I have been a delinquent poster :-(

So sorry for the delay in posting- it has been a busy month! Since we have spoken last, I have left Deloitte (due to some unfortunate down sizing....especially of those with flexible work arrangements) and am attempting the stay at home mom thing. It has been an adjustment, I will let you know when I get used to it though!

Ok, back to Madelyn. Since I last posted Madelyn has watched her first Ohio State Game (like the bow?):

Seen her first live ducks. This is at "The Barn" in Amish Country, Central Ohio...they have my favorite broccoli cheese soup, cornbread and mac and cheese...we go every year when we go up to Ohio for the annual Barry family camping trip to Mohican (also in central Ohio where cell phone services DOES NOT EXIST). I digress, Madelyn LOVED the ducks, mostly chasing them, as you can see.

She went to her first farm (Malabar Farms in Central Ohio) - scenes from Shawshank Redemption were filmed here and they have AWESOME Amish fudge and a petting zoo. She personally liked the tractor the best.

She went to her first petting zoo. She liked the pony because it was more her size than the horses and cows (see her adoration below). I think the turkeys and goat just freaked her out. I really hope her sense of smell is not as developed as ours because it was hot and stinky and there was not enough hand sanitizer in the western hemisphere for mom's comfort level.

Although the season appears to be somewhat off, we decided to take the Barry family Christmas photo while at Mohican (that is the river behind our cabins in the background...note this is NOT how Christmas is Ohio looks). Madelyn was more interested in Grandma's finger than the camera but all of the pictures of her looking and smiling have someone else looking like a total goober so this one will have to do. From the left is Patrick's brother Mark, Mr. Barry, Mrs. Barry (not me, the original one), Patrick, me and Madelyn and Patrick's youngest brother David.

Madelyn also got to see her first mountains on the trip to Ohio. Last time she went it was dark when we went through the mountains and she was asleep. This time she really got to get out, stretch from being in her carseat and enjoy the view (see the smile?) This is in the middle of West Virginia somewhere.

Madelyn has also been a busy socialite. She has gone on numerous playdates with her best friends Mia and Nick (the kids may be starting to enjoy these almost as much as Kathy, Holly and I are....ok maybe not). Here are some of the kids' candids:



As far as development goes (now that we have covered all of her social events), Maddy has found her toes (though she doesnt grab and hold them yet), she can sit propped up (case in point above), she screams to hear her own voice, sleeps through the night (except during this 3 month growth spurt thing), eats rice cereal...oh she loves it...she lunges at the spoon and growls at you when you arent quick on the draw with the library paste looking stuff, she picks up soft things like her burp cloth and bibs and blankets, she drools uncontrollably...Dr. Satterfield said she has tooth buds in there and that is why the waterworks have started, she laughs out loud, turns to sounds, smiles uncontrollably, attempts to sing, talks ALL the time and can hold her self up on her arms on her tummy at 45 degrees.

Phew that is a lot of development in one month. She really wants to roll over but the tucking of the arm seems to allude her- she will roll to her side but cant make the tummy just yet.

Madelyn also had her first fall the other day. Mommy was working on the computer (since her work laptop is gone and we have not gotten another one yet, I only can do computer work when my mom brings her laptop over or Patrick is home) and Madelyn was sleeping in her swing. All of the sudden I hear her laughing uncontrollably. I turn to see her and she is standing on the floor, leaning back with her head in the seat of the swing. She is then pushing herself back and forth in her new head hammock. I get up from the table, run to get her and in the nanosecond that it took to get there, she sits on her butt, the swing's motor moves the swing backward, she falls back and cracks her head on the carpet as the swing wooshes back over her head. She was a bit confused as to how she ended up on the floor but no crying or injury resulted. After mommy panicked and called Dad and both grandmas, she learned her lesson to ALWAYS buckle the child in even when she is reclined and seems to be not mobile. Just when I least expected it she learned to scoot forward and backward and out of swings...sheesh!

OK that is more than enough for right now- I will post some new pictures soon (since tomorrow is her 3 month birthday). I will leave you with a picture that really fits my mom's nickname for her...pumpkin face....grand similarities don't you think?

~Kristin

Madelyn's First Play Date

So this week Miss Madelyn had her first group play date with Nick Pritchard (Holly Barr's adorable little man) and Mia Hanna (Sam and Kathy Hanna's little girl- and Madelyn's co-conspirator for sock removal....see below). I think the moms had a better time than the kids but Madelyn really did enjoy her new (and only) friends...case in point is the picture above- she was very excited! It is just amazing to see what a few months can do to a baby. Mia is almost 5 months old and holds her head up, plays with toys, sits up, rolls over and grasps for things. Nick is 7 months old and he sits up, rolls over, crawls, eats solid food, plays with toys (his favorite being a baby hanger), is VERY vocal and says mamamamama. Oooooh I can't wait.

Help me get this off Mia!!

Madelyn's First Play Date!

Madelyn also had more visitors this week- Aunts Dana, Sarah and Courtney came to play (see below). She slept on Dana for the entire visit but she was wide awake and bushy tailed and demonstrated her new sitting up and standing (with assistance), speaking (coos, oohs, laughs, etc.) and smiling talents for Courtney and Sarah...they were most impressed. We also got to show the girls Madelyn's new dance moves which consist of dancing with Mommy. She has her own playlist on our Itunes and has a DISTINCT preference for the music that she dances to. #1 favorite would be "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" which is closely followed by "Ghostbusters" (it's Halloween music...did you have any doubt), "Hot, Hot, Hot" and most other "oldies".

Madelyn and Aunt Dana

Outfit from Aunt Dana


Hi Aunt Sarah and Aunt Courtney- I can sit up!

In addition to her many visitors, Madelyn continues to LOVE bath time. At about 8:30 she becomes quite agitated knowing bath time is coming but she is too impatient to wait. Once we get her upstairs and start to undress her the big smile comes out since she believes she has conned us (once again) with her charms and wit. See below for one of her favorite bath time games- dunking her head in the bubble water which leaves a rather humorous bubble do (and ears full of soap). The nice thing about her knowing that bath time is coming is that she knows that bedtime is right after that so she either falls asleep in the jacuzzi or right after getting lotion, jammies and bottle. This is very nice for her parents!

Like my new do?

In a somewhat sad turn of events, Grandma Barry was not able to come visit us this week like we had planned since she is taking care of her mom (Great Grandma Dulzer). We missed her visit very much and we are sure her and Grandpa are very sad they couldn't be here with her so we took some pictures just for her to let her know we wish she was here with us!!

I miss you Grandma and Grandpa!!

Well- thanks for reading our blog again. Next week Patrick is off work so we get to spend good quality Daddy time and should get much better pictures since I am an accountant and NOT an artist- don't laugh, I am truly thankful Madelyn's head is not cut off in any of these pictures...seriously.

Until next week!

Kristin (and Madelyn)

Its been a busy week- I need a rest!

A Week of Visitors and Outings

Its Been a Busy Week- I'm Tired...

But I Think My Kitty Might Be Plotting To Kill Me

Week 5 was a busy week for Madelyn. She started the week with visits from her honorary Aunts Sarah and Carolyn and followed it up by visits from her honorary Aunt Courtney and Uncle Matt. We are pretty sure that visiting us has convinced all of them not to have kids for a while (after seeing the way we look, how tired we are, hearing our stories and hearing unhappy baby crying). At the end of the week, Madelyn had her first "play date" with Mia Hanna. They didn't do too much playing because they both were quite cranky. They "talked" for a while and then their mommies took them for a walk...Madelyn fell asleep but Miss Mia was determined to fight the sleepiness. As a result, she had to go home to take a nap but will be back next week for playdate number 2 with Nick Pritchard (Holly Barr-Pritchards little man). See pictures of Mia's beautiful new dress on the website and Snapfish.

Look At All My Visitors!

In addition to these wonderful visits, Madelyn and Mommy made many excursions out of the house. Mommy needs a nap after taking the baby out because it takes so long to get ready, so long to get her in an out of the car, takes so much work to push her and a cart around the store and it is just HOT outside. Braving all of these factors and in order to keep ourselves entertained, we decided to undertake making magazine boxes for the built-ins in the family room. We went to Space Savers to get boxes, Lowes, Staples and Michaels to get the label holders and Walmart to get material. We went to Costco's (per Kathy Hanna's advice) to get diapers and we also took a trip to Babies-R-Us and Concord Mills to procure Maddie's Halloween costume (NO....it is not too early, the party is October 17th and that is only 81 days away!!)- what she will be will have to be a surprise though.

To top off the week, Madelyn took a trip to see Dr. Satterfield for her 1 month check-up. She tips the scales at 10 lbs. 14 oz. and comes in at 23 and 3/4 inches long...greater than 97th percentile for both! She is a big, healthy, hungry baby. We can't wait for the 2 month appointment when she gets her slew of vaccinations....oh boy!

My 1 Month Check-Up...OH MY...I Am Naked Baby!!

Thanks again for reading...until next week!
Kristin

Mommy and Madelyn's Adventure Alone!

Hey Everyone!

So this week was a huge milestone for Maddie and Mommy- we were all alone!!!! Patrick went back to work this week- but not only did he go back to work but he went out of town....oh the horror! Madelyn and I survived only with the help of Grandma Mary, Amanda and my wonderful friends who bring food and come keep us company. It was a bit challenging doing all the nighttime feedings on my own (with the exception of putting her to bed which my mom so wonderfully handled after helping me with bath time)- I am quite tired to say the least.

Madelyn has also progressed to holding her head up for longer periods of time, following your face with her eyes and mimicking faces that you make. Her favorite face to mimic would be sticking her tongue out- she finds this awfully amusing. For a while she looked at me like, "Mommy what are you doing...can someone please get me new parents?" After staring intently for weeks she finally decided to give it a try and now the tongue is out of her mouth more than it is in.

Madelyn also has a new love affair with ceiling fans...her old obsession with windows is so last week...ceiling fans are apparently the new fad, they do move after all. She stares at them, follows them with her eyes, talks to them and shows them her aforementioned tongue face (although this may not impress the fan as much as it does her parents). I would be tempted to think that Kaiya (our half demon/half lovable feline) taught Maddie to love the ceiling fan demigod (since Kaiya spends much of her day talking to the fan as well) but then I remember that Kaiya hates the insolent, crying, mini-human and she would be more inclined to push Madelyn and her stroller out onto the front porch in hopes of a rogue kidnapper coming by than teaching her something interesting.

Other than fan watching, Madelyn sat in her Bumbo seat this week (it is a positioner that Corinne and John got for her that helps her learn to sit up) and took her first bubble bath this week. This was mostly due to my error in adding too much Johnson's bedtime bath and then turning the jets on (laying in the jet stream is Madelyn's favorite part of bath time) but she loved it none the less- see the Snapfish photos for documentation of this grand event. Madelyn also got many visitors who came to save me from my monotony. She got to meet many of her honorary aunts; Sarah, Carolyn, Jamie, Kristin and Kelly. All of these wonderful women came and kept me company and cuddled and bounced Madelyn- much to her delight.

In a rather humorous and somewhat scary vein- there is a new album on the Snapfish group album entitled Patrick's Baby Pictures. If you have some free time take a look at these pictures that Mrs. Barry so kindly scanned in for me. Play a little game called "is this picture Madelyn or Patrick". If it were not for the somewhat aged photos and baby gear it would be REALLY hard to tell the difference. I am dismayed that I threw up for nearly 40 straight weeks and dealt with all other discomforts of pregnancy and delivery and if I had not witnessed the child exit my body I would not know that I had any part in her creation. On the upside Patrick is cute and was a really cute baby so it worked out just fine...maybe she will get my hands or eye color (or my curly hair which would make Grandma Barry REALLY happy).

If you are truly bored and look through all of the new Snapfish photos that are posted you will notice an awful lot of pictures of Madelyn just sitting. I was quite lonely- as I mentioned- and found her irresistibly adorable. She looks at Patrick and I when we go on these picture taking tangents and stares at us as if to say "why are you ogling over my like you just saw the invention of fire or the first wheel...don't you have anything better to do?" The sad thing is- we don't...

Thanks for reading again! Madelyn goes for her 1 month check up this coming week so I will post her new stats and the results of the check-up. One month....I can't believe it!!

TTYL-

Kristin

Madelyn's First Road Trip!

Hi Everyone!

Week 3 was a big week for Madelyn- she went on her first road trip!! Patrick, Madelyn and I packed the car and headed the 500 or so miles north to Akron, Ohio to visit Patrick's family. Grandma Dulzer (Patrick's mom's mom) is 92 and is not in very great health and there is a good chance she may not be with us much longer so we decided it would be a good idea for her to see her 12th great-grandchild (from her 15 grandchildren by 7 children...that is a lot of family!) and for Madelyn to get pictures with her so we can show them to her later. Besides seeing Great-Grandma Dulzer, Patrick's Aunt Janet (one of his mom's sisters) was visiting from Los Angeles and she was very excited to get to see the baby as well.

Madelyn did great on her first car ride north- it took us about 9 and a half hours to get there (usually about seven and a half) and about eight and a half to get home but she slept the whole time both ways....except to eat.

One of the benefits of being a part of a very large family is there is never a shortage of people to hold a baby, burp a baby, walk a crying baby or change a dirty diaper. Madelyn got to see Grandma and Grandpa Barry again and got to meet her Uncle Davey and Uncle Mark, Aunt Alexis; Great Aunts Janet, Bunny, Arlene, Jeanne, and Mary-Anne; Great Uncle John, Great Grandma Dulzer, Great Grandma Geig, Great Grandpa Geig and cousins Devon and Dylan- phew that was a lot of visiting in 3.5 days! (see Snapfish pictures for Patrick's documentary style photographs of all of these meetings)

Besides being the world traveler that she is, Madelyn is also awake much more during the day, slept 7 hours one night (this has not re-occurred...much to her parents' dismay), smiles in response to seeing faces she knows, she sticks her tongue out when you do, tracks objects and lights and has found a love of looking out windows (cars or houses) and swinging on porch swings...see Snapfish pictures for evidence of these loves.

Thanks for reading about our weekly adventures- talk to you all next week...it will be our first week without Daddy here (he is going to Raleigh) and we get our second installment of the Hep B vaccine at our 1 month appointment.

Love~
Kristin

First Blog Post!

Hello everyone! This is my first foray into the world of blogging. Spurred on by wanting to share the goings on of life with a new baby with our family and friends I have decided to give this a try!! Adjusting to life with Madelyn has been a bit challenging. She is two weeks and 1 day old today and she has not gotten into a good sleeping/eating schedule as of yet. She still tries to sleep more during the day than at night, but we are getting there. She also has a preference for Dad putting her to sleep since she sees Mom as purely a food source- this can be a bit frustrating at 4 am when Mom is trying to put a screaming baby to sleep.

She is a very big and strong girl- weighing in at 9 lbs. 10.5 oz. and 22 in. at her 2 week check-up. That is 95th percentile for length and 90th percentile for weight...it hurts to think about delivering all of that baby (since she was the same length and merely 10.5 oz. lighter when she came into this world)!

In her short two weeks, Madelyn has been a busy girl. She has been visited by a slew of wonderful neighbors, Aunt Amanda and Uncle Wayne, Aunt Nichole, Aunt Andrea and Uncle Shaffey- and of course the Grandmas and Grandpa and Uncle Jeffrey (see the link at the right for the BuckeyeBarrys website where you can see pictures of all of her visitors). She has lots of people to love her and they all must still love Patrick and me because they keep bringing us food and desserts- it has been great! Madelyn had a pretty uneventful first holiday- July 4th- she ate a lot, slept a lot and took a bath in the big bath tub- which is her FAVORITE time of day. She loves doing the backstroke around the big tub so much that we are thinking of having her try out for the Olympic Swim Team...ok maybe it is too early for that but she kicks those legs and paddles her arms with such fury that it is a distinct possibility for the next Olympics (also see BuckeyeBarrys.com link at the right for pictures and videos of her first bath, first doctor's visit and July 4th). Miss Madelyn also made her first trip to Target and Wendy's- which she slept through. Wow that was a lot for a two week old!

I hope you all enjoy the blog, the videos, the pictures and the website. See you all at week 3!