Park Place

Who would have ever thought I'd be hiking, with a baby (on my back nonetheless), and a big dog!

Our little family has enjoyed a lot of fun in Falls Park latley. We went on a family hike on saturday and it was LOTS of fun! Madeline LOVES the park and so did Austin! We went on about a mile and a half hike and, though it was tiring for mama, it was a blast! Madeline was on my back like a little papoose and Steve controlled Austin.

We all had a great time and I actually think I'd like to do it again!

I need you to need me

I was getting something out of the pantry yesterday when I saw one of Madeline's old pacifiers. She has long since kicked the habit. (yay!) However, for some reason I just can't throw that one out. I have one of her newborn orange pacifiers in her baby box. (I know, it sounds gross but it's not, I sterilized it before I saved it in a little bag.) It was SO MUCH a part of her newborn life I can't imagine not saving it. But I digress.... This one in the pantry is in no way special or symbolic. It's just there. It's one of the many places we put spares so that we could always whip one out when we needed to.

Every time I get something out of the pantry I see it and every time I say the same thing to myself. "I have GOT to throw that away!" (Yes, I even use that bad grammar because I am so passionate about tossing the dummy.) And every time I close the pantry door and do nothing.

It's not that I'm lazy. It's sort of an Object Placement (OP) issue. I was talking about this with a friend recently (Emily - was that you?) about how bad I am with OP. I delude myself into thinking that if I cannot see something, it doesn't exist. If I don't acknowledge something's presence, it will not affect my life.

Yes I know this is ridiculous.

I guess I feel like if I don't move the pacifier then she can't grow up. It'll always be there - just in case. I know she'd never use it again - I know she won't have a meltdown that will require the pacifier again, she doesn't have the sucking need she did as a newborn, but - I just feel better knowing it's there. My little baby's paci.

I've got to get over this. I've got to let my little baby grow up. The other day a little child in the library said to his mom, "Hey look Mom - a toddler!" and pointed at Madeline.

I almost cried.

She is a toddler - she is actually, bonified-ly toddling! But, I ache so much for my little one. I love the age she is right now. She can communicate many of her wants and needs - we can play together - but the bubble I can keep around her gets a little smaller every day. I have no choice. It's truly heartbreaking to let go a little every day. I wonder if this feeling ever subsides, if I ever won't wish for her to be little again...

They don't put this stuff in the parenting books.

Splendour in the Grass

We had a Mothersday weekend extravaganza! (MWE) It started on Friday with flowers and pizza from daddy, a cookout with Daddy's family on Saturday and Lunch with Mamma's family on Sunday!

Grampa Jerry bought Madeline her favourite thing in the entire world. BALLOONS!

She loved roaming around in the field of dandelions behind my Brother in Law's house!

Gabby in "Lord of the Flies"

We hope you'll invite us to your luau!

We had joy, we had fun

It was such a nice day today that after church and lunch we ALL "played" outside! I cleaned out the Jeep and Steve cleaned out the entire garage! Madeline was ALL over the place enjoying the new garage treasures! Madeline in her rickshaw and every ball she could fit in!

Her new hotdog cart! Can't you just see her pushing this around selling veggiedogs?

YUM!

"I think there's more watermelon over there mom!"
Is this how you use a wagon?