merry christmas

2 more days til we fly to Arizona

8 more days til Christmas

11 more days til we ride the Polar Express

15 more days til New Years

31 more days til the Phoenix Marathon

1 month off from blogging

Until then...

Merry Everything

&

Happy Always!

addicted...

...just like his mommy ;)

first snow

December 7, 2009

This morning we finally woke up to our first snow!

I decided to adopt a new family tradition of giving a small snow-related gift to Madden every year on the "first snow" day. (Though I can't take the credit for that cute idea...I stole it off of my friend's blog. Thanks for the cute idea, Nancy!!) So Madden got to put on his "new"grey warm winter coat this morning. :)

I must confess, a while back I was sort of dreading the snow. I am, after all, a California/Arizona girl. But now that it is finally here, I am in love with it! It is so pretty and exciting and makes it feel that much more like Christmas time!

The only downside? No more running outside...which puts a damper on my marathon training.

Looks like the indoor track and treadmill at the Y is going to be seeing a lot more of me these next couple weeks...

Happy First Snow Day! :)

the tree

He loves it... :)

moments

Randy and I were just realizing last night that this past Sunday, the 29th of November, was the 3 year anniversary of our first date and the night we met. So crazy to think of how much our lives have changed in these past 3 years.

Life could not be more perfect.

I recently made a somewhat embarassing confession to Randy about a "moment" I had: I was out running with Madden and the Leona Lewis song "Happy" was playing on my Ipod. As I listened to the words and looked around our beautiful neighborhood and the fall leaves fluttering around me, I felt in that moment that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I looked down at Madden in his stroller and he smiled the sweetest smile up at me.

It made me cry.

I know, wierd. :)

But I just sort of had a "moment" where it hit me really hard that I am exactly where I should be and everything in my life is just as it should be.

(If you think I am a total wierdo, like Randy did when I told him this cheesy story, then I must add the following...a few days later I was watching Live With Regis and Kelly, and Kelly Ripa shared a very similar story about a very similar "moment" she had with her kids while driving through the streets of New York. So thank you Kelly Ripa...for making me not feel so dumb. Now I know I am not the only person who has "moments" like this.)

I thought that when we moved away for school that it would be really hard, that I would miss Arizona and that I would struggle with being poor and struggle with moving from our nice house in Maricopa, to a teeny tiny apartment in chicago. But on the contrary, I actually couldn't be happier and would not change a thing about our life right now. I am really enjoying this "simple" life we are living here: tiny old apartment, sharing one car, no extra spending money for shopping or movies or fancy restaurants, no more vacations in Carmel or San Diego. We have definitely had to make some lifestyle adjustments, and instead of it being hard, it has been incredibly easy. It has helped me to really appreciate the simple things and be thankful for all that we do have...which is a lot.

I felt very strongly when we decided to make the move to Chicago that this was where our family was supposed to be. And I have felt that answer reaffirmed many times since we have been here...in little "moments" like the one above.

And I am thankful for those moments.

Thanksgiving Weekend

this is what the babies did while we ate our delicious Thanksgiving meal...laid in their boppies like perfect little angels ;)

Madden loved his Uncle Landon :)

We spent Madden's first Thanksgiving in Rochester, Minnesota with my sister Summer and her family. The weekend was spent eating ridiculous amounts of delicious food, drinking sparkling cider straight out of the bottle, staying up late watching shows on DVR, going to see New Moon (for the 2nd time), laughing at hysterical concerts put on by Noah and Alex, and cuddling sweet little baby Avery. We also got to see my Mom and Dad and brother Landon for a few days when they flew in for Avery's baby blessing. Paul gave a beautiful blessing and I am so glad we were able to be there for it.

The weekend went by way too fast...I didn't want it to end. Its always nice to be back home of course, especially with a sick baby, but I'm not gonna lie...as soon as Randy left me this morning for school and it was just me and sick baby Madden at home alone, I found myself wishing I was back in Rochester...sitting on the couch with Summer and the babes, eating triple layer chocolate mousse, drinking sparkling cider and watching old episodes of SYTYCD.

Best time ever.

Thanks Summer and Paul...can't wait til next year!

xoxo

this morning

Madden watching SportsCenter with his Daddy in bed this morning:

And you thought you had bad hair days.

family pictures

These pictures melt my heart... :)

Thank you, Annalisa!

Dear Grandma Brimhall

(Mmmm...this poster is delicious!)

P.S. I miss you and can't wait to see you next month!

6 months

I think 6 months is my favorite age so far.

Madden at 6 months is The Best Ever.

I love that he gets shy around strangers and cuddles into his mommys shoulder.

I love that he likes watching cartoons in the morning while I get ready.

I love that he makes cute noises to get my attention when I am not looking...and then as soon as I look at him he turns his head to the side all shyly and smiles.

I love that when his daddy talks or makes any noise at all, Madden immediately stops what he is doing to look around the room until he finds his dad.

I love that he smiles when I read stories to him and smacks the pictures with his pudgy little hands.

I love that he makes this cute little chomping motion with his mouth when he is hungry as if to say "Feed Me Mommy! Me Want Food!"

I love that he is now sleeping 9-11 hours every night. That's right, people. Sometimes even 12 hours. Be jealous.

I love that the lays his head down on the floor sometimes and just watches the leaves falling outside the big glass sliding back door. (see bottom picture...so sweet.)

I love that he still loves going for jogs in the BOB everyday.

I love that when his daddy gets home in the evening and holds him, Madden cuddles and nuzzles him into his chest as if to say how much he has missed him all day.

I love that he is eating solids now and has grown like CRAZY since.

I love that he rolls over and over and over and over...til he is all the way on the other side of the room.

I love that when I put my face right in front of his he puts his cute little baby hands on my cheeks and trys to eat my nose.

I love that sometimes when he's really tired, he hums himself to sleep.

I love that he smiles and laughs all day long and thinks his mommy is the funniest person ever.

Happy half-birthday, little boy!

XOXO

6 month measurements & percentiles:

weight: 17 lb. 2 oz. 43%

height: 28 in. 92%

head: 17 1/2 cm. 71%

Yummy!

Madden loves to EAT!

Always has.

When he was a newborn he would have eaten all freaking day if I let him.

Now he is eating solids and although he was a little confused by the texture at first, he LOVES it now! He pratically hyperventilates when I put him in his bumbo and put his bib on cuz he knows it is time to eat!

He freaks out in between bites because I seriously cannot shovel the food in fast enough!

And then when its all gone, he has a nervous breakdown.

I have to immediately give him a bottle to calm him down and ease him out of the bumbo while I then attempt to clean up the disaster he has left behind.

So he lays in the boppy and drinks his bottle while I clean up the sticky mess in the kitchen...and then I almost always find him like this...

or like this...

or like this...

But this one is my favorite...

a couple days ago I found him asleep with the bottle in his hand and when I slowly took the bottle away, his hand stayed frozen in position, as if he was still clutching his bottle, and his mouth stayed perfectly open as if he was still sucking away....

It made me smile :)

Man, I love this kid!

Happy Halloween!

For Madden's first Halloween he was "Maverick" from Top Gun.

See any resemblance??

No?? That's cuz our baby is way cooler than Tom Cruise.

Some people just thought he was a pilot.

Whatever.

Pilot.

Maverick.

Coolest baby ever is what he was.

We went to a Halloween Carnival at Randy's school and then our Ward Halloween Party and Trunk or Treat.

Madden didn't have a clue what was going on.

I think he was so overwhelmed by it all.

Cuz he came home and slept 11 straight hours last night.

Awesome.

Happy Halloween!!