Well, It's About Time!

That is what some of you (mom and dad) are saying right now. I cannot believe it has been over a month since my last blog. Madalyn was almost two months when I last blogged. Now, she is over three months! Time has flown by. I will try to update you on the last month, the best my memory will let me.

Since Madalyn was 2 months old we have done A LOT! We were gone 3 weekends in a row! She has been a traveling baby.

June 26th-28th Ryan, Madalyn, and I went to Shreveport, LA. There was a fire at the refinery where Ryan works, so he got 4 days off! It was such a great treat for us. We travel the hour and a half to Shreveport. We shopped at the Boardwalk, ate some great food, and of course, we spent most of our time at Bass Pro Shops. It was extremely hot outside! Madalyn was a trooper, letting mommy and daddy shop. She did get a treat though. We made her a Build-A-Bear! We actually got her a rabbit and named her Mary Susan! That has always been Ryan's joke nickname for me...we thought, why not? It will give us a story to tell Madalyn when she gets older. One funny thing about the trip...I actually fed Madalyn (not bottle, I am a breastfeeding momma) on the floor at Bass Pro. I was planning on sitting in one of their comfy, cozy recliners, but they were all taken up by all the other ladies that had men shopping in the store. So, I went over to the bedding section, sat in between two displays, used a plastic wrapped comforter set as a pillow, put the stroller in front of me, and leaned against the wall. Can you picture it??? I had a few looks, mostly smiles from ladies that knew exactly what I was doing. I didn't care though...I was proud of myself.

The next weekend, we headed to TEXAS!!!! That's right, I said TEXAS!!!! It was fourth of July and Ryan had a three day weekend...where else would we have gone. It was so nice to be back in the homeland! We miss it so much. It was Ryan's first time to be in TEXAS since Christmas! That is way to long for a good ol' Texas boy. We got to spend some time with my family and Ryan's brother Jason and his wife Catherine. Ryan and I actually got to go on a date! We chose a double date with Jason and Catherine. We had a great dinner and movie night! Thanks mom and dad for babysitting the princess. We spent most of the 4th in the pool at my parents' house, and headed back to El Dorado on Sunday. Oh, Ryan got to go to the shooting range with his brother on Friday. I was so glad he was able to go. Can you believe they don't have a shooting range anywhere around us in Arkansas??!!!

4th of July with Aunt Christy and Uncle Ronald


Papa and Madalyn


Mama and Madalyn



Papa and Mama with Madalyn


The LORD is so good to us! I started getting sick Sunday morning, and ended up getting a summer cold I am still fighting. The amazing thing is that Madalyn started sleeping through the night THAT NIGHT! The LORD knew I needed a full nights sleep. She did it on her own...no stirring in the middle of the night, no crying, nothing, nada! That was July 5th...she was 11 weeks and 3 days old!

I fought that cold hard that week...I had a trip planned the next weekend and wanted to be able to go...there was a point that I thought I was not going to make it, but we did. That's right, our third trip in as many weekends. Madalyn and I went to Mobile, Alabama for Robert and Amy's wedding! We were so excited to be able to attend. We not only got to see Robert and Amy wed, we also got to see Ronald and Christy (for the 2nd weekend in a row) and Madalyn got to meet one of my best friends Kandace and her hubby Steven! We had the best time!

Madalyn and I at the wedding.


Madalyn with Kandace and Steven.


Not that I want to bore you (this is more for my memory than for your enjoyment, although you might get a kick out of the stories), but I need to recount two things that happened on that trip.

On the way there, I stopped at a Shell station to feed Madalyn, get gas, get a drink, etc. When I tell you we were there for an hour...I am not exagerating at all. I pulled in, ran inside and went to the bathroom (with Madalyn of course), came outside and fed her in the backseat. Pretty uneventful, huh? Then, and I mean a BIG then...we pulled to a pump and got gas. We pumped, and then we went inside to get a drink. (Remember, I have a cold) I start choking. not choking on something, just coughing uncontrollably choking. I run to get a big water and start chugging! I can't stop coughing! I am snotting all over the place. Madalyn, who is on my shoulder, throws up all over the floor. I have to sit her on a Bud Light with Lime display. I wipe her up, use her birp cloth to wipe my nose. Finally I stop coughing. I have mascara running down my face from my eyes watering, and I have just chugged 32 ounces of water! I go to the counter pay for my water, walk out to the car, move it, and nurse Madalyn a little more before we get on the road again. whew! it was insane!

My next story comes at the wedding. They had the wedding in a really cute chapel (think A Walk to Remember). The problem was there was no aisle except the middle aisle. I did not want Madalyn to start crying during the processional and have no where to go. SO, I went into the bathroom (it was at the entrance of the chapel). I stood in there with Madalyn while the processional happened. As soon as Amy walked in the door Madalyn started to whimper. I immediatley shut the door and starting feeding her (I wanted to say, stuck my boob in her mouth, but, well I just did) :) So, I watched (listened) to the wedding from the bathroom with the door cracked. That's right folks, I drove all the way to Alabama and didn't even get to see the wedding. If anyone but my sweet girl had prevented me from seeing it, I would have been mad. But, i can't get mad at that face!

We drove back home on Sunday, just in time for me to get ready for Vacation Bible School the next week. My friend Amanda and I co-taught the first graders. It was awesome! There were about 30-40 of them on any given day. One day was completely out of control, but overall we had a great week. I got to pray with a little girl as she asked Jesus to forgive her of her sin! It was a sweet moment. She was so excited to go home and tell her dad. He actually read her the pamplet that we gave her that night before bed.

Thursday, July 16th was Madalyn's 3 month birthday. She is currently 16 lbs. 4 oz and is 25 inches long. (just to remind you, she was 9 lbs. 7 oz. and 22 inches long at birth). She is growing so much, so fast! She is still sleeping through the night...all except for two days (growth spurt). She stayed in the nursery during church for the first time on July 19th. I figured, she had been in there everyday the previous week for VBS, she could handle a couple of hours on Sunday morning. She has done great! She has also started grabbing at her toys, holding her hands together, laughing a lot more, chewing on her hands, and so much more. We also had her first photo shoot (pics to follow)! She is the most beautiful baby if I do say so myself. :)

Funny Madalyn at 3 months old.


Ryan is about to start the turn-around at the refinery next Thursday. Since he is going to be working 7 days a week, 14 hours a day until it is finished (hopefully no more than 60 days), his company is giving him 4 days off before it starts (how generous of them...insert sarcasm here.) We decided that we are going to take a little trip to the beach! We are leaving Sunday and will be back on Tuesday or Wednesday...we haven't decided yet. It should be wonderful! I will update with pictures when we get back.

Here are some pics of the last month. Sorry the post is so long...I should have probably broken it down...oh well. Love you all.

Father's Day 2009. Her onesie says "Jesus Loves Me and So Does My Daddy".


This was after church on Father's Day.




Sometimes she has what we like to call Conan O'Brien Hair.