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