Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day marked Maddy's last "first" holiday. She has officially experienced every holiday. This weekend believe it or not we did not travel. We had lots of yard work to do and things to get caught up on around the house so we decided to enjoy the weekend at home.

Friday night we took Mike, Marnie, and Kendal out to the new Olive Garden in Brighton for dinner. We wanted to thank them for watching Maddy last weekend, as we know it is not easy especially when you have one of your own. We had a great time and the food was wonderful. Kendal was so darn cute flirting with some older men that she caused one of them to knock over a tray of dishes.

Oops...did I cause him to do that???

All day Saturday and Sunday morning it was pouring so we didn't get much done around the yard. We would try to work out in the rain when Maddy was napping but it was cold and wet. Jason's parents came over after lunch and spent all evening playing with Maddy.

Maddy and Grandpa Jon

Jon, Jason, and Maddy

Kendal came over too and spent the night. The kids had a great time playing together...

"No, that's my sippy cup!"

"Martha Stewart and Rachel Ray" cooking up a feast

"Girls play nice!"

"We are!"

Maddy and Kendal taking a bath after a fun afternoon

Memorial Day finally brought us some beautiful weather for sun bathing.

"Excuse me, you're in my sun!"

After the girls ate breakfast...


...we tried working outside around the yard as much as we could but the girls made it a bit difficult as they were on exact opposite schedules. I ended up playing with which ever kid was up while the other one napped and Jason worked. We got lots done though. We still have a pile of mulch in the driveway to spread so hopefully this week that will get done. We did find some time when both the girls where up for some fun in the pool.

"Kendal did your dad forget to pack your bathing suit?"

Maddy is becoming quite the chatter box. She says all sorts of mumbo jumbo, but nothing that makes sense. She discovered the "v" sound this weekend. She kept saying "volvo" whenever we asked her what she wants for her sixteen birthday. She has also learned how to kick a ball this week and enjoyed her first flavor ice...

"Yum"

Yesterday she decided that she has outgrown her sippy cup and moved onto mommy and daddy size sippy cups...

Another thing Maddy loves to do these days is play hide and seek...

"Where's Maddy?"

"Here I am!"

11 Months

Maddy's first year birthday is now less than a month away. I can hardly believe it. I remember when she was first born many experienced parents telling us to cherish every minute with her because she will be all grown up before you know it. I never imagined it would fly by this fast.

Here are Maddy's 11 month pictures...


It is becoming more and more impossible to take pictures of her. She moves way to fast for us now and we are running out of creative ways to get her to sit still and smile.

This past month of Maddy's life is easily summed up in two words...

Head, Bruises

I can't wait for all the head trauma to be over with. She sure has a hard head because I think I would have even cried after a few of the blows she's taken.


Anyway, its been over a week since I've posted. I have to apologize for being so far behind but we've been busy working outside on our yard every chance we get. Last week was a pretty tough week on Maddy. Monday she was still running a temperature and not acting herself. We called the pediatrician and they wanted to see her, especially after knowing she feel down the stairs. (Sorry Jace, I wasn't going to mention it but everyone knows anyway.) She thankfully just had an ear infection and they were pretty confident the vomitting was from that rather than from the fall. I've never been so happy to hear she had an ear infection. They put her on amoxicillin again and it seemed to help and she was back to herself by Tuesday. Although she became extremely clumsy, hence the bruises on her forehead. We think her equilibrium must be off a bit from the ear infection. She took a real bad fall at daycare on Tuesday afternoon, which left a huge lump on her head. Wednesday night she got knocked over by the dogs in the driveway and hit the back of her head on the concrete and bit her tongue. She also hit her forehead on the chair earlier, which we didn't notice left a mark until bathtime. Poor kid. I've contemplated getting her a helmet although I don't think she would enjoy that too much.

With the week going the way is was, we decided to take Marnie up on the offer to watch Maddy for the weekend while we made a quick trip to Milwaukee for a friends wedding. She had been through enough this week and didn't deserve sitting in a car for 12 hours. (Thanks again Mike and Marnie!) We dropped her off early Saturday morning for a fun filled day with Kendal. Kendal, unfortunately, was really sick with a horrible fever. Maddy still had a blast with them. Greg and Sarah helped out to. They took Maddy for a walk with Ben. I think a romance has kindled.

Sunday afternoon I went to get Maddy and she didn't want to come home. She loves Marnie so much that she cried when Marnie gave her to me. What a stinker...I thought she would at least love me until she was a teenager. :) It was evident that she had a great time with them and apparently she was an angel, so we couldn't have been happy that it all worked out.

This week we have been enjoying the beautiful weather and working hard on the landscaping...nothing exciting. With Memorial Day weekend ahead, summer has officially started for us and we can't wait for all the fun trips that we have planned.

What a Weekend!

This past weekend was jam packed with stuff going on. We went to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin to my sister's house for 3 main reasons: diabetes walkathon, John V's 2nd birthday party, and Alexaundrea's baptism. Wow, was it a busy weekend but a ton of fun.

Friday evening we were able to hang out with my folks, my great Auntie Marie, and my sisters family. It was really nice to see the kids and spend some time with them before things got too crazy. Lexi has really changed a lot in the last month. She was telling me all sorts of stories and giving me a bunch of smiles.


Maddy had a ton of fun playing with her cousins' toys.

Trying out the Sit-n-Spin

Saturday morning started with the Diabetes Walk. The weather was perfect for the 2 mile trek. Our family has been doing this for at least 5 years now and every year we end up finishing last. In the years past it was because the walk went through a zoo and we would stop to look at all the animals. This year it was for other reasons...

...Pit stops!

My friend Casey, her husband Cory, and their little girl Ava joined us for the walk. It was a great chance for us to visit with them and get to see Ava before she grows up on us. Both Maddy and Ava napped during the walk.

Ava

Maddy

After their naps, the girls played with each other. The two of them really seem to get along great. They just smile at each other and talk none stop. Its adorable.


We are really looking forward to spending a weekend with them this summer so that the girls can play and swim together. Saturday afternoon we celebrated little John V's birthday. Both of my brothers and their families joined us at this point so there were kids running around everywhere. It was a blast. I just love it!

Brooke and Maddy greeting each other

Maddy saying hello to cousin Addisyn

The birthday boy

The gang (minus the babies)

Grandpa and John V waiting for a pitch

That evening we loaded the kids up into the back of the car and went to the park to play.

"We're ready to go."

Maddy and I on one side of the see-saw...

Aundrea and Izzy on the other

The crew

We were hoping that all the running around and playing would tire them out. Our plan didn't work so good. Unfortunately it just revved them up more. When we got back, I made the mistake of letting some of the girls take a bath with Maddy. She apparently wasn't in the mood for sharing...

"Mom, let me out!"

Needless to say it took us quite a while to get all the kids in bed that evening. Everyone stayed at my sisters house. There were people on beds, couches, air mattress, pack-n-plays, and in sleeping bags on the floor. We sure didn't get much sleep, but it was fun. Maddy, of course, woke up at 5:30 am, so my mothers day started out a bit earlier than I would have liked. The morning was a bit crazy, trying to get all the kids ready for church. Lexi was baptized during mass and did a great job.

Lexi with her parents and godparents

Jason had the honor of being Lexi's godfather

The kids all dressed up

Following church, we went back to my sister's house for a brunch and then said our good-byes. I always hate leaving, because it is just so much fun hanging out with all the kids and watching Maddy interact with her cousins. The trip home was long, and Maddy got sick. She spiked a fever after sleeping almost 4 hours and then started vomiting. She threw up all over me and the back seat of the car. We had to go get some Tylenol, which really seemed to help. She watched a movie for about an hour and then feel back asleep. So my first mother's day was a bit crazy and I got threw up on! :)

Maddy and Jason did take me out earlier this week though to celebrate. We went for dinner at the Outback and I got a new camera. Here's my first picture with it...

Thanks Jace and Mads!

Cinco de Mayo

Life has been pretty crazy and about to get even more crazy with the high traveling season approaching, actually starting this next weekend with a trip to Wisconsin. Jason and I have been trying to get yard work done but we always seem to get side tracked by hanging out with friends and family, which of course is a lot more fun. We did get some work done though just a lot left to do.

Friday night, Marnie, Kendal, Maddy, and myself walked around the subdivision for the pre-rummage sale scoop. We had a great time. I sent Jason to a house to bargain for an outdoor play gym for Maddy on his way home from Bordines, but he missed the sale by a few minutes. Bummer! Here's a picture of Maddy Friday night eating a cookie after feeding herself some yogurt with a spoon.

Saturday morning, the four of us girls went back out to the rummages to find some more deals. We got an early start at 7:45 am, but still seemed a bit late for the big items. I got a few summer play clothes for Maddy, a small basketball hoop, and a Dora kitchen for outside. She is entertained for a little bit with it, just enough time to throw everything onto the porch then she is off getting into mischief...like getting into the refrigerator.

"Poppy seed dressing anyone?"

Saturday night after church, we went to Mike & Marnies for a Cinco de Mayo get together and to celebrate Sarah's birthday. The fajitas and pina coladas were delicious, as was the chocolate chip cookie dough blizzard cake. We had a great time, but stayed up way too late. Jason and I didn't get any pictures with our camera so I had to steal them from Kendal's blog. So, those of you that keep up with both blogs, I apologize for copying the pictures and seeing repeats.

Sometimes, Maddy thinks she's a dog.
She tries to eat dog food at home and here she is chewing on Cheetohs bone.

Brendon a moment before he decided that
Maddy would make good road kill.

Poor Maddy...first Brendon runs her over and then
Kendal steals her sippy cup.

Maddy decided that Marnie was a safe bet.
She was clinging to Marnie the rest of the night trying to stay away from Brendon and Kendal.

"Los Tres Amigos!"
(Photo shoot didn't go as good as we had hoped.)

Sunday we went to Jason's Aunt Janice's house in Williamston for a barbeque with the Kreider family. It was great to see everyone and let the kids play. Poor Maddy was quite out-numbered though, with 3 boy first cousins and 2 boy second cousins...she was the only girl, but she held her own.