The Hejl Family

Someone's in the kitchen with Mommy...

2010-03-17T21:56:00.003-05:00

When Meredith was little, she used to love to play in all the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen (who I am kidding, she still does). It would seem that Miss Madilyn is following in her footsteps. But she is a little bit quicker and can already open the drawers and doors by herself. The two most favorite drawers are the one with my extra pans underneath the ovens and the one that we don't really know what to do with, so we put all of our koozies in. Madilyn decided that the pan one was the best one that night.

Meredith came in from all of her bouncing to show MK what to do with this big round pan.

That sister is so silly....I know just what to do with this pan....smush it!

Hey! Where did Mere go???

Now I have to clean up by myself!

More Bouncing!

2010-03-17T21:35:00.003-05:00

Here are lots of videos of the girls playing in the bounce house. Like always, I could not decide which one(s) to post, so I just put them ALL!

Meredith's BIG Birthday Present

2010-03-17T21:16:00.004-05:00

We finally got Meredith's birthday present for her. We think that this is the gift that keeps on giving. She has played with it everyday. She loves to go outside while I am cooking dinner. This just gives her a little something to keep busy (and make her tired!).

Hmmmm...what could it be?

Oh my, it looks like a bounce house!

It is a bounce house with a slide!

This is the best present EVER Daddy and Mommy!

I like it too!

So much fun!

I wish that I could jump like my big sister!

Hmmm...Maddie Kate, do you think we should go down this slide?

Everyone has left me, but I am still having fun!

Yea! Daddy came back to play with me!

Swinging, Swinging, Swinging!

2010-03-17T21:00:00.003-05:00

Saturday was such a pretty day. Michael FINALLY got to go pick up his tractor. We had a date night, so as soon as he got home, we played as much as we could with the girls. We took them out to the play set and Maddie Kate got to swing for the first time. Meredith has also moved up to the big girl swing!

(and yes, Maddie is still in jammies....I stayed in mine too...I waited until the last minute to get ready for our date....wanted to look "fresh")

I love this swing....it tastes delicious!

I'm a big girl!

Weeeeeeeeeee!

Look how high I can go!

Just a little video for you to experience the joy for yourself!

Meredith's First Sleepover

2010-03-17T20:51:00.003-05:00

Last Friday night, Meredith went to her very first sleepover with Mimi. I was so very nervous. The only nights that I have ever been away from my baby girl are when I had Madilyn. I knew that she would be in very good hands, but I just worry that she will be sad and miss me (but I know I am really the one who is sad and missing her.) She did fantastic! And Michael and I had a very nice night at home with Madilyn. It was kind of nice. We have only ever really been alone with Meredith.

Meredith's over-night bag!

Getting her bag...all ready to go!

It was a little heavy, maybe I will just pull it!

Or maybe I will just check out what mommy put in here!

I Can Walk! (Almost...)

2010-03-10T20:10:00.002-06:00

Madilyn has a new favorite toy. It is a little pink princess car that she can push or ride on. She has mainly been playing with all of the buttons on it. The past few days she has started to push it around while she is crawling. I have had no problem with this because I am in no hurry for her to start walking. Today, she crawled over to it, pulled herself up and just started walking with it!!!! She seems to really enjoy how she can get around even faster then when she crawls. It looks like we are in for some busy times with this little girl....

Happy 2nd Birthday Meredith!!!!!

2010-03-08T20:35:00.003-06:00

Meredith Grace...you are 2 years old!

What you are up to these days:

you are wearing 24 month/2T clothes (they are a little big, but you need the length)
you wear size 4 diapers
you really don't seem at all interested in potty training, so we are going to wait a few months
your hair is finally long enough to put into little bity pigtails (and Daddy loves it!)
you are starting to talk so much more (even if Mommy is the only one who can understand you, it still counts!)
you love Flintstone vitamins
you love to watch Caillou, Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo
you love to be outside
you still have your Hippo lovey
you sleep around 12 hours at night and take a 2 - 2 1/2 hour nap
you sleep in a big girl bed
you are starting to like Maddie Kate a little bit more (or you are at least protective of her)
your favorite thing to say is, "No Da-e!"
you barely eat enough to stay alive
you love water, sweet tea and any type of coke if you can get your hands on it
you love Hershey Bliss milk chocolate squares
you love chips (just like Mommy)

Meredith,

You are just the greatest litle girl in the entire world. You have no idea how much Mommy and Daddy love you, or how much everyone you meet loves you. We had no idea what we were in for when we had you. But I can tell you that it has been the best time of our life so far! You a re just the sweetest, funniest best girl!!! Happy Birthday our girl!

Sunday was Meredith's 2nd Birthday! We just had a small at home "party" because she is having her big birthday party in 2 weeks. We cooked out hamburgers and then had a cake from Sam's. I might have let it fall out of the back of the car when we got home, but that didn't matter. It tasted delicious. Meredith loved every bite!

Meredith and Daddy

Meredith and Mommy

Maddie Kate did not know what to think about that icing!

"No, Rocky!"

And these are some videos from the night. I couldn't decide which ones to put in, so I put them all in. I figure you are all family and all love her, so you will love watching!!!!

Meredith almost burned her lips off blowing out the candles. We may have to have a few trial runs before her party!

Just Playing Around!

2010-03-03T20:54:00.002-06:00

We finally cleaned the play room up a bit (we got rid of the couches and tables that were up there). Now that there is more floor space, we have been spending hours (HOURS) up there every day. The girls seem to have so much more fun now that they have a huge open space to play in. They play by themselves, together, and sometimes just by each other. There seems to be less fighting up there for some reason...

Meredith playing a tune!

Maddie Kate is cooking up something in the kitchen!

Playing by each other without hitting and screaming!

My little happy camper!

Madilyn loves to stand!

I just love that little smile!!!

Our New Tricks!

2010-02-28T20:22:00.002-06:00

Madilyn is now 8 months old. She has been crawling for almost 2 months. I guess that crawling on the main floor is not good enough for her anymore. She wants to go everywhere that Meredith does. Even upstairs to the game room. She may be tiny, but it is going to take more than a few stair to slow this baby girl down.

(Meredith did not like not being the center of attention)

The other night was a full moon. Michael took Meredith out to show her. On their way out the door, I jokingly told them to howl at the moon. Well, Michael showed her how and it only took one time for her to get it. She is so funny, now she doesn't even need the mood to howl!

We're Back!

2010-02-28T20:17:00.002-06:00

So, I am sure most of you have noticed that I have not been updating the blog. A few weeks went by that were hectic, and I just didn't have the time. Then Madilyn became mobile, and our days just seemed crazier and crazier. After bedtime, I was just so tired that I only felt like sitting and relaxing. Then I was just so far behind that it became more and more daunting to actually do. To make it easier on me, I have decided to just start fresh as of today. I am going to try to post every night. If there are days that I don't have anything, I will just go back over the last few months and post some of those pictures. Enjoy!!!

Smile!

2009-11-17T21:54:00.003-06:00

These are just some of my favorite pictures from the past month...

Mommy says that this is her favorite onesie of mine!

I told mommy that if she didn't strap me in I WOULD turn over!

Mommy has not been updating this blog very often. I think that she needs my help.

This is the neatest pumpkin house that I have ever seen!

Mommy told me that this is where she married daddy. Can you believe that they didn't invite me?

Cheetos...never leave home without them!

Are you looking at me?

(check out my shoes)

Manolo Blahnik...try Ziplock!

(Meredith put baggies on her feet. We don't know where or how she learned it.)

I snuck outside while mommy was making breakfast. If I can just get my sunglasses on, maybe she won't recognize me?

We are just hanging out watching cartoons while mommy makes the bed?

Sleeping Beauty!

2009-11-17T21:50:00.003-06:00

Madilyn really only sleeps when she is all swaddled up. The past few days, she has decided that our bed is just as comfy as being swaddled. She has fallen asleep when we have layed her down to do other things (while we are in the room...we don't leave that roly poly alone on a bed). She is so sweet that it almost makes me wish she slept with us...almost!

so sweet

Don't I look like my Daddy?!?

How Does She Live?

2009-11-17T21:36:00.002-06:00

I truly do not know how Meredith is still growing. She eats about 2 bites of food at her meals. About once a week, she will eat an entire meal, but the rest of the time she barely eats anything. I have even resorted to giving her not entirely healthy things (cookies, pudding, chips, etc.) and she will eat it once, and then start turning it down to0. I guess it must be true what they say....milk must really do a body good!

Mommy made me the best meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans!

(I will not eat it, but daddy says it is the best!)

(and yes, those are potatoes in my hair)

Not only did I put potatoes in my hair, I put some on the floor for Rocky!

Mommy was so proud, she thought I really ate those potatoes. I just put them in my chair!
(this is Meredith's new favorite spot to hide her food besides down her shirt!)

Fall!

2009-11-17T21:21:00.003-06:00

I know that it has been fall for a while now, but it is finally starting to feel like it. Meredith's new favorite thing to do is pick the berries off of bushes. Everytime that we go out into the from yard, she climbs in the flower beds, picks off as many as her little hand can hold, brings them to me, and then does it all over again. I am so happy that it has gotten cool enough to actually enjoy being outside!

I finally found the lowest spot to climb over.

I need to find just the right berry to pick!

Found it!

Last week, I raked up a pile of leaves for Meredith to play in. She knew exactly what to do without me even showing her. Happy Fall!

Bath Time!

2009-11-17T21:14:00.002-06:00

Madilyn loves to take baths. I have been giving her baths in the sink like I used to with Meredith, but she is super squirmy. I finally went out and bought a baby bath, and our bath time has become so much easier. I cannot wait until she is big enough to sit up on her own. She will really love her baths then!

No Free Rides!

2009-11-17T21:07:00.002-06:00

We decided that Meredith is old enough to start doing chores...ha! We have been letting her feed Rocky. She gets so excited and runs to help everytime we need to feed him. She is so funny...she is super careful not spill any of his food, but she throws the cup as soon as she is done instead of bringing it back to us. Hopefully she will be this excited to really do chores once she is old enough.

Chocolate Pudding!

2009-11-17T20:58:00.002-06:00

As many of you know, Meredith does not eat very many foods. I have been trying to find different things to give her for snacks. I bought her some chocolate pudding cups. She loved them! A few weeks ago, I was feeding Madilyn during snack time. Meredith obviously got bored with just eating the pudding and decided to paint herself. She was so covered in it that her arm actually stuck to her body. I had to rinse her off in the kitchen sink before I could bathe her. But she had fun, and that is what counts!

(I don't know why these pics are blurry, but you can still get an idea...)

YUMMY! This pudding looks as good as it tastes.

That mommy is so silly...she is trying to give me a shower in the kitchen sink!

Dallas World Aquarium

2009-10-29T20:57:00.007-05:00

Michael took off a few days this week so that we could just spend a little bit of time together. Monday, we were going to go to the Fort Worth Zoo, but it was a yucky, rainy day. Instead, we decided to go to the Dallas World Aquarium. Meredith really enjoyed looking at all the animals and fish. At the beginning, it is more bird and monkey exhibits. Mere would gasp and point everytime that she saw a bird (which was a lot). She loved getting to look at the fish since they were on her level. I cannot wait until she gets bigger and understands more. She seemed to have so much fun today that it can only get better!

monkey see...

monkey do...

Daddy and me in the jungle.

I wanted to grab that bird through these little holes, but Daddy stopped me!

I don't know why he got to put his hand in there and feed the bird. Nobody stopped him!

I will get through here!!!!

These turles are bigger than me!

Daddy is so silly. Like I could miss these guys!

Hi!

I want to show Daddy these fish, but he is trying to show me those fish.

Can you believe they left me in the stroller the whole time?!? At least I had my duck to keep me company.

Ooooooooh, look at those sharks!

That is a big one, but I am not scared because Daddy has me!

Fish Face

I love kitties.....meow, meow.

Look at this big cat Mommy!

(I am not looking because some crazy ladies were touching Madilyn!)

Saturdays with Daddy

2009-10-29T20:43:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday, Michael got up early and "winterized" the house. He put some of our outdoor summer stuff in the Jeep garage and he pulled out our outdoor heater. He had pulled out the Jeep and let Meredith play in it while he cleaned up.

Driving Daddy's Jeep!

Peek-a-Boo!

I cannot wait until I am big enough to drive this big Jeep!

Michael trimmed up some of the trees around the outdoor fireplace. Meredith obviously loves fires as much as her daddy does!

Cousins!

2009-10-29T20:35:00.002-05:00

Lauri and Olivia came over last week. The girls still don't really play, but they are just so cute together. I cannot wait until all three of them are a little older and we can go and do things. They are going to have the best time growing up together.

Maddie Kate and Olivia

Only Olivia would smile. Madilyn is always scrunched up and eating her hands.

And now Madilyn is done with this. Meredith wanted in on the action too!

Where is Meredith?

2009-10-22T12:23:00.004-05:00

Meredith loves getting to play outside. But it is not always an option now that Madilyn is here and it is not just the two of us in the day anymore. Now that we have the safety fence around the pool, we can let Meredith out for a little bit out a time withour having to constantly watch her. The other day I was unloading and reloading the dishwasher, so I opened the back door to let her play. As soon as I finished, I came out to play hide and seek with her.

(Don't worry, we don't just let her run free. The door was open and I kept going out every couple of minutes to check on her if I couldn't see her from the sink.)

Where is Meredith?

Here I am!

I'll come out from behind the fireplace now, don't worry.

Oh! I tricked you and went behind it instead. I am so funny!!!

Ooooh, this is just the right size for me!

Mommy found me!

Good Morning!

2009-10-22T12:10:00.004-05:00

Tuesday morning, Madilyn woke up kind of early. Now that she is waking up again in the night, it is a lot harder for me to be up and ready. Meredith was still sleeping, so Madilyn and I just layed in bed and snuggled. She loved laying up on the pillows. She just cooed and smiled. I get annoyed sometimes when I am so tired and she wakes up early, but then the moments like this make it totally worth it.

Mmm, I love to chew on my blankie. It tastes almost as good as my bottle.

Now this is the life....laying in a comfly bed, had my bottle, and watching GMA with mommy. A baby girl could get used to this.

That mommy is so silly. I just love playing with her in the mornings!

Maddie Kate

2009-10-19T21:19:00.003-05:00

Madilyn is becoming so animated. She really seems to get going right before bedtime. At night, we let her lay in her diaper or naked and kick around. She gets so excited, and her little arms and legs kick so fast. She doesn't even look like a real baby when she does it. It is so cute and funny.

(she is normally way more animated than this, but the camera was distracting her a bit)

Cheetos!

2009-10-19T20:26:00.004-05:00

Ok, I am sure that many of you have noticed the lack of new posts for a few weeks. And I am almost sure that you have noticed because the tens of people that read this blog everyday have mentioned it. Anyways, we finally bought a new camera after ours met an early end (Meredith threw it across the room, and the camera did not survive).

So while you have all been missing the blog, Meredith has been missing her Cheetos. At some point everyday, she runs to the door that leads out to the pantry and bangs on it. Once I let her out, she goes and bangs on her pantry door (since we have 3 pantries, Mere and Mad have their own). She will then get out the bag of Cheeto Puffs and eat as many as she can before I decide that she has had enough. We ran out a few days ago, and I just kept forgetting to pick some more up. She missed them desperately. Michael and I went to Target Sunday night and restocked her. She got a bit cranky that evening, so I gave her a handful while I did dishes. You can actually see her mood change from not so happy to very happy!

I am not so happy, but all these Cheetos are helping. Since it took me so long to get some new ones, I am not going to let one of these go!

Happier...

So happy now!

Roll Over!

2009-09-27T20:36:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, Maddie Kate rolled over from her back to her tummy. She has been rolling onto her sides for a while. This past week or so, she has been getting further and further over. Her little arm kept getting in her way. She finally figured out how to get over it.

She is so funny once she gets over, though. When you lay her down for tummy time, she will pop herself up and look around. When she rolls over, she doesn't seem to understand to do that. She just mushes her face into the ground and gets sooooo mad! When you flip her back onto her back, she immediately flips over again. This was cute, but is now getting a bit old. She is starting to get a little better about trying to push herself up, so hopefully soon she will not get quite so angry.

Bananas!

2009-09-27T20:28:00.004-05:00

As many of you know, Meredith is not the best eater. She is getting better, but it is still a chore. I am determined to get her to eat more fruit and veggies. This week's afternoon snack is bananas. I have given them to her everyday at snack time just hoping that she will eat them. I did this a few weeks ago with grapes. We tried them everyday, and then one day she started eating them faster than I could get them to her.

Today, I decided to try to jazz up the bananas to see if that would make them more appealing. I put a little drizzle of chocolate syrup on them. Meredith licked every bit of chocolate off and did not eat one banana. Her face looks as though I gave her just a bowl full of syrup. It was seriously the tiniest drizzle. She made the most of what she got!

These look like thos bananas, but there is something on them. Maybe I will give them a try!

Those bananas are still yucky, but whatever mommy put on them is delicious!!!!

I think I am a little full of chocolate!

Oh goodness! Did I make myself this messy?

(yes I am still in jammies, it was one of those days)

Big Girl!

2009-09-27T20:22:00.003-05:00

Maddie Kate is getting so big. She loves to sit up or stand in our laps all the time. I have never seen a baby that likes to be upright more than she does. Michael always jokes that if we could find something to hold her up at night, she could sleep like that. Today, I decided to try the bumbo seat. I wasn't sure if she would be able to do. But she is a big girl and she did just fine.

Hmmm.....I like to sit up, but I don't know about doing it on my own!

Ok, this is not so bad!

I really like to sit in this seat. Mommy tried to take me out to rest my neck, but I cried. So she put me back.

All that sitting wore me out. I took a nap with mommy in her bed this afternoon.

I am so peaceful in my swaddle. Sometimes, I like to break my hand out to suck on my thumb.

These Boots Were Made for Walking!

2009-09-27T20:18:00.002-05:00

Mimi bought Meredith some rain boots. We put them on her this morning. They came up pretty high on her little calves and she could barely walk in them. She was so stiff legged, almost like that Seinfeld episode where Kramer tried to wear jeans. Michael and I both laughed so hard!

For Your Viewing Pleasure

2009-09-27T20:10:00.002-05:00

Just some fun photos!

Why is mommy bathing me in the sink?

This is my new Halloween nightgown. Mommy and Daddy laugh everytime I wear it.
(I am thinking hard about going to bed!)

Are these skulls on my jammies?!?

Just doing a little tummy time with my daddy!

Nobody Puts Mere In a Box!

2009-09-27T18:25:00.003-05:00

We stocked up on diapers the other night. After we emptied out the box that Madilyn's diapers come in, Meredith decided to climb on in. It was a tiny box. I cannot believe that she could squeeze herself in!

All packed up!

Ok, maybe I am ready to get out now. It is a little harder getting out than getting in.

There! I made it!!!

Trouble is Mere's Name!

2009-09-27T18:13:00.003-05:00

Meredith is nothing but trouble lately. She is very strong willed and always knows what she wants. She doesn't care if it seems impossible, she will find a way to do what she wants.

The other day, she wanted my Cherry Coke. I wouldn't let her have it and put it up on the counter. After folding some clothes, I took them back to my room and laid them on the bed. I didn't even put them away, just put them on the bed and came back. In that short amount of time, Meredith got the coke. She pushed her high chair over to the counter, climbed up on the bar on the back, and grabbed it. She was sitting in the chair looking like the cat that got the cream!

And I did take it away, but not before I took pictures.

Mmmmm, this is as good as I knew it would be!

See Mommy, I wanted your drink and I got it!

Meredith always surprises me with what she is able to do. She loves to turn on light switches and the alarm. I always hold her up to the lights when we walk into a dark room and let her turn them off when we leave. Whenever we get home, I help her push the buttons to turn off or on the alarm. Well, I guess she decided that she was tired of waiting on me and decided to do it herself.

This chest makes a great step stool!

There, I turned on the light!

Dress Up!

2009-09-20T21:55:00.003-05:00

Ok, this skirt is a bit over the top. Nana bought it for Meredith during winter, and it finally fits her. I thought she should get a little use out of it before summer is over. I think that it is so cute and frilly. I didn't know how Meredith would feel about it, but she loved it. As soon as she was dressed in the morning, she just twirled around. It was so cute that she immediately knew to do that. I guess she is a girl after my own heart!

Hmmm, Madilyn is playing in that neat gym. Do I keep cooking in my kitchen or do I go and kick her out?

Oh, Mommy turned on Caillou to distract me. My belly is full of mac-n-chees and it makes my skirt ride a little low!

Sitting pretty!

(Caillou works every time)

I love standing on the refridgerator door. Mommy always says "no no", but I say "yes yes"

Obviously, I am the winner!

Play Time!

2009-09-20T21:49:00.003-05:00

I finally pulled the play gym out for Madilyn. She absolutely loves it. She will lay for at least an hour and just kick around. She has figured out how to grab the animals if she is close to them. She just looks and coos. It is so sweet!

However, this fun comes at some expense. Meredith does not like having to share this toy at all. She kicked Madilyn in the head the first time it was out. Everyone is okay, and Meredith has learned her lesson. The next day when Madilyn was playing, I looked over and Meredith immediately started rubbing her head and giving her kisses. I can't wait to see what happens when the jump-a-roo makes it's appearance.

Ooooh, what are these lights and animals?

Oh, I can grab this bird!

Meredith Just Being Meredith

2009-09-16T21:19:00.004-05:00

Meredith has such a little personality. Today, she was just into doing her own thing. Every time that I would try and take her picture, she would run away, scream, or just ignore me. This afternoon, I decided to just take some action shots of her being her.

This little outfit she has on is so cute. Michael's neighbors from Illinois gave it to us. Meredith was the same age as Madilyn is now when we got it. I just remember thinking that she would never be big enough to wear it, and now here she is. She is just getting so big.

taking a stroll

get this off of my neck

Mommy tried to brush my hair, but I took the brush.

Ooooh, what can I find back here?

Wait a minute, I found something.

It's my yardstick/vacuum.

(Meredith likes to push this around on the floors like a vacuum. She has a play one, but this is apparently better.)

I had turned Caillou on for Meredith. He is like her drug. As you can tell, she only gets to watch him in short amounts. I think she could watch him all day if I let her. You might even get lucky enough to witness a mini-tantrum at the end!

Tummy Time!

2009-09-16T16:45:00.003-05:00

We have been practicing our tummy time in the afternoons. Madilyn is getting really good at holding her head up for a few minutes. Today was really not a good example. She was apparently too milk drunk (see post below) to even hold up her head. I just love when she is on her tummy though because she makes the cutest noises. That is really what the video is for, so that you can hear her little moans.

On a side note, you should NEVER do tummy time after a bottle - we just learned that the hard way!

Milk Drunk!

2009-09-16T16:38:00.002-05:00

In the afternoons, Madilyn has started taking a fairly long nap (and it is at the same time as Meredith's!!!!!). However, once she wakes up and flashes all of her smiles at you, she is HUNGRY! She goes from cute, sweet, smiley Maddie Kate to screaming her head off. It is a little bit funny how upset she gets. It is almost like she is so mad that you let her get this hungry. I have learned to have the bottle ready to avoid it. Today, she must have been extra hungry because she drank all 4 ounces in 7 minutes. She didn't even stop to burp. After she finished, she couldn't even hold her head a little bit straight. She was seriously "milk drunk"!

That was a good bottle!

Fat and Happy!

Seriously!

Naptime!

2009-09-15T19:11:00.004-05:00

Madilyn is just so cute and sweet when she wakes up from a nap. Now that she is really smiling, she gets so excited when you look over the edge of the pack and play at her. Meredith just loves when she hears her start to move around. She runs to the room, climbs in the chair beside the bed, and peeks over at Madilyn. Sometimes she tries to poke her, sometimes she talks to her, and sometimes she just runs around in the chair.

I just woke up and I am so happy to see my mommy!

After she unswaddles me, I have to stretch out my arms!

Oh, that feels so good to stretch!

I have been asleep a while and now I am starving!

I guess if Mommy isn't going to feed me, I'll have to eat my blanket!

This is what I get to see most days when she wakes up now. It is one of the best part of my days!

Play Date with Olivia!

2009-09-10T16:25:00.004-05:00

Lauri and I have decided to start getting together on Thursdays. That gives us a chance to get out and see an adult, and it gives the girls a chance to get to play together. They came over here this week, and for our first get together, I think it went very well. Lunch was a little nutty, but other than that it was all good. I cannot wait until all of the girls are big enough to play together.

Here is Miss Olivia!

(I just want to bite her, she is sooooo cute!!!)

Madilyn and Olivia
(this is pretty much the extent of their play)

They are just too cute. Madilyn always looks so serious, and Olivia looks like she is a bit milk drunk!

Meredith giving Olivia a kiss!

(It was just a really quick kiss, but it totally looks like Mere is laying one on her!)

Doctor's Appointments

2009-09-08T17:06:00.003-05:00

Meredith and Madilyn had their 18 month and 2 month well baby check-ups today. It went pretty smoothly. Everyone is growing good and doing really well. Mere had to get one shot and then the flu shot. Madilyn had to get 3 shots and an oral vaccine. Thank goodness Mimi went with me. It got a little crazy after the shots with both girls crying.

Meredith

weight - 21 pounds, 6 ounces (15%)

height - 32 1/4 inches (45%)

head - 46.2 cm (45%)

Madilyn

weight - 9 pounds, 11 ounces (10%)

height - 22 1/2 inches (40%)

head - 38.9 cm (25%)

Meredith loving Madilyn

I just thought that Maddie Kate looks so cute in this outfit!

After she got some Tylenol, she was a happy girl!

18 Months Old!!!

2009-09-08T16:52:00.004-05:00

Meredith Grace.....you are 18 months old!

What you are up to these days:

*you are 21 pounds, 6 ounces and 32 1/4 inches tall

*you wear size 12-18 month clothes

*you wear size 4 diapers

*you drink milk, juice and water (and if you can get your hands on a coke, you will drink that faster than I can blink!)

*you have 12 teeth and are about to get 2 more

*you play so well by yourself, and get mad if you Mommy interrupts you

*you love Cailou and Elmo's World

*you still eat hardly anything (we are amazed that you survive!)

*you still don't say many words, just jabber jabber jabber

*you completely understand everything we say to you though

*you have started throwing serious tantrums

*your laugh has changed again, it is like a real little kid now, but still the sweetest noise in the world

*you sleep 8-8, and still take a 2-3 hour nap in the day

*you are just happy ALL the time (unless we tell you no)

*you love to be scared

*you have such a sense of humor already

*you are a girly girl - you play with my makeup, jewelry, bows, really anything that screams girl

*you may be girly, but you love toy cars

*you are Daddy's girl

*every day Daddy and Mommy are amazed at just how perfect you are

*we love you more than words

Now that Meredith is a "big" girl, she hates to sit and have her picture made. This is just a sample of what it was like to get the picture at the top...

Garanimals!

2009-09-05T20:20:00.002-05:00

I was trying to get a video of Madilyn smiling and "talking". While I was doing it, a commercial came on tv for garanimals. Meredith loves this commercial. She sort of hijacked the video, but Madilyn wasn't really into it anyway. I will try for her later, but here is Mere!

Sisters

2009-09-05T20:06:00.002-05:00

When I was trying to take Madilyn's two month picture, Meredith climbed up in the chair. She was loving on Mad, but every time I tried to snap a picture, she would pull away. Meredith can always get Madilyn to smile. I hope that they are always this sweet to each other.

Baby Got a New Pair of Shoes!

2009-09-05T19:52:00.002-05:00

I went shopping today for the girls. I was looking for Mere a black pair of Mary Janes, and I found these. I think that they are absolutely precious!

Two Months Old!!!

2009-09-05T19:42:00.003-05:00

Madilyn Kate...you are two months old!!!

What you are up to:

*you are wearing 0-3 month clothes (and still a few newborns)

*you are wearing size 1 diapers

*you are eating 3-4 ounces every 3 hours

*at night, you are sleeping better and better (we have had a couple of 10-7 nights, but you normally go from 9:30 to 4:30, then 7:30)

*you LOVE to be swaddled, the tighter the better

*you really smile now

*you are starting to make noises back when we talk to you

*you love to rock in your swings (yes, you have 2)

*in the morning, when I hear you moving in the bed and I look over at you, you grin so big

*you still sleep in our room

*you are off and on with your paci

*you are crying less (we went through a bit of a rough patch)

*Mommy is finally starting to get the hang of this two baby thing (it only takes us 1 1/2 hours to get out of the house now!!!!)

*every day you are cuter than the day before

*Daddy calls you Mad or Maddie, and Mommy still calls you Maddie Kate

*Daddy and Mommy love you more than we ever thought we could love a baby

This is your new favorite swing. It is a travel swing so Mommy can carry you all over the house. You love it because Meredith cannot grab your feet when I put you up on the island in it.

Your great-grannie bought it for you.

(I do realize that Madilyn has been two months old for almost two weeks now, but better late than never!)

Movie Star!

2009-09-05T19:36:00.002-05:00

Last week, I felt adventerous and took both girls out shopping. We went to HomeGoods and Hobby Lobby. I was also feeling creative and looking for some things to put on my island and on my dining room table. It was a little chaotic, but not too bad.

Since Meredith was such a good girl, I picked her up a feather boa at Hobby Lobby. She wore it all over the store. Everyone stopped to tell her how cute she was. She played with it a little when we got home, and she hasn't touched it since then - except to pick the feathers out of it.

If I am going to be a movie star, I need these sunglasses also!

Milk and Cookies!

2009-09-01T19:48:00.002-05:00

Most nights after dinner, Daddy and Meredith share a little dessert. Tonight after dinner, Daddy thought it would be a good idea to have milk and cookies. So did Meredith! It made such a mess, but Meredith had sooooo much fun. And Daddy was a good Daddy and cleaned the mess so that Mommy wouldn't have to. And yes, she is naked again because there was so much food on her from dinner.

Safety First!!!

2009-09-01T15:18:00.002-05:00

Last week, Meredith escaped out of the dog door. I had just sat down to feed Madilyn and Meredith was playing with Rocky and Rudy (Michael's parent's dog). They were being so loud, then I heard the dogs run out, then there was dead silence. I called Meredith already knowing that she wouldn't answer. I laid Madilyn down on the couch and ran outside. Mere was standing on the wall of the spa. She smiled so big and said hi when I got out. Needless to say, we had a safety fence put in by the end of the week. I love it! It completely surrounds the pool, but leaves the yard open. It is just such a peace of mind not to have to worry every time that there is a moment of silence that she is at the bottom of the pool.

Just Floating!

2009-09-01T15:08:00.004-05:00

Meredith really loves to play in the pool with Daddy. The other day, they played out for such a long time. I went out to see what they were doing and Meredith was just floating around the pool. As most of you have noticed, she always swims naked. We have plenty of cute suits for her, but I guess her birthday one is her favorite!

just haning in my float

Meredith and Daddy having fun!

Just Some Extras!

2009-09-01T14:58:00.003-05:00

I always have extra pictures that really don't need a whole post of their own. Here are a some of my favorites from August!

Bath Time

Madilyn LOVES taking baths. I prop up her sponge in my utility room sink and she just kicks back and relaxes. Meredith stands on a chair beside me and "helps".

Madilyn loves sleeping on her Daddy!

I left Madilyn in the chair while I was getting her clothes for the day. Meredith decided to jump on in and start cleaning the breakfast off of herself!

Even though Meredith got in the chair with Madilyn, she doesn't want Maddie Kate to touch her. That would be awful!

Maddie hanging out with her lovey and paci! The two best friends a baby girl could have!

Running From Mommy!

2009-09-01T14:52:00.002-05:00

In the mornings, actually any time of the day, Meredith hates getting her diaper changed. She runs away every single time. Since Madilyn came home, I have a new diaper changing rule during the week when I am by myself. If one person gets a new diaper, everyone gets a new diaper. Meredith knows that as soon as I sit down with the basket and call her what it means. She runs off and hides.

I better get away before Mommy gets me!

Good, she can't see me behind this bear!

Mere's go to spot is behind the swing.

Okay Mommy, I will come out now!

Mommy's Little Helper

2009-09-01T14:49:00.003-05:00

Meredith pretty much destroys the kitchen whenever I am cooking lunch or dinner. I thought that maybe if I put her to work, it would help there to be less of a mess. While that is not exactly the case, she seems to have a lot of fun. She just doesn't understand not to throw the spoon or whisk when she is done "stirring". (I let her stir after I get everything mixed together.)

Stirring up the sauce for my mac and cheese!

I had a very important phone call to take. It is so hard being like Mommy sometimes!

Seeing Cori!

2009-09-01T14:43:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite parts of going to Illinois was getting to see my very best friend Cori. We got to spend the whole day together while everyone was at the golf game. Even though we talk almost every day, it is still not the same as getting to see her. I know that we will probably never live in the same town or even state again, but how I wish I could just pop over and spend the day with her whenever I felt like it.

Madilyn does not like this!

Oh, that's better. At least no one is crying!

I am going to kiss you, Brienna!!!!

(there are no pictures of Cori and me because none of the girls could work a camera)

Visiting Nana!

2009-09-01T14:28:00.003-05:00

We went to Geneva to visit my mom, Beolan, and Jake. There is a golf tournament that Michael & my mom play in every year. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to go visit, especially because now that there are two girls, flying will be a little bit harder by myself.

We had so much fun while we were up. In all of the excitement, we didn't take too many pictures. Next time (in October for Cori's wedding), we will be sure to take tons of pics.

Meredith on the plane. We brought a portable DVD player and she watched Elmo's World. It was a lifesaver.

Madilyn and Daddy
(Mad's first plane ride!)

Madilyn laying in my lap. We did a lot of juggling around...

Madilyn talking to her Nana!

Nana, Aunt Caley, Meredith and Madilyn

(Mere's clothes were covered in food as usual...that is why she is naked a lot!)

Being silly with Nana!

Madilyn loves her Uncle Jake!

Uncle Jake loves Madilyn!

Uncle Jake kissing Mere!

(Meredith was being silly and wouldn't take her picture with Jake. This is a picture from last Thanksgiving.)

That Uncle Jake is soooo silly!

Aunt Caley Visits!

2009-09-01T14:14:00.003-05:00

Caley came to visit us a few weeks ago. We were planning a trip up to Chicago. Caley had been wanting to come hang out for a little in the summer, but doesn't really like to fly by herself. She came down and stayed a few days with us before we all headed up north.

The girls loved having their Aunt Caley here. Mere especially loved having someone who was willing to do any of her silly games. I loved it because it gave me an extra pair of hands to pass Madilyn along to when she really needed to be walked around. We love Caley to death, but she is not the most maternal. Maybe one day she will be. At least Madilyn taught her a couple of things!

Madilyn left her mark on Caley!!!

Aunt Caley and Madilyn

(she still loves her, even after the spit up)

What a Lucky Wife!

2009-09-01T14:08:00.002-05:00

While I was getting my hair cut a few weekends ago, I came home and found that Michael had bought me these beautiful flowers. He even arranged them in the vase. These flowers lasted so long and he has continued to buy them for me. So now, I always have fresh flowers. It is so great!

Michael and Meredith had also made a trip to Sam's and picked up these little condiment cups. I know it may be silly, but I love them. Meredith does too. She loves to put her ketchup, ranch, or any other dipper in them.

17 Months Old!!!

2009-08-11T12:35:00.004-05:00

Meredith Grace....you are 17 months old!

What you are up to

*you love to eat - guacamole, chicken nuggets, fries, tater tots, poppy seed chicken, oreos, macaroni & cheese, any kind of chip or cracker, cheese, ketchup, and ranch (that is really about it - I have no idea how you survive!)

*you sleep from 8 - 8 and take a 2-3 hour nap every day

*you have 12 teeth

*you love to brush those teeth

*you especially love toothbrushes

*you love to play in the pool with Daddy

*you love to read books, play puzzles, play with babies, and balls

*you are a super snuggle bug - you give lots of hugs and kisses

*you can say "Mama", "Da" (for Daddy or Rocky), "Hello" (it sounds more like "eh-yo" and you do it every time the phone rings)

*you love to play chase with Mommy, especially when I jump out and scare you

*you have the sweetest laugh Mommy and Daddy have ever heard

*you love Elmo's World

*you can hear airplanes when they fly over and you point up to them

*you love to play outside

*you pretend to be a big girl and drink out of big girl cups when we let you

*you like to get to start the washer/dryer on laundry days

*you love to play in the refrigerator/freezer

*you eat more ice than is humanly possible

*we think that you are the smartest, funniest girl in the world

*you love Madilyn (you look for her every morning)

*Daddy and Mommy love you more than our hearts can hold!

here is what it was like trying to get a picture....she wouldn't be still or hold the month sign up

I am going to climb out of this chair!

I am so embarrassed! If I just hide my face, Mommy won't see me.

I am going to get Mommy and that camera!

Now, I am just going to ignore Mommy!

A Happy Maddie Kate!

2009-08-11T12:28:00.002-05:00

Madilyn is not always in the happiest mood. It has taken some time, but we have finally found a few tricks that will calm her down and get her happy again. She is just so sweet when she is in a good mood. She is even sweet when she is not, but those little smiles are just so much sweeter.

I couldn't just pick a few pictures, they were all way too cute.

I am NOT happy!

After Mommy finally took that bow out of my hair and swaddled me tight, I fell asleep. I actually think this makes Mommy happier than me...

I love to be held upright. Daddy has finally perfected this position.

Mommy made me so made when she took my picture!

It's okay, Daddy know just what to do.

Keep going....

Ahhhh, I am happy again!

And A Maddie Kate Post

2009-08-05T09:34:00.003-05:00

Since I had a whole post about the funny things Mere does, I thought Miss Madilyn should have her own post. This is about the extent of her activity right now (unless you count the hours and hours of shrieking that have been going on).

Meredith Just Makes Me Laugh

2009-08-05T09:10:00.004-05:00

Meredith is becoming quite the funny girl. She has really started to do things that she knows are funny. It is so neat to just be able to watch her personality start coming out. Every day she does something that I think it is just the cutest and funniest. Then, she will outdo that the next day. I wish I could always have a camera ready, but since I don't, here are a few funnies I caught.

The other day, she pulled a basket out of the cabinet and put it on her head.

She loves to load her body down with whatever she can find. If it has a hole, she can use it as a necklace, a bracelet, or a purse.

Today, I was trying to get a jump start on the day and do some laundry. Meredith decided to "help". She was pulling out any of the clothes that she could possible put on her head. Unfortunately, that happens to be some of my personals, but this was just too cute not to share.

Some Days

2009-07-31T09:23:00.006-05:00

Just a few days of our life...

After our play date (breakfast) the other day, Meredith wanted my Dr. Pepper. After I finished, I just filled it with apple juice. Sometimes she just acts like a big person and it makes me laugh.

Daddy hanging out with his girls and watching tv.

Madilyn DOES NOT like the show that Meredith picked!!!

Yesterday was a very lonnnnnnng day. Maddie Kate only slept about 45 minutes from the time she woke up at 7:15. She is not a super fussy baby, but yesterday she just wanted to be walked around all day. By the time Michael got home from his long day at work, I was tired and so was this baby girl. She finally crashed out on Daddy's legs around 8:00.

(Meredith was so good all day. It is like the two of them have a pact that only one will have a bad day. I really appreciate it!)

Nose Kisses

2009-07-28T21:04:00.003-05:00

I have been working for weeks and weeks trying to get Meredith to do nose (Eskimo) kisses. I always say "nosies nosies" to her, but she will pinch, poke, or pick my nose. Well, yesterday, Boppie managed to teach her in about five minutes. Meredith is all about Boppy and he can get her to do pretty much anything.

Meredith giving Mimi nose kisses.

I am sure that this made Mimi's day. When Boppie is around, Meredith treats everyone (and I mean everyone) like they are nonexistant. I know that Mimi just soaked in this burst of love from Mere.

Olivia Ann Griffith

2009-07-28T20:58:00.003-05:00

The girls finally have a cousin! We are all so excited to welcome this new little girl to our family. Olivia Ann was born on July 27. She weighed 6 pounds and 11 ounces, and she was 19 inches long. The whole family has been awaiting the birth of "Baby G". Since Lauri and Casey did not find out what they were having it was a very nice suprise when we found out it was a girl. Lauri, Casey, and Olivia are all doing great!!!!

Miss Olivia

The Griffith Family
(how great does Lauri look ???)

The two baby cousins. They look very similar.

GIRLS CLUB!!!!

Fiesta!

2009-07-27T14:08:00.002-05:00

Meredith love, love, LOVES guacamole. She could seriously eat an entire pack of it at a time. Last night we had fajitas for dinner and Meredith got to have an appetizer of chips and guac. The chips are mainly like a spoon to get the guacamole to her mouth a little faster. Since it wasn't bath night, Michael took her for a swim to rinse off. We have also learned to feed guacamole topless to avoid stained shirts.

Family Visitors

2009-07-27T13:43:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, my dad, Amanda, Audrey, Riley, and my grandparents came to visit. They only stayed for a few hours, but everyone enjoyed getting to see the girls. Meredith loved getting to have some extra attention.

Paw Paw and Grammy with Madilyn

just monkeying around

Aunt Audrey let Meredith play with her phone...one of Mere's favorite things.

Paw Paw and the girls

Paw, Paw Paw and the girls

1 Month Old!!!

2009-07-27T13:34:00.004-05:00

Madilyn Kate....you are one month old!

What You Are Up To...

*you are wearing newborn size clothes (or anything that is up to 7-8 lbs)

*you are wearing newborn diapers

*you drink 3 oz of formula every 3 hours

*your first stretch of sleep at night is around 4 hours and then every 3 after that

*you stay awake more than any new baby I have ever seen...2-4 hour stretches at a time

*you have this wise look about you that makes me laugh

*you love a paci

*you love to hang out in the sling, it makes you fall asleep everyime mommy carries you in it

*you HATE riding in the carseat...it sounds like we are torturing in the back seat

(needless to say, we don't get out much in the day)

*your sister loves to give you kisses, poke your eyes, and steal your paci...she really does love you, even if it doesn't always seem like it

*you are so tiny...at 2 weeks you weighed 6lbs, 12oz, so I would guess you are around 7 1/2 lbs or less right now

*Daddy calls you Maddie a lot

*Mommy likes to call you Maddie Kate, because it sounds like patty cake

We all love you so much and are so thankful everyday that you are in our lives.

A Little Bit of Mommy Fun

2009-07-27T13:28:00.004-05:00

The other morning, I put Madilyn in Meredith's baby stroller just for fun. Meredith thought it was the greatest thing ever. Her little face got so excited. I let her push her around for a few minutes (I was within touching distance the whole time). Madilyn didn't scream her head off, so I assume she enjoyed it a little.

Meredith's 1st Haircut!

2009-07-27T13:18:00.003-05:00

Meredith had her first haircut the other day. I know what many of you are thinking. She doesn't have enough hair to cut. While it is not really long, she had a sort of mullett/mohawk thing going on in the back. More than one person made the mullett comment. For future refrence, that is not something a mother wants to hear unless her goal is to actually have a child with a mullett. We just had it trimmed up in the back to make it a little more even.

(Michael couldn't find the camera in my bag at first, so most of the pictures are on his phone. As soon as I get those uploaded to my computer, I will add them. Here are just a few to give you an idea.)

This is Meredith right after. She was so happy to be out of the chair and get the cape off of her.

Here she is picking out her candy for being a good girl.

She loved the grape sucker that she picked out. I think she was more excited that we actually let her eat it.

Here we are at home after we got back. I made the girls wear matching outfits.

Can't a Baby Girl Get Some Sleep?!?

2009-07-27T13:10:00.002-05:00

Madilyn is finally getting into somewhat of a routine...or as much of a routine as a 4 week old can be in. I am trying to start a little bit better of sleep habits with her than I had with Meredith. I put her in her pack-n-play during nap time. Meredith loves to run in the room and go "Shhhhh..." whenever she is asleep. Of course, immediately afterwards she will shake the bed and scream at her. She still hasn't quite grasped that shhhhh is more than putting your finger to your mouth...you actually have to be quiet afterwards.

When Madilyn wakes up from a nap to eat, it takes her a while to actually get awake. She stretches and grunts, falls back asleep, and repeats for some time. It probably isn't that long, but in the middle of the night when it wakes me up, I wish she would just wake up already so we could get back to sleep. In the day, though, it is so cute to watch.

We Have a Paci Thief!

2009-07-27T13:02:00.002-05:00

Madilyn is somewhat of a paci baby. She seems to really like it, but more importantly, I really like it. It has been quite the lifesaver when I have both girls needing attention at once. The other day, Madilyn was asleep in her lounger sucking her paci and Meredith was playing while I made lunch. She started crying and when I went to her, the paci was gone. I looked everywhere that I thought her little mouth would have been able to spit it. I gave up and gave her another one. About five minutes later, it happened again. I started to suspect that Meredith might be involved in this one. Of course when I asked her, she said, "No, no, no." Since that is all she can really say, I don't know what I was expecting. It happened one more time, and I finally gave up the paci fight.

Well, when I was picking up toys during nap, this is what I found...

Meredith had been stashing them in her baby stroller. She also managed to sneak a tomato out of the refrigerator. She is so fast and sneaky sometimes that I just know we are in for trouble in a few years.

Sometimes There Just Aren't Enough Mommies

2009-07-14T20:58:00.003-05:00

It really has not been too difficult adjusting to having two kids. But....sometimes, it does get a little (lot) bit hectic when both girls are crying, when I really need to get something done, or especially when it is time to fix Meredith breakfast, lunch or a snack and Madilyn is hungry at the same time.

Well, today I finally finally got caught up on laundry. I have been washing and folding all day. This afternoon, I set my basket of the girls' clothes at the bottom of the stairs to go up. Then I had to feed Madilyn. This is what happened...

Maddie Kate ate and thankfully fell asleep.

Meredith decided that this was as good a place as any to unload the clothes. She was with me until the last half ounce of the bottle, but she doesn't need much time to do anything.

And this is part of the fit that she threw when I made her stop throwing clothes everywhere.

Some days, I just wish I had another mommy (or ten) in the house.

My Two Girls

2009-07-10T20:44:00.008-05:00

Since I found out that we were having another girl, I have been so excited to dress them in matching outfits. I finally did yesterday. Meredith would not pose for a picture next to Madilyn and I was so scared to get them too close. Meredith is very good around her, but you never know.

Maddie Kate in her outfit...

and Meredith in hers.

She is so tiny that she can use her lovey as a blanket.

Meredith all blinged out.

I let Meredith draw on paper while I fed Madilyn. This is what she did instead.

Meredith loves her little sister. She "talks" so sweet to her.

She loves to give her kisses.

Madilyn's First "Bath"

2009-07-10T20:37:00.003-05:00

Madilyn had her first bath last week. It was really more of a sponge bath because she still had her cord on her belly. It went much better than Meredith's first bath. She didn't scream nearly as much as Mere did (or nearly as much as some of these pictures make it seem).

This isn't so bad...

nevermind, it is horrible!

Meredith was such a helper. She thought that it would really help if she pulled all of the markers out of the junk drawer.

Finally, Mommy wrapped me in a towel so that I could get warm.

All done and fast asleep.

Happy July 4th!!!

2009-07-10T20:24:00.002-05:00

We had a very uneventful July 4th. I am sure that is really no suprise to any of you considering the fact that we have a new baby. Laurie and Casey came over, and they brought food. It was so nice to not have to have anything ready and just have someone else do it. I definitely did not take advantage of everyone's help when Meredith was born, so I am cashing in on it now. Meredith had so much fun playing in the pool with Michael and Casey. Since it was sooooo hot, I stayed in with the baby (and since Lauri is soooo pregnant, she stayed in with us too.)

Every time that I come outside when Mere is in the pool, she wants to get out.

Meredith LOVED eating watermelon!

monkey see, monkey do

Meredith loved imitating Michael spitting out the seeds. She had no idea what he was doing, but she thought it was funny to act like him.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!!!!!

2009-07-10T20:03:00.006-05:00

These are just some photos of Madilyn's first few days and visitors.

Our girl is here!

Madilyn and Daddy's first official photo

Madilyn and Mommy's first official photo
(please excuse my appearance, it was the best I could look after labor)

Dr. Speight and Madilyn
(she was such a great doctor)

Madilyn and Nana

Madilyn, Paw Paw, and Grammy

Madilyn, Audrey, and Riley

Madilyn and Pop-pop

Madilyn, Aunt Lola and Uncle Casey

Madilyn, Mimi and Boppie

trying to get a burp out of this baby

our first morning home

Meredith adjusted very well to her new sister, no setbacks at all...

(she actually is adjust very well, this was just a funny pic)

Madilyn Kate Hejl

2009-06-26T20:48:00.005-05:00

Madilyn Kate is finally here! She was born on Tuesday, June 24th at 2:58 am. She weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces and was 18 inches long.

(this is just a quick post, I promise I will do a more in depth one with lots more pictures soon)

Here we are ready to go in and have this baby girl!

The party/contractions are starting...

My nurse was the greatest...a little action shot of her!

Here she is!!!!!

All bundled up!

Daddy and his girls!

Mommy and her girls!

Just Hanging Around the House!

2009-06-18T19:11:00.003-05:00

Meredith has been a little under the weather the past couple of days. We have just kind of layed low around the house in hopes that she would feel better. It seems to have worked. She is almost back to the little girl I know and love.

I let Meredith lay on the bed while I folded clothes. She must have loved how warm that they were from the dryer. She kept covering herself up with them.

Meredith has decided that these are her favorite of the week. The bear and one of the bunnies are bigger than she is. She loves to drag them around or just sit and love on them.

Pregnancy Update

2009-06-18T19:08:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I had my 37 week appointment. Everything went really well. I am now 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced. I am just so happy to be making progress. It makes how uncomfortable I am totally worth it. On Tuesday, I had an ultrasound to check the growth of Madilyn. Right now she is measuring about 7 pounds, 3 ounces. My fluid was a little bit low. I go back next Tuesday for another ultrasound and my 38 week appointment. I kind of hope that I make it to those appointments, but I also kind of hope that this baby girl decides to make her arrival before then. I guess we'll just see what happens!

Skinny Dipping!

2009-06-16T19:47:00.003-05:00

Meredith had a pretty rough afternoon. She slept in really late this morning. Her Mimi and Aunt Lola came to watch her while I went to a doctor's appointment. She played really well with them, but took a later nap. When she woke up, she was very warm. I am assuming it is from her shots that she got yesterday. She just cried and cried and cried when she woke up. I tried everything that I could think of to make her happy. I even tried things that are normally no no's.

When Daddy came home, he wanted to jump in the pool. Meredith is normally not a water baby. But for some reason, tonight was the night. She got to get in naked. She would jump from the stairs to Michael. She had so much fun!

Monday Funday!

2009-06-15T20:46:00.005-05:00

After we got home from the doctor today, we just played for a little bit, had lunch, and then Meredith went down for a nap. I tried to lay down, but it just wasn't meant to be. Our air conditioner for the main part of the house went out yesterday, so it was pretty warm here. Thankfully, the a/c guys showed up right when Mere woke up from her nap.

After they left, we ran to the grocery store to get a couple of things we were out of. On the way home, I stopped at Sonic. Meredith has really been chewing on everything, so I picked her up a cup of ice. I have never seen a baby eat ice as much as she does.

We played the rest of the afternoon. When Daddy came home, we ate dinner. Meredith and Daddy went out to play while I cleaned the kitchen. Since it was such a hot day, and because we felt bad that Meredith had to get a shot today, we let her have a couple of popsicles. The only reason she can have more than one is because she doesn't really eat them. Plus, I finally started buying sugar free. That made it a little easier to put her down to bed tonight.

Is there any more ice in here?

That was good ice. I am a happy girl now!!!

Look what Daddy gave me!

Rocky was eating a bone while I had my popsicle.

I decided that Daddy only needed one popsicle and I needed two!!!

I did let Daddy have one, but then I took his stick away from him.

Just because Mommy thinks I am so cute and loves to share!

Meredith's 15 Month Check-Up

2009-06-15T10:58:00.003-05:00

Meredith had her 15 month check-up today. She did great! Dr. Neely said that she is right on target with everything. She should be getting her 1 year molars any day now. They are right under the gum. It looks like she is going to be our tall and lanky girl. She weighed 20 pounds 11 ounces (20th %), was 32 inches tall (90th %), and her head was 45.5 cm (45th % - so not as big as Michael always says it is). She only had to get one shot. I felt a little bad for her. She was laying and being so good, and then when the nurse poked her, her little eyes looked so sad and she cried for about 3 seconds. I will say, she has always been very good about getting her shots. She doesn't scream and scream, she normally cries for a few seconds and that is just because she is being held down.

And a couple of pics once we got home. As always, she was not into them. I kept putting her in the chair so that she wouldn't run away. This was as good as it was going to get.

15 Months Going on 16!

2009-06-11T21:45:00.003-05:00

Today, we just cleaned the house. I am sure it seems like that is all we do, but I just hate seeing dust. Plus it was raining most of the day and we couldn't go out and play. Meredith loves playing like she is driving a car. Whenever we meet Michael out after work, he lets her "drive" the truck while parking it. So now that is all she ever wants to do. She will stand at the door and go "uh, uh, uh" until you let her in. We were putting some things away in the garage, and she started pulling at my door. Of course, I let her in. I couldn't pick a favorite pic or video, so I did them all.

Oh, how fast she can get into trouble!!!

2009-06-09T21:43:00.001-05:00

The past couple of days, I have not felt the greatest. I think that I am finally reaching the point of wanting Madilyn to be here. Even though I spend all day with Meredith and give her my almost always undivided attention, it still amazes me how quickly she can get into trouble. Here are just a couple of examples from the past two days.

I had left my drink from lunch on the side table. Meredith napped through lunch. When she woke up, I started making her a late lunch. She was playing so quietly with her books, but this is what I found when I went to grab her. She found my cup and drank half a Dr. Pepper. Thankfully, the caffeine didn't seem to make her crazy! Either that or she is already so crazy, we couldn't tell a difference.

Today, I left her for all of 35 seconds so that I could use the restroom. She was chattering away to me and I thought she was taking apart the tupperware cabinet. But this is what I found when I came out of the bathroom. She just smiled like who me when I found her.

Right after I took the pictures, I asked her if this is what she thought little girls were supposed to do. So she just layed down and played that she was sleeping!

Paw Paw and Grammy's Visit

2009-06-07T20:37:00.001-05:00

Friday afternoon and some of Saturday, my dad, Amanda, Audrey, and Riley came to visit. It was really nice to get to spend some time with them. I just want so badly for Meredith and Madilyn to be close to all of their grandparents. I am pretty sure that everyone had a great time, especially Meredith. She loves being the center of attention. We had so much fun that I forgot to take pictures until the last day.

Meredith loves to swing. It was a great break for me to have so many extra pushers around. Paw Paw and Mere had so much fun on the swing and the slide. He was even letting her kick the hat off of his head which made her laugh and laugh.

Paw Paw, Grammy, and Meredith just putting their feet in the water.

New Game

2009-06-04T21:01:00.000-05:00

Sorry that I haven't updated in a few days. As you know, Meredith is sick and not sleeping, so we are all a little sleep deprived. Hopefully, we are on the way to recovery. If not, we at least were able to take a decent nap today.

These pictures are from Tuesday. I cleaned the house all day, so we stayed in pajamas. Meredith and I went to play outside for a little bit between the rain showers. Her new favorite game that Daddy has taught her is to throw Rocky's ball into the pool and wait on someone to go get it for her. She normally only throws it onto the stairs. When she plays with Michael, he will go all the way in and get it. I will not. So after a few times of throwing it onto the steps, she decided to throw it in the middle. That is when the game ended.

This is what happened when I stopped getting the ball. Meredith threw my flip flops into the water!

Child Labor

2009-06-01T20:34:00.001-05:00

We went and had pictures made at JCPenny today. I will say that it just confirmed for me why this is not something that I do every month. Meredith was not at all interested and then she had complete meltdown when it came time to choose the photos we wanted. We did get some very good pictures, so that will make all the grandparents happy. Then we just came home and played.

I want the camera!!!!!

You can't tell, but I have a frito in my mouth. If that doesn't make me a Daddy's girl, I don't know what will.

Mommy made me give her a pedicure after the hard time I gave her at the picture place.

I got a little distracted because Mommy had Sprout on.

Weekend Update

2009-05-31T20:42:00.001-05:00

We had a very nice weekend. On Saturday, we all played together in the morning. Meredith took a great nap. Michael and I got to hang out in the pool and work on our tans. After Mere woke up, we went shopping. I am so excited because Michael bought me a new vaccuum. It is the Bissell Versus. It's for hardwood floors and gets up everything, even Rocky hair. I know that may not be exciting to some, but if you knew how many times a day I sweep or have to pull out the big vaccuum, then you would share in my excitement. It is so easy to just pull out and clean the floors quick. I think Michael thinks he has died and gone to heavan to have a wife that is this excited about a vaccuum.

On Sunday, we had another great morning. Meredith took another awesome nap and we got to play in the pool some more. Aunt Lola and Uncle Casey came over in the afternoon. We just hung out and made fajitas. Aunt Lola even helped by cleaning almost the whole kitchen by herself. That was such a great treat!

I am very sad that the weekend is over. They have been so much fun lately.

Watching Sprout on Saturday morning.

Hmmm, I know that Mommy hates when anyone messes up her just made bed. Oh well, I am comfy!

Maybe if I squish down, she won't see me....

Oh, she saw me. I'll just roll into them. If I can't see her, she can't see me!

I LOVE mac-n-cheese!

(you can't really see them, but there are noodles stuck all over me)

Just Another Day...

2009-05-29T21:05:00.000-05:00

Mommy was trying to make a grocery list while I had my snack. I really don't like how she was doing it, soI took over.

All finished!!!!! Can you believe she almost forgot cookies?!?

I get so worked up playing on Daddy's old keyboard that I have to wear my blanket around my neck.

I am so embarrassed, I just cannot believe Mommy would put this on here. I climbed up in the chair because I needed something to hold onto so that I could go poop. Mommy thinks it is funny, I do not!

When Daddy came home, we cooked steaks out on the grill. I am a very good helper.

Daddy watched me while Mommy cleaned the kitchen.

This is what I was doing while Daddy "watched" me....

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-28T12:10:00.000-05:00

I know that it has been a while since I posted. I will try to start getting back to nightly updates.

In my defense, we had a busy weekend and it has taken me this long to recover. It is hard to keep up with everything and Mere and have a big giant belly.

So, on Friday, my mom came to town. It was so much fun. The older I get, the more I truly enjoy spending time with her. I know that she enjoys getting to play with Meredith - and Meredith loves playing with someone who never ever ever tells her "NO." I cannot wait for when they live back in Texas. Hopefully, that will be soon.

On Saturday, I helped host a baby shower for Lauri. I think that it turned out so nice. I really hope that she enjoyed it. While I was very happy to have it at our house, it was a little more stressful than I thought. Of course, that could be because I had a little helper destroying what I cleaned. All in all, it was a great day.

On Sunday, we just spent time the morning with my mom. I took her to the airport at naptime, and when I got home, there had been no nap. If you know anything about Meredith, you know that the girl needs her sleep. It not only makes for a cranky afternoon, but a horrible night. We went to a friend's house for a little party. Mere held up pretty well, but she and I left early. I could see that our calm before the storm was about to pass, and we made it home just in time.

On Monday, all the friends from the day before came to our house. It was very casual. I didn't even cook, I just set out chips and the guys made hot dogs on the grill. We all just played in the pool and worked on our tans. Mere does not seem to enjoy the water, so I just fed her popsicles and ice cubes (her favorite) and she put her feet in the water. It was a really nice ending to a long weekend.

And now, what you are really here for, pictures....

Meredith, Me, Aunt Lola, and Mimi

All the hostesses and Aunt Lola

Mere, Mommy, and Nana

Nana and Mere

Mere doesn't really enjoy the pool, so she got to eat popsicles on the stairs. It was a holiday, so I let her have three. They mainly ended up on her or in the pool. She had fun, and that is all that mattered.

Who is this little girl????

2009-05-20T12:10:00.000-05:00

We are not having the best day. Meredith was not a very happy girl during our weekly grocery shopping trip. She screamed the ENTIRE time at the store and was throwing anything she could reach out of the cart. I was that mom at the grocery store, but if you need food you need it and you can't leave the store. When we got home, the mood continued. While I made lunch, I let her torment Rocky. I know that that is mean, but he hadn't just been at the store for an hour and half with her. After lunch, she messed with him some more. She put her beads on him. If you look close, you can see a piece of chewed up turkey on his head. He is such a good dog.

And for Nana's viewing pleasure, here is a little taste of what the day has been. She doesn't seem to believe these fits I speak of. Enjoy!!!

Play Date Day

2009-05-18T21:20:00.000-05:00

Mondays are becoming our new favorite day. We have met 2 really nice mommies, Virginia and Lindsey, and 2 really fun girls, Mary and Emily. On Monday we meet up to play and then go and get lunch at Einstein Bagels.

Today, we met up at the park. The park is really a little too old for Meredith, but that didn't stop her. She loves to walk up the slide before going down it. It is one thing at our house, but these are a lot bigger slides. I had to climb up into the playset with her to go down one of them. That is no easy task at 33 weeks pregnant. She also tried the sandbox out again, and it went much better than last time. I did not get any pictures at the park because I set it down while shutting the garage and forgot to take it. After the play date, we came home for a nap. Then we played all afternoon. I was trying to teach Mere how to go down the slide a little better. I think that it is still a long way away. I guess Mondays will just be our play all day day from now on.

On our way to our play date...I love to ride in my stroller.

I DO NOT like when Mommy puts a bow in my hair!!!

I am a "big" girl and do not need any help getting in my swing. Mommy thinks I do, so she always does one side for me.

I love when Daddy comes home from work! Mommy and I play outside and when I see him, I run to his truck.

Too Cute Not to Share

2009-05-15T13:10:00.000-05:00

We had the greatest morning. Meredith woke up talking and laughing. There were so many things that we needed to get done this morning, but sometimes, you just have to enjoy the moments. We stayed in pajamas until way too late and just played and played. These are the things that I know she is too young to remember, but this is what I will remember forever. I just want her to always know that her mommy and daddy are never too busy to play with her.

Meredith loves playing with finger nail polish (thanks Nana). Of course, what mom doesn't love when their baby plays with glass bottles of paint.

Meredith is now mesmerized by the Sprout channel. I called and called her name, and as you can see, I didn't even get a blink. I have created a tv monster already!

Meredith loves playing in the pillows!

My Little Cupcake

2009-05-14T20:53:00.000-05:00

Meredith and I have had such a fun past few days. She has been in the absolute best mood. Lately, everything she does is so animated. It is so funny how her little personality is devoloping. I can only imagine the things that will come out of her mouth once she is able to talk to us.

Meredith had on the cutest outfit today. It is a little OshKosh dress with cupcakes all over it. She was not in the mood to have her photos taken at all today (that is why they are blurry).

I turned on Sprout, her new favorite channel, to get a shot. Of course, she turned her back to me. Another Michael quality that she posseses is the ability to completely bloke out what I am saying while the tv is on. I even pretended to be going outside to swing to try and get her attention. No such luck.

Aren't these the cutest pajamas ever????

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

2009-05-14T14:18:00.000-05:00

Meredith loves to play with her reflection in the mirror. In the past week or so, she has realized that the cute little girl in the mirror is actually her. Yesterday, I caught her making silly faces. She was acting startled, gasping and grabbing her cheeks, she was blowing kisses, she "fixing" her hair, but everything she did, she made sure that "she" was doing it too. I know she is mine, but I just think that this is the cutest ever!!!!

Hanging Around the Pool

2009-05-12T21:27:00.001-05:00

Meredith and the boys!

On Sunday, a few friends came over. Meredith, of course, loved all of the attention that everyone gave her. Especially the boys! She really knows how to put on a show for all of her admirers. She had so much fun that she passed out at bedtime.

Mere and her teeny new bikini!

Meredith got a few new bathing suits and hats today. I thought that this bikini was just way too cute to pass up. Don't you wish you could just let it all hang out like this. (sorry, I don't know how to flip the photo)

Mommy and Meredith

We decided to go for a little dip tonight. Mere was ready to go and couldn't even wait to put her suit on. We only played for a little bit, so she got to go skinny dipping.

Dancing Queen!

2009-05-06T21:08:00.000-05:00

Meredith love love loves the theme song to the tv show Gilmore Girls. No matter where she is or what she is doing, she will run to the tv to dance. It is the cutest thing ever! I have no idea where she gets some of her moves...I am assuming Michael.

This is actually a repeat performance. I did not have the camera ready the first time, and she is not as lively. You still get the general idea though. Also, please excuse her hair. She just woke up from her nap and it is a bit crazy.

Love Notes from Meredith

2009-05-04T20:31:00.001-05:00

Meredith had a few special messages she needed to send out. We made signs and she colored them. We tried to do a photo shoot earlier, but she wasn't too cooperative. I thought we would have better luck with Daddy to help us. As you can tell, Meredith still had absolutely no interest in even looking, much less holding, her signs. Hope you all had special birthdays and anniversaries.

What a Mess!

2009-05-03T20:14:00.001-05:00

We had a very laid back weekend. On Saturday, we just played around the house. Michael's friend Jon came over with his little boy Aaron. Meredith enjoyed getting to play with a friend. You can definitely tell that Meredith is an only child and that Aaron is the youngest. Aaron was immediately fighting for every toy, and Meredith was just handing them over. Hopefully, she will keep that sharing spirit up when Madilyn arrives.

Today, Meredith was a Daddy's girl. They went shopping at Lowes. I think that they both enjoyed getting away without mommy. This afternoon, we just put up some decorations around the house. Meredith also gave me the scare of my life. Michael had to run to his parents to pick up Mere's new mattress. I was putting away some things in the utility room. I realized that Mere was no longer with me. I was calling for her and looking in her usual hiding places. I started to panic and was going out to the pool. I heard her little voice and when I opened the back door there she was. She smiled and waved hi. She had crawled out of Rocky's dog door. Needless to say, a fence will be put around the pool this week. Rocky is also sad. He is locked in until further notice.

Also, Meredith's big girl furniture came on Saturday. I will post pics when we get her room set up.

Finally, we let Meredith have french fries with her own pack of ketchup. Obviously, she loves it! (And don't worry Nana and Mimi, she did have some healthy food before the fries.)

Long Day...

2009-05-01T20:17:00.001-05:00

Today was a very long day, probably because last night was a very long night. Meredith was awake from 12:50 until 4:15. We haven't had a night like that since we moved here. It was a little hard for me to make it through the day after only 3 hours of sleep.

Today, I had my 30 week check-up. Everything is great. They will do an ultrasound at 37 weeks to see how big this little girl is (right now, it looks as though she will definitely be bigger than Mere was). If she looks pretty big, then we will talk about inducing. So Madilyn will be here in the next 8-10 weeks.

Meredith's Great Granny came to play with her while I went to the doctor. Mere was all smiles and kisses and giggles. As soon as Granny left, it was like a whole new baby. She knows how to put on her best act when it counts! You can tell the lack of sleep last night was really getting to her.

The lawn guys were mowing, and Meredith was very fascinated by what they were doing.

After watching those guys work so hard, we needed a little story break.

Nothing but Trouble...

2009-04-30T21:46:00.001-05:00

This was one of those days where Meredith was a nosy rosy. It seemed like she was into everything from the moment her eyes opened this morning. I feel like I have picked up every item in this house at least 4 times. By the end of the day, you couldn't even tell I had even cleaned along the way. I don't know what I am going to do when Madilyn comes along. Hopefully, Mere will have caught on to the clean up song by then.

This morning I kicked back on daddy and mommy's bed while mommy got our shower ready. Elmo's World was on Sesame Street and that is my most favorite part of the morning. It was pretty comfy laying on those pillows. I can't wait until I get to move to a big girl bed with real pillows.

This is mommy's worst fear! Today, while she was cleaning up my snack mess, I decided that I would just like to go play with Rocky. I have been playing with this door for a few days now, sometimes I even throw my toys out. Today, I figured why not just put myself out. Too bad mommy caught me.

Sometimes, I like to play peek-a-boo with my diapers. Daddy and mommy always call me "diaper head" when I do it. So mommy just went ahead and made me a diaper hat. It was fun for just a minute!

And of course, what would my day be like unless I pushed my stroller around and around.

Six months old...

2009-04-29T18:53:00.000-05:00

Well, we had another uneventful day. It was pretty yucky out, so we stayed in and played. If you could only see the play room right now. Every piece of every toy is scattered about. I am just going to shut the door on that room for the night.

Since we have nothing to show for today, I thought that I would show some of my favorite pics from when Meredith was 6 months old. I have decided that on days that we have nothing fun or new to report, we will take a trip down memory lane.

Hope you all enjoy looking back at how much Meredith has changed. It makes me a little sad at how big she is now.