Madison was yelling at dad for trying to take a picture of her without her shirt on! :)

The Boppy!

Whoever invented the boppy is a genius! Madison loves to sit it in and hang out... and watch what mom and dad are doing. That's right I said 'watch'! It seems that she is seeing farther than ever! She has even turned her head a few times to follow dad when he is walking around or leaving the room.

Each day is beginning to show a little more personality from our little pumpkin. She is smiling and cooeing quite a bit, especially when she just wakes up (unless her nap has lasted too long and she's starving). We have been having a blast interacting with her. It's to the point where dad actually said he's ready for brothers and sisters now (and she's only 6 1/2 weeks) --- a little soon to go down that road, but there are little glimpses of why people have more than one child.

Our work schedule has been a little challenging this week, it's a bit of a circus actually. I've been trying to go into school during the wee hours of the morning and then jason brings her in to school about 11am to do the swap. It's amazing how much our life has surrendered to schedules these days. It used to be that we could go where we want, when we want, with who we want--- now we are very much limited to 'baby friendly' stores and restaurants, when madison is happy, has a clean diaper, a full tummy (and maybe a litttle sleepy) with people that are immune to crying, spitting up, and conversations that are all about new parenting successes and challenges!

Our first bath!

I say 'our' first bath because it was quite a production! Dad had to alternate between the video camera and digital camera while I had to prepare the spa. We had to unpack the baby tub out of the box, line it with a towel (so she didn't slip), lay a blanket on the floor (to cover up the dust balls), get a baby towel, soap, washclothes...etc... it took longer to prepare than the actual bath! I know, this is all part of 'first time moms' right?? After a while you just bath them in the kitchen sink-- with the dirty dishes!


We've decided that we think she enjoyed the bath. It was mostly a look of stunned amazement the entire time. Not happy, not fussy, just trying to figure out what was going on. So overall, a great start!


Father's Day was her first bath, so we had to take a photo of her in her 'Daddy's Little Girl' towel (a shower present from Grammie Shell). The drying off process was not quite as enjoyable as the actual bath production..I think Madison had plans of staying in there much longer... soon enough will be bath #2!

Mezmorized

And so it begins... the power of the mobile! Nanna and I went shopping last weekend and bought Madison her first mobile! It attaches to the side of her changing table... and I think she's found her first addiction. She now lays, arms at her sides, totally mezmorized over the turning wings and hanging ribbons. She is in love! It plays a little song (for only 2 minutes at a time so you have to keep winding it back up) and the wings slowly turn. We are going to have to go back and buy the rest of them in the store--- and line the entire edge of her round crib with them--- that way, maybe I can find enough time to do the dishes, vaccuum, do laundry... etc... (who would believ that I'm actually looking for time to do housework--- I must be going nuts!)

Madison has actually begun to have short periods of time during the day where she doesn't like to be held-- can you believe it! Usually it's after a diaper change or a full belly, and she's totally content just hanging out and looking around (she's also in love with ceiling fans). There is hope that she will one day take naps in a place other than our arms... or possibly even sleep in a place other than our bed. At times I am beginning to wonder if it's 100% her... or if there's a little bit of me in our sleeping arrangements. There is something absolutely comforting about her snuggling up to me every night. Then all I have to do is open one eye, any time I want, to make sure she is still okay. At times I also have to shield her from her overprotective dad (I know, already!). Jason has not slept a solid night since Madison's arrived. He often awakes in a panic during the night thinking she's falling or crying or choking or hiding under the covers somewhere. One morning he searched under the covers for her--- patting the blankets like crazy looking for her--- even when I was totally awake and pointing at her saying that 'she's okay- she's right here!' If only I could get some of this on video tape, it's actually quite entertaining!

I can't look!

Madison Anne sleeps in bed with us. The verdict is still out whether it's the right thing to do or not. I would say the opinions are split down the middle-- some say she can't be spoiled when she's this little-- others say we're setting ourselves up for disaster-- I say to each his own-- everyone is entitled to create their own 'first child'. It seems like one of those things that you can only learn by doing. You live and you learn and you do what feels right. I keep telling Jason that I do not claim to be an expert parent (I wasted all of my time reading about pregnancy instead of what to do what the baby is actually born)--- all I know how to do is what feels right instinctually. It feels right to comfort her at this age and make her feel safe. It doesn't feel right to let her turn purple in the face and cry and cry and cry. Not yet. I figure they give my 6-8weeks maternity leave for a reason--- not to clean the house, go shopping and have a mini-vacation--- but to snuggle and spoil our new little snugglebug every chance I get. Because before I know it I will be back to work full time, wishing I had an hour during the day just to sit and mush with her.

Anyway, sometimes after the 4am feeding I change positions in bed. Madison usually sleeps in between us, but in the early morning I sometimes move to the middle just so I can face the other way. When I came back to bed this morning, Jason woke up a little to welcome us back to bed (with a snuggle hug and kiss for mom)--- just as Jason gave me a 'back to sleep' kiss, Madison smacked her hand up to her face to cover her eyes. It was hilarious! Little does she know that at this point, little kisses is all she has to worry about. We are no where near moving towards little brothers or sisters yet (and to think at one point I wanted 10)!

Uncle Tony!

Uncle Tony was in town last week and he came up for a quick visit to Milwaukee. He got to meet Madison Anne for the first time, and even held his little niece for a minute (what a brave man!). Tony and I have typically been on the same page throughout life so far when it comes to holding other people's babies.... YIKES! There is always that awkward pass off (where you're certain you're going to drop the baby in transition)--- to the uncomfortable cradle hold (where they wiggle and squirm)--- to the start crying stage (so you quickly change positions)--- moving to the 'burp hold' (because that's the only other thing you've seen people do with babies)--- to the 'where the hell is the parents' look on your face (as the sweat begins to bead on your forhead)--- from that point on, you do everything in your power to avoid the room where the baby is (or begin to slam beers with the occasional jagerbomb so there is no way in hell anyone will ask you to hold their baby for the rest of the night).

So.... needless to say, I am very impressed with Uncle Tony, as I found it nearly impossible to comfortably hold a baby... until I had one myself!

Tony and Kelly visited for a cookout celebrating Nanna's birthday! Madison got to spend quite a bit of time with Nanna-- hanging out and eating and sleeping! Madison loves to stare at Nanna's glasses!

1 Month Check up!

It was back to the doctor today for the one month check up! Madison was happy to be naked and hang around in the patient room while the nurse measured her head, height and weight. She is now 22 inches long and weighs a healthy 11 pounds 13 ounces! The doctor said that babies love to maintain their weight, so keep doing what we're doing as far as feeding is concerned.

The doctor also thought we were crazy for buying the liquid form of formula that costs between $5-$6 a jug (which holds about 5-6 feedings in it). We were also feeding her a soy based formula because one of the nurses in the hospital recommended it. Now, the doctor wants us to do a milk based powder, and she doesn't care which brand. The only 'extra step' is that she would like for us to boil the water ahead of time for a while because of her 'thrush'. So, I've begun to set up a 'new' formula and feeding station, but have yet to officially try the formula. There never seems to be the perfect time of day to try something new, just in case it's a disaster! It's so much more comfortable to maintain the regular (even if it's painful in some way) routine.

This morning was NOT the right time to begin the new formula routine, because she projectile- spit- up at the 4am and 8am feeding. Now when I say projectile, I mean that is shoots all over me, my pajamas, the pillow, the couch, the floor, her clothes, her legs, her feet, and even brady if he is in shooting range. It's the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen! It's better than most drunken, sloppy, bar pukes that I've seen! She doesn't seem to mind though, or notice that she's doing it--- but it scares the hell out of me--- it comes very unsuspecting (no grumpy face or warning). I called the doctor after the second time (because I'm a first time mom and don't know any different) to see if this should worry me. She told me to make sure I'm burping her enough (like halfway through the bottle--- and we do it every 1/4inch through the bottle because she's a gulper!) and she said to watch for 'sick baby' symptoms--- and be sure that we take her temperature. And she insistst that we use an anal thermometer to get a 'butt temperature', she said not to bother with the armpits or ears when she's this little.

Rest assured, we will have it all on videotape... for future blackmail... I can picture it now... home movie night at the Brocks... we're all sitting around eating popcorn... showing Madison's new boyfriend how cute she was as a baby... and then comes the anal thermometer... nice and lubbed (per doctor's orders)... and straight into the butt hole... she'll be so proud!

Easy Sunday

What a beautiful day today! The sun was shining, we got to sleep in (Madison slept from 11pm-5am last night!), and mom had a bit of a hang over. I got to go out for margarittas last night (La Fuente) with some of my girlfriends. I had 2 or 3 and felt like I had a pitcher to myself! It's amazing how alcohol affects the body... especially when it hasn't had any for almost a year!

We did a little shopping today and Madison did a great job-- she slept right through it! We went to Steins to get some more flowers (for Jason who is constantly working in the yard and creating new flower beds) and Bed, Bath and Beyond to get another outdoor lounge chair for Jason. We spent the first hour or so of the afternoon lounging in our new reclining chairs outside... it was wonderful!

After a few hours of Jason working in the yard (with Madison and I cheering him on from the front porch), we decided to venture down to the lakefront for a walk. There's nothing like a nice lake breeze on a hot summer day! There were plenty of people with the same idea rollerblading, flying kites, and grilling out. Our walk lasted for about an hour... and Madison did pretty good. She slept most of the time, and only started to scream when she woke up and realized that no one was holding her. But after a minute of snuggling, she was right back to calm and happy. I can't imagine where she is getting her stubborness from??? It certainly can't be Jason or I.... both of us are well known for being able to take NO for an answer! (good thing our parents aren't able to add comments or edit this :)

Happy Hour?

Aunt Jamie and Uncle Jim bought Madison a 'Happy Hour' outfit that is totally fitting for new parents! I fear that Happy Hour will never be the same again... at least not for 18 years or so!

Last night we spent 'happy hour' at Best Buy looking at televisions. The first time we tried to move from the 'upstairs cove' down into the living room again (we were stuck upstairs for a while because that's where the bathroom is and I had a hard time with doing the stairs more than a few times a day)--- our tv blew! I turned it on and heard a 'pop' and that was it. So we continue to hover around the tv in the upstairs room. Jason is actually a little excited, thinking this means it is time to transition into flat screen/ big screen tv.... mmmm....

Dad is going to babysit tonight so I can go to Mexican and margarittas with a couple of friends (another reason why the tv is more of an immediate issue). Erin (the Dawg) is home for a few days so she's coming over to meet baby and hang out. I also invited Elise and Dezire.... the more drinking margarittas, the merrier!

Madison had a great day yesterday-- we all went to Best Buy and Sam's Club and she did great! She still doesn't seem to like her carseat, but we keep trying. I think we may head over to the West Allis farmer's market this morning. Somehow we've managed to kill 2 of our hanging baskets, so they need to be replaced! The West Allis market is great for cheap, huge, beautiful hanging baskets. And it gives us a chance to drive through Starbucks too!

My Snugglebug...

She continues to mezmorize me everyday with how adorable she is! She can make the cutest faces! This week she tries to mimic our mouths. So if we make a circle with our mouths, or stick out our tongues, she tries to do the same thing! She has been spending more and more time just awake. She'll just lay there and look around at everything. It is such a nice change from spending every moment either sleeping, burping, or crying. Now there are small blocks of time where she just seems to want to get to know us.

Madison continues to be in a 3-4 hour routine. The only difference is that during the day she sometimes stays awake a little longer before and after feeding to 'hang out'. She's still sleeps pretty well at night. We'll all go to bed between 10-11pm and she'll wake up once to feed around 2pm... then back to sleep until regular morning hours.

We've been venturing out into the world just a little bit lately. We took her to Sam's club last weekend and she did great (or maybe it was that we ran through the store while she was sleeping and we were done in 15 minutes??). I took her out the other day to Babies 'r us to buy some more baby accessories. I just carried her around the store and she slept the whole time. We've also been on quite a few walks around the neighborhood, down by the river, or at the lakefront.

One major change in Madison's life is that she now can't stand her car seat. She screams the whole time she is in it (no matter how many potholes we try to hit). Hopefully this is just a phase that she'll grow out of soon! We're slowly trying to work in a bouncy seat... she's up to about 5 minutes before the alarming screams begin. Otherwise, she still loves to be held. She'll sleep 15 minutes if you try to lay her down... and 3-4 hours if you hold her or snuggle with her.

We go to the doctor on Monday for her 1 month check up. It's amazing that we've all survived a month of this already! I still can't say that I'm up for having more children yet, but there are small glimpses of hope that each day is getting a little easier than the one before!