When I love her most....

I don't know if there is any time she is cuter or more lovable or innocent.

Finally!!!

Only a little less exciting than had she taken her first steps......her first pigtails! FINALLy!!!!

Et tu Brute

Madeline and I would like to OFFICIALLY congratulate everyone who is pregnant. This is pretty much everyone we know. Please do not tell my husband.

Oh, and don´t let me drink after you.

Life inside the musicbox ain't easy

I have music on a lot during the day. It helps fill the house with sound and make it seem a lot less lonely. Today I had my laptop playlist going and every single time it came to Regina Spektor's "Musicbox" - Madeline would stop what she was doing and smile big at me. She especially like the first few notes. I don't know why she would seem to like this song - maybe because I try to sing it myself. lol

If you're curious - you can hear it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkSwF42cOm8&feature=PlayList&p=E855AF1B5BC7E12C&index=4

15 Month Stats!

Madeline went to see Dr. Hill-Burk today and get all of her 15 month "stuff" done. Madeline's lost a little weight since last time (just under 24 pounds). No more Slim Fast for her! So she's in the 25% for weight now. She's 32 inches long which I think she said was the 90%. Long and Lean just like the jeans!

Our little Madda STILL isn't walking. The dr gave us some "tips" to help her along, but is telling us not to worry. Meanwhile, Madeline has a vocabulary very very large! Some of the words she knows are:

Mama
Dada
Nana (Banana and Great Gramma)
OK (this is new this week and is SO cute!)
Apple
Up
Bye Bye
Flower (she learned this one from the flowers at the Post Office!)
Cheese
Duck
Baby
Doggie
Shoes
Thank you
Bad Dog
Bear (also "Red Bear" - her lovey)
No
Hair

That's my little smarty!! Wonder whom she got all that talkativeness from?

New Friends

Madeline was the apple of her friends' eye. Gracie and Alyssa loved having a temporary little sister!

Too Many from which to choose!

Maybe you have a favourite - but Momma just can't pick!

No use crying over . . .

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again

I know I still need to post pictures from Christmas. (Bad Mommy!) But there's just been so many other things to tend to of late.

As I type, Steve and I are getting ready to leave for Canada. This will be the second time we have left the country since Madeline was born. (I promise we are not horrible parents!) We are going to the International Bowl in Toronto to support Ball State. It's just not condusive to take Madeline (an 8 hour bus ride - no way!) . So I dropped her off at my parents' today. We had a fun time this moring at a play date in Noblesville. We got to see lots of baby friends we haven't seen in a long time! Including little Lauren Linville - the newest addition and the first "second" child of our "group." I got to hold her and I have totally forgotten what it's like to have a newborn. She was so light and helpless..... but I digress. I left the playdate and drove to my parents house to drop of Madeline. She was so tired that she kept saying "Na na" for bed. My mom held her as I left and it was especially hard this time. It just didn't feel right leaving her. Usually when I leave her there for an afternoon or overnight, I am so overjoyed to have a few precious hours in which to get everything done, that I go crazy doing errands and enjoy my mini vacation from motherhood. But this time I kept wanting to go back for "one more kiss" (and I did go back for a few) her big bird eyes blinking at me as I shut the door....it just tugs at my heart in a way I cannot convey in words. (But most of the people reading this are parents and I don't have to explain it)

I did get a lot done after I left Wal Mart errands and eyebrow stringing. (Note to self - next time rub Novacaine all over my eyebrows) Forget Waterboarding - this is truly exruciating.

So, I know when I leave tomorrow and sit in my seat listening to my ipod and reading my books I will be glad, but for now - I just feel empty.