Soooo.... Today was a good day. :) Tony and I spent the night with Maddie in the guest room. I'm a nervous wreck when it comes to letting her sleep anywhere but in my arms, so Tony came and kept me company while I let her sleep in her pack and play for the first time. She looks so tiny in there! For some reason, I have this irrational fear that she is going to stop breathing while she sleeps, so I feel a constant need to watch over her. Last night, we put her down around 12:30 and she was a little restless until 2. Then she woke up at 4:30 hungry and needing a diaper change, then the same at 7:30. She's a pretty good sleeper once she falls asleep! Tony took over after her 7:30 feeding, and I got to sleep until after 10! I felt so well rested, which was GREAT. All day today she has been wonderful. There was a tiny incident of projectile spit-up... but I guess those episodes happen with babies from time to time!

Tony has become a chef extraordinaire! He's always been a great cook, but I think these days at home have let him "explore" his skills a little bit. He made chicken noodle soup tonight. YUM!

He's got a turkey working now. He made one last year for Thanksgiving that was a-mazing...and I think this one will be yummy too! While he was cooking, I was playing...

I love you THIIIISSSSS much!

Yes--the outfit says "daddy's princess..."

Baxter is warming up a little...

Investigating...

Right at this moment, 8:15pm, Maddie is swingin' and Daddy is eating ice cream. We're watching How I Met Your Mother--and all very grateful for our sweet new family. Tomorrow might be a big day--we've talked about making a trek out to Sugarland for lunch. Eek! 

Ok...so it's been a while, and a lot has gone on! We are now the proud parents of a tiny baby girl, Madeline Grace! She has just changed our lives in amazing and incredible ways that we never imagined. Today, she is a whole week old!! We just can't believe how fast time is flying by already. She's just a perfect little angel. She's sleeping in 4 hour chunks most of the time, and is a very good eater!

This weekend, Grandma Sheila and Grandpa Steve (who have no grandparent names yet...), along with Uncle Jay came to visit. They just couldn't get enough snuggling! They were a big help--I got to sleep in my own bed for some of the four hour chunks that Maddie slept. Normally, I'm too nervous to leave her alone to sleep. I'm a protective mama for sure! One good thing that mom (Sheila) did today was to get me out of the house for an hour! We went to Wal-Mart (oh joy.) to copy our pictures from the hospital photo shoot. They turned out GREAT!. Here are some of our favorite pictures from Maddie's first week with us:

Maddie's awesome custom crib setup!

Last pic with the belly!

One happy daddy!

Just minutes after being born! Look at those bright eyes!

She loves pink!

Mommie and Maddie!

First family pic...

4 generations of girls!

Her "going home outfit" courtesy of G-ma Sheila!

Her first non-hospital outfit...still in the hospital.

So much love!!!

Daddy and Maddie snuggling at the hospital.

She liked the car ride home!

All snuggled in for the ride.

One more toy to add to the bunch! And it wiggles!

Thanks for the cute ducky outfit, Dimitra!

Daddy and Maddie... Chillin' on the couch.

Mom ready to meet her little girl!

Great nurses at Women's Hospital!

I had a reason to look a little rough, right?

Mom loves this picture...

Heyyyyyy...

Feelin' safe in Daddy's hand!

Wink!

Yummmmmm!

All in pink!

Mom and dad heading home from the hospital. What an eye-opener!

All set to go!

Daddy looks tired...

Mom made this hat! (Steph's first completed crochet attempt!)

Another pink pic!

All snuggled and happy!

Maddie's first tutu!

Baxter loves the zebra boppy!

Mom's contractions right before I was born. Eek!

Look at my duckies!

Happy Grandparents and their awesome grandkids!

All wrapped up in my ladybug blanket.

Ppfppfppfppft!

This bow is too big for my head...but it's cute!

Mocking Bird Song...

Baby Peanut is as long as a banana this week! 10 inches, "crown to heel." Boy, Peanut sure is growing FAST.

I found this fun new music--for babies! I can't wait to let our little one listen. It's called Rockabye Baby! and it's all your favorite tunes, but "baby-styled." I've been listening to remakes of AC/DC, Bon Jovi, and Weezer via Pandora today. While I had that station on, the "Mocking Bird Song" came on, and I couldn't help but think of my mom. She used to make up the words to that song when she sang it to me and my brothers. So, mom, this is for you.

Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring

And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass

And if that looking glass gets broke,
Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat

And if that billy goat won't pull,
Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull

And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama's going to buy you a dog named Rover.

And if that dog named Rover won't bark,
Mama's going to buy you a horse and cart.

And if that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.

BUT--I like Mom's made up words much, much better. :)

Long overdue update...

So....biggest news (besides the belly)--I've been feeling the baby move! It started at week 14, and I didn't believe that it could possibly be little Peanut wiggling around, but since it has become more and more common--I'm sure that was it! Here we are, in week 19, and now it happens where I can feel it about 2 or 3 times a day. I've really got two different feelings going on. One feels like a little fishtail tickling me from the inside, and the other feels like little pops. It's so fun and neat! Here are the weekly growth steps I've missed...

15 weeks - apple

16 weeks -avocado

17 weeks - ugly turnip

18 weeks - bell pepper

19 weeks - heirloom tomato (yum!--don't worry. I don't want to eat the baby. Just the tomato.)

What else is new? Well, my sweet baby-daddy got me a pool!!! That was a feat in itself. I think he came home and saw my tiny little kiddie pool and this was the thought that popped into his head:

Soooo...he had pity on me and we went to Academy and got me (us...) a 12 foot round 30 inch deep pond for me to play in this summer. It was wonderful...and perfect...and then the grass decided it was more important. Two big 'ol blades of grass grew UP THROUGH THE PLASTIC. So, we spent (well...Tony spent) most of last weekend dumping, and refilling the pool after patching the holes and getting some tarps to put under it. "I just can't believe grass grew up in our pool." That was the theme of the weekend. Now, however, it is wonderful and perfect again. :)

Summer has been great so far. I've done quite a bit of laundry and movie watching. I wish that whole "nesting" thing would kick in early, but there's not much hope for that. I need to get in and transform our little office-room into a wonderful baby-land, but we're trying to wait to do anything until after our ultrasound on the 30th. Which, by the way, I have been given the "go ahead" to ask Mom and Mimi to come watch!! New dad is pretty excited, and is pretty great where my family is concerned. I think he loves them almost as much as I do.

Ok--off to more laundry. Who am I kidding. Off to more snuggling with my little hairy black babies (while they can still fit on my lap) and watching reruns. :)