Madalyn's Walker

Madalyn is getting to where she likes to sit up and play more so than lay down. She still loves her rain forest, but this week Kevin put her walker together. She has enjoyed sitting in it.

My Classroom

As promised here are the pictures from my completed classroom. I thought it would be easiest to show you around via slideshow; so enjoy! I am really enjoying being in my room. I am the most pleased I have been with this room. I feel that it's the most organized and clean, etc. and I love my theme this year in all my short little 7 years of teaching.

This free picture slideshow generated with Smilebox

Our First Swimming Lesson

Sunday, Madalyn was 5 months old. I haven't had a chance yet to get her 5 month picture taken yet, but I will. We decided to go swimming in Meme and Pop's pool for the evening. She loved the pool! She kicked her feet and squealed. We stayed in for about an hour. She's not sitting up by herself yet, so you have to really hold on to her, but she had a great time.

After Madalyn got dried off, she decided to have some time in the swing before going home.

Mr. Mom

This week, as you know, was my first week back and school. From not working for the past 4 1/2 months, I have been very tired. Leaving the house at 6:30 or earlier each day and getting home around 5:00 has left me wanting to go to bed as soon as I get home. ( Ha Ha!) But Madalyn needs to be feed a bottle and then cereal, dinner needs to be cooked, bottles washed, clothes washed, dishes washed, things prepared for the next day for Madalyn and me, showers and baths to be taken, school work to be done, and finally crawling into bed around 9:30. Kevin has completely taken over for me this week. He is taking Madalyn each morning to his mom's house around 6:30. I have picked her up the past two days but didn't get her today; he finished his work before me so he got her today. He is completely taking care of her while I cook dinner (or sometimes he will help with dinner). He gives her a bath every night and gets her ready for bed while I'm doing school work and preparing myself for the next day. Then he is washing bottles and cleaning the kitchen and washing clothes. The four hours that I have at home before bed time go by in a hurry. I'm trying to spend as much time as I can with Madalyn after being gone all day, but during the school week that is hard to do. But Kevin has been so good to take over. He has become Mr. Mom; and is getting really good at his job. (Including not wanting to waste a diaper because the tape part on one side came off; so he used masking tape to hold it on. And hey, it worked really well.) I really appreciate it; I can't do it all and wouldn't be able to do all that I have to do without his help and keep me from loosing my mind.

Kevin says this is his favorite part of the day; holding his baby girl in his arms.

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Changes, Changes, and more Changes

This past week has been full of changes for our family. It was my first official week back at work and Madalyn's first official week with her Meme and Hunter. We both did very well. However, going from being at home for the past 4 1/2 months to a 50 hr. plus work week has been very tiring. (And just a side note, I only get paid for 35 of those hours) and Madalyn has been very tired from getting up early and watching Hunter and playing with Hunter all day. They get along very well together; which I'm glad. I'm pretty much ready for the week; I'm for sure have everything ready for Monday.

This morning I got up at 5:45 because I heard Madalyn moving around and we didn't have any bottles ready for her. ( I was to tired last night to clean and sterilize them) So I did that, then decided to start on my laundry ( 3 complete loads of washing, drying, folding, and putting away.) Cleaned up our bedroom, washed dishes, and straightened up the den. Kevin was like now what are you going to do the rest of the day? Well, at 7:50 Madalyn and I were on our way to Aiken to the doctor. My doctor's office is open on Saturdays from 9-11 and Sundays for a 2 hour window for sick children only for a first come first serve basis. Last week she had been sneezing some and coughing some and this morning her cough sounded bad. So I thought it was best to go ahead and get it checked out. She has a bad stuffy nose, upper respiratory thing. Her ears and lungs were cleared. I have to use saline drops and then suck the stuff out (she doesn't like this at all!) and things like that. So, thankfully no worse, but glad I checked it out before it did go to her lungs or ears. Then Madalyn had her first veggie for lunch...green beans. She loved them! At first she was like; this isn't cereal....this is yummier than cereal! I first gave her half of the Gerber stage one cup of green beans. She was looking around like, where's the rest? So she ended up eating the whole thing! She weighed 15.2 lbs. She has gain a pound and a half since her last doctor visit. So, that's the scoop on us! I will do my best to get my completed classroom pictures up this week; I haven't had the time to take the pics yet.

Life Is Like A Cup of Coffee - Inspirational Video Movie

My principal showed us this video this past week. I thought it was a great reminder of what is important in life.

End of Summer Vacation

Today is the last day of summer vacation; tomorrow I go to school. This week will be teacher work days and the kids come next Monday. The summer has flown by; these past 4 1/2 months have flown by. It was March 21st when I left school and it's already time to begin another school year. I have enjoyed being at home with my baby girl. I am ready though to get out and do something; but I know I will miss her. I really would like to be able to enjoy my job this year, so I pray for a good class of students and parents. The last 2 years have been very hard. There have been many tears, me making myself physically sick because I despise going to school, etc. I feel refreshed though and excited about being in 2nd grade and really want to be able to look forward to school for the most part. There will still be days; we all have those days; but anyway. Another prayer is for balance. I have been told by everyone to leave when it's time to leave school; don't stay and don't bring anything home. This will be my 7th year teaching and I have yet to figure out how to do that, so I hope this year will be different. Here are a few pictures I got this morning of Madalyn. I figured this would be our last morning photo shoot for awhile.

We haven't forgotten about Abby; she just has to share the spotlight now with Madalyn.

Madalyn at 4 1/2 months

Madalyn is becoming such a big girl. She is sleeping at night in her big girl crib, and developmentally each day and week she is doing something new. But as far as she has come in 4 1/2 short months, I sometimes forget that she is just a baby and is only 4 1/2 months old.

Madalyn taking her morning nap in her crib. (just in case you are wondering, since Madalyn is sleeping in her big crib now and napping in there some, we took away her bumper pads that match her nursery bedding and put up these breathable bumper pads; just to help us rest easier in case she gets next to them.)

Her feet are always up and in her month now.

It won't be long and this girly will be chasing after us when we leave the room.

Still loving her bath time! And just in case you are wondering, we haven't had any more wet socks :0)

Our Weekend

We have been busy lately. Madalyn is just growing and changing so fast. And it's only going to get busier for us. My mom is here for the week and I'm going to school every day to work and next week I'll go to work for "real". How fast these 4 months have flown by. I left school in March, I can't believe it's August and time to start a new year. Please pray for balance for me. Everyone has told me to leave school when my time is over because Madalyn is more important and she won't be a baby long. Even though I know that and I will do my best, school is like a black hole, you just get sucked into it for the next 9 months with no way out until it's over. Also, pray for a good class and good year. That will make all the difference in the world is for me to have a good class this year.

-She is now eating cereal as you can see from below that it's a messy process and she doesn't like it because it's not as fast as her bottle.

-She is rolling over every time you put her down. No more rain forest time, within like 10 seconds she is flipping over.

-She is also scouting backwards off any blanket that you try to lay her on in the floor. She also puts her legs up and it won't be long and she will be crawling.

-She is also going to be a tiger fan! She will growl at you. It's the funniest thing! No lie, she is growling or like roaring at you. She is doing it all the time.

I had some things to do in Greer this past weekend, like an eye doctor appointment and a bridal shower, so Madalyn and I were able to have a lunch date with my friend Lindsey and Mason. Mason slept through most of the lunch date. I bet he won't the next time we get together. (Mason is 2 months and 3 days younger than Madalyn.)