One of the best things about a baby is their baby smell. The smell of freshness from the laundry, the Johnson & Johnson's Baby Magic lotion and the pure scent that comes from within. I have enjoyed cuddling with Madison since the day she was born. Holding her in my arms while she nuzzles her nose in the crook of my neck as I take in her delicious scent. I enjoy giving her a bath to freshen her up and to make her sweet scent stronger.



Since Friday, our baby has taken on a new smell. The smell of Crisco. Yes, you read it correctly Crisco. As in shortening that you bake, fry and/or saute with...in the kitchen. She no longer possesses that delicious smell of new baby. She smells like a chicken. I however still long to cuddle with Maddie but when I do my face gets slathered with grease and I fear I'm going to breakout like a teenager facing puberty. Crisco is how we used to cook our french fries. Yes, not the healthiest of choices but that is what we did.

By now, you have to be wondering why in the heck we are putting Crisco on our child. Well, Madison has developed severe dry skin. She's had this for several weeks. I've tried about every lotion, gel, ointment, oil and bath on the market. Which, I'm sure, hasn't helped matters. We took her to a dermatologist on Friday and her expert advice was to load on the Crisco. Of course I laughed and said "That's funny. Now what do you really suggest we do?" She wasn't laughing. So, Ryan went to the grocery and purchased a tub of Crisco.



I've since learned, from other mothers, that this isn't so out of the ordinary. They too have been instructed to slather on the grease. Which makes me feel a little better....sort of.



Madison, of course, doesn't seem to mind. Baby lotion, baby oil, Crisco it's all the same to her. So, we will continue to grease up our little peanut until directed otherwise. (We have a follow-up appointment tomorrow. I'm so hoping we are directed otherwise.)

Happy Anniversary!

At 5:30 pm on March 25, 2006 I married my best friend, that was four years ago.





































In celebration of our past three anniversaries we have taken a trip just to get away and celebrate our marriage. We've gone to Chicago, Nashville and Colorado. Thinking about our last anniversary reminds me of my attempt at snow skiing....for the first time...while pregnant...and the accident. Whoops!



































This year we are celebrating in a very different way. We are home, business as usual but spending this anniversary with our daughter and I couldn't be happier.


We've had a big year! We've grown stronger as a couple and learned a lot about each other. Ryan has probably learned more about me than he ever thought he would. Becoming parents has changed us for the better. We were ready, it was time. Seeing my husband with my daughter puts the biggest smile on my face and reminds me that..... Life Is Good!

And here we are today...4 years later. Yep, could be the worst picture ever but hey it's real. Maddie is starving, Ryan just wants to lay on the couch, watch the games and feed Maddie and I want "just one more" because I know we are going to get a good picture if we keep trying. Well, needless to say I lost. They did their thing and I am left with just this picture. Bottom line: Life is still good!

Spring Has Sprung

Well, hello there.

We have had some gorgeous weather the past few days. Today, not so nice but last week was awesome. Lucky for us we were able to take advantage of this gift from Mother Nature. It is so nice to finally get out of the house and enjoy some fresh air. I have forgotten how much I love Spring and how much I needed to get outside.

We have taken Madison on many walks. She loves the constant movement of the stroller and it always lulls her to sleep. I put on my headphones, turn up my ipod, strap Madison in and walk like there is no tomorrow. Momma's got some baby weight to lose!

Alright, yes, the sidewalk chalk was totally for me. However, I successfully managed to make it look as if it was completely for Maddie. We are going to have so much fun as the weather continues to warm. I can't wait!

Shots, Sleepovers and Sports

Last week Maddie made a visit to see her Pap and Nana. This time it was strictly business....it was time for her 4 month check up and unfortunately a second round of shots. Maddie weighed in at 15 lbs. and 9 ozs. and she is now 26 inches tall. All was fine at the doctor's office...she got weighed in, Nana showed her off to everyone, we sang "The Wheels on the Bus". Then, in came Nana and Stephanie with the shots. As expected, once stuck with the needles, our little girl cried out. I comforted our little sugar booger and all was forgotten by the time we left the room.















Oh Marvin.....

Prior to Madison finding her voice and squealing, Marvin barely noticed her. We have gated our living room to make a place for Maddie to be lick free. One evening Ryan, Maddie and I were lying on the floor in the living room. We hadn't noticed that the gate was open until Marvin slowly crept in and lied on the rug. He sat for a moment and then army crawled his way right under Ryan's arm all the while thinking that he'd gone unnoticed. We enjoyed a little family bonding time until Marvin decided he wanted to give Maddie a spit bath by licking her entire face. You give them an inch and they take a mile. Thus, the moment was ruined and Marvin back on the other side of the gates.
















Madison had her first sleep over on Thursday. That's right....she was away from us for 33 hours! (Not that I was counting.)

I won tickets to the Men's Big 10 Tournament in Indianapolis. Ryan's all time favorite college basketball team, the Indiana Hoosiers, were playing. It made the most sense for Maddie to spend the night at her Nana's house.

Dropping her off that Thursday morning was like dropping her off on my first day of work all over again. I was devastated. It was going to be awhile before I saw her again and I was going to miss her. Seeing her empty room that evening broke my heart. That clock on Friday at work could not have ticked any slower but once it finally hit 4:45 I ran out of that place like it was on fire. I couldn't wait to get to my baby girl to hold her and take in her new baby smell. I don't know if I'm ready for a sleep over anytime again soon.


































People are constantly trying to figure out who Madison resembles more, Ryan or I. We've compared baby pictures of the three of us only to find the resemblance in us both. However, this weekend I was able to capture a picture where she favored Ryan more than I. (Minus the glasses and goatee.)




















For the record: They were watching golf.

I don't mind if our little girl wants to play golf as long as she remains girly and her bag is blinged out and features ribbons, bows and glitter. Daddy can teach her how to play and I can bedazzle her bag. There, it's all planned out and we are all happy.

More carrots please!

We gave our little girl carrots for the first time last night. Much different than the rice cereal, carrots are very orange thus very messy. Even so they were a big hit with Madison. She seemed to enjoy them much more than the rice cereal.

We captured her love for the carrots with a short video. I can't watch this video without cracking up. Enjoy!

Swimming

Saturday brought Madison a new "first". She went swimming! Alright, it wasn't swimming really more like sitting in a raft that happens to be in a big pool of water.

It was Brooke's birthday and inplace of a party my sister rented a hotel room for Brooke and three of her friends. Have I mentioned that my sister is a brave woman? Needless to say she and all four girls survived the night.



Ryan blew up Maddie's starfish and I got our little girl in her swimsuit. The swimsuit I bought her for our Florida trip but it was too cold in Florida for her to wear it. When buying this swimsuit I thought "Hey, she's going to need a swimsuit in the summer anyway so we will get lots of use out of it." Ha! I have a lot to learn about children and their growing habbits. There is no way this adorable little suit will fit Maddie this summer. We had to pull and pull to get it to cover her top half and fasten around her neck. We'll just add this to the every growing list of New Mom Mistakes.



We finally make it to the pool. The pool that was filled with Brooke, six of her friends, two other adults, their four children and now us. It wasn't the ideal situation but I was determined to allow Maddie to "swim" for the first time. I thought she would love it because she loves her baths. Boy was I wrong. She could care less! She just floated around as I tried to steer her away from the splashes that came our way. No gummy smiles that said "Wow! Thanks Mom for bringing me swimming." No little splashes with her hands to show that she was enjoying herself. Nothing. Just a deadpan stare as if she was saying "What are you doing to me now Mom?"






Our little swimming excursion only lasted about five minutes but our little girl had a new experience and that is all that really matters.

Oh, the questions....

One question that I am consistantly asked is...

"Do you just sit around and play dress up with Maddie all day."

The answer is no. I do have a job and she does take naps, several naps. So, it's not all day, everyday. There are however those occational days when I just have to try something cute on her and then try something else and then possibly something else. Usually by the third wardrobe change she is over me messing with her. I can't help it....I love her and I love clothes so when you put them both together it is super fun for me. And we usually get some great pictures out of it too.

Another question that I am often asked is.....

"When/Are you going to have any more kids?"

My immediate answer is never/no. One Sunday afternoon, Mamaw and Papaw Henninger stopped by to visit. We sat in the living room, held Madison and watched her play. I filled them in on the happenings of the Bethel household and Maddie's latest discoveries as they filled me in on what was going on in their lives.

Then Papaw asked "When are you going to have another one."

Mamaw immediately piped in and said "Oh, Honey! You can't ask her that. It's too soon."

Of course, I laughed and then gave them my programmed response. "Never!"

Since that day, this question, Mamaw's response and my response have been running through my mind. I again ask myself this question and I still answer the same but is it because it's too soon after having Madison? Possibly. But at this point in time I am content with our one little peanut.

Pregnancy was tough on me. Of course I loved feeling Madison's flutters in my belly, the hiccups multiple times a day and the fact that she was much more portable while in the womb. But I was terrified the entire time of the "what ifs" and the things that could go wrong. I just don't know if I could go through it all over again. Life always takes us in new directions and everything could change years or months down the road but for now, I am sticking with my programmed response because it's what is working for us now.

Besides, I don't know if our little diva could handle the competion.

Hey, where are the Fruit Loops!?!?

It's official....our little girl is growing up.

She started eating....wait let me rephrase that....We have attempted to feed her cereal. I have been waiting for this milestone to come, the day we start introducing something other than formula. It comes with mixed emotions. I thoroughly enjoy watching our daughter discover new things and having another "first". However, this first also reminds me that our daughter isn't going to be a baby forever. There is going to be a day when she no longer needs me to feed or nor will she want to cuddle with her mommy. Okay, I'll admit, there are some times when I think she's cuddling with me but she is in fact wiping her nose on my shirt but I do still find it so cute, it's a mom thing. Now I'm not going to lie, I do enjoy feeding her while watching TV with my feet propped up. These days will soon be coming to an end and we will be perched at the dining room table. But hey, that's part of life. We all have to grow up.

This is how it played out....I'm all excited to feed her cereal for the first time. We get to try something new and we get to use the cute little spoons I got at one of my showers. I just love new stuff! Ryan mixes the cereal and gets it all ready and the feeding begins.

Now, we all know that I'm not a rocket scientist by any means but I am pretty sure that these faces are not faces made by someone who is enjoying their meal.

So, we will keep trying. She may come around and start to like her cereal, you just never know.

Now on a side note.....I am starting to think that someone feels as if I talk to much. I'm just going out on a limb here but the picture below is a scene that you can view many times at our house. Little does she know, that I'm not offended. I just move that cute little hand out of the way and continue to spread my wisdom.