No real reason - today is just a sucky day. Why are some days like this?
I'm hoping for a quiet evening, a glass of wine and some time where my head is not screaming at me.
Maybe I can even relax a bit this weekend. We'll see.
Anyway. Have a good weekend everyone.
10/19/2007
10/18/2007
10 Years Strong
I've made some mistakes where our love is concerned. Sometimes things get crazy and I forget that there is no where else in this world that I would rather be than by your side. You are my best friend, my lover, my history and my future.
From the moment that you typed into my life 10 years ago, I have not stopped loving you...and I never will.
It hasn't always been easy and sometimes it is damn rocky. But you've got my heart, fully and completely, forever.
I love you, Kelly McFadden. I will say "I Do" until the day that I die. Because I always will.
Happy 10 Year Anniversary, baby.
From the moment that you typed into my life 10 years ago, I have not stopped loving you...and I never will.
It hasn't always been easy and sometimes it is damn rocky. But you've got my heart, fully and completely, forever.
I love you, Kelly McFadden. I will say "I Do" until the day that I die. Because I always will.
Happy 10 Year Anniversary, baby.
10/17/2007
Sleep Changes
Bailey has, once again, changed. She is reworking her sleep position and patterns. Before these changes, she was a back sleeper. She's been able to roll for quite some time, but she still chose to sleep on her back.
Not so anymore. Now, she likes to roll over onto her side or her tummy. And she doesn't want to be covered. And she moved a lot. And she wakes up a lot.
We're all adjusting.
I'll be happy when she figures out her new routine and can sleep peacefully again...
Not so anymore. Now, she likes to roll over onto her side or her tummy. And she doesn't want to be covered. And she moved a lot. And she wakes up a lot.
We're all adjusting.
I'll be happy when she figures out her new routine and can sleep peacefully again...
10/16/2007
Differences
Kelly and I have always marveled at how we are each other's complete opposite. Where she is weak, I am strong and vice versa. It really is quite amazing how it is always that way - there is always a strong person and one who is not so strong at any given task. For 10 years now, it has worked really well in making sure that we both stay on track.
Parenting has been no different. We both bring gifts to Bailey's life that she would be lacking if the other parent were not there. Last night, I was thinking about the two of them as I was falling asleep. Kelly is so incredibly sweet with Bailey. I'm much more no-nonsense. I am task-oriented. There are things to do and I strap Bailey on and do them. Bailey and I cook together, we clean, we make bottles, we take out the garbage, we grocery shop. With her strapped on with the Baby Bjorn, I teach her about our life and the rhythm of it.
Kelly is perfectly capable of doing those things too, and she does...but more often than not, she likes to spend time playing and loving on Bailey. And their relationship shows that. Bailey just adores her Mommy. When she is overstimulated and needs to calm down, there is no better place for it than on Kelly's lap. When she needs to be cooed and and loved over, her Mommy is her favorite person. When we are all together in the house, she spends so much time just staring at her Mommy, with smiles and love beaming from her eyes.
Bailey does that with me, too. Since she was born, I've given her every single bath she has had, except for two or three of them. I am the one that gives her the final bottle of the day, and there is something so precious about those few moments right before she falls asleep when she is staring up at me with those big blue eyes and resting her head on my breast. Nobody could replace those moments, and without them, Bailey would be lost. But for the most part, Bailey and are more about getting stuff done together.
Anyway - there really wasn't a point to this post, except to say that I really love how Kelly and I parent together. I think that we are good parents...and if the proof is our child, then I'm right. Bailey is engaged, happy, sweet, affectionate and feels safe in her world. She is outgoing and knows how to get her needs met. I don't think that we can take credit for all of that...after all, Bailey is her own person with her own personality...but we can say that we're doing a good job of helping her figure out this living business.
I'm proud of us. All three of us. We have figured out how to be a family together and we are pretty good at it.
Parenting has been no different. We both bring gifts to Bailey's life that she would be lacking if the other parent were not there. Last night, I was thinking about the two of them as I was falling asleep. Kelly is so incredibly sweet with Bailey. I'm much more no-nonsense. I am task-oriented. There are things to do and I strap Bailey on and do them. Bailey and I cook together, we clean, we make bottles, we take out the garbage, we grocery shop. With her strapped on with the Baby Bjorn, I teach her about our life and the rhythm of it.
Kelly is perfectly capable of doing those things too, and she does...but more often than not, she likes to spend time playing and loving on Bailey. And their relationship shows that. Bailey just adores her Mommy. When she is overstimulated and needs to calm down, there is no better place for it than on Kelly's lap. When she needs to be cooed and and loved over, her Mommy is her favorite person. When we are all together in the house, she spends so much time just staring at her Mommy, with smiles and love beaming from her eyes.
Bailey does that with me, too. Since she was born, I've given her every single bath she has had, except for two or three of them. I am the one that gives her the final bottle of the day, and there is something so precious about those few moments right before she falls asleep when she is staring up at me with those big blue eyes and resting her head on my breast. Nobody could replace those moments, and without them, Bailey would be lost. But for the most part, Bailey and are more about getting stuff done together.
Anyway - there really wasn't a point to this post, except to say that I really love how Kelly and I parent together. I think that we are good parents...and if the proof is our child, then I'm right. Bailey is engaged, happy, sweet, affectionate and feels safe in her world. She is outgoing and knows how to get her needs met. I don't think that we can take credit for all of that...after all, Bailey is her own person with her own personality...but we can say that we're doing a good job of helping her figure out this living business.
I'm proud of us. All three of us. We have figured out how to be a family together and we are pretty good at it.
10/15/2007
AWESOME Weekend!
We had such a fabulous weekend!
Nana and Pappy Dale came down from West Virginia to visit and Bailey just fell in love! She is quite smitten with her Nana and her Pappy Dale. They brought her a "crunchy" book that she just adores.
And I think they fell in love, too.
We spent lots of time just hanging out and watching Bailey roll and bounce and smile and have a good time.
It was a fabulous weekend...
Nana and Pappy Dale came down from West Virginia to visit and Bailey just fell in love! She is quite smitten with her Nana and her Pappy Dale. They brought her a "crunchy" book that she just adores.
And I think they fell in love, too.
We spent lots of time just hanging out and watching Bailey roll and bounce and smile and have a good time.
It was a fabulous weekend...
10/12/2007
My Wife...and My Life
Have I ever mentioned how much I love my wife? And how happy my daughter makes me? And how completely elated I am that I have been blessed with these two people to give my life meaning and purpose.
Thank you, Kelly, for loving me. Thanks for everything - from the little to the huge, from the heartstopping to the most mundane. You are everything to me.
And Bailey - what could I possibly say to you, except that my life would be incomplete, my heart torn apart and my world shattered without your presence. You are my sunshine and the reason that my heart smiles each day.
I love you both. More than I could ever tell you. My biggest comfort is knowing that you understand what I'm saying, even when I can't find the words, because I can see the same love reflected back when you look at me.
I am a very, very lucky woman.
Thank you, Kelly, for loving me. Thanks for everything - from the little to the huge, from the heartstopping to the most mundane. You are everything to me.
And Bailey - what could I possibly say to you, except that my life would be incomplete, my heart torn apart and my world shattered without your presence. You are my sunshine and the reason that my heart smiles each day.
I love you both. More than I could ever tell you. My biggest comfort is knowing that you understand what I'm saying, even when I can't find the words, because I can see the same love reflected back when you look at me.
I am a very, very lucky woman.
10/11/2007
Proud Wife
I am a PROUD WIFE today!!! Read the following email:
*********************************************************
I am pleased to announce the selection of Kelly McFadden fill the Financial Statement Audit Office (FSAO)'s vacant Assistant Director's position. Kelly is a CPA with over six years of financial statement and information systems audit experience and has earned the respect and admiration of everyone she has worked with.
Please join me in congratulating Kelly on her new assignment.
Sincerely,
M. L. Hayes
Director
Financial Statement Audit Office
*********************************************************
My baby ROCKS!!!!! Congratulations baby...I couldn't be more proud of you!!!!
*********************************************************
I am pleased to announce the selection of Kelly McFadden fill the Financial Statement Audit Office (FSAO)'s vacant Assistant Director's position. Kelly is a CPA with over six years of financial statement and information systems audit experience and has earned the respect and admiration of everyone she has worked with.
Please join me in congratulating Kelly on her new assignment.
Sincerely,
M. L. Hayes
Director
Financial Statement Audit Office
*********************************************************
My baby ROCKS!!!!! Congratulations baby...I couldn't be more proud of you!!!!
All Is Well
The McFadden's are doing well! Bailey is recovering wonderfully from a suspected sinus infection and Kelly and I are doing well battling our respective colds. While none of us are 100% right now, we are all on the mend and looking forward to the weekend.
Nana and Pappy Dale are coming from West Virginia to visit!!! We would love to think that they are coming to see us, but we know better...it's all about our little love! Bailey, for her part, has been working on mastering her roll and is actually starting to figure out how to pull herself up from a laying position to a sitting position. She hasn't mastered it yet, but she's getting there.
The weather is finally changing and Kelly and I couldn't be happier. This is the best time of year for us - we are making our holiday plans and dreaming of cool nights and snow storms. We both get really cozy around this time of year and spend lots of time just nesting and enjoying each other. It's nice...
Speaking of the holidays...can anyone else feel them coming??? I swear, around this time of the year things just start to sparkle a little bit more and every seems to smile a bit more. Maybe it's just me...maybe I'm just a crazy holiday-freak. But, boy...I love this time of year.
Back to Bailey - she sits up in her bath now. It's so amazing to watch her change and grown. This morning, as I was riding the bus into work, I was thinking about how wonderful it is when she reaches out to hold my hand. I love it.
Ooops! Gotta run! Work time!
Nana and Pappy Dale are coming from West Virginia to visit!!! We would love to think that they are coming to see us, but we know better...it's all about our little love! Bailey, for her part, has been working on mastering her roll and is actually starting to figure out how to pull herself up from a laying position to a sitting position. She hasn't mastered it yet, but she's getting there.
The weather is finally changing and Kelly and I couldn't be happier. This is the best time of year for us - we are making our holiday plans and dreaming of cool nights and snow storms. We both get really cozy around this time of year and spend lots of time just nesting and enjoying each other. It's nice...
Speaking of the holidays...can anyone else feel them coming??? I swear, around this time of the year things just start to sparkle a little bit more and every seems to smile a bit more. Maybe it's just me...maybe I'm just a crazy holiday-freak. But, boy...I love this time of year.
Back to Bailey - she sits up in her bath now. It's so amazing to watch her change and grown. This morning, as I was riding the bus into work, I was thinking about how wonderful it is when she reaches out to hold my hand. I love it.
Ooops! Gotta run! Work time!
10/08/2007
New Pictures and Videos
We have some new pictures and videos of Bailey! If you want to check her out on YouTube, use the name and password provided above, sign on and check them out!
Lordy, look at those eyes. Wow, we love her!!!
She is really, really working on crawling. She spends most of her time on the floor rolling over and over (she goes both ways) and trying to move. She'll get it soon!
She loves it when we take pictures...LOL!
Smiling at her Mommy. She loves her Mommy most of all!
The problem with taking her picture is that she gets interested in the camera and stops smiling!!!
She sits up all on her own, now! In fact, she LOVES to sit...
Lordy, look at those eyes. Wow, we love her!!!
She is really, really working on crawling. She spends most of her time on the floor rolling over and over (she goes both ways) and trying to move. She'll get it soon!
She loves it when we take pictures...LOL!
Smiling at her Mommy. She loves her Mommy most of all!
The problem with taking her picture is that she gets interested in the camera and stops smiling!!!
10/04/2007
Attachment
Each day with Bailey is a new adventure. Last night, she was crabby. Full on, outright crabby! It was the funniest thing.
I've mentioned our dear, dear neighbor Karen before, right? She's one of the few people who has been around nearly every days since long before Bailey was born. She's a great friend and a wonderful support.
And it goes without saying that Bailey KNOWS Karen and loves her dearly.
BUT...yesterday, Karen dropped by to borrow some sugar (LOL - yes, this really does happen in suburbia!). While over, she wanted to hold Bailey and give her love...which is what ALWAYS happens. But, Bailey just fussed and pouted. No real tears and no real distress. Just this continuous stream of cute little pouts and fusses. She wouldn't stop until she was being held by either me or Kelly. Didn't seem to matter which one of us it was, but it had to be us.
It was SOOO cute!!!!! Honestly, I've never seen anything cuter in my life.
But, it does bring up the question - could Bailey be starting to go through some early attachement stuff?? She doesn't seem to have any problems when we drop her off at daycare. In fact, she's always quite happy and pretty much ignores us when we leave. She loves her daycare. But this is the second time it has happened with people that Bailey knows other than her childcare providers. It's like, if we are around, she doesn't want anyone else to be near her.
I know, at some point, kids start to go through the attachement stuff with their parents and don't want anyone but them. Is it around this time???
I've mentioned our dear, dear neighbor Karen before, right? She's one of the few people who has been around nearly every days since long before Bailey was born. She's a great friend and a wonderful support.
And it goes without saying that Bailey KNOWS Karen and loves her dearly.
BUT...yesterday, Karen dropped by to borrow some sugar (LOL - yes, this really does happen in suburbia!). While over, she wanted to hold Bailey and give her love...which is what ALWAYS happens. But, Bailey just fussed and pouted. No real tears and no real distress. Just this continuous stream of cute little pouts and fusses. She wouldn't stop until she was being held by either me or Kelly. Didn't seem to matter which one of us it was, but it had to be us.
It was SOOO cute!!!!! Honestly, I've never seen anything cuter in my life.
But, it does bring up the question - could Bailey be starting to go through some early attachement stuff?? She doesn't seem to have any problems when we drop her off at daycare. In fact, she's always quite happy and pretty much ignores us when we leave. She loves her daycare. But this is the second time it has happened with people that Bailey knows other than her childcare providers. It's like, if we are around, she doesn't want anyone else to be near her.
I know, at some point, kids start to go through the attachement stuff with their parents and don't want anyone but them. Is it around this time???
10/03/2007
Baby Blues
I think that my favorite thing about Bailey right now is her blue eyes. They are just so freakin' blue. I mean, honestly. She stares at me and it pierces through my heart and into my soul. It's amazing.
What's most cool about it is that her eyes are exactly her Mommy's eyes. I look at her and it is as if Kelly is staring back at me. Somewhere, somehow a piece of Kelly's soul was tranferred to our beautiful daughter.
We were truly meant to be a family. In the deepest sense of that word.
It's not always an easy ride, but it's the best ride of my life. I love you, Kelly and Bailey. With all my heart.
What's most cool about it is that her eyes are exactly her Mommy's eyes. I look at her and it is as if Kelly is staring back at me. Somewhere, somehow a piece of Kelly's soul was tranferred to our beautiful daughter.
We were truly meant to be a family. In the deepest sense of that word.
It's not always an easy ride, but it's the best ride of my life. I love you, Kelly and Bailey. With all my heart.
10/02/2007
Happy 5 Months!
Happy 5 Months, Miss. B!
Your Mommy and Momma couldn't be more proud of you and how much you've grown and developed over these past five months. You are such a wonderful, remarkable child. Your special light and energy has a way of drawing the world around you closer and making everything feel just a little bit better.
You are the joy and the light in our life. We love you with all of our heart and can't wait for the next five months!
Always and Forever - Your Mommy and Momma
Your Mommy and Momma couldn't be more proud of you and how much you've grown and developed over these past five months. You are such a wonderful, remarkable child. Your special light and energy has a way of drawing the world around you closer and making everything feel just a little bit better.
You are the joy and the light in our life. We love you with all of our heart and can't wait for the next five months!
Always and Forever - Your Mommy and Momma
10/01/2007
Top 10 Things Bailey Loves
10) Blowing rasberries and bubbles with her mouth
9) Taking a walk in the fresh fall air
8) Being worn, face out, in the Baby Bjorn
7) Any place where there are tons of people and lots of energy
6) Her binky
5) Miss. Su Su, Miss. Delta and Miss. Tonya at daycare
4) The kitties...especially Punkin who has now claimed Bailey as her own
3) Her toes...they are always there when she needs something new to suck on!
2) Carrots, Squash, Sweet Potatoes and Peas. The only fruit she likes is Prunes. She won't touch cereal. Strange.
1) And the number one thing that she likes right now is ROLLING OVER...and over...and over...and over...and then sitting up!
9) Taking a walk in the fresh fall air
8) Being worn, face out, in the Baby Bjorn
7) Any place where there are tons of people and lots of energy
6) Her binky
5) Miss. Su Su, Miss. Delta and Miss. Tonya at daycare
4) The kitties...especially Punkin who has now claimed Bailey as her own
3) Her toes...they are always there when she needs something new to suck on!
2) Carrots, Squash, Sweet Potatoes and Peas. The only fruit she likes is Prunes. She won't touch cereal. Strange.
1) And the number one thing that she likes right now is ROLLING OVER...and over...and over...and over...and then sitting up!
9/27/2007
All The Way
Our Miss. Bailey slept all the way through the night last night without waking up once!!! Not even when her binky fell out of her mouth! She just slept and slept and slept. Eventually this morning, Kelly had to wake her up!!!
WOW!
I haven't gotten this much sleep since I was 6 months pregnant.
I feel amazing today!!!
WOW!
I haven't gotten this much sleep since I was 6 months pregnant.
I feel amazing today!!!
9/26/2007
New Pictures!
Isn't her sweater just so freakin' cute???? Bring on the cold!!!!
I love her blue eys. They are SO MUCH like her Mommy's beautiful blues...
She's a cutie...and she takes cute pictures, don't you think??
Always the sticking the tongue out! Always!
This may be the most beautiful, precious smile I've ever seen.
What's with the camera, Momma?
Laughing at her Mommy!
Mommy's really funny!
Yeah, Bailey...I love her too!
Momma and her Bailey on Football Sunday!!! Notice she's sitting on her own?? Yep, she does this regularly, now!
9/25/2007
Big Girl
Our little honey has started a new trend! Well, we hope it becomes a trend, anyway...
For the second night in a row, little Bailey slept through the night without needing to eat! Now, she wakes up and fusses because the binky isn't in her mouth and I sleep walk to her crib and pop it back in, but that is it. She falls right back to sleep. She's waking up about 4 times a night wanting the binky.
We think that the trick has been her rag. Her rag. Yes. Her rag. YUCK! But, we got started on this thing when she was just an infant. She was such a sloppy bottle drinker that we needed to use something very absorbant to keep her clean. We started using cloth diapers because they are very absorbant and cheap.
*sigh*
Bailey has now taken to them like a child would to any blanket or "lovie". The likes to hold the rag and put it over her face. She NEEDS the rag. So, we give it to her and it helps her sleep.
We're not complaining...
For the second night in a row, little Bailey slept through the night without needing to eat! Now, she wakes up and fusses because the binky isn't in her mouth and I sleep walk to her crib and pop it back in, but that is it. She falls right back to sleep. She's waking up about 4 times a night wanting the binky.
We think that the trick has been her rag. Her rag. Yes. Her rag. YUCK! But, we got started on this thing when she was just an infant. She was such a sloppy bottle drinker that we needed to use something very absorbant to keep her clean. We started using cloth diapers because they are very absorbant and cheap.
*sigh*
Bailey has now taken to them like a child would to any blanket or "lovie". The likes to hold the rag and put it over her face. She NEEDS the rag. So, we give it to her and it helps her sleep.
We're not complaining...
9/23/2007
Without Equal
Loving Bailey is without a doubt the best thing we have ever done. She is just so freakin' wonderful. Every day she changes and grows and becomes more and more her own person. She can sit up on her own now. Sometimes she will topple over, but she can usually stay up. She's trying really hard to crawl. She's not really even close yet, but she's trying. She gets on her belly and just thrusts her whole body, using her arms and legs to try and make it happen. It's truly precious.
Also, she's noticed the kitties. She likes to watch them and when they come near enough, she reaches for them. We are working on being nice to the kitties and talking about how much we love them and how we are gentle with them. But she still comes up with fistfuls of hair...LOL! The cats are amazingly patient with her. They know that she belongs with us and so they've accepted her.
Here are some cutie pie pictures of her. We have gotten bad about picture taking...but I promise that we'll get some good shots her soon!
Chillin' in the bath
She was smiling, but the camera caught her eye!
I'm not as annoyed as I look...just tired!
With my buddy, Danny!
Sleeping peacefully...
9/20/2007
Snot
You know it's bad when your child actually WANTS you to use that horrible blue squeegy thing and suck the snot out of her nose.
Our Bailey's cold is back. Do these thing ever go away??? I guess, as an adult, you don't realize how horrible it is when you can't breath through your nose.
Bailey was up every 45 minutes last night (and that was if we were lucky...most of the time it was more like every half hour or so). She has thick, green snot dripping (pouring?) out of her nose. Nothing seems to help. We're going to try some decongestant tonight. Hopefully we'll all get some sleep then.
Poor baby girl.
Our Bailey's cold is back. Do these thing ever go away??? I guess, as an adult, you don't realize how horrible it is when you can't breath through your nose.
Bailey was up every 45 minutes last night (and that was if we were lucky...most of the time it was more like every half hour or so). She has thick, green snot dripping (pouring?) out of her nose. Nothing seems to help. We're going to try some decongestant tonight. Hopefully we'll all get some sleep then.
Poor baby girl.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
