Christmas 2009
I learned a few things this Christmas season that I don't think I was prepared for. Since I have been on limited duty and bed rest I realized that life goes on even if the checklist isn't complete. I have a pretty definitive idea of what I have always wanted to provide my family in the way of holidays and traditions. This year I had to allow for exceptions to the rule. If you look back at last years Christmas day I left nothing to chance in the way I executed Christmas morning and all of the events leading up to it. This year was a bust. No matching pajamas, no big dinner, not nearly as many finely wrapped presents under the tree, no video and not nearly as many pictures. My Christmas card was nothing like I planned for it to be and the only reason poor Bella got anything this year was because Mike remembered to get her some treats. I had great intentions of using the weeks after Landry's birthday party to finish the details of the perfect Mader Christmas but it wasn't meant to be. I'm starting to get over it but I am not one to settle for less than 'the plan' to be executed fully and without kinks. Most people who know me know that my favorite saying is 'It is what it is' and this Christmas my unborn son taught me a lesson that I wasn't prepared for. He told me in a matter of kicks, jabs, contractions and swishes that I need to slow down and get ready for him. He said 'Hey Mom, it is what is...and everyone is still happy, safe and full of Christmas spirit. Appreciate that Jesus was born on this day and try to enjoy some part of it yourself.' Thank you my precious unnamed son. I think I will do just that. I can't wait to meet you....in February.

Jail Break!!
I have been given about 35-40 percent more freedom! I scored 8/8 on my BPP test and so far I am feeling pretty good. I am rested up and ready to conquer this week with a vengence~ ok, not really but I am ready to get out of the bed...even for a little reprieve. We went to PF Changs to celebrate and I ate till I was sick to my stomach. It was so nice to be with civilization again! Landry enjoyed having a little normalcy and getting out of the house was a treat for her too. She was so good in the restaurant and had a great time entertaining us. I have to take it easy for the next few weeks so we can ensure a safe arrival for Baby Boy Mader. I'll do whatever I have to do not to be on full bedrest again!

Bed Rest-Day 7
I don't think I have ever been so excited about a doctor visit in my whole life. I hope that I will be given a little bit of freedom after Tuesday, even if it's just to go to the store for a few minutes by myself. I am so grateful that after yesterdays quick trip to the doctor that Baby Boy decided to hang on for just a little longer. I hope he continues to grow inside me and get big and strong. He will have a lot of catching up to do to keep up with his big sister! Speaking of which, Landry has absolutely cracked both of us up lately. She is talking up a storm in complete sentences and using contexts of words appropriately. She understands my, mine and I. The funniest thing she has started doing is singing. She started singing Happy birthday out of the blue and I can't begin to describe how cute and funny it is. I just hope that she hones that skill better than her mama has! I would love it if she could play a musical instrument and sing. It is something that I always wished I had been able to do. I played the violin for about 5 years but I was never that great at it. Anyway, our time together at the Mader house hasn't been bad. I have actually enjoyed the lack of stress of getting Christmas done. I did a lot of shopping online and just decided that it is what it is in terms of Christmas. I am choosing to enjoy my family, my time and not get too wrapped around the axle about things left undone. It's really not a bad way to go. I may try it again next year....sans a pregnancy!

Hospital Run
I woke up today with a little surprise. I had a little spotting so trying not to panic, I did a quick photo shoot with Santa and called the doctor in the mean time. I was instructed to come on in and to my surprise they kept me over night. I started having contractions 3-4 minutes apart and they gave me something to calm them. I am only 30 weeks pregnant so we are not ready to have you yet little guy! Momo and Pawpaw came and picked up Landry...they're angels I tell you, ANGELS!....and I had a not so restful night of sleep. Dr. Bush released me the next day after two rounds of steroid and an order for bed rest. Fortunately, Mike is off for the rest of the year and we are going on a week to week basis on my condition. I am not a good bed rest candidate but I will do whatever I have to do to ensure the safety of this baby. One of the things that I am having the hardest time with is the fact that I was on bed rest with Sophie and it brings back a flood of memories for me. The doctor on call when I went in to the hospital just happened to be the same one that had to deliver her when we lost her. It was a long hard night for all of us and I know as a physician that he went home with a heavy heart the next day. It was hard seeing him come to my room and relive even a few minutes of that life changing event but we got though it and I am thankful to have had someone there that was as compassionate and capable as he is. Another hurdle...a quick road block. I'll get through it as long as I keep my eye on the prize and trust that God has great plans for this little boy I'm carrying. Now if we could only name him.....

Landry's Birthday Fiesta~

When I was trying to get Landry's birthday party figured out I was at a complete loss as to what I should do for her party. I am not a huge fan of character parties mainly because they are hard to do without looking cheesy. After much pondering, I finially decided that there really wasn't a decision to be made. Her favorite thing in the whole wide world is a Dora the Explorer and that is what she was going to have at her party. I found a company that would make a customized video with her in it and ordered it right away. Once I found that I decided that I would have a concession stand complete with Dora Dollars and Boots Bucks so each child could purchase their own snacks for the Saturday Matinee at the Mader house. We had a nacho bar, chimichangas, taquitos and a HUGE Dora cake with Landry's picture on it and a lifesize Dora and Diego mural to help celebrate. We had life size Dora balloons, a coloring activity and tons of people to celebrate with us. It was a wonderful day and she loved her Mexican Fiesta Dora themed birthday party. I never thought she would be so attached to something as she is Dora but she wants to watch her EVERY day....several times a day. We have had to cut down on her viewings because I think she would watch 10 episodes a day if we would let her! We now have a library of 88 episodes on the DVR....and she has seen them all. I am not a huge fan of her watching TV at all but she did come to me one day and could say all of her numbers from 1-10 in SPANISH without messing up once. She still hasn't mastered the English version yet without skipping a number or two so she must be getting something out of it.

The other part of her party was that I decided to have a Book Party to benefit the Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital. I asked that each child bring two books. One for Landry's library and one for the children at the hospital. We are going to have a play date and deliver the books to the hospital. I don't expect her to have to share all of her birthdays but she is so blessed and has so much right now that I thought it was a great way to share with those who are less fortunate. It was a great success too! We have about 30 books to take to the hospital and I couldn't be more proud of the friends that helped us make this such a wonderful occasion.

The day was capped off by my alma mater, Alabama, getting their first Heisman Trophy so I was just beside myself with joy on this long, wonderfully fun day. I am so proud of the things I have witnessed in her over these last two years. I am amazed at the love I have in my heart for this wonder of mine. I thank God every day for giving me the greatest gift I have ever known...my sweet Landry.

BIG GIRL BED!!
Landry officially slept in her big girl bed for the first time last night. She absolutely did a fantastic job and was so excited! She slept all night in her bed and never tried to get out.
UPDATE*** Dec. 24th
Landry has done a great job in her big girl bed. She runs back there when it's time to go night night and climbs up in her bed. You can see how proud she that she has bed like Mommy and Daddy. I have found her on several occasions in her bed playing so peacefully like she didn't have a care in the world. Up until a few days ago, I had not purchased her bed rails yet and lo and behold, she fell out of the bed one night. The pile of pillows didn't work...obviously. I ran back there and put her back in her bed and she never missed a beat. The next day we had rails. I am so proud of her! She is growing up way too fast!

A letter to Landry on her 2nd Birthday

My Dear Sweet Landry,

As I think about the second year of your life I am baffled at the thought that I could love you more than I did this day last year. I think about how much you have grown and learned in this past year and again, I find myself in awe at the things you teach me every day. I have spent the better part of this year trying to instill in you the basic foundation of knowledge that you will use for the rest of your life. While you are so smart in learning your colors, numbers, letters and the basics, I have concentrated far more diligently in your prayers, manners, kindness, and your behavior. I know that the work that your Daddy and I have done in these early years will serve you well in your bright future. Your vocabulary is far superior to most children your age and you have a comprehension for problem solving, time, space and distance that blows me away. Your favorite things are your baby, Elmo that your Uncle Roger sent you last year for your birthday, two plastic baby bottles and your Dora blanket. You won’t go to sleep without them and they seem to give you a great sense of security. You take inventory of all of them before you go to bed and you are quite methodical about it.

You are also quite the Daddy’s girl. When he is home, you usually want him first and give him most of your attention and surprisingly enough, I am great with that. He has this spell over you and you absolutely love it. When I ask you who Mommy’s favorite girl is you answer ‘Buggins!’ and point to yourself. You are told how cute and/or pretty every time we go out so I decided to teach you something that if combined with your beauty you will be unstoppable. When I ask you what’s more important than being pretty you say ‘Being kind and SMART!’

Tonight, you are sleeping in your big girl bed for the first time and surprisingly enough, you stayed in your bed like the sweet girl you are. You are the most adaptable child I have even known and I love how flexible you can be when I need you to be. I wish I were more like you in so many ways. I pray that I have given you some of the same joy and contentment that you have given me. I could never be more proud of you and your accomplishments this past year and I love you in ways I didn’t know I could. As your baby brother grows inside me, I know that I will find room in my heart for him but you sure make it hard to imagine there could be more. You are truly my dream come true and I love you so much more than I ever dreamed was possible. Thank you for shining a light in the darkest corners of my heart and being everything you are to me. You are so much better than the dreams I have dreamed about being a mommy because I am YOUR mommy. Happy 2^nd birthday, my sweet angel.

I love you, Landry.

Love,

Mommy

Today is my BIRTHDAY!!

Thanksgiving 2009

What whirl wind couple of weeks! I was the photographer for Breakfast with Santa at Mistletoe Marketplace and we were so busy! During that time, my Dad called me and asked me to come for Thanksgiving. Mike was good with everything so we made a plan and went to Orlando for 5 days and then to Daddy's for 3 nights. We had a great time with our HUGE family and really enjoyed the time we spent together.

Landry was a dream on the long car ride to Orlando. She fussed for less than 10 minutes the entire way there AND back. It took a total of 26 hours round trip and I just couldn't have asked for more from our sweet girl. She loved being around all of her cousins and really loved being in Granddaddy's pool. He had the heater on so the kids stayed in the pool ALL day long. They barely took time to eat. We had a feast on Thanksgiving day and it was just a wonderful time to spend as a family. I cherish these times together because they happen so few and far between.
We had 26 people there and we were still missing 15 people in our immediate family. It looks like a UN convention when we all get together. We represent several countries, nationalities and denominations....all in one crazy, wild, mixed up...loving family. I wouldn't change a thing.

The Blind Side

I saw the movie The Blind Side last night and as expected, I loved it. Being from Alabama and living in Mississippi, it was familiar and pretty true to form. I had these preconceived feelings about some of the subject matter and when I saw it, my feelings were not only solidified but I ended up realizing of that there were some deeper seeded feelings that surfaced. I have faced many of the demons associated with racism. I consider myself very blessed in so many ways and know that the reason that I am is because I have God leading my journey. Sometimes I have to step back and remember to let Him but I always seem to find a better path when I am the follower. Not every story turns out as magical as Michael Oher's but I truly believe that if people would look beyond the surface of someones skin then there would be so much more magic out there. I have been spat on, called more names than you can think of, told that 'my kind' was who killed someone they loved, been denied access to events, and discriminated in so many ways I never dreamed of. It was worse while I was growing up but it still happens even to this day...and it's almost 2010! I had the luxury of spending some time with two of my sisters girls. They are both adopted and come from different back grounds. One is half African American/half West Indies and the other one is half African American/half Puerto Rican. I cannot imagine them not being a part of our family and I know that if more people were brave enough and could look beyond skin color than we would witness some really wonderful miracles. I look at our candid family portrait and think it looks like an ad for the United Nations. We are a true melting pot of cultures and races in this institution I call a family. I wonder how many people that go to see The Blind Side would actually do what the Tuohy's did. They didn't welcome him in because they knew he was going to become a star athelete and become a 1st round draft pick in the NFL. No, they did it because they could but more importantly because their hearts wanted to. As a family they faced some of the same things we all fear, especially in the South, in regard to what others would think but they knew that the greater love would prevail and it did. I love this story but I can't help but to think that that the vast majority will get their warm and fuzzy feeling from it only to resume back to their way of thinking. I hope that more people will start to look toward adopting domestically and thinking more openly about the option of bringing a child...not a color...into their homes. Before I got pregnant, we had already decided that we were going to adopt and we had very few exclusions in our list of what we would look accept in adopting a child. I have to thank my parents first of all for not having a closed mind and then my sister for acting in the same way they did. She, unfortunately, could not have biological children but has been blessed with four of the most amazing children as a result. They have been a blessing to everyone around them. I think about the ramifications that come with raising a child that is of a different race or background but there aren't any greater than the love you will find in becoming a parent to a child that needs a mama or a daddy. My challenge to anyone reading this is if you ever come in contact with someone contemplating adoption, look into the local system before you turn to international or private adoption. You may find yourself with a bigger blessing than you could possibly imagine and in turn give someone else the same. I have lived it, witnessed it and been blessed by it. It is an amazing experience to be a part of and I know without anyone telling me that my life is blessed beyond measure.

Priceless Words
Of all the wonderful gifts my Daddy has given me over the years, including a new life, the gift I received this year for my birthday was by far one of the greatest. It was simple and meaningful and it is a gift I will hopefully never be parted from. It was a book called 100 favorite BIBLE VERSES. I find great comfort in knowing that my Daddy is a Christian and that when he is no longer with us that I know without at doubt that he will be with Sophie, his parents and Jesus in Heaven. The most significant thing about this gift was what was written inside for me.
It reads:

Renee,

Your energy, determination and talents are truly gifts from God. He blessed us both when he guided me to you and allowed the process to work so that we could be together in this life. I am so grateful that we have shared our lives, and that we have such a deep love for each other. Thank you for being such a wonderful daughter.

Happy Birthday,

Dad & Lindsey


I don't find myself for a loss of words much but this was a time when I found myself speechless. And I guess I still am.

Happy Birthday to ME!
This morning I woke up and wasn't sure what or how we should celebrate my 39th birthday. There is a good and bad with birthdays and holidays these days because it seems that when I want something I just go and get it. I don't particularly think it's a great way to be because I don't want Landry to think that this world is all about the instant gratification factor. Most kids nowadays seem to suffer from this and it affects their grades, attitude and demeanor sometimes. We are all so connected to information or have access to people that we don't ever have to practice patience any more. Google, Mapquest, weather channel, cameras, Facebook and email are all available right on your phone and don't leave much room for patience when you need to know something fast. Getting back to my birthday dilemma, I hadn't thought much about the day. I just knew that we weren't going to sit around Orlando and not do anything. It wasn't until I read a post on my Facebook that I could get into Disney World for free on my birthday that I knew for sure. Landry got in free too so all we had to do is pay for Mike's ticket and it just seemed like a no brainer. We were taking Landry to her first trip to Disney and I was so excited! It turned out to be the BEST birthday present ever watching her enjoy all of the rides and shows. She seemed to be in awe of her surroundings. We never got close to any characters but she recognized Mickey every time she saw a picture or shape of him and she REALLY loved the castle. The weather was perfect and she did better than I ever thought she would. She passed out on the way to the car missing the huge parade and the ferry ride back to the parking lot. All in all it was a wonderful day. We capped it off by having dinner with Mike's Dad and Barb. It was a great way to celebrate the last year of my 30's and I feel so blessed to have shared it with my family at the most magical place on earth.

Fangs
Landry is cutting all four of her 'fang' teeth at one time and she had been a grumpapotomous lately. Not all of the time but when she is....she really is! It's been going on for a few weeks now but the last few days have been oh, so fun. Eating has been the biggest challenge. I have made her all small, soft food but she's still a little disagreeable sometimes. The funny thing is that she loves a pretzel! Go figure.
On a happier note, I picked up her bedding and drapes I had made for her new big girl room! It is going to be so cute. I cannot wait to put it all together and see her reaction the first time we let her sleep in there. It will be a big transition for all of us because she has never been able to get out of her crib by herself. She's going to think it's jailbreak time the first time she wakes up and she doesn't have to wait for someone to come get her. I am a little afraid if you want to know the truth of the matter.....really afraid. I will have to say though, her room is going to be great! I am so happy that I am able to give her the room I always wished for. The only sad part is that she probably won't ever know there was another option. I hope I instill in her many different forms of gratitude because it is important to me for her appreciate all of the things that she is privileged to have or experience. I know I sure do.

FEVER
Mike has been out of town since early Monday morning and since I am a germ-o-phobe these days, Landry and I haven't been anywhere but Moms Morning Out and a quick trip to Walmart(both germ magnets, I know). Today, I had big plans to make Mike dinner and do a quick clean-up before he got home. However, Landry had other plans for her Mama today. She was taking a nap and I suddenly looked up and realized that she had been down for over 2.5 hours. I went to go get her up and she was burning up. I mean on fire. I immediately gave her some Tylenol, took her temp and called her pediatrician. They told me to bring her in immediately so in a mad dash I was out the door in less than 3 minutes. The funny thing about my girl is that she was in the best mood ever. I was in a panic trying to get her there and she was singing 'wwweeeeee!' as we went over the road ways we call a roller coaster here in Mississippi. She called out every car, truck, lake and boat she saw. She giggled and laughed and talked to me all while having a 102.2 degree fever. By the time we got to the doctors office she settled down and realized where she was. Bless her heart. They swabbed every hole in her head and she was not very happy about it. She tested negative for strep, the flu and RSV and she only read a fever of 99 degrees. When I got home, she didn't have a fever at all. Go figure. Other than the swabbing incident, she never got out of sorts. She is such a great child. She is so go with the flow. It has been since last December that she's even had a fever and for that I feel very blessed. She was sitting in her high chair eating a big supper when her Daddy finally poked his head in the door. She was so excited. She missed him while he gone and asked for him quite a few times but it seems like she always knew he was coming home to her. He gave her a bath and got her ready for bed. We threw the ball and played kick for a while and she was beaming the whole time. She especially loved story time. The best memories are made from nights like these and I feel so blessed that we have such a happy, resilient little girl. I hope she always has such a wonderful spirit. It will serve her well in so many of life's circumstances if she can hang on to it.

A Round Table
Last night I hosted Bunko with a group of friends from church. I cooked for everyone, cleaned(a little) and got the Bunko prizes ready. I was really excited to serve a meal in my dining room and at my beautiful dining room table. Like most formal dining rooms it rarely ever gets used. I hate that too because I really do love that room. Landry's Christening gown portrait hangs as a centerpiece in the room and I love lighting it up and looking at it. The one thing I love about my dining room table is that it is round. It makes for great conversation and no one ever seems to be left out. I love that. I love that when eight women get together after a hard day of work, worrying, thinking, carpooling, running or the hardest of all, mothering that we can get together and give each other the attention that we deserve. I cherish the camaraderie that a fun night of Bunko provides and more importantly, I appreciate knowing that I have such great friends to spend an evening with.

Riches
There are days in your life that you look around and just feel incredibly blessed. Today was one of those for me. I have come to really appreciate the simple things in my life that make me so full and complete. Here are a few...
*getting homemade french toast on a random Saturday morning*not ever having to unload the dishwasher*a husband that loves his family...and shows it*my health*a kick in the ribs-thanks to my baby boy*a cabinet full of groceries and nothing to eat :)*a closet full of clothes---and nothing to wear because my pregnant belly is too big :) :)*my daughters unsolicited kisses & 'tight' hugs*homemade vegetable soup on a brisk fall day*digging out my favorite fuzzy socks when it gets too cold to go barefooted*selling pumpkins at my church to raise money for Blair E. Batson Hospital*Bella's constant nudging me to sit just a little closer*friends that love me*cornbread cooked in my mama's old skillet*bedtime prayers with Landry*a few minutes to myself*Dora--because she makes my girl sooo happy*my camera*Alabama football RTR!*my 5 senses*Mom's morning out ;)*my computer*The FATHER, SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT*Life*

Mother
Today would have been my mothers 72nd birthday but she left us 7 1/2 years ago. I missed her when I lost Sophie in such a heart wrenching way that I began to question how I would handle motherhood when I finally got to experience it. Fortunately, the arrival of Landry created in me a clean heart and I was renewed. That verse comes from a song we sing at VBS and it is so true. The birth of Landry healed me more in a matter of minutes than a lifetime without her would have in regard to Sophie but on the flip side, my pain where my mother was concerned was magnified. It wasn't something I ever expected but it was real and unavoidable. I tried to put it behind me and pretend that her lack of presence didn't bother me but it really does. I miss not having a mother to share my life's blessings with. She was responsible for so many of my other blessings that it only seems natural that I want to share with her the people that I love so much. It makes me sad that she didn't get to know most of her grandchildren. Since she's been gone there have been 7 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren born. I can't imagine how full her life would have been had she been able to experience these beautiful children. Mother, I know that God created in you a clean heart and that you were supremely renewed. I couldn't ask for a better birthday than that for you. I pray that you are complete and that your heart is whole again. I miss you as a mother, a friend, a child and a child's mother. May you Rest in Peace.

BM3
I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to find out what we were having because I had not found out with either one of my girls and it led to an exciting arrival. When we were headed to have our second sonogram I asked Mike what he wanted to do. He had been adament the entire time that it was my decision. I asked him one last time before we went in and he said he would like to know but that it was my decision. He has never asked for much and has done so much to help me get through all of my pregnancies that it was an easy decision to make. We went in and found out that we were going to have a son. You could have knocked us both over with a feather. We were convinced that we were having another girl. We have been blessed with good results on the AFP(alphafetal protein test). It is the one that indicates early signs of Down Syndrome and other birth defects. Tomorrow we will have a visit with Dr. Jennifer Shores and check out his little heart. There is no reason other than it will make me feel better and it will be one more way I can see the little guy. I will have to say that this pregnancy has been very different. I know they all are but with this one, the nausea has been less but the fatigue has lingered. It could be because I am chasing around a toddler. I can't complain because for the most part I am doing great.
I have started to really feel him kicking around and moving more and more. It makes me so happy to have that connection with him knowing that he is in there growing and thriving. :)
I just finished up a lemon sorbet and he is doing the happy dance right now. I am much more relaxed with this pregnancy than I was with Landry but I still carry quite a bit of anxiety. I know that I will until he arrives safe and sound. Now, on to naming him......

Did you miss me?
I know, I know. I have been MIA for almost 2 months now and that is just downright pathetic. I have been keeping a list of all the things that have been going on in Maderville so I am going to attempt to briefly touch on them, catch up and forgive myself for not keeping up. Today is a new day and I will get back on track from now on. I gotta apologize to my SON first and foremost for not documenting his fetal growth the way I should have. That's right...we are going to have a boy!! I am getting a little ahead of my posts but I wanted to give my apologies to him first because he deserves to be documented like his big sister has been and Mama will do a better job from now on little man. I promise. There! Moving on from the guilt train....
Where oh where do I start? I have been so busy, not still and loving life. I am finally over the hump of the bad nausea and I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am. I will never have to do that again!! Since I know that this is my last pregnancy, I have really embraced it. It is totally different than my pregnancies with my girls. I think running after a toddler may have something to do with it but it has been pretty uneventful so far.
Landry...wow what a kid! She has just grown by leaps and bounds in the every area. She is incredibly verbal and thoughtful. She has a great sense of humor and timing and is truly loved by everyone. She has the charm I only dream of having. I feel so blessed to be her mama. When we started Mothers Morning Out this fall she has gone through a little separation anxiety. I don't know where it came from but she did not want to go in to the toddler room. She was very happy with the babies. I indulged for a few days and let them move her gradually into the 'big girl' room but finally had to leave her crying in her permanent room. It killed me but when I looked at her through the window...2 minutes later...she was fine. Little faker!!! She sure can bring on the crocodile tears...lesson learned for mama!
This summer our little girl became quite the swimmer. She is not afraid of the water at all. She loves jumping to her Daddy and going all the way under. She has learned to paddle to the side and grab on. I pray for her safety and her love of water to continue.
DORA and ELMO live in Maderville. FULL TIME! All she wants to do is watch Dora over and over and over and over. Does it ever end?! I hope that there aren't subliminal messages in those shows because she is the prime candidate for a Dora brainwashing. She is really learning so much from it though so I can't complain. She started counting in Spanish the other day and I had no idea where she got it from. She is a sponge. She can count to 5 by herself and to 20 with help. She knows all of the numbers but she gets the order confused after 6. She can also say her entire alphabet with help too. She knows most of her shapes, many colors and any animal and their sound you can think of. She loves to please and she is constantly in a learning mode. I am diligent in her learning something new every day. I try to make it fun and she seems to just love it. I hope her thirst for learning is something that she always has in her heart.
We went to visit Granddaddy and Grandma and had a great time! I got to visit with my oldest brother Russ and spend some quality time with him. Landry just loved him and I love seeing that. She got to swim in Granddaddy's newly finished pool and he was even able to get in there with her and swim. I just got teary thinking about him spending time with her. I thought back to the pictures that I have with him while we were in Vietnam. He has a few more gray hairs and a few more wrinkles but that baby in the pool looked just like her mama did when she was her age. It just amazes me how the cycle of life repeats itself. My start was very, very different from hers but being loved is something that neither one of us will ever have to be without. The trip through the airport was quite an experience being pregnant and chasing after a toddler. She is quite a ball of energy and her mama...is NOT these days. I was absolutely beat by the time I got through the airport on the way in so they ended up wheeling me through the airport on the way home. Even though I thought it was a little ridiculous it ended up being a lifesaver and I swear for a moment that Landry was going to start waving at the crowd as we rolled on by.
We took her to see Elmo Live and she loved it. I was hoping it wasn't a wast of time and money since she is still so young but it ended up being worth every dime. Seeing her watch and absorb that show was so much fun for us. I think Mommy and Daddy enjoyed it more than she did!
All in all, little Miss Landry is way beyond the mark developmentally, socially, cognitively and physically. She has an incredible vocabulary and like her mother....she knows how to use it. She also knows that something is about to change. I can see subtle changes in her when we talk about babies and brothers. She knows that the only child gig is just about UP!
Tomorrow, I am going to finish up this post with little man Mader. I think he deserves a post of his own so I will try to post some pics and another post in the next 24! PEACE!