Ten Years Today

Ten years and still in crazy mad passionate love... That pretty much says it all.

What's In A Name?

What's in a name? This has been a big topic in our house the past week as our little 3 1/2 year old is showing an interest in writing! She can now write her name, and we are SO excited and proud. I love when my children accomplish something. I love it so much, I want to marry it.  I literally do the happy dance. 



Name contrasted because it was too light on the paper

Yay!!

Abigail's First Year

Happy Birthday to our Abigail Lily! It has been such an amazing first year. We love you SO much!

Sweet Slumber



A lovely, peaceful, sweet moment.

 Both of my girls are acrobatic sleepers. They cannot be comfortable if they are not horizontal to the natural design of the bed. Also, it really helps them if they have a back they can kick their feet into. 

But... there are those moments - lovely, peaceful, sweet moments.

Necktarines

Ever since Madeline was a wee little babe, I have been nibbling and kissing on her.  As a parent of beautiful and healthy chubby babies, I have truly enjoyed their deliciousness.  I love how their little arms and legs look like they have rubber bands on them... and lets face it: chubby knees! Hello! How can a person resist chubby knees on a baby? And those toes! Those toes that look like they aren't really a part of the foot and as if you could just pluck them off like a grape. 

For fun, and as a way to make my girls giggle in anticipation of being nibbled and ticked on, I gave each scrumptious little part a name; a name that referred to a food.

Food = Delicious = My little babies... you get it. 

Necktarines = That little neck - the one that seems to go deeper than a mine.  The one that is almost impossible to get completely clean. I think I found a boot in Abigails neck the other day.

Corn on the cob = the arm.  I like to nibble up and down the arm as if I am eating some corn on the cob. I say, "Can mommy have some corn on the cob?" and they giggle and giggle.

Peach cobbler = peach pit = armpit (it's a stretch but you get it).

Orange slice = naval (naval oranges)

Turkey leg = the upper leg or thigh area = chub central! I love it!

Cherry toe-ma-toes = toes. The word "toe" is (sort of) in their twice people. It just made sense.

Anyway, so the other day I asked Madeline if I could have some corn on the cob, and I grabbed her arm and began to chomp - our normal routine.  And instead of giggles and squirming with excitement she pulled her arm away and she said,

"I'm NOT food mom!"

I was stunned. shocked.  startled... and then? Sad.  My little girl is growing up. 

Thank God for Abigail.  And then when she grows up?
Well, I guess I will just have to keep having babies forever and ever. Or maybe that's what GRANDbabies are for. 

Wait.  I just realized something.
I am raising my children in a different country than the one I grew up in.  They are being exposed to the WORLD and all kinds of people. As we begin travelling more they are being exposed to all kinds of places.  A smart person can only deduce from this that the likelihood of my children living close enough to me for me to have regular access to their children to nibble on is UNlikely or a very low percentage.  Do you realize what this means???!!! We need to buy a jet.

Happy Valentines Day!



picture from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kyuen13

 I *love* Valentines Day. I am already reminded every single day how much I love my husband when I look into the beautiful eyes of our children and wake up to the elegant enchantment that is our life together... but it's still nice to be reminded how important and how simple LOVE really is. How important the everyday, little things really are and how much they mean. 
I am so in love with my girls.  They are so beautiful and they teach me so much about life and love.
I LOVE you Paul... I will always love you forever and ever and ever.  You make everything better and make my world more colorful...

Update: We Are Still Alive

It has been an exhausting 3 weeks, but it has been great.  We are in love with our little family.

Abigail Lily - The Abster is adjusting well to life outside the womb.  She is a healthy newborn in every aspect of the word.  She nurses a lot - some days it feels like that's all I do - and we've already been spit up on and pooped and peed on several times.  I find myself comparing my experiences with Abigail to my times with Madeline but regularly being surprised that things are different.  I also find myself calling Abigail by her sister's name a lot.  Madeline looked a lot like Abigail does when she was a newborn (comparison blog coming soon). Still, there are definite differences. 

Abigail is a very sweet, mellow baby and really enjoys just looking around at her world when she is not sleeping.  She loves to be held by her mommy (yay).  She smiles a lot and makes funny noises when she stretches that sound like she is laughing really hard.  We all get a kick out of it.  She is quickly learning a slight case of impatience because, unfortunately, she has had to wait for feedings at times because Madeline is also in the picture. 

Abigail sleeps most of the day and loves to be awake at night. I call it "womb-lag."  She did the same thing when she was in my belly - her most active times were at night.  Because of this, I sleep at wierd times and in spurts, often eating breakfast at lunchtime and so on and so forth.  This is normal for a new baby - I know - but I am sure looking forward to a regular schedule again. 

At 3 weeks old, we are having issues with snot and sneezing.  I think Abigail caught a little cold from her sister.  But the nasal suction bulb is working wonders (I had no idea boogers that big could come out of such a little person!!) and I am hoping she will be over it soon.  I am starting to realize that a huge part of having little kids is dealing with illness and that those big yellow boogers and I are going to be good friends for many years to come.

Madeline Olivia - Mads is doing well with adjusting to having a new sister, but she is definitely not too happy with sharing her Mommy.  She loves to hold Abby, and often asks to give her hugs and kisses.  She talks to her a lot (calling her "sweetheart and honey") and wants to sit by her and help me with changing diapers, etc.  Paul and I have made it a point to emphasize to Madeline how much we love her and to make her feel a part of everything and loved.  Despite this, she still has her moments, which we expected.
 
Unfortunately Madeline has had a cold on and off for the past several weeks and it recently got worse so we have been trying to keep her away from the baby and trying to emphasize the importance of clean hands and covering our mouths when we sneeze or cough.  Trying to teach these things to a 2 year old is not the easiest thing in the world and Madeline often appears to have hurt feelings.  She also spends a lot of time on the floor just laying there in rebellion.  

Paul has been sleeping with Madeline in her room for the past several nights, but I still end up in there if she has a cough attack or wakes up crying because she wants her mom.

This is something that has been the hardest adjustment for me... not being able to BE THERE for both of my girls at the same time.  I often find myself day dreaming that I could split myself into two. I cannot nurse Abigail and cuddle and love my sick Madeline.  Both have had to wait it out at different times and it seriously tears me apart (HA! I wish cause then there WOULD be two of me).  Especially with Madeline because I see her face and can tell she is hurt by it all. 

Despite her recent bouts with ear infections and cough attacks, Madeline has had a lot of inbetween healthy moments and we are trying to keep her busy.  She loves going on walks and often ends up down the street with her friend Kiersten playing at the playground.  She has been attending playschool now for a little over a week (she missed the last one due to her cold) and she LOVES it.  I think it makes her feel really special and she likes being with all the other kids. 

I also signed Madeline and myself up for a kindermusik class being given here on camp but we missed the first class because of Madeline being sick.  I hope we can make it to the next class. 

Paul a.k.a. SUPERMAN - I am continuously reminded of how lucky I am to have this man as MY husband.  From the moment he started his "vacation" on December 27th, he has worked hard to make sure we are all happy.  He has made dinner a million times; he takes care of Madeline a lot - feeding her breakfast, getting her dressed, taking her on walks or outside to play, taking her to the doctor, playing with her, and dancing with her; he is so amazing and I am so overwhelmed with love and appreciation for him.  I feel bad that Paul's vacation from work has been more work than relaxation. 

I have noticed an even tighter bond forming between Paul and Mads (of course this makes sense) and I am glad he is there for her.  He is very protective of Madeline and her feelings. She even calls for him sometimes when she wakes up now. Our bond (mine and Paul's) has been tested a lot with all the stress and lack of sleep we are having, but no matter how crazy psycho freakish I get, he still loves me, kisses me, hugs me, and wants to take care of me.  Sometimes I just don't understand it, then I remember this guys actually loves me.  This is LOVE.  And I am one lucky chick!

Edith (yours truly) - This delivery has been so universally different from my first delivery that at times, even shortly after having Abigail, I didn't even feel like I'd had a baby.  Because the delivery was so fast there was less swelling and because I didn't have any serious injury (tears) healing has been quick.  From day one I was rearing to go.  I have been reminded by my body that I, in fact, DID have a baby though and need to take it easy. 

The day I got home from the hospital I passed a clot that was the size of a baseball.  It scared the hell out of me so Paul and I dropped Madeline off at a friends house and went to the ER.  They were thorough (we were there several hours) and we were examined by three different doctors and blood tests and ultra sounds were done.  All leading to the conclusion that I was okay - no abnormal labs or bits and pieces of things that shouldn't be there inside - and I just needed to go home and rest.

My lack of sleep, combined with emotional roller coasters and hormonal adjustments, has made me a bit of a wreck - the first week or so after the baby was born especially.  There were often times I would just start crying for no reason or for a reason that made no sense.  I think I scared Paul and Madeline and I am deeply irritated and saddened about that.  I've been so tired at times I literally have FALLEN asleep, but I have gotten a lot better, and with proper sleep, can be quite a nice person.

For the first week after having the baby I was suffering from the chills at night. I would be just fine and then I would get this tingle in my left boob that would spread all over my body and I would shake uncontrollably... Paul got good at applying socks, loading piles of blankets on top of me, and then cuddling me until I was warm (AGAIN, what a freaking amazing man!).  I thought I might have an infection from nursing/engorgement because I did have a low-grade fever and HOLY HELL did the engorgement when I first started nursing hurt like a mother! But, after a few days, it passed and I had no other signs of infection.  Oh, and thankfully, the nursing experience has gotten much nicer and we have adjusted to each other nicely.

I have been seriously overwhelmed by the concern of our new friends here. The women in this community where we now live are so unbelievable. Several of the mommies I have gotten to know through playgroups got together and organized a schedule to deliver meals to our family until the beginning of FEBRUARY.  Not just a week... we are talking meals every couple days or so for an entire month... and it has been so wonderful to not have to worry about making dinner while we adjust to life with two.  Chicken teriyaki lettuce wraps, noodle salads, brownies, cookies, a roast with potatoes and carrots, lasagna, shepherd's pie, chicken and dumplings, delicious salads, homemade bread... the deliciousness goes on and on and our hearts and swelling with grateful compassion for these sweet spirits - some perfect strangers to us - who have taken the time out of their busy, family-filled days, to care about us.
 
It will take some time, but I have faith in myself that I can do this.  I can love these two little girls and this man who I have been blessed with in my life the way they should be loved.  I can serve them and teach them and be the Mommy/Wife I have always wanted to be.  We are doing really well.  We are blessed.  We are happy and I KNOW we will be just fine. 

To all those family and friends out there who we haven't called yet - I'm so sorry.  We have been meaning to call or skype or even email you, but there is always something going on around here and when there isn't? We're usually asleep.  So please, KNOW that we love you and please be patient with us.  We can't wait to talk with you and see you and share our new little one with you... and thank you for loving us.

Pictures and fun stuff coming soon!

A Merry Christmas Eve!

This year we decided to have Madeline open presents and have our Christmas dinner on December 24th because here is Saudi Arabia the weekends are on Thursday and Friday and Paul had to go to work on Saturday (Christmas Day).  He didn't take the day off this year because he actually started his vacation on December 27th and will be home with us until January 26th.  We are so happy it worked out the way it did because it means Paul will be around when (It's starting to feel like IF) I go into labor.

So on December 23rd we made some cookies for Santa Claus to be laid out...

Madeline loves to help me make homemade cookies

Before bed we read a cute story my Mom gave Madeline last year called "The Christmas Key" - a modern day look at how Santa gets into people's homes if they don't have a fireplace with a chimney. The book comes with a neat, old looking key with a red ribbon on it so kids can hang it on the door. Only Santa can use it to get in and he can only use it to put presents under the tree - this is explicitely explained in the book so kids don't freak out I guess.

I also tried to explain to Madeline why we celebrate Christmas, that it is to celebrate the birthday of Jesus, but every time I asked her whose birthday it was she said, "Madeline!!" I guess that'll be stressed more next year when she understands a bit more.  

After Madeline fell asleep, Paul and I laid out her presents.

We were going to set out some cookies for Santa before bed with Madeline but she threw a fit and wanted the cookies for herself and could not understand why we should give any to Santa. So in the morning Paul and I put a bitten cookie and some crumbs on a plate with a note and the Santa key so it looked like he had been here.

Madeline noticing a half eaten cookie and a note from Santa with the key - she was very surprised.

Madeline usually likes to sleep in until 8:00 am but I couldn't wait so we woke her up at 7:00 am. At first she was not pleased with this, but when she saw the presents her attitude changed pretty quickly.

Madeline had a great time opening presents and she loved her new big sister chair. She ended up with her chair, a new stuffed giraffe, a bouncy ball with a handle on it so you can sit on it and bounce, a small furry ball, two puzzles, a barbie, a strawberry shortcake doll, a princess cup, a princess purse, an outfit and a sweater.

For breakfast we had pancakes and fruit and then we had a great day together watching movies, playing, singing Christmas songs, eating Christmas treats and just being together.  It was perfect!
For dinner Paul cooked the turkey - it was a 20 pounder (our only choice) - he always does a REALLY good job on the turkey and it is always juicy, and  tender, and scrumptious.

I made some gravy out of the turkey drippings and we had homemade mashed potatoes and vegetables to go with it.  I would have made myself some stuffing but I didn't find any at the store.  We had some vanilla ice cream with sprinkles for dessert (because my people aren't huge fans of pie).  It was the perfect Christmas meal for picky, simple eaters. 

After dinner we danced to Christmas music and then watched Polar Express together.  

Madeline dancing with her Daddy



Dancing

 It was a really nice Christmas. We missed our families, friends, and the snowy weather back in the states, but we were able to skype with my family during their Christmas Eve party and talk with Paul's side on the phone a couple of times. We are so grateful for technology and that we are able to talk with family and friends being so far away. 

Madeline's Monthly Message: Month 23

Dear Madeline,

What a speedy and fast month it has been. At 23 months of age, you are such an individual with so many talents and such a huge personality. It really is a lot of fun watching you become the person you are. Every day you discover a new thing or notice something that is interesting to you. Whenever this happens you spend a good week or two talking about it non-stop. You talk a lot, often copying the words we say. You not only copy words but you copy gestures, faces we pull, and dance moves. You are also beginning to form your own opinions about things - no longer agreeing whole-heartedly with everything mommy thinks - and it has been a bit of a suprise for me. I am trying to respect your ideas and opinions about things because I know this is just the beginning. Right now we are talking about where to sit at lunch or what to wear or when it's time to get your diaper changed... not boys, college, or a career or anything like that yet. But at times you seem like a small opinionated adult.

You are very good at communicating your feelings, usually. There are those rare times when you either just don't want to try or you can't quite figure out how to tell us something and you will result to tantrums and flailing about on the floor, but not always. As far as words are concerned you are speaking well. I believe you are advanced for your age when it comes to talking among many other things. You have a hard time with words that start with "t" or "s" and will often replace those letters with "f" - for example: truck = fruck or Shrek = frek or ice cream = kah-kyoom.

You enjoy teasing me and your dad when you sit on our bed. A cute thing you always do is sit on my side of the bed and say, "Mommy's pot! Moooot Manyin" (translation: Mommy's Spot! Move Madeline") and then you laugh and run over to Daddy's side and do the same thing. In the mornings if I have not woken up before you, which unfortunately is rare, you will pull on my arm or leg and say, "Gig up mom, gig up!" (get up).

You love to sing, and even when you don't quite know the words to a song you will hum along and sing the beginning or ending words to each statement. You're getting better at your ABC's and you can count to 7 now. You love counting and will count anything that there is more than one of. For a little while you were saying, "one, two, four, free" but your dad helped you with that and now they are in the correct order. You are also doing well with your colors and shapes. The shape you love the most is the star and whenever you see one anywhere you point it out. You love colors and have a good time at stop lights. You get blue and red mixed up a lot and will say "booo, top!" (blue, stop!) when we pull up to a red light. You've got "green, go!" down though.

As of July 31st, 2010, you are no longer breastfeeding. Sometimes you still put your hand down my shirt or you will ask for some "boom boom," but I no longer get kicked when I tell you no. I will usually say something like, "Oh, we don't do that anymore, remember? You're a big girl now!" And then I will offer you some milk or juice. It is really nice to know you are finally, successfully weaned. I do miss it though because now when you are crying or hurt or tired I can't just whip out the ol' teet - the perfect and immediate answer to your past problems! I actually have to use other reasoning to help you with your dilemmas, and it takes a little more time.

You are healthy and full of energy, so I assume you are getting enough nutrition to meet your needs. Sometimes you will not eat a thing and other times you will eat everything on your plate and then ask for more. You are quite picky and I am hoping (praying with great devotion) that this is just a toddler phase and not something that will stick like it did with your father. I am realizing though that the more I accomodate his pickyness, the more you are only being exposed to certain foods. I need to expose you to more foods. You actually like broccoli when I give it to you! You love to help me cook and you are very involved in the kitchen. You know where the silverware, the pots and pans, and the mixing bowls are. You like to pull up a chair and watch me cook and you understand that the stove it hot so you don't touch it. You also like to help mix things in bowls and stir juice.

When you are bored at meals and not hungry you play with your food. It is hilarious to watch but I have to admit it gets annoying sometimes. You like grapes so you have them a lot. You enjoy rolling your grapes down your pancakes like it's a slide; you sing row, row, row your boat while sliding food across your tray; you like to lift up your plates and cups and hold them high in the air as if you are giving a food sacrifice; and you love to mix things together, particularly your drinks and bread because you have discovered the spongey capabilities of bread. You have also realized that some of your bibs have little pockets on the front of them and you will hide your food in the bib sometimes.

Last Christmas we bought you some fake food to go with your shopping cart and you have a very good time playing with it. You know what most of the foods are and enjoy taking orders from me and preparing a nice fake meal for me. You love ice cream and if it were up to you we would have it every day. So on the days I don't want to give it to you, we will come upstairs and have fake ice cream. It doesn't always satisfy you, but it has worked most of the time.

A really cute example of your imagination: Last week we went to a friends house for a playdate and she had a fake tea set with a tea pot, tea cups, plates, and some fake desserts. You spent most of our time there pouring imaginary tea into the cups and offering it to everyone in the room. I couldn't get over you and how freakin' adorable you were!!

You love to play with your toys and dollies. You talk to your dollies regularly and ask them questions. You drop them on purpose also and tell me they are "hurt" and need a bandaid because you love putting bandaids on everything. I love listening to you when you don't know I am listening. You ask the cutest questions and say the cutest things to your toys. You also really enjoy dressing up - wearing hats, tutu's, mommy's shoes, etc.

You love talking on the phone, especially to your dad when he is at work. If he is not too busy he calls around lunch time and you have a nice long chat with him about Shrek, Harry Potter, tea pots and ice makers, among other things. You are also starting to talk more on the phone with your grandma's and other family in America, which makes them and us very happy. We enjoy sharing the cute. You love to skype with your cousin Toshie and talk about him a lot whenever I talk about going for a visit.

You love to read and we try to read every night before bed. You enjoy picking 5 or 6 books off your bookshelf and bringing them over to your bed. Sometimes you like mommy to read and sometimes you like daddy to read. We don't usually get through and entire story though. When you are distracted or get bored you usually close the book and say, "end!" Your favorite books this month are "Kitty Up!" and "Are You Ticklish?"

We invested in a bed for you. I sort of wish we had gotten you a real toddler bed with rails, but instead we got you a nice twin mattress and box springs from the serta store here in Saudi because your Dad wants you to be comfortable. The problem with that though is that you have rolled out of bed a couple times. We have it up against the wall and I usually prop a pillow or two under the mattress on the open side to assist in inhibiting the rolling, but it doesn't always work if you go a different direction. The first few nights were pretty good and then you took a really late nap one day and weren't tired at bedtime so we made the mistake of letting you sleep with us again, and honestly it has been that way since. So we are still working on getting you to sleep in your room in your own bed.

You have TONS of energy but sometimes it is hard to get it all out because it is so hot and humid this time of year I keep you inside a lot. So you figured out how to get your own exercise. Every night, usually before or after dinner, you and your dad (sometimes I join in) will run, you say, "Run Dad!". You run through the kitchen into the front room down the hall into the dining room and back into the kitchen over and over and over in a big circle. We have had to focus on mentioning to you that it is important to look straight forward when you run because you run into walls or cupboards sometimes when you get really excited and want me to look... "yook mom... BAM!"

This month we set up your training potty. You don't use it regularly yet, but when you remember it or see it you want to sit on it. You will fake-wipe and waste a lot of toilet paper, and you love to empty the little bucket inside the potty into the big toilet and flush it. You have pooped and pee'd in the potty several times this month and I honestly don't believe it will be hard to get you trained soon.

This month we found out you are having a baby sister! You got to come in and see the baby on the ultra sound and you were very cute and excited about it when you saw the baby moving around. I have told you many times that there is a baby in my tummy and sometimes you come up and kiss my belly - a very precious and awwww moment for me.

You love other little kids and babies still and whenever you see a baby you will run up to it and point and say, "baby! baby!" But you also enjoy roaring at babies and children, and adults actually, like Shrek does. You tell people you are an ogre and then you raise your hands up and scrunch up your face and say, "RRrrraaaaaarrrrrr!" You do it to Mohammed, our house boy, every time he comes to clean.

You like Mohammed and know his name. You say, "hello, hammed" and "bye bye, hammed" when he comes and goes. You also say his name whenever you see any type of cleaning supplies in the store or here at the house. You like to give him five and will regularly help him with the cleaning. He gets a kick out of it and laughs a lot when he is here.

This month we also celebrated your Dad's birthday. You had a really good time with the balloons, singing happy birthday (we probably did it a hundred times), blowing out the candles, and having ice cream cake! That was a big deal and you talked about how it was Dad's birthday and you wanted ice cream cake for several days after. Your birthday promises to be even more fun.

I am cherrishing these last few months I have alone with you because I am beginning to understand how truly important these days are. I know it will never again be the same. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to be at home with you each day, to watch you grow and learn. You are so much fun and I love you so humongously much Madeline. You will always be my number one and my sweet, funny, talented little friend.

Love,
Momma

He Is Thirty-Three Today.

He loves me

He loves his children

He wants the best for us and proves it every day

He works hard at everything he does

He's cuddly and he likes to kiss

He smells good

His smile and laugh are like heaven

He is a great cook

He is handsome

I could go on and on and on...

Talk about being the luckiest duck in the universe!

Happy Birthday Babe!! We love you so much!

Happy Father's Day Paul

Some people are born to be great Dads and amazing husbands.

This guy is one of them...

We love you forever Paul!

We are so happy you are ours!

First Sighting

Today I had my first appointment at the OB clinic here in Dhahran. It went very well and I got to see the baby and her heartbeat for the first time. We also figured, according to her size, that I am about 10 weeks along and my due date is approximately January 2nd. I am so excited to have another little person in our family!
I remember when I posted Madeline's first ultra sound picture like it was yesterday and now she is this active, adorable little 21 month old... it goes by so fast!

Awwwwww

[ Click on picture (above) for the ultimate valentine viewing,

and push play below for the best valentine dance and song in th world... ever.]

The Meaning of Love – According To Kids

"Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way."

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."

"When someone loves you, the way she says your name is different. You know that your name is safe in her mouth."

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."

"Love is when someone hurts you. And you get so mad but you don't yell at him because you know it would hurt his feelings."

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss but they look happy and sometimes they dance in the kitchen while kissing."

"Love is hugging. Love is kissing. Love is saying no."

"When you tell someone something bad about yourself and you're scared she won't love you anymore. But then you get surprised because not only does she still love you, she loves you even more."

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they've know each other so well."

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."

"Love is-if you hold hands and sit beside each other in the cafeteria. That means you're in love. Otherwise, you can sit across from each other and be okay."

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."

"Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken."

"Don't feel so bad if you don't have a boyfriend. There's lots of stuff you can do without one."

"Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."

"If you want somebody to love you, then just be yourself. Some people try to act like somebody else, somebody the boy likes better. I think the boy isn't being very good if he does this to you and you should just find a nicer boy."

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day"

"When you're born and see your mommy for the first time.

"Love is what makes people hide in the dark corners of movie theaters."

"Love goes on even when you stop breathing and you pick up where you left off when you reach heaven."

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."

"You have to fall in love before you get married. Then when you're married, you just sit around and read books together."

"I let my big sister pick on me because my Mom says she only picks on me because she loves me. So I pick on my baby sister because I love her."

"Love cards like Valentine's cards say stuff on them that we'd like to say ourselves, but we wouldn't be caught dead saying."

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you."

"Love is when mommy sees daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."

"You never have to be lonely. There's always somebody to love, even if it's just a squirrel or a kitten."

"You can break love, but it won't die."

Madeline's Monthly Message: Month 16

Dear Madeline,

Today you are sixteen months old. I really need to have a notepad in each room of the house so that when I see you do something new I can write it down immediately. It drives me nuts that I am sitting here trying to think of all the new things you have done in the past month and can only recall a few. I remember several times this month thinking, "I need to remember that."

You are constantly discovering something new, pulling a new face, saying a new word. It's crazy because I only work one day a week and the rest of the time I am home with you, but it still feels like there isn't enough time for everything that needs to be done and enough time to spend paying attention to you. I often wonder what it's going to be like when there is more than you pittering and pattering around our home. Will I still be able to find time to write your monthly message? Will I take as many pictures of you? And what about time where it is just me and you together laughing or reading or playing... these times we share together are so special and I cherrish every second I get with you.

I've been pondering what it will be like when we have more children a lot this past month. Being far away from my own mother and missing the visual/physical contact with her, and being jealous of my siblings and those who get to be around her. Yes, she and I have a connection that can't be broken by distance, but there is a difference in being able to give someone a big hug and just wishing you could. My mother is an amazing woman and all of her children love her very much. She has always done a good job letting each of her kids know she loves them. My point is, I will miss our one-on-one time Madeline (No, at this time I am not expecting another baby).

New and noteworthy things this month...
You are an extremely picky eater. I've read this is normal for your age, but I am fearful that you watch your dad so closely that you are learning to be picky. I could just be paranoid. The other day I got upset with your dad because he wouldn't eat a radish in front of you. I know he doesn't like radishes, but I pushed the matter and caused a scene. I didn't mean to cause a scene. Oh well. You still refuse most vegetables - everything but raw beans with the pods... you will munch on those a little sometimes. You still love chicken. When you are hungry you usually come up to me and say, "num num?"

You still love ice, but we have realized that you like to crunch it with your teeth, which is bad, so we no longer give you ice unless it is really slushy. Even then, we don't really offer it to you anymore. We are trying to wean you from ice.

You are still breastfeeding a few times a day. You really love it and the bigger and older and more verbal you get, the more hilarious the experience has become. When you want to nurse you say "boom boom" and your lips vibrate together. If I don't respond to you requests you come after me and try to pull my shirt down. This is not good in public.

Something different you have been doing for several months now, that I hadn't mentioned before, is the position you breastfeed in. Your favorite position is to wrap your arms and legs around me. Sort of like a baby panda bear or a baby monkey or something. In this position you can turn your head side to side and stay attached. There are times you try to stand up, you roll around, you bend your legs all over like crazy... all while still attached. It can be a little frightening at times.

You also like to play with my face. You put your fingers in my mouth (you have always done this) and you poke my nose and eyes and pull at my ears. Also new this month, you like to stick your feet in my face because you find it hilarious when I say "ewww".

I plan to wean you soon. The truth is, I think it is going to be harder for ME to wean you than it will be for you to be weaned. After reading what I just wrote about you and all the things you do to me while you nurse you might be thinking, "this woman is insane!" , but trust me, it's not that bad. You are so adorable. Anyway, like I said before, 18 months is the stopping point and that time is rapidly approaching.

You have become somewhat of a Mommy's girl lately. You always want me. Even if Dad is home, you usually want me. It's understandable because I am always with you, but sometimes it's ridiculous. Sometimes I can't leave the room or make dinner without you sitting on my feet or hugging on my leg moaning for me to pick you up or go on a walk around the house with you.

You are also having some anxiety when it comes to strangers. The other day I took you to the hospital where I work to attend a baby shower they were having for a friend of mine and one of the ladies I work with came up to you in the hallway to say hi and you suddenly had the saddest face I have ever seen on a child. Tears began streaming down your face, so I picked you up and you clung tightly to my neck and wouldn't look up for like 5 minutes. It was sort of shocking because I have never seen you act that severely shy.

You are very affectionate, constantly offering kisses and hugs to me and your dad - we LOVE it. Sometimes when I am giving your dad hugs and kisses you slide in between us and we usually end up having a great big group hug of laughter.

You love to laugh. This past month you have started doing what we call your fake laugh.

If me or your dad are laughing at all you usually pipe in with your fake laugh. It is so cute! It is hard to describe in words. Your dad says you laugh as if you "attended the William Shatner school of acting." Here is an example: Captain Kirk.

You like to sit IN and ON everything. Even if it is too small. The other day you got stuck in a pot. I heard a high-pitched scream coming from the kitchen and came running and found this...

You also like to climb. You are getting much taller. You can now put your leg over the side of the tub, You try to do this everytime you take a bath. When I say, "It's tubby time!" you go running into the bathroom and immediately thrust your leg over the side of it - with your clothes on. You can reach anything that is on the edge of the counter. You can open the top drawers now and reach into them.

Playtime is a very exciting time right now. You love to run. You are a very fast runner. Your run is more of a really fast march or stomp. You still love to dance and you get really excited sometimes when we turn some music on and start to play with your ball. You LOVE to play ball with your dad. You are very good at kicking and throwing the ball. Sometimes your dad will jump really high when he is shooting Nerf hoops or when he is getting a balloon down from the ceiling for you and you squeek and laugh like crazy. You love talking on the phone and stacking things.

You are doing very well with the "Your Baby Can Read" series.

We just started volume 2, which is the third video. You love watching these videos. You recognize a lot of the words when you see them on the video or when we show them to you when we do flashcards, but you still don't say a whole lot of them. "Dee" or "Deh" mean most everything for you.

Some new words that you say on a pretty regular basis are: keys, giraffe (more like "raff"), cheek, drink, hat, and hot (those are just off the top of my head, there are a ton of words that you say). You also say, "I love you" or "I yu you". For a good week you were obsessed with keys. Instead of calling for me or your dad in the morning, you would call for keys.

You also like to do a lot of animal noises. You used to say "meow" and "ruff ruff" but as soon as you learned how to sound like a monkey it is the only sound you will make when asked about an animal. You do roar like a lion sometimes.

You love to do the actions to "eentsy weentsy spider", "If you're happy and you know it," and "Head, shoulders, knees and toes". Actually when we sing "Head, shoulders, knees and toes" you just squat over and over and then stand up and touch your nose. You know a ton of your body parts. You can point to your eyes, ears, mouth, nose, cheeks, chin, hair, head, belly, belly button, knee, legs, foot, toes, hand, fingers and neck. We are quite proud of this and often ask you to perform when we are with friends or in public.

For Christmas we went up to Ballston Spa and spent a week with your Dad's side of the family. It was a really good experience for you I think. It was nice to be surrounded by family. It didn't take more than a couple days for you to warm up to everyone. You especially liked your cousin Amanda.

You had a lot of fun laying around with her and playing ball. I think it was the second night you were with her when you started to the long distance run into the arms hug. Before this moment you had only done that to me or your dad.

You had a really great time sitting in your grandma's cupboards and playing.

This past week you and me got a cold. We stayed in most of the week and took lots of naps and tried to get better as quickly as possible. There was a lot of nose suctioning and nose wiping - both of which you desperately hate - but I think we are now on the tail end up it. You still have a bit of a runny nose but no more fevers and ridiculous congestion.

You have a mouth full of teeth and you love to brush them. We have actually gone through three toothbrushes this month because if I don't watch you carefully you will clean the floor or the tub or the toilet with your toothbrush. That just grosses me out. So I watch you a little closer.

Your hair is getting longer. I love it. I love the pigtails and pony tails and the way your hair flips up in a little curl in the back sometimes. SOOOO cute. I was actually able to put curlers in your hair this month when we took our family pictures for our Christmas card.

It is now 2010 and I look forward to all of the precious moments we will have with you this year. I am excited to see you grow and learn and become even more amazing - if that is even possible. You have made such a huge impact on our lives and we are so grateful for you. We love you so much Madeline.

Love,
Momma