Double take?

So, again I am copying off another blogger with this post. This blogger is my beautiful S.I.L., and she often posts throw back pictures of her and her husband from when they were babies with pictures of her current children (my adorable nephews); just to see if there is a resemblance. So here is my attempt.

Bryan and I already look a little bit alike...so its hard to tell who Mady really looks like. It honestly hear about 50/50, "she looks like you" or "she looks like bryan". So we'll let you decided. Now, I must apologize. These pictures are not the clearest (I definitely took a picture of a picture with my iphone).

Here is Bryan

He's a little bit older in this one above....but you can still tell.
Bryan again.....
(see where Mady gets her curls in this picture)

The Momma, Danielle

Loving the retro background of a farm....so many of the products of the 80's have this background in their studio pictures.


Mady ranging in ages....
Youngest to Oldest (current).

One Day old

1 Month...at Thanksgiving.

Mady 2 Months Old
3 Months
4 Months
5 Months
6 Months
7 Months
8 Months
9 Months...current

She is a peanut, but she has grown.

So the question is:
Who do you think she looks like?
Comment here.
(Even if you don't blog, its ok to comment)

Daily Routine

I got this idea from a friend of mine from church. I love her blog and her little girl reminds me a lot of little Miss Mady. These girls are about three months apart. Everything Hannah (my friends little girl) does, I imagine Mady doing three months later. Everything from her sass, strong opinions, breast feeding "issues", outgoing, big blue eyes, curly hair, lovable personality and squishy pudgy legs .....reminds me of my girl.

Anyway. I love that each month she does a routine type post to document her days with Hannah. Typical days that you probably would forget. Especially since they change so frequently in that first year, its hard to keep track. I want my blog to serve as a memory/ scrap book of sorts, but also a good reference guide for me when I have my next baby. If you know me, you know I have an awful memory....it seems to be getting worse with age. So writing these things down is a blessing. So when I ask the enivitable question: "when did Mady do ____ (insert some milestone)?" I'll have an place to look.

So this may not be interesting to you, but it is to me. This is my days, my hours, my minutes spent with my precious baby. Who will one day be a big girl; at which time I will again ask myself, "Where did the time go?" and my answer will be recorded and documented on the pages of this blog.

So here is what our Routine has looked like from 7-9 months:

4, 5 or 6 am. ~ Mady wakes to eat. Since 7 1/2 months she has begun to drop this feeding, but will still occasionally wake me to feed. Usually 4 to 5 nights out of a 7 day week she will wake me. I don't mind one bit. I enjoy this close, sweet time alone with her. She eats very well (the best she eats all day). I feel good knowing she gets all that milk, my supply stays up and she sleeps longer :). I lay her down immediately after she's done and she falls right back to sleep.

7:30, 8 or 8:30~ We wake up to Mady singing and talking in her crib. Rolling around and kicking her legs on the sides of her crib. I love walking into her room and saying "Good Morning" several times and seeing her sweet smiling face staring back into mine. I nurse her and we get up.

8:30-10:30~ We play with her toys on the living room floor while I pump. She sits and plays with her over flowing bucket of Sassy, Lamaze and other fun rattley-like toys. She rolls around and bites her teethers. Plays with her interactive V-Tech activity toys and smiles and pats her sides with they sing songs to her. Sometimes she watches a Baby Einstein video, depending on how much I need to get done that morning. We also listen to worship music and I read the Bible aloud to her. Usually the Psalms. If Bryan is home we have a Family Devo. She eats breakfast (oatmeal and prunes, pears or apples). Some mornings we take a morning run/ nap in the stroller. Since its been so hot the past few weeks, we haven't been able to do this. By the time she is ready for her nap its already 90 degrees and humid!

10:30- 12~ Morning nap. I am so lucky that all I have to do to get Mady to go down is to lay her in her crib with her Soothey pacifier and blankey and she turns over and closes her eyes. I really am blessed. She's a great sleeper.

12-2:30~ She wakes from her nap and "nurses". I put quotes around this because I am not sure if you can call what she does nursing. She begins to eat then pulls off and pushes herself up. She eats for about 3 to 4 minutes on one side and 1 to 2 minutes on the other. I usually end up pumping the rest off and offering it to her in a bottle. She really loves a bottle. She doesn't want to miss any action or be held down. I feel better knowing she is getting the calories/antibodies and essential nutrition from an exact amount of milk. Its a hassle now, but I know these days are numbered.

We usually get out and do something during this time. Whether its a play date with a friend and their baby or an errand to the store/ mall etc. we get out and see people. She loves to see the world!! During this time she also eats lunch, which right now consists of a jar of baby food. Usually a veggie. I have been trying to give her carrots everyday to improve her vision (is that an old wives tale, or is it true?) either way...its good for her and she likes them. Sometimes she is hungry enough for a fruit too. She also eats puffs on the go and has most recently started eating crackers. She loves to feed herself! We still have no teeth to introduce more solid, real foods :). Ohh well, soon enough. I hope she won't be too picky of an eater because I am having to wait to introduce table foods because of her lack of teeth.

2:30,3- 5~ Naptime, with a quick feeding before (depending on when she ate last) or after she wakes up. She usually nurses every four hours now.

5-7:30~ I nurse her when she wakes, if she didn't eat before she went down for her nap. We usually play on the floor of her room or in our living room with her toys. Activity table, read books, move and crawl ball and more. Sometime she sits in her exersaucer while I cook dinner. I usually try to cook while she sleeps though. Depending if Bryan is home or not we eat try to eat together. If he is at work closing we may go up and see him and bring him dinner. Mady is feed before we eat. A jar of veggies and a jar of fruit. Lately she hasn't eaten both because she's teething. She sits in her high-chair at the table while Bryan and I eat. She eats puffs and crackers. I want her to learn that as a family we all sit, eat and talk together at dinner. Such a precious time. Bryan and I both value the time and conversations had during a meal together.

7:30-8:15, 8:30~ Starts our bedtime routine. I give her a bath. This is my favorite time of the day. She is so funny in her bath and I love to see her play. We talk, make animal sounds and sing. She learns letter noises with her spongy letter bath toys and chews on her rubber ducky's. This is a great time for big belly laughs and wet kisses!

After she's out we lotion her down, diaper and put her in her PJ's. She is read to, sang to, rocked, prayed for and nursed. Sometimes she falls asleep during this final feeding, but mostly she is drowsy when I put her down. I do love it when she falls asleep in my arms. It reminds me of when she was a newborn and I could study her face and breath her in. However, I do like knowing that when its time for bed...she is ready and will go down. I have the freedom to know her schedule and plan 'Mommy and Daddy' time accordingly.

She is such a joy from sunrise to sunset...I love spending my days with her. That is what our typical day has looked like at 7, 8 and 9 months old.

Good nite!

Can she really be....

9 months?

Yes, she can....
because she is!

Milestones post coming soon.....

Top Ten Most Useful Baby Items

....thus far. 9 months in, here's what I know.

1. Graco stroller/ car seat, travel system.
2. Medela Breast Pump
3. The Miracle Blanket
4. Graco Pack n' play
5. Baby Trend Jogger
6. My Little Lamb Swing
7. Bouncy Seat
8. Bumbo Seat
9. Rubber Ducky inflatable bathtub
10. The Soothy pacifer

Underworked and Overpaid

I cannot believe how fast this summer is going. To say that I have enjoyed this summer would be an absolute understatement. It is the first summer that I have not worked (full time) since 2001! That is nuts.

Yes, I do work, but only 2 nights a week. Most of the time, when asked what I do....I tell people that I get paid to be an adult. Now that may sound scandal-is, let me explain. I talk baby talk all day long to Mady or talk about Mady to other moms. Its nice to get around adults and talk like an adult. Not to mention get back on a sales floor and exercise my sales aptitude and customer service muscle every once in awhile. I am blessed that I only work two days....but I hardly call it work. I love what I do and love my co-workers. Lenscrafters is a great environment and a great job....the only problem is when I'm away from Mady all I do is talk about her! Hah.

Ok, back to my summer....

I have gone where I wanted to go, seen what I wanted to see, done what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. It has been a blessing. I am so thankful for Bryan and how he takes care of us girls and lets us party it up every day. We see Mady's boyfriends, go to pools, see Grandma for lunch or walk dates, we take trips to the mall and to other cities visiting family....we do it all!

I feel like a free bird. The weight of providing has successfully been removed from my shoulders. I placed that burden there and sat under its weight for far too long. I let it stress me out to no end. Now, I know nothing of our finances. Well, I know when we get paid and a round about number in our accounts just so I don't get stuck somewhere with the DECLINED message. So far, so good. Bryan has done a great job of heading our finances for the majority of our marriage, but somehow, now that I am not working I really feel like I have absolutely nothing to do with it....and its great.

However, remembering that stress...it makes me realize that I need to thank Bryan more often and praise him more for how he is taking such good care of us. We love you babe! I've said it before and I'll say it again. There is something so sexy about a man who works hard for his family. I love to watch Bryan work. I think that is probably T.M.I., but I do. Sometimes I just sit back and watch him mop the basement floor (after our crazy dog has peed all over it) or pull/cut weeds in the back yard. I get such joy in watching him throw on a cut off t-shirt, break a sweat and wipe his brow. I run out and bring him a cold glass of water; suddenly feeling very Leave it to Beaver, June Cleaver....but it works for me. He is great and I am thankful for the way his love is demonstrated to us through his job, his school, his spiritual leadership and mostly how he has rolled up those sleeves and been a MAN! LOVE YOU BABE!

The 4th

For the 4th we traveled to Bryan's hometown, Campbellsville Kentucky.
We enjoyed the small town musings in celebration of the holiday.

We watched the town parade.
Walked the streets and had many 'meet and greets'.
Saw mullets, tractors, pageant winners, fried chicken, sunglass knock offs, red, white and blue everything, a man as statue of liberty, little league teams, politicians, high school marching bands, jailers, veterans and so so so much more!!

Mainly, we enjoyed some much needed quality time with our family.
Here is our weekend through pictures, enjoy!

My Four-eyed-cutie- pie!

Since so many of you have asked:

Why is Mady in glasses?
I didn't even know they could do eye exams on infants.
How long will she have to wear them?
Does she pull them off?
How did you notice she needed them?

I thought I'd answer all of your questions....

At 7 months I started to notice Mady's left eye cross in towards her nose. I didn't think much of it as babies often do this when they are trying to focus. However, throughout her 7th month it continued to cross and seemed to get more consistent. Being in the Optical Industry as an Apprentice Optician, I knew this wasn't something you just shrugged off.

I talked to my pediatrician about it and she referred me to the best pediatric ophthalmologist in Louisville. His name is Dr. Douglas and he has been doing this for 40+ years!! Lots of experience!

I was thinking that Mady probably had Strabismus, which basically means the eyes aren't in alignment or working together properly; often referred to as lazy eye or weak muscle. This can develop into Amblyopia, which means the brain is ignoring one eye; this can lead to poor vision and a permanent lazy eye. Both Bryan and I as kids were members of the very exclusive pirate club and had to wear patches over one eye because of Strabismus....which is why I thought she had this. Both parents had it...chances are you're going to get it. Sorry Boodels.

To my surprise Mady actually didn't need a patch but glasses!! After the doctor dilated her eyes and shinned lights and moved objects he could see that she was very farsighted. Now all babies are born farsighted....but Mady is extremely farsighted. He was able to tell this by placing several lenses in front of her dilated eye and seeing how the inside of her eye reacted to the light and lens. He also said this was the reason for her one eye to miss-align itself. She was trying very hard to focus and her eyes would become cross.

Of course.....as a mom you feel awful for your child. Thinking: Oh my gosh has she even been able to see!!? Especially after he told me the strength of her prescription that was my immediate thought. But he explained that babies have 10x the ability to focus than adults. So Mady was able to see just fine (her development was on track regarding hand eye control)....but she had to work very hard to do so and because of this her eyes were becoming crossed. We didn't want this to become permanent and develop into Amblyopia so the fix is glasses.

We caught it early, so she shouldn't have any problems with Amblyopia or a lazy eye. In fact, since she has had the glasses her eyes have not crossed once! Sorry to say that she won't be a member of the exclusive Pirate Club, like her parents. But she will be apart of the Four Eye club for life (we're also members of this club too). Well, until shes old enough for contacts or corrective surgeries.

She is doing very well with the glasses. Does not try to take them off as often as I thought she would. Maybe four times a day. Its giving us a chance to teach her discipline early with "No, no." We're establishing our authority and shes trying to test her independence. Its funny. She's been very good though. I think she likes them.

I am thankful for this. I know that sounds funny, but let me explain. This is our chance to really demonstrate the gospel to Mady in many ways. One way being: You are not perfect, none of us are. The bible teaches in the Psalms that we are sinful from birth. That includes our bodies and our hearts. We need Jesus' sinless life and resurrection to atone (or make perfect) our imperfections. We trust in Jesus for eternal life and grace, in this life just like (in a very small way) you trust in your glasses for perfect vision. You need them everyday, just like we need Jesus everyday.

Another thing it will teach Mady is to never judge others for their differences. I will never forget kids staring at me when I was a kid riding in the cart at the grocery store with the patch over my eye. I only had to wear it for a month, but it really made an impression.

Really, at the end of the day....its just glasses. Shes so darn cute in them too! I didn't think it was possible for my baby to get any cuter....but it happened. Don't be jealous! Haha. Just kidding. I hope that answered some questions.