Elle Madison | One and a 1/2 Years Old

To my little one and a half year old...

Whew! I now understand why coffee, cold creams and massages exist.

I also continue to be changed by you, each and every day. You allow me to see life, and specifically New York City, through a new lens. We spend our weekends seeking out kid friendly restaurants, running into other daycare parents at our favorite park and listening to so, so much Elmo.

Each morning, you wake up with an enthusiastic scream to join us in the "big bed" (full-size for NYC, perspective people!) - because kicking two sleepy parents in the head at 4 and 5AM is oh so much fun. Then you fall on us with big squishy hugs and slobbery kisses (while asking for a 'nack! nack!) and shimmy off the bed with a "come mommy, come daddy". That's right, you now call us by our formal names - "ma-ma" and "da-da" are becoming fewer and farther between.

 

You want so bad to be a big kid and sit at the table, and insist upon it before we take our first bite. Clumsily climbing all over of us, usually Daddy.

You love your puppies ("ba-bas") oh so much - and exchange big kisses and squeals each morning and night.

Flowers are just wonderful - and you smell and kiss them each and every second that you get! Which is great, except for that time that you fed Sundae puppy a flower and Mommy and Daddy became zombies from the all-day/all-night sick puppy that ensued.

 

You now bring home lots of artwork from your little school - and Mommy has a hard time figuring out which gems stay and which gems go.

Every morning Mommy starts your day with an egg breakfast and Daddy ends your day by singing 90's country, pop and alternative as you fall asleep. You love bubble baths, but absolutely hate getting your hair washed. Reading books is one of your all-time favorite activities with us - especially having us read the same books over and over and over again.

 

Your grandmas, great-grandmas and aunts love the one million photos that Mommy sends their way each week. Your teachers at school have created a love of being a "breakfast helper", "butterfly grower", "city walker" and "yoga extraordinaire"...and we are oh so thankful.

We love how we can hear you running from across the apartment, slapping your little toddler feet against the wood with such power and curiosity. Your expressive face and determined ways make us laugh and equally drive us mad some days. And your rambunctious spirit has given us many scares - as toddler falls, bumps and accidents are new territory for us.

You teach us patience and empathy while fulfilling us with a completeness that we had desired upon your arrival. We are thankful for your sense of urgency that causes us to slow our own lives down and that redirects our own path, goals and defines our sense of happiness.

 

Little Elle Madison, we love you! A very big milk cheers - in your elmo cup, of course - to one and a half.

XO

2016 | A Year in Review with a One Year Old

As we countdown to Christmas and give cheers to our co-workers, purchase last-minute gifts and settle in for the season of traditions with loved ones (Christmas Eve Tamales, Mom's PinWheels and Goodwill Gifts!) - I always love to look back at the past year. Merry Christmas from our little family to yours, and a very Happy New Year! 

2016 | A Year in Review with a One Year Old 

BABY GIGGLES, SLOPPY KISSES, DROOL SKOOL, SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, CRAWLING, TEARS... SO, SO MANY TEARS, MILK, PLANE TRIPS, CAR TRIPS, TRIPS TO THE DOCTOR, SICKNESS, BOWS, PINK, SNOW SUITS, BATHING SUITS, BABY BATHS, STANDING, WALKING, FIRST WORDS, FIRST FOODS, 5 LITTLE MONKEYS AND ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT...ON REPEAT, MAMAMAMA, DADADADA, ELLE'S VERY OWN ROOM, NEW TEACHERS, VISITS FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS, NEW APARTMENT, HUGS, PUPPY KISSES, PARTIES, CELEBRATIONS, FLYING FOOD AND HAPPY DOGS, PAWS AND BABY FEET, FIRST BIRTHDAY AND HALLOWEEN, SNUGGLES IN BED, COFFEE, KID'S MINISTRY, LATE NIGHT GOOGLES OF PARENTAL ASSURANCE, LEARNING THE ROPES OF WORKING PARENTS, DISHWASHER (FINALLY!), LOVE... LOTS AND LOTS OF LOVE (AND TYLENOL)

“Every night before I get my one hour of sleep, I have the same thought: ‘Well, that’s a wrap on another day of acting like I know what I’m doing.’ I wish I were exaggerating, but I’m not. Most of the time, I feel entirely unqualified to be a parent. I call these times being awake.” - Jim Gaffigan

“There are two philosophies when it comes to getting young children to sleep. There is ‘sleep training,’ which basically involves putting your kids to bed and listening to them scream all night; or there is ‘attachment parenting,’ which essentially involves lying down with your kids, cuddling them, and then listening to them scream all night.” - Jim Gaffigan 

"Everybody knows how to raise children, except the people who have them."

 - P.J. O'Rourke 

Cheers to the big little adventures that 2017 will bring! 

--

In case you'd like to see, the past year with Elle...

ELEVEN TEN NINE EIGHT SEVEN SIX FIVE FOUR THREE TWO ONE

*Photos by AmandaLiew.com

Elle Madison | 11 Month Update

Our little pumpkin is 11 months old!

We've had such a big month learning how to walk! We were also out of pocket with sickness including a virus and double-ear infection... so no one got much sleep for about a week and a half. But, we ended the month on a very high note as Kristi, Ben and Kaylie joined us all the way from Texas on some fun city explorations including the Central Park Zoo, Met, Central Park, Coney Island and Apple Picking upstate! Elle loved following Kaylie around while Kaylie 'taught' her how to walk and do 'big kid' things! 

Ellie beans also got some sweet one-on-one time with da-da when I traveled to DC for work... AND Elle has now officially transitioned to the next class at school. Each day, Elle has a full schedule filled with school breakfast, lunch and snack along with a variety of activities indoors and outdoors. Our little baby is growing up! Our favorite song right now is, "walk, walk, walk, walka, walka, walk... walk, walk, walk with mommmmmy". Clearly I should have been a songwriter. 

Elle Madison | 10 Month Update

T • E • N 

Well, this should probably go down as my favorite month because Elle said "Ma-Ma"! I love how the "Da-Da-Da-Da" are always filled with excitement, but the "Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma" are very desperate accompanied with fast crawling toward me. Ha! Sweet little baby. 

Ellie Beans also crossed the border to Montreal, took her first steps (Daddy saw first, of course!), she has SIX teeth and has been up for trying almost everything we give her... E really loves black olives! 

When we are out and about in the city, Elle loves to smile and wave at other people, show off her teeth and play peekaboo. And this crazy little baby had her finger pricked at a doctor's appointment and didn't even cry! She also loves to give big slobbery open mouth kisses, including to Pickle and Sundae. 

Sweet little Elle still has some separation anxiety when others hold her, and is also miss independent and doesn't want to be held down (car seats are not her favorite)! 

Baby Elle is a few short months away from transitioning to the next class at daycare (!!!) and she is getting ready to experience Autumn in New York... the best time of the year! 

Happy 10 months to our little Ellie Belly Beans. 

Elle Madison | 9 Month Update

Baby Elle is NINE MONTHS old!

Little miss Ellie beans is full of spunk, loves to climb, has FOUR teeth, gives lots of kisses, high fives and waves at every person in sight. She is pulling up on couches/tables/people, and eats pretty much everything we offer her - including crab last week. Elle also loves to clap, especially while eating. It's so cute. 

This happy little girl had two very special visits this past month from Grandma (my mom) and Mimi (Richard's mom). We've had lots of summer fun exploring the city and beaches, hanging out with friends, riding carousels, a night at the Plaza hotel, walking the Brooklyn Bridge, Sarabeth's Brunch, visiting The Met and Natural History Museum and spending lots of lazy days in the park and swinging on the swings. We celebrated my 30th birthday this month too! Elle was also dedicated this month at church, and loved being the center of attention on stage. 

We love that Elle gives us unprompted kisses, reaches her arms out for us, squeals when we read her books and giggles when tickled. 

This month, her activity level has bypassed the dogs. Pickle runs for cover and Sundae attempts to weather-the-storm of Elle.