Fun at Gigi's

Gigi has two Madelyn-sized chairs that she loves to play with!! Gigi taught her to turn around and back into the chairs. Everytime Madelyn goes over there, she wants to play with the chairs...

No crying!

For the first time in the two weeks Madelyn has gone to daycare, she did not cry when Mommy left! I think the key was that we got there a little later than usual and her friends were already playing. She got down and started playing right away. I gave her a kiss and she did not even glance back. I stayed for a little while and spied through the window and she just kept playing with her friends! Lets hope that maybe the major separation anxiety is behind us!

Who's it that??

This weekend, Madelyn found some old ID's of Derek and I. She is obsessed with them. She will walk around with them and every now and then she will stop to look at the pictures (and usually sign for Dada!). She can point to the correct picture when you ask her who is who :) What a silly baby :)

Funny Face

Not sure what this was in response to! Just thought it was funny :)

Please Pray

**Update: he is out of surgery and is recovering. He has a long road ahead of him and will not be out of the woods for a little while now but the good news is he made it through the surgery with flying colors!! I will update when I know more...keep praying!! My dad is currently undergoing major surgery. He went in around 2:00 and we haven't heard anything yet. Please pray that he can make a full recovery and that he does well with the surgery!

Cubbies!

Yesterday, Madelyn and Daddy spent the afternoon watching Cubbies baseball! Madelyn loves hanging out with her Daddy!

Go Cubbies!!

Surprised!!

**Edit: of course, I totally jinxed myself this afternoon!! Bedtime tonight was NOT a fun affair :( of well... I don't want to jinx this but had to share. For the past week or so Madelyn has been going to bed and going down for a nap without ANY objections. In the evening we will read her a book cuddle for a few minutes and put her down tired but wide awake. She has been turning over and going right to sleep. She is doing the same thing at nap time!! I am amazed. Madelyn has never been a great napper and really needed to fuss a little before going to sleep. This is a surprise for us - a good surprise but I am still waiting for it to go back :)...

4 Generations

Today, my grandmother and dad came over to visit. We decided to take some 4 generation photos...

What a guy!!!

As you know, my computer died a few weeks ago and we have been putting off getting a new one. It also has been a rough few days (going back to work, Madelyn having some seperation anxiety issues, and some personal stuff that I might explain later) and I had to stay late at work tonight for Meet the Teacher Night. I was not a happy camper. When I got home, I went to change clothes and this is what I saw when I walked in our bedroom!!

Derek and Madelyn had gone out to the store tonight while I was at work and bought me a new laptop!! How great are they! I have the best husband in the world!!! Here is a picture of it when it was setting up :) I am so happy

Separation Anxiety

I have really be struggling with taking Madelyn to daycare this year. She has been having a VERY hard time saying goodbye to Mommy! I know that this is a phase and that she is stopping soon after I leave but it still breaks my heart when I have to walk away to her screaming for Mama! Because of this, she has been incredible Mommy clingy lately at home- Anyone else going through this? Any advice??? HELP!!

Fort!

Madelyn had a lot of fun playing in the "fort" with Daddy last night.

So tired after lots of playing! :)

New PJ's!

We took advantage of tax free weekend! Madelyn loves her new pj's!

First Day Back

Today was Madelyn's first day back at daycare. I got there early this morning to hang out with her and talk to her teachers. But after just about 5 minutes Madelyn was already getting antsy and fussy because she knew I was going to leave. So I decided to go ahead and leave before she got much more upset. Of course, she cried when I left but I know that she was in good hands. She was a little upset all morning, crying whenever someone would leave (even to go to the bathroom) but by lunchtime was having a ball! She was so playful after dinner tonight - it was fun!! After her nighttime milk tonight, she took my hand and walked me to her room and went to get the book we read at bedtime. I read it to her and put her down and she was asleep before I left the room! I guess all that playing made her tired! :)

Mommy's Little Helper!

C'mon Mom, let's put these away already!!

PS - Madelyn seems to have made a complete recovery!

By Request

I have had some requests to include Madelyn's current sizes on the blog. So, I will list them under her tooth count if you are curious :)

Back to the Grind

Today was my first day back at work for the new school year. It was also supposed to be Madelyn's first day back at daycare (in a new room) but since she was still pretty sicky Gigi came over to play. Although she is 100% better now, Madelyn had a rough few days. Her fever on Thursday evening and night got over 104. After freaking out and calling my doctors answering service (who assured me that since she was still running around that she was okay) I spent the night checking on her and worrying about her. She still had a high fever when she woke up this morning but it finally broke around 10:00 AM. Madelyn slept almost all day with Gigi and when she wasn't sleeping she just wanted to be held - what a cuddle bug! I was afraid that since she did sleep so much that she would not go to sleep but sure enough she was out by 6:30!! I am sure that all this sleep is going to kick this thing!! She will resume daycare on Monday.

Sad Day

Today is a sad day in the Bird household - I have to go back to work tomorrow :(. Today is the last day of freedom for Madelyn and I...and we are spending it at home because Madelyn is still struggling with a fever!! We had our first rough night last night in a LONG time. She went to bed early and slept very well until around 11:30. She started crying and when I went in there to soothe her, she was burning up!! I mean on fire! I did not want to put her back in bed with a fever that high so we took up camp on the couch to watch some recorded episodes of House Hunters (love that show on HGTV). After an hour or so, Madelyn was still wide awake and asking for milk. So we had some and she went right to sleep on me. We sat there for a while longer to make sure she was okay. I put her back in bed around 2:00 and she slept this morning until almost 8! So, since she is still not feeling too well, we are going to hang around the house today and relax!!

Sick

This morning when Madelyn woke up (too early I might add!) she was very fussy and just not acting like herself at all. She felt pretty warm so I took her temp - 101.5! This was still pretty early and the doctor did not open for another hour so I decided to give her some fever reducer and put her down for a nap. We she woke up (only 30 minutes later!) the medicine had only reduced her fever to 100.4 so I decided to call the doctor. I would usually wait a little bit to see what the fever does but Madelyn is going back to daycare (and me to work) on Friday and I wanted to get her well before that. We went to the doctor and she has an ear infection. I am so glad that I took her - now she can start on some antibiotics and feel much better by Friday. She is currently napping but still has a pretty high fever (102.1 last I checked). I am hoping that she will start to feel better soon!!

(Not from today - just a typical Madelyn picture :))

Back Outside

Since it has been so hot here lately, Madelyn and I have not been spending that much time outside. Last night, right before bedtime the weather was actually nice...It was breezy and cool (at least only in the 90's) so we went outside (in our pj's) to play for a little while before bedtime. Madelyn LOVED it - she really loves being outside...She was playing with her Kangaroo Climber and decided it was much more fun to climb up the slide and then have Mama help her slide down again! We also played with her water table without water because I did not want to have to change wet pj's!

**PS - check out the ad's if you want! :)

Pictures

Madelyn today:

We only have a few more days of summer vacation left (I start back on Friday) and we are spending this time just hanging out together. Here is Madelyn dancing (again - she loves to dance!)

**PS - Madelyn cut ANOTHER tooth this weekend!! Thats right not only is she up to 15 teeth but she has cut 4 in the past 2 weeks! Yikes...Maybe that explains her crazy behavior :)

Reading is FUNdamental :)

This morning, Madelyn decided a great place to sit and read her books was the guest bathroom. She loves to sit on rugs around the house. Usually it is the run in front of the sink but this morning was the bathroom! She is so silly :)

Fun in the Sun

Madelyn loves her 'car' at Gigi's house. We went over there today to play and decided to take a short ride. She will not really stay in her stroller very long for a walk anymore but loves to ride in her car. I got way hot before she was ready to be done!

Walking Backwards

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Madelyn has decided that she really enjoys walking backward now. She does this around the house ramdonly all day long. She is really silly :)

I Really Love My

BUNNY! Madelyn has been very attached to this stuffed bunny lately. Anytime we are in the car she wants to be holding it. She also gives it kisses and hugs. The past few days she has been holding onto it when we go into some place or even when we get home. She even snuggled with it when she went to sleep last night! She loves this thing! How cute!

All Cozy

For the past few months, I have been keeping a blanket in Madelyn's crib for her. I know that our house can get chilly at night and put the blanket in there in case she needs it. Before now, she has not paid it much attention. I would cover her up and come back later and she had moved but the blanket had not. But lately, Madelyn has actually been using the blanket on her own. I went to check on her last night and she had covered herself up and when I went to put her down for a nap this morning the blanket was the first thing she grabbed and here is how I found her a little later! I don't really know why but I am excited she has been using the blanket. It is telling me that she is really becoming aware and learning more and more every day! (I am goofy - I know!!)

Another First

This week (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) I have all day inservices at school. Madelyn is staying with her first non-family babysitter. I feel that she will be in great hands. When I picked her up at the end of the day, she was so happy. She had been playing with the family's 4 children and just having a grand time soaking up all the attention. She was so tired tonight from playing hard all day long! Tomorrow she is going to a Mother's Day Out program and then back to the babysitters on Wednesday!

Dance Dance

This afternoon, on a visit with Gigi and Papa D, Madelyn was showing off her dance skills. She would get really serious and copy what Papa D was doing! So funny :)

Pictures From Yesterday

We recently had put Madelyn's play kitchen into the garage because she was getting bored with it and it was taking up room. This morning, to keep her busy, I brought it back out again. Madelyn actually spent almost an hour playing with it!! Madelyn thinks that it is hilarious when I take pictures of her with the delay. She loves to watch the flashing light and just laughs! These pictures are always so precious!

What's New with Madelyn?

Since my computer has died, I do not feel as if I have been keeping up with the blog very well. So here is an update about what is going on around here:

Madelyn has cut 3 more teeth in the past week. We are now up to 14 teeth including all her one year molars and two canine teeth! She has been a little fussy but not too bad.

Madelyn has become VERY busy! She is into everything and does not stop for one second all day long. I think that she is also transitioning into only 1 nap a day. Needless to say, I am exhausted by bedtime!

We are having a great time being home together every day but because of the weather here (consistently over 1o0 with heat indexes around 110) we have not been able to do very much outside. We have not been to the park or to play in our backyard for a while. It is way too hot!

Madelyn is no longer walking - she is running every where she goes. She is also starting to climb...I see lots of bumps and bruises in our future :)

Is there anyone out there still reading this blog?? Let me know, I feel like I am talking to a brick wall!