Happy Memorial Day!

Thank you to all those who have served and are serving and who have fallen for us. Much love.

We had a nice weekend with family and friends. Saturday was with my Grandma. Yesterday we hung out with Eric's cousin (who also happens to be my longest running friend lol) and her husband and our friend Sandra. Madelyn got to meet her cousin Gideon. Gideon was born 5/13/10 and he was 5 weeks early, so he is a wee one. Very cute!! It was comical when we were taking pictures.. you will see!

Today I am off! SWEEEET! I am going to clean the car in preparation for our trip to Maine on Thursday. Maybe a run to Kohl's for a new water jug, maybe some pool time for Madelyn! squeeeee :)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and a good memorial day. Don't forget to thank those that have and are continuing to make your WAY of life possible!

Pictures as always....

Friends

We had dinner Wednesday night with our friends Mandy and Tim. We had another play date! They have a son Patrick.

It was very sweet to see the two of them together. They just kept looking at each other. Madelyn was giggling and smiling. Being quite the flirt to her father's dismay!! Than Madelyn tried out Patrick's toy car, she was more interesting in eating it!! But she liked to have her legs extended so I think it is time to look into an exersaucer or jumperoo for her!

She is getting so big!

Thankful Thursday

* I am thankful for air conditioning!
Yesterday was brutually hot (90-100 degrees) which is hot for May here. I loathe the heat and so does Madelyn. She would not nap or anything. All she did was cry and was cranky. She was a diaper baby all day yesterday. I didn't want to attempt sleeping so Eric put the air conditioner in at like 9 PM last night! It made the night much better!

* I am thankful for my friend Candace because we always "bitch" together and it is fun! Plus she is a good friend! hahaha

Throwback - 12/08


* I am thankful for the weekend, it's a 3 day weekend! Lots of places to go though!

* As always, I am thankful for my Monkey!

In her 6-9 month jeans!

4 Months

So on Monday our Monkey turned 4 months old. I could not and still can not believe how fast she is growing. It feels like just yesterday we found out we were pregnant!

She is starting to do lots more things. She knows what her hands are and is starting to examine her feet! She loves to look around on walks and loves the trees! She loves to smile and giggle. Especially with her Daddy. But we have been noticing her smiling more to and with other people. So that is fun! She is like me in one aspect, she definitely has a temper! When she can not figure out how to crawl. She gets pissed. When she is hungry and/or tired she gets real pissed! Even the doctor noticed she had a temper after she got her shots! She basically turned purple from screaming!

Speaking of the doctor, yesterday we had her 4 month checkup. She weighs 15 lbs 10 oz (HOLY CRAP!!) She is in the 90th (yes I said nine zero) percentile for weight. She is 23 inches long and that is the 25th percentile for height. She loves loves loves to stand. I have to hold her, obviously, but she loves it. She was laying down for the doctor and the doctor has to pull her up by the arms to a sitting position, I assume to make sure she has the head control etc.. Well Monkey doesn't want to sit and "jumps" straight up to standing. The doctor laughed and said "well I guess you want to walk". Monkey just smiled all big for her! It was cute!

So with that I will let you see my wonderful giggling 4 month old baby girl. As usual pure LOVE...

New Wrap!

On another note.. I got a new wrap! Eric wasn't to happy. He thinks I have to many but OH WELL! I only have 3 and 1 I made myself, so technically I can say 2. hahahaha. He didn't like my rational.

I wasn't sure about this one before I got it but I bought it off of Kids Woot for like 50% off. I than read about it on the boards I go to and none of them seemed to like it.. I LOVE it!

It is easy to put on, it takes a few seconds extra just because you have to tie. I think its just as easy as my Beco. The thing I really love about it, I can hardly feel Monkey (it terms of added weight). My back doesn't hurt while she is in it, and I don't feel weighed down.

So far so good with this one! Here are is a picture. Don't mind the picture, I tried to take it myself and than Eric took one and none of them came out presentable but that's all I got!

McFatty Monday

I just wanted to let ya'll know that I am going to stop doing McFatty Monday for a little bit. I need to get my head under control first. Every time I get on the scale I sink farther. To bad that makes me eat more.. Needless to say I went up more. It's weird because before I started this, I stayed the same for WEEKs and Weeks... It seems like as soon as I decided to try this I could only move up...

So I will graciously bow out of McFatty Monday for a bit. Maybe I will be back in the future!

Thankful Thursday

I don't have much for today. It has been a stressful day/days... The voices in my head are relentless... So these may be cheesy but it is what I am looking forward too..

* I am thankful it is Thursday because that means the Grey's finale is tonight. I watched the first 10 minutes the other day and it was INSANE!



* I am thankful for my Monkey because on days like this she makes me smile...



* I am thankful it is nice out today. I think the past 2 days of rain, haven't helped me. So today we get to go for a walk after work! Yay for sunshine, blue skies.....

* I am thankful for a good friend and saying yes to our heavy request.

It is just one of them days...

Everyone that has lost someone will tell you that sometimes you just have one of them days. No matter how long the person has been gone you just have a day, an hour, or even a minute, of missing them hardcore. You always miss them but sometimes it is just really hard to deal with.

This afternoon was that time for me. I was wearing the monkey in the Beco. She fell asleep and I was putting away laundry. A new favorite song of mine came on by Miranda Lambert.. It made me start thinking about the house I grew up in. Tears started to stream. It is impossible to think about growing up, the house I grew up in, or virtually anything else without thinking of my parents. Especially my father.

I started to think of everything he missed - my senior year, my senior day at softball, my prom, high school graduation, college, college graduation, my wedding, and now my wonderful daughter. My daughter so far has been the hardest... I can just imagine how he would have been with her and it aches...it makes me miss him what seems like more than the day he was taken from us...

Than I started to think of all the memories with him and our family... How lucky we all were to have known him, loved him, been loved by him, and have the memories with him...

He was strong...


and funny...{Sixteenth birthday party when he saw the bill!}


and a family man...


I miss him everyday. I love him.
I wish he was here.

McFatty Monday

I am not a happy camper today. I went up again. At this point it is really depressing. I had to go into the office last week because of my lack of internet. I had to pack a lunch since I wouldn't be home to make it. So I ate less food because when I am at home, I eat whatever I want when I want. Which is bad. So I thought I would be done since I could only eat what I brought to work with me. Guess I was wrong. Plus, we walked like everyday. We did a menu.

I know my doctor is going to yell at me in July if I do not go down. I am not sure what to do. I feel at a loss. I lack motiviation or whatever is supposed to be inside me telling me to push harder.

I really have nothing more to say at this point..

Nice Weekend

Well, we had a beautiful weekend here in CT. It was nice and breezy with lots of sun. We tried to take advantage of the weather by doing a lot of walking and baby wearing. Here is Monkey with her shades and sun hat! They so do not match but it's super cute none the less. Don't mind the sticker still on the shades, we didn't notice until after!

Internet

is finally back on.. I had a h-e-double hockey sticks week dealing with my internet provider. But it is back on. My mom is down for the weekend but I will try and get some sort of post up soon!

Mcfatty Monday on a Tuesday.

Sorry I am late. I have had no internet at the house. Hopefully, it will be up and running tonight. Monday was a horrible day. I got on the scale and I am up 3.5 pounds! Ugh!

So my new weight is - 196.5

Huge disappointment. I walked, I thought I ate good, I had a menu for dinners. So back to square one. I am still trying to figure out how to work out besides going for walks. I feel like there is no time. I am to tired after work and honestly I just want to hang out with the monkey.

So suggestions are welcome!

Happy Mother's Day!

First and foremost, Happy Mother's Day to other the mother's out there! Happy Mother's Day to my awesome Mom! and my Wonderful Grandma! I love you both!

My 1st mother's day was wonderful. When Madelyn woke up she was all smiles. It was nice to look in her crib and see her infectious smile looking at me! We spent a nice day together, a little bit of time relaxing at home, homemade breakfast, and some shopping.

My husband did an amazing job picking out my gifts! (I love you!) They were thoughtful, warm, so "me", and showed how much he knows and loves me. I will always remember them. He got me a charm for my Pandora bracelet that has Madelyn's name and birthday engraved into it. He got me chocolate covered strawberries and a frame with a picture of Madelyn and I. The card he got me was also awesome, as he put Madelyn's hand print in it. He did a great job for his first time buying mother's day gifts for me. I know he was nervous and worried, but hunnie you did an amazing job and I thank you for making my day special!



Close up of the charm:


My best friend also got me a mother's day gift. Which was very unexpected! She made me chocolate covered oreos! Can we say yummy!? (So about Mcfatty Monday --- uh oh!) She is awesome and I am thankful to have her as a friend! I love you Danielle!



Overall, I had a very nice first mother's day. It is so surreal to be a mom. I never knew I could love one person so much. I never thought I could worry about one person so much. I never thought one person could make me smile as much as she does. I love being a mom!

Dear Mom

Thank you for being my mom.
You are such a wonderful person.
You are a great listener and always have good advice.
You are creative and determined.
You are strong.
You are loving and caring.

Thank you for everything you did for me since the day I was born. I guess I didn't really understand it at all before but now that I am a "mom" too, I understand so much more.

Thank you for all the worrying you ever did and will do for me.
Thank you for all the love you gave and will give to me.
Thank you for always caring.

Thank you for staying strong and being there for Matt and I when the world sent us the biggest curve ball. You didn't strike out like so many could have. You stayed a float and hit a home run. I love you for that.

But most importantly, thank you for being my mom. I love you.

Happy Mother's Day!

Are You Serious?!

So I bought cute linen shorts for the monkey from Target. I bought them in 6 months. Eric tried them on her last night and they are tight as fudge! I could not believe it. So I insisted we try her Old Navy shorts on. I bought them in size 6-12 months and couldn't wait for her to wear them! Well, she looked like a cupcake! The pants were the wrapper and her little tummy was the "muffin top". It was horrible they were sooooooooo tight!

Booooo! How is my 3.5 month old not fitting in her 6 mo shorts?!?!!?
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Thankful Thursdays

* I am thankful for Monkey's swing. Not because it keeps her occupied but because she genuinely loves it. She is always smiling and giggling and "jumping" about in it.





* I am thankful it is Thursday because that means the weekend is super close.
* I am thankful for clearance at Target because I got Monkey wicked cute cupcake shorts for very cheap.
* I am thankful for e-mail because than I can talk to my bestie who is wicked far away in Germany. Miss you! Love you! xoxo

My Wrap

Second post in one day! Holy cow! ha

Anywho, I have wanted to try "wrapping" Madelyn. I am cheap though and couldn't see spending the money on a wrap. 1. I just bought the Beco, which we love. See my picture here 2. What if she didn't like to be wrapped.

So I "made" my own. I didn't do much. I bought Cotton Gauze and there you have it, I made a wrap! haha.. Anyway, I put Madelyn in it. She giggled and looked around for a few minutes and then fell asleep. I guess she likes it! Wooo!!!! I can't wait to get more in different colors and to try different "holds"!

I will post some pictures but only if you promise to ignore the hot mess I am ! haha






Do you use a wrap? Which one do you use?

Milestones

I am not a fan of milestones sometimes. I am not a fan when I read other people's milestones and Madelyn has not accomplished XYZ yet. I always wonder what I am doing wrong. I wonder for half a second and then check back into reality - Nothing! Every child is different and is going to grow and achieve different things at different times in their life. As long as she is healthy that is all that matters.

For instance, she has not rolled yet. She can "roll" to her side. Well mostly just lay on her side. I am not that surprised though because she hated tummy time in the past. She is actually starting to tolerate it more. Which makes us very happy because than we get to see her do this -



This is a milestone for us, her lifting her head so high while on her tummy! woo hoo! She actual likes to do it. She will do it then kick her legs around in excitement.

Our other "milestone" is she holds her bottle. She will hold it in place and sometimes take it out. She tries to put it back in but always hits her cheek! It is really silly. OBVIOUSLY she can not feed herself yet and we would NEVER consider that. But it is really cute to see her trying to hold her own bottle and pulling it out and in. Plus, it really helped when I wanted to move the pillow yesterday! lol :p

Here is some proof -



So yes, this whole post was a shameless awww of my child's "milestones" hope you enjoyed!

McFatty Monday

Weight - 193

Well I stayed even. I am not surprised as this will be a gradual thing and will take time. I am just glad I did not gain at this point.

I did cut back on certain foods. I will have to do more. We actually have started to make a menu and have all the dinners set up. Hopefully, that will help instead of just figureing something out last minute.

We walked every day that it was nice out. So that was good. I also did Wii Fit twice. I wanted to start it again. So I am going to try and make that a regular thing. My problem is finding the time. There is no way I can wake up any earlier than I already do. Doing it after work won't work as we normally go for a walk and than I take over Madelyn playing etc.. since Eric does it all day. So I am thinking I might try and do it during the day on lunch? Hmmm.. We will see, maybe I will try today.

As I told you, I got this idea from a great blogger. Every Mcfatty entry she has questions to be answered to help motivate and give ideas to each other. This week Blair's question was - What do you do while traveling on the road for your diet?

Normally when we drive to my mom's we bring our own snacks. We like cheese and crackers and we bring water and powerade. Sometimes we do have to stop and at that point I am usually to tired/cranky to think about eating healthy. So that's why we try and be prepared with good snacks.

Today

Saturday was a beautiful day. It was in the 70s! We spent some quality time in bed in the morning. All three of us snuggled and napped together. It is easily my favorite part of the weekends. Sleeping in with the hubs and the babe!

We then went out with Grandma (great gram to the babe). As always we had a splendid time. It was really nice watching Madelyn with her Great Gram. They captivate each others attention and it is really neat to watch. Madelyn loves her Great Gram!



Eric got another great shot of Madelyn and I smiling. I know it seems like something easy since she is always smiling but she is usually smiling a lot with her father!

Here's the proof!


And one with her Daddy..