Wow!

This is my response to the last time I posted... Was it really April?

New favorite "snack".
I don't always eat them, but I'm happy to burn a marshmallow for you any time!

My silly Papa convinced me a helmet might be a good idea ;)

Well, a lot has happened and yet it doesn't feel like it has been that long....
Birthdays seem to be the name of the game these days. Everyone around us that I play with is turning 3. This brings lots of questions and planning for my big day. Currently, I want it to all be pink, with dinosaur balloons, singers, and of course lots of presents. My friends at school keep turning 3, meaning they move the preschool room. I keep asking Mommy when I get to go but I guess it is a long ways away yet. I finally am getting the idea that not every birthday is shared with me and that I do need to let the spotlight shine on that person on their very special day. (Poor girl had a birthday with Mommy, Christmas where everyone got presents, Daddy's birthday on Easter and was beginning to think birthdays meant presents for her!)

Jacob turns 3!
This is his new brother, Ben -he's so cute!

I helped celebrate at Mr. Gattis (kinda like Chuck E.Cheese)
Did you know you aren't suppose to play this game over-handed?

They had a roller coaster!
Due to Mommy (pregger) and Daddy (back surgery), Ms. Kim was happy to accompany me while Chris took Jacob. This thing was actually quite fast!

Averie turn 3!
She had a little trouble so I got to help her with her candle :)

Mommy's belly continues to grow. I keep asking when the doctor will take baby out, but Mommy keeps saying it is a long ways away. I asked for a brother the other day, but Mommy says we can't change it and I'm getting a sister. I guess I'm still okay with that...
Work is getting harder. Mommy says being pregnant the second time is a lot more work. Is it cause she is old or cause she has a 2 1/2 year old at home? Likely the latter of the two and the fact that she is up and down on the floor all day long with other 2-3 year olds at work.

31 weeks

Mommy had another ultra sound and found out that the placenta moved so all is well with this pregnancy. At her last appointment (2 weeks ago) she is measuring right on track. Seeing the doctor every 2 weeks, soon to be every week as she is already 32.5 weeks along. The doctor predicts a 6.5 - 7.0 lb healthy baby - 100% a girl :)

Daddy had a spinal fusion in May. He is 3 weeks out (explaining the picture above) now and seems to be healing well. He has bad days of course, but for the most part it seems to be helping overall. Right now he is tasked to go back to work on July 20th. He is busy working on studying for his next promotion test, using all this time off to his advantage.

My Nana and Papa also visited in May. I love when they come! They helped Daddy pour a bigger patio out back and add some lights to the garage. Papa really likes to work when he goes on vacation. They held down the fort while Mommy and Daddy worked and the carpet guys were at our house too. We put carpet in our living room - it's so cozy!

I got to put my feet and hands in the new concrete!

They also couldn't believe the heat here. They managed to come just in time for our first 100 degree weekend. Nana and I helped Mommy get ready for baby after Papa and Daddy got everything out of the attic. I just need a dresser so I can finish my bedroom and we can put all of baby's stuff away in her (my old ) dresser - it has the changing table on top. Mommy is still working on baby's room. She decided to get new bedding so pictures of that are still to come! I got new bedding too so we'll post pictures when my room is all done as well!

Finally, going back even further. Easter was amazing this year. I loved hunting for eggs. I still shake random eggs in my play room just to make sure they don't have any candy in them :)
Did I mention Easter was on Daddy's birthday this year? He had a good day. We celebrated on our own, but went to friends for Easter brunch and Ms. Kim even decorated a cake just for Daddy! That Friday, Mommy and Daddy had a date night with other friends too and I got a new baby sitter (who I was still asking for the next morning when I woke up).

Easter morning - my house. I got a T-ball!

Easter brunch - hunting with Jacob at Ms. Nikki's (friends of Mommy and Daddy)

I leave you with a video (finally). Daddy got our Internet cooperating better this week :)
Dance off at Jacob's bday!

Love to you all, M.

Busy days.

Hello! My Mommy and Daddy have been keeping me so busy, I barely have time to keep up with my posts! We have had a lot going on, whether close to home or on the go -it is rare that we've had a weekend of "do nothing" but once in a while it happens and it is great!
A few weekends ago, we helped Ms. Heather and Brian put together TWO baby cribs, and other baby gear. Yep, this friend and co-worker of Mommy's is due for twins about the same time I am going to get my baby sister. We also got to have a BBQ with friends that night and meet baby Benjamin. Jacob is my friend that I go to school with and his Mommy and Daddy recently got back from Korea with his baby brother Ben. He's so cute and easy going. Mommy says she hopes Baby #2 is a lot like that in our house too. (Somehow we didn't get a picture of Ben this day)

Jacob and I and cupcakes :)

I then got to spend a WHOLE day with Caileigh (not that we don't hang out all the time). Her Mommy and Daddy were out of town for the day so she got to take a nap and everything at my house! We talked Daddy in to going to the park, the mall, a visit to the Easter bunny, and pizza for lunch. My exhausted Daddy kept saying "So this is what it is going to be like?" and Mommy kept reminding him that Baby girl and I won't be so close in age.... I don't really see why it would be such a big deal :)

The next weekend, my Grandma and Grandpa Eichenberger came to see me! They had a very cool trip in store for me when they took us all to see the Nascar race in Fort Worth!! My Aunt Macie, Blake, Cousin Koevin and Ryan all came down to go too! We were so close to the track we even found ourselves covered in bits of rubber. I had so much fun, I'm still talking about the fast race cars! Unfortunately, it was a long day so Daddy talked Mommy in to leaving the big camera at home and our little camera ran out of batteries so not many pictures from the main event. I did get some good play time in though and still ask where "my boys" are at times. Daddy and I took everyone to the zoo in the morning and Grandma and Grandpa took us all to Chuck E. Cheese's. It was my first time, and I LOVED IT!

Maddy and Koevin - a.k.a. "Superstars"

Maddy, Ryan, Koevin

A couple weeks ago, Mommy and Daddy took the day off work to take me on another special outing. My friends Alex and Eva and their Mommy, Sarah came to visit family on a farm south of here. Chris is unfortunately deployed right now, but we were happy to see the rest of the Kings! Farm life is so much fun!! I got to do so much stuff and was so tired and dirty by the day's end. I'm still singing about the animals and asking when I get to go back!

Eva and Madelyn

Popsicles!
Eva, Maddy, Will, Alex

This goat was quite pushy when it came to the treats...

... Maddy was an equal opportunity giver. "No, I want the little goat"

Baby goats born just that morning!

Boo boos on the farm. Not to worry, Nanny fixed me up!

One tired, dirty toddler = Successful day on the farm!

I am also asking Mommy if Alex and Eva can come to my house, but she says they went back to South Dakota :( Sarah did say they may be coming back for another visit around Thanksgiving, but that just seems so far away!
24 weeks (Baby almost 27 weeks now)

Baby is doing well. Momma is gaining less weight than with Maddy :) and everyone is healthy. Doctor gave Mommy some new medicine as the heartburn continually got worse and now she isn't even on anti-nausea medication anymore. She is feeling so much better - everyone is happier! I love giving my baby kisses every day and talking to Mommy about when she is going to come out. I'm so excited!!

More blog to come. For some reason, Mommy can only upload one picture at a time and as this blog took 3 weeks to post already.... we'll try to do more Wednesday. So much to share people! :)

Love to you all, x

Poop.

Fashionista

As I sat thinking about what to put on the blog, I hear chatter from outside. Shaye is pushing the girls (Caileigh was here again :) on the swing and the conversation was going something like this;

"Do snakes poop?"
Yep.
"Do frogs poop?"
Yep.
"Do hippos poop?"
Yep. Anything that eats, poops.
"Do birds poop?"
Uh- huh.
etc. etc. etc.

This conversation very well could have taken the rest of the night with those two! This is about hwo day to day seems to be. I know potty training is way cool and I love more than anyone that I am not changing her diapers anymore, but there are still moments of wonderment around this subject that often make me chuckle and at times make me want to hide.
Like in the middle of a resteraunt when my toddler announces (rather loudly) "Momma, I have to poop!" or discusses with me bodily functions like she won a prize, "I farted!" Then there are those public stall moments, "Momma, you pooping?" "no." "Why?" "Because." "Mommy go pee pee?" "Yep." "Why?" "Cause I have to go." and on, and on, and on...

Cool new straws.
As you drink, the straw changes the milk's flavor.

Thanks Auntie!!

This weekend took us to Fort Worth to the zoo. We got to see a lot of animals, ones our little zoo here is too small for and some a bit more exotic. This place is huge and proved to be a little much for a toddler by the end. Nap time was pressing, the heat was out in full force (upper 80's in March), and lots of people. Silly me, picked the last weekend of Spring break to venture out for family day. Overall it was a great day and we are glad we went though. We stayed the night in a nice hotel downtown where we could walk around this pretty city. Had some dinner and then took the munchkin back so Daddy could take her swimming. Unfortunately, the pool was quite cold and they spent most of their time in the 'warm' hot tub.

"I got a monkey!"

I keep thinking, one day, Maddy will be able to sleep at a hotel and then she goes and proves yet again she is quite an independent sleeper who likes the comfort of her own bed/ crib. We are thinking hard on the "big girl" bed options for our house but are reluctant to give up 'easy' at this point. That girl tossed and turned and talked and talked her way to sleep. Finally, she gave in to only wake up around 3:30 and insist it was play time. An hour later and finally asleep for a good two hours before we were awake wetting the bed and ready to be up for the day. To top that - Shaye was really hurting and just couldn't get comfortable so he didn't sleep either. Ugh. Sunday brought a leisure stroll around the city for some photos before we headed home. Promptly taking a nap once we arrived to prepare for the week ahead.

Beautiful Fort Worth.

Maddy decided to let Mommy play and was the perfect model!!

We are excited about another upcoming trip when we'll be back at a hotel adventure after Grandma and Grandpa Eichenberger visit in 3 weeks to take us all to Nascar... It'll be better then right? ;)

Hope you enjoyed the photos of another week here and we'll see you all soon! xoxo

Baby News!

#2 Profile (leg in face :)

Well, today we learned we have a healthy, busy, bustling little GIRL! Yep, Maddy's intuition was right and we will be celebrating the arrival of a little sister. Unfortunately, her naming sense is not quite up to par. So far we have a vote for baby "Puh" and "Butter" ????? No idea.

While Daddy fears no one will ever want to work on cars and that he'll have two weddings to pay for - we are very excited. We can only hope little girl number two is slightly less dramatic than her big sis! ;)

I've already felt this pregnancy was "different" because I don't feel #2 is quite as busy as Madelyn was. While this brought me hope of a more laid back child, I learned today that by simple positioning of things (the placenta), I feel a bit less movement now that I might have with Ms. Mads.

#2 Profile
The bubble she looks to be blowing is apparently umbilical chord.

Lucky for us, we will be returning to see baby again in Eight weeks. While this is typically the only ultrasound done, there is a small concern that my placenta is a bit too low. The doctor assures me that I am very "borderline" and that 99% of the time this takes care of itself, but they do want to check again to make sure all is safe for delivery. He also added, "Plus, it gives us another excuse to see the baby again." So we are good with it.

#2 Looking at you.
(Top of head on right)

Now for the star of our blog. I really need to get better about carrying around our camera but I feel that you may only want to see so many pictures of us at the park or the zoo. Although every outing with this toddler seems to turn into an adventure!

My new shades.

The stories our little girl comes up with are entertaining. Let me see if I can remember a few....

The other day I called her "Bug" and she very seriously looked at me and said, " I Maddy Melton" And when Shaye randomly busted out a little song of "Mama Mia" she stopped him yelling, "No Daddy, Mama NOT Mia!"

This morning, my princess stopped me from getting her dressed to pick out a new shirt because "No Mommy, I don't want that Pretty one." Did you know a shirt could be too pretty to wear?

We have had a lot of chats about being a "Good Listener" and listening to what Mommy and Daddy say. Now at different times, especially when she wants something (e.g. fruit snacks or a lollipop) She says, "I'm a good listener."

Well, that is all I got now. I'll have to start making a list :) Every day is an adventure with her. I look forward to all these moments with number two, and I'm sure there will be extra funny times with both of them together!

Hippy Madelyn.
New love for headbands, even if they only last about 30 minutes before "I lose it."

Love to you all, x