Kids say the darndest things.....

I know it's totally cliche, but I honestly didn't think kids really said anything all that funny, or darndest, until now that we actually have one... who is saying things that are funny and darndest! but it's true! It's fun knowing some of the thoughts that are floating around in this little person's head finally....

Here are some examples of recent conversations:
We drove through McDonald's and I handed Madison her happy meal as we were driving.
MJ: "What's this, Mommy?" (at the prize)
Me: "I don't know, Madison, what is it?"
MJ: "A robot, maybe" (it was an "avatar")
Me: "Yeah, maybe it's a robot"
MJ: "No want this, Mommy"
Me: "You don't want the robot?"
MJ: "No like this, Mommy"
Me: "You don't like the robot?"
MJ: "Kind of scary"
Me: "Kind of scary?"
MJ: "Yeah Mommy kind of scary"
Me: "Oh, ok, maybe we'll give it to Daddy when we get home."
MJ: "Yes give to Daddy"
And later, after Todd got home, sure enough, the first thing she said was: "Daddy! Robot!"
I thought it was funny that she remembered that. And I didn't even know she knew the word "scary" before that!

At dinner one night:
Me: "You are drinking out of a cup like a grown-up!"
MJ: "Grown up"
Me: "Yes, like a grown-up"
MJ, thinking: "Mommy is a grown-up"
MJ: "Madison is a baby"
MJ: "Madison is a girl."
MJ: "Mommy is a girl."
MJ: "Daddy is a daddy"

Looking at a coke can with Santa drinking from a bottle:
"Santa drinking beer!"

At bedtime:
"Madison sleeping in a big-girl bed"
"Mommy sleeps in a big-boy bed."
"Daddy sleeps in a big-boy bed."
"Solly sleeps in a big-boy bed."
"Isa sleeps in the basement."
"Big Bird sleeps in a nest."
"Red Robin sleeps in a nest."

Madison also likes to embellish stories as they're being told. For instance, we went to see Santa Claus at the mall the other day, and she cried and cried and clung to me and would not sit on his lap. Sigh. No Santa picture this year! Anyway, later when I was telling Todd about it, Madison decided to chime in at specific parts of the story.
Me: "Madison wouldn't sit on Santa'a lap."
MJ: "Cried!"
Me: "Yes, she cried."
MJ: "waaahhhhh" (trying to make crying sound, scrunching her face up)
MJ: "Baby cried."
Me: "Yes, and another baby cried."
MJ: "Madison no like Santa anymore"
It kind of reminds me of those Geico commercials where they have someone telling a story about their car breaking down, and someone else in the background doing the sound effects.

And another recent talent is "singing" -- it's hard to even describe!
Here are some of the songs so will randomly break into:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Ring Around the Rosie
Rockabye Baby
Frosty the Snowman

Although the verses are usually her own trademark versions...
For instance,
"Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder ah-ah-ah"

"Rock a bye baby
On the treetop
When the wind blows
The cradle will fall down"

"Ring around the Rosie"
then becomes
"Ring around the monkey, pocketful of funky"
"Ring around the baby, pocketful of maybe"
etc...

It's just fun to hear her little voice attempting to actually sing. For a while she was just sort of speaking the words but now it's a drawn out little tune.
Fun stuff!

Hope everyone has safe travels with the upcoming holidays! We are leaving for Indiana on Monday. Madison is excited about spending Christmas with Nana and Pawpaw this year!

Silly videos from the trip

For those of you so inclined to watch silly baby videos! I think maybe these are in the same realm as silly cat videos...... :)

We got spirit yes we do

We got spirit how bout you??

We had a blast at JMU going to the football game and all the reunion stuff. Madison did great with the travel and loved watching the marching band and seeing her mommy march!!

Thanks to Grandma for helping out!

And here we are looking straight out of the alumni magazine.....

Welcome, Twins!

I just wanted to post a quick pic of the newest little cuties to enter this world,

Ashley Renee & Brianna Reese!
Born 6.1 & 5.1 lbs on Oct 29th

Double the love!!!!

<3>

Oh wait, I forget this isn't facebook.....

And a post-trick-or-treating video to share

Miss Personality

They say you blink and your kids grow up before you know it. That is such a "old person" thing to say I can't believe I am even writing it! Ha. But one thing I didn't expect to wax nostalgiac on was the leaving-the-crib phase. One night MJ was in the crib, the next day she was in the bed, and that was that. I didn't even have a moment to pause and say, "this is our baby's last time in the crib." Todd brought home a toddler bed from our friend Melissa, and as soon as Madison saw the frame, she said "big girl bed" and that was it! She slept in it that night and never looked back. We left the crib in her room, just in case, but it looks like we'll be taking it down. It's moments like this that make you realize how fleeting life is!

Here are some more pictures of our crazy little miss personality. Being a drama queen, a band geek, a snow bunny, and hiding behind a tree! She is excited about Halloween and thanks to her buddy Hannah, will be going as a cat. As soon as she saw her cat costume, she proceeded to name it "Kit Kat," wore it around all night, and tucked it in on her changing table, a.k.a. Kit Kat's bed. I'm sure we will be posting pictures of trick-or-treating!

And in other news, we've had a ton of snow here, work is continuing to go well, and I have joined a book club! The book club is with my neighbor and her friends who are young and have *no kids*! So maybe these girls will keep me feeling young. They can at least hopefully get me to refrain from using phrases like "back in my day" and "blink and your kids grow up!" Right now we are reading 'The Likeness' which I am completely wrapped up in. Much to Todd's delight I have been up past midnight every night reading it by lamplight. That's when you know it's a good book!

Babies Babies Everywhere

I swear I am getting Baby Fever with all these cute babies being born left & right!

I've been meaning to wish congratulations to all the recent babies & mamas & daddies in our lives!!!

Baby Julian

Baby Leah
Baby Juno

Baby Sadie

Baby Ethan

And also to the babies-to-be (and yes that is plural)!

Then and Now

Happy Fall to everyone! We are enjoying the chillier weather and T is enjoying football season, and we've been hanging out with friends and hitting up the pumpkin patches.

In some ways I can't believe Madison is already coming up on her *2nd* Halloween and *2nd* Winter, so I thought I'd reflect here- In some ways she has changed a lot, and in some ways not at all! In fact she still looks pretty much the same to me in that snow pic!

2008

2009

2008

2009

MJ's World

La la la la, la la la la, MJ's worllllllld....... [sung to the tune of Elmo's world, for those who have experienced it... ;) ]

Our little MJ has quite a busy world these days. After I got back from Vegas, which already threw Madison for a loop, I threw her for an even bigger loop by going back to work full time - ! (for the time being). Her Grandma Kennedy was here, followed by her Nana and Pawpaw from Indiana, so she's been spoiled by visitors, but even so, that's a lot of changes for one little elf. She has started going to day care three days a week and seems to really like it (except for the actual drop-off -- Mommy needs to work on that), and is in many ways acting like a Big Girl. She is making her mind known with an amazing vocabulary and even gives commands these days: "Daddy, sit down!" She loves climbing on things and did her first amateur rock climbing up in Rocky Mountain National Park. She hasn't yet started any type of tantrum-throwing or needing time-out (knock on wood for us right now!!), but I've seen many of her little friends going through these stages in our playgroups, and I'm sure it is probably right around the corner.... But in the meantime we are enjoying our sweet one-and-a-half year old and holding on to the last bit of summer/fall before the snow sets in!

Some pics from MJ's world:

18 Months and Vegas

Madison's 18-month birthday came and went, without so much as a peep on my blog about it!

But - we couldn't let this milestone slip by in real life, so we had a party. I think there must have been about 15 babies & kids (oh yeah and grown-ups) bouncing around our house. MJ had a blast!

A few of the kiddos at the party, post-cupcakes

And here are just a few other pictures of our big girl, growing up and getting LOTS bigger in personality!

Big girl Shy

Not shy!

Uh-oh, what happened?


And - in other news - I just got back from "Club" in Las Vegas! Here is a shot on the rooftop club at the Rio, overlooking the strip. We had a fabulous time and I loved the hotel Paris. It was funny tho, tonite the 'Atlantic City' episode of Sex & the City was on, and it totally reminded me of us! I guess we're not the most saavy gamblers. Or partyers. We were mostly happy just lounging at the pool all day. But- I did manage to play craps this time! And MJ did great with Grandma and Daddy for the long weekend. Yay for girls' trips!!!

"I Like Corn" and more videos

As we were eating dinner the other night, Todd asked Madison: "Do you like corn?" and she said "I like corn" very non-chalantly as if it were the obvious answer (she was eating corn on the cob). We looked at each other like, did she just say that?! It was her first sentence! Thus, going in the baby book! While her vocab has been growing for a while now, she has really only recently started combining words into phrases, like "big truck," "all wet," "dirty hands," etc. So this was a pretty exciting moment. We'll see if there is more to come! In the meantime, here are some more random short videos I had of recent summer fun. We had a playgroup over here the other day and I wish I had taken a video of that-- just imagine Madison + 8 or so more kiddos swarming our living room and then all crammed in the baby pool at once! It was mayhem!

Counting!

Attempting to capture MJ counting on film! Do all parents do this?? She can count to 9... sort of... as you can see.... :)

Yo, Cuz

As I was going through our pictures from VA and Buckroe Beach, I realized that I really wanted to write a blog about the special bond that evolved between Madison and her cousin, Katie. Katie is 2 1/2 years old and the middle child of my brother, Brian. Katie and Madison met once before, when Madison was about 9 months old, but for some reason on this recent trip they really just clicked. Actually, she loved playing with all of her cousins, but the two of them were like joined at the hip. Wherever Madison was, Katie was, and vice versa.
Katie had to have a lot of patience to put up with a 1 1/2-year old! And Madison thinks she is one of the "big kids" so it was a good fit!
Even now, weeks after the trip, when Madison sees a playground or a pool she says "Kaaaaaatie" and looks for her like she might show up and play. She misses her cuz!!!

Video Happy

Hugging milk:



In the pool:



Playing harmonica:

Summer fun

Here are a few random short videos from this summer. These are just little clips that I came across after the big photo dump! We just got back from Virginia on Monday night and had a fabulous time. Madison loooOOOooooved playing with her cousin Katie (did I say LOVED??) and also Tommy and Chrissy too. :) Oh yeah and Jamie and Justin. It was great to have the whole gang together and the wedding itself was a lot of fun. I'll post some pictures from the trip but here the quick vids for now! I wish I had taken more at the beach, but I was too busy chasing after my water baby....!

Seriously??

http://www.momlogic.com/2009/06/toddler_smokes_a_pack_a_day.php?adid=063009_smoking_toddler

Yikes! These bad habits can start young I guess..... The 'endangering their children' photos on here is especially freaky!

Fluffhead

So, as many of you may know, the band Phish has reunited and is touring around the country. Tickets to shows are highly coveted items, and especially tickets to Red Rocks! When the special online ones went on sale a while back, I heard about it but didn't really think I'd order any. I have a kid now, things have changed, I thought, Phish isn't high on my agenda. But some of my friends encouraged me to try it just in case I got extra tickets and could share the love! So I did, and I lucked out, and now here we are in the middle of summer and the concert is almost here!

I have mixed feelings about it because Phish is such a nostalgiac thing for me. I spent a good decade of my life seeing them all over the country, ranging from Virginia to Colorado to Vegas, wherever I happened to be. Thinking back, my first concert was in 1994 at Univ Hall at UVA. I had just gotten back from my Semester in London (and anyone who knows me knows I was about All Things London after that) and hadn't been listening to Phish over there. Yet all my friends "stateside" were! So I decided to check them out and I still remember walking into the arena with our tickets in hand, seeing all the hippie kids with their hemp necklaces and dogs and rosy cheeks, full of excitement about the night ahead. Wow, I thought, this is my generation! I am finally here! It just somehow had a huge effect on me, much more than going to the Grateful Dead the year before with all the "old" hippies. :) Anyway, so that was the beginning of it all. The tape trading and traveling that went along with shows after that just became a part of me.

And then in about 2003, we saw Phish at the Pepsi Center right before their big "hiatus" (breakup) and it just wasn't the same. It seemed so corporate, and so much the end of an era. Everyone kind of went their separate ways, and we all grew up. Now that Phish has reunited and is touring again, I think it will be a blast but I know it won't be the same as it once was. I'll never forget those days of camping out and driving across country and dressing up on halloween and making friends wherever we went.

I have lots of faves, but here is one of my favorite travel songs and takes me back to those moments of just living, just being, just going with the flow!

All the way home we felt we had a chance
To review the coulds before we were born
And to invite a new game of can'ts

Absorbed in the clouds a voice from afar said
"With the right device you can make a pattern grow
Or you can tune up your car"

So we stayed on the train admiring the time
As the lights of the city drew near
We drank a little wine

They were blurry and green outer space in between
With a depth and a form unclear
Then we saw it up ahead

A flickering lantern lit up on the tracks
In the rugs that had covered up the bridge
From the banks of a river to the bed

Of the valley upstream to the place we live
The glass on the lantern cast back the sight
Of a drive-in movie we drove by below

We saw where we'd been in the pictures within
Projecting all the places we would go
So we follow the scene and flowed up your steps

To a smooth wooden floor in a trance
The train whistle melody woved through the trees
And in through the door to signal the turns of a dance

Happy birthday Grandma!

Big Girl

Madison is getting over her pukey/bigD spell that hit us last weekend. Hopefully she's on the up & up! She seems to feel better anyway. Here is a pic from my cell at the playground today.

Big girl on the slide!

Talking part 2

My mom apparently left some invisible comment in cyberspace asking me to add one of MJ's first words: "Ma-maw," meaning "Grandma"... True, true. There are a few words I did forget about.. things like "tut-tut" for "turtle" and "day-day" for dancing. You have to use your imagination a bit! Also, when we were at that petting zoo in Indiana (AGAIN with the PETTING ZOO!) and Madison first saw her first duck, she right away said "quack quack." Too cute!

These days she is an avid reader and will get her own books and sit in a little spot and "read" to us, which is a little mumbling sound that sort of sounds like words. Ha! I guess that must be what we sound like when we read to her! Kind of like the Charlie Brown grown-up voice.

And you may notice the format of this blog has changed -- but it's the same old blog at heart. I have to say I am a big fan of the blog these days. I feel like it's so much more substantial than reading someone's profile or update on facebook. It gives you a little insight into your friends' lives, their worlds, and by the end you feel like you've had a mini-conversation with them. I like being able to sit back w/ a cup of coffee and read my "news." :)
And yes this is for the people who've slacked off on blogging! I miss you!!!

By the way, we are heading down to Manitou Springs tomorrow for the weekend for our 5-YEAR-ANNIV! Hard to believe 5 years has gone by...........

Talking

MJ's latest words! 6/3/2009
In no particular order...............
Sol (as in Solly)
oreo
play
swing
slide
balloon
bubble
butterfly
bacon
bike
alligator (tries)
straw
juice
nooni (noodle)
cheese
spoon
baba (bottle)
spoon
milk
more
stars
diaper
shoes
socks
hat
dog
car
kitty
cat
potty
pee pee
poo poo
pool (sounds a lot like poo!)
no
tree
park
chair
up
pappy (passy)
suck (as in suction)
medicine (tries)
thermometer (tries)
eye
nose
mouth
teeth
toes
hand
owie
uh-oh
cookie
elmo
dora
key
quack
moo
baa
mowie (meow)
cuckoo (kookabura)
dada, daddy
mama, mommy
hot
cold
pants
twirl
book
birdie
blocks
ball
bye bye
bunny
baby
hi
'kay (as in OK)

Phew! There are a lot of them when I really sit down and think about it! There is also a lot of repeating happening these days, so it's hard to keep track. But I think this girl's gonna be a talker, like her mama!

Horse Bite

A couple of people have asked me to elaborate on the "horse bite" comment. We were at a petting zoo in Indiana and basically one of the mini horses decided to chomp on MJ's little hand! He must have decided baby fingers were delicious. We pulled her hand out of his mouth stat but it was quite dramatic. As most of you who know me know I had my sleeve pulled on by a monkey when I was seven years old, and these things don't leave you. Part of me still feels like there are monkeys somewhere out to get me.
Petting Zoo Innocence:

And the baby goats were so gentle!