Goin' Green...

I'm so excited! Months back as I was perusing this here web trying to inform myself on ways to "green up" our house I came across this great website, Green & Clean Mom. What I love so much about it is that Sommer, the founder, has a very nonjudgemental, easy way about it. She knows there is a slew of moms, like me, that want to make a difference in the environment and do whats best for their kids short of shoving them into a Prius. So I became a member last week and Kirstin mentioned that they were looking for contributers to do weekly posts on their community forum. Um, sign me up! So she did. And now I'm contributing to the site every Friday. And no, I'm not pretending to be an expert on anything. I'm just blogging about life as a mama that's trying to green things up without getting overwhelmed. So if you want to check out my green blog just go here...every Friday. Don't forget. And leave me a comment so people will think you like me :).

Peace

I sat the girls in front of the TV just to get a moment of peace. Not that they never watch TV but I've never purposely put them there to get a break from them. To have some quiet. Without having something to get done. Yep, no Mom of the Year award for me today. Sigh....

Talk away, Baby

I realized after I published the last post that I forgot to give Maddie credit for a few words. Among the ones I mentioned, she also says agua, duck, Daddy, Mommy, Mama, and Dada. And today she added cookie and baby to that list.

I am so looking forward to hearing her talk, really talk. I daydream of, months from now, hearing her and Ana have actual conversations with each other. I'm so looking forward to it but cherishing this Maddie language she has now because, before long, I'll be missing it so much. I can hardly remember what Ana sounded like just a short 18 months ago. I miss her baby voice and words only I could understand. But, I'll tell ya what, I wouldn't trade anything for the conversations, opinions, and Ana-isms I get to hear now. That....is what I'm looking forward to with Miss Maddie.

Sigh....

It has been forever since I've sat down and written anything. I finally got around to finishing Maddie's birthday letter (that I started weeks ago, months after her birthday still). I feel like there's been so much going on these last few months that to actually catch things up on here would take days in itself. So I guess, for my own sanity's sake I'll just try to list some highlights.

Maddie -

She started walking a week before she turned 13 months. She still wobbles a bit and pretty much looks like she's been at a really great party for 3 drinks too many, but when she is up and about she's quick. Check her out :)

She's talking. Says words like dog, cow, down, spoon, uh-oh, wow, buh-bye, hey, yeah, hi-ya!, nana, ana, tickle, and toes. To name a few :). And her first two-word sentence is "that way!", as in , "where's your bear, Maddie?" "that way!"

She recognizes everything. "Where's the cow?" "Time to clean up." "Where's your belly?" "Where are your toes?" "So you want to take a nap" (to which she shakes her head 'no'. haha.). She understands and answers in her way.

She's picked up a handful of animal sounds and will make them when you ask her what certain animals say. Her very favorite is the ducks "quack, quack" but she knows the cat, dog, lion, and, bear.

Ana -

She might be starting pre-school this fall. Might be.

She has turned that little girl in her into a big girl with BIG drama. Everything's a big deal some days.

She loves taking care of Maddie and making her happy when she cries.

She comes up with phrases that crack. me. up. Whether she's heard someone else say them or they're complete "Ana originals", coming out of her little mouth, they take on a delivery of their own. Today she told me "Mommy, I'm sick and tired. I'm sick and tired of this." Um, okaaaay.

She's had a really hard time with Daddy working so much. Never one to demonstrate separation anxiety, she's gone through a phase of getting upset whenever he has to leave (for work, to the store, to the bathroom). It breaks our heart but it's getting better.

She loves to help clean, do laundry, shop, and do the dishes.

She went to the dentist for the first time. No cavaties and some reassurance that her crooked little teeth should end up just fine so long as she keeps that thumb out of there. Here's to hoping!

She's learning her past presidents. We got George Washington and Thomas Jefferson down :)!

Us -

Too much to get into right now. Things have been rougher than I'd like and life may be about to completely change for us but that's still to be determined. I'll get into it later since I'm giving this whole blogging thing a renewed commitment. Again, here's to hoping!!!

Until next time...

Chit Chatting with Ana...

As I'm working on something, I can vaguely hear Ana going on and on about something. And then I very clearly hear this...

Ana: "Mommy, don't n'nore me."
Me: "Don't what?"
Ana: "Don't n'nore me."
Me: "Don't ignore you?"
Ana: "Yeah, don't n'nore me."
Me: "I'm not."
Ana: "Yeah. I'm talking to you and you don't answer. You're n'noring me."

And that was my day's lesson in being polite :).

Dear Maddie...

OK, so you're 14 months already and this is technically supposed to be your 1st birthday letter but I can promise you it's been writing itself in my head for months - for the last 14 months actually. What's funny though is that I'm not really sure I know even where to start. So how about we just rewind almost 2 years...

The news of you came on September 8th, 2006. After a "feeling", I took a pregnancy test at home while Daddy was at work. Within seconds two little blue lines appeared. Unlike with your sister, I wasn't surprised. I wasn't in shock and I wasn't speechless. I knew before I had taken the test that you were inside of me. Somehow, I just knew.

At 7 months pregnant with you, I began getting regular contractions and, just to be safe, the doctor put me on bed rest. And I got scared. I got scared that you may come too early. I got scared that I had done something wrong to make this happen. And I got scared that anything could be wrong with you. I vowed to stay off my feet and put every once of effort into making sure you stayed put for as long as possible. Daddy was amazing. He would work all day and then come home and take care of Mommy and Ana. At 36 weeks the doctor took me off bed rest and said it was OK if you wanted to make your arrival at any day. And though I desperately wanted to meet you, I prayed everyday that you would stay put until your due date. I prayed because I knew it was what was best for you but I knew you would come when you were ready. And that you did.


You were born right on your due date after 6 short hours of labor and 3 big pushes. And you were a girl. And you were our baby. Your chubby little cheeks barely gave way to your beautiful eyes and your chunky legs resembled those of your sister's. I cried as I saw them carry you to the warmer and I cried when they finally placed you in my arms. I had waited 9 long months for you and there you were. Our beautiful Madelyn Grace. All 8 pounds and 10 ounces of you. The same 8 pounds and 10 ounces that were about to rock our world.


This last year with you, my sweet girl, has been both a blur and one long moment pressed into my memory. It went by too fast. I feel like I've missed so much. Yet I feel like you've been with me forever. From the start you have been a mommy's girl. The touch of my hand or the feel of my lips softly against your head was all that you required to soothe you for months. We spent all of our days together, so many of them with you in my arms. I watched you sleep and let you sleep in our bed more times than I can remember. You always loved to be held and absolutely loved to watch people. "Mama" was your first word at just 6 months I LOVED that. You spoke it loud and clear and you said it often. "Dada" came soon after and melted Daddy's heart each and every time he heard it.

You have been such a light in our life this last year, Maddie Girl. When you were an itty bitty baby you loved the song "You are my Sunshine". And our sunshine is exactly what you've been. You are that baby girl that they show in movies and commercials. You've always goo'd and ga-ga'd and giggled like a picture perfect baby. You make the cutest faces, have the most infectious laugh, and have the sweetest Maddie-isms we've ever had the joy of experiencing. Your mere presence makes everyone around you happy. In 14 short months you have learned how to make people feel loved. You. This tiny little baby. Have the ability to make me feel loved. You, sweetpea, are amazing.

I never wondered, when I was pregnant with you, whether or not I'd have room in my heart for you. I never wondered whether or not you'd fit into our world. But I could never have guessed how perfectly you would fit into our life. I couldn't have predicted how incredibly complete you would make our little family feel. You're our little rockstar, our cuddlebug, and our spitfire. You embrace everything with your whole little self and love every second of learning something new. When you're happy, your little body shows it from the squint in your eyes to that gummy little smile to your chubby tippy toes. And when you're upset, oh boy! When you're upset we know to watch out. As passionate as you are when you're happy is as passionate as you are when you're not. It can make things a little bit trying at times but I honestly love every ounce of you, the drama and all. I wouldn't change a bit of who you are, my sweet angel, because you are, in every sense of the word, perfection. And oh how I love you.

Happy 14 months, Madelyn Grace!

xoxo
Mama

Our Happy Girl

And her sister that loves making her laugh....

*it takes a minute for her to get going but once she does, forget it!



I LOVE this so much :).