Saturday, January 30, 2010

Playing with Maisey

Last week we got to play a little bit with our BFF Maisey. Let me give you a commentary on how I think this whole thing went down:

"Hey Maisey, look over here! Just ignore her. She does tries to take my picture all the time. Hello? I want to play!"
"Hi! So, how ya doing? This tummy time stuff really is getting old. You should learn to crawl forward, instead of just backwards, and I will learn to crawl too. Then we can be real terrors for our mamas! By the way, I like your blanket."
"Um, we were having a conversation (notice the eye brows). Enough with the clicky click and flashy fash. Can't you just let us play already?"

Friday, January 29, 2010

Look who's a half a year old!!!


Crazy to think that my little Madelyn (who is not very little anymore) is already 6 months old. Crazy! In fact, I was starting to question all those people who don't believe that there is a God. All you have to do is search any baby related item on the internet to discover that people are still trying to figure out these small creatures. One day they do this, the next they do that. Go to sleep like this, introduce solid foods like that. Anyway, they are complicated little buggers and mine is no exception. I have to believe there is a divine power in charge of something so mysterious. I am in awe of her every day. For six full months now Josh and I have gotten blessed by the most precious blessing we could have ever been given. I know I say it all the time, but I just couldn't imagine my life without her. We just love her so much!!




At 6 months Miss M is:
- Still teething. She stopped plain old drooling and has started spitting/blowing raspberries. Very nice when you couple that with carrots or avocado.
- Eating solid food twice a day. Still nursing 5 times a day. Which in turns makes for very interesting diaper changes. For the most part the explosions have stopped and the stoppage has begun. And they are very stinky now too. Boo!
- Sleeping 8 hours a night. 8:00-8:30 is her bed time, depending on how long she screams... She wakes up for a feeding around 4:00 and then goes back to sleep until 7:00.
- On a four hour schedule now (thanks Aunt Kim!!) and it is working fabulously for naps and nighttime regime.
- Still talking like crazy. Her favorite thing to do this month is put her tongue on her bottom lip and say nanananananana...... Sometimes it sounds like "mama". Which I will take for sure! Other times it definitely sounds like "dada". And sometimes it sounds like "oh no". Which is really cute.
- Becoming stronger every day. She can throw herself backwards and stand up while you are holding her. And she is so strong that you can't even stop her sometimes. I think she just wants to move. Her jumperoo is her favorite toy right now (very close seconds being her My Pal Violet talking dog and a little cloth jungle book she got from g-ma and g-pa Mahlmeister for Christmas) and I am attributing her strong legs to that thing. When we first got it I could place her in it face whatever toys I wanted her to play with and she was still in the same place when I took her out. Now she just twirls around all day long. So sitting on someone's lap must be a bore. Here she is in the jumperoo. Just taking a break apparently.
- Chomping on her tongue so it looks like she is chewing on something (even though nothing is in her mouth). A guy in Costco stopped us the other day and asked if we gave her bubble gum. And my Oma just laughs saying out of all the babies she has helped raise, none of them have ever done that. I have yet to get it on video, but hopefully soon. It is a crack up!
- Certainly becoming a mama's girl. She does well when I drop her off at sitters still, but if she is home, she wants to see mommy at all times. Even the other day, she was at my grandma's house (Oma) and when I walked in she lunged for me. And then when I tried to give her back to grandma she wouldn't go. She held on to me so tight. That was the third day she had been at someone's house. So I think she missed me. That's always nice...
- Wearing 9-12 month clothing. I will get her exact measurements when she goes to the doctor next week. But it is just nuts how fast they grow out of things.

And the biggest milestone we have hit this month is:
- Sitting up on her own. Like enough where I can leave the room and she will still be sitting up. I only did this one time when I went to grab the camera. Promise! Here are some pictures I was meaning to blog when it all happened. You can see how she just gets better at it. In fact, we had almost a full skype conversation with Grandpa and Grandma Thye. So they are our proof!




We had to show off when Michelle came over to play last week.

- Missy is starting to pose when she sees the camera. Can you tell? She has that same goofy look in almost every picture. That lower lip...


Unfortunately daddy had to work on her six month birthday so we celebrated by going to Target and getting more clothes that fit. Going to the grocery store to get the next installment of baby foods, went for a walk in the neighborhood, and then came home and played with Ella and Titi.
(No babies were really harmed in the making of this film. Missy just likes to pull hair.)

Happy six month Madelyn. We love you!!




Wednesday, January 27, 2010

What just happened?

Tonight I was feeding Madelyn her current favorite food (beside breast milk), carrots, and she looked up at me and I had a moment. There is no picture of this moment because I wouldn't dare stop feeding the girl, but let me describe the scene. She was sitting in her high chair (that's right she sits up on her own now and eats in a high chair) with a bib on. There were carrots all over her face and the bib. I am not that good at feeding her yet. Now my mom, my grandma and her aunt Paulette can feed her perfectly. I guess I just don't have the mom touch yet... Anyway, carrots, in case you forgot, are VERY orange. This crazy color just makes it all the more obvious. My little girl is growing up! The actual thought that went through my head was, "Who stole my little Madelyn and left this dirty big kid?" It just made me sad. Soon she will be like whatever mom and on to bigger and better things. I know new moms are usually anxious for their children to meet milestones. Rolling over, sitting up, eating baby food, crawling, walking, talking, eating real food and the list goes on. I just had a moment tonight when I genuinely wished she would stay this small forever. I didn't even care if it meant having to nurse her for the rest of my life. I just didn't want her to get big. In fact, I have taken probably three or four pictures of her sitting up on her own wanting to post it on the blog. But I really think part of me just didn't want to admit that she is doing that yet. I want my baby back! Now I know why moms always have baby fever when they are around them. I love all ages of a kids life (maybe minus years 12-15). Kids are hilarious! I am just not ready for a kid yet. I like my baby and want o keep her little. Any suggestions?

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Big News for Jenni's Business

Hi everyone! I usually try and keep personal stuff on this blog and business stuff on my Imoni Events blog however, I was just informed today that I am a recipient of a Bride's Choice Award 2010 from WeddingWire. In addition to the Best Wedding Planner for 2009 award I am feeling very peaceful that this is exactly where God wants me to be. I love my job and the people I work with, but in this economy I was starting to think that maybe I needed to look into other options for income. No matter how much I worry that brides will not hire me, they still do. And whenever I am having anxiety over being "good enough", God does stuff like this. I get to do exactly what I want to do and be home with Madelyn as much as possible. And the bills still get paid!! I am so thankful to God for all these blessings and joys! Just wanted to share the good news.

Additionally, I am up for Best of 2010 for Arizona Bride Magazine again. Please take some time and vote for myself and some of the people that have helped make my business what it is today. (You have to fill in at least six categories for the vote to count). I appreciate you taking that time. :o)

Best Wedding Planner: Imoni Events
Best Photographer: Kim Jarman
Best Videographer: Princess Bride Videography
Best Wedding Venue: Royal Palms Resort
Best Invitations: Definitely Debra
Best Florist: Flora Europa
Best Band: Shining Star
Best Make Up: Sarah San Marco
Best DJ: SKM Entertainment
Best Overall Vendor: Imoni Events :o)

You can vote HERE or the link listed above. Thanks everyone!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

5 months and Christmas!

Since I last blogged SO MUCH has happened.

December 19th: We visited Santa for the first time. She was not scared of him at all. In fact, she really didn't even care. The kid cracks me up!



December 20th: Madelyn ate her first "solid" food. She was given permission from the doctor to eat rice cereal. It was a hoot!






December 21st: Josh and I celebrated our seven year wedding anniversary. I am not sure what you are supposed to do for the seven year anniversary, and since I am still nursing we couldn't do anything overnight. So we recreated our first two dates and it was really fun! We went to Oregano's for dinner (date number 2) and then Golfland for goofy golfing (date number 1). One of the golf courses was so cute all lit up for Christmas. It was on that course that we saw a couple with two little girls just having a blast! It was a cute peak into our future. Cute until I realized Josh was schooling me...

December 23rd: We celebrated Christmas with my dad, step mom, brothers and sisters. Which meant they got to witness Madelyn opening her very first Christmas present.





After the celebration we went to church for the first three of seven services Josh and I were involved in. Josh played trumpet and trash cans (for a Little Drummer Boy piece) and I sang.



December 24th: We celebrated the birth of Christ (for the second day in a row) at the last four (of seven) Christmas Eve services at church. Josh's cousin Lyndsey, her husband Terry, and their little girl Addison were also in town visiting Terry's family. So we were blessed to see them.






December 25th: We celebrated Christmas with my mom, step dad, and sisters. We opened more presents, ate good food, watched Christmas Vacation, and decorated a very sassy gingerbread house.

December 26: We flew to Texas to celebrate the holidays with Josh's family. Madelyn was amazing on the flights. She pretty much ate, played with daddy and then slept. I couldn't have asked for a better baby. Here are some highlights of our trip.



December 29th: Madelyn celebrated her 5 month birthday with a snow storm in Texas (see above). Here she is at home with her monthly signage. This is getting harder to take as she is becoming more obsessed with paper.






16 pounds 12 ounces (95th percentile for girls her age)

26 1/2 inches tall (off the chart!)





The top tens things we love about her this past month:


1. Starting to tri pod (sitting up by balancing weight on her hands).

2. Loves books!

3. Has a teething ring or paci in her hands at all times!

4. Is starting to cry when you leave the room.

5. gets to laughing really hard when you tickle her.

6. Eating her toes on a daily basis.

7. Moving from every 3 to every 4 hour feeding schedule.

8. Hair is getting so long it falls into her eyes when we wash it. Super cute!

9. Starting to hit buttons on toys that make noise.

10. Cries when she wakes up, but smile as soon as she sees me or Josh. Just melts your heart!


December 31st: We ushered in the new year with much thanks for 2009. God is so good!



Currently, we are recovering from all the craziness of the holidays. We are back to work, and trying to get Miss M back on a schedule. Tank you all for being part of our lives. Heres to a great 2010!! xoxoxo





Sunday, January 3, 2010

Still here...

Okay. So holiday season is super busy and we have been MIA on the blog. We rejoice that Christ is born and is truly the center of our lives! But wow, time has flown by as we celebrated so much this year. Coming soon to the blog:

1. Josh and I celebrated our seven year anniversary.
2. Our daughter turned 5 months.
3. First Christmas with Madelyn.
4. First trip to Texas with Madelyn.
And so much more!

As soon as I get my pictures and videos up and running I will let you know what has been up the past few weeks. To Christ be all the glory!