Sleeping Habits

So, I know I messed up with getting Madison to learn to fall asleep on her own. Things kept coming up that some how prevented me. Obviously it was more that I didn't discipline myself to stick to it! Well now is a perfect time to start that; frankly 6 months ago was a perfect time to start that, but right now we still haven't set up her bed and only have the port-a-crib in her room; well she won't have anything to do with that; especially since she is so well adjusted to our bed! Obviously the biggest mistake of all! Not to mention we never established a good night routine! We just waited until she was tired or it was time for bed and rocked her to sleep. Well, we've been pretty consistent with that except now I'm wishing I would have sat down and actually engaged in things to calm her down, like reading a book and laying down with her or just having her lay down to go to sleep! Well, one way or another I am determined to change that! Especially, if I change it now, in like a year or whenever I'm pregnant with our next child, I'll have that set up so that even while I'm pregnant that baby will be used to reading a book each night and then calming down and sleeping and then once it's born and gets to the age to learn on their own it will go a lot more smoothly! Right now we've gotten to the point where rocking her doesn't quite do it anymore and we have to take her for a drive! Although I have also figured out that I think it's being snug and sitting and having it all calm and quite is really the key! When she was really sleepy one morning a few weeks ago I had her snuggled up in my arm on the couch watching cartoons and she was so tired she just sat there until she fell asleep! I've tired it a couple more times and it works; of course as long as it's dark enough and no distractions! :) So, this week I am going to get her bed all set up in her room and get it all situated and do the whole letting her cry until she learns how to go to sleep on her own thing. If anyone has ANY tips; please, please, please let me know! I am open to suggestions! I know this isn't just frustrating for us; I know she is so frustrated b/c she gets so tired and just doesn't want to give it up or just doesn't know what to do! I've also tried laying with her in the bed and "showing" her what she needs to do to get to sleep but I don't think it works as much. Okay, well, again any tips, please let me know. Take care! ~Ashley

Madison's First Friend Party!

Well, I don't have much to do right now and wanted to do something before going to bed; so I'm going to go ahead and do the party post. :) It's kind of funny b/c I have lots of pictures from today in general! I watched Kate this morning and took her to school and got some good pictures of Madi playing in Tim and Melissa's computer/play room! I guess I was a little camera happy today! I'll have to dump my memory card soon too; it's full! :) Then after getting everything cleaned up; we had everyone over and the babies played and played! :) We had Seth, Madi and Betsy; all at different stages! At first Betsy and Madi were getting well acquainted! Seth didn't want anything to do with the girls! :) He loved the toys, just not the girls! Madi was all about kisses tonight too! Plus I got some good pictures of Seth and Madi "wrestling"! Yes they were wrestling! It was soo funny! I guess b/c they were both big enough and one wasn't stronger than the other so it was pretty even. It was just funny! Jason got a little worried, and paranoid about when Madi grows up and hits puberty, but they're just babies having fun; they don't know. :) Also, it was pretty fun for the parents to get together and compare stories and enjoy the company! Plus Madi got a neat little elmo/zoe purse and stuff to go in it and some more clothes! It was fun and everyone went home just in time! I think literally 5 to 10 minutes after everyone was gone the storm came through! It was weird! I hope all made it home okay! :) Alright, well whatever stories are left to tell I will let the pictures do it! Talk about pictures worth a 1000 words! ;)

Can't tell if this makes me think of a customer service rep or some kind of switchboard-'yes mr. president I'll get him on the line immediately....' :)

Let's play some XBox!I said ABRA CA DABRA!Backyardigans was a nail biter today!

must have been a really good episode and something dramatic must have just happened!

Madi and Betsy already BFF! Madi was just kissing on Betsy!

Madi is even buttering up to Betsy's mommy! Betsy just doesn't know what to think!

Seth pushing Madi on her little truck! He's already driven her around on his fire truck....I'm noticing a pattern, maybe I should worry! :)

yep, they are wrestling; maybe Madi will be a tomboy! :)

okay, everyone in their corner!

'do you want to share? sure let's share'........yes they were sitting like this all on their own!

Swimming!

So today I decided to get out Madison's little pool she got last summer when she was too little so I couldn't wait until she was big enough to enjoy it, so today she enjoyed it! Of course she loves bath time so she loved 'swimming'; I think it was a little odd for her to be in cooler water with a swimsuit and diaper on! I was also worried if her swimsuit from last year would fit but thank you Uncle David and Aunt Sandi she got a new one for her birthday so we used that one! She is too cute and of course I'm adding pictures! I'm supposed to be cleaning for a little get together tomorrow night and of course I've put off most of it; but fully confident it will get done! I've actually done a lot today and not a whole lot to do tomorrow but thankfully I'll have a little bit of the afternoon to work on it! Anyway, hope this finds everyone well! Until next time! Maybe I'll have pictures and stories to post about after Friday night we have a couple of babies coming by and they are definitely at different stages! "Stay tuned!"

Madi in her swim suit first go round at about 4 months old?

yeah swimming!

see my ducky?

playing!

in my robe ready to go inside!

handprints when she tried to get out

So It Starts

Okay so I've decided to go ahead and do my first official blog. :) I don't have a lot to tell, our lives aren't too interesting; but for most of you who aren't aware of what's been going on with us I'll kind of update a little. We've settled into our new little apartment, enjoying our little Madison, she's so fun these days! She seemed a little slow to get to crawling (in my opinion) but I know they do it all at their own pace. :) She's taking her time with walking as well, she's definitely getting there! I was hoping she would be walking by her first year, but she wasn't and that is fine, today I gave her a little test since she is standing on her own on occasion I wanted to see if she would take the one or two steps from where she was to where I was and she kind of did, she was using my leg to lean on a little, but it was something and she has a little truck she loves pushing around and she got a little push doll stroller for her birthday that once I get it put together she will surely love pushing that around! I do love our situation right now because Jason's been able to work enough that I am able to stay home and I still help bring a little in by watching my neice Bella a few days, which as of this week has changed but during the summer I will be watching my neices Kyleigh and Katelynn all week. We are all looking forward to it and the girls cannot stop talking about it! It will be fun and we are already talking about the things we can do during the day. The best part about it is that I get to stay home with Madison! Although, I am dreading the end of summer because I know I'll have to get some kind of full time job; I'm hoping maybe I'll be able to work at a daycare or mother's day out and take Madi with me! We'll see and we'll assess the situation as it gets closer! :) So I thought about just posting some pics from Madi's birthday but since I forgot at the birthday party to do a little montage at the party that I am going to post a few pictures of the past year of my little Madison! Maybe a few fun ones thrown in. Hope all enjoy! :)

BLOGGING!

So I've decided to start a specific blog page to keep up with what we're doing. I don't want to keep up with MySpace blogging and this way more people can keep up with us, so I hope you enjoy! When I decide how I officially want to start it off; I'll get it going!