Disposable

okay...this is getting ridiculous. Landry is now moving into her second closet. We have now what we call her disposable wardrobe because like most disposable items, they are only used once or twice and then they are done. Her wardrobe is like that. She has so many really CUTE things to wear that she only gets to wear the 'good stuff' a few times before she outgrows them RATS! So with this in mind, I have decided to start dressing her to the nines every day of the week. Why not?! At least she'll look good while her mother wears thread bare clothes from the 80's. Okay, that was exagerating just a little but as I thumbed through my pitiful excuse of a closet, I couldn't help but think of all the things that Landry needed so I was just going to have to make due with what I have. Woe is me. So if you see me and I'm looking a little rough around the edges, be a dear and don't tell me. Instead, just tell me how incredibly fabulous and cute my kid is. :)

Shannon & Charlie, I tried the cute Baby Lulu out fit on that you BOTH tried to talk me out of and well, you can see for yourself that 6 months isn't what 6 months used to be. Nice gut, huh? It's still cute on her...even if it's only for today and yes, I know the flower is huge but hey, it matched!

Crumpdate!
Many of you know that one of my very best friends in the world is Julie Crump and she and her husband are in Utah right now picking up a newborn son. It is an answer to so many prayers and is yet another shining star in the galaxy of proof that God exists. Today, they will sign the paperwork to officially make him theirs. I was once told that I now belong in the same 'club' as Julie because we both share the same heartbreak of having lost a child. The person that said this isn't a very nice(or stable) person and I just had to choose to forgive her for being so ugly. There was nothing Christ-like in her words or her heart that day but she taught me a valuable lesson. She taught me that words can be used to heal a heart or hurt a heart depending on how they are viewed...not by how they are said. I chose, after many painful moments, to first forgive her. Then I chose to laugh to keep from crying because stupid won't rub off with makeup remover or turpentine so sometimes you just have to accept it. As Forest Gump says, "Stupid is, as stupid does." Lastly, I chose to use those words to remind me that any time I find out about some one in 'the club' that I need to extend my prayers to them, my heart to them and my shoulder should they need/want it. Membership into this 'club' comes with too lofty a price and that is why I know that God loved us so very, very much. He gave His only begotten Son so that we may have everlasting life. How does that love compare with anything I have ever done here on earth? There is no comparison and I know it. Being on the receiving end of adoption and having watched my sister and Julie both walk their journeys on the other side of it allowed me to see the face of Jesus in so many people. There is no mistaking the face of Jesus on someone. If you can't find it in someone today...be it for someone.

Pray for this birth mother as she, like God, gave up her son so that he and others may have a better life. That is a love I understand from one perspective but cannot fathom on another. Today and every day, she gets to be the face of Jesus to a special family in Brandon, MS and to all of their friends and family who have walked this journey with them. So I end this post with a huge, heartfelt thanks to a special lady in Utah today. If I could ever meet her, I know that I would recognize her. She would have the face of Jesus and that my friends, is unmistakable.

Prayer works!
Congratulations to Charles and Julie Crump for the birth of their new son...name to be determined! Landry prayed so to God for this special delivery in Utah and as alway, He delivered. She has a new fella but don't tell her Daddy yet. She can't date until she's 30. More updates to come!

It's me again....

Dear God,
It's me, Landry again. I just wanted to ask you to please be with my soon-to-be friend in Utah. Please be with his/her birth Mommy tomorrow so she can get them here safely and so her heart doesn't hurt when she gives them to their new Mommy and Daddy. I know they will be so excited to meet and I know that you will be there helping everyone get through this wonderful experience. Please be there for my Aunt J and give her a peaceful heart. Give her patience, give her understanding but most of all give her your love because that will take care of everything.

Thank you for my Mommy and Daddy. They sure act like they love me alot and they are trying really hard to give me a good life. For some reason, they think I am a pretty special kid and they sure give me lots of kisses and hugs. I'm really lucky to have so many people love me. They all think I'm cute too but I promise I won't let that go to my head :)! BTW, I hope you noticed that I was REALLY good in church today. Thank you for being in my heart.

Love,

Landry

ps...Please give my big sister, Sophie & Baby Nelson a hug & kiss for me and Mommy.

uhmmmmm-uhmmmmmm

Landry is learning YOGA! I read great reviews on this as a bonding exercise that you can do with your child and thought...hmmm, what the heck! I was going to take a class with her but the local instructor is pregnant with twins so she had to stop giving lessons recently so I bought the book and the DVD and ventured out on my own. As it turns out, she loves it. It is supposed to help in aiding digestion and improved sleep patterns. Luckily for us, she has done a phenomenal job in sleeping at night. She goes down between 7-8 pm and sleeps about 6 or 7 hours, feeds and goes down until about 5:30 or 6. Let's stop and say a prayer for CONTINUED sleep progress....silence...prayer.....AMEN!

Anyway, she smiled and cooed her way through her night time YOGA routine tonight. I hope she continues to enjoy it..I sure enjoyed spending the time with her.

Jack in the Box

Mike brought Landry a new toy home from his trip today. We talked about having a Jack in the Box as kids not too long ago and I guess he wanted his little one to have one too. He had to go to a few places to find the right one but he finally found it. Bella was hilarious when it popped out of the box....she about jumped out of her skin....even on the third time. :)

The yucks
I still feel like H**l and I don't see any relief in sight. My friend, Melissa, who lives next door to me took Landry today for several hours so I could get a little rest and brought me food and medicine. Bless her heart, she hasn't been held much because I have been trying to stay out of her face. She's right here and I miss her...how does that happen? Melissa spoiled the little one all day...she never put her down! Thank you, Melissa!!

I failed the scratch test.
I woke up this morning feeling like you know what. Mike was quarantined to the other side of the house last night and I was on the other side with the bug. I felt it coming on last night...as I posted...and I could tell it wasn't going to go away. My friend, Charlie, saved our lives by taking Landry for most of the morning and all of the afternoon. OMG...I just figured out that she had her for 8 hours!!! I really appreciate her boys, Julian and Oliver, helping their mama with Landry. The are going to be REALLY good big brothers!!! We went to the doctor and we don't have the flu but we have something God aweful. We each got a Rocephan shot(yes, it hurt a stinkin' whole lot), took a breathing treatment and was prescribed a Z-Pak and an inhaler- of course it was a Glaxo-Smith Kline product!

The fine folks in Manisha Sethi's office took care of us and even gave me a surgical mask so I could hold Landry for a few minutes. Mike is doing better than I am so he is taking over duties for tonight so I can rest. Being a Mom AND sick doesn't jive too well. No one told me that I wasn't allowed to get sick EVER again when I had kids. What gives?! Do I still feel like crap? Yes, I do but I am on the road to recovery.

I know, I know. It looks like I am impersonating a nail technician.

Cute-i-mous

I need to send a shout out to my other girl. Bella has been so good lately. I can't get over how well she has adjusted to Landry and she is really protective of her. She has an occasional...'OK, will you put a muzzle on that kid look' but all in all she loves her. I really can't tell you how much I love that dog. She is such a joy to have around. There is no other dog that I would spend more money on for 'spa' services than myself than Bella:) Lucky mutt...she has it made! Someone told me not too long ago that she has it better than 80% of all the children in the world. Sadly enough, I think she's right. Another friend of Mike's made the comment that when Landry was born she went from a princess back to a dog in one day. Naa...she's still my princess. There's just a new heir to the throne :)

Uh-oh!

I feel a tickle in my throat....drat!

The Man Cold
I couldn't go to church today because my little sweet potato had belly troubles and her daddy is sick. Mike is one of the few men I know that wants total and complete isolation when he is feeling bad. He doesn't want to be bothered...at all. He doesn't even want me to fix him food. Even if he feels like $^%$&# he wants to do everything for himself. I guess I should be thankful that he isn't the needy pest I am when I am sick(or pregnant) but there is something about the mothering in me that wants to help him. I have learned, though, to leave well enough alone. So to my sweetie in the guest bedroom on the other side of the house....HOLLA if you need me - or call me on my cell phone and I'll come running. This video is hilarious....it's the MAN COLD and you won't want to miss it. http://youtube.com/watch?v=rXLHWmjA5IE&feature=related

Since Landry was still was experiencing a little lower body technical difficulties last night, she didn't sleep well at all. When Landry doesn't sleep, Mama doesn't sleep. I think I slept a total of 3 hours and not all of them together. I feel like a zombie but she finally had some sucess. Victory! Victory! Rah! Rah! Rah!!! Bless her heart...she struggled and she looked so sad and frustrated. I felt really helpless but luckily, I didn't have to intervene. I am not looking forward to that motherhood moment. Okay, I am done talking about her bowels. I hope she forgives me one day :)

Houdini-Part 2
Landry has decided that she likes magic tricks. This is how I found her this morning when she woke up. I about broke my neck to get my camera before she started wailing. I was laughing so hard thinking about what she will be like tomorrow when she wakes up. I hope this is no indication of what it will be like in years to come.....bad thought, mama. Bad thought.

Dear God,

I know this may be a strange request to most but I would really love it if you would bring me a new friend from Utah. There is a baby in someones tummy that needs to come to Mississippi so we can be forever friends and there is a mommy here that needs a new baby...a whole, whole bunch! You know who it is because you know EVERYTHING!! I want to pray for a few things. Here they are:

1. I pray for peace and understanding in YOUR will beyond all comprehension for everyone. That's kind of hard for most of us humans. We have to trust in you and give it all to you and that is hard for the big people. For me, I just do what I'm told(for right now anyway!)

2. I pray for a happy, healthy friend. I want to run and jump and play with this new friend and I would like for them to have a healthy body and a healthy spirit. We have a lot of playing to do on Sophie's playground and we want to swing high...so high on Nelson's swings!

3. I pray for his/her new mommy(you know who it is) to not be scared. To have fear is to not have trust and we HAVE to trust you. It's in the rule book.

4. Be with my new friends birth mommy so that she has a peace and understanding beyond all comprehension. Give her heart the right answers and the right direction so that she will have a life filled with your love. It's good stuff! Please give her an easy pregnancy so she can bring my new friend in to the world without complications. Whew! These are some big words for a little girl!!

5. I pray that you bring their child(whomever it is) to my mommy's best friend. She has the capacity to love in such a huge way. There is a child out there that needs her and she needs them to help make her life (almost) complete again. Give her faith...Give her peace...and please, please please give her a baby so she can love him or her like my mommy loves me.

I know this is alot of stuff to ask for but I am told that you are better than Santa, better than the Easter bunny and even better than my mommy and daddy(I know that is REALLY hard to believe) and that YOU can deliver! Thank you for giving your son for us. According to my mommy, that is a love that surpasses all. Thank you for taking care of Sophie, Nelson and my Grandmother. One day, after I have walked your walk, I will meet them in your playground to play with for eternity. It will be a while because I have lots of important stuff to do here on this earth. Please walk with me on my journey and if you can spare a wish for little Landry, please send me a friend from Utah.

With lots of love,

Landry

Hair Mail
Yes, Mommy put a stamp on my forehead. Does anyone have the number to DHS?

Happy Valentines Day!

Landry was in cahoots with my sister, Rhonda and they sent me my first Mommy Valentine! It was much cuter than the way I had to post it but I couldn't resist sharing it with you. Of course, Rhonda put it a cute Powerpoint presentation complete with a pink background, cute lettering and graphics. I couldn't copy it on here so I cut and pasted it on the next few blogs. I didn't even know she took these pics! Sneaky sneaky!

Today, we were talking and I was telling her that I wasn't sure what I was going to do about Bella when we go on our vacation/family reunion. I am going to fly down early(Mike will join us later) and she suggested I take her with with me on the plane. I said I couldn't take her AND Landry. She so didn't offer much sympathy when she said "Try hauling 4 kids on a plane." I had to remind her that all of her kids could at least walk! I could see me trying to take Bella and Landry on a plane along with all of our luggage and traveling paraphernalia. I just don't see that happening in my lifetime but nice try Rhonda! :) I hesitate to ever get in a contest of any sort with her because I think she may kick my butt on the kiddie front. Drat! I hate it when she wins.

Hmmmm..who should be my Valentine??

Should it be Aunt Rhonda?

Because she is so sweet!!

No, that is not quite right…
I pick YOU!

I love you Mommy – Please be my Valentine?!

Of course I will, my sweet!

You are my forever Valentine!!

Houdini

Normally, Landry is swaddled very tight when we put her down for the night but lately she had been wiggling loose from her swaddle. She has grown out of almost all of her blankets :(.
I cried when she out grew her newborn diapers and got a little teary tonight when she graduated up to the bigger bottles. She is growing toooo fast! Slow down little one...Mama is not ready for all of these new steps. I am just getting used to the stage she is in before she is moving on to bigger and better things. I love every minute of being her Mama!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Yesterday was Mike's birthday and after church and going by to see Sophie we had a nice relaxing day at home. We went for a really long walk and I cooked him a great dinner. It was a whole lot less fanfare than his big 40th birthday last year. I didn't even try to compete with that! Landry got her Daddy 2 PC cameras to go on our computers so when he is out of town, he can see her on a live camera if he needs/wants to. I am not that computer savvy so I hope he can figure them out and tell me what buttons to push.

I also had another one of those moments closest to Christ that I have written about before. Mike had her and was finishing up feeding her a bottle and as I walked by him I noticed that he was singing to her. He was singing 'I got the whole world in my hands. I got the whole world in my hands... I got the whole world in my hands. I got the whole world in my hands.' The simplest moments can be the most special and that my friends, was a special moment.

What's in a name?

Landry means Ruler of the Land and boy is that fitting her at the 104. She rules the roost here but luckily she doesn't quite know it yet. Today, we were in church and one of our friends came over to say hello and have a look see at Landry. He gave her her first nickname besides the one her daddy calls her...he calls her BUG. It's really pretty cute. Bella is cutimous...don't know where that came from but it fits her. Anyway, Lee said ' I guess Landry is a MADERTOT....get it..tater tot...Madertot. Hee. Hee. I guess I could sew her an Ore-Ida bag for Halloween this year. Before she was born, several people just called IT Tow-Mader....from the movie CARS. I think we'll stick to Bug or Madertot....bless her heart.

Sweet & Smiley

#%^$*&*$#$!@#!!!!

Since I have given up most everything bad that I do...caffiene, wine, sleep(oh, I forgot-that's not bad for you)...when I became pregnant with Landry I decided that I would take on something for Lent instead of giving something up. I decided that I was going to take Landry for a walk at least 4 times a week to give us both some fresh air and exercise. Not much to it but at least I will benefit from it some. Mike on the other hand is going to do something REALLY challenging. He is not going to cuss or say ANYTHING we wouldn't want Landry to say for the entire Lenten season. If he does he has to put $5 in Landry's piggy bank for each offense. So far, he has to pay her $10. He may have to hock is golf clubs at this rate since we actually just started today at noon. She may have her Ferrari sooner than we thought.

Does it get better than this?

Cry Baby

Poor Landry got her 8 week shots yesterday. I have had anxiety about it for weeks and was not looking forward to it at all. Mike met me at the doctors office and I sat out in the car with Landry while we waited our turn. I wasn't about to bring her into that office with the flu going around like it has been. When we got in there, we got her weighed and measured and she was the happiest baby you have ever seen. She had no idea that she was in the STABBIN' CABIN!! She weighed a whopping 10 lbs 4 oz!! She's my big ole girl :)! She went from the 28th percentile to the 40th since her last visit so I was very pleased with that. She had to get a total of 5 vaccines in 3 shots. I was not amused when my sweetie started to cry and my husband started to laugh! I was crying and he was laughing at me because he knew I would cry. He tried to encourage me to leave the room but I just couldn't abandon her in her time of need. Okay, I know that is a little dramatic but that is the way I felt at the time. As soon as she got over one shot...she got STABBED with another one. Bless her heart. She got over it much quicker than I did...guess I'm just a cry baby.

Flower Power!

Landry's favorite pacifier is the one that they gave her at the hospital. Of course, I didn't figure that out until I bought a pack of EVERY kind that Babys r' Us had. While she'll take all of them, she definately has her preferences. I saw this pacifier holder on a baby while I was at the airport and I thought it was pretty sassy so of course I had to get her one. Okay, I know it is a little big for her but it sure looks cute...guess she'll have to grow in to it :)

RTR & TTT

Roll Tide Roll and To the Top! Bama kicked some butt today in the college recruiting game. Alabama ended up being the number 1 class and USM finished better than they ever have at 38. Since we don't play each other for another 8 or 9 years there will be peace in the Mader household this fall. It fired me up already for football season already....guess I better get over it since I have 7 months to wait!

Landry has been growing like crazy. I think that is why she has been a little cranky at times. She did sleep for 6.5 hours the other night....STRAIGHT!!! I didn't sleep that whole time unfortunately. If I had known she would sleep that long I would have been out too. I think I have slept 4 hours straight..once...since she's been born. I feel a little haggard these days but it will get better. She is so beautiful...am I allowed to say that? I get compliments about her all the time and all I can really do is agree with them. I hope her head doesn't swell up too much :). Her Daddy did say that she had a big ole water head the other day. I'm glad she can't understand him. She could develop a complex.

Have I mentioned that she is the best thing I have ever done lately? She makes me a kind of happy that I didn't know existed. You know you could only be this tired(with a smile on your face)for some one you love like I do her. Cheeeez. :)

I hope she knows how lucky she is.

Lucky Girls

I got home from visiting my Daddy late Friday afternoon and it took me a few days to catch my breath. I was so thrilled at how happy he seemed to be with her. He had her it seems every chance he got and she absolutely loved it. My stepmother Lindsey, took turns spoiling her too. She is fitting into the Grandmother role quite well...Lucky for Landry!

The flight to Florida was fairly uneventful. Getting in and out of Jackson was pretty easy and I got through security with Landry with no problem. Orlando was a different story. It took an hour to get through security. Luckily for me, Lindsey stayed with me until she couldn't any longer and as I approached the hard part of getting through the actual screening two young studs helped me get the stroller and car seat broken down and my backpack..with computer..on to the conveyor belt. They were on their way to Sin City to live it up for a few days....oh the memories! I would have liked to think they helped me cause 'I still had it' but I think they felt sorry for me and Landry's cuteness won 'em over. Hey folks...these days, what ever it takes!!! :)