Just a picture

Didn't have this on last night's post, so thought I'd add it today. Who wouldn't have fun with this cutie-head?! :)

Stuff

Sorry, no pictures...again. I have a few on my camera, but haven't downloaded them yet. Although Addie smiles more and more every day, I haven't been able to capture it on camera too much. I guess I spend too much time being silly playing with her, making her smile and trying to make her giggle, that getting the camera slips my mind. Will try to have one on here soon.

I kept wanting to update the blog this week, but time got away from me. So, this post will probably be a hodge-podge of random thoughts. A lot can go through a girl's mind when she's a stay-at-home mom! :) Anyhow...here's some of the "stuff"...

A. Earlier this week was awesome!! I think it was Tuesday that was the best. So beautiful outside! Addie and I actually enjoyed an almost 4 mile walk! Our housing addition has a "big loop" as we like to call it, and I was almost once around the loop, deciding where to venture next, and a lady down the street that we are friends with was setting out to walk with her two boys (6 weeks and 2 years). She asked if we would like to join them, and we did the loop twice together. It was nice to have someone to talk to while walking...made the time go way faster and proved to be great exercise as this gal likes to walk fast. The other days that we got outside were okay...I had some great prayer time walking the other days. Then of course the clouds rolled in, and the cold weather came. The weather man says warm weather is coming back next week...I hope he's right!

B. We had small group Wednesday night, and for part of our Bible study, we were to read Matthew 6:25-34. I highly recommend this scripture to everyone. It reminds us that God knows what we need and will provide it for us, so we shouldn't bother worrying about such things if we follow Him. Verses 33 and 34 sum it up:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

C. This week is the DeKalb county fair...a must for area natives. I love going simply to run into people that I rarely see. It was different this year having to navigate a stroller through the crowd, but really cool that some of my old peeps got to see Addie for the first time. It is so great
to see people that either I went to school or church with, or just old family friends. And, honestly, so much fun to show off our beautiful daughter! :) Brad got a little bored, but he was a good sport through it all.

D. Addie and Daddy have a new little game. Pretty much it's a game because that little girl knows she's got Daddy wrapped around her little finger. Anyhow, I'm really big on "night-night" time. I mean, lights are low, volume is low, little girl should be falling asleep. At least, that's what used to happen. Now this week, Brad will hold her after her last bottle and try to get her to sleep...only now she'll look at him, wait for him to look back, and then smile and sometimes try to talk to him. He loves it and it makes him laugh, so naturally that encourages the process to continue until she finally tires, gives up, and falls asleep. Oh well, I can't complain. He lets me go to bed, she sleeps through the night (most nights!), and they have their little bonding time. (it is cute, though!)

That's about all for now. Smile!! :)

Big week

Once they turn 3 months--watch out!! Addie is approaching 3 1/2 months already, and she is doing more and more every day. This week was amazing. "Maw" Debi came to visit on Thursday. It was a nice visit...and it gave me a chance to do some things around the house and run a few errands sans baby. But anyhow, I was showing her what a great job Addie has been doing with tummy time. She lifts her head well and looks around and is starting to scoot on her belly every so slightly. But maw Debi didn't get to see all of that because as soon as I put Addie on her belly, she pushed herself right over onto her back! Yes--the first sort of roll over!! I put her back on her tummy and she did the same thing. But that time got scared, so that was it for that kind of play. It was so incredible. Naturally, she hasn't done it since Thursday, but I'm sure soon she will be moving and I won't get her to stop!

Friday was the best, though! I was playing with Addie in the morning (her best time of day), and discovered that her neck is ticklish. She actually giggled!! It was the cutest thing. I was able to get her to giggle again when we called Daddy to share the good news. I'm sure it made his day at work brighter! She did giggle again yesterday while I was holding her and doing funny face kind of stuff. I look forward to her sharing her giggles with everyone soon! :)

Speaking of sharing, my mom and I took her shopping with us yesterday. We went to some little shops, so they weren't such busy places. The clerks in all the shops walked right up and talked to Addie and she just smiled and flirted with all of them. She definitely put her best face forward for our little outing! You go girl! :)

That's about it for my Addie ramblings. We went to church today...taught the little kiddos during first service and attended second. For those of you who don't know, we help with the 4 and 5 year olds every other month. They are super cute...challenging little group, but fun to work with. They definitely have a lot of energy!

I wish you all a great week!!! I think I'll go see how my husband and little girl are holding up watching the Colts game! :)

Fun with Addie

Who could pass up this picture?! :) Thanks to my sweet husband for being brave, strapping on the little stinker, and vacuuming the floor!! We had small group at our house last week, and I had managed to get most everything done to get ready for our guests, except vacuum. So, I kindly suggested that while I got some dinner ready, he could maybe put Addie in the Snugli and get the floor swept. He actually willingly agreed and the rest is history. She loved her bonding time with daddy. And the floor got swept. How great is that?!

So we made it through another fairly busy week last week, Addie's snot-filled nose on Thursday, and a great weekend. The weather really cooperated this weekend!! By the way, Addie's stuffy nose was better Friday, thank goodness! Anyhow...Brad's football team won their game on Saturday. For details, you can ask him. ;) Sunday after church, we took Addie to the Johnny Appleseed Festival. She was awesome. Sorry, didn't take the camera, so no pictures of her second festival attendance. It got hot, though, so we didn't stay for an extremely long time.

I found out yesterday that 30 seconds is too long to leave a 3-month-old by herself. OK--before you think I'm too bad of a mom, let me just say that she was on the floor, so get all images of her falling out of your head. Anyway, I put her down on her playmat because she loves to watch the animals move and she now bats and them and has just started to grab on and hold for a while. So...I went out to rinse her bottle and my coffee cup and came right back out to find this:
Yes, she had managed to twist herself sideways, get up on her left side, put both legs between the arches and was pulling down on the little toys so hard I thought she might pull them right off. I was impressed that she did all that on her on, but it was an eye-opener! I will have my hands full when she starts really moving! :)

Hope you all have a great day!!

Girls Night

Last Thursday, Addie and I traveled up to Syracuse (Indiana, that is) to have dinner with my awesome friends. Gracie is a year old than Addie, so she was walking circles around Addie, but loved exploring what Addison was all about.

These are 3 of my closest friends. They are so wonderful to have around. We have enjoyed so many great times together. Last week's girl's night was just as great. We laughed, ate great food (thanks Dina!!), and just enjoyed each other's company. Thank you girls for being there for me and for being amazing friends!! (ps...you can check out their blogs on the links at the right of this screen)

Busy weekend

We made it through a busy, but fabulous weekend. It all started with the biggest poopie diaper ever!! :) For all who know Brad, you can appreciate this story. We were on our way to Chili's to enjoy dinner out, looked in the backseat and saw our little red-faced, fists clenched grunter filling her diaper. When we arrived at the restaurant, we decided it would be best to change her in the car because Chili's in always cold and their restrooms are small and freezing!!! So, Brad got Addison out of the carseat to find that she had pooped through the diaper and her little outfit. Of course, her daddy has always gotten excited when she poops (talk to him about it!), but his excitement is dwindling after what he was exposed to Friday night. He unsnapped her onesie only to find poo-poo coming out of every part of the diaper, up her back, up her belly, out the sides. Whew---about 5 wipes, 1 diaper, and an outfit change later, we were able to go inside and have some dinner. I guess I should've put our name in while he was changing her...then we would've had no wait at all! :)

Sorry for the poop story if it grossed anyone out, but it was hilarious!!! I was just glad Brad got dibs on changing that one!

Saturday we got up and drove to Knightstown. Brad got to play golf with his brothers, so he was all about that. Meanwhile, his mom took Addie and me, and my sis-in-law, Wendi, and nephew, Clay to "Canal Days" in Cambridge City. It was nice to get out and enjoy the fresh air and I'm always up for a festival. It was nothing big, but it got us out of the house! Addie did great during her first festival...although she did get a little warm...thank goodness for canopies on strollers! :)

Later in the afternoon Brad and I left to go to his football game and Memaw got to enjoy babysitting her granddaughter for the evening! (thanks, again, Memaw!!) Since we were getting back from the game at 11ish, we stayed the night. Addie was amazing for her first night away from home. We took the pack-n-play and she slept in that and was awesome!!! Thanks to "Memaw" and "Papaw Jack" for your hospitality! Oh, and thank you to Jess and Gracie for being such great company at the football game!! :)

We drove home Sunday late morning. Addie spent the afternoon with her daddy while I went to a baby shower for a dear friend of mine. After that, we were off again for a family dinner on my mom's side in honor of my Grandmother and my Dad's birthdays. Happy Birthday to both of you!! :)

There's the recap...I've got to not write when I'm this tired and spare you the rambling... :)

The picture at the beginning of this entry shows Addie's discovery of her hands and fingers. She typically gnaws on her whole fist, but when the fingers go in, it's always the middle two...she hasn't discovered the thumb yet and I'm soooo okay with that!!

Enjoy your day and smile!

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." ~Psalm 11:4-5

I love her!

I suppose you're thinking "that's a good thing," judging from the title of the blog. But, really, I find it so amazing how much you can love your own little child. I really think I love my daughter more and more every day. (as Brad says, "that's a good thing because you're with her a lot!")

When Addie wakes up in the morning, she just lays there and looks around, cooing and grunting. I make my way in after she's had some wake up time and she smiles the biggest smiles in the world. It is a moment like that that makes me realize how totally in love and awe I am with my daughter. As I got her out of her crib this morning, I hugged her tight, telling her how much I loved her and thanking God for such a huge blessing in our lives.

Side note: my school's secretary says it well, "I don't know how anyone can look at a baby and not believe in God!" She is so right...the miracle called baby is just so awe-inspiring. To watch them grow and learn, and know that God is in control, is amazing.

I am totally a random thought kind of person, so if my blog entries drive you crazy, I'm sorry...but you're gonna have to deal with it! :)

Addison is learning more and more every day. She is so strong. Today she was batting at the little toys and rattles that hang down from her play mat. She kept hitting them and cooing (and drooling) and seemed fascinated that simply hitting those little toys was going to cause noise. And sometimes, if you hit just right, it plays music.

Thanks for listening! :)