Play Date with Kendal

Last night, Maddy and Kendal had a play date. Marnie was working and Mike had golf league so Kendal got to come over and play with Maddy. The girls had a great time getting into trouble together. Its funny because the two of them just feed off of each other. They actually got along great though, as they hadn't seen each other in a few days. Maddy didn't go to daycare as she had been running a fever and was diagnosed with a throat virus that we didn't care to spread around daycare so instead we thought we would just give it to Kendal to spread around. Maddy developed a fever while at the Spindlers this weekend, but we thought it was just another ear infection. I brought her to the doctors as she had another night of miserable sleep and with Labor Day weekend approaching I wanted it taken care of. She apparently has a summer virus that causes ulcers in the back of her throat accompanied by fever and body aches. Tylenol is the only treatment and it should run its course in 3-5 days. The diarrhea she had been having was apparently totally unrelated. She's not allowed back to daycare though until her fever has been gone for 24 hours, so Jason is home with her today. Her temp was great all day yesterday so we thought she was in the clear until she spiked another temp right before bed. It was all that fun with Kendal. We are keeping our fingers crossed that Rylee wasn't infected this weekend.

Anyway, here are a bunch of pictures of the girls on their play date. We have some video I need to post too.

Getting dirty and wet in the sand and sea box

Popsicles for dessert

Bathtime

Drying off

Meeting Rylee

This weekend we went to Indianapolis to see Brooke and Brad, and of course to finally meet Rylee Dawn. We waited two long weeks before getting to meet her and it seemed like forever. It was so great getting to hold that beautiful little baby! She is so little especially next to Maddy. It just amazes me how much they grow and change in one year, but as Brad pointed out Maddy had almost 2 pounds on Rylee at birth. Even still, they just are not babies for very long. It was a lot of fun sharing parenting stories with Brooke and Brad finally. It was fun reminiscing those first few weeks as parents; all the sleepless nights and crazy things that happen when you are sleep deprived. I'll never forget the few nights when Jason was holding his pillow so perfectly in his arms and talking to it as if it was Maddy. You just can never be totally prepared for life with a newborn. Anyway, it was so awesome spending time with the Spindlers. I know Brooke, Rylee, Maddy, and I are going to have a lot of fun together when the girls get a little older doing all the things girls do. We, of course, will enjoy the tom boy things too and maybe even include Brad and Jason, like when we are watching football. Our families will enjoy growing up together there is no doubt about that.

Rylee Dawn

Rylee and I enjoying a beautiful Sunday morning together

Where's Brooke for the girls only pic?

Maddy first time holding Rylee

Maddy loves her new friend (a bit too much at times)

Maddy giving Rylee a kiss

Taking the girls for a stroll

Saturday while we were at the Spindlers we had some fun outside while Rylee was eating. Brooke and Brad have a nice pond in their back yard so Maddy and I spent some time watching the ducks while Jason mowed the lawn.

Maddy feeding the ducks

Playing corn hole

Here's my belly button! :)
(New favorite thing)

This week we caught a picture of Maddy trying to hold a bunch of her favorite stuffed animals all at once. This picture is totally irrelevant to this post, but I had to include it because I thought it was a funny picture and a good reminder for the phase she currently is in. She is always trying to carry too much at once or something that is too big for her.

I'm doing it!

One Year Photo Shoot

My friend Tricia Dewar is an incredible photographer! I can't thank her enough for taking the time to photograph our Miss Maddy multiple times this past year. We just received her one year shoots in the mail and I just love them. Tricia put together a beautiful slideshow for us that I wanted to share. Unfortunately the file is really big so I had to break it down into 3 different files. Please enjoy and I apologize for taking up so much of your time but hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as I do. I should also mention that the quality isn't so good because I had to change the file format and compress the files.

Maddy's One Year Slide Show Part 1

Maddy's One Year Slide Show Part 2

Maddy's One Year Slide Show Part 3

Diarrhea, diarrhea, and more diarrhea

Ugh...what a week filled with diarrhea! Tuesday, I picked Maddy up from daycare to find out that she had diarrhea all day and ended up with a bleeding diaper rash. I felt so horrible for her because she just seemed to be in so much pain. That evening we went to the Schmidts for a bar-b-q and Maddy slept through most of it. After she woke up she had a little dinner and then played with all the kids.

Maddy, Kendal, Olivia, Ben, and Brendon

She seemed fine until she had another bout of diarrhea. She would just scream and tense up when you tried changing her diaper. It was awful. Her mood would go from happy to sad in an instant.

"Thanks for the dress Grandma!" (Happy)

"My butt hurts!" (Sad)

Happy

Sad

Wednesday morning she woke up and pooped right through her diaper. It was all over her crib. What a way to start the morning! I was home with her all day so that was nice but I swear I changed a dozen poopy diapers. It was like she was a newborn. I went down to the pharmacy and asked if there was anything I could do. I ended up buying diapers, pedialyte, balmex, gold bond, and an oatmeal bath. It was pretty obvious what ailment I was trying to treat. After the oatmeal bath and a night of balmex and gold bond, her bottom looked tons better. Unfortunately her guts were still a different story. I ended up calling the doctor and they said just make sure she stayed hydrated and give her BRATS (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast). Thursday and Friday morning were a repeat of Tuesday and Wednesday morning. After waking up to a poopy crib again Friday morning, she seemed to have most of it out of her system.

Friday we went out for a few hours with Sarah, Ben, Marnie, and Kendal to a subdivision rummage sale. She unfortunately didn't stay dry although it was only pee but all over her clothes and stroller. I said, "At least I know she isn't dehydrated."

We went down to the Howell Melonfest with the Schmidts and Abbotts Friday night. Maddy had kisses for everyone that night and was having fun dancing to the music.

One for Kendal

One for Ben

Even one for Mike

Click Here To See Maddy Dancing

We then had a camp fire over at the Schmidts afterwards. Maddy of course was the only kid awake but eventually fell asleep snuggling with me. I just love it when she does that.

Saturday, Jason and I had a wedding in Detroit (hi Wilsy!) so we left Maddy with the Abbotts. Ben and Maddy actually had their first sleep over. Both Maddy and Ben were feeling better (Ben had diarrhea this week too) so they had a great time together. Thanks again Sarah and Greg! Yesterday was rainy so it was a nice day to get home early and bum around the house. Maddy and I took a nap together too which felt so nice. I missed out on her second nap as I spent 2.5 hours talking to Brooke. We are going to see them and meet Rylee this weekend. I CAN'T WAIT!

Waterskiing Nationals

This past weekend we joined the rest of my family in Wisconsin for the National Waterskiing Tournament. We sure had a great time watching some unbelievable skiers. All the kids did a great job too as it was terribly hot being in the sun all day. Maddy really seemed to enjoy the shows. She would wave to the skiers as they went by and then clap for them when they paid off on the dock. It was adorable! Below is a picture of the 5-tier pyramid that the Rock Aqua Jays of Janesville, Wisconsin put up which was one of the highlights of the tournament.


My brothers competed in the team jump competition, as they qualified by winning the Wisconsin State competition. They unfortunately didn't win as they had a fall on a trick called the "organ donor". They named this trick a few years ago when they landed it at nationals to win the competition. They are the only team to ever do this trick, as it is extremely dangerous. It is a back flip ("gainer") over a front flip and under a 360 degree turn ("helicopter"). They tried the trick again and landed it, however it was after the time allowance. Even though they didn't win most everybody was talking about them and had a lot of respect for them.

Here was our cheering section for the jump competition

Jaelyn telling her dad (my brother John) he did a good job

The kids keeping cool in the shade

When we weren't at the water ski tournament we were enjoying the pool at the hotel. The kids were just having the best time swimming together. We couldn't get them out of the pool. Addisyn and Lexi even joined in the fun.

Addisyn (6 1/2 months)

Lexi (5 months)

Part of the Crew

Maddy had a great time with all the cousins, but she really played with Jaelyn and John V the most. The three of them would play then fight, play then fight. It was pretty funny. Maddy really seemed to love Addisyn too, she wanted to be in her face all the time.

Jaelyn and Maddy climbing the stairs

Maddy and John V trying to get candy out of the machines

Maddy taking Addisyn for a stroll

I'm not sure why Maddy isn't wearing clothes in any of those pictures. :) It was really hot in the pool area. Another highlight of the trip was our outing to Culvers. The flavor of the day was Blue Moon. Yummy, I haven't had that it forever.

Maddy enjoying her very own cup of blue moon

Forget the spoon

Do I have something on my face?

What a crew?!?

It sure was a fun-filled weekend once again. I sure enjoy spending time with my siblings and their families and of course my folks too. Maddy loves her cousins and fits right in with the gang. I sure wish we could get together like this more often. I'm looking forward to seeing them all again over Labor Day.

Rylee Dawn Spindler

We got some exciting news on Friday that Brooke and Brad welcomed their newest addition, Rylee Dawn. Brooke and Brad are good friends of ours (and Maddy's godparents) so we feel like Rylee is part of our family and we love her already. We have been waiting patiently for her arrival, and now look forward to meeting her. She sure is a beautiful little baby!

The Spindler Family

Girls Weekend

Maddy and I had a girls weekend while Jason was up in the UP with a college friend of his on a fishing trip. We had a great time and I spoiled Maddy a little bit by letting her sleep in mommy's bed. Okay, so it was actually more for me than her. She was great though and we had a ton of fun. She is so much better right now when Jason isn't around, because she is going through a whiny phase with daddy and it gets a bit annoying.

So, what did we do all weekend? Friday, Sarah, Marnie, and I packed the kids in the car and went to Fowlerville for a community rummage sale.

Maddy, Kendal, and Ben

The kids did great once we actually got them out of the car. They were not happy campers in the car. Ben was having a melt down and the girls fought the whole time. Everyone had a great time though walking around enjoying the beautiful weather. Friday night, Maddy and I enjoyed a camp fire over at the Schmidts. Its so nice having friends so close to hang out with, especially when Jason is out of town.

Saturday afternoon, I took Maddy to the water park at Kensington. The Abbotts joined us too. Maddy just loved running around and splashing her feet. She would try running through a sprinkler every once and awhile, but for the most part chickened out once the water hit her unless someone was with her. I think next summer the kids are really going to have a lot of fun there.


Sunday after church, Maddy and I did some grocery shopping and then came home and took a nap together. It was raining and both of us were feeling a bit under the weather so it was a nice day to lay in bed and relax. Maddy was pretty bummed that she couldn't play outside though so it took some convincing.

Are you pouting?

Jason got home before dinner and had Mike over for supper to enjoy some of his catch from the weekend. Kendal said "Maddy", it was so adorable! I can't wait for Maddy to say something that makes sense. She has a lot to say in her own language, but nothing in English.

Just a side note for my own records...Maddy got her twelfth tooth in about 2 weeks ago (end of July).