUGS??

Maddie had her first Halloween...it was quite a success! We went with my sister Monique and her daughter Bella. Maddie was a ladybug (that I myself crafted...please hold your applause until the end) and Bella was Spidergirl. Monique has this great double jogging stroller that we pushed them around in (Maddie can't walk, obviously, and Bella lasts for all of ten minutes before wanting to be held!). It was really precious...Bella would go up to the door and when she was given a piece of candy, she would promptly say "Candy for baby Maddie..." before a door could be shoved in her face. You could see the confusion in the faces of the candy givers as we stood back a bit and they could barely see us. I'm guessing they figured it was a ploy to get extras but they gave in and handed her the extra piece which she eagerly ran back, put in Maddie's little bucket and continued on. One guess who REALLY ate that candy. His name begins with a "G" and ends with an "arret".

So back to my craftiness...or lack thereof! I was so frustrated trying to find the baby an outfit befitting her size as well as her adorableness! I LOVE Ladybugs, so I knew I wanted her to be one all along but couldn't find anything I liked or that she wouldn't sweat her little, dimply rear-end off in! So I headed to Joann Fabrics and fashioned a little skirt out of tulle, sequin trim and felt for the dots. Then...what to do for feelers?? AAAhhhh! Good ole fashioned pipe cleaners and pom -poms! Worked perfectly. Finding a black bodysuit was honestly the most difficult part, but Babies-R-Us delivered, once again (I also grabbed her a new bathing suit that I couldn't resist on sale because she's starting to look like the "before" photo in a Jenny Craig commercial in her old one...).

Hmmm...what to do for next year?? I should start working on it now.

Bananas, Carrots and Applesauce, OH MY!

It is time for big-girl food! Gone are the days of the lone bottle. Now we have color...lots of it...all over Maddie's face, clothes, me! She seems to like it and does well with the little rubber-tipped spoon, but when she's had enough, it is pouring out of her gummy smile! It's quite entertaining. She seems to be fond of bananas, pears and green beans...carrots, not so much! That's all we've tried so far, but more to come!

For some reason, this milestone seems to signify some maturation that I didn't realize I'd be so resistant to. Part of me looks so forward to her getting bigger, being mobile, expressing herself more. Another part wants her to be my little baby forever, gazing up at me while her mouth smiles around her bottle. Before I know it, she'll be choosing her own meals and navigating her own utensils. Sigh...

THREE months now...sheesh how time flies!

I have to confess, I didn't much love the first six weeks or so of mommy hood...or one minute of pregnancy for that matter! I just felt like we had this "supply and demand" relationship with no interaction other than the semantics of life. Feed, burp, change, dress, bathe...the bare necessities. Now all those preceding things are still a part of our daily routine but there is so much more ...FUN. Maddie smiles all the time, especially reacting to something silly we do or say. She makes constant eye contact. She only cries if there is a real need or she is sleepy. She grabs, kicks and is generally so much more alert and interactive. She still prefers to be held versus the swing, but she now really enjoys her activity mat and toys so I can actually get a few things accomplished throughout the day. She also seems to be...how can I say it...nosey, maybe? She hates to nap during the day as though she's afraid she may miss something exciting! But she does sleep through the night, so I guess I should be grateful! She's like this little person we're getting to know and it's so much fun! I look at her and she looks back and I feel like we're having this whole conversation through our eyes. She doesn't just rely on us for her needs anymore, we can see her recognizing us as the people who care for her like no other. We, in turn are falling madly in love with her more and more every day. I am so excited to continue to watch this beautiful creature navigate the world with us as her guides.

Maddie's first trip to the beach!

Yes, Florida is experiencing record-breaking heat and frankly, I am SICK OF IT! I mean, it's FALL for Pete's sake! I don't expect the gold and orange hues of the Northeast's trees or even "sweater weather", but PLEASE, a reprieve from the 100's!? So Garret thought a nice beach getaway would be in order. He found a great little inexpensive hotel room and we packed up our little family and headed to our close-to-home vacation. It was great...much needed! We turned off our phones and just enjoyed each other! Maddie did great! She was quiet during dinner, giggled during her hotel sink bath, slept THROUGH THE NIGHT and barely fussed on the beach or in the ocean, even though it was scorching! We kept her under an umbrella most of the time, only taking her out to dip her in the water to cool off (and for photo ops, of course!). We have such a great baby! We realized how lucky we are, that even out of her comfort zone she's an adaptable little girl! A successful trip to the beach...first of many I'm sure!

See a penny, pick it up...

So Maddie and I are at the bank this morning...too early, unfortunately. I am assuming it opens at eight, turns out it's eight-thirty. So we have to wait for ten minutes to get in...and I have to go in because I have to change my pin. I was assigned one when they sent me a new card and I can never remember it! I've had the same pin for years and I cannot, for the life of me, remember any other assigned number! As we're waiting, a small crowd begins to gather. Mostly elderly people, a woman in scrubs that I assume to be a nurse and me and my getting-increasingly-fussy baby. I move her carseat closer to my face and start to talk to her, soothe her. Out of the corner of my eye I see an elderly lady bending forward to pick up what I soon realize is a penny...heads up. I notice immediately that this is not an easy feat for her as she has some sort of impairment of the hand she is using to attempt to gain this bit of good luck. She finally gets it in her palm and turns towards me. "I wish you and your new baby much good luck, " she says and painstakingly twists her palm to let the penny drop into mine. I try to appear unphased by the awkwardness and focus on her generosity. This kind stranger, who clearly could have used some luck of her own, decided to share it with me. My blessings are abundant, and I don't know how much of them have to do with luck but I realize in that moment how very lucky I already am.

PLEASE HELP!!!

I'm training to participate in the ING Half Marathon in January 2010 in honor of Caleb Whan, my nephew who passed away 11 days after his 4th birthday after a difficult battle with Leukemia. I watched the life slowly drain from this brave little fighter. His ability to laugh, sing, play and endure throughout the most unimaginable horrors that the treatment for this disease involves has inspired me to feel compelled to make a difference...in any small way. I implore you to do the same. With just a small donation, you can help make a difference in the lives of families living and dying with this disease. I am running on behalf of the foundation my sister and her husband created in memory of Caleb, "Caleb's Crusade".

In the five minutes it takes to make a donation, someone will be diagnosed with a blood cancer and in five more, someone will die.

I know I didn't fully understand the need for donations when I first became involved in running for an organization until I saw firsthand what can be done to benefit families with these diseases. Insurance only covers a small portion of the astronaumical costs for treatment. There are medications, travel expenses (in Caleb's case, he was treated at Duke University Medical Center in N.C), copayments, lost wages...people lose their homes, their cars struggling to make ends meet. In addition to aiding with these costs, there is a great need for continued research to irradicate these life-threatening illnesses.

I fully realize the state of our economy and the fact that many of us are struggling financially but we must remember cancer does not abate for a flailing economy. ANY small donation helps!
I will be running in honor of Caleb...his courage and strength will inspire me to the finish line. I hope his story does the same for you.

Please make a donation...of any value, at the following website: http://www.calebscrusade.com/

"Children with cancer are like candles in the wind who accept the possibility that they are in danger of being extinguished by a gust of wind from nowhere and yet, as they flicker and dance to remain alive, their brilliance challenges the darkness and dazzles those of us who watch their light. "-- Unknown

2 Months and Counting!!

Hi everyone! This is Madeline! I am posting for mommy cause she is super tired...can't possibly have anything to do with ME can it?! I am just perfect, just like mommy and daddy thought I would be. I mean, I have all of my fingers and toes, am simply adorable and smile and coo at them all the time to let them know they are just fabulous! Since mommy posted at one month about what SHE'S learned, I thought I would share what I have learned at two months!

1. I like to sleep...but preferably in someone's arms and for three hours at a time...tops.

2. If I make the littlest of peeps, someone comes running. I barely have to cry! Perfect....

3. It is very entertaining to wait until mommy or daddy get my diaper off to clean me and THEN pee and poop...you should see their faces! Hee, hee...

4. I am not very fond of electronic devices to entertain me...we can just return the bouncy seat and swing to the store and buy something useful to me, like food!

5. If they want a smile from me, they have to work for it! This preciousness does not come for free people! I can only be so adorable in limited quantities as to not spoil you.

6. I grunt alot. It keeps everyone guessing..."Is she pooping? Is she gonna cry? Does she need something?" I'm usually fine, it's just my sound of choice!

7. My daddy falls asleep easier than I do! When he feeds me late at night, I like to see who will fall asleep first. He usually wins.

8. Baths are kinda fun...but I hate the part after the warm, sudsy water when they towel me off and redress me..brrrrrrr!!

9. My mommy likes to read alot of books about how to best take care of me, so I like to do the opposite, just to prove I am not a textbook baby, I am a unique, special baby!

10. My parents love me more than anyone and when I am bigger, I will let them know how fabulous they are. For now though, I have to be 2 months old and be simultaneously challenging and precious.

So....hopefully I will continue to learn how to be a good baby and make mommy and daddy realize they are doing a great job! Now that I am getting older, I will do my best to make things easier for them! I am very happy and healthy and it is all due to them and the rest of my wonderful family and friends! XOXO

Love, Maddie