My baby girl is 7 months

OK, I know I am a little behind with these (she is about to be 8 months).  But time is flying and my baby girl is growing sooo fast! She is really starting to develop her little personality and lets us know when she dislikes something!  She doesn't like when other people hold her and I am in view.  She HATES when people eat in front of her and she has nothing to eat.  She also doesn't like to be sleepy and not in her crib.  Justin and I really try and focus on not letting her get what she wants, when she wants it to try and minimize the whinyness... not sure if it is working  :)

On the other hand, she is happy a whole lot of the time and shows this by flailing her arms and legs and scrunching her nose and breathing really fast out of her puckered lips. So cute! She loves to have squealing contests with mommy and thinks playing animated peek-a-boo while disappearing then reappearing is the best thing in the world, next to food that is.  She may be a skinny mini but she sure does like to eat!  She is now taking her food with a little more texture, which makes it easier for mommy to whip up!  Her favorite snacks are mum-mum crackers, but she still cannot quite get to the last bite which is usually smashed in her clenched fists.  And heaven forbid Madelyn willingly give up that last morsel to you so that you can feed it to her.... she protests loudly! 

She is definitely more mobile...  She prefers rolling to get where she wants to go, but I believe she will be crawling soon because she has started pulling herself along with her arms and just dragging her body when she gives up pulling her legs under her.  She really has just been such a joy and a great baby!  I get sad thinking of her baby days slowly becoming the past, but look forward to each new milestone she conquers! I love my little Boogie!

Gobble Gobble!

Justin's family went on a cruise for Thanksgiving, so we enjoyed the weekend with my family back in Opp, Al.  Madelyn did well with the family.  For a while, she has been crying with people she does not recognize or just gets upset if I am not holding her. 

Now I can't wait until Christmas!!

A couple of weeks ago, Justin and I took Madelyn to the pumpkin patch.  She had a blast on the hay ride, petting the farm animals, and picking out a pumpkin!
Then last weekend we went to our curch's trunk or treat.  I really wanted her to wear her lobster costume, but it was just too hot.... so maybe pics of her in her costume later!

Maddie J is 6 months!!

So we have reached the half year mark.  Where has the time gone??
She did sooo good with her shots this time! She was done crying by the time we walked out of the room :)  She is sitting up fairly good on her own now and loves to be outside, just like her daddy! She weighs 14 lbs even and is 26 inches long. She is still sleeping 11 hours at night and eats 4 times a day, three of which she has solids.  She started her meats and likes chicken :)  Madelyn loves to hear her mommy sing (which I think she is the only one in the world who likes it, haha) and she likes to be read to...even though she talks the whole time you are reading! Her favorite toy....the remote ;)

Sponsoring a Child!

Justin, Madelyn, and I are sponsoring a child from Buloba (in Africa)!  He is such a little cutie!  His name is Livingston Sekajja and he likes to draw and play soccer :)  His birthday is on the same day as my sisters too!  Which I didn't find out until after I chose him.  Our sponsorship helps him get one new outfit and a pair of shoes a year and helps him with school finances.  Buloba is a small community in Uganda (where the religion is mostly Muslim) that is teaching Christianity.  We are excited to become just a small part of this child's life!

Isn't he just precious???

Is that a chipmunk.....No, just Andrea

I have been told for three years now that I need to get my two lower wisdom teeth out (my top two have not come in).  For three years, I have been avoiding it. 
Then the dentist told me on my last cleaning that I really needed to look into it soon because I am at risk for my teeth shifting due to my wisdom teeth coming in sideways.  Ugh... I didn't want my teeth to shift and waste thousands of dollars I have already spent on them.  So, I went for a consultation.
I got my two lower wisdom teeth out Friday, and I have to admit....it wasn't as bad as I feared.  They knocked me out so I can't remember anything from the procedure. I didn't even sleep the whole day, which I thought I would with my past experiences with surgery.  I never got sick either, which was a huge surprise to me because I have gotten sick after every surgery I have ever had (and that is a total of 7... if I haven't forgotten any, haha).
I am still a little swollen and the bruising started yesterday, but I am able to eat more stuff and the pain hasn't been half bad.  No pain pills!!!  I pray it keeps going well :)
Big thanks to Justin's parents for coming to Auburn to take care of me and my beautiful little Madelyn! They are the best!!

Madelyn is 5 Months

Madelyn is now five months!  She is starting to sit and rolling over from back to tummy and tummy to back.  She enjoys dramatically fake coughing and squealing at an unbelievable pitch... She has also babbled "ma-ma-ma" and "da-da-da" and "ya-ya-ya".  Madelyn is finally enjoying her veggies, even though fruit is still her favorite!

Madelyn's Dedication

August 29, 2010 We dedicated Madelyn at my home church Westview Assembly of God in Opp, Alabama.  She did sooo good and didn't fuss at all.  A good friend of ours made the dress she wore; there were pieces of my wedding gown sewed into the dress. 
The dedication was very moving, and I couldn't stop crying the whole time.  Justin told me he was just as touched with her dedication as he was on our wedding day... We just really want to raise Madelyn in a good Christian home and pray that she makes the right choices in her life. We love her so much :)

Sorry that the pictures aren't all that great.  My sister was all shaky and teary eyed trying to take them.

Gotta Love Nice People

I felt brave enough yesterday to go grocery shopping after Madelyn got her shots.  Things were going well for the first half of the trip, but she started getting fussy towards the end.  I get to the checkout with my buggy full of groceries, and Madelyn decides she had enough and the water works started.  The lady in front of me was finishing paying for her groceries and pushed her buggy aside and told me to just take care of my baby while she loaded my groceries on the counter.  Then, she took all the bags and put them in the buggy and offered to help me at my car (which I told her I had it under control then). So nice!  Didn't think strangers were generous like that anymore :)

Madelyn is 4 Months!

My baby girl is now 4 months (about to be 5 months). She went for her shots yesterday, and I have to say did pretty good. She was whiny a good bit throughout the rest of the day though :( Here are some things she is up to now:
* weighs 13 lbs 1 ounce
* is 25 1/2 inches long
*likes to talk more, in a high squeal at that
*has dropped her late feeding and is now going to bed at 8pm and waking at 6:30 am
*sucking her thumb more the past week
*rolled over accidentally once, trying to see the television
*not a big belly laugher, likes to chuckle instead
*eating cereal 3 times a day

Madelyn is 3 Months

Our little booger is growing so fast... She has started sucking on her thumb and sometimes fingers. She prefers those way more than her pacifier. Justin doesn't necessarily like it though. He feels it will be easier to take a pacifier away in the future, not much you can do with her sucking her thumb. However, Madelyn is winning :) Here are some pictures!

Madelyn's First Beach Trip

Justin is starting a new job with home health and has two weeks off before he has to go back to work. We decided to take a vacation to Port St Joe, Florida to fish and just enjoy the beach. We had a blast and thanks to Justin's mom, Grandma Sandal, we were able to enjoy fishing together while she babysat Madelyn. It was super hot so we didn't get Madelyn out on the beach much, but she did get to enjoy the shore one morning before we left!!

Madelyn is 2 Months!

Madelyn continues to amaze us at how fast she is growing. She is still in 25% for weight but is now 23 inches long (2 inches longer than at birth). She eats every 3 hours now and continues to sleep soooo good at night :)

Madelyn is 1 Month

These past four weeks have been the fastest and most amazing weeks of my life! I love my little Madelyn :)

She has gotten over her jaundice and is gaining weight slowly but on track.

*Facts on Madelyn James*

• 25% for her weight and 75% for her height





• eats every 2.5-3 hours





• she usually has to be woke up to eat during her night time feedings





• she sleeps a lot during the day

Nursery

I spent so much time on Madelyn's nursery and loved every minute of it! I painted canvases to hang on the wall above her crib, made a butterfly mobile and a lampshade covered with light pink rose petals. God knew what he was doing when he sent me a baby girl :) Justin's mom made us a monogrammed cornice board for the window and his dad made an awesome corner book shelf that Justin found decorative pieces to add to it that makes it go so well with her crib and dresser.

Thanks to my wonderful husband, I was able to get the crib and dresser that I really wanted.. it is sooo adorable!

First Trip Out of the House

Our first trip out of the house with Madelyn at 3 weeks was to Callaway Gardens in Georgia. Justin wanted to go and see the azaleas at their best! It was gorgeous and Madelyn did sooooo good. We couldn't have asked for a better baby!