A Fun Weekend

Madeline's Dedication

Limited time... pictures will have to do for now...

Picture Fun on a Sunday Afternoon

Our First Easter With Maddie

Maddie started out the day in a cute dress, but Doug thought she was just too hard to hang onto so he changed her. He got this outfit for her right after we got our referral in December. Now, we're putting her to work in a Delta ad campaign! OK, maybe not just yet, but we think she'd be able to generate lots of business. We recognize that we're just a tad biased. LOL

Maddie in all her Easter splendor.

We had a wonderful Easter with family and friends. If you look closely, the tag on the bunny ears reads, "Made in China."

Grandma Karen came up from Terre Haute and our friend Keianna spent the night and went to church with us. Between Doug, Karen, and Keianna all fighting to hold/carry/play with Maddie, my aching arms and back got a much needed break! I didn't even realize they were sore until after everyone left this afternoon and I went to pick her up.

She fell asleep while I was feeding her last bottle this evening so I just sat and held her for a good long time while she slept. There is nothing sweeter than holding her like that. I make a conscious effort to enjoy every second with her to the fullest because I know that this stage is all too fleeting.

Over the past two weeks, Maddie has become very affectionate. She loves kisses and leans in often for one or many. She also loves giving eye-eye, ending with a smooch. For being such a wiggle-worm and roughneck, it' amazing how gentle she is when she is in a lovey mood. She also loves to give us hugs.

In the past few days she has taken the raspberry thing to a whole new level. She spits... not just a light spray, but she spits far! Today in church, the lady behind us was making faces at her so she blew raspberries and the spit flew over Doug's shoulder and I'm sure the people behind us got a shower! Also, to all of you who were at the same service we were today, my apologies on behalf of my noisy kid. She found her happy shrieks during the Easter service today and would not be quieted.

Progress in the past few days...

• Today she drank from a sippy cup for the first time and LOVED it. In the past she would protest rather loudly when we tried.
• We have made some great strides with her stomach problems. Since we switched her formula a week ago, things have worked themselves into normalcy... no more painful poops. We have even incorporated cereal back into her diet and she is fine!
• Grandma Jo and Aunt Cris fed her celery with Amish peanut butter. She actually bit pieces off the celery! (For those who don't know, Amish peanut butter has a different consistency than the regular peanut butter so it is not a choking hazard for babies.)
• Maddie is now feeding herself on a consistent basis. When we eat out, we order green beans or carrots or some other soft cooked vegetable for her. She picks them right up off her place mat and eats them. She can transfer small bits of food from hand to hand, and also from hand to mouth with little trouble. Some of it still gets away from her, but for the most part, she's becoming a pro. (Commercial break: Kids Table Toppers - these are adhesive place mats for kids. Peel & stick 'em to a table and your baby can eat right off the place mat. Or, in the case of Maddie, you don't have to worry if they decide to suck on the edge of the table because it is covered by the plastic place mat. When she's done eating, peel it off the table and wrap up the mess. Your servers will thank you for this... ours do!)

• I think she's teething again. Her drool from the past few days could drown a small animal. She also has a runny nose again... time to get more Boogie Wipes (OK, enough with the commercials already).
  

Maddie had a wonderful time with her Grandma Karen this weekend. Karen tried her darnedest to get her to say "Ga Ga" before she left today, but no luck. However, Maddie has started saying a few phrases repeatedly. One of them is, "Happy baby." When we read her favorite book, Baby Faces, that is the first page in the book. The first few times she said it, I thought I was just imagining things. However, she has said it often enough now, and quite clearly and happily each time, that I'm convinced that it is not just baby babble.

Mom, Dad, my brother Dave and his family, Grandma Karen, and our friends Susan and Keianna came over for lunch today to celebrate Mom's (Grandma Jo's) birthday and Easter. We had a treasure hunt for the kids this afternoon. Dad (Grandpa Daniel) obviously enjoyed the festivities! Even with all the noisy Graber kids in the living room, he kept right on sleeping.

Kianna helped get the treasure hunt set up last night and this morning. She's one creative cookie! The kids had a great time with the treasure hunt.

Sweet Cousin Libby loved her Easter Basket.

Daniel is quite the entertainer!

Speaking of entertainers, Libby and Audrey are also very good at holding a captive audience.

This video is a good representation of what Maddie is like EVERY time she wakes up - both in the morning and from naps. She always wakes up so happy. This definitely makes those 5AM wakeups on weekdays worthwhile. I can't imagine ever tiring of her wakeup rituals.

We continue to be so very grateful to God for all the blessings he has sent our way. Our daughter is such a precious gift, as are our family and friends. Thank you for sharing in our journey.

Much Love,

Beth, Doug, and Maddie

Catch Up Time!

It has been a busy two weeks! Last Monday, I returned to work and life is very crazy right now. Dropping Maddie off at daycare that first day was excruciating. I thought I would be just fine - that I was prepared for it - but I was wrong. About a mile down the road, I became one blubbering mama. Had I not been driving, I would have been in a fetal position, sucking my thumb while I cried my eyes out. I survived. But, this morning, Maddie cried for the first time when I dropped her off. So, I did too (after I left the daycare, of course).

Tears seem to have become a very common part of our lives in the Snow household. However, most of the time they're tears of joy. It's just ridiculous how often either Doug or I well up just watching our daughter. She is full of such innocence and glee, sheer bliss. We have become complete saps!!

Here are a few of the events of the past two weeks:

• Aunt Cris (my sister) spent a week with us. She lives in FL and came up here to meet Maddie and to help Mom and Shari (my sis-in-law) throw a baby shower.
• Maddie is completely in LOVE with Cassidy and her Aunt Cris!
• We have had some problems adjusting to the formula since we've been home. I won't go into detail. Let's just say that I have never talked about constipation so much in my life!!
• Speaking of... Maddie has pooped several times in the toilet! So, we got her a potty. We've got one case of diapers left in the closet - the pressure is on to get this girl potty-trained!! OK, I may be rushing it a bit, but if she is more comfortable going on the potty, then we'll roll with it.
• After a few days in daycare, Maddie regressed a little with regard to some of her attachment issues. She cries out in her sleep - not even fully waking up most of the time. Usually, just stroking her back and speaking softly to her will calm her down.
• She was getting up several times a night also. She now sleeps in the smaller crib in our bedroom right next to our bed. As long as she can see us when she wakes up, she is fine and goes right back to sleep. So, we will indulge her by allowing her to sleep in our room as long as it takes for her to feel secure.

The Troyer family baby shower was lots of fun. In this photo: Shari, Abby, Tina, Melody, Aunt Ann, Claire, and Libby. For more photos, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/grabersnow/200904.

Cassidy and Daniel helping themselves to some food at the shower. The beautiful quilt on the wall was made by Terri Sizemore, a friend and former co-worker.

Daryl & Gloria gave Maddie this stroller. She loves to walk along behind it. She still requires lots of support and we are teaching her how to move her legs to go forward.

Mel, Jen, and Colleen gave us this Boppy pillow. It is simply wonderful to use during bottle time or when reading stories. Maddie obviously enjoys it!

Maddie has finally warmed up to Grandpa! I think the feeling is mutual.

In true Aunt Cris fashion, she tried like crazy to teach Maddie to say "Cris" while she was here!

My sweet girls... these two adore each other, and I adore both of them!

Rocking her and holding her as she sleeps... life just does not get any better than that!!

Maddie is Daddy's girl! Cris commented how Doug just cannot stop smiling. It's true - he has a grin on his face all the time. He says he never knew you could love someone this much! (Darn it, there I go... getting all sappy again!)

I never knew either, and the love just keeps growing every day!

Aunt Cris babysat yesterday. She and Grandma Jo took the girls to the Davis Mercantile in Shipshewana. Maddie had her first carousel ride.

When we pick up Doug at the airport, Maddie gets super animated. Her little arms and legs flail all over the place. Last weekend, she and her Daddy fell asleep on the way home. She held his finger the whole way home while they slept.

Maddie loves to go shopping.

Bath time is still a favorite for her as well...

But her all-time favorite thing is sharing a bowl of Edy's Cookies & Cream Ice Cream with her Daddy. He can't shovel it in fast enough!

Thanks for stopping by to see what's going on in our little corner of the world.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, and Maddie