Smith Family

Easter!

2010-04-05T17:12:00.015-04:00

This Easter was a lot of fun. We have one new addition to the family with Lauren and Maddie is getting older which makes things fun. We started Easter weekend off on Saturday when we went to Doug's parents house. We visited with Meemaw, Peepaw and Great-Grandma Betty. We had a lot of fun. Meemaw and Peepaw got Maddie a new sandbox that she loves. She wants to play in it every day.

On Sunday we had a very busy day. Maddie loved going through her Easter basket and looking at all the goodies. She also liked going through Laurens for her and showing her how everything works. What a good big sister. We had a big Easter egg hunt, colored eggs, baked a bunny cake, and made a great Easter dinner. It was a really great Easter!

Our Easter Bunny cake that Doug made.

Meemaw, Peepaw, Kris, and Maddie taking a look at the new sandbox.

Great-Grandma Betty showing Maddie her sandbox.

Great-Grandma Betty with Lauren.

Kris and Maddie doing the egg hunt.

Maddie doing an Easter egg hunt at Meemaw and Peepaw's

Lauren holding an egg.

Meemaw and Peepaw with Maddie and Lauren.

Family picture.

Maddie falling asleep after an Easter visit to Meemaw and Peepaw's.

Maddie and Laurens Easter Baskets.

Maddie just getting started with her Easter Basket.

Kris showing Lauren her new toy and

Maddie showing Lauren her new doll.

Maddie saying "cheeeeese".

Maddie ripping into a present.

Maddie posing with her Max & Ruby puzzle.

Poor Bailey getting stuck wearing the tiara.

Doug showing Lauren her new toy.

Maddie and Lauren.

Lauren on the couch.

Doug making an Easter pancake breakfast.

Doug showing Maddie how to use her sand molds.

Lauren in her sun hat.

Playing in the sandbox from Meemaw and Peepaw.

Maddie with a wet head in her Easter shirt.

Crouching low to find eggs.

Maddie hunting for eggs.

Maddie opening her eggs.

Presley and Lauren.

Lauren laughing.

Aiden Scholl's 2nd Birthday!

2010-03-28T02:08:00.008-04:00

Last weekend we went to Michigan to celebrate our nephew Aiden's 2nd birthday. We had a lot of fun. The party had a Mickey Mouse theme. The kids got to pick a build-a-bear from the take home birthday packs. Maddie picked a panda because she loves pandas for some reason. Maddie and Caitlyn loved playing together as usual.

Kris and Maddie stuffing a panda.

Caitlyn taking Maddie for a ride through the kitchen on her brothers Chevy truck.

Maddie playing with a wooden birthday cake.

John assembling Aiden's new grill while all the kids lend a hand.

Maddie and Caitlyn dressed up like Snow White and Ariel.

Maddie looking bored with taking pictures while Lauren laughs on.

Maddie in her bedazzled Minnie Mouse shirt.

The Scholl's (Meg, Aiden, Caitlyn, and John)

The Mickey Mouse birthday cake.

Lauren thinking, "Where's my cake"!

Lauren Cracking Up!

2010-03-17T04:10:00.004-04:00

This weekend we tried putting Lauren in her Exersaucer. She had a ball. Maddie was running around her playing with all the toys. Lauren thought it was hilarious. We were lucky enough to get it on video.

Miscellaneous Pictures of Maddie and Lauren.

2010-03-17T01:47:00.005-04:00

Maddie and Lauren hanging out in Maddie's bed.

Lauren playing guitar.

Maddie blow drying Lauren's hair.

Maddie trying to put "lipstick" on Lauren.

Doug and Maddie playing in the snow.

Maddie getting ready to play in the snow.

Maddie doing her hair.

Still doing her hair.

Christmas with the Slavins!

2009-12-27T22:06:00.009-05:00

On Saturday Dec. 26, we went to Kris's parents house for the Slavin Christmas. Maddie made the rounds helping everyone open presents. She got a Disney Princess hoodie and Disney Princess slippers that she had to put on right away and wore for most of the evening. Lauren was awake for a long time and was cooing and looking around. She got a belly ache a little later, and Doug had to go to CVS to get some Mylicon drops. Maddie loves to play hide and seek (which she calls "hide and sneak") with Caroline and Courtney. The Delks brought their new Wii console and we all had fun playing it. We all had a lot of fun and are sad Christmas is over.

Maddie standing by while Kris opens a present.

Cindy and Maddie playing the slot machine.

Maddie opening her Ni Hao Kai Lan Bath doll.

Gigi (Grandpa Wearly) learning how to bowl on Wii.

Lauren looking cute.

Grammy helping Maddie open presents.

Lauren and her Grampy Slavin.

Kris, Cindy, and Lauren.

Doug and Caleb.

Great-Grandpa Wearly helping Maddie open presents.

Maddie wanting her Disney Princess slippers on.

Lauren eating her fist.

Cute little Lauren.

Christmas Day!

2009-12-27T16:13:00.017-05:00

Christmas day was a lot of fun this year. Maddie had a great time and Lauren seemed to have one too. Maddie got about half way through her presents when she decided to take her pants off and be "at the beach". The first thing she did was jump on her tricycle, but then she ran over to the "cookies for Santa" plate to see if the cookies were gone. Bailey was already there sniffing to see if there were any crumbs left.

Lauren

Maddie with all of her new necklaces looking like Mr. T.

Maddie laying in the kitchen with her Jack-in-the-box.

Milk and Cookies for Santa. And Lowery's chocolate for the reindeer.

Presley playing with his new toys.

Bailey relaxing.

Maddie opening presents (She is "at the beach", thus no pants!)

Still opening presents (still no pants too).

Maddie & Lauren's stockings.

Maddie pushing her baby carriage.

Kris and Maddie playing with the Jack-in-the-Box.

Kris and Maddie holding her Minnie Baby.

Maddie and her clubhouse.

Doug and Maddie playing with Lauren.

Lauren with her polar bear from big sister Maddie.

Great-Grandma Betty with Maddie and Lauren.

Maddie pushing her tea cart.

Kris, Maddie, and Lauren.

Doug, Maddie, and Lauren.

Maddie fell asleep before she could eat Christmas dinner!

Christmas Eve at Meemaw and Peepaws's

2009-12-27T15:54:00.011-05:00

On Christmas Eve, we went to Doug's parents' ("Meemaw & Peepaw") house to celebrate Christmas. We all had a great time. Maddie got a Dora the Explorer vanity that she loves. She also got some Minnie Mouse snow boots that she put on right away and wore all night. She received a lot of cool presents and had a great time playing with Meemaw, Peepaw, Great Grandma Betty and Zack.

Maddie and her new Minnie Mouse boots.

Meemaw with Maddie & Lauren.

Doug, Maddie, and Zack playing with a castle.

Lauren.

Maddie in her Minnie boots with her wooden ice cream cone.

Kris and Maddie opening some books.

Maddie sweeping with her Dyson vacuum

just like mommy and daddy.

Meemaw and Lauren.

Maddie giving Dora a hair cut.

Maddie playing with her hair dryer

while Doug shows her the stool.

One More Update!

2009-12-23T13:00:00.006-05:00

One more update before Christmas. Maddie and Lauren are getting along really well. Maddie loves her baby sister. She also loves Holly, her new mini-moose from Build-a-Bear. She carries her around with her EVERYWHERE she goes. We can't even leave the house without bringing Holly. Maddie has developed a habit of not wearing pants. We are not sure why, but she likes to run around half dressed. She will take her pants of and say "I'm at the beach". Don't know where she heard that, but it's funny.

Maddie in her favorite outfit. Shoes and no pants.

Maddie sleeping with Holly the Christmas Moose.

Lauren laughing at Maddie.

Lauren passed out on the couch.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

2009-12-03T04:30:00.007-05:00

Maddie really enjoyed decorating the Christmas Tree This year. She called the ornaments toys and ran back and forth from the ornament box to the tree. When putting on an ornament, she would say "this goes here". Then Daddy gave her some Eggnog (which she calls negnog). She didn't put her cup down until it was gone and then ask for "s'more negnog".

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T21:54:00.005-04:00

Maddie went trick or treating for the first time this year. She had a great time! She said "trick or treat" "Happy Halloween" and "thank you" to everyone. She was Minnie Mouse this year since she LOVES Minnie Mouse. Lauren is too small for a costume, even the ones made for infants, so she just had to settle for a onesie and pants.

Doug, Kris, and Maddie going trick or treating.

Lauren asleep, as usual, in her Halloween gear.

Maddie with her hand in her treat bag.

Welcome Home!

2009-10-21T22:26:00.002-04:00

Home from the hospital. Doug and Maddie were glad to see Kris and Lauren come home. The Hospital kicked Maddie out one day because of the new visitor policy. No visitors under 18 because of the swine flu. Some nurses actually showed a human heart and let Maddie in the first day. Maddie missed her Mommy and she loves her baby sister. Welcome Home!

The Smith Family coming home!

Big sister Maddie and little sister Lauren.

Kisses!

Grandma Smith with Lauren!

Lauren Abigail Smith!!!!

2009-10-18T02:27:00.003-04:00

Saturday turned out to be a very interesting day. When we woke up that morning, we did not think that we would have another child by the time we went to bed that night. But WE DID! Kris was scheduled for a C-section on Oct 28, but Lauren wanted to come out early. Kris had been having contractions all day. She thought she might be going into labor. Her water broke around 3:00. We called the doctor and he said to go to the hospital and they would take a look. Lauren Abigail Smith was born on October 17 and weighed 6 lbs 13 oz and was 18 inches long. Both mom and baby are doing great.

Lauren and Kris bonding for the first time.

Daddy Doug and Lauren who he dubs (baby girl: the sequel)

Lauren

Snuggling!

Mommy Kris admiring her new daughter Lauren.

2009-10-16T03:24:00.004-04:00

In Memory of

Marguerite Slavin

1915-2009

Kris's Grandmother, Marguerite (Marge) Slavin, died Tuesday afternoon at the age of 94. Please pray for us and the Slavin family during this sad time.

Maddie's 2nd Birthday

2009-08-08T22:55:00.023-04:00

Maddie's 2nd birthday party was on August 8th. On August 9th, Maddie turned 2 years old! We cannot believe how fast the time has gone. Maddie's 2nd birthday party theme was Dora the Explorer. We designed and made Maddie's birthday cake. The cake featured Map and a journey for Dora and Boots (like on the show). This journey was through the butterfly garden, across the duck pond by boat, and finally Maddie's birthday party (see the cake picture). We had a Dora pinata which is always popular with the kids. The kids also got treat bags full of goodies which they really liked. Maddie got a lot of really neat toys. Her favorites so far are her table & chair set, potty doll, doll stroller, and Minnie Mouse doll. She is really into baby dolls and Minnie mouse right now. She started liking Minnie AFTER we started planning her Dora party or we would have done a Minnie Mouse theme. She still likes Dora though, and the party turned out well.

This year, we celebrated with Great-Grandma Betty, Grandma & Grandpa Smith, the Smiths (Joey, Lori, Allison, & Alex), and the Scholls (John, Meg, Caitlyn, and Aiden). We had a great time with everyone and thank them all for coming to Maddie's party. We also thank everyone for all of her gifts. She loves everything she received. There is not one thing she hasn't played with.

Maddie's birthday cake that we made this year.

This is how most of our pictures of Maddie turn out. You have no idea how many we have to take to get one of her NOT moving!

I took this one fast. She may not be looking, but at least she is still. Notice the Dora Jewelry. Maddie definitely loves the bling.

Maddie eating lunch and looking cool.

The Dora pinata.

Grandpa Smith and Great-Grandma Betty helping the kids collect candy.

Meg helping collect candy.

Kris and Maddie opening up a present.

Maddie sitting at her new table from Grandma and Grandpa Smith.

All of the kids helping Maddie open her presents.

Maddie and Aiden playing with the Elmo laptop from Great-Grandma Betty.

Maddie hugging her Minnie doll and plush Minnie. She is really into Minnie Mouse these days.

Yum! Yum! Birthday cake and ice cream!

Maddie pushing her new potty doll around in her stroller.

Maddie giving her baby doll a kiss.

Caitlyn and Maddie playing together.

Maddie and Caitlyn getting into the book drawer. These two always have a great time together!

Happy Birthday Maddie! We love you!

Maddie playing in her new Dora sprinkler on her birthday.

Maddie and Caitlyn playing in the sprinkler.

Maddie having a cookie party on her new table with Minnie and her new baby dolls.

Getting ready to go out on her birthday.

Maddie having a blast with her new toys.

Maddie in her new Minnie Mouse nightgown.

Caitlyn's 4th Birthday Party!

2009-08-03T22:40:00.011-04:00

The weekend of August 1st, we traveled to Farmington Hills, Michigan for our niece Caitlyn's 4th birthday party. The party was a Spongebob Squarepants theme. Caitlyn got a new jungle gym for her birthday. With the jungle gym, bouncer, kiddie pool, and Spongebob sprinkler, there was a mini kid playland in the backyard! Maddie had a GREAT time. She loved to jump in the pool and run through the sprinkler. She also loved the bouncer. She got on a swing for the first time. She was hesitant at first, but she really enjoyed it once she got going. We had a great time. Happy Birthday Caitlyn!

Opening presents.

Caitlyn trying out her new hula hoop.

Maddie looking cool in a MSU hat.

We are not really sure what she is pointing at, but she looks cute.

Maddie playing in the pool.

Daddy & Maddie.

The kids playing in the bouncer.

Maddie running through the sprinkler.

2nd Ultrasound

2009-07-31T01:22:00.003-04:00

On July 30th, Kris had a second ultrasound to determine the sex of the baby. This time, the baby was not breech, and we were able to see clearly. After the first ultrasound, Doug thought it was a girl and Kris still thought it was a boy. Well, Doug was right..........IT'S A GIRL!!!! Now that we know the baby's gender, we can finally get to work re-decorating the nursery, working on her scrapbook/baby book, and getting ready for her arrival. Although the date of the c-section will not be officially set until Kris's next doctor appointment (September 1st), it sounds like the baby's arrival will be on or around October 28th. We will post the exact date once we know it for sure.

Fun Photos!

2009-07-11T23:09:00.011-04:00

Here are a few cute, miscellaneous pictures of Maddie. We got her some sidewalk chalk a few weeks ago. She started drawing with it, but then she decided it was more fun to take every piece of chalk out of the box. Daddy tried to keep them picked up, but it was pointless.

Maddie laying on the porch drawing.

Picking a color.

Not bad for her first effort! (Just kidding!)

One of her favorites (and Daddy's too)!

We put her in her crib while we got her bath ready and came back to this. Not really sure what she was doing, but it was cute.

In her ladybug dress on Father's Day.

Cute in pigtails.

Doug and Presley were sitting on the couch in the basement and Bailey wanted a place to sit too. He decided to climb onto Maddie's couch. He doesn't look very comfy!

Maddie getting into the Cheerios box.

Fourth of July Weekend!

2009-07-05T01:08:00.019-04:00

Our Fourth of July weekend was lots of fun and very busy this year. On Friday, we went to Kris's parents lake house on Lake Syracuse in Syracuse, IN. We spent the day there and had a great time. Maddie loved the water! She did not want to get out. Maddie liked to stand on the sea wall and throw rocks into the lake. We went for a boat ride around the lake, and Maddie pointed to every buoy she saw and said "ball". She really liked going fast in the boat. She was yelling "yea!" and "weee!".

We drove back home Friday evening and met the Scholl's at our house. They came down from Michigan to spend the weekend with us. We went to the zoo on Saturday and got to see the new African Journey at the Fort Wayne Zoo. It was really neat. Maddie, Caitlyn, and Aiden had a lot of fun. We had a picnic lunch at the zoo and went back in for more fun. Later that night, we went out to eat and then watched some fireworks.

Caitlyn and Maddie really enjoyed playing together (as usual). They get along very well. Maddie woke up Saturday and Sunday asking for Caitlyn. She also enjoyed playing with Aiden. The girls ran around playing, and Aiden followed right behind them.

We had a great 4th weekend this year. We hope everyone had a great fourth also!

Maddie getting ready to go for a ride in the boat. She is wearing

her Cubs hat, Dora life vest, and sunglasses.

Daddy and Maddie on the boat.

Maddie having a need for speed!

Playing in the water.

Maddie and Caitlyn in their matching 4th of July dresses.

Maddie and Doug in a tent at the African Journey.

Kris, Maddie, Meg, Caitlyn, and Aiden getting ready for a train ride at the zoo.

Kris and Maddie on the train.

Caitlyn and Maddie having fun banging on some drums in the African Journey.

Maddie after lunch following the busy weekend!

Maddie and the Ladybug Tent!

2009-07-04T18:23:00.003-04:00

Maddie got a big surprise last week! She got a package from Grandma and Grandpa Smith. It was a ladybug tent. Maddie LOVES ladybugs. As soon as we opened the box she started saying "ladybug, ladybug, ladybug". She loves to crawl in and out of the tent. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!

Maddie and the tent.

Maddie just sitting in the tent looking cute.

Maddie crawling through the tunnel.

Ultrasound!

2009-07-01T01:56:00.003-04:00

On June 30th, we got to see baby # 2 for the first time. We were very happy to hear that the baby is healthy and normal. Unfortunately, the baby was breech, and we could not see whether it is a boy or a girl. Kris's doctor said that we can attempt to determine the baby's gender again during the next visit (as long as they are not too busy). So, stay tuned! Anyway, here are a couple of pictures of baby # 2. During the ultrasound, he or she kept trying to get his or her hand/fingers in its mouth. After a few attempts (he or she kept hitting himself/herself in the head), he or she finally succeeded. It was cute to watch!

Here is the baby hitting himself or herself in the head.

The left picture shows the baby sucking his or her thumb.

Maddie in Pigtails

2009-06-11T17:26:00.006-04:00

Maddie's hair is finally getting long enough to put up (well, kind of). So, Kris put her hair in pigtails the other day. It was difficult to do, since Maddie does not like to sit still. Anyway, we thought she looked so cute that we had to take some pictures and post them on the blog. Enjoy!

Baby # 2!

2009-06-02T20:35:00.005-04:00

We are a little late in posting this news, but we are expecting another baby! Kris is currently about 18 weeks pregnant. She is feeling pretty good now, but the beginning of the pregnancy was rough due to a lot of nausea. We will find out the baby's gender on June 30th. He or she will be born via c-section around Halloween (probably early in the week of Halloween). We are very excited!!! Maddie was a very good baby, and we hope the second baby is just as good. She may have spoiled us though. Maddie will be 2 years and 2 months old when her baby brother or sister arrives. She loves babies, so we are sure she will be thrilled to have a baby brother or sister (we hope at least!). We added a "boy or girl?" poll to the blog, so feel free to cast your vote if you would like!

Memorial Day Weekend / Fort Wayne Childrens Zoo.

2009-05-24T23:50:00.006-04:00

We have been dog sitting for the past 2 weeks for the Scholls' dog, Sparty, while they were in Florida. Sparty is a great dog. Bailey and Presley get along great with him. The Scholls came down to our house over Memorial Day weekend to pick up Sparty and spend the weekend with us. On Sunday, we went to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo. Last year, we were disappointed in the amount of animals the zoo had. We recently read that the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo was rated the 9th best children's zoo in the U.S., so we thought we'd give it another try with a more open mind. We were much happier this time around.

The zoo is GREAT for kids. Now that Maddie is older, we were able to do a lot more and she was able to enjoy it more. We had a lot of fun. We went on a log river ride around the "Australian Outback" which was neat. Maddie and Caitlyn really enjoyed the petting zoo. We also went on an endangered species carousel. Maddie was scared to sit on one of the animals, so she sat in a peacock chair with Caitlyn and Doug.

Mommy & Maddie by some monkeys.

Aiden watching the penguins.

Mommy and Maddie on the log river ride!

Maddie being a joey in the kangaroo pouch!

John crawling through the children's tree house.

Doug, Maddie, Caitlyn, and Meg (riding in front)

on the endangered species carousel.

Caitlyn enjoying the tiger.

Aiden relaxing while his sister Caitlyn took a pony ride.

Doug, Caitlyn, Maddie, & Aiden petting baby goats in the petting zoo.

This one tried to eat Maddie's shirt!

Doug and Maddie posing at the petting zoo.

Maddie's Couch.

2009-05-24T23:42:00.005-04:00

Last week, Maddie got a couch of her very own from Grandma and Grandpa Smith. It looks almost exactly like a miniature version of our couch in the family room. It is so cute. Maddie doesn't sit very long, but she will sit on it for a second or two before running around the room. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Smith!

Maddie loves to play with the controller to the PS2, even though she cannot play any games yet. We got a picture of her on her couch with the controller in hand watching Dora the Explorer. She actually sat down long enough to get a picture when Dora was on.

Maddie on the couch looking like she is really into a video game.

Maddie's First Haircut!

2009-05-20T16:01:00.004-04:00

On Wednesday, Maddie had her first haircut. Daddy had to hold Maddie in his lap though. Kris's stylist has a booster seat, but it does not have a strap to keep the child in place. If you know Maddie, you know that if she is not strapped down then she will not sit still. So, Doug held her and she stayed put. She did really well and was very well behaved.

Doug and Maddie in the stylist's chair.

Maddie showing off her new hairdo.

Maddie's New Car!

2009-05-18T00:53:00.002-04:00

Grandma and Grandpa Smith got Maddie a new car for Easter. She was too big for her other car and needed a new one. This one has a removable bottom, so she can keep using it as she grows. She loves to ride around the neighborhood in it. When we first got it, we had it sitting in the living room for a week. She would open the door, climb in and out over and over again. She loves it. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Goin' for a ride!

Daddy pushing Maddie before our walk.

Maddie looking cute in her car.

Easter!

2009-04-14T12:53:00.011-04:00

Our Easter celebration started Saturday night when we colored Easter eggs. Maddie had a lot of fun this year! She drew on a few eggs with the invisible crayon (she made some good squiggly lines!). She also helped Mommy decorate the eggs with stickers. On Easter Sunday, Maddie got very excited when she saw what the Easter Bunny brought her. Her basket was filled with Dora the Explorer stuff (which is her favorite show) and lots of other goodies. Apparently, the Dora the Explorer toys were her favorite since almost all she could say was, "Dora! Dora! Dora!" Later, we went to Joey & Lori's house for an Easter lunch with the entire family and had lots of fun (and good food too!).

Daddy & Maddie coloring Easter Eggs!

Mommy & Maddie coloring Easter Eggs!

The Easter bunny came to our house!

She loves her bubble mower!

The Clipo Hippo was a big hit!

Maddie's new rubber ducky squeaks like a dog toy (notice the dogs surrounding her).

Hunting for Easter eggs! She did a good job finding the eggs (and the dogs helped out too).

Aiden Scholl's 1st Birthday!

2009-04-10T15:52:00.007-04:00

The weekend of March 20th, we traveled to Michigan for Aiden Scholl's 1st birthday. Maddie and her cousins Caitlyn and Aiden had a wonderful time playing together. Caitlyn wants to trade her little brother Aiden for Maddie. We went to Red Robin Friday night where the staff sang to Aiden. We can't believe he is already one! The time goes by so fast.

Aiden being serenaded at Red Robin.

Maddie and Caitlyn playing.

Caitlyn & Maddie look more interested

in the Lighting McQueen car than Aiden!

Aiden going for a ride on his car.

Maddie loved this fireman's hat of Caitlyn's.

Aiden cleaning up after the party.

A Walk!

2009-03-07T20:14:00.009-05:00

Ahh! The nice weather had us out of the house and on our first walk of the year around the neighborhood. Maddie's pink car that she used last year is getting too small for her. We are looking for another one that she will not grow out of quite as quickly.

Kris and Maddie (notice the cramped legs on Maddie).

Maddie has had her picture taken so many times that she has gotten quite used to it. It is difficult to get good action shots of her playing. Whenever she sees the camera, she comes running up to us and says, "Cheese!". She then gives us this big smile (except when we want her to pose for us, of course!).

Maddie's favorite toys are balls. Whenever she sees one, she points at it and says, "It's a ball!". We got her a giant ball today at Toys R Us, and she carries it around everywhere.

Birthdays

2009-03-04T23:39:00.008-05:00

This past weekend, we celebrated the birthdays for the first quarter of the year. This included Kris (Jan 4), Lori (Feb 8), Pauline (Feb 14), and Doug (March 4). We had a good time, and we were glad to see Gary (Dad/Grandpa) was doing better from his back surgery (and was able to come). Maddie was excited to see her cousins Allison and Alex. They had a lot of fun playing together. Pauline (Mom/Grandma) was upset because Maddie would not sit still long enough to have her picture taken with her (well, get a good picture). Maddie just wants to run constantly (just like Doug used to as we are told).

Grandma trying to get her picture taken with the nonstop Maddie.

As you can see, she is trying to get away to run.

Maddie and Allison having fun.

Maddie playing with tissue paper.

Maddie's 18 Month Check-up / Valentine's Day

2009-02-17T03:04:00.013-05:00

On February 12th, Maddie had her 18 month check-up. The doctor said she is perfectly healthy, and he even said she is well-behaved. She is getting so big! She weighs 24 lbs. 12 oz. and is 33 1/2 inches tall. She is just over the 50th percentile as far as weight for age goes. She is pretty tall - at the 95th percentile as far as length for age goes! Since the doctor does not graph weight for length, I did it myself. Her weight for length is approximately at the 30th percentile. She is a good eater, so I think this is due to the fact that she runs & moves ALL DAY LONG and burns LOTS of calories. Maddie had to get one shot during this visit. She said, "Oh!' when she got the shot and then let out a short cry (much better than usual!). Maddie's next visit is in August (her 2 yr. visit).

Maddie has started talking a lot lately. She learns a new word or two just about everyday. Some of Maddie's favorite words include: "Mama", "Dada", "puppy", "ladybug", "bee", "cookie", "cake", "flower", "Dora" (from Dora the Explorer), "backpack" (Dora the Explorer), "map" (again, from Dora), and "baby". She says lots of other words too! She loves to make animal sounds (she moos like a cow, quacks like a duck, neighs like a horse, etc.). She is a very happy little girl (many people have commented on how she is happy ALL OF THE TIME), and loves to laugh. She is a lot of fun and keeps us very busy. It is hard to believe that Maddie is already 18 months old!

Valentine's Day pictures (Maddie playing in the playroom in her cute heart outfit):

Maddie wearing her ladybug backpack (She loves to say ladybug, so we got her this backpack as part of her Valentine's Day present. She does not like to wear the backpack, however. She just likes to carry it around and put things in it.):

Maddie sleeping in her highchair (she was really tired!).

January and February Birthday Parties

2009-02-17T02:52:00.005-05:00

In January, Maddie's cousin Allison turned 7. In February, her cousin Alex turned 4. We went to each of their birthday parties and had lots of fun. Maddie loves her cousins and loves to play with them. She also likes to look at the new toys and play with the paper and boxes.

Maddie making a phone call while wearing her ladybug bodysuit. She loves ladybugs!

What is more fun than a cardboard box full of paper?

Maybe a ribbon?

Maddie on-the-go (as usual)!

They are all interested in a different toy.

2009-01-25T22:30:00.005-05:00

IN MEMORY OF

EVELYN F. WEARLY

1917 - 2009

Kris's grandmother, Evelyn Wearly (Gaga) died Friday morning. She was 91 years old. Please pray for us and the Wearly family during this sad time.

Snow Fun!

2009-01-13T13:52:00.012-05:00

Maddie played in the snow for the first time on Monday. We bought her a sled over Christmas break, and we have been waiting for some snow so we could use it. We finally got some snow (and we have gotten a lot more since these pictures were taken)! Doug pulled Maddie around the back yard while the dogs ran circles around them. Maddie was having so much fun! She was laughing and yelling. After riding around in the sled, she played in the snow for awhile. She was able to walk in the snow fairly well. She liked to put her hands in the snow and wave them back and forth. We had a lot of fun, and we cannot wait to go back out and play some more!

Doug pulling Maddie in her sled.

Maddie had so much fun riding in her sled!

Kris and Maddie.

Walking in a winter wonderland.

Playing in the snow!

Maddie trying to get up in her snow gear!

Kris, Maddie, and Presley.

Bailey chewing on their outdoor water bowl while Presley tries to take it away.

Kris, Maddie, Bailey, and Presley.

Maddie waving.

After playing in the snow, Maddie is ready to read an Easter book.

Christmas With The Scholls

2009-01-05T01:51:00.023-05:00

This weekend, the Scholls (Meg [Kris's sister], John, Caitlyn, Aiden, and Sparty [their dog]) came down from Michigan to celebrate Christmas and Kris's 32nd birthday. We all had a great time. The kids really enjoyed playing together. They had a blast down in Maddie's playroom in the basement. They played well together, for the most part (Aside from Maddie hitting Aiden with boxes & plastic! Maddie thought it was funny. Luckily, Aiden did not cry once - he is tough. He just had a confused look on his face like "What was that for?").

On Saturday night, we went out for Kris's birthday dinner (thanks again for dinner guys!). We went to a place called Flanagan's here in Fort Wayne. It is a fun place and the food is good. The kids were a hit with the waitresses - a couple of waitresses stopped to talk to and play with the three of them. We came home and had some of the Christmas tree cake that Doug and Kris made. It was very good! On Sunday morning, we headed to Muncie to visit Kris & Meg's grandparents (Wearly and Slavin) at Westminster Nursing Home. We brought the grandparents their Christmas gifts and had a nice visit with each of them.

Although it was an exhausting weekend (both Aiden & Maddie are teething, so no one got much sleep!), we had a great time with the Scholls while they were here. We just wish they could have stayed longer! We look forward to our next outing.

Maddie and Caitlyn patiently waiting to open presents.

Maddie trying to get tape off of her finger.

Kris & Caitlyn helping Maddie open a projector.

Maddie is more interested in the bow, however.

Aiden playing with some wrapping paper.

Maddie thought it was fun to climb on top of Aiden's presents.

Later, Aiden climbed up on his present too.

All the kids playing and having fun!

Maddie sitting on Meg's presents. Good thing they are not breakable!

Meg and John sitting with the kids & Sparty while Maddie is kicking John in the eye with her heel. We all got a good laugh out of this (except John of course)!

Maddie running around being chased by Caitlyn.

Aiden playing with his new train.

Caitlyn playing with Maddie's new shake-and-go car.

Maddie and Caitlyn playing.

Everyone having fun with the new toys!

Maddie showing Aiden the tissue paper.

Maddie and Aiden take a break from the action to go for a chew on the fingers.

Taste my fingers!

John playing with Maddie's Little People Park. Not quite an XBOX 360, but still lots of fun!

Our Christmas Tree cake!

Christmas!

2008-12-28T15:27:00.032-05:00

This year, Christmas was even more fun and special than usual. Maddie (as well as mommy and daddy) had a blast! On Christmas Eve, we loaded up the car and headed to Muncie to spend Christmas with the Smiths. Allison and Alex were really excited, and they got Maddie excited too. Maddie is very energetic, and all she wants to do is run around. The family room at Grandma and Grandpa Smiths was packed with presents, and Maddie was constantly trying to get away to run. However, there was nowhere to run. At one point, she tried crawling OVER the presents to get away! Anyway, Maddie had a good time and got lots of great presents. Her favorite gifts of the night were probably the Bearville play set and the Corolle doll (with red hair just like mommy!). She really loved everything she got though. Maddie was very polite and told Grandma and Great Grandma "Thank You" (lately, that is her favorite thing to say). We went home that night and got Maddie ready for bed. She was exhausted!

Once Maddie was fully awake on Christmas morning, we took her downstairs and into the living room. She went straight for the kitchen that Santa brought her. She LOVES her kitchen. She plays with it all of the time! Another big hit was an instrument set from mommy and daddy. She loves to carry the drumsticks around and beat on things. She also got an Elmo Live and TMX Cookie Monster - she turns them both on at the same time (which is very loud). Maddie got several new baby dolls too (two from mommy and daddy). She carries her dolls around by the neck and says "baby". Finally, Maddie got a neat carnival Little People set, some felt play food, play dishes, a doll bed, some books, some bath toys, and lots of other fun things. Santa was VERY good to her (mommy and daddy were good to her too)!

The dogs had a good Christmas as well. They got some squeaky toys, stuffed animal toys, bones, and treats. They especially love Maddie's new giraffe teether (probably because it is the "forbidden toy"). Since Maddie always wants to play with the dogs' squeaky toys, we knew she would love this teether. It feels and squeaks just like a dog toy. Maddie loves to run around and squeak the giraffe while the dogs chase her.

On Christmas day, Grandma Smith, Grandpa Smith, and Great Grandma Bell came over for a visit. They played with Maddie and her new toys. Everyone had a great time! Grandpa Smith called Maddie "pinball" because she runs into things, falls down, gets back up, and takes off again. Doug thinks this is a fitting nickname for Maddie, so he has now adopted it. Great Grandma Bell helped Kris with the Christmas dinner turkey.

Maddie took a nap before dinner. Once again, she was exhausted (too much playing)! Doug took a nap too. Kris prepared the Christmas dinner. The menu consisted of turkey, mashed sweet potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, and rolls. Needless to say, we were stuffed after such a big dinner!

We had A LOT of fun this Christmas, and we are already looking forward to next Christmas! We are hoping that Maddie will understand Santa Claus next year.

Christmas Eve - heading to Grandma and Grandpa's house for Christmas!

Laughing at her new doll.

Maddie delivering presents.

Maddie LOVES her Bearville play set!

Playing with ribbon.

Christmas day - playing with her new toys.

Dancing with Elmo Live.

Helping mommy unwrap a present.

She loves to throw the mega blocks out of her wagon.

Maddie going for a ride and a tumble in the wagon meant for blocks (not babies).

Maddie putting her Dressy Daisy doll to bed.

Later in the evening, Doug tries to clean up the living room. Maddie and Presley are not helping much though.

Maddie using her blender.

She loves her new kitchen.

The center of attention!

Maddie watching Presley with his new penguin.

Bailey chewing on HIS bone. Bailey growled at Presley when he came near.

Presley amongst HIS toys (he thinks everything is his).

Maddie practicing to be a supermodel.

Christmas Column

2008-12-19T03:01:00.006-05:00

This is an article written by Jim Bishop. It first appeared in newspapers on Christmas Day many years ago. I love the article and thought I would share it with everyone. After all, this is what Christmas is all about.

"He was born in an obscure village, the Child of a peasant teen who knew not man. He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never married or owned a home. He never held a job, yet paid taxes. He never set foot inside a metropolis. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never wrote a book, or held an office. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness. He received no awards, no medals, no prizes from His peers. While He was still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against Him. His friends deserted Him. He was turned over to His enemies, and went through the mockery of a trial. He had no lawyers, no friendly juries, no fair hearing. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had - His cloak. After He died, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave. Those who stood watch could not explain His disappearance. And yet two thousand years have come and gone, and today He is still the central figure for much of the human race. All the armies that ever marched and all the navies that ever sailed and all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as this "One Solitary Life." - Jim Bishop

Christmas Fun!

2008-11-29T01:08:00.016-05:00

Last weekend, we all got into our Christmas pajamas, got some eggnog, turned on the Christmas tunes, and decorated the Christmas tree. This year, Maddie was able to help (a little). We ended up making a big circular playpen with our gates and letting her play while we decorated. Maddie loves to look at the tree (she seems fascinated by it). She likes the musical and shiny ornaments the best. She loves to carry around Doug's Elvis jukebox ornament. She knows how to turn the jukebox on and likes to listen to the music. We are using her singing Elmo stocking again this year, and she LOVES to turn it on also. We are looking forward to Christmas even more than usual this year because Maddie is old enough to enjoy it now.

Kris and Maddie hanging ornaments.

Maddie pointing out an ornament to her daddy.

On Sunday evening, we headed to the Festival of Trees and Lights at the Fort Wayne Embassy Theatre. Maddie liked some of the trees, but was more interested in running down the hallway. She did not miss much. The tree decorating was . . . interesting. There were a few trees that were decorated nicely, but most were not very attractive (very tacky looking). We both agreed that the trees we have seen in the past at the Muncie Festival of Trees were MUCH better. The visit was not a total waste of time and money, however, since the Embassy itself is beautiful.

The Fort Wayne Fesival of Trees and Lights

at the Fort Wayne Embassy Theatre.

Doug and Maddie by the Fort Wayne Tin Caps
(formerly the Wizards) baseball team tree.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T15:05:00.002-05:00

Maddie's 1 year pictures

2008-10-27T03:53:00.010-04:00

Here are some of Maddie's one year pictures - we think they turned out well!

Halloween Party!

2008-10-27T02:37:00.010-04:00

On Sunday afternoon, we went to Joey and Lori's house for a Halloween party for the kids. Maddie dressed up like Princess Leia, Alex was a mechanic from the movie Cars, and Allison was a Barbie fairy. There were crafts for the kids to make, games for the kids to play, and Halloween presents too. The adults joined in on the pin-the-smile-on-the-pumpkin game, which Alex won. His smile was almost perfect. We all had a really good time.

Maddie in her Princess Leia costume

Dad and Maddie

Kris, Doug, and Maddie

Allison playing a game of tossing a ball in the pumpkin pail.

Alex excited after hitting a pail.

Maddie and Allison playing.

Maddie looking through plastic while Doug plays Wii.

Maddie playing with a wagon.

Allison's hand at photography.

Great-grandma, Grandma, & Grandpa with the grandkids.

Horsing Around!

2008-10-20T04:07:00.004-04:00

Here are some pictures of Maddie playing in a small Rubbermaid storage container. We got it to put her smaller toys in, but she thinks it is a toy in itself. She dumps all of the toys out and plays in it.

Here are some pictures of Maddie in her new glow-in-the-dark Halloween pjs.

Fall Fun!

2008-10-20T03:09:00.009-04:00

On Sunday, the Smith family went to Hilger's Fall Fantasy Land. There was not as much to do as we thought, but we still had a good time. Doug got an elephant ear, Kris got some hot apple cider, and Maddie got two pumpkins. So, the trip was worthwhile!

Maddie stirring her brew.

Kris and Maddie on the dock.
Maddie the friendly ghost.

Maddie & Doug going for a tractor ride.

Kris & Maddie looking at the tiny pony.

Some of the petting zoo animals.

More petting zoo animals.

This was a pipe organ that continually played music.

Doug & Maddie by the pond.
Kris and Maddie in front of the hay pyramid.
Maddie playing in the hay.

How tall is she?

Maddie picking out a pumpkin.

Halloween Fun

2008-10-15T03:26:00.006-04:00

Hi everyone! Sorry that it has been so long since our last update. We will try to do better! Anyway, here are some pictures of Maddie with her new Halloween toys. For her Halloween present, Doug and I took her to Build-A-Bear. She picked out Pumpkin Kitty (which Doug named "Candy Corn"). From the Scholls, she received the Little People Halloween play set (Thanks again guys - she loves it!).

Pumpkin Kitty (aka "Candy Corn")

Maddie giving "Candy" a kiss.

Maddie carrying "Candy" and a Little People figure around.
Maddie playing with her Little People Halloween set.

Maddie trying to chew on her Little People Halloween set. Can you tell she is teething?

Maddie getting tired, but still playing with her Little People set!

Maddie doing a balancing act.

Maddie being silly.

Stay tuned for more Halloween pictures - We are taking Maddie to Hilger's Fall Fantasy Land this weekend (they have hay rides, a petting zoo, a pumpkin patch, etc.)!

A Look Back At Maddie's First Year

2008-09-23T02:42:00.048-04:00

Since we did not set up our blog until months after Maddie was born, we thought we would post a year in review. This will give some of you the chance to see Maddie’s newborn pictures for the first time. For others, it will be fun to look back and remember.

Madeline Elizabeth Smith: Born on August 9, 2007 via c-section (after 13 hours of labor!)

Newborn

First Month (August 2007)

Home from the hospital

Maddie's first "Bath"

Maddie Flippin' the bird.

Maddie playing air guitar.

What is THAT thing?

2nd Month (September 2007)

Maddie's 1st trip to the lakes (she found it very relaxing).

Maddie holding her head up at 1 month old!
Maddie in her bathrobe.

3rd Month (October 2007)

Maddie in her Halloween costume. She was a girl puppy dog.

Maddie and her great-grandma (Gaga)

4th Month (November 2007)

Maddie and cousin Caitlyn in their shades.

5th Month (December 2007)

The best present we got!

6th Month (January 2008)
Maddie already taking daddy's credit card!

7th Month (February 2008)

Help!

8th Month (March 2008)

9th Month (April 2008)

Yuck!

Maddie riding "Peeing Puppy"Maddie enjoying her mobile

10th Month (May 2008)

More food!

Do I have to get up now?

11th Month (June 2008)

Maddie chewing on the string of mommy's pj pants.
Maddie in her big girl car seat.

12th Month (July 2008)

Correction

2008-09-19T13:30:00.004-04:00

Hi again! I just wanted to make a correction to the last blog posting. After reading more on the BPA issue, I found that the 7 recycling code does not mean that the item DEFINITELY has BPA in it. The 7 just means that the item is made from more than one kind of plastic, and it may or may not have BPA in it. Since consumers have no way of knowing which kinds of plastic were used in the item, experts have been advising that they just try to avoid products labeled with a 7. Out of all the recycling codes (1-7), seven seems to be the riskiest and the one to avoid. I was happy to read that the seven doesn't always mean it has BPA in it, since the juice Maddie has been drinking has a 7 on the bottom. She does not drink much juice anyway, I guess. I don't think she has been exposed to much BPA other than possibly the juice. She hardly had any bottles as a baby (and some were glass bottles), has always eaten baby food from glass jars, and drinks/eats from safe sippy cups & dinnerware. I try to stay informed on all these harmful chemicals that can affect infants (BPA, pthalates, etc.), but more and more keep popping up!

Some Helpful Information

2008-09-18T16:32:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! I just wanted to pass along some information. I recently learned that another study on BPA (Bisphenol A) just came out, and it might alter brain development. Since they don't really know what BPA does to the body, it is probably best to try to avoid it (especially when it comes to babies and children). I learned that anything with a number 7 on it has BPA in it (they know this for a fact). So, I looked in the refrigerator and in the cabinets. I am glad I did! Fruit cups and some jello cups have a 7 on the bottom. Maddie's juice (Nature's Goodness Apple Juice) is labeled with a 7. Squeezable jelly and caramel topping have a 7 on them. Gerber Puffs, Pasta Pick Ups, and juices are labeled with a 7, but according to www.safemama.com, Gerber puts a safe lining in their containers. So, I think Gerber foods are okay. Canned goods contain BPA. Check baby bottles, sippy cups, and plastic containers for the 7 recycling code. They suggest you use fresh or frozen food instead of canned. Also, they suggest using containers other than plastic when heating in the microwave (like glass, ceramic, etc.). Finally, they suggested using powdered infant formula instead of ready-to-feed (unless they are the small glass ready-to-feed bottles). Hope this helps!

Maddie's 13 Month Trip to the Doctor

2008-09-12T03:31:00.005-04:00

On Tuesday, Maddie had her 13 month appointment. The doctor said she is completely healthy and doing great developmentally too. She had to get four shots (one in each arm and one in each leg - YUCK!). She screamed bloody murder (which was HORRIBLE). They asked us if we wanted her to have a flu shot, and we said yes. Her doctor's office ran out of flu shots last season, so she never got one. Maddie has to go back in one month for a flu shot booster. At this visit, she weighed 22 lbs. 1 oz. and was 30 inches long. She is at the 65th percentile for both weight for age and length for age. She is at about the 62nd percentile for weight for height (which is what really matters). I had to graph this myself because doctors never do (This annoys us RDs - Don't get me started!). Her next check-up is not until February. I am sure she is happy about that!

Bailey is 10!

2008-09-10T01:12:00.009-04:00

Monday was Bailey's 10th Birthday. We cannot believe he is 10 years old already. It seems like just yesterday he was peeing on the floor and chewing on the furniture. Ahh, the memories! We celebrated on Sunday evening with some canned dog food and Frosty Paws (dog ice cream). Bailey got some new latex squeakies and some gourmet dog treats. Bailey is very particular with what he plays with. He does not like rubber toys, plastic toys, or stuffed animals. His toys have to be latex squeakies or tennis balls. Presley, on the other hand, will tear a tiny limb off of a stuffed animal and think he got himself a new toy in that limb. Neither one of them is very particular when it comes to treats though. They will eat anything. Presley enjoyed Bailey's toys as much as, if not more than, Bailey. He stole a couple of them and ran in to the living room by himself.

Bailey with some of his new toys.

Bailey realizing he is 10.

Presley with one of Bailey's toys.

Bailey barking at Doug. He is telling Doug to hurry up with the frosty paws!

Presley devouring his treat!

Bailey making sure Presley didn't miss anything.

Football Season is Here!

2008-09-08T03:39:00.005-04:00

Thank goodness it's football season again! It has been a long summer, and we are GLAD to watch the Chicago Bears play again. Doug, Maddie, and Bailey got dressed up in their Bears gear to watch the game. Unfortunately, Maddie does not have a Bears outfit yet. The only thing we could find around here is a pink toddler jersey which was too big. We had to dress her in orange and navy blue to get into the theme. We are going to have to order her something from the Bears online store. We will post more picks later in the season. Her doll was way off the mark in her pink pajamas, but what are you gonna do?

Bailey is wearing his Bears jersey that he got a few years ago for Halloween. Presley does not have one because he was a Chicago Cub that year. He would not stay still long enough for a picture anyway.

We were ecstatic that the Bears smoked the Colts 29 to 13. Let's hope the Bears can keep it up for the rest of the season.

GO BEARS!

This was our first attempt at a group shot. Maddie and Bailey were too involved in the game and would not look at the camera.

Updates, Some Pics, and a Video

2008-08-31T03:43:00.006-04:00

Sorry it has been so long since we last updated, but the Smith family has had a lot going on! Here are some updates:

First of all, following our visit to the zoo on August 17th, Maddie came down with a cold. Of course, I got sick also. Then, Doug started feeling ill. We are all healthy now though.

Maddie has TWO new teeth coming in (one upper and one lower). These two teeth bring the grand total to seven teeth!

Maddie had her one year pictures taken on Friday. Since she is walking now, it was MUCH more difficult this time! She did not want to sit still. Despite this fact, I think she took some cute pictures. We can't wait to get them back! It should be a week to a week and a half. When we get them, we will post them for everyone to see.

Saturday evening we had a TERRIBLE scare! One of our dogs, Presley, escaped from our back yard. We think that a meter man came into the back yard and did not shut the gate all of the way. Anyway, Doug went to let the dogs in, and did not see Presley anywhere. Bailey was still in the back yard (what a good dog!). It was almost dark out, so we were extremely worried. Also, some kids in the neighborhood were shooting off fireworks (fireworks scare Presley to death). We went around to the front and there was no sign of Presley. So, Doug jumped into the SUV and went looking for him. He asked several people if they had seen him and they said they had. With their help, Doug was finally able to find him. He had not gotten too far away - he was just one street over. Presley was scared to death and extremely worn out from all of the running around. Poor guy! His back legs (his bad knees) seem to be very sore and he has been limping a little. After a little rest, he should be back to normal. The rest of his evening was much better, since Doug and I spoiled him rotten. He got a Bimples bone and lots of love and attention. We are very lucky that we found him and he did not get hit by a car! For now on, we are going to be much more careful and check the gate each time they go out.

Here are some pictures of Maddie modeling her fall coat (Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Smith!). She looks really cute in it!

Here is a video of Maddie rocking on her butterfly rocker. She never wants to get on her rocker because she is too busy walking. She seemed to have fun this time though. However, after awhile, she started to look a little sick. I hope she doesn't have problems with motion sickness like her daddy!

Trip to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo

2008-08-17T19:50:00.013-04:00

We have been talking about going all summer, and we finally made it to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo. We have not been to the Fort Wayne Zoo since we were kids (Doug was in elementary school and Kris was probably about 3). A large portion of the zoo was closed (the African Safari portion) due to remodeling. The new African Safari exhibit will be 22 acres and cost $10.5 million. So, we did not get to see any giraffes, zebras, etc. (animals you expect to see at the zoo). We were a little disappointed in the rest of the zoo. We saw a lot of cool birds though. Through the rainforest area, there were birds overhead (not in cages - just flying around). We had to keep a lookout to make sure we didn't become a target (It is no fun being pooped on - Is it Meg?). There were a lot of monkeys and small animals too. Kris said "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Isn't that what you are supposed to see at a zoo?" We didn't see a lion, a tiger, or a bear. They do not have lions or bears and "Teddy the Tiger" never made an appearance. We did see cows, chickens, horses, and goats, however (exciting!). Doug took Maddie into the petting area with the goats, but she did not want to touch them. She was not afraid of them, she just would not touch them. She was more interested in the sand she was walking on than the animals. Maddie got a new wooden puzzle and a soft ball at the gift shop. She had fun, but I think we will take her to the Indianapolis Zoo next time.

Goin' for a hike.
Doug and Maddie by Doug's favorite exhibit (The Penguins).
Kris and Maddie posing in front of some monkeys.

This was a pretty pond. There were lots of geese swimming in it.

This is a big bronze tortoise for the kids to play on.

We didn't see what kind of birds these were, but they were really brightly colored and pretty.

Doug and Maddie in the petting zoo with a baby goat.

This is a picture of Kris and her sister Meg feeding the goats at the Fort Wayne Zoo (MANY years ago).

The zoo wore Maddie out. She crashed as soon as we got in the car.

Maddie playing with her new puzzle and ball.

Maddie with alfalfa hair playing with her new ball.

Maddie Playing with Her New Toys

2008-08-13T16:42:00.013-04:00

Maddie has been having a good time playing with all of her new toys. We have not moved them to her playroom yet, so for now, they are just cluttering up the living room (as you will see in the videos!). Doug is planning on building Maddie some shelves and a toy box so that we have a place to put them all. Hopefully, we will have her playroom ready soon! Anyway, here are some pictures and videos of Maddie playing with her new toys.

Some More Party Pics

2008-08-11T01:21:00.008-04:00

Here are some more pictures from Maddie's birthday party. These pictures were taken by the Scholls (our party photographers - thanks guys!).

Maddie's new riding toy (from the Scholls) was a big hit with all of the kids.

Singing "Happy Birthday" to Maddie.

Maddie starting to dig in.

Doug helping Maddie eat her cake.

Caitlyn wanted a new outfit to match Maddie's for the party. She matches pretty well!

Caitlyn giving Maddie a hug.

Collecting the candy and toys from the pinata.

Maddie yelling and being silly.

Maddie's First Birthday Party!

2008-08-10T01:50:00.013-04:00

Saturday was Maddie's first birthday party! We celebrated with Doug's Mom and Grandma (Doug's Dad wasn't feeling well and wasn't able to come), Doug's Brother Joey and his family, Kris's sister Meg and her family (the Scholls), and Kris's friend Angela and her family (the Vivos). There were 9 kids all together. Fortunately, the Scholls brought Caitlyn's bouncer for the kids to play with in in the back yard. They had a ball playing in it all day. They also had a good time playing in Maddie's play room.

Doug and Kris were up late and up early Friday and Saturday baking Maddie's cake. We think it turned out pretty well. We made everything on the cake including the butterflies and flowers which was VERY time consuming, but worth the effort.

The party was a butterfly theme. The kids all got treat bags (the sticky hands were really popular) and we also had a butterfly pinata which was a big hit. Maddie's butterfly dress (which we had made) turned out very well too. Maddie got lots of presents and really enjoyed herself. She is at the point now where she actually tries to play with toys and make them work (she doesn't just chew on them). It is exciting to watch. She got a Disney Princess bat and ball that she would not put down. Most of our pictures of Maddie during the present opening have her holding the bat and ball.

We want to thank everyone who came to the party and thank you for celebrating Maddie's first birthday with us. The party was a lot of fun and we think (and hope) everyone enjoyed themselves. We think everyone (kids, dogs, and adults) will sleep well tonight!

Maddie's Birthday Cake which Doug and Kris made. We made the butterflies and flowers out of fondant icing.

Great-Grandma Betty and cousin Allison helping Maddie down the slide.

Maddie holding her baseball bat and playing with a puzzle from cousins Allison and Alex.

What'd I get Mommy?

Maddie playing with some cars from the Scholls.

Maddie loved the Winnie the Pooh paper.

Sitting on the Butterfly rocker Grandma and Grandpa Smith got for her. They also got the Elmo and Cookie monster.

Maddie was playing with some of the goodies from the treat bags.

The kids loved the pinata. Maddie pulled the first string.

Fun with the pinata

Here is the butterfly pinata.
Receiving her own special cake.

Picking at the icing.

Holding her baseball bat and ball while being helped along by friend Nina.

Maddie's First Build-A-Bear

2008-08-08T21:56:00.005-04:00

Tonight we took Maddie to Build-A-Bear for the first time. She is not old enough to thoroughly enjoy the experience, but she did seem to have a good time. Maddie got a pink and white bear that she named Molly (well, daddy chose the name). Maddie got to kiss the heart that went inside Molly (She mainly just slobbered on the heart though!). Daddy pushed the pedal of the "stuffer" and washed Molly for Maddie. Picking an outfit took some time because the outfits with sequins and jewels (which is most of them) are choking hazards for infants. She settled on a pink unicorn t-shirt with an embroidered denim skirt. Molly also has Hello Kitty panties. Here are some pictures of our experience.

Kris and Maddie when we arrived

Maddie showing so much interest in picking out her animal

Doug and Maddie before stuffing her bear

Kris and Maddie with "Molly", the finished bear

Maddie sharing her stroller with her new friend Molly

Maddie's Almost 1!

2008-08-05T16:03:00.006-04:00

This is a busy week for the Smith family as we get ready for Maddie's 1st birthday on Saturday. Everything has been going smoothly with the exception of Maddie's birthday dress. I had to find yet another lady to make her dress. The last lady bought fabric for the reverse side of the dress (it was going to be reversible so she could wear it after her b-day too) without even checking to see if I liked the print. She had not even started sewing the dress yet, but she gave me an ultimatum: either I buy the dress with the fabric SHE picked out for the reverse side or I look elsewhere for a dress. Needless to say, I will NOT be having her make an outfit for Maddie ever again! Anyway, I found an extremely nice lady here in Fort Wayne to make Maddie's dress. So, I think everything is going to turn out fine (I hope so!). I will keep you posted.

I took some cute pictures of Maddie in her high chair yesterday. As you can tell, she is very limber! Also, I videotaped Maddie walking (she is really walking a lot now). Enjoy!

Caitlyn's Birthday Party Weekend!

2008-08-03T21:35:00.010-04:00

This past weekend, the Smith family traveled to Farmington Hills, MI to visit with the Scholls (Kris's sister Meg and her family). We were celebrating our niece Caitlyn's 3rd birthday. We cannot believe that she is 3 already. When we first arrived, Caitlyn immediately started searching for Maddie. She said, "Maddie is my favorite!" Caitlyn and Maddie played all weekend together. They did a little swimming (splashing) in the pool too. Maddie knew she was in a different house with LOTS of new toys. She would not stop getting into stuff and did not even want to stop playing to eat! Aiden has grown a lot more since we last saw him. He is a little cutie.

Caitlyn had a Dora the Explorer themed birthday with a cool Dora cake (sorry no picture). The cake had some purple icing as you can tell in the photograph below. We had a really good time and look forward to seeing the Scholls again next weekend for Maddie's 1st birthday party.

Caitlyn eating the purple icing on the Dora cake.

Caitlyn showing Maddie how to play the Dora memory game.

Aiden looking cute chewing on his bristle buddy.

Maddie de-linting her cover-up before swimming

Catilyn and her cousin Logan playing in the Bouncer Caitlyn got from her Grandma Scholl. Maddie got in it later and crawled around a little. She loved it. This gift was definitely a big hit!

A Few Cute Pics!

2008-08-02T03:41:00.006-04:00

Here are just a few cute pictures!

Scavangers begging for a popcicle!

Maddie just looking cute!

Looks like she's been caught stealing!

Maddie & Her Mohawk

2008-07-30T01:42:00.005-04:00

During Maddie's bath tonight, daddy styled her hair into a mohawk. It's a good look for her - don't you think?

Some Cute Videos & Pictures

2008-07-28T01:12:00.010-04:00

We are sorry it has been so long since we last updated! We have been busy planning Maddie's first birthday party. We are making her birthday cake - wish us luck! Of course, it is no ordinary cake. We are using fondant to make butterflies (3-D) and flowers for cake decorations. We tried making some of the decorations already, and it is not too difficult. We also made a "trial run cake", which turned out fairly well. I am TRYING to have a birthday dress made for Maddie (I am ordering it online). The first lady I worked with went out of town weeks ago and never returned (as far as I know). The lady I am currently working with is not very good about answering my questions and understanding what I want. I am a little nervous - I'll let you know how it turns out! Despite all of our party planning, we managed to get some cute video and pictures of Maddie. Here they are:

Maddie & Her Doll's Bottle -

Maddie kissing her new Disney Princesses bouncy ball -

Maddie kissing her baby doll -

Maddie chewing on her feet -

Some Cute Pictures of Maddie

2008-07-17T17:38:00.003-04:00

Here are some miscellaneous pictures of Maddie. Enjoy! Notice all FIVE teeth in the last picture!

Maddie Walking!

2008-07-13T03:26:00.004-04:00

Maddie has started walking! She is not going very far yet, but she is trying more and more. She took six steps on Friday. Tonight, while playing in the office, she got VERY hyper. She was all over the place, swinging her arms, crawling, walking, and getting into everything. We were fortunate enough to get some pretty good footage of her walking. Enjoy!

Maddie & Her Pool

2008-07-11T20:27:00.009-04:00

We finally got an infant pool for Maddie, and she went swimming for the first time today. She loved it! She had lots of pool toys to play with, but she just wanted to splash the whole time. I hope she doesn't start doing that in her bath, or I am going to have quite a mess to clean up each night!

Maddie's New Ride!

2008-07-10T02:04:00.008-04:00

Maddie got a new pink car yesterday. We were going to make it a birthday gift, but thought what the heck, let's give it to her now. There are other things we can get for her birthday (Her first birthday is in one month - We can't believe it!!!). Anyway, we went to Toys R Us, and they had the pink car on display. We wanted to make sure she would like it, so I put her in it and pushed her around. She was cracking up! We took her for a walk around the neighborhood today to try it out. Kris pushed Maddie while I walked the dogs. Maddie was laughing the whole time. She was really having a good time. Here are a few pics of her in her car.

Fourth of July in Frankenmuth

2008-07-07T00:56:00.020-04:00

Usually, the Smiths spend the Fourth of July on Lake Syracuse with Kris’s family. This year, however, the Smith family took a mini vacation with The Scholls (Kris’s sister Meg & her family) to Frankenmuth, MI. Frankenmuth is a small town of German heritage and German theme. It is also the home of Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. Although it was strange to be somewhere other than the lakes, we had a great time.

We started our trip on Thursday. We met the Scholl family on Friday at the hotel, The Bavarian Inn. This is a neat hotel that looks like a German Lodge. Leading to the hotel, there is a covered bridge that crosses a river (see the picture – how pretty!). The Bavarian Inn has a Family Fun Center where we spent a lot of time. Caitlyn and Maddie loved swimming in the kid pools. There are four pools with fountains, waterfalls, and water guns. The big kids (Doug & John) had fun in the huge arcade. We also had a lot of fun playing putt putt in the Fun Center. The putt putt course had decorative golf balls that we got to keep (Maddie loves to play with them!). Maddie seemed to like staying in a hotel – her favorite part was playing on the bed!

On Saturday and Sunday, we did a little shopping at the River Place Shops. The shops were designed to look like a small German village. The shopping area is beautiful with waterfalls, streams, and flowers. On Sunday, we went to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland (which is a massive Christmas store). Doug got a really cool Elvis nutcracker. Maddie got two stuffed animals (Grover and Snuffleupagus), which she loves. Of course, we found some cool ornaments too! The Smith family also did some shopping at Birch Run (a gigantic outlet mall).
There were a few things that we did not have time to do (such as take a carriage ride, take a steamboat tour, etc.). We may just have to go back next year!

The Bavarian Inn Lodge

This is a cool old car that was parked outside the inn.

The Smiths

This is right above the hotel lobby at night.

The river that the Bavarian Inn is located near

The covered bridge

Meg & Caitlyn walking across the bridge

These are some pictures of the River Place Shops and some of the landscaping around the shops. It is beautiful!

Caitlyn, Maddie, & Aiden playing on the bed

Maddie thought Aiden was sooooo funny!

Maddie in the hotel playing on the bed

Kris and her 18 oz prime rib (which she split with Meg).

Maddie & Caitlyn in their 4th of July swimsuits

Maddie with her Mommy in the pool for the first time. She LOVES the water.

Maddie & Caitlyn in the pool.

Meg, Aiden, Maddie, & Caitlyn in the pool.

Doug & John watching the kids

Maddie riding the fountain

Doug, Caitlyn, & Maddie playing in the fountains in the pool.

Maddie & Caitlyn posing in their matching 4th of July outfits

Here they are with Aiden and his 4th of July outfit. The girls shirts say "Miss Independent" and Aiden's says "Mr. Independent".

Kris and Caitlyn blowing bubbles in the hallway at the hotel

Maddie riding her first ever ride.

Mommy & Maddie out to dinner

Maddie found a loose string on the bedspread

Putt Putt fun

Maddie at Sunday brunch

Caitlyn under the table at Sunday brunch

Daddy and Maddie at brunch

Bronner's Christmas Wonderland

Doug looking through a giant Christmas kaleidoscope. It is for sale for $5000!

We took Maddie to the Family Fun Center in the hotel. She got to ride in a Kermit the Frog car. She thought it was a lot of fun. Luckily, I got some great video of her riding and waving.

Some More Short Videos

2008-07-02T04:44:00.010-04:00

Maddie playing with a ball:

Maddie standing:

Maddie clapping:

Maddie saying "Mama" (She says Dada too, but I haven't been able to capture it on video yet!):

Maddie "Jumping"

2008-06-30T03:37:00.006-04:00

I tried to get Maddie's new noise on video, but I was not able to (Well, the videos were too long to post). I will keep trying. In the meantime, here is a video of Maddie "jumping" and being silly as usual. Remember, you can pause the music to hear the video better (if you want).

Aiden Tyler Scholl Baptized on June 22nd

2008-06-23T01:46:00.008-04:00

On Sunday, the Smith family traveled to Monroe, Michigan to see the baptism of Kris's sister Meg's son Aiden (our nephew). He is now 3 months old and has really changed since the last time we saw him. We were surprised to see that his hair is red. John said Aiden's hair seems to change color everyday, so it may not stay that way. Caitlyn was as energetic as always. Maddie and Caitlyn love to play together. They carried on an interesting conversation throughout the entire sermon. We had a really nice time visiting with John, Meg, Caitlyn, Aiden and the rest of John's family. We didn't get any pictures of the baptism because we left our camera in the car. If Meg and John send us some pictures, we will post them at a later date. We did, however, get some pictures at the dinner afterwards.

Aiden and John (Daddy)

Maddie and her cousin Caitlyn

Kris and her sister Meg

Kris and Maddie

Doug and Maddie

Family Pictures

2008-06-21T23:54:00.011-04:00

As we already mentioned, we had the Smith family photo taken over Memorial Day. Doug, Maddie, & I had our own family photo taken too. We had some pictures taken of Maddie alone as well. We just got the pictures back today. Here are some of our favorites. Enjoy!

Maddie's New Big Girl Car Seat

2008-06-16T17:31:00.005-04:00

Here are two pictures of Maddie in her new "big girl" car seat. She no longer fits comfortably in her infant car seat, so it was time to get a new one. I think she will be MUCH more comfortable in this one. It even reclines which is a nice feature (especially for long road trips). I think she is really going to like it!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-16T02:24:00.011-04:00

For Father's Day, we went to Mom and Dad Smiths' house in Muncie. Grandma Betty, Joey, Lori, Allison, and Alex were there also. We all had a good time getting licked to death by Zach, Mom and Dad's dog (That dog can't hold it's licker! - ha ha).

Doug and Maddie on Father's Day!

Some Pictures from the Father's Day Get Together & Maddie in Her New Sparkly Cubs Shirt

The dogs helped Kris wrap Doug's Father's Day present. They helped her dispose of the wrapping paper roll.

Presley taking the empty paper roll to the basement

Maddie's 9 Month Pictures

2008-06-11T15:03:00.006-04:00

We got Maddie's 9 month pictures back today. They turned out really cute (as we knew they would)! Here are some of our favorites. We hope you like them!

Babysitting Alex

2008-06-09T04:20:00.007-04:00

Sunday night we got to do a little babysitting, and I'm not talking about Maddie. Our niece Allison (Doug's brother's daughter) had a dance recital, and we watched Alex (our nephew). I still have a lot of toys from my childhood stored in the basement. Alex loves cars, so I got my old Hotwheels out. We played with those for awhile and decided to get out the Deathstar play set from Star Wars. I put it together and got out my Star Wars figures too. He played with it for about 5 minutes and went back to the cars. Later, while Maddie was napping, Kris, Alex and I went outside for a snack. Kris and Alex saw 2 planes, and Alex was excited. I got out my binoculars and let him look through them. He thought they were pretty cool. After that, we ran around the yard for awhile.

Try the Other End!

Where's Me Pot-O-Gold?

2008-06-09T04:08:00.008-04:00

The other night we had really bad storms here in Fort Wayne. Those of you who read Joey and Lori's blog probably saw their pictures of the rainbow. Kris took some too along with some shots of the wicked looking sky. Look closely and you can see the double rainbow. This is not from the camera - there really was a double rainbow.

New Blog Background

2008-06-09T03:41:00.006-04:00

Hi everyone! As you probably noticed, we changed our blog layout/background. We chose this one with orange calla lillies because not only are callas one of Kris's favorite flowers (Doug likes them too), but orange callas were our wedding flower. We hope you enjoy the new background, especially since changing it to this particular one turned out to be complicated and time consuming!

Maddie's First Popsicle

2008-06-08T23:04:00.006-04:00

Lately, Maddie has been very interested in what Doug and I eat (now that she can eat "big girl food" too). Last night, Doug was eating an orange popsicle. He let her try it, and she seemed to really like it. She has a sweet tooth like her daddy!

Miscellaneous News

2008-06-04T23:26:00.005-04:00

Recently, Presley went to the vet for his annual check-up. Doug talked to the vet about Presley's diet and how we can't seem to get him to loose any weight. The vet suggested that we have Presley's blood tested for a thyroid condition. It was expensive, but it needed to be done. We found out today that he does indeed have hypothyroidism as the vet suspected. This is probably a good thing because he will most likely drop the weight after starting his medication. The vet said that Presley's mood will probably improve too (which is good because he has been kind of grouchy for awhile now!). We are going to pick up his medication tomorrow. We will keep you posted.

I (Kris) finally started working out today. I have been meaning to do it for months now, but I kept putting it off. I don't want to loose any weight, but I want to get in shape and tone/build muscle. I am going to try to run on the treadmill everyday. I also plan on alternating between weights and ab exercises (one day weights, the next day abs). We will see if I stick to it. If I plan on wearing a swimsuit anytime soon, I had better stick to it!

Maddie has been eating more table foods lately. She really likes cheese, bananas, and Cheerios. I have been giving her a little juice each day, and she LOVES apple juice. After seeing all of the overweight children with decayed teeth at my work, I do not want her to get into the habit of drinking juice all day long. She can get her Vitamin C from fruits and a small amount of juice. I am going to give her some plain chicken breast tomorrow night. She is getting burnt out on the baby food "dinners". Hopefully, she will like it - I need to find some more high-protein foods that she will eat!

We got the proofs back from the Memorial Day photo shoot. The family pictures taken outside turned out better than I thought they would (it was VERY windy). The family pictures taken inside are better though, in my opinion. The pictures of Doug, Maddie, and I turned out GREAT! I was very excited. This is the first time that the three of us have had our picture professionally taken together. She took some more pictures of just Maddie too. Of course, those pictures are really cute. We will be getting a CD of the pictures and will post some on the blog. We will also be posting some of the pictures from Maddie's other photo shoot. I am so glad that we found such a good, inexpensive photographer (especially since Celebrity Kids closed here in Fort Wayne). Thanks again Joey & Lori for telling us about her!

Maddie in Her Big Girl PJ's

2008-06-01T13:51:00.006-04:00

Here are two cute pictures of Maddie in a pair of her new big girl pajamas (no more footed sleepers).

Landscaping the Back Yard

2008-05-31T15:47:00.008-04:00

Here are some pictures of the landscaping I did in the back yard this week. This was my landscaping project for this year. I like to do one every year. Eventually the yard will look the way I want it to. I took the week off to do it and I'm glad I did. This project was a lot of work, but it was worth it, I think. It is still not totally complete. I need to plant a few more shrubs and flowers, but this gives you the idea of what I did and where I'm going. Everything here is new. It used to be all grass. I had to add everything. I added a few things last year, but 90% of it was done this week. Now I need to keep the dogs from peeing on my shrubs.

First Time Out Without Maddie

2008-05-31T02:21:00.004-04:00

Friday was our first time out of the house together without Maddie since she was born. We went to see the new Indiana Jones movie. Doug's parents and Grandma came up to watch Maddie for us. We want to give a big thank you to them. The movie was very good. It met all of our expectations.

Maddie did very well while we were gone. She played and took a nap. She did not cry at all. I think Mom, Dad, and Grandma enjoyed themselves also. However, after having her with us all the time it seemed very strange not having her there. It seemed like we were missing something.

Memorial Day!

2008-05-27T21:26:00.003-04:00

We had a nice Memorial Day. We met Doug's parents, Grandma, Joey, Lori, Allison, and Alex at the photographer for our family picture. She is located in a rural area, and there is a pretty pond by the studio that they color a blue/green. We tried a few shots outside by the pond, but the wind was blowing so badly that we are not sure how those pictures will turn out. We went inside the studio for a few more. I think she took some good pictures by the time she was finished. We can't wait to see them.

After the photographer, we went to Joey and Lori's where we ate lunch. Grandma Bell and Mom had made some chicken and noodles, vegetables, and rolls. Grandma Bell also made a butter pecan cake with butter cream icing (YUMMY!). She made us some sugar cookies to take home too. Maddie crawled around a lot while Allison played with her. Alex liked playing his Nintendo Wii. He is a very good Wii bowler. We had a nice visit, but unfortunately we didn't take any pictures to post on the blog. I think we were all pictured out from the photographer.

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-23T18:06:00.005-04:00

We hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. We don't have much planned for this weekend other than getting together with the Smith side of the family for a big family picture on Monday. Afterwards, we are going over to Joey and Lori's for some food. Happy Memorial Day!

Sick Again!

2008-05-23T17:13:00.010-04:00

After just getting over the flu, I (Doug) got a cold last weekend. It wasn't a bad one, but it was surprising. I hardly ever get sick, and now I got sick 2 weekends in a row! Well, I ended up giving it to Kris and Maddie. Kris started feeling bad Wednesday. Maddie was acting fine, but her nose was plugged. Wednesday night was not good for me. I work 2nd shift, and I'm nocturnal by nature anyway. I was up until 6 a.m. Wed/Thurs, and Maddie woke up at that time. Kris tried to feed her, but it is hard for a baby to nurse with a plugged nose. I sucked her nose out and used some nasal drops to break up the mucus. Maddie did not like that at all. Kris thought Maddie felt hot, and wanted me to take her temperature. We have two types of digital thermometers. When one thermometer read normal, Kris wanted me to take it with the other. It read normal as well. Kris thinks that there is something wrong with BOTH thermometers because she was sure that Maddie had a temperature. She thought that Maddie's body just felt hot.

Maddie was hot, upset, and probably not feeling well when she woke up at 6 AM. The nose aspirating and the temperature taking did not help things (just made her mad). We gave her some Tylenol to help her sleep. Sleeping did not come very easy for her though. She would fall asleep, but as soon as we put her down, she would wake up. We decided she needed her sleep more than we needed ours. I told Kris to go to bed because, being sick too, she needed rest. She said we should take Maddie in 4 hour shifts. I went first (from 7 to 11). Remember - I had yet to go to bed the night before. I took cat naps in a chair with Maddie asleep on my chest. I did not sleep very well.

Every 10 minutes or so, I would wake up because Maddie was cutting off the circulation in my arm. My shoulder hurt so bad, and my arm was numb and cold. My legs also got numb from the way I had to sit with Maddie asleep on me. I tried to put her down about seven times between seven and eleven, and she woke up every time. Finally at eleven, I went upstairs and told Kris it had been four hours. She told me to try and put Maddie in her crib. When I did, she slept soundly (After all those times I tried to put her down and she would wake up!). As soon as my shift was over, she decided to sleep. Kris got to stay in bed, and I let the blood drain back into my arm and legs. I slept for 4 hours before going to work.

Maddie's nose was not near as plugged on Thursday. She seemed to feel better (although her nose was a little runny and she was hot a couple of times throughout the day). Today (Friday) she seems fine and only has an occasional runny nose. She seems to have a very strong immune system (most likely from the breast milk) and is able to get over sickness quickly. Maddie never did act like she was extremely sick, so it must not have been too bad for her. Not bad for her first time getting sick (and no sickness until 9 months of age - not bad either!)! Kris is still sick, but she is getting a little better everyday. Well, I'm off next week and am going to do some landscaping in the back yard. Enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend!

A New Addition to Our Blog - MUSIC!

2008-05-23T05:24:00.004-04:00

In case you did not notice, we have added music to our blog. So, turn up your speakers and enjoy! If you don't like a particular song on our playlist, you can click on the next song and change the music. When you are viewing one of our videos, you can pause the music by clicking on the pause symbol on the music player. The music player/playlist is located at the very bottom of the blog (scroll all the way down). We will be adding more music to our playlist, so stay tuned. We hope you enjoy this new addition!

Maddie Standing Up

2008-05-17T22:55:00.008-04:00

For about two weeks, Maddie has been pulling herself up in her crib & pack 'n plays and standing. She stands constantly now. Every once in awhile she will fall over, but she immediately pulls herself up again. She may be walking before we know it! Here are some cute pictures of her standing.

Maddie Annoying Bailey

2008-05-15T04:24:00.002-04:00

Fun with Blocks

2008-05-14T02:20:00.002-04:00

Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T19:41:00.010-04:00

Mother's Day weekend turned out to be a very bad weekend at the Smith house. Kris and I both got the stomach flu. Fortunately, Maddie did not get sick. Kris started getting sick early Thursday morning and I got sick on Thursday afternoon. We are both just now starting to feel better. Kris did an excellent job taking care of Maddie on Thursday and Friday. She was exhausted from the flu, and I was no help at all. I hardly got out of bed either day. So Maddie and I wished her a VERY Happy Mother's Day today because she couldn't be a better mom!

Last night Maddie and I played in her play room for awhile. She enjoys it much more now that she is older and can crawl around. She has a circus train that she likes to chase around the room.

Maddie Chasing The Train

Happy Day!

2008-05-07T12:55:00.004-04:00

Hello! Have A Wonderful Day!

Maddie and Her Puffs

2008-05-07T12:42:00.009-04:00

Here are some pictures of Maddie enjoying some apple cinnamon and corn flavored puffs. She thinks she is such a big girl now. She loves playing with her suction cup bowl. She thinks it is really cool!

I WANT MORE PUFFS! NOW!

9 Month Check-Up

2008-05-06T03:22:00.006-04:00

Today was Madeline's 9 month check up. She will be 9 months old on Friday the 9th! She behaved very well during her office visit. She weighs 18 lbs. 15 oz. and is 28 1/2 " long. Since her 6 month visit, she has gained 2 lbs 3 oz and has grown 2 inches in length. Her length for age is around the 75th percentile and her weight for age is around the 50th percentile. Of course, they did not graph her weight for length (what really matters), as doctors never do. That annoys me! I have been meaning to get out my growth charts and do it myself, but I have not gotten the chance. I will keep you posted. Anyway, during today's visit, Maddie had to get one shot (Hep B) and had her finger poked to check her iron. She did not cry or make any type of fuss at all. Her iron was very good (above 12.0). Dr. Cohen said she is in perfect health. He said she is doing great both developmentally and nutritionally.

We are going to start giving her some table food and finger foods. I will let you know how it goes. We already gave her a couple of Gerber puffs today. She wasn't quite sure what to do with them. I ended up holding each puff and letting her bite off a small piece at a time. She seemed to like the puffs and felt like such a big girl!

Finally, Doug recently noticed that Maddie actually has two teeth coming in (not just one tooth as previously reported). They are both upper middle teeth. It's about time! She got her bottom two teeth at an early age and has not gotten anymore until now. She is still chewing on her hands and toys a great deal, so she may have more teeth on the way!