We stayed in Charleston for a week with Gabe's Mom (Grandma). On Monday we took Maddie to the Sullivan's Island. We really didn't think she would last too long, but we wanted her to experience the beach at least one time this year! Maddie really is a waterbaby! She dug her toes in the sand and had a ball! We wore her out splashing around in the tidal pool and she then took a 2 hour nap in her hut! We were then able to just enjoy the sun and sand for a while! I am sure next year she will just love running around on the beach! On Tuesday we strolled downtown Charleston for a couple of hours. Maddie did GREAT! She loved being in her stroller and watching all the people and being outside. It was so incredibly hot, but it didn't seem to phase her. We just all stayed hydrated and enjoyed the afternoon together as a family! We had a fun week in Charleston....
Our little girl is now 5 months old. Seriously, I just don't know where the time goes...but it goes way too fast. She turned 5 months over 4th of July weekend while we were in Georgetown at Omi and Pop-Pop's house. We had a great time with our family, but we were really missing my dad. His birthday was on July 3rd, so we had a very special tribute for him. Aunt Neesie baked a cake and decorated it with a golf theme, we had presents (everything meant something to remind us of him), and we had a balloon send off to heaven with a card attached. It was an extremely emotional day, but we are so thankful to have our family to support us as we continue to grieve. Well, we have officially moved back to South Carolina and in with my mom for now. Gabe and I moved out of our apartment in Kentucky on the 11th and spent several days moving into the house and putting half our stuff into storage. What a pain it has been. I hate moving and am just exhausted thinking about it! But it is over with and we can finally get settled once again. Gabe starts his 3rd year rotations on August 2nd in Spartanburg, but until then we are trying to enjoy the little time we have together as a family before he starts the daily grind again! Our little peanut is growing too fast. She has such a little personality and already knows what she wants and boy does she let us know!! Maddie takes everything in everywhere she goes. She is so alert. Her smile can just melt anybody's heart (I know it melts mine every time I see it) and her laugh is contagious. She is now eating solids. Maddie is definitely my child because she loves to eat! She first tried rice cereal at 4 months old and we have slowly introduced her to other foods. Some of her favorites include oatmeal, applesauce, peaches, bananas, mangos, sweet potatoes, and carrots. In the morning she eats oatmeal and a fruit and in the evening she gets rice, a vegetable, and a fruit. She is even eating rice crackers called "Baby MumMums". She is learning to hold them in her hand and bring it to her mouth all on her own. It is amazing to see her little mind work-we just love her to pieces. Don't get me wrong, the lack of sleep through the night is very exhausting, but we just have to keep plugging away and hopefully once we get on more of a routine and not so much traveling she will start sleeping better. Yesterday Miss Maddie went to her first wedding. My cousin Shawn got married in Charleston. What a beautiful wedding it was-I cried the entire time. I swear I thought these crazy hormones would be out of my system by now!!! The first dress we had her in was so uncomfortable so she was very mad at first, but once we got her changed she was a completely different baby! Maddie did great at the reception and even got a little bit of dancing in :)
I have been so slack about updating our lives lately! We have been super busy! Maddie and I have officially moved to South Carolina and in with my mom. We have been here for about 2 weeks now and are really loving it. My mom has been such a big help and has given me lots of breaks to go and enjoy myself a little bit. Mimi just loves having Maddie here and just can't get enough of her. I have the best mom and I thank God everyday for her. I have enjoyed the pool a few times and catching some rays while I've been here and have even been out in the evenings a couple of times, so it has been really nice. Maddie is changing by the second. She thinks she is such a big girl already. I swear she is ready to run! If you hold her hands while she is standing up she moves her legs in sync like she is walking. I don't know any 4 1/2 month old baby that can do that!! She loves being in her Baby Einstein exersaucer and her doorway jumper. When we first got here 2 weeks ago her little legs were still too short to sit in either, but then overnight her feet are flat on the floor! Unbelievable!!! She is finally reaching for toys and other objects. It is so funny to watch her...you can just see her little mind turning a million miles an hour!
In her doorway jumper!
Maddie in her exersaucer
Maddie is sleeping so much better at night. We have her in a pretty good routine, so she is usually asleep by 8 or 8:30. On most nights she sleeps for 7-8 hours before waking up. Sometimes she wants a bottle, but most times she will go back to sleep with just her pacifier. She sleeps until between 6:30-7:30 and then will be up for the day. After her morning bottle we get dressed and meet up with Mimi, Brady, and other neighbors for a morning walk. I just bought a new BOB stroller that I absolutely love! It was a bit pricey, but worth every penny in my opinion! After our walk, Maddie eats oatmeal and either applesauce or bananas. She is doing very well with solids and seems to enjoy them very much!
Yummy food! Mommy, Brady, and Maddie with our new stroller!
Maddie's room is just about finished. We painted it a couple of weeks ago and it is so cute! I need to hang the curtains and sheers and put a few more things on the wall and it will be complete. She is in Natalie's old room and I swear it probably is the biggest nursery ever. Also, Jerry (a co-worker and friend of my dad's) delivered the changing table/dresser last weekend that he made for Maddie. It is so beautiful. He worked so incredibly hard on it. It is such a special piece of furniture that we will cherish forever! He made it in memory of my dad. He even put on the back "To Madison From Grandpa Steve" What an amazing person Jerry is!!
We have a busy couple of weeks ahead of us. This coming up week we are heading to Georgetown. On the 4th we are having a shower for my cousin, Shawn and his future wife, Dawn. (Shawn & Dawn...catchy, huh??) They are getting married in Charleston on July 18th. Gabe will finally be finished with his boards on the 2nd and will head to Georgetown to be with us again! On the 7th just Gabe and I will head back to Kentucky to finish packing and move on the 11th. Mom is watching Maddie for a few days in order for us to be able to pack up without any distractions :) Then after we have moved everything out it will be fun times for a couple of weeks before Gabe starts his rotations in Spartanburg! We are looking forward to some quality family time together!
Gosh I haven't blogged in quite a while! Life has been super busy lately. We are in the process of getting ready to move. We will be officially in South Carolina on July 12th! I have been busy packing boxes and keeping up with Madison. She sure does keep me busy and exhausted! She turned 4 months old on June 3rd. Madison is doing so many new things. She is now rolling from tummy to back. She started doing this on May 27th. It is hilarious. I think she will be an early crawler, because she already tries to scoot forward. Here is her rolling over:
Maddie is also talking up a storm!! She babbles nonstop at times. I love to hear her talk-it is the sweetest sound! She will try and imitate you as well. She sure is smart!
Over Memorial Day weekend we visited Omi and Pop-Pop's house to celebrate Omi's 70th birthday. What a great day it was! All of our family was there to celebrate our wonderful Omi. Maddie enjoyed everyone too. She was a trooper as she was passed from person to person all weekend long. It was a great rest for me as well. I enjoyed tanning by the pool and drinking a few beverages :) Maddie even got in the pool for a while. She seemed to really like it! She just relaxed and even went in a baby float for a bit! She is such a big girl!
We went for Maddie's 4 month well check. Here are her stats:
16 lbs 5 oz. 24 3/4 inches
She is a growing girl!!
I have not uploaded any pictures lately, so I will post them as soon as I can!
We have been enjoying some nice sunny days lately! Last weekend we had a picnic for the PCSOM family. Madison enjoyed being outside and enjoying some fresh air! She went to the picnic looking all cute in a new dress, but she came home in just a diaper! She spit up on her dress, so I just stripped her down so she could enjoy some "nakey" time! I swear I think she is the happiest when she is just in her diaper!!
On the 15th, Gabe and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary! It feels like just yesterday we were in Mexico saying "I Do". Time has just flown by and so much has changed in just 3 short years! Our friends, Tiffany and Aaron watched Miss Maddie while we went to eat a new Japanese restaurant in town. We had a great time getting out, (and it was our first "date" since she was born) but I have to admit I did miss her while we were gone!
Well I have been busy packing up our apartment. It sure is bittersweet to say good-bye to our Kentucky home. I am getting sad thinking about saying our good-byes. We have some really great friends here and the support that I have from the other med school wives is just unbelievable. I could have never survived without them! I will miss everyone so much!!!
I leave on Wednesday to head home for Memorial Day weekend. We are celebrating my Omi's 70th birthday. I can't wait to see all my family and for them to see Maddie. They are going to be so surprised at how much she had changed. Most of them haven't seen her since she was 7 weeks old. She is not just a little newborn anymore, she is a "tiny human" (as Gabe puts it). I sure hope Maddie enjoys the pool because she looks so darn cute in her bathing suit!
I forgot to mention in our last post that we found out a week ago that Maddie is allergic to the protein in milk! She has been on Nutramigen (a hypoallergenic formula) for a week now. Her belly issues have gotten so much better. She is still a little fussy during feedings, but she is overall doing much better. She had an upper GI done yesterday at the hospital. She did great...poor thing had to drink a bottle of barium and was put under an x-ray machine. Maddie was such a little trooper while Mommy was a nervous wreck! The Upper GI came back completely normal, so we are so relieved...we know nothing is wrong with her stomach & esophagus Maddie is still gaining weight, so that is all that matters!! We went back to the Pediatrician today and at 14 weeks she weighs an even 15 lbs! She is also sleeping much better at night. We are averaging anywhere from 5-7 hours in a row which has made all the difference in the world!!
I had a wonderful 1st Mother's Day! My mom came to Kentucky for the weekend to see us. She brought Brady with her, so I got to see my first born! He hung out in all his favorite spots in the apartment. It is funny that he remembers everything here in Kentucky even though he has been living with my mom for a couple of months now. On Sunday we went to Jenny Wiley State Park where they had a Mother's Day brunch. We celebrated with our wonderful friends, Tiffany & Aaron and their sweet baby girl Aleah. It was a beautiful day, so we were able to get some pretty pictures. Maddie looked so cute wearing her ladybug outfit that her Mimi bought her! Of course she brought 3 more outfits for her...Maddie always looks so cute thanks to my mom!! I got beautiful flowers and a sweet card from Gabe and Maddie. It was a great day!
Until next time...
In her doorway jumper!
Maddie in her exersaucer
Yummy food!
Mommy, Brady, and Maddie with our new stroller!
We have a busy couple of weeks ahead of us. This coming up week we are heading to Georgetown. On the 4th we are having a shower for my cousin, Shawn and his future wife, Dawn. (Shawn & Dawn...catchy, huh??) They are getting married in Charleston on July 18th. Gabe will finally be finished with his boards on the 2nd and will head to Georgetown to be with us again! On the 7th just Gabe and I will head back to Kentucky to finish packing and move on the 11th. Mom is watching Maddie for a few days in order for us to be able to pack up without any distractions :) Then after we have moved everything out it will be fun times for a couple of weeks before Gabe starts his rotations in Spartanburg! We are looking forward to some quality family time together!
