Mady in Her Tutu

I have waited a LOT of years to take these pictures and 10 months ago, I never would have guessed I would get to take them with MY daughter!!

Tutu

I just got done making my first tutu. It is so much fun!! I can see her having LOTS of tutus :) It was very relaxing and something to do that is not taking care of kids, cleaning, etc. Although, instead of making tutus or bows during nap, I SHOULD be doing housework! You can expect to see pictures of her in it soon!

Mady: 3 Weeks Old

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Although MY Mother's Day was not that great (since I spent it in bed sick), I am still very lucky and have great kids! I was given lots of weeds....errr....flowers, from our yard. They were the most beautiful weeds I have ever been given!! Bryce even took the flowers and glued them to a piece of paper he drew on.

Isaac and Bryce made me stuff at school. Bryce had his wrapped in paper. He walked in the door Friday after school and told me to close my eyes. He then unwrapped my present for me and gave it to me.

Caleb wanted to fix me breakfast Sunday morning, but I did not really feel like having breakfast, as much as the thought was appreciated. He did keep Andrew occupied while I fed Mady and we got dressed though.

I could not be any happier or lucky than I am. I have a wonderful husband and five wonderful children. I get to stay home and be a full time Mom, which is what I have always wanted to do.

So, Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there.

Our Weekend

Nana was here this weekend to visit and meet Madeleine. She got here Friday afternoon and stayed until Sunday afternoon. Friday, she got a hotel room. Friday night Caleb spent the night at the hotel with her and Saturday Isaac and Bryce did. She said they did great, did not get up too early (she was actually up before they were) and the boys loved it.

Paul has been working on the flowerbed that he planted my rosebushes in. He had to pull up all the landscaping bricks around the bed and level it out. Everytime it rains hard part of the bed washes away because it is so unlevel. He has put down dirt and leveled it out and has been working hard at putting the bricks back properly. Then he will put down weed barrier and mulch (which has been sitting in our garage for a couple of weeks now). Nana also helped pull weeds out of the other beds. Mady and I sat and watched :)

Saturday evening I started feeling rundown and achey. I went to bed as soon as the kids went to bed. Sunday the boys (Caleb and Andrew) did not get up until 8!! It was so nice to sleep in. Unfortunately, I went steadily down hill Sunday. After we took Nana to the airport, I came home and went to bed. I was running a fever, achey and just feeling horrible. I have come down with Mastitis. I am breastfeeding my fifth child and have never had it before. I have been running fever since yesterday. I take Tylenol, my fever comes down for a while and then goes back up. I have gotten up to 102.8. So, this morning I called the drs office to get an appointment. I was very happy to hear that I did not have to come in, they called in a prescription for me.

I am lucky though, I have heard others talk about having it and it sounds VERY painful! I was uncomfortable Saturday evening, but immediately started the remedies I read about online. Sunday morning when I was starting to get the other symptoms, I was not hurting unless you REALLY push on the spot that is red. Hopefully, the antibiotics (FOUR pills a day....that will be fun to remember) will work quickly and things won't get any worse.

Kids Day

Bryce said after Mother's Day it is Kid's Day. Isaac asked what Kids Day was. "That is when the parents have to kiss up to the kids."

When did my five year old learn about kissing up?

Baby Girl

Andrew has called Mady "Baby" since the first time he saw her. He will only say Mady when we tell him to (several times). This morning she had the hiccups (which she ALWAYS has) and they were close to violent! I was holding her and she was being very patient with them (she usually ends up screaming and they go away). I looked at her and said "GIRL!"

Andrew has not stopped calling her Baby and calls her Girl!

Bows

I have been working on trying to learn how to make bows today. Hobby Lobby had ribbon half off :)

I made four today, but two of them were too big for Mady's little head! She kind of disappears behind them. Here are the two I made that came out at a good size.




I am having fun making them. It is nice to have a "hobby" to do in my "free time". Hmmmm....got company coming this weekend. Maybe I should stop making bows and do some housework!!

Closing

We got some great news yesterday. We were supposed to close on the house on the 14th. There was apparently a hail storm a few weeks ago and the buyers saw some houses get new roofs. They wanted us to have our insurance company look at the roof to see if there was any damage because they saw some houses in the neigborhood getting new roofs. The streets on either side of ours have older houses....houses that probably need new roofs WITHOUT a hail storm.

I called the insurance company that day, but since it has been raining so much, he just got out there yesterday. He called me to let me know there was no damage to the roof. I called our realtor and let him know. Now, the buyers want to close THIS Friday instead of the 14th (like we originally planned). We, of course, are all for it! Get this house out of our hands before we DO have to make an insurance claim on it!

I will be SO happy to be only have ONE house to take care of and pay for!

2 Week Check-up

I now know what germaphobs feel like! Madeleine had her two week check-up today. We almost cancelled it because Swine Flu is in LA now and I know that a couple of schools in Baton Rouge were closed for possible cases. However, I needed to talk to the dr about her tummy issues, so we went.

I did not want to take anything in that I didn't need to so I had less to have covered in germs, so we went without a stroller or carseat. Me and two kids. I did not want to let go of Andrew because I did not want him to touch anything and I was trying to keep Mady covered as much as possible. This is one trip I have to say Andrew did horrible on! Why do they put toys in drs offices? Paul's theory is it is to keep business up (spread germs, more kids get sick and have to see the dr). The drs office is split, sick kids on one side, well on the other, but everyone goes in the same door and checks in at the same window.

Anyways....her appointment....

At her four day check-up the dr told us he wanted her back at her birthweight by 2 weeks. She only lost 5 ounces and she has regained it. Today she was at her birthweight - 7 lbs 5 oz. She has grown an inch and is now 20 1/2 inches long.

As far as her tummy issues, he told us to try laying her down after she eats for a few minutes and then try to burp her again. He said sometimes they just need a few minutes for the gas bubble to reform and then they will burp. We will give it a try!

We go back in two weeks for another check-up. As for this one, everything seems great so far!

Another Intelligent Caleb Quote

"The only vibrations her larnyx is capable of making is HWAAAA HWAAAAA!" Caleb talking about his sister at dinner (and she WAS NOT crying).

The only time they notice her is when she is crying. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.

Repost of Stunt Driving Video

Paul and I were going through some old photos and videos last night and came across this one from 2006. It is so good it deserves to be reposted! We laughed as hard (or harder) last night as we did the day they did it!

Enjoy (again):

A Suckers Timeline (Andrew's)

Day one: Soothie pacifier

Not long after: a soothie pacifier with his thumb in it

Not long after that: drop the pacifier and just suck the thumb

Two years and 10 days later: his thumb OR a pink pacifier

Two years, three weeks and 2 days later: his thumb AND two pink pacifiers (one with a heart and one that says Sweetpea on it)

For some reason I think we are moving in the WRONG direction!

Almost Done

Only 13 more school days to this year!! And the last three are half days! We have a busy few weeks ahead of us.

What's In a Name: Madeleine Elizabeth

It came to my attention that I never explained the reason for the change in the spelling of Mady's name. We had looked at Madeline and Madelyn. We discussed that we both like Madeline better, but thought that people might question the pronunciation.

We had decided on Madeline anyway.

Right after I had her, the nurses were asking her name. We ended up getting into a conversation with the nurses about the spelling, pronunciation, etc. When we got to our room and I was trying to post her arrival, I asked Paul if we were sure about the spelling we chose. He said he wanted to research it first.

While he was researching he found a third spelling. Madeleine is the french/cajun way of spelling it. We figured since she was born in Louisiana, we would choose this spelling. The name stuck with me the first time I saw it when we were choosing names, and the spelling was the same.

The funniest part is that Paul had commented a couple of times that he did not want a spelling for her that would be hard for people. People who don't know me never spell my name right. Then he chooses a spelling that is different. We already have had to correct people.

I have since found LOTS of spellings of her name, but would not have changed it from what we chose.

Elizabeth, for those who don't know, is my middle name. Daddy has wanted to use it since we were pregnant the first time.

Learning to Make Bows

First bow I made

I made these to put her bows on and hung them on her closet door.

I am trying to teach myself how to make bows. The cost of buying them amazes me!! I have only made a couple, and they are just basic bows. Hopefully, I can learn how to make different kinds, but I am starting "simple"!

Easter 2009 (Better late than never!!)

Bryce and Daddy dying eggs

Isaac and Caleb decorating eggs

Daddy and Bryce dying eggs

Caleb and Isaac decorating their eggs

All of the dyed eggs

My own personal egg....made by Daddy!

The boys going through their baskets. They were not posed for this, they all just sat down there to start digging into the candy!

Terrible Two's

His shirt says it all..."Two's aren't terrible! I'm having a blast!"

Kayaking Trip

This one MIGHT be too big!

If he flips his kayak....he won't drown!
Andrew "paddling"

Swimming on the wet patio? At least he has his life jacket on. And, yes, he IS licking the wet ground (NASTY)!

Friday we went and got life jackets for Daddy and Andrew so they could go kayaking. Andrew insisted on wearing his around Friday. Yes, he is a goof!!

Daddy, Andrew and Caleb went kayaking Saturday morning. It was Andrew's first time to go kayaking and Daddy and Caleb had not been since before we moved to Louisiana (we have been here almost a year!!!). We were uncertain how Andrew would do sitting in front of Daddy while he paddled. He doesn't sit still much! Daddy said the first hour he hung over the side of the boat splashing water. ALLIGATOR BAIT?? After that he went to sleep and slept almost the entire time. They paddled over 8 miles!

They got to a sandbar and got out. They saw alligator prints the size of Daddy's palm and some baby prints. They also heard a male alligator. He said just on the other side of the sandbar there was swamp and bamboo and he was very certain that is where the alligators were. They also saw belly slide marks at the water (where the alligators slide into the water). Caleb was all about looking for the alligators. Daddy was not quite so into getting eaten that day, so they got back in their boats and went along their way - THANK GOD!!!

Daddy's cameras battery was dead and he did not have his extra one with him, so he was not able to get any pictures this time :(

We are planning on getting two more kayaks so all the boys can go at once. Before we do that, I told Paul he had to take ALL the kids one by one to make sure they all enjoy kayaking before we spend the money on the kayaks. I don't want to spend the money on them if they never want to go or don't enjoy it.

Caleb's Blog

Last night at dinner Caleb asked me how often I post on my blog. I told him it depends on the material my subjects give me. He said he was wanting to know how many post he needed to do to catch up with my blog. I told him I had over 2000 post (this is number 2155 to be exact) and had been doing it for over four years, so he would probably never catch up.

I noticed the comment on his blog about the dog and why didn't he post about his sister. I made that comment to Paul last night. It is funny because the boys cannot get enough of her and all had to take pictures to school, etc., yet she was not worth him posting about!

Caleb's Blog

My oldest must read too much! He has had a blog for a while and has just started writing on it. He is too funny! Here is a link to his page: www.calebscave.blogspot.com