Four of a kind!

Easter with Family

2011-05-01T16:04:00.006-05:00

We got to spend Easter with Eric's family in Victoria Texas. Everyone had a great time! Thanks for having us Lucy and Rey!

What a difference a year makes!

2011-05-01T15:51:00.005-05:00

I think I have used this title before in previous posts by man o man has it changed. It's been almost a year to the day since I last posted. Mady is another year older (almost 3) and we are adding to our family tree. I am due to have a baby boy June 3rd and we can't wait. It's a boy and his name will be Gage Eric Gonzalez. Mady has changed so much and we just can't keep up with all of her milestones! I will do my best to keep this blog updated for friends and family to stay in touch. My best friend Sara recently hosted a shower for me and here are the pictures! I hope you all enjoy! Blessings!

21-22 months

2010-05-03T20:30:00.003-05:00

I know I am a little late in posting...but here are some new things that Mady is doing in her 21st-22nd months!

1. Letters...she is recognized them everywhere we go! And she gets them right! We know A-E and it's very exciting!
2. Copy cat-she is truly copying everything we do...from sitting next to me on the curb or trying to eat like me or dancing like daddy! She watches us and then tries to mimic what we do! And say...she said no nite nite mama which I am going to claim that as her first sentence!
3. She has many many new words...like okay (she says that alot because mommy says it alot!), house, me me me, mine, juice, water, and swim, and fish. I am sure there are more but I can't remember right now!
4. Animal sounds...she loves to act out different animal sounds like chicken, she puts her arms up under her and acts like a chicken, a cat, monkey, dog, duck, elephant, and tiger/lion. Its adorable and we love to hear her say the sounds and/or act them out.
5. Bedtime/Naptime - she actually likes to go to her room when you say "do you want to go nite nite?" she runs in there or goes to the gate to go upstairs and tries to climb in her bed. She actually gets fussy when you don't put her right in. It's so cute!
6. Toys-she is really into playing with toys that have the sorting. The shapes and numbers etc. She concentrates hard and places them in the right spots! She loves puzzles and the other day when the did puzzles at school and her teacher told me when I picked her up that she did really well and was showing the other kids how to do it! I was super proud!!!

That pretty much sums it up now...but will post more soon!

20 month pics...more to love!

2010-03-15T13:32:00.001-05:00

20 month pics! Enjoy

2010-03-15T13:25:00.002-05:00

20 Months!

2010-03-15T11:02:00.003-05:00

I can't belive she is already 20 months which means she is that much closer to being a big girl! Her birthday is right around the corner and while I have already booked a place for her party (gotta do it early for summer bdays) I still feel like we time...I hope! Here are some of her latest developments...
1. Talking...we have a new cat (our dil girl died in January) and his name is Diggy and mady loves to say no no diggy when he is doing something wrong which is pretty often.
2. She sings the ABC song with me and twinkle twinkle and row row row your boat. Of course they aren't the exact words but she tries!
3. She is in swim class and is doing very well (except when daddy comes to watch) She can almost float on her back, loves to blow bubbles, and most of all loves to toss the duck.
4. Animal sounds - she can moo, quack, bark, and roar. She loves to read books and point out the animal sounds.
5. The words she can say are ball, duck, mama, dadda, nana, ganpa, milk, more, no, yeah, diggy, dog, and kitty.
6. She loves to laugh and sing and run around and play chase with daddy around the kitchen island. She loves to climb on everything and everyone!
7. I taught her how to dip carrots in ranch dressing (light) and now she wants to dip everything in everything. She will dip her cheese cubes in her yogurt as well as her grapes! She knows how to make a mess!
8. Her absolute favorite thing to do is take bath!
9. She weights about 25 pounds and is 32 inches long now. She is skinny and a little tall and of course still has the cute little belly pudging out!
10. She still walks on her tip toes and daddy taught her how to walk backwards and loves to do that outside when we go on our daily walk.
11. She is quite the explorer...always facinated with new things and when we go outside, she loves to pick flowers and play with them!
12. Potty - we haven't started yet but I did buy her a pink potty and she likes to sit in it sometimes. It's a start!

That sums her up for now! Everyday is a new adventure! Pics are to follow!! Have a great spring break!

New Random Pictures...

2010-02-22T21:08:00.002-06:00

Here are some fun pics from the past couple of months! Enjoy!

I know I'm so far behind!!

2010-02-22T10:01:00.003-06:00

I know I know, everyone reminds me I need to update my blog! I hate to write as you all know but I love to post pictures of Mady and all her adventures! She is 19 months old now and she amazes us everyday with her knowledge! Here are some of the accomplishments so far!

1. Letters...as a teacher I am obsessed with making sure my child learns how to read and hopefully loves it as much as I do (I am into the twilight saga: new moon right now). She can recognize and say the letters A and B. We went to Babies R Us the other day and she looked up at the sign and said "A" as loud and excited as she could! She was so proud and so were we! She also recognized it and said it when she saw it on the wall in her room in her name! She also just last night saw the letter A on the back of my armada and said it while we were chatting outside with our neighbors! I have this app on my ipod touch that is just like flash cards and she loves to play with it and hear it say the letters!

2. She loves to play with Daddy! She is in love with him right now. We spent all day yesterday at the park hiking etc and she didn't want me to push the jogging stroller, she only wanted Daddy to push her. Then when we got home, Eric started pulling weeds in the frong yard and Mady jumped right in and started copying him (we didn't even ask or tell her anything). It was too cute!! I took a million pictures and will post it soon!

3. She loves to watch Yo Gabba Gabba, Dora, Caillou, and sometimes Sesame Street. She also loves to watch the Bee Movie and Finding Nemo.

4. She is eating pretty good except for veggies but she has been trying to eat some carrots a little! She is can eat hot dogs every day!

5. She is really sweet and loving and can not wait until daddy gets home each day to run and play with! She just adores him! I am truly humbled by their sweet connection! It makes me think of how special my relationship with my dad was all those years ago!

6. Imitation Queen...she loves to copy anything and everything that Eric and I do! From cooking to cleaning to weeding the yard...you name it. She tries to put on makeup like me and playing pretend in her new kitchen that nana and ganpa got for her for Valentine's Day.

7. Words - Mama, Dada, Nana, Ganpa, Milk, Bye Bye, Zoe, Kitty, nite nite, and of course her letters! She also can moo like a cow, bark like a dog, and roar like a tiger (our favorite). She knows all her body parts as well.

8. Food - she is still pretty picky but is showing more openness to try new things! she loves any and all fruit, no veggies (I sneak them in), bread, hot dogs, chicken, and all kinds of snacks. Oh, and of course cheese and yogurt!

9. School - she goes to a 2 day a week program right now and loves it! I am registering her for preschool on Thursday which she will start in August.

I will post new pictures soon I promise!

Favorite Pictures!

2009-12-27T21:26:00.003-06:00

Here are some great pics over the past few months that I wanted to share! Blessings to all!! Enjoy our sweet baby!

Long time no see...

2009-12-27T20:56:00.003-06:00

Okay so I know it has been a very LONG time since I wrote or posted picures...thanks to Facebook (my new addiction) I get a little lazy. So here are a few quick updates...Mady is 17 months now and is quite the busy bee. Speaking of bees...she adores the Bee Movie and watches parts of it pretty much every day. She talks alot (most of it makes no sense) but she does say a few words...nite nite, ball, cat, dog, hi dad, bye, bubbles (this is a new one), nana, and ganpa (Grandpa). She tries to say Chula and Sarah (Eric's parent's dogs names) but that is still pretty sketchy! She can sing the abc's which is adorable and of course not very clear but she is definatly trying! She also tries to count and says 1-2-3-GO all the time in teh bath tub. She understands alot and follows directions pretty good. She loves to be on the go and play. She is definately a thinker and studies everything you do. We have a lot of fun together and she gets so excited when daddy comes home at the end of the day and plays with him pretty much until supper time. She eats good although we still have a battle with veggies so I am sneaking them anyway I can! There are so many little things that she does! We have alot of great times! Hope you all had a great holiday and I will post pics up soon from Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas!

Look what I can do...

2009-09-29T20:08:00.002-05:00

Mady has grown up so much in the past few months and I just wanted to share all her accomplishments and personality traits with you all!
1. Still always walks on her tippie toes and even runs on them! So clumsy & cute!
2. Words - she says daddy, nite nite, cat, eat (only heard once by nana so far), book, go (we think), and ganpa (grandpa). She says mama mama mama when she is sad or sick or has a boo boo.
3. She loves to read books, chase the cats (she even gave dil girl a hug the other day), loves puzzles, and loves to give all of her stuffed animals hugs.
4. At nite, as part of her routine now, once she has drank her milk and we have brushed her teeth, she goes to the shelf and picks out a book, we read it, then she goes and puts it back (with mommy's help).
5. Food - she loves cheese, yogurt, any kind of fruit and bread. She refuses to eat veggies unless i give them to her as baby food then she is okay with it. We are still working on that battle. She loves chicken nuggets and fries (only gets it once in a while) and she LOVES her grandpa's tortillas!! She drinks milk and water from either a sippy cup or a straw - she loves the straw. Daddy introduced her to iced tea and she loved it! No worries - its sugar free and decaf!
6. Sleep - she had been doing great, going down at 8 and waking up at 6 or 6 30 but now she is cutting 4-6 teeth so that is waking her up almost every night and we give her tylenol then she goes back down.
7. Entertainment - she is addicted to TV and that is a blessing and a curse! Sesame Street and Yo Gabba Gabba.
8. She just started to color and loves it. We are still learning to only color on paper!
9. She loves to help me clean...she carries around the broom and tries to sweep and she loves to wipe off her high chair tray.
10. She loves loves loves to feed herself with a spoon. It's a messy meal but she and I have fun. Daddy thinks its gross.
11. She is in love with her grandpa! She adores him!
12. She loves to blow kisses, give kisses right on your lips, and give hugs!
13. We go for walks daily down to the mail box and I think its the highlight of her day!
14. She loves to play with daddy all the time! Her eyes light up when he walks in the room.
15. She does lots of sign language - more, yummy, eat.
16. She loves to blow bubbles in the bath tub-she practices for swim class.
17. The biggest thing is that she started mother's day out which is good and bad. I know she has fun and it's a great thing for socialization however, its making naps a bit more difficult now because she is dropping down to one a day...the transition is a slow process but we are working on it!
18. She is a great listener and does what we ask her to do...she has great comprehension.

We are just facinated every day with all she learns and does! It's so fun teaching her stuff! She is a sponge and soaks it all up!

Blessings - The Gonzalez Family

Kiddie Park Day!

2009-09-28T14:22:00.003-05:00

We recently went to the kiddie park with our new friends Megan and Jack Trauth. Here are the pics!

Mady LOVED the sprinkler!!!

2009-08-09T20:14:00.004-05:00

Hey Everyone...we were watering the yard the other day...yes it was our designated day and Mady fell in love with it! Here are the pictures and a cute video! Enjoy!

2009-08-08T16:58:00.001-05:00

It's My Party...

2009-08-08T16:40:00.004-05:00

Here are some great pics from Mady's first birthday party! Thanks for coming everyone! We had a fabulous turnout! Hope you all had fun and I am so glad I didn't run out of food!!! I was worried! Love to all!

What a difference a year makes!

2009-07-15T23:24:00.002-05:00

Wow!!~I can't believe it has been an entire year since Mady came into my life and rocked my world! I am such a lucky mom! She changes everyday and its so wonderful to see how quickly she learns how to do so much...its an amazing adventure for her everyday! Here are some of the things she has accomplished so far...
1. Walking - she is getting really good and very confident. She is still a little clumsy at times and can only take about 10 steps on her own. She taught herself how to stand up without any help or holding on to anything. She puts one knee up and then stand up. It is sooo cute!
2. Talking - she says Hi all the time to everyone. She says Kit Kit when she sees our cat Zoe and she says thank you (in a cute little whisper) when you give her something or you share with her.
3. Exploring - she is very curious of every thing and everyone!
4. Kisses - she tries to blow kisses like a fish.
5. Hugs - when you ask her, she will lean over and give you a hug.
6. She waves hi and bye to everyone she runs into or anyone who starts talking to her!
7. Food - she loves to feed herself and hates baby food now. She loves to dring very cold water.

There are so many other little cute things she does but I wouldn't be able to fit them all in so here are a few pics instead! Enjoy and thanks baby girl for just being you! You are truly the greatest thing I have ever done!

We love you...Mommy & Daddy!

Just kidding...this is it...sorry!

2009-07-04T12:24:00.002-05:00

i think this is it!

2009-07-04T12:21:00.001-05:00

and more pics!

2009-07-04T12:18:00.001-05:00

More Gym Pics

2009-07-04T12:16:00.001-05:00

Gymboree

2009-07-04T12:07:00.005-05:00

Since Mady is almost walking by herself, I thought it would be fun to join Gymboree's Play and Learn program. Its a great program for kids to play well as interact with other kids. Plus its indoor so we don't have to worry about the heat. Here are the pics from our first class. She had a blast. She laughed and played the whole time and didn't want to leave! I think Nana had just as much fun taking pics and watching. I was breaking a sweat chasing her around. I couldn't keep up! It was great! We can't wait til our next class. Enjoy!~

Lake Tahoe

2009-06-17T16:44:00.003-05:00

New Pics...

2009-05-28T21:13:00.000-05:00

Baby Love

2009-05-28T20:52:00.004-05:00

Mady is quickly going from little baby to little big girl! She is 10 months now and keeps me, eric, and nana on our toes. She is quite the explorer! She is so curious of everything and everyone around her. She loves meeting new people and says hi to everyone she meets or is near. At Target today she made a friend with a college girl who she kept smiling at. We ran into the girl alot at Target and Mady would smile and laugh when she saw her. It was so cute.

Mady loves to read books, pointing out the dog, cat, or spider she sees. SHE LOVES ZOE our cat. She says kit kit but its more of a whisper. She and Zoe play tag all day long. I am not sure who likes the game more, Zoe or Mady. Mady crawls like a mad woman and is very fast. She is standing alot on her own and of course cruises around all the furniture. She prefers to stand (with support) then sit and is constantly playing. She will sit still when she first wakes up in the morning 7am and perfect timing because Sesame Street is on and she will sit in my lap, or daddy's or nana's and watch it for a little bit, then she is off, ready to conquer the world. She loves to go for walks and loves to eat. She is doing great, talking alot (of course in her own baby language) but I can see she is trying to communicate with us. She says dada dada alot but I don't think she knows what that means yet. Its just her way of talking to us.

She is finally sleeping like champ at night. She takes a bath (her and daddy's time) at 7:30 then he passes her to me, she drinks 6 oz of formula, then goes down by about 8pm. She doesn't wake up until at least 6:30 or 7am!!! I love it! At about 8 months, we decided to let her cry it out and see how that worked. The first night was miserable, she cried for an hour and a half (even Nana) was upset. After about a week of doing this, the time frame got shorter, and then bam...she was sleeping 11 hours! I am in heaven!! For the first time in 8 months I got a full nights sleep! If I had known how well it would work, I would have done it months ago!! Now I know for the next one!

We are very busy with Eric's new job at New York Life (which he loves), the swim school, and overall busy summer plans.

We are going to Lake Tahoe in June and leaving Mady with Nana and Grandpa. I am excited but of course a little sad and nervous. We haven't left her for more than a weekend so this will be new for us all. But we need it.

She is doing great in swimming class! She loves and when she goes under water, she spits the water out like a fountain. Its funny to watch. We are having so much fun!

Motherhood is the hardest job but by far the most rewarding. Until next time!!

Love to all~The Gonzalez's

Mady's First Easter

2009-05-04T17:06:00.002-05:00

New Pics

2009-04-29T17:15:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the delay...life has been very hectic!
Mady is crawling all over the place and pull herself up on everything, and starting to walk a little with some assistance of course! She is taking swimming lessons too and doing great! The pictures are going to be random but I hope you like them!!

Crawling Butterfly

2009-03-13T08:28:00.004-05:00

Mady's nana bought her this toy for valentine's day. She loves to chase it. Here is the video! Take care!

They grow up so fast!

2009-03-13T08:18:00.002-05:00

So Mady is growing like crazy and I am officially exhausted. She is crawling now...not just a few steps but going everywhere and getting into everything. Its amazing how quickly she gets from one place to another and has figured out how quickly she can move around. Its like night and day. I was off work this week and was so excited to get to spend some quality time with her. However, I find myself as tired as I was when she was first born. But I love it. She is soo much fun. Daddy makes her laugh all the time. Here are some of the new things she is doing...enjoy!

1. Crawling...I will post a video soon!
2. Sitting up - all the time.
3. Laughing alot!
4. A busy body - she gets bored of her toys so I am always having to put some away and bring out new ones for her to be entertained with. She has a few that she really likes but for the most part is just looking for something different to play with.
5. Over baby einstein - she used to watch baby einstein videos with such intensity. Now she isn't interested at all. She would rather crawl around and play.
6. Climbing-she is definatley in the climbing mode. After we came back from the valley...she started to climb on things and crawl alot faster. I guess she watched Kai do it some much that she picked it up. Thanks Kai!
7. Naptime - has never been a great experience for either of us but she is doing good. She takes 3-4 naps a day depending on how long they are. I still let her cry it out but eventually go in a calm her down. She has started to pull her self up on the rail and just waits for me to come in. I have pics and will post those soon.
8. Rainforest - she has a rainforest in her crib that plays music and such (most new mom's know what this is) and has now learned how to pull up and turn it on and off.
9. No teeth yet but we are hopeful!

I think that is about it for now. I will post some pics and videos over the next few days!

Hope everyone has a great weekend...stay dry!

Eric and Manon Gonzalez

Home sweet home!

2009-03-13T08:07:00.004-05:00

Mady and I traveled to Edinburg a couple of weekens ago to see friends. I was hosting a bridal shower for Shannon who is getting married to my best friend Caleb in a few weeks. We hung out with Jen alot and her little boy Kai. Thanks so much for having us over Jen! Also thanks soooo much to Jim and Sarah for watching Mady for me! That was so sweet and such a nice little break!

New Pics

2009-02-20T12:04:00.002-06:00

Mady, Nana, and I went shopping the other day and had to take some pics of Mady all dressed up. Since she stays home most of the day, she doesn't get to wear all her cute clothes~ This outfit is from Valerie Shatto - Eric's cousin! Thanks so much Valerie! we love it!

Mobile Pics

2009-01-30T17:45:00.000-06:00

Mobile Pics

2009-01-30T17:30:00.004-06:00

I have gotten really addicted to Facebook and they have an option to download your mobile pics. So here are the ones I downloaded...more to come...kind of a hodgpodge of pics though...Enjoy~!~~

Rolly Polly

2009-01-29T21:00:00.004-06:00

Sorry, I don't have any pics to upload because they are all on Eric's computer and he is in Florida.

So I thought I would write instead...

Mady is changing so much every day and teaches me to be very patience and playful.
Okay so here are something she is doing now.
Eating - she loves to eat hre veggies and fruits - which I try to make myself but still learning. She is not a big fan of the bottle but will take it when she has too. She also loves cereal. She is great sitting up in the high chair but you can't give her the bottle while she is in there. She wants food.

She is 16 1/2 pounds and 26 inches long. She has quite the personality and loves to laugh. Daddy is very good at making her laugh. She also loves to laugh at the puppets on TV - yes she is already addicted! She especially loves Bert and Ernie - we got her a little ernie doll and daddy talks to her in ernie's voice and she LOVES it!

She is always on the go. She rolls everywhere. She is trying to crawl but can't get her head up. She pushes her legs and butt up. Its too cute! She is sitting up with very little help. She loves books. She is also rolling alot in her crib which makes her naps a little crazy. She loves to sleep with her feet under her and her butt up. Another cute thing she does.

She is teething but no teeth yet. She is very active and loves to play. Nana does a lot of playing with her too.

At night, or when she is really wired and needs to settle down for a nap, I sing to her - twinkle twinkle and it seems to work. I have a horrible voice but she doesn't care. She still doesn't have much hair but its coming and its actually pretty light which surprises me because I have medium brown and Eric has almost black hair.

Her eyes are green/hazel and I think that is the only thing she has of me...besides my nose. Poor Baby.

She loves to go to Supertarget and sit in the shopping cart like a big girl (with a cover of course) and look around. She loves to observe the world.

Well, I guess that is it for now.

God Bless!

2009-01-24T23:14:00.000-06:00

and more...

2008-12-28T23:53:00.003-06:00

and more xmas photos...

2008-12-28T23:52:00.002-06:00

Mady's First Christmas Cont...

2008-12-28T23:45:00.003-06:00

Here are some more pics...ran out of room...

Mady's First Christmas

2008-12-28T23:35:00.003-06:00

Here are some pictures from Mady's First Christmas...we spent Christmas Eve with my sisters and their families and Christmas night with Eric's parents and Aunt and Uncle...we had a great time and thanks to all our family for the great Mady gifts...she is set for a while on clothes now! Love to all and Happy New Year!

Gone are the days...

2008-12-23T10:03:00.003-06:00

Gone are the days of going out to eat
Gone are the days of sleeping in on the weekends
Gone are the days of shopping for fun
Gone are the days of not living on a budget
Gone are the days of taking a soak in the tub
Gone are the days of being lazy in your pj's all day
Gone are the days of being selfish
Gone are the days of living for the next big event
and most importantly,
Gone are the days of not knowing what your life's purpose is

She is truly our christmas blessing and we hope that everyone is as happy as us during this holiday season! Merry Chritmas and a Happy New Year!

Eric, Manon, & Mady Gonzalez

Mady Takes Over Disney World...

2008-12-16T18:37:00.001-06:00

Photo Shoot

2008-12-15T19:12:00.002-06:00

We went downtown last weekend to take some photos of Mady and us. Take a look...www.momentsandmilestones.photoreflect.com click on Mady's name and the password is madycakes. Enjoy! They will only be available until Friday.

Santa's Favorite!

2008-12-14T16:42:00.001-06:00

We went to the mall yesterday to take Mady's Santa Picture. Here is what we got. We were so surprised how well she did. Of course, she had just woken up from a good nap and mommy was on the floor trying to make her laugh. I guess it worked! We couldn't believe we got such a good picture. Granted, she is way too young to be scared of him yet. I am sure those days are sure to come! Have a great holiday season everyone! Merry Christmas!

Gotta catch up!

2008-12-05T17:29:00.002-06:00

Okay so I know I am really bad about writing...the truth is, I hate to write! My mom was really a great writer so I always had her help me and my husband is great too so anytime I have to write something, I want his help. Well, I need to be better about this. I keep need to write down all of my little love's accomplishments so I won't forget.

She is 5 months old now and I still can't believe it! Time flies when your having fun. Everyone kept saying time would go by quickly but I didn't really believe it in those first few weeks when I thought I was the worst mom ever make my daughter learn how to breastfeed and letting her "cry it out" more times than I wanted to. But we survived and I love how much time I get to spend with her. I know I am really lucky to get this time. I am going to start working part time for our swim school in January and am pretty bummed. I know she will be well taken care of but I am still a little selfish and don't want to share her. The good thing is that I think she really knows who I am and that makes me happy. When she is hanging out with daddy and I am cooking, she is watching my every move. Its soo cute.

So back to the point...here are some recent accomplishments.

1. She can almost stand up ...when I pull her up to sit up...she wants to just stand and look around.

2. She is a very very very curious kid and I know will be a great explorer. She studies everything and everyone.

3. She can roll over from her tummy to her back and back to tummy. She doesn't really like "tummy time" so I try to make it a little fun but laying in front of her or putting her toys in front to get her to stay focused on something.

4. She reaches and grabs everything you put in front of her...especially hair and necklaces. I have stopped wearing them and have my hair pulled back most days.

5. Anything and everything must go in her mouth. I know she is teething and must somehow try to chew on anything she can. Its too cute~

6. Food - we have been doing cereal for a few weeks and then introduced veggies during thanksgiving. Mady is such a piglet...she can eat a whole jar of veggies. I only give it to her once a day at lunch and she loves it. I think she is starting to not want formula as much cuz she thinks she is getting either cereal or veggies. I do cereal at her first meal of the day and last and veggies only at lunch. I may cut out the morning cereal. I am not sure yet.

7. And the biggest and best thing she is doing now....sleeping through the night!!!!
The past 2 nights, she slept from 9pm til 5am and then last night she went from 9pm to 7am! I was in shock I kept waking up thinking...I know she is going to wake up any minute and nope...nada. There were a couple of times where I thought she was but she put herself back to sleep! It was awesome!!!! I would hate when I heard about other babies who slept through the night so early and now I don't have to hate them anymore!

We are still working on establishing a decent nap routine. She is truly a cat napper and no matter what I try, she won't sleep very long. Sometimes she surprises me and sleeps for 45 mins to an hour but that is rare. By the end of the day she gets fussy because she is soo tired. But I don't know what else to do, I have tried forcing her to stay in her crib and cry it out (which I am doing right now) letting her sleep on our bed (she loves that) but I know that is just going to cause problems later so I don't do that unless I am desperate etc. I put her down before I see the rubbing of the eyes and she just wants to play then I put her down when I see the first sign of her being tired and she fights it. So who knows. I am not sure what to do but I try hard to let her establish a routine and that works sometimes and other times it doesn't.

She has a great routine for bedtime and goes down like a champ but we started that early and stayed consistant. I just have a hard time doing that with her during the day because she wants to be up and playing.

I guess that is all for now! We can't wait for Christmas! Happy Holidays!

Green Beans Video

2008-12-01T19:38:00.002-06:00

Food Videos...

2008-12-01T19:09:00.002-06:00

Rice Cereal and beyond...

2008-12-01T18:54:00.003-06:00

mmmm....
not too sure if I like this?

Mmm..more peas!

Before the mess begins!

Not too sure what to think of this stuff mom...

Messy stuff...

Mady started to eat rice cereal a couple of weeks ago and I recently introduced her to veggies...here are some pics and videos! Enjoy!

The Douglass Casa

2008-12-01T18:27:00.003-06:00

Looking so intently at her future icon!
Trying to put Santa in her mouth (very popular activity these days!)

Typical Mady pose!

Mmm...cookie jar, how do I get into that?

Happy Holidays!

We took some pictures over the weekend in Mady's christmas stuff to hopefully capture a good shot for her christmas pictures. We did get some great shots and wanted to make sure we included the infamous Santa. A big thanks goes out to our good friends...the Douglass's! Mady loved holding the Santa!

Happy Turkey Day!

2008-11-28T20:19:00.003-06:00

Veronica & her dad Uncle Rey...Papo
Uncle Richard thinking...

The cousins...Ronnie & Eric

Nana & Mady

Mmmm...peas!

Mmmm...more peas!

Mommy is really enjoying this...couldn't stop laughing~

Just before peas...

Im ready for food!
The boys were starving!

Aunt Lucy and Sydney passing out plates!

Veronica & Sydney

The boys watching football~

We had the Gonzalez/Herrera/Messersmith Family over for Thanksgiving and had a great time! Here are some cute pics of everyone! Thanks family for coming and for the delicious food!

2008-11-26T18:10:00.002-06:00

Poser

2008-11-26T18:03:00.000-06:00

Here are some recent pics of the little one...more to follow!

2008-11-16T16:35:00.000-06:00

Cute Pictures...

Funny Faces...

2008-11-16T16:32:00.000-06:00

Happy 4 Months Little Love

2008-11-04T21:46:00.005-06:00

7-15-08
11-04-08

Baby Girl turned 4 months today! I can't belive it! It feels like yesterday I was being cut open and she was being taken out. I can still feel the intense pain in the hospital along with the pure joy! She has grown so much and I love this stage of her life! I hope yall have as much fun looking at the pics and I enjoy taking them! My how she has changed! Enjoy~

Peek a boo...

2008-11-04T21:38:00.004-06:00

I see you...
new favorite pajamas!

my little love!

Dil Girl with her paw on Mady's head taking a nap! So cute!

Look, I can stand up on my own (with Daddy's help!~) I swear this girl is going to walk before she crawls!

Here are some fun pictures I have taken over the past couple of days! Enjoy~

Happy Halloween

2008-11-04T15:05:00.005-06:00

Daddy & Mady

Like my shirt...

Hi Guys...I can almost sit up!

I didn't get too creative this time because Mady is so young. But we did get a onesie and some fun socks so here are some pictures! She was in bed by the time most of the trick or treaters came by.

Videos for Grandpa...

2008-10-29T13:14:00.002-05:00

My cell isn't working right and I can't send videos and Grandpa wants one everyday. So here are some videos...thanks to grandpa!~

More palm trees

2008-10-29T12:31:00.005-05:00

Marla and Mady
Me and Kai

Kai and Mommy Jen

Jen's mom and Mady

Jen, Kai, Mady and Mr. Mayo

Shannon and Kai

Shannon and the kiddos

My favorite picture!

Playmates

Baby Kai

While down in the valley...I got to see some of my best friends and their kiddos! Enjoy the pics!

Went to see Palm Trees...

2008-10-29T11:57:00.007-05:00

Uncle Jim and Mady

Monica and Mady napping!

Tyler and Mady

Dancing with Aunt Velvet

Jim and Monica dancing

Monica Mady and Tyler - they kept fighting over who got to hold her~

Kaylee and Mady

The Jaynes Family and Mady

This past weekend Mady and I went to the Valley (Edinburg is where I am from ) to visit family and friends. We had a great time! Here are the pictures!! I meant to get a picture of Mady with a palm tree but ran out of time! Enjoy~

New Clothes...

2008-10-29T11:35:00.004-05:00

Here are some recent pics in her new outfits...

This one is from Aunt Sara

Here is her juicy couture outfit from Aunt Nikki

This is one of the favorites from Gymboree! Love the headband!

Now I get it...

2008-10-16T22:49:00.003-05:00

I know most people check this post to see how Mady is doing and to see pictures. That will not be the case today. Tonight I am going to stray from my usual pictures and fun events and talk about the past and parenting.

Let me start by saying that I just can't get enough of my little girl. I know its so cliche to say this but I never knew you could love something so much and I now realize how much my parents really loved me. I sit here and think about the past 30 years and the things I did, the words I said, and the lies I told to my parents. I wouldn't say I was a bad kid...but I wasn't the best all the time either. I feel so guilty now because I know there were times I wanted nothing to do with my parents. I can't believe how selfish, immature, and crazy I was. All they wanted was for me to work hard, be strong, and be happy. All I wanted was to get out of town as soon as I turned 18 and try a new adventure. I used to get so mad at Vida Kay when she would wait up half the night for me to get home from a trip to Frida's (that's in Reynosa) or on a date, or out with my friends. Now I understand why she did what she did.

I never understood why my parents did things and said things that just drove Velvet and I crazy. Now I get it. Now i get why the pushed me to be the best, to study hard, and to be a good person. I realize Mady is only 3 months old but I already find myself dreaming about her upcoming milestones and what all I can do to help her succeed. Its so silly I know but I can't help it. I just love her soo much and don't want to spend a second without her! I want her to experience everything and to be a good person. I know she will be the best person she can be.

I know you are gone mom and dad but I want you to know that who I am today is because of you both.

Dad, you pushed me to be the best that I can be and your words of encouragement will stay with me forever. Embedded in my mind is the memory of you standing at the 100 yard mark as I came around the curve and shouting out my split time and then somehow as I finsihed the race, you were right there waiting for me. How you did that I will never know but I will never forget it.

Mom, we went through so much together. In the end, when daddy was gone and the dust settled, all we had was each other to get us through those sad lonely nights. You stayed so strong for me and tried to give me as normal a life as possible. I know it was hard but I told myself that once I found a person to love as much as you loved daddy, that I would never take him for granted. You were a great mom and wife and I admire what you and daddy had and hope that my marriage will be as strong and unique as you and dad's was. Thanks for all the support and encouragement and for never giving up on me.

Parenting is hard. I get that now and will never take for granted again all the blessings I have and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Until next time...

Pumkin Patch

2008-10-13T09:46:00.003-05:00

Nana and I took Mady to a pumpkin patch this weekend. We had to wake Mady up and it was windy so she wasn't in the best of moods. Here are the pictures! We had fun!

Mady's first playdate...

2008-10-08T15:14:00.005-05:00

M1ady had her first playdate today. A neighbor (who loves to hold Mady when we see her) brought her granddaughter over to play. Here is the video of the girls playing...too cute~ Thanks Dora & Cassie for coming over!

Manon

2008-10-06T16:54:00.002-05:00

Happy 3 Months Little One!

2008-10-06T16:43:00.003-05:00

Sort of yawning...so cute! I love this outfit!
hi guys!
Mommy & Mady at drs. office
Mommy's 2 favorite people!
Mady in the bumbo watching baby einstein!

Well...we made it to 3 months...almost. I'm a day early. She has really grown in the past couple of weeks! Wow! She is changing everyday and gets more fun by the second. She loves to talk to her daddy before she takes a bath. We love bath time and she likes it too. She doesn't like daddy putting water on her face as much but he is trying to get her ready for swimming in January. When your dad owns a swim school...the expectation is there. Oh boy...its already starting~. Enjoy the videos and pics!

Love to all!
Manon

Our little one talking...

2008-10-06T09:54:00.005-05:00

Here a cute video of Mady talking and smiling...

Surviving...

2008-09-25T10:00:00.003-05:00

Okay...so we survived yesterday! She is doing much better at going down in her crib for a nap. She hasn't cried yet...I am sure as soon as I say that though, I am going to hear her cry. We went to the pediatrician yesterday and decided that Mady has colic. I was hoping that she didn't but deep down I knew she did. Its only in the mid to late afternoon time and she was really fussy and wouldn't eat and just wanted to sleep but of course not in her crib. So the doctor gave me a couple of tips which worked wonderfully. We will see how it goes today. She had me buy some drops that are supposed to help with the colic. It better work...I paid 37.00 for a tiny bottle but it supposed to last a month. The doc said she has seen great progress with this medicine. She also told me about Enfamil's Gentle Ease formula to use when I need to use it to help. She said her patients really like it. She also said that Mady should out grow the colic in the next few weeks so here's hoping! I will try to post up some pictures later on today. Need to clean house right now while she is asleep!

Love to all...Manon

This is torture!!!

2008-09-22T20:04:00.002-05:00

As I sit here writing this...my little angel is screaming her head off! She does not want to take a nap because she wants to be held. This is the second time she has done this today. I do my best not to hold her before she falls asleep. She has slept most of the day in her bouncy or in the crib. Just once she slept with me and only because mommy fell asleep waiting for her to fall asleep. This whole "let her cry" is torture. She has tears now and it breaks my heart. I hope she isn't sick and I am letting her cry for the wrong reasons. As soon as I or Eric pick her up, she is fine. Then we put her back down and bam...there goes the square mouth and blood curdling scream. My baby has some lungs! If anyone has had experience with this...please email me or comment back. I am at a loss.

Cheers, Manon

A Great Man...

2008-09-20T14:54:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was a very sad day. I got the news that my former (and best) boss passed away from a heart attack. His name was Dr. Ruskin C. Norman and I worked for him for four years as his office assistant and compadre. He was so good to me, took care of me, and was truly a kind person. He loved going to lunch and trying new places and we had great conversations. He loved watching the stock market all day and tried to get me interested. I never knew my grandfathers and he was the closest thing I had to one. I will miss him very much as will everyone who knew him. He is truly an inspiriation! He lead a great life and we can only be so lucky as to be as happy as he was! I love you Dr. Norman and will never forget you!

Manon

Here is his obituary...www.porterloring.com

Sip & See

2008-09-14T13:09:00.006-05:00

Sonnette & Mady
Mommy & Mady
Mady's party dress...daddy hates the bows!
Ernie, Tracy, and Ann
Rita & Nikki
Ann & Mady
Aunt Abby & Mady
Ernie & Eric

Gina & Mady
Some of the kiddos! They had fun running up and down the stairs!
Little miss Tori!
The guys talking politics...it was a fun conversation!

We had a Sip & See last weekend. Thanks to all of our friends and neighbors for coming! We had a great time! Thanks also to Nana & Papi for cooking all the fabulous food~ Eric, Manon, & Mady

Nikki's Surprise Party

2008-09-10T13:31:00.004-05:00

Tommy & Mady
Nikki & Mady
Mommy & Mady
The Party Girl!
The gorgeous cake by Lisa...truly amazing!

Mady's party outfit
Kathy, Lisa, and Mady
Nikki & Tommy
Mady sleeping with Daddy at party
Kelly & Lisa

One of my best friends Nikki celebrated her birthday this past weekend. It was a surprise! Here are some pictures! Happy Birthday Girl! Love Manon

Happy 2 months baby girl!

2008-09-10T12:35:00.004-05:00

My curious face!
Pretty in pink!
Mady in the bumbo...she is not quite ready for it though!
Pretty girl...
Dil Girl loves to sit in the basket under the stroller!

We celebrated Mady's 2 month birthday yesterday! She, Mommy, and Aunt Nikki went to lunch at PF Chang's while daddy stayed home to do more work. We also went shopping! It was fun but if Mady is not in a great mood, shopping gets cut short. She did okay but of course Aunt Nikki helped by holding her almost the entire time. Normally I wouldn't want her to be held so much but I know she had some tummy issues (which I hope will get better as she gets older) so I didn't mind her being held and comforted. Here at home, I have to force myself (and her dad) to put her down before she falls asleep either in her crib or in the bouncy. We have tried the swing but she doesn't like it yet. Still too young I think. We have also turned off the vibration in the crib so that she doesn't need much to go to sleep. We still have some music in the background which is fine. She has her own Ipod so might as well use it.

Things are going good...just dreading daddy going back to work tomorrow. He was supposed to go back today but since he went on paternity leave, the bank, temporarily blocked him out so he is waiting for his systems to be reinstated so he can go back. No point in sitting in an office when you don't have access to anything!

We are fixing to take in some evacuees from IKE. Rita and Lacho and Lucy and Rey all must evacuate so they are headed here for the week and weekend. I love Ike because that means, that I have more help with feedings, and changings, and can take naps etc. Its great! I do hope it doesn't do any damage though!

Here are some recent pictures so enjoy! Love Manon

So much to do...so little time!

2008-09-02T22:03:00.004-05:00

At Grandma's house...read my shirt!
My new night gown! Mommy loves it!
One of mommy's favorite times of the day...
Another great moment!
I'm getting big...notice my rolls...thats why mommy and daddy call me piglet!

As many mothers before me know, you pretty much can't get anything done when you have a baby. Since we decided to have me stay home, we were also assuming I would be able to clean, cook, and take care of the day to day stuff ...run errands etc. Fat chance! This little girl takes every second I have. When she finally does go to sleep...its only for 20 - 30 minutes and I am either pumping, washing bottles, or napping (almost never). I love spending every second with her but its hard when she is a light sleeper, gassy, or just plain fussy. I know they say that things will get better...who is they? They say, they say...I am so tired of that! I have learned that this little girl is very unpredictable. Just when I think we have it down, she changes everything. Right now, I would love for her to go longer than 2 hours between feedings. That makes nursing very difficult. I am still doing it...reluctanlty. I know its the best thing for her and that is what keeps me going. My husband sees our frustration and thinks we should go ahead and switch to formula for my sake. But he knows how much I want to do it so he is as supportive as he can be. I am not giving up...I am determined to make it to 3 months. She does pretty good most days but there are those times when she is crying because she is hungry and is very gassy and takes it out on my boobs! Those are hard times! But in the end, I know it is soothing to her and she is getting the best nutrition possible. Okay...enough of my whining...here is some updated pictures. I can't believe she is already 7 weeks old today! Happy Birthday Piglet! Manon

The big night...

2008-08-18T21:24:00.002-05:00

So last night, we decided we should move Mady from our room to her room. As much as I want her to stay in our room, I know the sooner we transition, the easier it will be in the long run. She did pretty good for me last night (I slept in the guest room next door) but Eric said she gave a little bit of trouble. We will see how tonight goes...as I am writing this...she is crying in her crib. Until next time...Manon

A busy weekend...

2008-08-18T21:13:00.003-05:00

The girls at Kona Grill
Ms. Harper - our goddaughter
Harper trying to hold Mady's hand
The girls...on the way to the mall to shop!
The girls...on the way home...they shopped til they dropped!

Last weekend, Sara, Heath, and Harper came to visit. We had a great time! Here are the pictures.

My first trip to Grandma's!

2008-08-13T19:06:00.004-05:00

Sydney almost kicks mom in the head...I love Ronnie's face!
Eric, Ronnie, & Mady
Great Grandma Gonzalez & Mady

Mady had her first trip to grandma's a couple of weekends ago! It was so special because Mady got to meet her great grandmother Gonzalez as well as cousins Veronica & Matt. Here are some great pictures of that weekend!

Love to all...Manon

Things are going to get easier...

2008-08-13T19:03:00.003-05:00

Thats what everyone keeps saying...I am finally starting to believe that. Mady has definately made it known to us that she is unpredictable. However, for the past couple of days she has been really great and getting more and more stable. I hope I didn't just jinx us! We are really enjoying this time with her and love every minute we get to spend with her! She is a doll! Eric is great and I don't know what I am going to do when he goes back to work! I am so used to having him here getting dinner ready or feeding her while I rest etc. I love ya babe! Don't leave us!