A week of many firsts

Last week was Mady's week of adventure. It was her first week of actually eating rice, oatmeal, veggies and fruits. She loves them. She has finally figured out that it is much easier to receive all that yummy food if she opens her mouth. In the weeks past I felt like I was shoving it in and hoping she wouldn't choke on it or spit it out...not knowing what to do with it. She now squeals with delight when her food is presented to her. This was the first few bites of cereal she ever had, just a few weeks ago.

Her second "first" is that she has learned to roll over at her own desire. I have peeked in on her while napping and found her in peaceful slumber on her tummy. That has been followed up with her squirming around and wiggling until she reaches what ever it is that has caught her attention. Wednesday I had her laying on her back in her bedroom playing on a blanket while I was getting Samantha and Layla ready for the day. In the bathroom I could hear the little spring on the crib being played with but I had put her a pretty good distance from the crib. I thought that the little boy that I was watching had decided to go in and play with her. However when I walked into the bedroom, sure enough she had flipped herself around to face the other direction and she was flipped on her tummy, head up high and her little fingers playing with the spring, she looked up and giggled and gave my a big grin. I was amazed!

Now I was certain the next first would be discovered by me. Mady has never spent time with another primary caregiver (daycare or sitter). Samantha spent a lot of time her first year with both my sister, Jennifer and Ryan's sister, Tionna means I had to work. I was able to quit working when Layla was six months old but by then she had already popped her first tooth out and it was discovered by my sister while she was in her care, just as she also discovered Samantha's first tooth before I did. So with Mady being in my care I was certain this "find" to be MINE! I had been checking her gums for weeks, she had been slobbering and gnawing on everything in site so I knew there was a tooth about to emerge any day. All week long I had checked....nothing. So the weekend came and we spent Sunday morning frantically getting ready for 9:00 A.M. church. Ryan gave her a bottle as I quickly finished getting myself ready and the girls and off we went. When we returned home, she was ready for lunch and a nap. I has quick to get her fed so she wouldn't fall asleep in her food. Then she took a nice long nap. Anyway...long story short...when we went to my Dad's for Sunday dinner my sister asked if Mady's tooth had broken through yet. I told her "No", and said, "I haven't checked her today because it has just been a crazy busy day". Of course she was holding Mady at the time and immediately stuck her finger in to play with her gums. Sure enough her little bottom tooth that I had been waiting for, WAS THERE for HER TO FIND! My sister starting laughing and shouted out, "YES... THREE FOR THREE!" Little stinker!! Oh well...I will be on the look out for tooth #2.


Monday night we were at dinner...eating my favorite fast food selection...Arby's Roast Beef...and Ryan and I were talking about how Mady had a wonderful week of all her first happenings. Just as we were talking about it the little toy elephant that hangs on Mady's car seat started vibrating and giggling as it does when it is pulled down. I looked over to see which child had pulled it down for Mady and we realized that she had done it all by herself. Yet another first in a matter of a few days.
It has been so fun to see her discover her world and figure things out. I love to see her personality already starting to shine through. I love you Mady....thanks for a wonderful two weeks. I am so glad I am your momma and get to be home with you and experience all you experience, WITH YOU...even though your Aunt Jenn is eagerly awaiting anything you can throw her way. I know you saved that tooth for her just to brighten her day as you do mine, each and every day : ) Smooches Little Miss Bright Eyes!!

One of my favorites of Madilyn (5 months)

I have just a few other things that I wanted to throw on here just for me. So much more has been going on in our family and we have been trying to think out of the box and find some solutions for many things going on right now.

So here are a few brilliant findings I have come across...
Samantha responses so much better to calm conversations and acknowledgment than she does to threats and bribes...imagine that drrrr! Now if I can only be patient enough to keep up with the calm conversations. She is also fully enjoying her Kindergarten year and spending every waking minute available with her best friend, Brynlee. They are so cute together. I am glad she has a good friend that she adores and appreciates. I love watching them together.


Layla loves to use the potty, especially if she knows someone else needs to use it. She will run into the bathroom, strip down her clothes and hop up on her own special, Dora, potty seat faster than anything if she thinks you are really trying to beat her there. Then she sits there and laughs at me for loosing the race. Soon she will be potty trained and I may actually miss this experience with her. She is just so dang cute now. Everything she does is adorable....even going to the potty. And of course acknowledgment works wonders...we have a candy dish full of M&Ms and a book full of stickers that we have been using as rewards for Layla and wouldn't you know it...personal attention and individual praise goes SO much further. Again imagine that....duh?

Layla doing Kung Fu, Ballet or Yoga or just being too cute!

I have also been trying to figure out a way to feel the spirit and have a calm environment in our home. I have updated my play list (if you are curious it is down below) with many songs that make me feel good and a lot of songs that really remind me of the challenges our family has faced and how important the eternal perspective of things are especially when dealing with FAMILIES! So what is the quickest way to change a mood in a home, change the background music! It is all about ambiance. Instead of bickering and yelling...we have had music playing in our home for the majority of the last two weeks and it has been WONDERFUL. Instead of chasing my rug rats around and becoming frustrated. I am dancing around the kitchen on a whim with all of my girls. I am playing games because the TV is off and I am following around three pieces of my heart on short leashes that I refer to as MY GIRLS and we are making memories together accompanied with beautiful, fun music!

As much as I love being with my girls everyday, I also NEED adult conversation and time with my husband. I had two really great talks with two really great friends yesterday (you know who you are). I vented my frustrations and talked about my girls and their kids and husbands and silly things and serious things. I was originally intending to mop my floors yesterday afternoon and instead I received two pep talks and just the right words of encouragement and love when I really needed it. I am sure you two will never know what you did for me with just a simple conversation. Thanks for including me in your day. You are wonderful ladies, mothers and wives. Your families are lucky to have you. My epiphany...I need play dates for me too! I vow to call my friends more, offer my help, accept help and make time to enjoy life with my husband and visit the Temple more {sigh}...yes, it is do-able I just need to keep thinking outside of the box.

P.S. The above photos of Mady were taken by my friend Holly of Holly Hobby Photography...you can view her prices and other works on her blog listed to the right.