At 5 months old

Madelyn is trying to be so big and sit up by herself now.

 But, sometimes she falls over.

She wants to be big so badly!

She joins us at the dinner table now.

She is becoming a little more vocal.
Instead of just blowing raspberries all the time she talks a little- which sounds more like she's trying to sing.
She loves to snuggle.
She will greet me with big kisses and cuddles- grabs me tight and smooshes her head into my arm.
She loves playing with her daddy.  She will just stare at him and watch everything he does.
She notices Jackson more now- likes to watch him with an inquisitive look.

Weekend Food Swap

Our plan for the new year has been going really well!

It has been so nice to just pop something in the oven or dump it in a pot on the stove to heat up.

We have swapped twice now and have ended up with a good variety of foods including: soups, burritos, pork and beans, meatloaf, eggrolls, lasagna, etc...

We are meeting again today to swap- 

2 weekends ago I made Chicken Taco Wraps and Collard Green Soup.

This weekend I made Chili and Enchilada Casserole.

We are only meeting every other weekend which is working out great.

Looking forward to many more yummy and easy meals for our busy weeknights!

Thanks to my wonderful family for wanting to participate!

PS- For dinner little one is now sitting with us and she loves it- Yay! 

(I used to hold her or she'd lay in her bouncy on the floor next to us)

Here's to Little Triumphs!

So, I've been working really hard at trying to get Madi girl to enjoy sleeping flat on her back. Ok- maybe not 'really' hard- but at least trying. For the first two weeks or so that we brought Madelyn home from the hospital she slept in the bed with me. It worked so well- I had just had a c-section and was not going anywhere so I was not worried about rolling over on her or anything like that.  

She was a good little sleeper.

Only woke up a few times a night to be fed and would go right back to sleep. She is a little bit of a schedule baby when it comes to night time. Around 8pm is her bedtime- her choice- not mine. Around that time she gets cranky-so we go upstairs in my bedroom in the pitch dark to lay down and I feed her.  

Out like a light every time.

She wakes up pretty much ever night between 2 and 3 to be fed and goes right back to sleep.

Then, she is up for the day between 7 and 8 am.

After sleeping in the bed with me for the first couple weeks- when I was more mobile and able to get in and out of our big bed easier- she began to sleep in her Rock n' Play Sleeper right by my bed.

Rashes...Rashes...and more Rashes...

Had to take little love to the doctor.

She was just there for her 4 month well visit.

Her doctor saw her rashes while we were there the first time- we did what we were told,

but they only continued to get worse.

Eczema.

Poor lovey.

I hope it is something she out grows.  

Thank goodness he gave us some good ol' medicine to heal her poor little skin.  

She hasn't been sleeping well at night for the past week...

or napping.

My happy, little, easy going baby for the past week has been a little bit of a drama queen.  

Happy go lucky one minute, whining and whimpering the next.

Let's hope her skin clears up soon so she can feel comfortable again.
And Boo to stupid rashes!

Finally...

Madi girl finally had her 4 month well visit.

Even though she is almost 5 months now.  

The doctors office does not do well visits the last 2 weeks in December 

which is when she needed to go, so the next available day they had was today.

She was such a good girl.  

She even showed the nurse how she loves to blow raspberries.

She did not like much of the visit other than being able to be naked and held by her momma.
Her daddy came too...he knows how awful shot visits are.

Burp Cloths

I have learned that burp cloths do not work the way I believe they should.  

It does not matter where you put the burp cloth-
you will still end up with spit up somewhere on you,
 and it will most likely not be on the burp cloth. 

The burp cloth is there just to clean up the damage.

I'm sure- just like other mommies-
I have had spit up run between my fingers,
down my arm, down my leg,
on my shoulder, in my shoe,
on the carpet, on the couch,
in the car seat, on my cheek
on a blanket, and on the dog.

I could go on and on and on.
But, I think you get the point though.

Thank you burp cloths for being there to clean up the damage.
Sorry you are no good to use as you were intended.  

Jumping is Fun

Madi girl likes to jump!

Ok- so she doesn't really jump yet, but she likes to hang out in her Jenny Jump Up.

She also likes to swing in her Jenny Jump Up.

Matt or I will push her just a little bit and we get big ol' smiles like this one!

Push her more than just a little and she's got butterflies.  

We love this little squishy!

At Least We Tried

First off- can I just say poor Steph. 

We tried to get together for pictures- all 3 grandbabies with Nana and Papa.

We all tried our best to get just one- just one good shot.  

Poor Steph tried her best to snap, snap, snap. As quick as she could- hoping for a decent one.

Jared would pose someone. 

I would act like a fool trying to get smiles.

Steph would snap away.

Lydia was being a busy body 2 year old while Madi and Liam were ready.

Madi and Liam were wailing their little heads off while Lydia was ready.

I don't think I need to say much more, but I don't think Nana and Papa ever got the shot they wanted.

One day. Maybe. 

At least you can't say we didn't try.

All the Other Kids with the Pumped up Kicks...

Ok- love the song, but probably not the best song lyrics to go with this sweet baby girl.

Her daddy dressed her while I was busy doing something.  She did have jeans and a cute pink shirt on over this onesie. Daddy always seems to get her down to her onesie, and I guess he couldn't resist putting on her sweet, little kicks.  

She looks so big with shoes on!  

Love this baby doll. Kicks and all. :)

New Year...New Ideas...

My family- we're all pretty close. I consider myself lucky. We all actually enjoy each others company. I know. Crazy- Right?! We actually looking forward to weekends when we can get together for dinner, a hike, a birthday, or a holiday. Sometimes it is difficult to get EVERYBODY together at one time, but we still manage.

My sister had a baby boy 7 weeks before little Madi was born. We have continued to talk about how much eating out we have been doing or not so healthy eating.

I work all day- go pick up my little angel- head home- feed her- snuggle her- when does making dinner fit in?!?  Exactly.  It doesn't. After being at work all day the last thing I want to do is walk away from baby girl to go make dinner.  So, it's either Matt comes home to make dinner or he picks something up on the way home. Not fair to him either, I know.

New Year...New Ideas...
I think so!