Changes To Blog

I should totally be sleeping right now. I have such a long day ahead of me tomorrow. But I started looking back at all of the blog entries of Maddy when she was first born. I can't believe how much she's changed in just 8 months! I did want to point out a few changes to the blog. I updated the color scheme, font and heading. It seemed outdated and like it needed changing. I also made it much easier for friends and family to leave comments (no more logging in!), so please comment, anyone can do it now!

Finally, I added a Twitter update at the bottom of the blog. No, I'm not tweeting (well, technically I am), but I did connect Facebook to Twitter and therefore, those of you NOT on Facebook, can keep up with Maddy and I in sort of realtime.

Ok, because I can't post without a photo, here's one of Maddy on the fourth of July. Some of you may remember the picture of me when I was two at the bicenntenial on the porch with a flag. At the request of my dad, we tried to recreate it!

New Cousin

We've been busy the past week with the addition of Berkeley Haynsworth Gillentine, nicknamed Worth, to the family! She arrived on July 10 a healthy little bundle of joy. She's a very sweet and perfect baby and her mom and dad are enjoying her immensely.

In the midst of doting over Worth, we've watched Madelyn go from a sort of crawler, to a lightening fast, get into everything and trying to pull up baby. She's even been "kicked out" of the baby room and the big kids room at daycare because she's very loud, doesn't like to sleep and when she's free to roam, she pats at the other napping children. That's my girl!

Work is crazy busy, which makes it fun, and I'm off to Chicago this week and Denver next week. Jim is in East Texas this week but took the week I'm in Denver off. I guess this is the point where life gets hard. Lots of juggling, but we are very, very lucky to have family in town to help.

It may be a few weeks until I can post again, but I can guarantee I'll have more Madelyn stories. I wouldn't be surprised if she's not walking or something equally as momentous. She's growing and changing so much each week! Until then, here's another pigtail pic (I just posted one to stay up because it's so dang cute!). I know, can you believe it? Pigtails at 8 months. I never imagined.

Crawling

So Madelyn is full fledged crawling. I was warned there was no going back, and it's true, no going back. In fact, up until last week, the exosaucer was my biggest friend and now, when we put her in it, it's nothing but screams. I still haven't child proofed the house, although I don't even know HOW to make everything safe. Today, I found her scooted under the chair!

I will say, her interactions with the dogs are truly hysterical! Now that Maddy eats Cheerios and other small bits of food, she doles it out to Lulu as much as she eats herself. She's made a buddy for life. And Clyde. Well, our sweet Clyde hasn't quite put two and two together on the food, but he is the most patient and loving dog when Maddy crawls up to him and tugs on his tail (she's quite fascinated) or pulls on his face.

Here's some video of our little crawling doll (and her dog!).

Visit to Ohio

Again, I've gone a month without posting anything, June slid by, I'm not quite sure where it went. Maddy cut a tooth this morning, you can feel the ridges as she bites down, and you can see where the second one is coming up!

She's very close to crawling as well. She loves playing on the floor on her tummy and can get around if she wants to. But only if she wants to. Stubborn child! Wonder where that comes from!

We are in Ohio for the Fourth of July and it's actually cold. Not 70 degrees cold, but it was a high of 65 this week. We had to buy socks for Madelyn and we've kept her bundled in blankets. She's had a grand old time with Poppy and Nana, playing on the porch, going on wagon rides, and three or four stroller rides a day!

Maddy's First Car

Today, we introduced Maddy to driving with her own car. The box said it was for 18 months plus. We had some reservations that she was strong enough to stay on herself. Check this out .....

Crawling???

OK, so maybe it's a bit of a misleading headline. Madelyn is not yet crawling, but it's definitely going to be sooner rather than later. It's funny to me that a milestone used to be contained in one little area ..."Jim, do you think she can see her fish on her mat?" or "Look, I swear she moved an inch!"

Now, milestones take on a whole new meaning ... can I leave the room with Madelyn on her playmat or will she ooch her way over to the fireplace grate and knock it down? Can she sit nicely on my lap and work on sitting up or will she propel herself off my lap and bang her head? Can I hold her with my white work pants on, or will she spit up her peas? (BTW, the first two have not actually happened, but we've been close! Wish I could say the same about the peas.)

Our little cottage has never felt so small with an exosaucer, playmat, swing and bumbo in our living room (not to mention the adult furniture). The hazards to kids have never felt so prevelent .... cords, dog hair, dog slobber, sharp edges to furniture, hardwood floors! I guess it's time to babyproof, but we've been putting it off. Maybe this weekend??

Nah ... I think I'll wait!

Eating

Jim and I have been looking forward to the day Maddy would start eating baby food for a while now. In fact, we've heard so many different theories and assumptions on HOW to introduce food and when to do it. Ultimately, we decided to wait until the pediatrician said it was OK, which was six months.

We started several weeks earlier with rice cereal (i.e. cardboard with formula, we don't recommend it), and Madelyn didn't really "get" the whole eating thing. In fact, note in this picture of one of her first attempts to eat, that rice cereal has made its way to her eyelid!

Last week, we introduced green beans and peas to her diet .... and "oh baby" life is good. Turns out, Madelyn simply didn't like cardboard ... but she loves her veggies! And green veggies at that! We are getting ready to introduce carrots and squash this week! Here's a photo of her eating her veggies!

l

6-Months!

Wow, was it just six months ago when this bundle of joy joined us? Jim and I talk often about not remembering life withour little girl. Life before swings, exosaucers, boppy's and bumbos took over our small cottage house. But we wouldn't have it any other way! Madelyn is ready to be mobile, grabbing at things, eating green beans and in general a happy, healthy little girl.

Her six month check-up went well. We thought she had gone through a growth spurt, but didn't know how much. She is 27 inches long and in the 95th percentile for height! It's so hard to believe it, but she is 7 inches longer now than when she was born.

We celebrated by taking her to swim classes the next morning. Here's some photos of her first time in the pool with Daddy ... it's Mommy's turn next Saturday!

Growing and learning

I'm constantly amazed at what my little girl learns, seemingly overnight! It feels like just yesterday she was barely smiling and I could hardly believe she could hold her head up. Last night in her baby bathtub, I had Maddy sitting up to wash her back and she held on to the sides of the tub and held herself in a sitting position.

She's getting so strong and soon will be sitting up and crawling then walking. Her new very favorite thing in the world is her Exosaucer. Here are a few pics of her sitting straight up in it and playing with her new toys (see Clyde peeking in the background of the second photo!).

Easter pics

Here are a few pictures from Easter and our trip home. The hat only lasted for a few photos. It was not a hit, no matter how cute it is!

Where's Maddy?

Hello, Madeyln fans ... are you still out there? I know it's been more than a month since our last post and photos, and since the promise of MORE posts and photos, MORE often.

What can I say? I guess sometimes life just gets a bit in the way. Work has been crazy busy, and I'm now coming to the realization of how hard it is to juggle, work, baby and me time. :) There's no magic formula, but this past month has been more challenging than expected.

So, I'll post more photos of Miss Maddy soon, as we have some cute ones, but in the meantime, an update on her milestones since she rolled over:

• Maddy can now play in her exosaucer and loves to bounce in her Johnny Jumper
• After several nights of hollering at 3 a.m. because she rolled on her stomach, Maddy learned to sleep quietly through the night on her stomach
• Maddy took her first airplane trip successfully -- slept most of both flights
• Maddy met her Ohio family, and loved it. She came home spoiled and screamed the whole day when she went back to daycare
• Maddy ate her first baby food - cereal (which if you ask me, tastes like cardboard)
• Maddy is FINALLY wearing all of her cute spring and summer outfits since it is in the high 80s here

This just in ...

Maddy rolled all by herself last night, and Jim and I were both there to witness it! Savita had been mentioning that she was "this" close and she would "help" her, but to me, it doesn't count til she does it by herself.

We've had an absolutely glorious week of Texas spring weather and Jim and I have been outside every night. Maddy was playing on her blanket and just rolled to her stomach. She proceeded to try and crawl (thank goodness the arm strength isn't there yet!) and was so frustrated after realizing then that she couldn't move about she let out a howl!

She's going to be mobile soon .... let the babyproofing begin (and never end knowing our house!). Here's our rolling champ just after she rolled about ... (it's tiring being a baby).

Four months!

I can't even believe that Maddy is four months old! She's such a joy and such a happy baby. We had her check-up this week and she is perfectly healthy. The stats: 80 percentile for weight (almost 14.5 lbs), 75 percentile for height and 65 percentile for head size.

She's still only rolled in her sleep, she seems pretty content to scootch about the floor and not be on her tummy. Thought I would share this cute, cute picture after her bath last night.

Madelyn's new trick this week is to bend over when she's sitting up and put her feet in her mouth. It's so cute, but we haven't been able to capture it on film (HA, film, on computer) yet. She still loves her play gym (which we nicknamed "under the sea" along with singing of the Mermaid song) and here's a picture of her playing it.

And finally, best friends ... not sure how clear Lulu is, but Maddy loves to kick her when playing on the floor. Like all best "dog" friends, Lulu takes it like a champ!

3-month pictures

Here are some highlights from Madelyn's three month photo shoot (some of these are heading to Archbold, soon!):

If a tree falls ....

So Madelyn rolled over last night!!!! My dilemna in marking this milestone is this. She rolled over in her sleep. At 3 a.m. I woke up to one really ticked baby, screaming for me to come get her (VERY unusual). I ran into her room and she was screaming because she was on her stomach, which she very strongly dislikes (to this day, I can't use the word hate because my dad always says "we don't hate, we strongly dislike).

So does it count that a) she did it in her sleep and b) no one saw her do it?

***On another side note, I've been horrible about keeping up with the blog. It's due partly because of my still fascination with Facebook, but also because February seemed all about me going back to work, not so much about Maddy. I've made a March resolution to be better .. plus, there are lots of things to look forward to .... Madelyn's four month check-up, the Gillentine chili-cook-off, St. Patty's day, 80 degree weather and cute sundresses ....

I'll post her three month photos later today ....

New pictures .... so cute!!!

OK, so I don't have a ton of stories or interesting posts about Maddy. It's work and come home each night. But I do have new photos thanks to my mom (and my new camera).

I take that back .... one interesting thing about Maddy, she is trying desperately to roll over. She pushes herself to the side, but doesn't quite make it. Then she wiggles as if it will help her to the other side. I've tried to capture it on camera, but she freezes up. So more to come, and hopefully, if I'm creative enough, I hope to get it on video. It's too cute for words. In the meantime, more pictures.

Here is a picture with "the girls" from my Aunt Jan's visit Valentine's weekend:

Here is another "hat" picture (my mom is making a photo album of all hats for Maddy, so I'm very focused on getting hat photos). I love this picture: And I DID get a new camera, at a GREAT deal last weekend. Here are a few pics with them as well as the new "mommy do" (don't miss the V-Day roses from my FANTASTIC husband):

A cute picture of my family and Maddy's new favorite thing, the Baby Bjorn:

And finally, a daddy/daughter nap. SO CUTE:

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's a day late in blogtime, but it's been a very nice weekend! Work, again, was long this week and even though I love being back, it's still amazing to me how tired I am and how hard juggling can be. Jim had a long week in the field so it was just me and Maddy until Friday, and I think it's taken me 48 hours to feel back to my normal self!! We had a quiet dinner of speghetti and meatballs last night and watched The Little Mermaid with Madelyn. The shark scene seemed to scare her but she loved the singing. And Jim brought me roses which is about the sweetest thing ever and made the whole week wash away!

Today is our 6 year anniversary! At least the anniversary since we met. We are heading to an early dinner tonight while my mom and Aunt Jan play with Miss Maddy. Here's her so cute outfit she's wearing today:

I've been very bad about taking pictures and video even though Maddy changes and grows each day. I'm extraordinarily frustrated with my camera right now ... it's five years old and takes what seems like three seconds to take a picture. I miss some of the cutest looks and smiles from my little girl, and now the digital screen won't work. That picture took 10 pictures to get one with her smiling!!!

So we are going to get a new camera today. I'm sure I want the Sony SureShot camera. It automatically takes a photo when it detects a smile!!! I've seen it on three or four daytime shows (maternity leave was BAD for me to find new things I want) and it's pretty cool. I'm hoping the combination of having a camera I LIKE and a better week will lead to more blogging. I'll leave you with this ...

Maddy has started playing with lovies, and this one is the perfect size for her. She wouldn't let it go while sleeping the other day, and we couldn't risist this shot:

Working Mom

So last week was an adjustment, working from home some, going in some. It was hard, Maddy was still home. This week, Maddy went to day care. She's done great ... no crying or much of anything. She's still sleeping through the night and all the little kids seem to love her at day care.

And, I'm not too much of a mess, in fact, I really love working again. But, I have to say, I'm totally and completely exhausted. On Tuesday, I was asleep by about 8:30 and missed several calls from Jim. I am barely staying awake right now as I catch up on Lost, which I didn't get to watch last night because I was sleeping. I can hardly believe how much a baby and working has completely wiped me out.

Anyway, little bit and I took a nap on Saturday morning. I wish I could have a nap daily. Just from 1 - 2 p.m. It would make for a much easier day.

If you don't like Texas weather ...

Just wait a day. So after the ice storm, we've had the most beautiful spring weather this weekend. I went through Maddy's clothing and found this spring outfit and I'm glad I did. The hat has MAYBE a week left until it's too small. It's so cute on her though!!! The outfit MAYBE has a few weeks left. Check out the cheeks (hers, not mine)!

I'm laughing at myself today as I bought this outfit when I was pregnant and got a 0-3 month hat and a 3-6 month outfit. Who does that??? I think I thought the hat looked to big in the store so I bought a smaller one. I still can't figure out baby clothing sizes .... some of her stuff is 6 months already and she still fits comfortably into some 0-3. It's SO confusing!

Ice Day part 2

We played so hard today we fell asleep mid-play.

The Great Ice Storm '09

While I'm sure the roads will be clear in another few hours, the city of Dallas was iced in this morning and GolinHarris is having a working from home day. I'm sure after my late night rant last night, everyone is thinking, good for Holly, she can catch up on labeling stuff for Maddy, cleaning the house, reality tv and the likes.

Not quite, it is, after all, my third day back to work and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, catch up with staff and chat with clients. Both Jim and I have alot to do today and Miss Madelyn is not quite ready for her nap yet and the dogs are running wild. Did I mention, it's COLD (I always thought the Snugli was a joke, but wouldn't it be nice today to not have my hands "stuck" under a blanket)? Jim took her while I fielded a conference call and hopefully, she will play under the sea (her baby einstein gym) while I catch up on reviewing documents.

Either way, she's all bundled up, giggly and cute today. Here's a pic!

Back to work

I'm writing this as we listen to freezing rain hit the window and Maddy still fighting the sleep (first time since she started sleeping through the night). It's like she thinks she's going to miss something, that or we still aren't feeding her enough (36 ozs a day!).

I went back to work this week and am so excited to go back to doing something I love so much, but realized today when I was trying to finish a few emails and projects after 6 p.m. how HARD it will really be to put the computer down, turn off work for a while and focus soley on her.

Of course it doesn't help that I want to finish my book club book, label all of her stuff for day care next week, cook (and eat) dinner, play on my new obsession Facebook, and watch Big Love (or the Bachelor, Survivor, American Idol or other mindless reality tv that takes the edge off). I always thought I was efficient but realize that I will need to focus even more and likely can't do everything (sigh, guess the tv shows will be the first to go). That and learn to live in relative choas. It was one thing when I had two hours every morning during her nap to organize the baby stuff ... now it's everywhere!

I'm certainly in for an interesting adjustment! AND, I don't have any photos to share. I've already heard from Poppy and Grandma Nana that I haven't sent nearly enough pics lately ... so I'll add taking more photos to the above list!

Rolling over???

As all of my friends with kids can atest, I have no earthly idea on milestones for babies. I just get amazed when Maddy hits one, like smiling, cooing or sleeping through the night (she's still at it!). I had to laugh today because we were doing tummy time (well, Maddy was, I was sitting crosslegged), and she lifted one of her legs up and her butt up and was well on her way to rolling over. She just doesn't know what to do with her arm which seems to stop her momentum. She was hollering and wailing and gnashing gums because she knew what she wanted to do (she hates tummy time, she wanted off her tummy), she just couldn't quite get it done.

When I flipped her over, and let her play with her gym she was still mad, and chatted very angrily at me for about five minutes, and then just cooed and played and was happy as happy could be. It just cracked me up, I told Jim, I think that's how I react to new things! It is pretty amazing to actually watch them learn. I'm thinking she's too young to be rolling over, I should look it up in one of the books, but if today was any indication, I think she'll be doing it soon!

Here's another recent picture that has nothing to do with rolling over, but is cute. Note, she DOES have legwarmers on. I LOVE baby legwarmers and Jim always feels it is necessary to make her dance to the Flashdance song when she's in them!

Sleeping through the night!

Last week, we went to Austin to visit friends and family before I go back to work. Maddy did great with the car trip, she slept all the way down. It was a big day of new experiences and new people. That night she slept 9 hours straight.

I was convinced it was a fluke. Low and behold, she did it again the next night. I became convinced it was just the pack and play and Austin. We got home on Friday, and she has slept 9 - 7 ever since. I think it's more than a fluke!

And what timing ... I'm returning to work next week and was wondering how I would do it on 5 hours of sleep and her waking up at 5 a.m. Seems like we have a great schedule now! I can only hope it stays once she starts day care!

This weekend, after her big trip, Maddy was a bit out of sorts and sort of cranky on Saturday. She took a nap on her dad's shoulder and woke up with a bit of bed head and cranky crabby. All of her pictures of late have been of her smiling and joyful, thought we would share this one with you! The bedhead is cute, the crankiness ... even cuter!

I am not a boy

Yesterday, I took Maddy to the Y's nursery while I worked out. It was her first visit and I had to laugh, it was the first time I dressed her in gender neutral clothing and DIDN'T put a bow in her hair. The first question? What is your little boy's name? Here is the outfit ... (and can I just say how much I'm loving her little belly sticking out and her smile???)

She did really well in the nursury while I attempt to lose the last bit of baby weight and get into some sort of exercise routine before I go back to work. The nursery workers held her most of the time and she loved watching the big kids play. I can't wait until spring when all of our neighbor kids are out playing and she can watch them!

One other excited note from yesterday, I found out that I had extra miles and Maddy and I are coming to Ohio for Easter for only $5! We booked the flight yesterday ... YEAH!!!

Talking

Anyone who's seen Maddy in the past week knows that she found her voice. She loves to talk and coo, in fact this morning when I came in from letting the dogs out, I could hear her in her crib talking to her leopard mobile at the top of her lungs.

She seems to have some sort of performance anxiety when we get the camera out though! We've been trying for a week to capture her coos and chatting. Here is a video that sort of captures some talking (it's only in the middle, but the rest is so cute!). It also has some great smiles AND her morning bedhead (one of the cute side effects of having a baby with so much hair!)

Hopefully in the next week or so we can capture Maddy really talking up a storm!

Two month check-up

Today was Madelyn's two month check up. She is a happy, healthy baby who is more verbal than the average two month old and went out of her way to charm both Dr. Dreiling and the nurse. I guess it's not surprising she's a verbal, chatty baby given her parents!!!

She also got her first vaccines. She loved the grape flavored oral vaccine and cooed and charmed her way through that. She did wail and cry through her first three shots but was calm as soon as I picked her up. She's been asleep since the shots and the nurse said she may be irritable and cranky for the next day. We've been so lucky with her sunny diposition, I can hardly believe my smiley, lovey baby will be cranky!

Maddy is proportionately in the 75th percentile for head size, length and body weight (she is 11 lbs, 11 oz!). It's been cold on and off here so I thought I would share a photo of her boots. I love these boots and she look so cute in them!!!

Go Buckeyes!!!

Even though Maddy's Ohio State cheerleader outfit is a little too big, I figured the Buckeyes could use all the luck and cheering they could get tonight. Even though she's a Texan, Madelyn is ALL Buckeye today!!!!



Go Bucks!!!

Happy New Year!

I took a week off the blog to recover from a hideous cold that started on Christmas day. Jim is still battling a sinus infection and sweet Maddy seems to have her first cold. She's a trooper (better than I am!) and still wakes up every morning with a grin. She's a bit stuffy and very clingy, but no fever which is great.

We hope everyone's New Year's Eve celebration was great. Ours was quiet and lovely as we hung out with Maddy, ate green chile stew and watched a movie. I struggled to stay up past midnight, but I made it! New Year's Day was the first day in weeks without plans and naps were in order as well as watching some football. Two glorious, plan-free days.


Maddy is growing so much, I can hardly believe she is only 8 weeks old! She has learned how to kick on the music on her baby gym and she squeals in delight when she changes the music. She is starting to grasp rattles and toys but hasn't quite mastered holding on. She loves to giggle and coo and likes her daddy to play "handsey's" (patty cake) with her. She holds on when you carry her over your shoulder and attempts to clasp her hands together on the bottle when you feed her.


Here are some belated Christmas pictures of Madelyn and our family! First a photo of Maddy's Christmas dress .... dry clean only, a mistake I will not make next year! Followed by our first family Christmas.

And finally, who could resist this Christmas gift?????