Busy, Busy, Busy

I swear...sometimes it feels like we just can't catch a break. After the craziness of everything in our lives, the "good" news just keeps on coming. Again, Matt and I have each dealt with our own issues...fortunately, we're actually doing something, being proactive, changing the way we've been operating. Finally. Then, a couple weeks ago, we discovered that our home is going into foreclosure. We've been paying rent to our landlord, who in turn has not been paying his mortgage. It's a good and bad thing for our family; Matt and I were planning to move to Wickenburg, but we wanted to wait a bit. Obviously, that's not an option anymore, and we've found the house in Wickenburg we're going to move to. Ideally, we want to buy, but we just can't make it happen right now. So, we're moving on March 14...which just happens to be the same day that Maddie and I are headed up to Oregon. That's going to be one VERY long day.

In the meantime, Maddie and I have been dealing with medical issues. Last week, we were at the doctor 4 out of 5 weekdays. Maddie, with her UTI, needs to have some more tests done, so on Friday, I have to take my sweet baby to the Phoenix Children's Hospital. I'm sure everything will be fine, but knowing that there may be something wrong with my baby is terrifying. As for myself, I'm having some abdominal issues. So, last week I had to get my own series of tests done, blood drawn, etc. Tomorrow, I'm seeing a specialist to try and diagnose what exactly is going on with me. Hopefully nothing, but with my family history of some scary diseases...we'll just have to see.

Maddie has been as wonderful as ever lately. She can just look through me. When she looks at me with the eyes full of love, innocence and wonder, I can't imagine anything being wrong with the world. Maddie has been saying "Mama" a lot still, especially when she's upset or wants attention. She'll sort of just chant, "Mamamamamama", and then she'll pause, make sure I'm paying attention, then do it again. She already knows just how to get my attention.

Maddie's still working on crawling. She's up on her hands and knees ALL the time, and she's figured out how to move an arm, or a leg, but still no actual CRAWLING...sooooo close though. Her frustration sometimes gets the best of her, and I admit...it's really cute. Maddie and I are both perfectionists, and we want so badly to just get it. Sitting is still on the back burner, as sitting still is not Maddie's thing. She can sit on her own for short periods of time, but she generally gives up pretty quickly to pop back on her hands and knees. When she's on the ground or in her chair, Maddie's started to reach her arms up to me when she wants to be picked up...it's amazing to get the feedback that she actually wants me to hold her. Finally, I think my little darlin is finally teething. Who knows though. I'm living with a drool monster who literally puts EVERYTHING in her mouth: the floor, blankets, her clothes, obviously her toys, electrical cords, furniture, the cats if she can, my face...the list goes on. It's hilarious. If she doesn't sprout some teeth soon, I think I might need to start feeding her more than I am so she doesn't turn into a vampire!

Maddie's On the Move!!

The last week has been much more dramatic than I care for. I don't want to go there again. Maddie was sick with the bladder infection, of course, which was more than enough to wreak havoc on my emotions. While she was on her antibiotics, Maddie developed a cold. So during the week, I forced antibiotics down her throat, sucked boogies out of her nose, dealt with my own ickiness, and struggled with my husband through some difficulties of his own. Today, life is finally calming down.

Maddie never ceases to amaze me. Yesterday, she got up on her hands and knees for the first time!! She also moved her knee forward and crawled her first crawl. Stretching it, I know, but still amazing to her mama. Today, Maddie spent a lot of time on her tummy, working to get on her hands and knees again. She's already getting more steady. She stayed up for a few seconds today, several times. Matt and I have decided it's time to start baby proofing the house!! I didn't think we'd have to worry about baby proofing until she was older. Who baby proofs their house when their child is four months old? I mean, come on!

Maddie has learned how to open up the diaper wipes and stick them in her mouth, get kleenex out of the box and stick them in her mouth, find receipts in my bag and stick them in her mouth...Let the baby proofing begin!

Another Good Day

I'll start with yesterday...darn it Cardinals! Maddie, Matt and I went to a Superbowl party with some friends up in Wickenburg. We had a great time, and Maddie was the hit of the evening...especially since our beloved Cards lost. Maddie did great and there was no sign of a fever all day. We haven't had to resort to Tylenol for a couple days. It's strange how relieving it is for Maddie to be better after being sick. I follow a couple stories of children who have been hospitalized for their entire lives, and I imagine how relieved THEY'D be if their child had only gone through what Maddie did. Experiences like this make me even more grateful for Madelyn's health, strength and disposition.

Today was, like the title said, another good day. Maddie is getting so strong. She can scoot like a champ now, and she's really getting the hang of pushing off with her legs. Once Maddie figures out how to push up with her arms and legs at the same time, I fear she'll be off. Matt and I are talking seriously about baby proofing our home. I can't believe it's already come to that. Yikes!

I have to brag on Maddie for just one second...while we were at the doctor and the hospital, Maddie kept saying, "Mama". People kept asking me how old she was. It took her saying it several times for people to actually believe their ears. I just smiled through the tears and told them she'd been saying it for a couple weeks. And yes, she is just four months old. I've included a picture of my little sweetie making a face like her mommy.

Relief

The last few days have been rough for me, but I can only imagine they've been far worse for Maddie.

Starting on Tuesday evening, Maddie started to run a fever. I was worried and I called the doctor. On his advice, I pumped my little one full of grape Infant's Tylenol, which wiped out the fever. Well, over the next couple days, the fever would rear its ugly head, but I second guessed my mommy instinct and tried to convince myself that nothing was wrong. After two night of Maddie spiking a fever of 103+, I finally took Maddie into the doctor. We spent four very, very long hours at the doctor's office on Friday, trying to figure out what was wrong. They finally decided that she probably had a UTI and called in a prescription to our pharmacy. As we were checking out of the doctor's office, my poor little girl started to shake and her lips turned blue, so I insisted we see the doctor before we left. Her temperature was 104.8 so they promptly sent us to the ER. We spent four hours at the ER where we found out that Maddie had had a febrile seizure and that she had a pretty serious UTI. They shot her full of antibiotics, and sent her home. Over the course of the day, Maddie had to get four catheders, she was poked three times to try to draw blood, and she got one nasty shot of strong antibiotics. Maddie did such a great job; she was far braver than her mother.

I'm so glad Maddie's all right; I feel like I can FINALLY breathe a sigh of relief. I can't imagine much being scarier than watching my baby shake and turn blue. I'm so grateful that everything worked out as it did, and everything happened WHILE we were at the doctor's office.

Today, Maddie is almost totally back to normal. Her fever is almost nonexistent, and she's been such a sweet and energetic little girl all day. I've learned I really need to listen to my mommy instict, because it's better than I give myself credit for.

She Just Gets Better and Better

So, Maddie had a great day today. We got to take a nice LOOOOOONG nap this morning, which was very needed, and then we just had a lazy, quiet day. After cleaning like crazy yesterday, I think we both really needed some time to just be, rather than to do. Maddie napped like a pro today, and we spent whatever time she wasn't sleeping just playing on the floor.

Maddie loves playing on her stomach so much. I remember, she absolutely HATED tummy time for awhile. She would either fuss or just lie on her tummy. Then, all of a sudden on December 15, she realized that she could push her chest totally off the floor and roll over! It all sort of happened at once; she pushed up until her arms were straight, and then she rolled. It was amazing to see her reaction - shock mixed with pride (because I was cheering and laughing, I'm sure). Then she just started rolling from back to front and front to back like a pro. She's turning into this little person more and more every day and moving farther and farther away from being just a "baby".

I included some video of Maddie's latest "communication" with me. Like I said yesterday, she either whines and squeals or has in-depth and very serious conversations. Guess which one this is...

Tomorrow, Maddie and I have plans to head to a play date and breakfast at one of our friends' houses. It's in the middle of her morning nap, so I guess we'll have to see how it goes...

UPDATE: Maddie just got her first real temperature. Not the milestone I was hoping to get to...it's at 101.7, so we're going to give her some Tylenol and hope it goes away, or it's to the doctor tomorrow instead of to Rachels.

Monday with Maddie

Well, in the last couple days, Maddie has declared war on sleep. Yesterday, she did everything possible to avoid it and really only napped for about 30 minutes total. I'm a very tired mommy. Thankfully, today she slept a bit better and was much more enjoyable to be around.

Maddie is quite a little talker...she goes through these phases where she'll shriek all day at the top of her lungs, or blow raspberries all day, or goo and gaa...she's currently in the "I'm very concerned so I'll look you in the eye and appear very distressed while I'm talking in low tones" combined with the "whine like a puppy dog" modes. So, all day, it's either "whine, whine, whine" or "let's solve the budget crisis". I admit, I like both of these better than when she shreiks - it really is ear-pearcing. She will only work on one thing at a time, like crawling, talking, sitting, standing, etc. Today, Maddie decided to chill out on her belly and whine; she also decided to make an 'o' with her mouth. It was quite a days work for her and kept her busy, busy, busy. We also played with Lightning outside, and I'm happy to say, she actually acknowledged his presence and went so far as to try to touch him. Lightning, of course, was very obliging and proceeded to lick her little hands at every opportunity he got.

There are so many little things that amaze me about my daughter. I just can't stop talking about all the wonderful things she did today! Maddie's started to grab my cheeks and pet my face like I do to hers. She's also biting. A lot. We're working on that...

I was looking through some pictures today from when Maddie was just born, and I was already feeling nostalgic! She's growing up way, way, way too fast.

Here We Go!!!

This is it! I've finally started a blog to record all the wonderful and amazing things that Maddie does on a daily basis. Now, most posts probably won't be as thrilling as one might hope, but I'm writing them nonetheless. Today, Maddie is 4 months and 6 days old. The time has flown by way, way, way too quickly. As of today, Maddie coos and caws, giggles, laughs, loves to be tickled on her ribs, rolls from front to back and back to front both ways, kicks her feet in the bath, scoots forward and backward, jumps in her jumparoo...Maddie HATES to sleep, loves her baths, couldn't care less about any of our pets, and loves, loves, loves her mama and papa. She's recently started to say "Mamamamamama" and "Dadadadadada". And she's thisclose to sitting all by herself. Yesterday, Maddie was sitting on my belly and she used my legs to push herself up to standing. Today, she was so cranky, which is very unlike her. Every day, my daughter amazes me more and more. I'm so grateful to my husband for letting me stay home with her and do the best job I could imagine - raising my daughter.