2011

As this year comes to a close, there are so many things that I could write about. We have encountered so many changes, challenges, tears, and blessings in this year. This has been the fastest year yet! We are looking forward to what a new year will bring. Kevin and I are so thankful for our baby girl and the blessing she has been to us. I hope that you and your family have a BLESSED New Year!

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so instead of a slide show of pictures to highlight our last year; I have two pictures that sum up how my life has changed; how our family has changed this year.

This was ME (and Madalyn) at the beginning of 2011....

AND this is ME and Madalyn at the end of 2011...

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Kevin loves Red Velvet Cake, so just as a special treat for him, I made him some Red Velvet Cupcakes.

My cupcakes are cooling...

Cream Cheese Frosting with a sprinkle of pecans on top.

Now for the final touch, a pecan on top. The end result....Delicious!

Sick Baby Girl

Last Thursday Madalyn woke up with a terrible cough. She continued to get worse with her coughing, running nose, and her chest rattling; which was causing her to have trouble breathing. I called the doctor on Friday and on Sunday. We did what we were told to....run the humidifier, suck out her nose, saltine drops, even ran white vinegar in her humidifier. She only got worse and worse. She never ran a fever, or was very fussy, and she was eating and drinking her bottles. Monday night at Christmas with Kevin's family, she was content to sit with either Kevin or me for like 4 hours, so we knew she was sick and didn't feel good, but the earliest we could get her to the doctor was yesterday morning.

Her results....both ears are infected and they gave her a breathing treatment in the office. Her oxygen level was 95 and they want it to stay between 95 and 100. After the treatment (which was a screaming, crying fit with me trying to hold her and give her the treatment all by myself) her oxygen level went up to 97. So she's on an antibiotic and we have to give her a breathing treatment every 4 hours for the next few days. This is the first time she has been sick. So I guess she's been lucky to be 9 months old and make it this far without being sick except for her hives. However, she is such a trooper and you wouldn't know she was sick looking at these pictures. I took these last night and as you can see she is feeling better.

Madalyn's 1st Christmas

This was Madalyn's 1st Christmas and she had a busy one. It all began two Saturdays ago, Dec.17th at lunch with Christmas at Grandma Thelma's house. (Kevin's mom's side of the family). Monday, Dec.19th we had Christmas dinner at Grandma Kitty's cook house (Kevin's dad's side of the family). Thursday at lunch we headed to Greer. Unfortunately Madalyn woke up with a bad cold. She was coughing, congested, hard for her to breath, etc. She has only gotten worse and will be going to the doctor tomorrow. Despite her feeling horrible, she has been a trooper through all this. She has been around the world for her Christmas sick, and has done very good. Friday at lunch we met my friend Lindsey, her husband, and her little boy, Mason and had Christmas with them. Friday night we headed to Anderson and had Christmas with my dad's side of the family. Saturday at lunch we had Christmas with my mom's side of the family. Sunday we had Christmas with Nana and Grand Dad at my parent's house. Then at lunch more of my family came over. Monday, today, we headed home this morning and after we got the car unloaded we did Santa and Christmas with our little family. Then, tonight we went to Kevin's mom and dad's for Christmas with all my nieces, nephews, etc. So, Madalyn began her Christmas over a week ago and ended up with 9 Christmas...gifts exchanged at 8 of them. WOW! Such a big Christmas for a little girl. Madalyn's favorite part was the bows and tissue paper.

Madalyn's gifts from both Grandma Christmas with Kevin's family.

This is so much fun!

What do you have baby girl?

Emily, Jill, Madalyn, and Papa-his grands!

Madalyn's gifts from my family.

Getting ready for our first Christmas as a family of 3. (or 4 if you count Abby)

Kevin is reading Madalyn her card he got for her.

Madalyn's gifts from us and Santa. (Meme and Pop helped Santa with the car)

Madalyn's gifts from Kevin's family.

This was Madalyn's favorite gift of the day. She loves this car!

Madalyn 9 Months Old

Madalyn is 9 months old today! I can't believe that in just three short months she will be a year old. It's funny, last Christmas we were all wondering what she would be like, look like, etc. and this Christmas we have her to love and enjoy. I have enjoyed my time off from school this week. It's so nice to wake up in the morning to my smiley girl and have the day with her. There's not a whole lot to report that is different from her 8th month report. She will go to the doctor the first of the year for her 9 month check up. The one thing I have really notice lately is how much she loves music and to dance. But she did that in my tummy, whenever she would hear music she would start moving around. Any time she hears music from the TV, radio, or just your cell phone ringing, she will smile, and start moving and clapping. And the funny thing is she will clap when the song is done or during the song like they are doing a good job.

I love this picture! However, I wish the leaf could be deleted! Ha, Ha!

If you look close you will notice a bow in her hair. Yes, we finally have enough hair to hold a bow!

This is my favorite one from this series!

Happy Girl

Last night I was waiting for Kevin to finish getting Madalyn's water ready for her bath. So Madalyn and I were looking in the mirror and she crawled into the sink.

She thought this was so much fun to sit in the sink and see herself.

She is all smiles in the morning. She is waiting on her breakfast.

Our Sweet Baby Girl

1st Christmas Gift

Madalyn gave me my first gift last weekend. Her Meme and her had been hard at work doing some "Arts and Crafts" the other day and this was what they created. How special of a gift this was!

Natalie Grant - I Believe

Christmas Card 2011

I just L * O * V * E our Christmas card this year!

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Christmas Pics 2011

My sister-in-law, Tori, took these pictures. I asked her to take them with her camera. She has a camera that goes "click, click, click", and I don't. To get a good picture of Madalyn now, you have to have a fast camera, because she is on the move. I thought she did a wonderful job! Mrs. Katie made Abby's bows and made her pretty for the picture. I think these were some of the best pictures we have had taken lately of all of us. (Oh, and we made the pictures at Mrs. Katie's house around the barn and field.)

Ok, this was the first picture that was taken that day. Now, how good is this, baby, dog, everyone smiling and looking at the camera.

This was the family picture on our Christmas card this year.

Our first familyof 3 Christmas!

I love any pictures I get of her clapping her hands together.

Just in case you are wondering, she is standing up by herself, but I am very close by.

Madalyn Meets Santa

Thanksgiving when we went to Greer, Madalyn got to meet Santa for the first time. He is a patient of the doctor that my mom works for. His job is to 'be' Santa. He volunteered his time and came to the doctor's house for kids in her neighborhood and kids at my mom's work to come and get their picture made with Santa. Madalyn did very well, she didn't cry and went right to him. There was once during the middle of her photo session that her face got crinkly but she didn't shed a tear. I was very proud of her. And I personally think we got some great pictures. Here are a few from our day with Jolly Ole' Saint Nick.

Madalyn meets Santa for the first time....

Madalyn and her first picture with Santa.

Now we are getting some smiles!

In such awe of this large man in a red suit with a white beard.

Santa and Madalyn are having a very in depth conversation about patty-cake.

Tadaaa....Here I am in all my cuteness....Gotta love me!

I had to post this picture. (Madalyn kept turning around and touching the flowers. I believe her face is saying "I'm not touching it...")

New Party Ideas

I googled "hot chocolate cupcakes' -next week in school we are having a "Polar Express Party". We are studying the book and on Thursday we will wear our PJ's, watch the movie, and drink hot chocolate. I was just curious to see what kind of goodies I could find to go along with our hot chocolate and I found these cupcakes. Then I clicked on the website where they were from and "WOW!" What a great website with lots of party ideas, food ideas, party decorations, party favors, etc. If you love creating things you gotta check this website out. Catch My Party. The other great thing is that it tells you step by step how to create each item you find.

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes-Aren't they cute? Below is the link for the directions on how to make these.

http://blog.catchmyparty.com/2010/12/08/tips-from-a-catch-my-party-member-peppermint-hot-chocolate-cupcakes/

World's Smallest Christmas Carolers

My niece Lily Kate was chosen as one of the "World's Smallest Christmas Carolers" for the radio station 88.3 WAFJ. Click on this website, find her name, and click on her picture to hear her sing 'Deck the Halls". http://www.wafj.com/headline/worlds-smallest-christmas-carolers

These Days

These days my baby is changing so fast and every day and week she is doing something new. She is getting in so many teeth. Right now she has 4 top teeth and 2 bottom teeth and another bottom tooth is on the way. She is pulling up and letting go and she can walk along the couch holding on. She is a pretty fast crawler now and it keeping up with her cousin Hunter. Where ever he goes she is close at his heels. We have started her on meats now, and she doesn't like chicken. It's actually pretty funny to watch her face when you fed it to her. I have to mix it with a fruit or a vegetable to get her to eat it. She is talking more; saying "dadadada"," hey"," yea", and last week when I was home for Thanksgiving, no lie, she looked at me and said "I love you". It wasn't as plain as you and I would say, but I have two witnesses her Nana and Grand Dad and they would tell you that she did say that. Which is the most precious thing to my ears to hear my baby girl tell me that; it warms your heart. She is clapping now like all the time; she holds her right hand still and just moves her left hand. She is blowing bubbles and like spitting. When she gets excited about something she moves her arms, legs, and hands really fast, and says "ooooooo". She loves animals, stuffed or real. She really liked my cat Evie at my parent's house and whenever you give her a stuffed animal she just laughs and smiles. She is also ticklish under her arms and will just laugh and laugh. I love to hear her laugh. She is a very happy and content baby. She wakes up happy and unless she gets sleepy or hungry, you don't hear much from her in the way of crying. I am trying to make sure to enjoy every minute of her being little because she is growing too fast and already wants to be on the move.

She is very excited about driving her car. She is saying "ooooo!"

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1st Horse Ride

When Madalyn and I got home today, we looked out the window and saw Pop, Aunt Katelyn, Hunter, and Uncle Ryan riding horses. So, Aunt Katelyn took Madalyn on her first horse ride just a little bit around the back yard. She didn't know what to think about being on the horse.