Family fun

Maddi is growing wayyyy too fast. She's almost standing completely unassisted now and says a total of 3 words...Mama, dada, and aaaat (cat). She's so stinking cute I can hardly contain the love inside my heart. I just want to hug and kiss her everytime she looks my way (which is constantly). She's attached like glue and frankly, so am I! Christmas Eve is tomorrow and we're ready and waiting. I know that Maddi won't remember this Christmas, but since it's her first I just want it to be perfect and special. Ryan wanted Turkey, so I'll be making that tomorrow along with all the fixins...we'll be fat and happy!! It's going to be a nice Christmas with just the 3 of us this year.

Twilight

Ps...wanted to see Twilight this weekend, but never got around to it!!! Ugh...for sure Saturday even if I go by myself!

Thanksgiving 2008 in Paradise

The family and I packed up for our annual trip to Paradise to spend Thanksgiving with the grands, aunties and uncle. The drive up was stressful and the traffic was horrendous especially since Maddi had a tummy ache from the new baby food she was fed, farting up a storm and crying like someone was pinching her for the first hour. Made it there in 8 grueling hours. Thanksgiving was spent at grandma and papas, and unfortunately Karen couldn't make the trip. Everyone was thrilled to see Maddi crawling and being the crazed kiddo she is. Such a happy baby, loved all the attention. She was scared of grandpa this trip and I think it was the beard. Mom and I think he should shave the thing off, he looks like an ewok...but we still adore him. Got to see grandma Comer and all the girls. Krissy and Rhiannon came up from the Bay area to spend some time and Maddi just LOVED all the fun Krissy was having with her. I think she's her favorite at this point. Friday night we went to see Kimmy at the Christmas Cabaret she was in...had lots of fun watching her and spending time with the girls. Grandma Comer said her and Maddi had a great time playing with all her toys and snuggling (when Maddi would let her). Saturday we met up with my mom and dad at the horse arena and watched them ride, ate lunch and played in the outdoors. Ryan and I took Maddi for a walk around the grounds and played with our dogs, who adsolutely loved the new adventures they were having. The hubbie and I can't wait to get back the boys when we move up North. It's been really hard not having them with us, but they love the freedom that comes with living at my parents house. All the animals keep them quite busy. Grandma does need to slow them on their food, Kurtimo is a little too pudgy. Anywho, all in all we had a pretty great time, except for the fight Ryan and Gabe got into. Gabe really needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut about things that aren't any of his business. Lips just couldn't keep his mouth shut...some things never change. Still love the hell out of my brother regardless. Can't teach an old dog new tricks. Sunday we packed up and drove home, getting in at around 4am...been pretty tired ever since. Got all week to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Here's some of the very few pictures I took...I need to get better at busting out the camera!!

Tuesday ramble

Wow...what a day! In the spirit of trying to get in shape, Maddi, my neighbor and I went on a 6 mile walk to Larchmont. As usual I grabbed myself a coffee from Peets and enjoyed my Vanilla Latte (more than I should have). My little one was such an angel just hanging on to her moose and enjoying the scenery all around her. She looooooves being outside, sadly we don't do much of that these days. My neighbor offered to sit with Maddi for some one on one time with Ryan, but I can't seem to pull myself away from her. It's something I'm going to have to get over, but I'm just not ready for that yet. That's my deal I guess, cause I'm sure she'd do just fine with being watched by someone other than our family. Honestly though, hard to trust pretty much anyone! Just my issues I guess. After the walk I packed ourselves into the mommymobile and drove us over to Burbank to pick up the Christmas pictures Maddi took a couple weeks ago. I wanted to get some of her with Christmas backgrounds eventhough she'd be having a photo session Friday with a photographer outdoors. You can never have tooooooo many pictures as far as I'm concerned, and I'm sure the whole family adores getting them...sooooooo I justify it nicely! Between the morning activities and our daily chores around the house, I'm exhausted. Trying to get ready for the Thanksgiving Holiday is such a pain. I swear, it's like packing everything but the kitchen sink...and it's only for 4 days!!! The grands are thrilled that we're coming up again sooooo soon, but it makes me feel good for Maddi to get as much time with them as possible. And they never complain so... While we're in Paradise we'll decide on whether we're doing the big move up near Sacto. Should be interesting to hear everyones biased opinions on the subject. haha. On another note, sad to say that I've finished all the twilight books...bummer! Got to find myself something more to get obsessed with. I shouldn't have read them sooo fast!!!!

Griffith Park

Today the little one and I went to the park to lay about, take a walk and just discover nature together. It's the most amazing thing to watch my daughter learn, it's totally food for my soul. God only knows how much I adore the moments we share together, even when I'm irritated and exhausted and need a break from her. No one ever said mothering a baby was easy, but they always said how rewarding it would be. I wholeheartedly agree and can't imagine my life without her! We had a good time, packed up our belongings and headed home to have some lunch and nap. What a fabulous Friday!






On Another note, just wanted to share some photos of our recent trip to the San Diego Zoo (Last Saturday). It was the first visit for Maddi, and all of us as a family together. We enjoyed seeing all of the animals there and walking the park. My heart swelled as I saw a momma and baby bonabo interacting with each other. Baby was using momma as a playground and getting piggy back rides from one place to the other...you could see the love, thick like smoke. As I looked over at my husband who was watching with amazement, I teared up. Things like that get to me, I guess because I'm an emotional creature, but also because I could tell it touched my husband as well. BTW...Maddi wasn't touched at all...she was staring at the 6'5" woman standing next to us...smiling and loving any bit of attention strangers would give her.

The first one

Sooooooo, I thought that I'd start blogging our hectic lives as a sort of time-capsule to come back to now and again (great idea I encountered by an old grammar school friend...thanks to Andria for the idea)...see where we've been and where we're headed. It's a crazy life, and we're living it one moment at a time...soaking it all in and learning something brand new each day we're together...Me, the hubbs and Miss Maddimonster. Let's see where our adventures lead us!