Baby It's Cold Outside

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! I am definitely feeling the Christmas spirit. This is my favorite time of the year. Call me cheesy, but I love singing carols and drinking hot chocolate and seeing Christmas decorations outside everyone's house. I also love to watch the advent candles being lit at church and singing in the Christmas musical (btw: for all of you Birmingham folks, our church's Christmas musical is next Sunday, the 13th. Come on by!)

Now that I am a mother and have been through the whole "having a child" thing, the manger story gives me new respect for Mary & Joseph. Can you imagine?! I can't even imagine having Madelyn without an epidural. Can you imagine how scared Mary must have been to have been so far away from home and so YOUNG and all she had for a companion was her husband-to-be who she didn't know that well?! Wow. I think Mary trumps all scary birthing stories.

So, since we were feeling so festive, we decided to visit Santa yesterday. And Madelyn didn't cry! I was actually surprised. My little girl is growing up.



And for one more cute picture - it was our first freeze last night, so we got all bundled up today. Isn't that hat the cutest thing ever!

A New Room and a New Chair

When I was pregnant with Madelyn and were turning our guest room into a nursery, we decided to keep our guest bed in the nursery because we knew we would have grandmothers spending the night to help out with the baby. And I am so glad we did because I ended up sleeping on that bed some when Madelyn was an infant. Here is what her nursery looked like.

But now Madelyn needs a bedroom, not a nursery. And I have been wanting to move that bed out of her room for awhile now. Our friends, Meredith and Andy (who have a pick-up truck) finally helped us move that bed to my parents' house on Sunday! Yay! (thanks M&A!) (and thanks Mom & Dad for storing our bed!) So yesterday I spent the day fixing Madelyn's room to include all of her toys instead of her toys being in the living room. So now here is what her room looks like.

Here is another change in our houehold. Madelyn is tired of eating in her highchair. Last week she would eat a few bites in her highchair and then request to get down. Then she would immediately climb up in one the dining room chairs and want to eat at the table. So I have taken the tray off her highchair and adjusted the height to fit under our table. She now gets to sit at the table like a big girl. It is amazing how much more I can get her to eat in one sitting now. I think she has been tired of her highchair for awhile and I just caught onto it last week.

Tinker Bell

Wow do I need to update. But unforunately, I don't have time right now because any minute Madelyn is going to wake up ready to drink her milk and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. So let me just share a couple pictures of our Tinker Bell.

She is the most beautiful Tinker Bell ever. Ever, ever, ever.

Good News

Well I heard back from the doctor and everything looked good on the CT scan of my head. He did see some sinus congestion (which I already knew about, thank you very much!) So yay. I'm very thankful for a good report, and yet, I am still uneasy about the whole thing. What about my next migraine? Are they all going to be like that now? I'm not sure I want to just wait around and find out. So now what? Migraine medications is not fun. I have a prescription for Imitrex, but I do not take them for several reasons: 1. They make you feel like you're having a stroke - one side of your face gets all tingly 2. They are VERY expensive - with insurance they are $20 for 4 pills. Yes that is correct, each pill is $5. 3. They are not good for you if you are pregnant. And no Mitch and I aren't exactly trying, but there is no birth control that is 100% effective. So what if, right? My doctor mentioned at my last appointment about some preventive medications available that would need to be taken every day, so maybe that is an option. But the good news is I haven't had a migraine since the bad one. And that is what I am trying to focus on - instead of being anxious about when the next one will come.

Weekend Fun

First of all, let me say thank you for all of your concerns and prayers! The procedure yesterday was pretty uneventful. And you know how these things work, first they have to analyze the results, then send it to my doctor and then I will get a call from my doctor's office. I'm not even expecting a call until mid next week. And so far, I haven't had any more migraines since the monster migraine last week. I'll update when I hear from the doctor!

Mitch is leaving for Orlando tomorrow for work and will be gone until Tuesday. So I decided that Madelyn and I would go spend the weekend with my parents. It should be fun for everyone - fun for Madelyn because she will receive all the attention, fun for my parents because they get to play with their granddaughter, and fun for me because I get a little break from keeping up with Madelyn all day. I also just love to see my parents spend time with Madelyn. I feel the same way when we visit Mitch's family. I can't really explain it very well. At this age, children change so much from week to week. There are things she is doing that she wasn't doing just last week. So it is fun to share the joy of watching her grow before my eyes with other people.

And hear I will leave you with a cute picture. TGIF!

Brain Issues

I have a CAT scan today at 2:30. After my extremely bad migraine last week, the doctor wanted to make sure nothing else was going on. You know the crazy part about all this? Because getting this appointment has been a major pain the rear (the insurance not wanting to approve the scan, Madelyn coming down with a fever so I have no childcare options, Mitch having to take time out of his extremely busy work day to come home and watch Madelyn) I have not really had the time to process what I am actually doing today. They are scanning my BRAIN to make sure nothing is WRONG with it. Shouldn't I be more concerned than I am? But you know what, I am just goint to speed along and not think about it. Normally I would be really worried because that is what I do. Since all this has given me a worry-free pass, I'm just going to continue to enjoy my worryless state-of-mind. Isn't that we are called to do anyway? So thank you, Lord for helping me stay out of the worry lane!

Explosion

I have had several posts in my head, and here they all are in one huge explosion.

Post #1: Let me show you my new therapeutic activity. Playing with blocks.

It started out just having a little fun with Madelyn. But then one evening Madelyn had the worst temper tantrum she had ever had all because she didn't want to get ready for bed. (She got herself so upset, she actually threw up!) I came out of her room that night completely tense and stressed out. I walked into the living room and her toys were all still out on the floor, and instead of cleaning them up, I sat down and played with her blocks. It was amazing how fast my muscles started relaxing and my mind started to thaw out from the stress. There is something about doing something with your hands that helps with the stress somehow. It reminds me of the time when Mitch and I were dating and we broke up for a weekend. In my heart I knew it wasn't over and I wanted to wait by the phone for him to call. So I wouldn't go crazy, I decided to do a jigsaw puzzle. I spent the whole weekend doing a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle all by myself instead of sitting by the phone. (As you might have guessed, he did call back :)

Post #2:

Last week at the grocery store, Madelyn started getting really upset while I was picking out apples in the produce section. I could not figure out what was wrong. She kept pointing to the back of the cart where I had just placed my bag of apples, and I finally realized she wanted an apple. I gave her one (after I wiped it off with my shirt) and she held that apple like it was her long lost friend. She held onto that apple all the way through the rest of the store, in the car on the way home and at home while I unpacked and the groceries. Some kids want a cookie at the store, my kid wants an apple. I can live with that.

Post #3:

Madelyn has discovered the healing power of band-aids - especially when Elmo is on them.


Post #4:

As most of you know, I suffer from migraines. Last week, however, I had the mother of all migraines. Instead of it lasting 4-5 hours, this one lasted 14 hours and instead of throwing up once or twice, I threw up 12 times, I think (After about 8 times, I started to lose count). My dear husband stayed home from work and took care of Madelyn. While laid up in bed or hovering over the toilet, I could hear them in the main part of the house having a grand-ole time. When I finally emerged from the bedroom, this is what I found.

This picture doesn't quite portray what our house looked like. I think every toy was out on the floor somewhere. Daddy and daughter had a great day together.

And that's a wrap.

Just some minor things

I rush to write this down before I head to church. Just a couple of updates:

I had to reschedule my hair appointment to next Thursday because my hairsytlist's daughter has the flu. So I have one more week for my hair to be this long.

Tomorrow Madelyn goes to Mother's Day Out from 9 - 1. Yay! I'm going to clean the house. Boo.

Madelyn can now feed herself with a spoon - sorta.

That's all for now.

Happy Football (& War Eagle!)

Colds and Haircuts

Last weekend, I was kicked in the rear end by a cold. I finally feel like I am over it now. However, Madelyn now has an ear infection. She hasn't slept well the last couple of nights and it dawned on me that she must have an ear infection. Doctor appointment confirmed it, and she is on antibiotics. Hopefully she will start sleeping better soon. Since I haven't done much housework since last week, I am looking at several days of laundry and serious cleaning.

Next week starts Mother's Day Out. Madelyn is going two days a week. I am really hoping this will allow me some more time to write. So be looking out for new posts in my writing blog. For all of you avid readers, don't worry. I haven't forgotten about it. I am going to be hitting my writing hard next week.

And for the most important announcement - I have a haircut appointment next week while Madelyn is at MDO. And I think I'm going to go drastic. That's right. I think I'm getting the mom cut. I have had long hair - for the most part - since I was in high school. This is big. But I'm sick of picking up my hair off the floor - and having to clean out our shower drain all the time. And I'm ready for a new look. So next Thursday is the day. We'll see. I might chicken out.

The Beach & Temper Tantrums

My mother-in-love and father-in-love offered us their beach condo for a week. We had some great family time. Hear are SOME of the great pictures we have of Madelyn.

Here she is at the pier.

Here she is at Gulf World.

Here she is lounging around the condo.

And here she is at the beach with Mommy & Daddy!

We will treasure these pictures for years to come.

Okay, so now for the not-so-fun part of our trip. We had some temper tantrums. In fact, we had a lot of them. Ladies and Gentlemen, Madelyn has quickly mastered the black-belt level of temper tantrums - at 19 months. I'm not talkin' a little fussy because she can't have a toy she wants or being temper mental before nap time. I'm talkin' screaming at Walmart to the level that someone says to me, "Man, she has some lungs! I heard her 3 aisles over" all because I took a phone call with my cell phone and wouldn't let her take the phone from me. I'm talkin' hitting and kicking me during diaper change to the point that I have to put her in her crib mid-change because she just kicked me in the jaw and I have to recover from the pain before I can continue the diaper change. I'm talkin' screaming for 30 minutes straight (red-faced, 'I'm being tortured to death' kind of screaming) because - well, we never found out what triggered that temper tantrum. I'm talkin' tantrums that both grandparents have witnessed and said things like, "Bless your heart for having to deal with that" and "She is high-maintenance, that's for sure."

I know that temper tantrums are normal. I know that every parent goes through this. I know that this is my first child and I might very well look back on this and say, "Man, that was easy." But right now I don't feel that way. Right now I feel frustrated, exhausted and scared that I'm doing it all wrong.

Update: Today I went to the library to check out some books on temper tantrums but I couldn't because Madelyn had a temper tantrum in the library and I had to leave before I began. So I came home and bought $35 worth of used books about toddlers and discipline and temper tantrums and stay-at-home moms on Amazon. (I'm all about the run-on sentences today.)

Baby Mozart

New Blog

I have a new blog! Check it out: http://tonyasblinkingcursor.blogspot.com

My new blog will be about me becoming a writer. I have been wishy-washy about becoming a writer. I have had this idea for a book for about 5 years now. I have an outline and character lists, and even a few pages written. But I have been making excuses about why I haven't finished it. I don't have time. I don't have the talent. It will never get published so why bother. I am tired of making excuses. I just want to do it! So I am trying to become serious about writing. I am going to start working on my book every day. But I need another way to exercise my writing muscles. I also need to get over my fear of people reading and critiquing what I write. This is where the blog comes in. I will try to post in it every day, if possible. What am I going to write about? Not sure. But one thing is for sure. I am going to write!

Silliness

Madelyn has discovered a new talent - making me laugh. It happens while I'm rocking her to sleep. I like singing her lullabies while rocking her before I put her down. While I am singing, she looks up at me and starts touching my face. She will touch my nose and then squeeze it like she is "honking" a clown's nose. I can usually hold my giggles at this point. Then she grabs my lower lip and pulls it down. And that is when I usually start laughing. I try so hard not to laugh because I know that will only delay her sleepiness. But I'm sorry - trying to sing while a 1 year old's chubby little fingers are holding your lower lip is just about the funniest thing I have encountered. I start laughing and then she starts laughing with this triumphant look on her face. I wish I could get a video of it because it is actually a really sweet moment - even if she is doing it to delay going to sleep.

Procrastination

I have been procrastinating blogging for two reasons:

#1Immediately after Christmas, I knew I wanted to post pictures of Madelyn, but between all the cameras, I have over 300 pictures of her at Christmastime! Looking at them all and deciding which ones I wanted to post just didn't seem fun.

#2 Now that it is the new year, you know that I have resolutions on the brain - and you know that my resolution has been the same since I was 12. So who wants to write about that?!

So, just to show my art at procrastination, I will blog about neither of the above and instead share a picture of Madelyn and her cousin, Morgan, who is only 7 months older. Don't they look like sisters?
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Okay nevermind. For some reason, I can't seem to post any pictures right now. I keep getting errors. Is this some type of punishment for not blogging enough?