Helping hand...

Madelyn has been quite the helper lately. Several months ago, she would pick some imaginary thing up from the floor and put it in your hand...but there would be nothing there. So we'd say, "Wow, thank you!" NOW she finds fuzz, dog hair, crumbs, string, anything - and takes it to the trash can. She says "ta-tu" (thank you) as she throws it in. We have our own little vacuum! We might be in trouble when it comes time for allowance!

Today she helped get the mail from the mail box and even helped with dinner -- we didn't tell Daddy that she helped until after he ate!

We'll be heading for Amanda's after lunch, we're looking forward to a fun weekend. Then in a few weeks it's off to the beach!


Here's some mail!

Just a little longer now...

Whats the next ingredient?

Here Kona, what do you think?

Hangin' out in my tent

Off to Auntie Manda's...

Madelyn & Aunt Manda Xmas 07

Madelyn & Aunt Manda at the Canal Walk 3/08

Madelyn & Aunt Manda 6/08

We're heading to the Charlotte area this weekend to see Ben's sister, Amanda. She's been there since May, this is our first trip down to see her. We're real excited to see her new place and have her show us all around.

It's a little harder now to pack for vacations with Madelyn around! It usually requires at least 2 additional bags, a pack of diapers, the stroller, the pack-n-play for sleeping, the portable high chair and all the little things to keep her busy. I've always been one to plan ahead and have things ready, but for some reason, I pack her things better if I do it at the last minute!

This weekend, we'll be staying 2 nights with Amanda - so we'll take all of the above plus gear for swimming and everything we'll need to spend a day touring the city. Amanda said we could take the train in and walk all through Charlotte, FUN! Madelyn loves to see new places and people, she says "HI" to everyone that passes by her! I know we'll have a great weekend.

Short and sweet...

We're back online after having no Internet (gasp!) for a day and a half. It was traumatic but we are slowly recovering. We'll have something more interesting soon....

PS

Thanks Mom

Remembering the "new baby" days...

A proud Daddy

Sleeping baby

The three of us

It seems like just yesterday that we came home with this person to keep forever! It was exciting and a little scary too...that we could come home with this person so easily, no directions or rules to follow. It didn't take long until we made our OWN directions and rules. When we were pregnant, so many people said to us "It will change your life forever." And we just didn't get it - until we had Madelyn. After few weeks we found ourselves wondering what we did on Friday or Saturday night before she was here...or ANY night for that matter!

Recently I went to a baby shower and we had to give the new mother our best advice. Well I couldn't think of just one thing -- so here's my most important thoughts for a new parent:


1. Nurture your marriage - if you don't take care of each other then you can't take care of the baby.
2. Set a schedule early - babies love consistancy and it will help both baby AND parents stay sane!
3. Remember that you are the parent - while baby takes priority, YOU decide the path for baby to follow. Don't make it like work, be flexible and have fun!

Yes, it does go by fast...having a baby really makes you want to slow life down and take in each and every moment!

So long Slater...

In June, we took our first plane ride with Madelyn. She sat in her carrier and much to our surprise, slept most of the flight. My Father flew along with us to Slater, Missouri. Madelyn met her Great Grandpa for the first time. It was a special time for all of us. My Grandpa had been ill with cancer and we were blessed to spend time with him before he passed away. July 6th he left us here on Earth to be in peace. He was so special...we have so many lasting memories with him. I flew back to Slater with my Sister for the service, we stayed a week or so to help out my Dad.

Staying in Slater was like staying in another world to us! It's a small town about 2 hours east of Kansas City. Let me paint a picture for you....

you are driving miles along the interstate passing huge fireworks warehouses and huge porn shops (seriously, they'd be right next to each other). As you are closer to Slater, you travel on highways named "P" or "O" or the "TT Junction" -- you know you arrive in Slater when you pass the liquor store on your right, drive over the railroad tracks and under the purple neon sign that reads "SLATER".

Let me tell you, the people that live there are friends to everyone. I am so lucky to have met some of my Grandpa's best friends, and now they are MY friends. They are a wonderful gift Grandpa left to share. We shared stories of Grandpa, drank beer and bounced in the back of the pick-up down to the Missouri River, my sister even drove a REAL John Deere tractor! Thats a really big deal to us "city-slickers". So to my new friends...thank you for a time I'll cherish forever, I DO look forward to MORE!


Ben, Melissa, Dad, Madelyn & Grandpa

Dad, Liz, Jason, Melissa, Rita

Liz, Teresa, Melissa

Main Street in Slater




The hours at the "R" Bar, this is how they roll in Slater....

Posing outside...

It's been so hot here, we haven't spent much time outside lately. Madelyn LOVES being outside...smelling flowers, blowing bubbles, finding bugs and pointing at the airplanes. These are a few from yesterday, we were waiting for Daddy to come home from work.


Sitting so nice....

Cheeeese

I think I see a bug!

Yay, Daddy's home!

I love you, Daddy!

Just getting started...

Now that our daughter is over a year old - we're consumed by chasing her, wiping dirty knees, protecting those dirty knees from scrapes and bruises, kissing boo-boos...the usual games we play with our toddlers. We thought it would be fun to start this blog so our friends and family could share in all of our fun happenings!

I have 2 journals that I wrote during Madelyn's first year of life. I treasure them, sometimes I read the things I wrote and think wow, we survived that! Other times I cry that our first born is growing so quickly. Our family is the most important thing in our lives...the three of us, we're here for each other. Since we can't be with ALL of our family and friends all the time, we hope that this will be a fun way for everyone to stay connected to us.