One of my nearest and dearest friends gave birth to her first child this weekend. A son who they named Joseph. I think most of you have met her - Chris was one of my college roommates and the matron of honor in our wedding. Her husband's name is Mike and we could not be more excited for the two of them. It's such an incredible time in your life - these first few days as a family and it only gets better. Yesterday I talked to her for a few minutes and you could just here the joy in her voice. Instantly it made me think about the day that Maddie was born and holding her in my arms the first time. Looking her over a million times and soaking in all those teeny tiny parts we had waited so long to see. Smelling her tiny head - we all do that don't we? Maybe it's just me, but I still love to rub my cheek up against her sweet head and smell her tiny noggin. The whole time I was talking to Chris I was trying to put all those memories and thoughts into words - but you just can't. I couldn't find the right word, but later it came to me. It's intoxicating. The whole experience. Start to finish. And the good news is - it still is.
Congratulations Chris and Mike -welcome to the best thing that ever happened to you! You are going to love the whole ride!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
From Where I'm Sitting
I wish you could see the view from where I'm sitting. Mike sat down earlier in our rocking chair in the living room to rock Maddie to sleep and within a few minutes they both fell asleep. She started out in his arms but once she finished her bottle, she turned and put her head on his chest.
It's been a rough week at our house. Maddie came down with the stomach virus and we almost ended up in the ER. Scared us to death. Then Mommy and Daddy both got it. It's no fun for anyone involved when you can hardly take care of each other, much less chase after a 10 month old who doesn't understand why her parents haven't moved from the same spot all day. Mandy dropped off sick supplies at our front door - the usual pedialyte, gatorade and soup - we were too afraid to let her in and chance infecting her too. We didn't make it to school or work until Wednesday. Well, Mike made it into work on Tuesday, Mommy and Maddie did not. Since then we've been trying to get our heads above water. Catch up on laundry, catch on cleaning, and catch up at work. Couple that with bad news I got at work. It's been a struggle this week. There have been days this week when we just wanted to crawl back into bed and forget everything that happened that day.
Tonight was finally a normal night and everyone was well. Before they fell asleep, we ordered pizza and stripped Maddie down to her diaper so that she could "feed" herself. She likes to peel the cheese off the pizza and eat it. Annie gets her crust. Afterwards, Maddie got a bath and came downstairs to play for awhile. Mike tried to teach Maddie how to throw a ball, a beach ball, and then throw things at the ball, all in the house. Lovely. Maddie is a fast learner. Even better. And then they settled down for bottle and night time. Did I mention earlier that Mike fell asleep first?
Saturday morning Mike leaves for Pebble Beach and his busy travel season starts back up. Watching them play together tonight I know that Maddie is going to notice his absence this time - which is bittersweet. He is going to miss her more than ever. I don't really know if she is truly a Daddy's girl or a Mommy's girl at this point - she seems to play her hand quite well with both of us - but I know that she will miss the weird laugh he does lately that makes her giggle and eating breakfast with Daddy every morning while Mommy trys to steal a few more zzz's, and many other little routines they share. There are lots of things that I will miss about having Mike at home with us all of the time and nights like tonight are definitely one of them. This week has been insane and Saturday the craziness will all start up again. But tonight I get to enjoy the view.
It's been a rough week at our house. Maddie came down with the stomach virus and we almost ended up in the ER. Scared us to death. Then Mommy and Daddy both got it. It's no fun for anyone involved when you can hardly take care of each other, much less chase after a 10 month old who doesn't understand why her parents haven't moved from the same spot all day. Mandy dropped off sick supplies at our front door - the usual pedialyte, gatorade and soup - we were too afraid to let her in and chance infecting her too. We didn't make it to school or work until Wednesday. Well, Mike made it into work on Tuesday, Mommy and Maddie did not. Since then we've been trying to get our heads above water. Catch up on laundry, catch on cleaning, and catch up at work. Couple that with bad news I got at work. It's been a struggle this week. There have been days this week when we just wanted to crawl back into bed and forget everything that happened that day.
Tonight was finally a normal night and everyone was well. Before they fell asleep, we ordered pizza and stripped Maddie down to her diaper so that she could "feed" herself. She likes to peel the cheese off the pizza and eat it. Annie gets her crust. Afterwards, Maddie got a bath and came downstairs to play for awhile. Mike tried to teach Maddie how to throw a ball, a beach ball, and then throw things at the ball, all in the house. Lovely. Maddie is a fast learner. Even better. And then they settled down for bottle and night time. Did I mention earlier that Mike fell asleep first?
Saturday morning Mike leaves for Pebble Beach and his busy travel season starts back up. Watching them play together tonight I know that Maddie is going to notice his absence this time - which is bittersweet. He is going to miss her more than ever. I don't really know if she is truly a Daddy's girl or a Mommy's girl at this point - she seems to play her hand quite well with both of us - but I know that she will miss the weird laugh he does lately that makes her giggle and eating breakfast with Daddy every morning while Mommy trys to steal a few more zzz's, and many other little routines they share. There are lots of things that I will miss about having Mike at home with us all of the time and nights like tonight are definitely one of them. This week has been insane and Saturday the craziness will all start up again. But tonight I get to enjoy the view.
Friday, January 22, 2010
The Circus is coming to town!
In two months, our baby girl will be 1 year old. I am so not kidding when I tell you that if I dwell on this notion too long I feel like I'm going to have an anxiety attack. A full fledge attack, because you know if one year can go by this quickly next year she will be 18 and she'll be enrolling in college in Alaska, where I can't get to her if she needs me. What if she gets the flu - who will make her homemade soup? And besides the fact that it is light years away, do you know how cold it is there? What if she wants to marry an eskimo? Then she'll never back home!! Her little cheeks get windburn here - she can't move to Alaska! I wish I could tell you that my irrational thought trail ends there - but there is SO. MUCH. MORE. that follows, you don't even want to know. Let's just say it pushes me over the edge and leave it at that.
I've found the best coping method is to delve deep into party planning mode. You know - the party I said I wasn't going to throw. Well it's on - because if I don't do something to divert my attention I'm going to end up even crazier and seriously, who really wants that to happen?
So after researching themes and party planning blogs, Mike and I have decided that Maddie's first birthday party will be all about the Circus! She loves animals - loves books about them, playing with stuffed animals and of course the real thing - Annie! And she loves to entertain - so it's a perfect match! The party will be held on Saturday, March 27th. We will send out invites later - but wanted to tell you now so that you can mark your calendars if you would like to join us. Plus, if you have any cool cirus party ideas - we'd love to hear them!
Come one, come all! Step right up.....(can't you just see it now)...
I've found the best coping method is to delve deep into party planning mode. You know - the party I said I wasn't going to throw. Well it's on - because if I don't do something to divert my attention I'm going to end up even crazier and seriously, who really wants that to happen?
So after researching themes and party planning blogs, Mike and I have decided that Maddie's first birthday party will be all about the Circus! She loves animals - loves books about them, playing with stuffed animals and of course the real thing - Annie! And she loves to entertain - so it's a perfect match! The party will be held on Saturday, March 27th. We will send out invites later - but wanted to tell you now so that you can mark your calendars if you would like to join us. Plus, if you have any cool cirus party ideas - we'd love to hear them!
Come one, come all! Step right up.....(can't you just see it now)...
Monday, January 11, 2010
Calling All Family Photographers!
I'm going to start working on a slideshow for Maddie's first birthday (why does my heart race with panic everytime I say that out loud???). I would love it if you would go through your photos and pick out your favorites of Maddie - shot of her solo and with others. If you could send them to me via email or on a CD I would be forever grateful. We have a ton of pics - but I would love to see & include some of your favorites as well. Thanks!
Pointing and Waving!
I really do have to get back to blogging about our little one on a regular basis. This blog has really served as our baby book for Maddie. If someone has some extra time to spare - send it my way please. I could sure use it.
Over the holidays Maddie found her pointer finger and is now pointing at everything and everyone. It's really cute to watch her talk and then she really gets going and starts pointing her finger for effect. Love. It.
This weekend we tried out the webcams that we gave both sets of grandparents for Christmas. So cool and so much fun. It makes the distance seem a little shorter when you can see the person you are talking with. Maddie was certainly excited to see everyone - but lost interest fairly quickly. We will have to work on her attention span with the video chats, but she did break out a new milestone - she started waving hello! We were just as shocked as the grandparents on the receiving end of her new trick. She is growing up so very fast.
A friend asked me this weekend if I missed the days when she was itty-bitty and I told her that there are times when you do, but every developmental step is so much fun that I find myself thinking "____ was fun, but this is even better!" It's just amazing how much your heart grows with every step she takes or evey day that passes. I thought I loved her more than I could ever love her on the day she was born - or anyone else for that matter, but now it seems like it's just not even comparable.
Over the holidays Maddie found her pointer finger and is now pointing at everything and everyone. It's really cute to watch her talk and then she really gets going and starts pointing her finger for effect. Love. It.
This weekend we tried out the webcams that we gave both sets of grandparents for Christmas. So cool and so much fun. It makes the distance seem a little shorter when you can see the person you are talking with. Maddie was certainly excited to see everyone - but lost interest fairly quickly. We will have to work on her attention span with the video chats, but she did break out a new milestone - she started waving hello! We were just as shocked as the grandparents on the receiving end of her new trick. She is growing up so very fast.
A friend asked me this weekend if I missed the days when she was itty-bitty and I told her that there are times when you do, but every developmental step is so much fun that I find myself thinking "____ was fun, but this is even better!" It's just amazing how much your heart grows with every step she takes or evey day that passes. I thought I loved her more than I could ever love her on the day she was born - or anyone else for that matter, but now it seems like it's just not even comparable.
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