Firsts

It hit me tonight as I was putting Madelyn to bed, we've had a lot of "firsts" recently. Two specifically, have been challenging, and the other has been a joy.  The first, the stomach bug.  I've honestly hesitated to talk about it for fear of jinxing it.  It is true, until this week, Madelyn never had the stomach bug. We were bound to get it eventually, it was a matter of when. It's gone around us, at least a half dozen times, and I guess we just always avoided bringing it home.  

Wednesday night was going to be a quiet night at home, and I was so looking forward to cuddling with my loves and catching up on my DVR shows! Madelyn was running circles around us before bed, and acting totally normal so we stretched her bedtime until 8pm to hang out. About 20 mins after I put her down, she called out sounding a little frightened, "mommy?! Where are you?" I ran in and she was laying on her belly, and she just kind of stared at me. I rubbed her back, calmed her, and left.  I immediately said to Brian, she's acting funny, I'm afraid she's going to throw up. Sure enough 10 mins later, it started.  Monkey, the sheets, her pj's and her blanket went into the wash, and she went right to the bath. She did fall asleep for a few hours, but I was woken up around 1:30am, to "mommmmmmy? Where are you?" The poor thing was terrified like "what's happening to me?" Thankfully for her, it lasted less than 24 hours.  It's been a few days, and she's still not eating great, but we're getting there.  Unfortunately, Brian caught the bug next, and about 10x worse.  He's been in bed for 2 days, and can't sleep, eat or drink.  After Madelyn's night of getting sick I scrubbed our house from top to bottom, but I guess the germs caught him before then.  Next would be my turn, and I'm literally praying it skips me. I can't imagine having a bag bug, and being pregnant! Not to mention, I can't take anytime off from work this time of year.... So, fingers crossed!!  

The second first, emerged from Madelyn being sick.  She has turned this experience into an opportunity to test her mommy, and play a little game.  She's never really fought us when going to bed. She's always liked her own bed, and falls asleep easily on her own. We recognize we are lucky for this ;)  Each night since getting sick, she's done the "mommy, where are you?" while crying after I put her down.  At first, I was terrified she was going to get sick all over again! However, each time I go running in, her cries quickly turn to smiles and she successfully prolongs bedtime by an hour.  The first night after, we played the game probably 4x before Brian went in, and she went right down for him :) I've heard of the cry-it-out method, and I understand the concept, but it seemed so mean to let her cry since I do think she's a little traumatized from throwing up.  Last night, she only did it once, which was good because Brian was in bed, so I was on my own to figure it out. I have to say though, it's the first time I've felt so challenged and not sure what to do.  It's the first time, I've felt like she's totally controlling the situation and I was worried to start a bad habit! There is no denying Madelyn is a smart little girl, this is just a first of many times, where she'll play us into getting what she wants :) maybe I should start reading up on how to deal with these tests, so I'm prepared!

The last first, is a really neat one, and it's been a joy to watch.  It has to do with Madelyn's ability to make connections.  She's been so expressive lately, and making it clear that she knows exactly what's going on.  Since we told Madelyn she was going to have a baby sister, it seemed to click.  When we got her big girl bed, she explained to us that she had a new bed, so that she could give her crib to her baby sister.  We were so impressed that she was able to make the connection, and that she seemed comfortable with that change.

Another time, my mom was taking Madelyn to the post office for the first time. She goes "shopping" with us often, and she knows the different grocery stores, home goods, hone depot, etc but she didn't recognize the post office. As they were walking in, Madelyn clung to my mom, put her head on her shoulder and said "I'm going to be shy" and she closed her eyes.  My mom had a good chuckle out of that one! But again, we were surprised that she grasped the word shy, used it in the right context, and that emotion to her, meant closing her eyes and clinging to my mom. It amazes me that she gets it. where did she learn it? I don't know... I think every little thing she hears, she remembers and grasps.  

After getting sick the other night, Madelyn bounced right back to her normal self.  She was chatty and happy that she was still up late. She didn't mind that we quickly stripped her, and her bed, and literally threw her in a bath.  During her bath, Madelyn looked at me with puppy dog eyes and said "I scared myself" So, although she was acting like she felt better, it was obvious she was scared.  We don't talk about being scared a lot, or what it means, so it was precious that she knew to express that what had happened, scared her!

The last sweet moment happened yesterday when Mimi and Auntie had Madelyn in a gift shop. They have an area of kids/baby gifts that Madelyn was standing near while my mom and Sara were browsing.  M found a small baby hair brush, raised it into the air and announced loudly to the store - "this is for my baby sister!" The woman behind the counter thought it was adorable, and as cute as it was, my mom explained that the baby isn't even here yet! Such a sweet gesture for a little girl who doesn't even know her baby sister yet. I think it's a safe to say, she gets it. She's thinking ahead and I'm thrilled she's ready to share/give things to her baby sister. Hopefully the same applies when the baby arrives :)

Hope you are enjoying a wonderful and healthy weekend with your families! Off to check on my patient! 

XO

Random / Right now

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy December :) I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's a day of reflection, a day with family, and it kicks of the month of Christmas festivities. We spent the day at my parents with family where there was lots of catching up, lots of yummy food, games, laughter and for this momma - even a little wine ;) It was perfect!

I can't believe that we are fully in the Christmas season - with the decorations, music and sales, it's incredible how quickly the holiday madness occcurs. I had the chance to go away with my mom and sister last weekend, to get started on some of our shopping, and we had a blast! It's the second time we've gone away on this trip. We go to Lancaster, PA - the neighborhood where my Dad lived for more than 6 years.  We spent some time at the spa, which was such a treat, and I got a great jump start on our Christmas list! We came home relaxed and feeling accomplished, and we had so.much.fun together!

This week I am 24 weeks pregnant.  In one way, it seems like it's flying and on the other hand, March seems so far away.  I'm not sure if it's this pregnancy, or just mommyhood in general, but I'm definitely trying enjoy all aspects of my 'right now.' I am really looking forward to Christmas with a energetic 2 year old who is obsessed with Christmas trees and music, and Santa, and of course becoming a family of 4 in the spring. But, I am loving right now. Here are some of the things I'm loving, or on my mind right now:

right now.... I'm obsessed with sitting in our living room with just our Christmas tree lights on

right now... I am happy that I decided to take Madelyn out to dinner tonight. Even with a short nap at school, she was on her best behavior at the restaurant (granted we were only there for 25 minutes), she devoured her dinner, and we had so much fun!

right now... I am looking forward to our 24 week doctor appointment tomorrow. They'll do an ultrasound, and I can't wait to see our baby moving around

right now... I am grateful for my ll bean slippers. I put them on every night when I get home, and they make me happy

right now... I'm missing my hubby and I can't wait for him to get home. In the summer it's Wednesday golf night, and in the winter, it's Tuesday paddle night :)

right now... I am so glad that my work schedule is 9am - 5pm Monday thru Friday, espsecially this time of year. For years, my December schedule included nights and weekends, and I am SO happy that I can enjoy the nights and weekends of this Christmas season with the ones I love

right now... I would love an ice cream sundae, but we don't have any. Grrr

right now... I think the baby is sleeping, because it's not kicking. It must be tired because she kicks ALL day long :)

right now... I can't decide if we should keep Madelyn in her room when the baby comes, or swap her into the guest room, and give the baby M's room.  We recently got our toddler bed (a hand-me-down from a friend) and Madelyn can't wait to start using it. We were going to just put the toddler bed in M's room and put the crib into the new nursery. It was Brian's idea, to move Madelyn into the guest room and leave all the nursery "stuff" where it is for the new baby.... not a bad idea! We wont do anything until after Christmas, but I still think about it all the time, when we're home.

right now... I'm overwhelmed at all my options on T.V. - what a treat to have control of the clicker :) I don't know what to watch!

right now... I'm thankful for the energy I've had in this second trimester! On many occasions in the last month, I've stayed up past my bedtime (normally 9:30pm/10pm) and I still have some energry during the day and at night, amen!

right now... my wedding rings feel a little tight... uh oh! I dont remember when I stopped wearing them last time, but I was hoping to get to wear them for a while longer.

right now... I'm thinking - it's been about 5 weeks since I've been to the Dr., and I'm not going to lie, I feel like I've gained 15lbs. I'd only gained 7 lbs at 19 weeks, so I was doing great. My Dr. told me to aim to gain 20lbs total, so i'm a littttttttle worried, post-Thanksgiving, what that scale will say tomorrow. For the girl who has never worried much about her weight, it's funny that I worry when I'm pregnant!

right now... I'm grateful for my hubby and all of his hardwork.  He works so hard for his family and I love him to pieces

right now... I'm wishing I was cuddled up with Madelyn while she sleeps. She hasn't sleep with/on me since she was an itty baby, and tonight I'm wishing she would. I really didn't want to cut our pre-bedtime cuddles short, even though I know when it's bedtime, she likes her bed. I just wanted to hug, hold and kiss her, over and over

It's getting late, and I'm sort of getting tired :) Hope you all are well, and enjoy your right now!

Our Guest Bathroom: Before and After

We are finally done with our mini update of our guest bathroom. We decided a little face lift would be perfect to hold us over until we can really do the bathroom over completely. I'm so happy with the update that I have a feeling we'll be living with it like this for longer than we originally thought :)

 

What we did: the first step was taking down the wallpaper. Once that was done, I painted the window, shade and vanity which I talked about here. Next, Brian took out the cabinet that hung over the sink, and the large mirror-medicine cabinet in the wall. Not long after that, our electrician come in and removed the God-awful hanging lantern light, and installed a new 3 light fixture on the wall. A handyman came in to fill in the hole in the wall where the medicine cabinet was, and prep the walls for painting. My wonderful mom, came over on two different occasions and surprised us with primed, and painted walls. Then she hung the curtain she made for us, and we hung our mirror. Voila - she's done! Well, I need to pick out some things to hang on the wall and get a small towel rack for the hand towels, etc but you know what I mean. This is our first real makeover on a small budget and I could be happier with the result!

 

BEFORE

 

AFTER

Our Weekend in Review!

Happy Monday All! We've been very lucky to have had a few awesome weekends in a row. This weekend was a perfect mix of errands, organizing, cleaning, and catching up with friends!

We usually keep our Fridays free, so that we can come home and just hang out as a family. It's the perfect start to every weekend! Madelyn and I were up and out doing errands by 9am on Saturday.  Sometimes I love lazy Saturday mornings, but it was nice to get up and get an early start. We were at the mall by 10am and I was so surprised at how quiet it was. If only I was actually prepared to do all my Christmas shopping now. It would be nice to avoid the craziness of shopping in mid-December!

Nesting was my middle name on Saturday. I think I'd forgotten how nice the second trimester energy is :) This time around, especially since life involves a busy toddler, this energry is a god-send.  After I did a really good cleaning job on the house, I took to organizing our mail.  This project is one that has been lingering over my head, and giving me agida, for months but I just couldn't bring myself to tackle. We had 3 different piles, and I mean huge towering piles, of mail that needed to be weeded through, and organized.  It's silly, because it only took me about an hour and half, but the relief that our life is somewhat in order now, is crazy. I feel like I can look ahead and feel more organized about everything.

We got together with two other couples on Saturday night for dinner out to catch up, and we had so.much.fun.  We often get together with the kids, but we decided it was time for an adult dinner.  4 hours, probably 5 pitchers of margaritas later (well done boys!), and lots of chatting later, we left the restaurant. I think I was in bed by midnight, and it seemed like 3am ;) but was so worth it!

We wrapped up the weekend, by attending our friend's sons baptism, and dinner at my parents! It was a special day for our friends and we happy to be a part of it and catch up friends. Dinner at my parents is always a treat and a fun way to wind down. I hope that I am inspired to cook like my mom, when I grow up :) Without fail every week she pulls together something delicious, and we have so much fun while enjoying a great meal. Not going to lie, I'm already looking forward to when I can enjoy a glass of wine at these dinners again!
The one other thing we snuck in this weekend was a very mini family photo session. Since our engagement photo session 4 years ago, we have had professional pictures taken of us a handful more times.  Our wedding, Madelyn's birthday and then again last fall right before Madelyn turned 1. It's something Brian really doesn't care for, but I love. I think its so important to have good family photos, at least a few times a year. This year, wewe opted not to get professional photos taken, because we are in super-saving mode for my leave in the spring.  Instead, we asked my sister, a photography-lover, if she would mind taking some pictures of us. So she came over on Saturday before our dinner, and in 15 minutes in our front yard, took 100+ pictures of us! I am THRILLED that in that short time, she got a handful of (truly) great pictures! To me, a great picture has good coloring, 3 smiles and a picture in focus, but that can be SO hard sometimes. Here are a few of the outakes that wont make it onto a Christmas card, but are fun/cute! I love my little family :-)

Hope you had a great weekend, too! Here's to a great week!

XO

Gender Reveal/ 20 weeks!

We found out last week, that Baby G # 2 is A GIRL!! Yay for more pink!

 

We really enjoyed finding out what we were having with our first pregnancy, so there was no question that we would this time too. We didn't really do anything to reveal the gender last time, so I wanted to do a little something fun this time around. Our anatomy ultrasound was the day before Madelyn's birthday and it was important to us, not to overshadow M's birthday celebrations. Our plan was for Brian and I to find out at the appointment (on Thursday afternoon) and wait until Friday night before telling anyone. We were celebrating Madelyn's birthday that night, so I made a cake with the filling the gender-color and we videoed my family cutting the cake. It wasn't quite as hard as I thought it might be to keep it a secret for a day, and to have my family's reaction on video, is priceless!

 

So far, this pregnancy has been pretty different from my first.  Finding out, the naseau, the hunger/cravings (lack there of), bump, no skin problems, etc.... For all those reasons, I was definitely thinking it was a boy, but Brian was absolutely convinced it was a girl. He's said a handful of times,  he's a Dad to girls :) Well, he was right, and we're thrilled! We would have been equally excited if it was a boy, but the relationship between sisters is very special, and I'm excited for Madelyn to have a little sister to grow up with!  Here are some pictures of how we shared the news, and my 20 week bump!

 

My 20 week bumps!

On the right, was my 20 week picture with Madelyn,

and the left picture is me this week - 20 weeks with # 2!

 

Miss M is 2!

As Madelyn grows up, I doubt she'll look back on her 2nd birthday and remember it all, but I have to say, I had the BEST day with my family! We started the day singing happy birthday to her and then a special breakfast of whatever she wanted! After that, we went to her 2 year checkup.  She weighed in at 29 lbs, and is 36 1/2 inches tall! She's been tall/long since she was born (20 1/2 inches) but as our doctor explained, their height at 2 years old, pretty much predicts their height as an adult. So, Miss M, will always be tall :) She handled her blood tests like a champ and didn't even make a peep, When she got her flu shot, she let out just the smallest little whimper, so it was a smooth checkup all around. Then... it was off to lunch! We took Madelyn to a diner in town, where she munched on grilled cheese and fries, colored with crayons, and shared a milkshake with Mommy :) Halfway through our meal, our waiter and another waitress suprised us with a sundae for Madelyn, complete with a serenade of Happy Birthday! She LOVED it! Well, not so much the sundae, which Brian and I proceeded to share, but the singing and blowing out the candle!

The birthday girls afternoon consisted of a great nap, some time playing outside, and a chat with Gamma and Grandpa before we had dinner, cake and presents at our house with Mimi, Pop-Pop, Auntie Sara, and Uncle B. I knew the difference between the 1st and 2nd birthday celebrations would be significant, but I wasn't sure how. This year was a completely different, and fun experience! Madelyn sang happy birthday all day long, and was full of smiles! She's a happy girl and smiley anyway, but she seemed to really understand the day was all about her, and she LOVED it all! It was so much fun to spend time together, dote on her and of course, give her presents.

2 years old for Madelyn, is all about talking, exploring, learning.  She loves to play with her toys, especially anything that makes noise, and does really well playing on her own. Madelyn loves to be applauded.  I noticed that she would follow intructions really well pretty early on, maybe around 12 - 15 months. She grasp that if you asked her to do something, and then gave her praise, it was a good thing, and she'd gladly repeat the action. Now, if you don't clap or say "Yay!" right away, after she does what you ask, she'll say "Mommy - clap!" It's pretty cute. As much as Madelyn does well playing on her own, if you are not in the same room, she'll quickly call out - "Mommy, where are you?" to make sure we are nearby. One of the things that I find so amazing, is that she understands her routine. She knows the days that we're going to Mimi's and the days that are school days. We are so lucky that she LOVES her time at each place so much. She gets so excited to get dressed (herself) each day for school or Mimi's house. Not that I'm surprised, since Brian (especially) and I love music, but Madelyn absolutely loves music. She has always enjoyed listening to it, or dancing, but now her singing is non-stop! Twinkle twinkle, Old McDonald, Ba - Ba Black Sheep, are a few of her favorites, in addition to Most People (Brian's current favorite song - by Dawes  ) and I Will Wait by Mumford and Sons. She asks to listen to these two in particular, all-the-time! She really is such a mini-us :)

We have about 5 more months with Madelyn as our only, and I'm very much looking forward to all the time with her. All the playing, all the exploring, all the cuddles, all the funny conversations, even the tantrums :) This age is so much fun, she amazes me every single day!

Here's to you Miss Madelyn Jayne - the happiest, sweetest, smartest, prettiest little girl in the world, I love you with all of my heart! Thank you for being YOU!

 

#fail

So much for my countdown to 2.  What-a-freaking-week! I had such good intentions of blocking out time each night to write a post to countdown to Madelyn's 2nd birthday. I thought it would be a nice little tribute to our one and only-right-now, but I was also looking forward to the reflection part for me.  Instead, we had a busy weekend of hanging out with friends and family, we had our kitchen and bathroom turned upside down while the wallpaper was stripped and the walls were primed, and then we've been busy with last minute Halloween and birthday prep! Even though I haven't posted each day, I have spent the last week reminiscing and reflecting. So, it wasn't a total fail I guess :) I'm looking forward to keeping up with something I started last year, and I plan to do annually. Each year on her birthday, Ill write a letter to Madelyn.  When she's older, and I feel ready, ill give them all to her. This idea I'll make sure I follow through on, no matter how busy I get!!  

Off to bed for this momma - 2 big days ahead! Tomorrow, we find out the sex of the baby, and Friday it's all about Miss M!! Hope you are having a great week!!

Xo

Countdown to 2!

How is it possible that my little munchkin is going to be 2 years old!? I've been completely nostalgic the last few weeks, looking through baby photos and watching videos. Each and every time, I cry. Happy tears... grateful tears... proud tears, that our little girl is a beautiful, happy and healthy, 2 year old. Then there are the few tears of desperation - PLEASE time, please slow down. I really try to enjoy all my time with Madelyn. I always do, but when a milestone like turning 2 roles around, I'm reminded of just how fast time has gone. I've found that last 10 minutes that we have at home each morning, where I feel stressed and rushing around, Madelyn knows just what to do to snap me out of my frantic motions and make me laugh or swoop her up for a kiss.  It's her subtle way of saying "slow down Mommy, take it in." I think the next 6 months will be a very special time for us, as we prepare to welcome our baby in the spring. We'll enjoy the holidays, and all the little moments in between, with a very curious and smart 2 year old knowing that these will be the last holidays and memories, for her as an only child. With how she's been acting recently, doting and caring for her babies, I have no doubt she'll make a wonderful big sister!

So, as we countdown to Madelyn's 2 year birthday, I thought I'd share my top 10 favorite things.  Either favorite specific memories, characteristics of Madelyn, or things about being a mom.

#10: MOMMY
After all, it was this precious little girl that made me a mom, and for her I'll always be grateful.

I loved becoming a mom and everything it has meant. From being pregnant, to the birth experience, and adjusting to life with a baby.  As the months passed, and Madelyn became more mobile, more expressive and dependent on me in new ways, I've increasingly enjoyed being her Mommy.  Now, as she tells story after story, and sings us songs as she gets ready for bed, each and every time she says the word, Mommy, its as if time stops. Just for a milla-second, everything stops because her voice is so sweet, and no matter what it is that she wants or needs, I'm delighted to give her my attention.  These days, she's become fond of the word "stop" so she'll even snap "stop, Mommy" and even that's cute too :) I'm sure in 10 or 11 years, things could be quite different, so for now, I'll take it, however she wants to say it. I guess there is something sort of special about your first, just because - they made you a Mommy!

Another little bundle!

I'm not sure if you read this post, but I shared how wonderful my 30's have been. At the time, I was pregnant, growing another little bundle, and I didn't even know it :)

 

Brian and I had an (almost) non-spoken understanding that we would have kids. How many, is up for debate but we both couldn't wait to be parents.  Without giving you more detail than you care for, conceiving the first time around, took 9 months.  It was a slightly stressful and very calculated process, before we had that positive pregnany test! So yes, when the question came up, the answer was "yes," we were definitely trying.

 

I know that all pregnancies are different, but I sort of expected getting pregnant to work the same for us, as last time.  We knew we were ready to start trying for baby #2 by the summer. I was mentally prepared for keeping calendars, etc., and suddenly, voila - we had a positive pregnancy test!just.like.that :) I didnt even tell Brian I was taking a test, because I didn't think for a milli-second that I was pregnant. I had an extra test, and one morning, I took it. Suddenly, I was staring at the digital reading - PREGNANT.  Huh? I proceeded to take 2 more tests a few days apart because I could barely believe it!

 

Our due date is March 27, 2014.  This week, I am 17 weeks! Maybe, depending on how I'm feeling, I'll share some bump photos along the way :) I can't believe I have a little one growing in my belly again. Since the pregnancy was a bit of a surprise, in some ways I still can't believe that Madelyn will be a big sister. Getting pregnant and becoming a mom was the blessing of a lifetime, I can barely wrap my head around becoming a mom to another little one. My heart feels so full.

 

A baby is such a gift and we feel so blessed to be expecting again! Every pregnancy is different in it's own way, and for me so far, this experience has been different but just as amazing! I had just a few weeks of nausea and other than that, I've felt great so far. I even requested to go to the Dr. off schedule because I was feeling so normal, I wanted to make sure everything was OK. I have days where I am so tired, I just want to relax, and others (like today) where I have lots of energy and just want to go,go,go! My goal(s) are to gain less weight, keep exercising longer than I did last time, and have this little munchkin before week 41 without being induced. We'll see how I do :) 

 

In just a few weeks, we'll find out what we're having, and we can't wait! When everyone is getting there little ones dressed and ready to trick or treat on Halloween (we'll be doing that too), we're making a quick visit to the hospital for our next ultrasound. Over the last month or so, I've decided it's a ________. I'm convinced, it has to be. If it's not, i'll be just as excited, obviously, I just pray for a healthy little baby.  I'm just so convinced, that I'm extra curious to find out if I'm right!

 

Ok... think it's time to sign off. Now, I am getting tired... but first I might need to have a little ice cream! Just a little ;)

 

xo

 

Have you missed us?

I can't believe it's been 3 months since my last post! Lets see....since the last post, we had a great little vacation, celebrated birthdays, had a last trip of the season to MV, announced our pregnancy (YUP #2 is due March 27th!) and for the last few weeks we've been busy LOVING fall!

We have some little house projects on the horizon, and a few plans for the nursery, so I hope to be back with more frequent posts! At least for now anyway, because I miss posting and sharing what we're up to!

Hope you are well and having a great Fall, too!

Xo

Mini Guest Bath Update

Patience isn't one of my strengths.  I know it, and I own it.  Sometimes though, I just.cant.wait. That's sort of what has happened with our guest bath. I don't think I shared any of our bathroom pictures, because, why go there? We're lucky both bathrooms have white tubs and tile surround. So, that's a plus. Everything else in each bathroom is borderline unacceptable  It's funny because when we looked at the house, I didn't shutter the way first time buyers or snobs do, on HGTV when they're house hunting. However, once we were in the house, and these are the bathrooms you have to use every day, it's a totally different story. We can't do any major renovations right now, so it has to wait, and I have to deal.

My mom, the wallpaper stripping queen, graciously offered to strip the wallpaper in the guest bath, which already helped immensely. Then, after a successful outing at Mohegan Sun a few weeks ago, I literally twisted Brian's arm, and we stopped to buy 1 new toilet on our way home. So that at least is a start and makes using the bathroom, a little easier.  Then, I decided some paint and new hardware might be the trick to holding me over for a little while :)

So, last weekend I went to good 'ole Home Depot, picked out some hardware and got to work. I painted the window, door and vanity, and just tonight we finished putting all the new hardware on. I am thrilled with the little update! I think I am good now.... for a month or two ;)

Pretty big difference right?

BEFORE

 

AFTER

Favorite decade?

I started thinking about all of this, this afternoon.  While eavesdropping on two co-workers conversation, my thoughts quickly drifted off.  One of my co-workers, who is a curious -27, was on one of her daily tangents with random quesitons. She was asking a woman on our team, who is 55, what her favorite decade was - 20's, 30's, 40's? I didn't listen to her answer, because my thoughts went right to a baby picture of Madelyn on my desk. Granted my 30's are just barely underway, but so far this is definitely my favorite decade.

My 20's were all about discovery.  Most importantly, I was forced outside of my comfort zone, into a new environment and I started to become my own person.  Most who know me, know my college days, were not your typical college days. They weren't fun.  So, on to bigger and better and the first few years following college, were all about F-U-N, FUN! I essentially did whatever I wanted, when I wanted, and I really enjoyed my independence.  In a nutshell, my 20's were all about me, and having fun. I loved my 20's and I'm so happy I had all of the opportunities I did, that allowed me to make some awesome memories!

I kicked off my 30th year, pregnant. I was looking ahead at the end of the pregnancy and thinking, this is it... just a few more months of being so carefree, spontaneous and selfish.  I wont lie, I was nervous. I mean, there was a point in my early 20's where I swore I'd (maybe get married and) live on a farm with lots of dogs! So, I knew a lot was going to change.  But as I peer down my 32nd birthday next month, I can't be more excited and thankful for where I am, right now. Yes, I know it's still early, but I guess since having Madelyn so closely coincides with turning 30, the impact of this new decade is strong!

So far, my 30's have taught me about perspective and made me not take myself, too seriously.  So far, my 30's have been filled with JOY.  Plain and simple, pure and real, lots and lots of joy. I was lucky to have a great 1st pregnancy, a great 1st birth experience and an easy-going baby in Madelyn.  I have to give myself a little credit though, because (even I can't believe) the natural born stress-er in me, took it all in stride. I was calm and rolled with the punches, and I like to think, I still am.  I don't know what I'm doing, but I also don't read anything, not one thing about what we should be doing, or not doing.  In our house, we simply live.  Maybe that's why almost each and every day I'm awe-struck with joy. I really am one of those women who wishes there house was cleaner, life maybe a little more organized, etc, but I'm too busy living! I linger on Madelyn's laugh with a thread, I cherish when she tells me she loves me and gives me kisses, I beam when she asks me for cuddles before bed, and right now I'm crying because just thinking about all of this makes my heart so full.

Becoming and being a mom, is the best.thing.ever.  Hopefully down the road we'll be lucky enough to expand our family, but I don't want to think ahead or plan too much.... then I wont be cherishing the joy of right now!

Hope you all are well ~ XO

Oh Mmmm Geee - 20 months!!

Numerous times every month, over the last 20 months, I have thought - this is the best, and it can't get any better, but really, I mean it! While M has gotten a jump start on her "terrible 2's" and tantrums are a plenty, I am loving this age :)

Brian calls me a smother-mother, and quite honestly, he's right. I could hug and kiss Madelyn all.day.long, and I try. She's not shy though, so when she's had enough, she gives me a stiff-hand to the face :)  I just can't help it, I love her to pieces! I love her laugh, I love her expressions, I love how she says Mommy and Daddy, I love her spunky personality, and I even love when she throws a tantrum, trying to exert her independence.

In familiar settings, Madelyn is not shy. She loves to have fun, learn new things and play, play, play!  She does really well playing on her own, and exploring but she also loves company. She knows her friends by name, ones that she sees often, and others she many not see as frequently, she really loves her friends! In new surroundings with new people, Miss M is definitely shy.  I haven't gotten the full report about Brian as a child, but my mom tells me, that's just how I was.

Madelyn is in constant motion.  I guess I sort of expected it with this age, and sure she has her moments where she'll sit and hang (for like 30 seconds) but otherwise, we are on the GO! M LOVES being outside and playing in the water - ocean, pool, bath, you name it, she's a water bug. It'll be a fun summer outside for all of us, trying to keep up with her!

Here are some recent pictures of our little girl, looking so much older.  Another month, and lots more changes, we love you so much, pretty girl!!

There's just something about this place...

Martha's Vineyard, that is. Maybe it's because you have to get on a ferry to get there, maybe it's because I don't get great cell service so I'm usually "off the grid" when we're there, or maybe it's just that special. Whatever it is, there is something about the Vineyard, it is literally like heaven on Earth, for me. If you have never been, you have to go.  If I could, I'd bring all of you with me each time we went. See.... isn't she so pretty?!

 

 

 

 

We went up for our first visit of the summer, last weekend, and it was awesome! It takes 5 - 6 hours, on a good day to get up there, so I feel a little bit of pressure to make the most of it whenever we're there. Seeing as it's hard for me to take time off, our visits this summer, will be short ones. However, last weekend was proof that even a short visit (48 hours) can be a great one! The ferry ride over was one of the roughest I have ever had, we were thrown all over the place for the full hour ride. Once we were there, it was smooth sailing. We had fun catching up with family, catching up with friends, and hanging as a family! Madelyn even slept in one day, until 9:30am - a first! We came home, so happy from a fun weekend, and feeling refreshed! There's just something about that place....

 

 Island time  - its good for the soul :)

Here are some pictures from our weekend!