adding to the noise

sweet 16 weeks.

she loves: sucking on her toes/fingers/anything she can get in her mouth, auntie melissa, fresh air, nibbles on her thighs, KISSES, pickles

she dislikes: COLD water (aka - the ocean and the outdoor pool)

she: celebrated momma's 24th birthday and was an absolute ANGEL for 4 1/2 hours at the salon, traveled through 5 states (new jersey, new york, connecticut, rhode island, massachusettes) and was PERFECT in the car, met her auntie melissa and her family for the very first time, went to the beach for the first time, went in the pool for the first time, went on a boat for the first time, went to martha's vineyard, has been having trouble adjusting to a new place and isn't sleeping well at night, belly laughs when tickled

(PS: be back when i get home with a winner from my birthday! thanks for all the sweet wishes!!!)

indeed, it was golden.

last year, i had high hopes. big dreams. big plans. lots of optimism for a year that really couldn't be much worse than the last.

lucky for me, 23 was indeed all that i wanted and exceeded every single one of my expectations. in fact, perhaps, it was the best year of my life. a year ago today, i never would have expected the way my life would change and as i just put madelyn to bed for the third time tonight (of course, the night before my birthday was a difficult one lol), i could not be more thankful.

this year has brought me so much happiness. so much love. so much joy. i have learned the TRUE definition of love. i have learned the true definition of sacrifice. i have found and am overjoyed at the amazing friendships that i have discovered. i am truly lucky.

my heart is happy. i am overjoyed and peaceful in the place that i am at right now (even though my days are anything BUT peaceful). i have fallen in love with the most beautiful girl in the world and every night, i am lucky to watch her fall asleep. and every day, i am blessed to have her smile at me and be a part of my world.

so much has changed. i have wanted for my entire life to be a mother, but nothing could have prepared me for what that would mean. it is so awesomely good. getting through the hard times is... well, hard. but the rest of it... how awesome.

i'm mainly just rambling. 23 was the year my life changed. it was the year devoted to my beautiful daughter. it was the year i became a mother. the year i learned so much about me. so much about others.

it was the best year.

here's to 24. to all it will bring. to watching madelyn grow up and growing with her. to the friendships i have growing and bringing forth so much happiness. to *hopefully* finding THE house (even though, THE house was sold to someone else...). to all those around who make life wonderful. to creativity. and strength. and wisdom. to new memories. to beauty. to health. welcome, 24, welcome. i invite you in with open arms and an open heart. how excited i am to meet you...

(for the past two years, at least, i have given away RAKs the entire month of my birthday... i find it to be a TON of fun.... and a little bit of a give back to my readers/friends... i don't advertise it anywhere because i truly want the fun to go to those who have supported me all along..... this year, i've obviously been a slacker. a cute little girl can do that to you. however, i would be HONORED to give a RAK to one of my lucky readers.... please leave a comment below and i will choose someone.... i don't know what it will be yet.... but i'll figure it out....)

15 weeks.

been laying low so not much to say. the babe's been off and on sick again. *sigh*. all these high fevers make a momma nervous!

i don't think there's really any new likes or dislikes. she still hates tummy time and hasn't rolled over again since the three times last wednesday.... (but mommy's been bad with getting her on her tummy every day because when she's miserable and sick, i hate making her more miserable...). she still absolutely LOVES kisses and i really need to get her reaction to kisses on camera because it is seriously the cutest thing you'll ever see.

she's: helped babysit her cousins, went back to the doctors AGAIN, said goodbye to aunt rissa since she left for mexico and won't be home until christmas (lots of tears there), been to sidewalk sales with momma and gina (and bought SUCH beautiful janie and jack clothes!) , went and did lots of shopping with momma to find a cute birthday outfit for mommy and get lots of odds and ends for vacation, spent a lot of time indoors due to rain and sicknes, video chatted with auntie melissa and talked ALL about the upcoming vacation

14 weeks.

i am certainly quite late with this post. it's been sort've nuts around here.

(14 weeks. 1 day. didn't get on the ball on her 14 week birthday.)

she likes: playing with her feet and sticking her toes in her mouth, her new bath seat (it's not a tub she's immersed in--- so much better!), her aquarium boucer, kisses

she dislikes: wearing bibs

she: has been to bowcraft with her cousins, went to visit her uncle danny, rolled over for the first time (finally! at 14 weeks exactly!), went house hunting with mama and put an offer in on a house (unfortunately, i don't think we got it because even though they initially accepted our offer, we hesitated and then someone else came in with a higher offer a few days later. UGH!), is incredibly happy and loves to talk and laugh with mama and mimi

3 months/13 weeks.

oh, pretty girl.... how did we get here? 3 months old. REALLY?! really. i can't even remember you as a baby except that you were SO much lighter!!!  i feel like i missed out on the first three months of your life... even though I was right here with you. I still haven't left you alone for more than an hour (except for my surgery...) but I still feel like I've missed out on so much. You are becoming a BIG girl now. A big smiling, coo'ing, loving, happy, fantastically lovely and growing girl. A momma's girl.

You love: smiling, kisses, playing with your feet (you're trying to get them in your mouth - it's quite hilarious)

You dislike: having blood drawn (probably as much as momma hates watching you have it drawn)

You: have been to the doctor's twice and the hospital once in the past week due to a fever. You seem much better now. mostly laying low to recover. to angela's for sunday breakfast. out to lunch today with momma's work friends for gina's birthday

We hopefully have a very busy weekend ahead of us so long as the babe stays HEALTHY. State fair on Friday. To the mall on Saturday (and momma's leaving you along for the first time to go to a party that night!). And we'll see for Sunday... maybe visiting Uncle Danny.

Hope you all have a beautiful weekend!

happy fourth.

madelyn wishes you all a beautiful weekend filled with lots of love and good times.

12 weeks.

she likes: watching tv, sucking on her fingers, kicking like crazy, her aquarium bouncer, toys, her bumbo

she dislikes: tummy time (still), baths (still)

she's: been garage sale-ing, been to the doctor twice for a fever (cross your fingers it gets better soon), visited with her cousins, been to work with momma and out with mommy's friends for lunch

she's getting so big. at the doctor's yesterday, she was 12 lbs 10 oz. WOW. how the heck did that happen? must be all the formula she's getting now. she's really developing a personality and is a pretty happy baby (except for when she's not feeling well). she is still not a fan of tummy time so she's yet to roll over. she LOVES other kids and laughs like heck at one of the babies that my mom takes care of. she's really a delight to watch and talk to. she definitely has stories to tell.

i have been dying for some creative time but with a sick babe, it hasn't been happening. hoping she starts feeling better soon so i can have some me-time (and of course, so she's not sick! it's so sad to see her so upset!). if she's feeling better by friday, we're going to take her to the state fair with my mom, brother, sister-in-law, james, and charlie and i'm really excited for that.

that's about it that's happening over here. doesn't she look gorgeous in her cute dress? i wish i got better pics but i think i was lucky to get any today between her doctor appointment and general crankiness,