If you need a smile look here!

I swear if you are having a bad day come ask Maddy for a smile and you will forget all your troubles. I took these photos because I thought she looked so cute in her overalls(even with the drool and spit up) and the smiles she gave me made me just want to squeeze her! Maddy, what did we ever do without your happiness in our lives? We love you SO much!





Hope these photos made your day! Stay tuned we have a VERY busy weekend ahead.

Happy Birthday Blog!

Can you believe we've been blogging for a year already? Yesterday was the one year anniversary of TNH the website. Here's our traffic stats for that first year:

POSTS: 165

VISITS:

Total - 4,977
Average Per Day - 14

PAGE VIEWS:

Total - 7,261
Average Per Day - 18
Average Per Visit - 1.3

It looks like we're a hit so I guess we'll do our best to keep it up for another year! Thanks to everyone who stops by and keeps tabs on The Madness (and us too of course.)

No, there's no new pictures today!

Biter Biscuits are Yummy!

Maddy has become pretty interested in what's for dinner at the grownup table. She has actually thrown a couple of fits if we don't have something she can take a bite of. So tonight we decided to get smart before having dinner at Grandma Katie's, we bought biter biscuits. I know she isn't supposed to have them yet but I'm sure wheat bread, potatoes and the numerous other things she's eaten off our plates isn't supposed to be in her diet either. She really did a great job. One time she broke off a good chunk that I scooped out of her mouth but otherwise she mushed it right up.

You don't suppose we have a tiny attitude!



Yummy!


Do I have something on my face?

This smile sums up the whole experience!

Bye Bye Bumbo

As many of you know our daughter has a constant case of Ants In The Pants, so we had to say Bye Bye to our Bumbo chair. While feeding Mad the other night she decided she didn't want to sit anymore and she pushed off her tray and kicked her feet against the counter and pretty much escaped from the chair. So onto our big girl highchair we go. She hasn't seemed to mind the change at all and does a great job eating still.


Out of all the toys we own I think the simple links might be one of her favorites! She loves to chew on them then throw them on the floor and watch us pick them up for her.


I think she is happy that she can kick her feet up again. It's a Maddy's life.

Dancing Queen!

Tell Uncle Swear there's a new kid in town and he might wanna get to practicing his jig. The Madness is about to throw down the gauntlet.

Our New PJ's

Grandma Carolyn bought Maddy the cutest sleeper and it was even cuter when Maddy put it on. We snapped a couple of quick shots and thought we'd share.


Showing off her new PJ's.


Daddy styles what is left of Maddy's hair. All her thick blond baby hair fell out and the thin white blond hair is SLOWLY coming in.


Maddy's not sure what she thinks about all those Polka Dots, I think she heard Daddy say she looked like a crazy old man.


Maddy is becoming such a big girl. After a couple of rocky bedtimes we have gotten Mad to go to bed awake. Most nights she drifts quietly to sleep in her crib and on occasion she will fuss for a minute or two and then lights out for 10-11 hours. When we go in to check on her before bed she has her knees under her belly and her little tush up in the air. She looks SO cute, I wish I could get a picture without waking her. She is going to sleep awake for her morning naps easily. We are still working with the afternoon nap. Wish us luck!

Going to the Zoo with Grandpa

It was such a beautiful day yesterday that Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Luke, Maddy and I decided to head for the Zoo. We had a great time!


Waiting in line for our first carousel ride.


Maddy loved riding the carousel with Uncle Luke. The wind was hitting her in the face and she was squealing. We rode for about 5 minutes and then they stopped the ride. They told us that Maddy could not ride with Luke and that I had to put her on her own animal, for safety reasons. Wonder why it took them five minutes to figure that out?


Maddy on her own animal after being scolded by the ride operators. Doesn't she looks a whole lot safer?


Grandpa took Maddy to the Zoo's Build a Bear and she picked out Mo Mo. She was so cute when she saw her, she started to laugh and tried to eat her face.


I put Maddy toward the water thinking she would splash her hand in it but the little stinker actually sucked up two drinks. We couldn't believe it!


Grandpa gives Maddy a taste of ice cream. It was Ben and Jerry's so how could I deny her?


Maddy was worn out and took a nap on the way home.


An up close of Mo Mo and Maddy.


Thanks for the great day and Mo Mo. Uncle Luke thanks for the cute pink penguin, Maddy loves it!

Logan's Baptism

Today we attended Logan's Baptism at St. Paul's church. Grandma Darlene made Logan's Baptism outfit from his mommy's wedding dress. She did a great job, it looked so cute on him.


Maddy and Logan are excited to see each other! Don't worry Maddy always gets her face pulls in too!


Maddy did a great job in church. When we were singing she sang along too! She actually continued to sing after the song was over so I had to give her her Nuk. After the service the pastor said Maddy's singing was so cute and that she couldn't stop laughing about it.


After church we headed to Logan's house for BBQ. This gave us a good photo opportunity. Can you believe Emelia is a whole month younger than Logan!






It doesn't seem like that long ago that we were standing together with enormous bellies. I think I like this picture much better.


Maddy and Emelia steal some last minute play time in before the tired babies are packed up to head home!


What a great time it was getting everyone together. I hope we can do it again very soon.

Happy Birthday Madison!

Our friend Madison turned 3 yesterday so this afternoon we headed over to celebrate. Maddie (yes they call her that too and it can get confusing when I am saying Maddy this and she is saying Maddie that) got lots of great presents and had a lot of fun swimming with her friends. We decided to keep Madylin out of the pool since there were so many bigger kids.

Madison had a Cars cake because that is her very favorite movie! No Princesses for this girl. She was actually very excited but by cake time she was getting a little tired.


Madison was kind enough to let Madylin try out her swing. She loved it after she stopped trying to sit up in it. If dinner would not have been called I think she might have even drifted off. I guess we will have to look into a swing to attach to one of our trees.


Seriously another picture!


Partying sure makes a girl tired. Everyone was so amazed at how easily she fell asleep. I told them they should come over and try bedtime and nap time! If only those were so easy.


Happy 3rd Birthday Madison!

Happy 5 Months Logan

Maddy's best friend Logan turned 5 months old yesterday! I can't believe our little babies are that old already. Maddy loves Logan and really enjoys his company at Grandma Carolyn's on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Grandma says that they really like talking to each other, stealing each others toys and trying to eat each other. She says it is so cute when she brings one of them out after a nap the other one gets so excited that they are back! Aunt Stac said Maddy showed Logan how to talk really loud (especially in crowded restaurants). Now if Logan could just teach Maddy how to take 2 hour naps!

What a sweet smile!


Looking good in his hat, and staring at the camera because he just knows it is going to flash at him.


Logan is SO cute with this blanket. It's like he plays Peek-A-Boo with himself.


Happy 5 Months Bubba! We all love you bunches!

Bananas Are Good!

Tonight we fed Maddy some fresh bananas in her mesh food bag. Once she took one chew she went crazy. She chewed and chewed on it until there wasn't much banana left in the bag. I have to admit that Maddy was pretty messy after she was done, but cleaning the bag wasn't really that bad. We were pretty impressed at how well she did. I guess we will have to find some other fresh foods for her to try.

Spoons are for suckers!


Maybe I can get it faster if I take my mouth to it instead.


One handed like an old pro.


Bananas are not good, their great!

5 months old!

I am 5 months old (actually 5 months and a day)!


Man how the time flies. Maddy is getting to be such a big girl. This month she started eating fruits and vegetables. She seems to love them all except for prunes, which I guess we will try to introduce to her again. Sweet Potatoes and Pears can't get in fast enough. Maddy has also become an expert roller. She really only rolls over her left shoulder but then she just keeps rolling and rolling until we turn her around and let her roll back. She is doing much better at sitting up and we can even let go for awhile without her doing a face plant. She has really started scooting and even gets herself up into crawling position but then puts her face into the blanket and scoots face down. This usually leaves a nice red mark on her forehead and then she returns to rolling. Maddy has also discovered the baby in the mirror and she is so funny and sometimes there are two Mommas and Daddies and that is also very funny. The pictures show her in her Exersaucer which she LOVES! At first she would just sit in there with her hands by her sides and stare at all the toys, but finally she figured out that she could reach the toys and then she was in love. In the morning when we are getting ready for work she will play in it for sometimes 40 minutes. She can really get it rocking too! Naps are still a battle but she did lay down awake (twice) at Grandma Carolyn's and fell asleep on her own. They were still no longer than 40 minutes but we're getting there. We have been taking Maddy to Grandma Carolyn's and Grandma Deb's so that I can get my room ready. School starts in 1 week! I sure will miss having my girl all day but I know she is in good hands. Well I have blabbed too much for one post but she sure has done a lot of exciting things this month.

Chewing on Mr. Frog. I guess she is hoping to find her own prince.

Mascoutah Homecoming Parade

After Prince Goodrich's shower yesterday Maddy and I picked up Daddy and headed to Mascoutah. We were meeting up with Stacy, John and Emelia to watch the Mascoutah Homecoming Parade. It was so great to see the Stein's, it has been a really long time. The girls checked each other out for awhile but there was to much other excitement going on. The parade was neat, there were lots of old tractors and cars and of course candy too! It was crazy hot though so after the parade we retreated to the air conditioned car and headed home.



Stacy and Maddy


Miss Emelia is getting so big! She fell asleep for about half of the parade, but gave us a couple of big smiles before she drifted off.


Daddy and Maddy


Momma and Maddy


Maddy enjoyed watching the parade except the part where the motorcycles decided to rev their engines right in front of us.


Maybe in a couple of years she can actually eat the sucker.


The girls were checking each other and the parade out.