The Roedy Review

2011 Christmas Card

2011-11-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Happy 1st Birthday to My Little Cookie Monster

2010-04-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Maddox's 1st birthday on April 10th. Being the crazy party planner I am I had to have a theme, so we went with Cookie Monster. It was so great to be able to spend his 1st birthday with Grandma, Papa, Uncle Eric, Aunt Lisa, cousins Mara and Eva and family friends, the Dunbars. We had one of Madd's favorite meals, hotdogs, and enjoyed Cookie Monster cupcakes! We even had a cookie bar! His favorite part was playing with his cousins and big sister.

Madd has come a long way in his first year of life. On April 10th, 2009 my precious baby boy was born in San Antonio, TX. That baby boy SCREAMED for the first 6 weeks of life. We soon discovered that he was suffering from reflux. Once on medicine he became this incredibly sweet, affectionate and happy baby! You will be hard pressed to find a little guy who loves his Mama as much as he does at an early age. That love has positive and negative aspects. He showers me kisses and hugs and makes me feel like I am the most special person on Earth - Positive. He crawls around after me and sobs Mamamama when I don't pick him up - Negative! He can be the most pleasant little guy and it all goes down the drain when he sees me. Most people tell me they would rather hang out with Maddox without me there. Either way I love that baby boy. He has his challenges, but he has taught me so much about myself and I couldn't imagine my life without him. Happy Birthday Madd!

We were all decked out for Cookie Monster.

Dan and I found these Cookie Monster ski hats and

I made Grace a Cookie Monster colored tutu.

The Cousins

My attempt at Cookie Monster cupcakes. Not great, but you get the idea:-)

My Cookie Monster

Grace having some messy cupcake fun with Maddox.

Here we go....

2010-03-28T18:17:00.001-07:00

I give up. I just cannot keep up with providing you a snapshot of the day. I am obviously very behind, so I will just try to update when I can.

So let me update you. This last month has been CRAZY! Dan was laid off from Coventry and quickly found 2 jobs that were very interested in him. It came down to location (the other location was Dallas). So we are moving back to Pittsburgh. Dan starts his new job tomorrow! We are temporarily living with Dan's parents while we attempt to sell our house QUICKLY!

On Day 2 of living in Pittsburgh, Dan found these matching shirts for him and Madd. They are very cute!

March 9th - All Dressed Up

2010-03-09T19:11:00.001-08:00

Dan has been out of town for the past week, so today when we were getting ready to go pick him up at the airport Grace told me she wanted to wear a dress to pick her Daddy up. She was so excited to see him...and so were Ariel and Prince Eric.

March 8th - Pretty in Pink

2010-03-09T19:08:00.001-08:00

Grace got a new "ballerina" dress and a headband to match. She really wanted the headband, because she wanted to look like her friend, Charli. Charli has long beautiful hair and always has some sort of bow in her hair, so I guess Grace is starting to notice. I think what sets Grace apart is the one black and one pink ballerina shoes. Don't you think?

March 7th - Toothy Grin

2010-03-09T19:05:00.000-08:00

There is that toothy grin I know and love. Unfortunately there is some food in there as well. Oh well!

March 6th - Zoo Days

2010-03-09T19:01:00.001-08:00

Grace loves to visit the zoo, so we decided to head out to the San Antonio Zoo to see some animals and our friends. Grace thought she should try to ride one of these lion cubs, but I'm not sure you ride a lion by holding on to it's ears! For that matter, I don't think you try and ride a lion period.

March 5th - My Texas Girl

2010-03-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

What has Texas done to my Pittsburgh Girl? Now she walks around in pjs and cowboy boots!

Girl

March 2nd - Ice Cream Fiend

2010-03-04T05:44:00.001-08:00

I scream

You scream
We all scream for Ice Cream!

This baby boy loves his ice cream! He goes to great lengths to get it. In this picture he is hanging off his Daddy begging (more like screaming) for a tiny bite of his delicious ice cream.

March 1st - Snaggletooth

2010-03-04T05:41:00.000-08:00

Can you see his one tooth (his bottom-left)? He is getting more, but for now this is it. It is precious and a little dangerous!!!

Feb 28th - No More Pictures

2010-03-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

It is becoming more difficult to catch Grace in a moment and take her picture. Basically any time I bring the camera out she starts running away from me. Here is what I mean. She is hiding the bush hoping I will leave.

Feb 26th - I am behind!!!

2010-03-04T05:36:00.000-08:00

I am so behind on my pictures...I will try and get something out for each day.
Here is a pic of my sweet guy.

Feb 25th - Happy Birthday Granny!

2010-02-26T13:52:00.001-08:00

Our Granny turned another year older. We had so much fun visiting her and was sad to leave, but we hope she had a wonderful birthday!

Feb 24th - All Dressed Up

2010-02-26T13:49:00.001-08:00

Grace was trying on her new dress that Granny made for her.

Feb 23rd - Who's Ready for Easter

2010-02-26T13:47:00.001-08:00

Maddox is the new Easter Bunny!

Feb 22nd - A Boy and his Mama

2010-02-26T13:44:00.001-08:00

Feb 21st - Happy Birthday Mama (Molly)!!!

2010-02-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful 30th birthday! My day was spent having lunch with my family and friends. A little shopping to follow and then on to appetizers and dessert at the Melting Pot and a movie with my Hubby.

My birthday present from Grace...it was a Cadbury Egg:-)

Grace and I at El Chico!

Family Pic! You can never get us all looking cute at one time!

Feb 20th - Sweet Kisses!

2010-02-26T13:29:00.001-08:00

Madd loves his Sissy!

Feb 19th - CEC with Granny & Poppy

2010-02-26T13:24:00.000-08:00

Chuck E. Cheese anyone?

Feb 18th - Outside Playtime

2010-02-26T13:21:00.001-08:00

Madd loved playing outside in Granny & Poppy's front yard. He loved the leaves!

Feb 17th - Sleepyhead

2010-02-26T13:16:00.000-08:00

I found Madd sleeping like this...it doesn't look too comfortable, but he was happy.

Feb 16th - Puppy Love

2010-02-26T13:14:00.000-08:00

What a sweet little puppy!

A Break

2010-02-18T16:35:00.000-08:00

Well, we are in Tulsa for about a week and I cannot upload my pictures on my Mom's computer....so I'm sure I have a million people just waiting for my next picture to pop up, but it is going to be a while. See you when I get back to San Antonio!

Feb 15th - What a Smile!

2010-02-16T06:23:00.001-08:00

There are rare times that Grace will actually ask me to take her picture and she will give me the best smile. What a beautiful smile she has!

Feb 14th - Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Grace and Madd were super excited to see what Cupid left for them this Valentine's day. Here are a few pictures to sum it up.

Look at those beautiful Princess nails!

To my defense, I came downstairs and he was dressed this way. It was his Daddy and Grace's fault!

At least they are happy!

Feb 13th - Ribbit Ribbit

2010-02-13T19:06:00.000-08:00

Madd was playing with his humidifier and I thought he made an adorable froggy!

Feb 12th - Valentine's Day Party

2010-02-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

Today we had a Valentine's Day party with all of our friends at Chuck E. Cheese. It was so fun and there was a lot of red and pink. Everyone looked adorable in their Valentine's day shirts. Here are a few pics from the party.

Grace and I

Sorry I kind of took a picture of all the Mom's and their rears, but I wanted to show you all of us trying to get the kids to sit for one second so we could scramble and get a cute picture!

Here they all are...well we are missing a few, but this is what we got!

Feb 11th - Grace goes to the Dentist

2010-02-11T18:30:00.001-08:00

Today we went for Grace's 3rd dentist appointment, but this time she actually got her teeth clean! The first two appointments were "smile" visits and they just get them used to seeing the dentist and having them look at her teeth. They took some xrays and got started cleaning her teeth. She was a little unsure at first, but she did great. They even flossed and gave her some flouride. The hygenist said we were doing a great job cleaning her teeth, but that they thumb-sucking needed to stop. That is one BIG battle, so we will see how it goes.

Wearing the cool glasses they provide so the light doesn't shine in their eyes.

Feb 10th - The Tongue

2010-02-11T18:26:00.001-08:00

At any given time if Madd is concentrating on a toy or a piece of fuzz, the tongue is wagging. I really have to believe that it is providing him extra focus and concentration. He will go far with that tongue!

Feb 9th - Siblings

2010-02-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

Tonight Grace and Madd enjoyed some time in a laundry basket and was taken for rides around the living room by their Daddy. They loved it! Here is a pic of them just hanging out in the basket.

Feb 8th - Pretty Boy

2010-02-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

Poor Madd! I wonder how many times we will take his picture while wearing a dress or a bow in his hair. He doesn't look too happy does he?

February 7th

2010-02-07T13:57:00.001-08:00

Maddox just loves to stand while playing with his "new" toy.

February 6th - Yeehaw!

2010-02-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

Today (meaning Saturday) was a fun day! We headed over to Grace's friend, Waylon's, house for his 4th birthday. He celebrated his big day with a cowboy theme and even had a pony and a small petting zoo. They had a pony named Roxie, 2 goats, 1 piggy & 2 rabbits. Grace wouldn't go near the pony or the goats and would only look at the piggy. Her one true love was the little white rabbit. Once we were home, she told her Daddy that she wanted her own rabbit. Maybe...or MAYBE NOT!!!

Feb. 5th - The Rodeo

2010-02-05T17:52:00.000-08:00

Today we had a great time with friends at the Texas State Rodeo. Of course, Grace didn't want to touch any of the farm animals, but she loved looking at them and saying hi from a safe distance

Feb 4th

2010-02-05T17:51:00.001-08:00

Huh?

February 3rd

2010-02-03T13:46:00.000-08:00

Today has been a challenging day with my 3 year old, but this smile just melts my stress away.

Can you say ADORABLE?

February 2nd - What's up with that tongue?

2010-02-02T18:47:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe I forgot to mention this yesterday, but Maddox reached a new milestone on February 1, 2010. Finally, after many months of speculation, Maddox got his first tooth! It is his bottom left and it is precious...well as precious as a baby tooth can be. Goodbye gummy smile, I will miss you!

Will Maddox be the next (white) Michael Jordan?

He can concentrate so much more with his tongue hanging out:-)

February 1st

2010-02-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

Kind of blah today...no big smiles.

January 31st

2010-01-31T19:32:00.001-08:00

No children were harmed during the taking of this picture.

January 30th

2010-01-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

Madd is being buried alive.

He actually looks tiny in this picture, which is something we don't say very often.

January 29th

2010-01-29T20:14:00.001-08:00

Talking to Poppy on the phone

Pulling himself up on Daddy's legs

January 28th

2010-01-29T20:13:00.000-08:00

Why won't she smile....

January 27th

2010-01-28T18:18:00.000-08:00

Night-Night Grace

January 26th

2010-01-26T17:11:00.000-08:00

Madd's new favorite toy...wooden spoon and a pan!

January 25th

2010-01-26T17:07:00.001-08:00

Mackenzy (8 months), Henry (8 months), Maddox (9 months) & Brinley (12 months)

BUDDIES!!!

January 24th

2010-01-24T18:08:00.000-08:00

Grace kept giving me all these weird faces, so I finally asked her to give me one good smile and I would be done and leave....she did! Who knew all you had to do was ask!

January 23rd

2010-01-23T18:29:00.001-08:00

He loves watching his sister play!

January 22nd

2010-01-23T18:25:00.000-08:00

This is why you don't see as many pictures of her (she doesn't like to have her picture taken anymore!)...but why must she give me these faces!?!

January 21st

2010-01-21T16:08:00.000-08:00

Madd enjoyed his dinner...did you?

Just playing with his blocks...and the box they came in.

January 20th

2010-01-20T13:17:00.000-08:00

Today we met some friends at Just Add Children. Madd enjoyed all the playing and was reunited with his buddy Henry. It was so adorable. Henry gave Madd like 5 kisses in a row! Such buddies! (Yes, I do realize that there will be a time when this could be considered inappropriate, but it's just so adorable right now!)

January 19th - Sucking through a straw?

2010-01-19T16:54:00.000-08:00

Who knew...Madd has many hidden talents, but apparently this kid can figure out how to suck through a straw when he wants an Ocean Water Cream Slush bad enough. Dan laid down next to him with his drink and Madd made a beeline for Dan (this happens often...at least when you have food). Dan told him that he couldn't have any since he didn't know how to suck through a straw, but I guess he gave him a chance and before we knew Madd was slurping. After he lost interest Dan pulled out his Mozzarella Sticks and again, Madd was waiting...this kid is going to eat me out of house and home...I just know it!

January 18th

2010-01-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

Just a day short, but doesn't this chubby little face make up for the wait?

January 17th

2010-01-17T20:10:00.001-08:00

What a great day for some barbecue and playing in the backyard, so we did just that!

January 16th

2010-01-16T10:08:00.000-08:00

Grace took some time out of her day to snuggle in with her baby brother in his crib:-)

Madd as a Storm Trooper!

Janurary 15th

2010-01-15T20:37:00.001-08:00

What a sweet couple!!!

January 14th

2010-01-14T18:07:00.000-08:00

Madd's new favorite activity is roaming the halls "nakey" after a good bath. He seriously did this for about a half hour before he was forced into footy pajamas and sleep.

He found something! Quick get it before it ends up in his mouth!

January 13th

2010-01-13T19:53:00.000-08:00

Well today was busy (well not really, but that is what I am telling myself since I totally forgot to take a picture of the kids.) So instead you get a last minute pic of me before I go to sleep. Don't judge...I'm about to go to sleep so you missed my whole "I'm one HOT Mama" look earlier (yeah right!) I personally like the Desitin box behind me...that says a lot about me I think.

Well this is what you get!

January 12th

2010-01-12T17:11:00.000-08:00

We had such a great morning! The sun was shining and the temperature was warm. We got a nice walk in and then had some bubble fun. Grace loves blowing bubbles and Maddox loves watching. Everytime she would blow some new bubbles he would crack up laughing.

I LOVE THEM!!!

January 11th - Madd's 9 month appointment

2010-01-11T17:10:00.001-08:00

Today Maddox had his 9 month check-up. He was such brave baby boy. He got 3 shots and his finger pricked to test for anemia and didn't even cry! I appreciate that, it always makes me so sad when he or Grace cry after shots. He weighed 24lbs 7oz (94th percentile) and was 30 inches long (92nd percentile). He is getting so big. I think he is about to outgrow his 18 month shirts:-( I can't wait for Madd to learn how to walk up the stairs, because my arms are tired!!!

January 10th

2010-01-10T19:47:00.000-08:00

It's hard to decide which picture to make my picture of the day. Do you go with the picture of Grace refusing to share her princesses or do you go with the one where they are playing blocks together so nicely. I think I will go with the more rare occurance and make the picture of the day where they are playing nicely together:-)

January 9th

2010-01-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

Male bonding time

January 8th

2010-01-08T17:23:00.001-08:00

All Clean!!!

January 7th - Happy Birthday!

2010-01-07T19:50:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my friend Monica!

AND....

Happy Birthday to a special family member...Pie!

Pie turned 8 years old today.

Here is a picture of Pie enjoying her birthday present.

January 6th

2010-01-06T18:02:00.001-08:00

Goodnight kisses for Daddy

January 5th

2010-01-05T13:33:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun playing at our friends' house today. Lots of dress-up, baby dolls & dancing!

January 4th

2010-01-04T20:22:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love that winning smile and those gorgeous lashes?

I love my baby boy!

January 3rd - First Haircut & Picture of the Day

2010-01-03T18:35:00.000-08:00

Grace got her first haircut today! While she hasn't grown a lot of hair over the last 3 years of her life, it is getting a little longer and with the length it is stringy and frizzy! I couldn't take it much more! So I took her to Fantastic Sams for her first cut. She did really good and was so excited to get her hair cut like Mama and Daddy. The stylist said she was going to give her a "bob" and took off about an inch or more. Not sure if it is a bob, but it has to be an improvement. Hopefully the cut will help her hair grow a little faster and fuller. Keep your fingers crossed!

Picture of the Day

Grace after her first haircut. She loves it, so I love it too:-)

January 2nd

2010-01-02T17:44:00.001-08:00

Grace is enjoying (although it doesn't appear to be) her fettucini alfredo made with love by her Daddy.

Our day was spent hanging out around the house. We were deeply saddened when our beloved Pokes failed to win the Cotton Bowl.

January 1st - New Year's Resolution...but not really a resolution.

2010-01-01T19:58:00.001-08:00

So I am going to attempt something new for 2010. I am going to take a picture of our family (may not be everyone in the family, but it will at least be one family member) and provide a caption for each day of the year. Not sure what my plan is for the end of the year, but let's go with it. I hope I can at least make it for a month. I will try to post daily, but we all know how that goes.

This picture pretty much represents what we have been doing all day long...nothing! Just watching some football and hanging out in our pjs. Gotta love Grace's expressions!

Christmas 2009

2010-01-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas

Only a hippopotamus will do

No crocodiles or rhinoceroseses

I only like hippopotamuseses

And hippopotamuses like me too!

Grace's new favorite song! She has been singing it all season long. We enjoyed Christmas at home in San Antonio. Grandma & Papa flew in from Pittsburgh to spend Christmas with us. This is the first year that Grace really "got" Santa and she loved talking about him and what he was going to bring her (Ariel in the pink dress). She actually sat in his lap for about 10 seconds before you could tell she was about to lose it! Grace got a new doll house (from Grandma & Papa) for all her princess barbie dolls and she LOVES it! I haven't seen her since Christmas:-) Maddox got some new boy toys, like footballs! It was so nice to wake up in our own house and see what all Santa left us and still be able to spend it with some of our family. We feel truly blessed.

Grace's 3rd Birthday

2010-01-01T18:27:00.001-08:00

Whoops...kind of behind. We celebrated Grace's 3rd Birthday numerous times this year. Granny flew in for the weekend before and we had dinner at The Cracker Barrel (they even sang Happy Birthday to my little girl and she enjoyed a free sundae) and at home we all enjoyed some ice cream cake. Grace opened some of her gifts which included, Ariel dress-up outfit, Ariel wig, Ariel shoes and crown, Ariel jewelry, etc. Do you see a theme? We then celebrated with all of Grace's friends on December 14th. The theme...you guessed it...Ariel! It was an "Under the Sea" with Ariel theme. Granny and I, with the help of a helium tank, blew up 450 teal and purple balloons. We had Ariel cupcakes and listened to the music of The Little Mermaid. Grace greeted all her guests in her Ariel costume. She had so much fun and it made all my blisters (from tying 450 balloons) worth it. Grace, Maddox, Daddy & I celebrated Grace's actual birthday the next day (December 15th) with a quiet meal at home and had leftover ice cream cake. What a great few days for a beautiful & sweet baby girl.

Christmas Pictures & Grace's 3 Year Old Pictures

2009-11-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

Last weekend my friend, Tina, took some family pictures for our 2009 Christmas card and also took some of Grace since she will be 3 years old in about a month. My little girl is getting so big. It was a struggle at first to get her to not smile so "big", but finally we got some natural smiles (the kind I like). Tina was also able to get a few pics of Madd and his sweetness.

MaMaMaMa

2009-11-10T11:54:00.000-08:00

MaMaMaMa...that's my name in case you didn't know. Madd has officially been calling for me for the past few weeks. I remember when Grace said Dada and I thought "Really? How much more can I do for you and you say Dada first?". Since the first few weeks with Madd I had no doubt that my name would be first. He is so obviously attached to his Mama and while I'm sure there will be times when I am challenged with this, it is so incredibly sweet. I love that little guy!

Pumpkin Patch 2009

2009-10-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy, so while visiting Granny & Poppy in Tulsa we decided to make a trip out to the Carmichael's Pumpkin Patch. It was chilly, a lot colder than it had been in San Antonio so we had to bundle up. Grace loved all the pumpkins and Madd was especially fond of the hay that he tried to eat on numerous occasions. We attempted the pony ride, but of course Grace got all the way up to the horse and decided that it wasn't for her. She also wanted nothing to do with all the farm animals. She has developed numerous fears over the last few months including, clowns, anything really in a furry costume (that includes Chuck E. Cheese), horses, goats, dogs, cats and some people. Yep, it's been super fun! We ended our trip with a hayride. All in all, I think Grace had fun and Madd he enjoyed being held by Poppy the entire time.

Maddox - 6 Months Old!

2009-10-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

We recently had Maddox's 6 month check-up. He was all smiles up until all the shots:-( But he did okay and didn't cry too much. He is my tough guy...ha...not really:-) He weighed 21lbs and 4oz which put him in the 93rd percentile. He was also 27 1/2 inches long (79%). He is growing (which isn't really surprising) and doing well. He is pretty much to the point where he can sit up on his own. He does fall over quite a bit if he is not concentrating on sitting, but he is getting there. The doctor did say he had some swelling on his top teeth, so I am hoping that he will soon have some little teeth popping out! He hasn't been sleeping his best either (getting up at 4 or 5 AM), he does go back to sleep after a bottle..but still! I'm hoping this is related to the teeth and not a separate issue that we are going to have to seriously work on!

My baby boy is such a happy guy at this point. He had a rough start but I couldn't ask for a more sweet and affectionate little boy. Of course it helps that I am his Mama and he LOVES his Mama:-) How lucky am I?

Potty Trained?

2009-09-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

So I feel bad for multiple reasons. 1. It's been a long time since I posted anything, so much has happened in the last 2 weeks since I posted, i.e. Dan's 30th birthday. And 2. Grace is potty trained!!!! For the most part:-)

August 30th, Grace, Daddy, Grandma & Papa were washing the car, so I decided to put a bathing suit on with no diaper. Afterwards I took the bathing suit off and decided why not try her out. Well I asked her no long afterwards if she needed to pee pee and she told me no. Of course, this is always how it goes down. I feel like I am forcing her into the bathroom and eventually give up b/c she is REFUSING to go. Well I simply said that I'm sure if she went she could have some M&Ms. Well it worked!!! Don't get me wrong I have done this before, but today she actually cared! The rest is history. For the last 2 weeks she has had very minimal accidents. I guess it was just time. Thank goodness! I really thought she may never be potty-trained.

Port Aransas 2009

2009-08-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

We made it down to the beach finally this year. While Papa & Grandma were visiting from Pittsburgh we drove down to Port Aransas, TX and spent 3 days & 2 nights. The first day we visited the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi. Grace loved seeing all the marine life and Maddox did watch the otters play a little bit. The next day was spent playing in the water..at the beach and at the condo's pool. Grace of course loved making sand castles with her Papa & Daddy and finding sea shells on the shore. Maddox actually enjoyed his first dip in the ocean...nice and warm, and actually didn't scream when we took him to the pool. The trip was a success! We had a great relaxing time!

Papa & the Pool

2009-08-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

Grace loved going to the pool with her Papa tonight. There was a little boy at the pool who was jumping in and Grace was really watching him. We asked her if she wanted to jump in and she told us, "Ummmm....no!" Well after watching him have lots of fun she decided she wanted to jump in. So she got up the courage and had a blast. She gave her Papa a workout!

It's Raining, It's Pouring

2009-08-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

To break up the 100+ degrees days here in San Antonio, God decided to give us break this evening and let it rain. As Grace and I were driving home from getting some pizza I saw all the neighbor kids outside playing the rain. I had to laugh to myself, because none of these kids are out playing when it's sunny. The whole neighborhood came out to rejoice in the rain. So naturally, when we got home Grace got her umbrella (a present from Granny...which we never thought would get used in this Desert) and played in the rain. It was so refreshing, until of course we lost power for nearly an hour and a half.

Maddox's 4 month appt.

2009-08-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

Today was Maddox's 4 month appointment. He weighed in at 18lbs 7oz (97th percentile), 25 1/4 inches long (63rd percentile), and head circumference was 41 1/2cm (31st percentile). Basically it sounds like I have an average fat baby with a small head:-) He got 4 shots today and one orally. Poor baby! He did okay though, only cried a little on the last two. The doctor thought he looked healthy, but who didn't know that! Looking back at Grace's stats, Maddox outweighed her by 4lbs 2oz (and we thought she was a Chubs!) and was 1/4 inch longer, and his head was bigger by 1 1/2cm. She turned out okay, so I'm assuming he will too!

First Solids

2009-08-02T18:00:00.000-07:00

Maddox had his first solids today (a bowl full of rice cereal). Technically he has been taking bottles every day with a little bit of rice cereal in them to help with his reflux, but today it was a little bit more solid. He did great and really seemed to enjoy eating (go figure right!)! Even Grace got in on the action and helped me feed him. I'm planning on letting her feed Maddox once he gets a little bit better at eating while I sleep in:-)

The things Grace will say....

2009-08-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

I had posted this on my facebook page, but I thought I would jot it down here so I can have it in the vault. The other day I stopped at Sonic for a drink and sandwich. I received my order, but on my way out I realized they forgot my straw. So...I went back to get my straw. As I was leaving the parking lot again, I realized they gave me a sausage, egg & cheese sandwich, I asked for bacon, egg & cheese. So I again went back to change my order. As I was leaving for the third time I realized they again gave me a sausage, egg & cheese sandwich but threw in some bacon. I obviously was expressing my disgust with Sonic when from the backseat Grace asked "Mama, are you freaking out?" At least she used it correctly in a sentence.

Tonight at dinner I asked Grace what she wanted to do tomorrow (Sunday). We decided we should go see Jesus. She then proceeded to ramble on about everything she knew about Jesus. She began to whisper "we have to be quiet when we see Jesus", and then said "Jesus is in my heartbeat, bum-bum bum-bum [the sound of a heartbeat], and followed it up with "Jesus told me not to walk in the grass". I'm a little confused by that last part, but still precious none the less.

Oh and a side note, I know I never posted that "recital" video. It was too long, so I need to cut it down before it can be uploaded.

I DON'T/DO want to be a Ballerina...Which is it?

2009-07-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

Well today was the last day of our Dance for Tots class. Grace was super excited (as always) for her last class. We dropped Maddox off at a friend's house so that it would just be the two of us and I could video tape the whole class so that all our friends and family could see what she was learning in class (beware it is around 12 minutes long). So the video tape will show her excited before class, but she quickly winds down and ends up laying out in the middle of the floor for almost the entire class while all the other kids dance/walk/march around her. To her defense I think she is either getting a cold or allergies and she could still possibly be doped up from her Zyrtec from the night before. Sadly my tape ran out just as she was about to actually participate in class. So you can just imagine those last 3 minutes and how great she was:-) Class is officially over and I'm left wandering if Grace wants to be a Ballerina or not....

Her sticker she got at the end of class.

Hugging Miss Christine goodbye.

I DO want to be a Ballerina!

2009-06-25T13:28:00.001-07:00

So there isn't much to say about today's session of Dance with Tots. Grace told me all week about how she was going to go to class and she was going to get her stamp, and I kept saying how exciting it was going to be and that Maddox and I were going to watch her from the hallway. We got to class this morning early and she told me she was ready to go in. We had to wait for the next class to get out. Finally Miss Christine came out and asked if they were ready. Grace excitedly grabbed on to the rope and they sang "The Wheels on the Bus" all the way into the classroom. I didn't see Grace for 35 minutes!!! Yay!!! She did it!!! I, of course, was watching periodically from the window and she did great. When she came out of class she was so proud of herself. She knew she had done it and I was SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF HER TOO! Later at home I asked what she learned and she said "to be quiet". Hmmm...okay. She then said she also learned to hop, march & dance.

Father's Day 2009

2009-06-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

Well yesterday was Father's Day. Grace and I decided to go to Target (about a week ago) and get Daddy a gift. I kept asking Grace as we were walking around what to get Daddy. I was pretty sure we were going to walk out of there with a Barbie or something like that. After much thought, she told me Daddy needed a hat. If you have seen Dan's hat collection...that was the last thing he needed. But it was incredibly thoughtful since I was prepared for a Barbie. So we headed over to the men's section. Of course right there on display were "World's Greatest Dad" hats. I smiled to myself thinking..that is so (NOT) Dan. The hats even had matching t-shirts:-) So Grace picked out her favorite and then proceeded to tell me that Daddy also needed a screwdriver. So next we headed over to the tool section (what little tool section there was at Target). She picked out some handy pliers. Again, very thoughtful. She knows her Daddy well. So last on our list was a card. She looked through a handful of Father's day cards until she found the perfect one. One the front of the card it had a "horsey" (actually a donkey) and said Happy Father's Day, and on the inside it said "from your smarta$$ kid". Hilarious!!! All Gracie liked was the "horsey". Of course Dan came home later that day and asked Grace if she had gotten him a card. She said yes and that it had a horsey on it and that she got him a hat with a matching shirt and a pool. Later he figured out she meant tool. Can she not keep secrets!?! Well we had a wonderful Father's day. We spent the day at church then lunch and ended it with Daddy's favorite meal, steak. We hope you had a wonderful Father's Day!

He did it!!!

2009-06-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

Maddox turned 10 weeks yesterday, and last night he officially slept through the night. I guess he officially (according to baby books) was sleeping through the night all last week, but to me last night was official. He had been sleeping around 8-9 hours all last week, but last night he slept almost 11 hours. Actually I hear him waking up now. So his official times were 8:15 PM to 7 AM. I'm so proud of my boy! I hope he keeps this up!

I don't want to be a Ballerina, Pt. 2

2009-06-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

Well today was our 2nd class of our 4 week Dance for Tots class. Grace was again very excited to go to class and dance. Miss Christine asked everyone to hold on to the rope and sing "The Wheels on the Bus" as they entered the classroom. Grace decided she was NOT going to class and said we should go home. I told her we were not leaving and we were going to sit there in the hallway for the entire class. She basically did this fake cry in her chair for at least 10 minutes (one of the other Moms got a picture of this and is going to send it to me:-). Finally I convinced her to go into the classroom. We went in for a minute, but she was already at the door ready to go. So we were back out in the hallway. A little more time passed and I convinced her once again to go into class. She was very interested in what they were doing (they were fishing!?!) Maddox began to cry so I had to leave. She stayed in there for maybe 5 minutes and then out in the hallway again. Finally I was able to put Maddox to sleep and convinced Grace for a third time (3x a charm...right?) to go back into the classroom. She actually particated in their activity! She jumped on some stars, ran through a tunnel and high-fived Miss Christine like a pro. She got her end-of-the-class sticker and as we were leaving she told me "that was fun Mama, we should do it again". Ugh!!!! Yes Grace, let's do that again next week.

Reflection

2009-06-17T17:46:00.001-07:00

There are days for whatever reason you feel extremely lucky to be you. Maybe it was just a good day/evening with your family (the kids actually behaving and not screaming at you) or maybe you just get a moment to step back and realize all that you have. If you are lucky enough you may have these thoughts every day. For me, now after 2 kids, there isn't a lot of time to step back and live in the moment. I am constantly thinking about what I need to do next as I'm sure most Mothers do. In a way, Maddox has given me back so of that time. I am forced to sit in his dark, quiet room and feed him right before bed and while he is eating I am left with my thoughts. So here are a few things I was thinking about.

I have the most amazing husband. He may not always be amazing 24/7, but as a whole HE IS AMAZING! He works so hard for his family, sometimes to a fault. He makes it possible for me to stay at home with Grace & Maddox. He knows everything about me (the good, the bad & the ugly) and he still loves me and thinks I am beautiful. Since our kids he has been bumped down on the priority list (not on purpose and probably not a good thing) but he has, and he doesn't complain or hold a grudge. He thinks it's great that I enjoy living in San Antonio and I have met so many new friends, even though he is somewhat miserable here. He is my perfect match. I thank God for him and the path He brought me down so that I was able to find Dan.

I always knew I wanted children and a little girl would have been perfect. 2 1/2 years ago I got my wish when My Little Grace was born. She loves to snuggle, always have and may always will. She has the most incredible personality. She is almost always happy and her smile lights up a room and melts my heart. She has so much soul and joy in her eyes and she always knows when to say the right thing. Today we were sitting on the couch and out of the blue she said "you're a good Mama, I love you." I love you too Grace!

I never really imagined having a boy. I always thought I wanted girls (better selection on clothes!). But when I found out I was pregnant that is all I wanted and I cried (happy tears) when they told me I was having my boy. Obviously, I have heard of the mother/son connection, but you can't even begin to understand it until you have your own little boy. I am only 9 weeks in and I already can feel that bond. We haven't even begun to scratch the surface of Maddox's personality, only time will tell, but he already has an infectious smile with such happy eyes. I love him!

Okay, my time is up. All I can say is thank you for these 3 individuals that have all touched my life. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Goodnight.

Bathtime

2009-06-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

Maddox loves his bathtime!

Sound the Horn, Cue the Drums

2009-06-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

Maddox appears to be taking cues from his Big Sister. Much like his sister, he decided at 9 weeks to the day that he would like to attempt to sleep through the night. Last night I tried everything to get that bugger to go to sleep, but he just kept smiling away at me as I tried to nurse him. Finally, I put him in bed (wide awake) and left him to play in his bed. I was expecting to have to go back in the room and attempt to put him to sleep, but he was just looking at everything in his bed and eventually he put himself to sleep. At around 2:30 AM (his designated time) I woke up and thought "hmmm, only a matter of time", but then I woke up at 4 AM concerned I missed him crying or did he quit breathing (why do Mothers have to worry so much). So for about 45 minutes I waited to hear something that would tell me he was okay. Finally he started fussing a little bit. I went in and nursed him quickly and he was back asleep and woke up at 7:30 AM. I am so happy!!!! I hope it's not a fluke!

Nakey

2009-06-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

Somehow the television channel was changed over to the Ultimate Fighting Championship weigh-ins. So one by one these rather huge men came out and would strip down to their underwear and weigh-in in prepration for their upcoming fights. I decided that this wasn't exactly what I wanted to watch so I switched the channel to something more interesting...like TLC. As the channel changed Grace told me that she wanted to "keep watching the men getting nakey!" I wonder how am I going to explain this to Dan if she tells him about the nakey men Mommy was watching and will he believe me? :-)

I don't want to be a Ballerina

2009-06-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

Today was our first day of our Dance for Tots class. Grace was so excited to wear her "ballerina" outfit. I was anticipating a breakdown when we got there and she realized that I was not going into the classroom with her. But Miss Christine was super friendly and Grace warmed up very quickly. They all grabbed a piece of rope and Miss Christine led them into the classroom. Before I knew it Grace was the best in the class, she was pointing her toes and sitting very good on her tape (she told me that). Of course, that couldn't last forever. With about 10 minutes left in class a little boy began to break down, that began the domino effect and Grace was soon screaming for her Mama. The teacher asked if she was just tired. I don't think so. Grace kept telling me she wanted to go home and needed to go back to bed. So we lasted about 20 minutes. I keep mentioning how excited I am to see what she learns next week and she keeps telling me "I don't want to be a ballerina!" Currently...she is in bed. She just wouldn't stop crying/screaming!

Best Friends

2009-06-10T11:39:00.001-07:00

Best buddies, Maddox & Henry

I truely think this may be Grace's 1st best friend. She loves Addison!

Maddox at 8 weeks

2009-06-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

Maddox had his 2 month doctor appointment on Monday. Poor baby had to get 5 shots and one oral. He slept ALL day long. I was thinking next time I should go to my doctor's house at like 8 PM and have her give him the shots then, maybe I would get a full night rest. He weighed in at 15lbs 3 oz...craziness! He gained 7lbs since his birth in just 8 weeks and is in the 97th percentile for his weight. He was 24 inches long (87th percentile). Dan is proud and almost giddy at the thought that he might have a linebacker or tightend in the family. I think it may be a little early...don't you think? Other than that he got a clean bill of health. He does still have a little baby acne on his face and a dry scalp, so we are using T-Gel (I think that is what it is called) on his head. He also has lots of rolls so we need to make sure yeast isn't growing in there...kind of gross I know. The picture is of him later that day with his friends, Brinley (5 months) & Henry (1 month). So sweet!

Hmm....

2009-06-10T11:24:00.001-07:00

So this is my first entry. I'm not sure what to say at this point. I guess I'm going to try and use this as a way to document all the wonderful things that Grace & Maddox do and say, and all the not so wonderful things they do and say. I'm sure I do my fair share of complaining as a mother, but they truely are the most beautiful things ever created and I'm so lucky they are mine. I can't wait to see as they get older and the people they become. I'm sure they are going to be great.