Eric and I have been married five years today. It's been a wonderful five years, I must say. Although we've had our share of "growing pains" with moving, new jobs, and a baby, I can't imagine spending these last five years any differently than with this cute, blondish, blue eyed fella that kept winking at me from afar at the Gold's Gym in Charlotte. Who knew on that first date with the "boy from the gym" we'd start something incredible? Not long after that date, I told my mom on the phone, "I think this is the one. I think this is the boy I am going to marry." Meeting my parents and two older brothers just sealed the deal --- Eric fit into my family as if he'd lived next door to us our entire lives. He truly became a part of my family the second he walked through my parent's front door.
A very good friend of ours told me recently that Eric and I were the relationship role model for her and her husband. I took that as the highest compliment to us and our marriage. I've been thinking about that a lot lately as our anniversary approached. Eric and I just compliment each other so well to create a balance that we both need --- I'm high strung & he's laid back; he's messy and disorganized & I'm a neat freak who thinks organizing a closet on a rainy day is fun; I'm frivolous with money & he's conservative with money; he thinks camping in a tent on the side of a mountain is fun & I think staying in an all inclusive resort is more like it; he burns to a crisp on the beach & I turn golden brown after a day at the beach; I find running to be exhilarating and stress relieving & he runs only if a wild bear was chasing him; and he's Fun Daddy while I am Serious Mommy. As I think about our personalities and how opposite we are in so many ways, I giggle because I could go on forever with this list.
But in the end, we are completely, 100% on the same page about one thing --- how much we love each other, our life, & our family that we've created together. As different as we are, we are alike in so many ways from watching college football on a Saturday to drinking wine with great conversation to our dreams for our family & children. That is why what we have works, and we continue to nurture our relationship as our life changes. We can't control many of the things around us, but we have control of us. We work at making us so great, and maybe that's why we are the relationship role model to our friend. The last five years have been nothing short of fun, trying, exciting, and fabulous.
Happy Five Year Anniversary to my best friend and the love of my life!
Seriously, can this sweet little baby be this old already? Ten months --- not so much baby anymore. It's been a busy month for Madeline. First and foremost, her personality has always been so laid back & happy, and she continues to be that way. However, she is really starting to show that she has a mind of her own as she explores and takes in the world! She continues to draw strangers to her with that wide open two toothed grin (soon to be four toothed grin) and her famous "oooohhhhh!" when she gets within earshot of anyone. Her wild hair used to attract strangers, but now her little personality, squeals, and wild waves attract strangers. This child has absolutely no fear of anyone. She'll blow you a kiss or lunge for your face to plant a sloppy, wet kiss on your cheek if she sees you as a friend. (I foresee stranger lessons as soon as she can understand what we're telling her.) Madeline LOVES other children and babies, and now that school is out, some of the older children at the gym nursery have really taken an interest in Madeline. It is very sweet to watch a 6 year old little girl talk and play with Madeline ever so gently, and it is even sweeter to hear that little girl tell her mom as they're leaving, "I love that baby. I love to play with that baby! Are we coming tomorrow? I hope that baby is here tomorrow." She especially lights up when her Daddy walks through that door in the evenings. Squeals, smiles, waves, clapping, and bouncing around are all coming from Madeline when she sees or hears Eric come through the door. It is so endearing to watch her express her love for her Daddy like that. I get the sweet hugs & kisses and a smile when I've been away, but Daddy gets the full blown fanfare. Madeline definitely has an infectious, outgoing personality that elicits that famous question from other adults, "Is she always this happy? Is she always this good?" To which, I get to say, "Yes! I am very lucky and blessed to have such a happy baby."
Madeline has made the big leap to all table food as her primary food source, and wow, how much easier it is to cut up some chicken, green beans, cheese, grapes, and an Eggo waffle. Ring the dinner bell because dinner is served. Up until now, I was "testing" different foods while still feeding her a jar of peas or green beans at lunch and dinner, and I will continue to do that until the jarred food runs out in the cabinet. She loves just about everything I put on her tray, and I have to say that I have a little carnivore on my hands. The meat is usually one of the firsts to go, but mac-n-cheese, peas, cheese, and green beans are probably the next favorites. Yogurt is a breakfast favorite. At this point, I don't feel like Madeline is a picky eater. She's gotten the sippy cup mastered for drinking juice, but my girl loves her bottles before her naps & bedtime. Basically, Madeline eats 3 meals a day with some snacks in between, and she only receives her bottles right before naps and bedtime.
Madeline has never been what I would call an awesome sleeper. Yes, she sleeps for 11-12 hours at night, but naps have always been a struggle around here. With her new found mobility, naps have become even more of a challenge, but I'm determined that this child will nap especially in the afternoons. This is why I am so strict about her schedule and routine --- Madeline needs to know that naps are part of her day, everyday. The morning nap can be anything from a power nap to a full blown 2 hour nap, and the afternoon nap typically is about an hour and a half to two hours. That sounds great in writing, but it takes her anywhere from 30 min. to an hour (or more on some days) to fall asleep now that she can do this all by herself: 
So, she plays until she's absolutely exhausted which is fine, but I don't like that she spends so much of the daytime in her crib "napping". Maybe it's normal or just a phase with all these new "tricks" she can now do, but it's driving me nuts. I know she's tired, and she knows she's tired, but she fights falling asleep so badly!! This is when she really shows that she has a mind of her own. I have yet to decide if me going in there to lay her back down over and over again until she falls asleep OR just leaving her alone until she falls asleep is the best tactic here. I've tried both, and either way she's back in her room squealing, laughing, and carrying on with delight having her own little party. Oh well, she could scream and cry it out for 30 minutes to an hour, and that definitely is no fun. So all in all, Madeline is a decent sleeper, and I shouldn't complain.
Speaking of mobility, Madeline eyeballs something, and she goes for it. Not so much in a crawling fashion. It's more of a lunge/scoot/stretch movement with a lot of "Uhhhhhh!!" that propels her to the object of her desire. If that effort doesn't get her to the desired object, she finds something else to play with. Now that's why I call her a little bit lazy. Madeline can sit herself up from laying down and vice versa, and she can pull herself up by holding onto anything those chubby hands can reach. She can sit herself back down once she's stood up as well. Needless to say, I'm very aware of the surroundings that she happens to be sitting in because she doesn't just sit and play anymore. Madeline is hearing and feeling the word "No" with a swat on the hand more and more as she reaches to grab things she should not be touching. I'm just not completely undecorating my house because she's curious. She will learn what to touch and not touch. More work for Mommy, but better for everyone in the long run. It's exhausting, but it's so much fun to watch her little mind work to figure out how to get places, get things she wants, and explore this world around her. I find it interesting the little things she notices with her famous "oooohhhh!" that I think we as adults either ignore or take for granted. Madeline loves to "dance" -- she bobs her head (shades of Saturday Night Live: Night at the Roxbury) and waves her hands straight out in front of her when she hears music she likes. I'll turn on the Noggin channel for background noise during the day sometimes, and I'll catch her "dancing" when the music plays. She loves her Baby Einstein CDs that sing nursery rhymes too. I decided that I needed to expose Madeline to more than just the Classic rock channel even as great as Bon Jovi is! :) Seeing the world through Madeline's eyes is tiring and exciting all at the same time.
Madeline has really slipped into our lives and made us the little "perfect" family of three that Eric and I'd talk about while I was pregnant. She can go with us just about anywhere whether it's to a friend's house for dinner, run errands, out to lunch, to the pool, or on a mini vacation to the beach. Madeline, our sweet girl...what did we ever do before you? Eric and I have been so blessed and so smitten with parenthood over the last ten months.
Daddy decided it would be MOST FUN to play in the sprinklers in the front yard!
Getting sprayed in the face by the sprinkler! And, the result is...
Clap, clap! I LOVE IT!
Eagerly awaiting the next spray!
We took a hike on Sunday morning. The view was beautiful, and the company was even better!
The boys played golf on Saturday morning while the girls shopped around in Black Mountain. We met the boys after golf and had lunch at a delicious Mexican restaurant.
Erin and Wade
Us
Josh and Anna