never judge a book by its cover

So…there’s this man we saw at In-N-Out today…Wait! Let me start off with our day first.

My friend, Yong, and I attended a Photography Workshop today, which was a great experience and we gained a lot of knowledge about photography. It’s basically a 4 hour crash course. Now, we have to get out there and practice what we learned! That’s the time consuming, but fun part. I just want to learn how to capture some great action shots of Madelyn since she is so active and find creative ways to do it. Now, I’m finding that there is SO much more to photography than I could have ever imagined. It is so involved. Can’t wait to wrap my head around it and dig my heals into action!

After an early dinner at Café Rio, across the street from UNLV, we stopped at In-N-Our burger so that I could indulge on a vanilla shake. Of course, I wasn’t still hungry, but I’m pregnant and I want what I want (or what the baby insists that I have)! Period.

I ordered and when Yong came out of the bathroom a guy came up to her and said, “you know you just used the men’s restroom?”. Our first thoughts are ‘why are you watching us THAT closely?’. She corrected him and told him that she went into the door on the right, which was the women’s. He said “Oh…” and went back to his table, which was on the other side of the place, far from us and the restrooms (again, why was he watching us?). As he walked away, we both thought and I think I said…”weirdo” and rolled my eyes. I got my shake and we walked to the student union building.

Ten minutes after arriving at the workshop, I realized that I had my camera, but NOT my purse! I figured I left it at In-N-Out and frantically darted out of the auditorium and RAN to In-N-Out. Did I mention that it was FREEZING outside and that I am PREGNANT and very OUT OF SHAPE, with NO real jacket?!? As I’m running, I am thinking I left it on the seat. The Weirdo totally took my purse! I mean, he was apparently watching us very closely, so it only made sense! If anyone would notice my purse on the seat, it would be HIM!  I ran faster and faster, reminding myself that every second counted. It’s not like an hour had passed and what was done, was done.  It had only been 15 minutes now. I could still catch him…pregnant or not.

I’m huffing and puffing as I jog into the In-N-Out parking lot. I see the bright-yellow-shirt-wearing Weirdo, standing outside the front door looking around…looking for ME!  He sees me and yells, “Slow down! I found your purse! The staff has it. Stop running…it’s not good for the baby! Come in and catch your breath. I was looking for you because I knew it was yours.” I can barely get the words “Thank you” out, not just because I was out of breath, but because I had my foot in my mouth!

Talk about judging a book by its cover. It’s more likely that the people you would least expect to do crazy, cruel, evil things do it without anyone noticing or expecting it from them. The angels that come before us are just that – angels. You have to humble yourself and sometimes look hard to recognize the angels God sets out to watch after us. I thanked him several times…sat down for bit to catch my breath…and watched him drive away in his taxi cab…thankful that I still had my wallet, ID, cards, money, car keys, phone…thought how he made a good, honest decision….while I felt guilty to have judged him. You live and learn.

Side note, for the record - we got to the workshop 45 minutes early! For those of you that know me, know that I’m never early. I run an average of 30 minutes late to everything. I even told Yong I would meet her at 2:30 and arrived at 2:28! I’m thrilled about TWO early arrivals today! Yes, I’m tooting my horn!

daddy’s little girl

Madelyn is starting to ask for Daddy more and more.  Throughout the day she will ask, “Where Dada?” and look all over the house for him. She doesn’t quite understand the concept that he is working. I look forward to Jose coming home every day, not only because he’s my wonderful hubby, but because it is the best part of my day to watch them play as soon as he walks in the door. Dinner may be hot and ready to eat. Normally, as a mother and wife you want the family to sit down as soon as it’s ready to have a HOT meal.  In these moments, life pauses and nothing else matters.  What’s most important is watching them interact. Madelyn’s face lights up the minute Jose walks in the door. It’s like she has been waiting ALL DAY for Daddy to come home and rough house with her. Anything from picking her up and wrestling her to the ground, hopping around with her on his shoulders like a frog, yelling “ribbit, ribbit…”, chasing her around the house crawling on his hands & knees or simply smothering her in slobbery kisses! Whatever it is, she just loves her father so much. I admire him for the attention he gives her and the energy he exhausts after a long day at work…nothing will keep him from hyping her up just in time for bed.

His love for her never runs out.

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my sleeping beauty

I love watching my daughter sleep. She dreams. She rests. She recharges. She doesn’t have a worry in the world. A child’s innocence is so delicate. I love that she finds so much warmth and security in my arms and she knows that I will put her to sleep in a safe place…with her bear, of course! It’s so nice that she is at the age where I can put her in her crib, cover her, give her her bear and she will say “night, night…I love…” and go right to sleep. She trusts us, as her parents.

The love I have for my daughter is indescribable. beyond words. intense.  incredible. immeasurable. significant. unfathomable. immense. unique. infinite.  

a love only a mother can understand.

Splish Splash!

 

Bath time was so much fun last night!

 

         

Not even sure what was making her laugh, she was just laughing…

it was great!

    

Before she gets out of the bath,

she’s always gotta put a letter in her mouth!

 

 

We bathed her earlier than usual, at 8:00, instead of our usual 8:30 or later. She seemed much happier and playful.  Not that she’s not usually happy in the bath, but if she is really tired, then she can be especially irritable.

After her bath we brought her downstairs to play and she drank her milk. She went to sleep at 9:30pm.  Eventually we want her bedtime to be 9:00, but 9:30 is much better than 10:30 or later. 

loves her mama

Tonight, I had a special moment with my daughter. We were on the couch and Madelyn was sitting on my lap facing me. She lifted my glasses above my eyes, placed them on my head and put both hands on my face, as if she was admiring me. She repeated this several times. She was so gentle. She kept smiling at me, rubbing her hands on my face and said “soft” a couple times. She then put a hand on each cheek and turned my head to my right (almost abruptly), so the left side of my face was facing her, and she gave me a great big kiss on my cheek! It was so intentional. Then she turned my head back to face her and continued looking at me for a minute, giving me some sweet smiles. She ended our special moment with a heart felt squeeze.

Madi loves her mama, I say this proudly. I can tell that she understands what love is. Of course, only to a certain extent, but enough to know that she loves others and she knows we love her. Madi’s heart is so pure and innocent. She is so compassionate and loving. She is so gentle and caring. I’m sure she is going to be an amazing big sister.

Moments like these are the best thing a mother could ask for. They will never be forgotten.

it’s not just me

I found out that Blogger editing has been having some problems and glitches and that’s why I’ve been getting so frustrated.  It’s been my new “project” every night after Madi goes to bed to figure out what the heck is wrong with my blog.  I was one of the people their glitches were messing with! I feel better now.  I thought I was just not smart enough for my own good and couldn’t even post a darn photo or have less than 10 spaces between a paragraph.

Ahhh…now I can sleep.

First Picture Post using Writer

I am loving how easy it is to post pictures!

(compared to using Blogger editing)

Blogging using Windows Live Writer

Gerry, a guy that replied to one of my questions in the Blogger Help Forum, told me about Windows Live Writer to edit/blog. I am testing it out! So far I really like it! Now, my blogging world will be made easier….I hope.

Thank you Gerry!

20 Months Miss Madelyn

Madelyn turned 20 months on January 4th. I don't know how times flies by, but I feel like we just celebrated her first birthday. Not a day goes by where she doesn't do something new, say something new or learn something new and I think to myself, I should record that or make note. So, let me search deep into my brain and try to remember the last 240 days...I haven't written a single thing down. I always think I will remember or "get to it later" and never do. Now, if I would have kept up on blogging, I would have a fun, photo filled, online memory of our daily lives (that's why I am starting now (catching up first).

 

Here are some recent Madi Memories:

Tells us when she has a booger:

About 2 months ago (at 20 months old) she started telling us when she has a booger in her nose. Jose was putting her to bed - holding her, lights off - and she said, "boogey, boogey!". I came to the rescue with the lovely booger sucker (I heard her on the monitor) and got it out and she was good to go...went right to sleep.

 

No more singing:

Christmas Eve we stayed at my parents house and my mom turned on the radio and started dancing and singing with Madi. Everytime my mom started to sing Madi would put her hand over my mom's mouth and say "no more!" She did that several times and it was hilarious! (almost 20 mos. old)

 

Froggie:

Around New Year's Jose, my mom and I were all talking and hanging out in the living room. All the sudden Madi comes in the room saying "F&#@!" several times and then says "F&#@ It!". We were in shock, looking at each other wondering where she learned that or what she was saying. Eventually, we figured out that she was saying FROG and FROGGIE. She wanted Jose to put her on his shoulders and take her for a ride, hopping along like a frog saying "ribbit". Haha! (20 months old.) She still says the F word for Frog and now Fork also.

 

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star:

Last Night (Thurs, Jan 27) I was putting her to bed. I was singing to her in her room and she started trying to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. She said, "tink tink...dar...up above...dia (diamond)...and she opens and closes her hand(s). It is so cute. Today, after she woke up from her nap and was playing in her crib, I can hear her singing it again.

 

Madi's Language at 20 Months (not in any order):

 

Madelyn will pretty much repeat (or attempt) anything you say or ask her to say.

 

There is a large number of words she will say consistantly, so I included what I could think of below:

 

I put an * by the words I know she was saying at 14 months (give or take).

 

Hello (pronounced Ellooooo)

*Hi (usually with a wave)

*Uh Oh

Oh no!

Bear (shows us the bears in her crib every morning)

Blanket (banke)

Sleep

Diaper

Air

*Up

*Down

*Up and down (Up a da)

Change (diaper)

Back (put back)

Mess

Booger (boogey)

I love you (she says "I loooove...")

*Bye-bye

Kiss

*Mommy (mama)

*Daddy (da dye)

*Grandma (ma ma, with a pause compared to mama)

Abuela (Ab e lalalalala, being silly)

*Grandpa (ampa)

Uncle

Aspen (Apen)

Mishki (Micky)

Dog

*Puppy

Pup

Woof (ooof oof)

*Cat (cat or ny ny ny)

Pig

Mickey Mouse (Mouse)

Donald Duck (Duck)

Dora (Dory)

Handy Manny (An Man)
Sponge Bob (Bob Bob)

*Princess (usually referring to "Enchanted")

Alice (A lalala)

Letters (le le, referring to Letter Factory)

Nemo (elmo)

Grinch (ginch)

Nite Nite (ny ny)

Door (dooooo)

Potty (po-ee)

*Food (num num)

Comida (num num)

Clean (cip)

Spill (pill)

Snack (Nnnnack)

Butt

Bath Time (Ba time)

Soft (sof)

Lotion (ocean)

Hot

Cold

Vavava (shivers)

*More (Mo - ee)

Mas

*Please (peas)

Thank You (Tay coo)

*Yes (si)

*No

No more (no mo ee)

*All done (a dye)

Happy

Sad

*Clap

Jump

Stomp

Stop

Go

Play

Sit

Hand (haa)

Baby

Cry

Help

*Bib (biby)

Strawberry (ta berr)

Chicken

*Yogurt (o gurt)

Banana (na na)

Soup

Oranges

Peach (poach)

Pear

Cheese

Turkey (chicken)

Milk

Juice

Water (ammm, for agua)

Pancakes (pacay)

Potato

Bread

Eggs

Oatmeal (oatmeat)

Crackers (cok or coker)

Cookie (cook)

Ice Cream

Phone

Push

Outside (ou sy)

Wait

Mail

Car

Scared (ecare)

Shaking (she says sakin, which she also says when she is scared of something)

Eye(s)

Nose (no)

Mouth

Teeth (tee)

Cheek

Ear(s) (air)

Hair (air)

Head (ed)

Shoulder(s) (soul)

Toes

Hand(s) (hah)

Arm(s)

Bow

Close (cose)

Open (opit)

On

Off

Out

Bless You (bess you)

Sorry (sowy)

Light

Car

Carpet (cup it)

Hat

Fix (sick)

Zip

One (will count on her own)

Two (will count on her own)

3-10 will repeat

She will repeat colors & shapes and I think she knows them, but won't say them on her own.

She knows the SOUNDS of the whole alphabet (from Leap Frog Letter Factory).  I will say "The A says..." and she will say the sound it makes.

 

I will write more about the “latest” of Miss Madi…I’m just happy I got this much done and I’m figuring out a better way to blog and edit!

a blog of a goal

"Blog" has been in the back of my mind for a long time...well, since my last post almost a year ago. I've been wanting to nurture my blog for so long and me not doing anything with it is driving me nuts. The primary reason I want to be consistent with blogging is for memories, a record, something to look back on. I've always enjoyed reading old journal entries or looking at old letters. It's just so real. I also need an outlet to write, share, express whatever is on my mind or whatever I'm experiencing. This day and age I doubt that I will ever journal in a notebook again. The problem with me jumping on board with blogging again (not that I was ever much of a blogger before) is that I feel like I have missed out on so many opportunities. If I would have stayed consistent, I would have made so many posts and included some wonderful moments. But I figure, there's no sense in crying over spilled milk. I've been extremely busy. I'm about to be even busier, but if I have good time management I think I can do it! I do not plan to blog every day, but at least a few times a month would be awesome and pretty serious, in my opinion. I think my next several entries will end up being "catch up" entries to make myself feel better. Here's the thing...I'm about to dive into the world of blogging, with TWO FEET this time, and most of my posts will be about the baby I'm expecting and the entire process (baby belly, labor, new addition to the family, etc.) and I can't help but feel bad that I didn't do that with Madelyn. Bear with me, as my next entries will be from the "past" to recap the last year.