The Greiner Family

Hair-Dos and Hair-Don'ts with Maddie

2010-07-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

Maddie is starting to enter that magical time when a child stops being a baby and starts being a little girl...and a little girly-girl at that! She is getting more and more willing to wear pretty clothes, although a t-shirt and shorts are still her favorite outfit...well, next to PJs...and her birthday suit. She even has started asking for me to do her hair ("Mama, PONYTAILS!"). Probably because she can't see when her sheepdog hair is in her eyes. We have a lot of fun looking in the mirror, as you can see!

Wearing Lila's Headband

She's obsessed with toothbrushes and my hair mousse! See it in her lap?

And of course, Little Miss Lila is already a little princess, because she has no choice in what she wears! She just needs some more hair!

2010-07-21T12:23:00.001-07:00

A late post for an early arrival: Welcome Lila Grace!

2010-06-22T16:54:00.001-07:00

As I'm sure you all know by now, Lila Grace Greiner defied the doctor's orders and made her appearance two weeks ago yesterday, on June 8th, at 9:44 pm. She was three weeks and one day ahead of her due date, and two weeks before my scheduled C-Section. After having her with us for two wonderful weeks, I can tell you that SO FAR she is the sweetest, easiest, most loving cuddlebug of a baby ever! I know that she is technically "pre-term," which is supposed to make her a little sleepier than full term babies, but we are hoping that she stays sweet and simple like she is now! For those of you that are interested, I thought I would share the details of her surprise birthday adventure!

On Monday June 7th I started having the same Braxton-Hicks contractions I had been having off and on throughout the last several months. They seemed to be a little more uncomfortable than usual, but since I wasn't in any real pain I assumed it was more of the same "normal pregnancy discomfort" my OB told me I could look forward to right up until the bitter end. Then I started getting out of breath, and feeling cramping in my legs. I remembered that my mom had said that she felt her labor pains in her legs, so of course I called her to get her opinion. And OF COURSE she didn't answer. After Andy got home the pains were still irregular, but were getting more intense. They didn't match any description of labor pains I had ever heard of, and weren't coming at regular times, so I decided to wait and talk to my doctor at my next OB appointment (the next morning).

At Dr. Neal's office, he checked and said I was starting to dilate and he expected me to go into labor in the next 3 days, and probably that day. His parting words were, "Go home, pack your bag, and get on the elliptical machine." Apparently walking on the elliptical was supposed to help get the baby in the right position for me to push--if she didn't get stuck like Maddie did! Armed with the knowledge that there was a good chance I was going to have a baby really soon, I called my two best girlfriends down here and ordered that they meet me at Chili's for a big lunch. After all, I had no idea when I was going to get to eat solids again! I managed to eat through my contractions, get my stuff together, and decide by 3pm that I should probably call Andy and tell him to get his booty home. My friend Kensley (part of the Chili's date from earlier) offered to come over and spend the night with Maddie if we got admitted to the hospital. So off we went, not sure if we were coming home with a baby or not!

I was admitted between 6 and 7, and after spending an hour or so hooked up to machines and watching "America's Got Talent," the nurses determined I was indeed in labor (my contractions were actually 3 minutes apart, when I thought they were more like 10-12 minutes apart). At 9:15 I was texting some friends to see how Girl's Night Out was going (I was obviously not going to make it), and by 9:44 I was hearing Lila Grace's first cries!

I did a repeat C because my doctor saw no point in having me labor for another 10 hours when Lila was in the exact same position that Maddie was stuck in the first time. I was inclined to agree...my labor was starting to HURT and I just wanted my baby! The C-section was both better and worse this time...it was better because I wasn't as physically exhausted from laboring and pushing, and I knew what to expect. It was worse for the exact same reasons! I was much more aware of what was happening and what was going to happen. The recovery has been a little harder too, but since I have a brand new, perfect baby, I can't complain!

So far things are going really well at home. Lila is nursing like a champ, so I won't have to deal with another year of pumping (hallelujia!) and bottles. She is feeding every 3.5-4 hours, even at night, so I'm getting more rest than with Maddie (who ate every two hours for weeks)! Maddie loves to kiss and hold her little sister, and doesn't seem to get jealous. We are trying our best to make sure Maddie gets enough attention and that we don't completely abandon her routine. It's been a struggle but my Mom will be here until Sunday, then Andy is taking a week off from work. Luckily Lila will be almost 3 weeks old before I have to handle both the kids by myself!

Thank you to everyone who has called or visited with their congratulations, and for all the wonderful gifts and meals we have recieved. Andy and I are blessed to have some fabulous friends and family, whether in Tennessee, Texas or Timbuktu...and we are so excited to share all that love with little Lila Grace!

First Family Photo

The New Big Sister

Big and Little

Daddy and his girls

Baby Bow Head II

Lila with her eyes open!

3 weeks to go!

2010-05-26T04:53:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Just a quick update on how things are progressing with us...

1) Bedrest Update

I went to see Dr. Neal last week and, without going into too much detail, he says everything is great! The bedrest did what it was supposed to and he doesn't expect to see Lila before my scheduled C-Section on June 23. I am still having some pain and contractions, but unfortunately that falls into the "annoying but perfectly normal" section of pregnancy complaints. I can resume life as normal, I just am supposed to avoid overdoing it, get lots of rest, stay hydrated, etc. A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who brought meals, sent cards, visited, and checked in on me throughout the last couple of weeks. I appreciate it so much! The biggest thanks to my Mom for putting her life on hold to fly down here to help out. I don't know what I would have done without her!

2) Lila Update

As I mentioned before, unless something unexpected happens, Lila will be here in 3 weeks. Her movements have slowed down quite a bit (she's pretty cramped in there, after all) but she still makes her presence known. She migrates up and down in my stomach throughout the day...so I alternate from not being able to breath to being in the bathroom every 45 minutes! I am guessing she is going to be longer than Maddie, and between 8-8.5 lbs. Dr. Neal won't give me his guess so we will see on the 23rd!

3) Maddie Update

Holy smokes, Maddie is turning into a big girl before my eyes. She is speaking in sentences now, some of her favorites being:

"I'm a GOOD girl!"
"I made a mess!"
"Let me see!"

Last week was the last day of Mom's Day Out until Summer Session begins on June 22. She really likes school now and doesn't want to leave until she kisses her teachers, friends, and favorite toys goodbye. She loves to kiss and hug, but unfortunately is into a hitting/smacking/biting stage when she gets frustrated. Any tips on dealing with that would be GREATLY appreciated!

Maddie and GiGi at Cheesecake Factory

Art time on my new picnic table

Mmmm....cupcakes!

Maddie's in here somewhere...she had to have all her "babies" with her!

Wearing Daddy's Shoes and a silly face!

We had a Memorial Day cookout this weekend, so hopefully I will be able to do a post about that before Labor Day! Hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend!

All of this and Bed Rest, too!

2010-05-14T04:07:00.000-07:00

Ever heard the saying: "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it?" I distinctly remember a time when I was pregnant with my first child, and hadn't any responsibilities outside of my "until the baby is born" job and the shared running of the house. I used to laugh and say, "Oh, I hope they put me on bed rest so I can just lay around all day and watch TV, nap, and eat!" THEN I had a baby and realized being a stay-at-home mom is the hardest job I have ever had. THEN I got pregnant again, and realized being on bed rest 900 miles away from the closest family member would be a disaster of epic proportions. "I have a toddler! There's no daycare, no grandma's to dump her at, and Andy has to work! Puh-leeeeeze God, let me make through this pregnancy with no issues!"

Well, one little issue has presented itself. Now, I'm an optimist and I truly believe I'm going to get through this just fine. I have had an issue in the last 24 hours with some bleeding and cramps, and a trip to the doctor that I really thought was unecessary turned into a hospital visit and a pretty concerned OB. Two cute Labor and Delivery bracelets, one steroid shot, and some reassuring smiles later I am officially on bed rest for a few days with instructions to not go into labor (seriously! He said that!) The doc says if I have no more bleeding I can resume the bare minimum activities on Monday or Tuesday. He calls it "just survive" bedrest: do what I can to take care of myself and Maddie and no more. Good news: my mom is flying down tomorrow morning and staying until Tuesday night. Better news: Lila is 100% healthy and really impressed Dr. Neal with how active and strong she is. She is practicing her fetal breathing, has a strong heart, a healthy and well-placed placenta nearby, and is in constant movement. So thank God for healthy babies!

But I need lots of prayers because I know they work! If you can take the time to pray for our family, please ask that everything resolves itself by the time Gigi leaves and that I have no more bleeding and contractions. If you could go ahead and add that this baby makes it to at LEAST 37 weeks gestation (and then has a happy healthy birth), and that Maddie realizes Mommy needs to try and relax for a few more weeks that would be amazing too! I know all my friends and family are people of faith and the fervent prayers of a righteous person will avail much!

Since this has been such a Stephanie and Lila focused post I will try to post again in a day or two with some updates and new pictures/video of Maddie. Go ahead and add some prayers to that list that either the Princess calms down a little or I learn how to deal with her! She is a mess right now!

Love y'all! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

Quick Spring Update

2010-04-02T05:39:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! We are in the midst of the brief two-week or so Texas Spring down here and it is wonderful! We have been having a lot of fun playing outside and trying out all the different parks in the area. We also just got Maddie her first swing set and slide, and as soon as Daddy puts it together (uh-oh) she will be able to play in her own backyard! I don't know who is more excited, her or me! Here are just a few pictures from the last few days:

Maddie's First Professional Haircut. Notice how excited she looks.

Playing outside in the new outfit made just for her by Audra. Check out her Etsy shop!

I learned she is not old enough to trust with an open bag of crackers. Her cheeks are stuffed with them!

Funny Face!

So this next picture is going in her wedding video one day. I put Maddie down for her nap the other day and could hear her in the baby monitor making noise and talking to herself. I gave her about 30 minutes to wind down and then peeked in to check on her. What did I find....a bare behind!

That's her diaper wadded up next to her. She was sound asleep, and you NEVER WAKE A SLEEPING BABY so I resigned myself to washing the sheets when she woke up and left her there. She got in a great nap...hope I'm not raising a future nudist!

Bad Mommy Mishap

2010-03-21T12:17:00.001-07:00

Have you ever had one? I know I have enough to make me wonder if I should call child-protective services on myself. If ever a little girl had a guardian angel, it was Maddie. As many little scrapes as she gets herself into, I can always thankfully say, "Well, it could have been MUCH WORSE." Example: Bad Mommy Mishap #10,492--the Bubble Incident.

Maddie LOVES bubbles. She lives for them. So on days when the weather is warm enough, we try to get in some bubble time before her bath. Her Gymboree class has a fun little activity where the teacher blows bubbles with a cool blower...let's call it "Exhibit A" in the negligence case against me.
Miss Maddie is also a very independent creature, she loves to try and blow the bubbles herself. Hence, "Exhibit B":

So, the other day while I was happily drawing with sidewalk chalk (another favorite activity), Miss Independent snagged the cool bubble blower and took of with it. I never even noticed, until I heard the dreaded "Whap...pause...SCREAM" that every mother knows and fears.

"Exhibit C": The effects of my derelict parenting.

Here's another shot:

BUT, it could have been much worse, after all. She didn't knock out one of those precious blue eyes, Andy is still willing to let me try to raise another one of his children, and no one (as of yet) has reported me to the police. Looks like we both have a guardian angel.

Snowmageddon, Smiles, and Such

2010-02-25T10:27:00.000-08:00

So you might have heard that we got a little bit of snow here in North Texas over Valentine's Day weekend. I've commented in the past that people down here lose their minds over any snow at all, and I'm sorry to report that the condition is contagious. I have started fanatically reading weather.com, checking the news, consulting soothsayers (just kidding) and generally freaking out when ever I hear the words "Winter Weather." The funny thing about this snow, however, was that it wasn't supposed to be a big deal at all! What started out as rain and possibly some sleet turned into the most snow seen here in around 70 years. I remember Andy leaving in the morning on Thursday and saying, "Huh, it's snowing." 24 hours later, we were completely blanketed in 12 inches (up to 14 nearby) of the "white death," as it's lovingly called down here.

The best thing about this "weather event" was honestly the fact that it was so unexpected, and SUCH a big deal. The newscasters kept tossing around the term "Once in A Lifetime Snow." They don't expect anyone living here to EVER see anything like this again. That made it really special, in a crazy way. And I loved how excited the native Texans got...pretty much everyone we knew had never seen more than an inch or so. I was really happy for all the kids that got to enjoy it, and the parents too! Here are some pictures I took early Friday morning, when it had been snowing for 24 consecutive hours.

Our house in the snow. The tire tracks are from Andy leaving for work (like a fool) and me getting stuck in the driveway. I also got stuck in my friend Madeline's driveway Thursday morning, and in the Chick-fil-a drive thru. They were nice enough to send out some young men to push me out. Sorry, Baby Ocho needed a chicken biscuit BAD!

Maddie in the snow at the beginning of the storm, when we had about 4 inches. I asked her if she liked the snow, and she said "No! Cold!" Then I asked her if she thought it was pretty, and she said "NO!!" Then she fell down and started to cry.
But, snow or no snow, it WAS Valentine's Day weekend! The Owens Family paid us a visit and we were all so excited! My good friend Elizabeth watched all three kiddos for us (what a champ!) so we could have Parents' Night Out at Edelweiss, a traditional German restaurant in Fort Worth. Audra wrote a great post about it, including pictures and video, here...so go read it and then come back for more here!

I'm getting really lazy about taking pictures, so the only one I have worth posting is of the kids, of course. Here are Aidan, Neely, and Maddie pretty much being themselves.

Aidan, in a state of undress. Neely, sweet and dainty. Maddie, looking insane. PS, Audra made that shirt for Maddie, so cute!

The very next weekend our good friends the Spences were in town to celebrate Abigail's (neighbors Scott and Sarah's baby) first birthday. So Saturday night our house was packed with kids and friends. Can't think of anything I like more!

Part of the crowd. In attendance were the Spences and their two boys, Nathan and new baby Jacob, The Hoelzers with Jordana, The Mysers with Abby, the Sutherlins, and of course the Greiner 3. A full house, for sure!

Maddie's long distance love, Nathan.

Sweet baby Jake...
Maddie and her best friend Miss Kensley! They looooove each other so much!

Last but not least, a pic of Maddie and Mommy, because there aren't too many of those! She is such a big girl!

In related news, I am almost 6 months pregnant with Baby Ocho (she still doesn't have a name) and hanging in there. There are a ton of changes that will be happening around our house between now and June, when the real fun begins! I promise to keep everyone posted, maybe not too frequently, but I'll do my best. Hope you enjoyed the pictures and hearing what we've been up to lately! I'm looking forward to some spring weather, how about you?

Wonderful Warm Weather!

2010-01-26T10:58:00.000-08:00

The good thing about waiting so long for a blog post from me is that it's more likely to have something interesting on it...or at least, that's what I tell myself to ease the lazy-blogger guilt.

Enjoy these pictures of our recent fun in the warmer weather! Too bad winter is back with a vengeance now :(

Wearing her stunner shades!

She's so proud of her climbing skills!

Peek-a-boo!

What is this face about?

Maddie preparing to be a big sister...

Holiday Preparations: Version 2.0

2009-12-07T10:09:00.000-08:00

So I've been a bad blogger again and haven't updated in a while! I would like to say it's been because I have been so busy, but unfortunately I have to cite some of my many character flaws: impatience and laziness, mainly. I HATE dealing with our computer...so I put it off as much as possible. But since I needed to sit down and do some Christmas shopping anyway I decided to make it a point to get an update out! Here's what's going on in our world:

Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving went really well! Andy did a great job on the stuffing and the turkey, and my side dishes turned out surprisingly good too! Our guests seemed to really enjoy the meal--we even had one turkey-induced nap on the couch afterward. My only regret is that I was so busy trying to cook that I didn't take a single picture. So I don't have cookbook quality photos of my beautiful meal, or even a family picture of the three of us. Oh well, maybe next year I'll remember!

First Snow:

It snowed in Texas last week! It wasn't very much, and it was gone after a few hours, but it was such a shock! I snapped a couple pictures with my phone. Unfortunately, I am not a very prepared parent and hadn't even bought Maddie a coat or gloves for the year, so we couldn't go play. Hopefully we will get some more snow soon. It's hilarious when it snows down here, everyone acts like the world is going to end. :)

Maddie:

I haven't given a really detailed Maddie update in a while. She is having fun and learning new things everyday. We have started her in Gymboree, which she absolutely loves. I have also met some nice moms there, and we try to get together regularly outside of class. Her favorite things at Gymboree are Gymbo the clown puppet (he scares the you-know-what out of me, though), parachute time, and dancing to the music. We also always have Chik-fil-a for breakfast before class, and she loves hash browns more than anything on this earth right now! Well, except for her favorite game, which is called "Snag the dish towel put it over my head and run around until I hurt myself and fall down screaming." Fun times.

Maddie loves to "talk." She will grab anything and pretend it is a phone. She'll carry it around the house, hold it up to her ear and say "Hi!" over and over.

Most of the time she just makes alot of noise that I am supposed to understand, but she does say a lot of real words, too. The most common are Mom, Dad, Daisy, Hi, Dog, Up, Cup, Hat, Shoes, Pretty and Happy. It is the cutest thing ever when she says "Happy!" She even uses it in the right context.

She is definitely a very smart girl...she knows several of her books and toys by name, and will go get things and put them back if you ask her too. She is also getting very close (I think) to potty training. She always either goes into the laundry room or the bathroom and shuts the door to go potty. Then she will very politely use her sign language for "change me." She is really in to babies right now, and will give kisses and hugs to all her babies if you ask her. Sometimes Mom and Dad get kisses and hugs too, but she is stingy with those! She loves to use Daisy as a chair or pillow when she is watching TV. Poor Daisy, she is a really good sport about it!

Maddie has lots of little friends, but her best friend is Jordana. We get together with JoJo and her Mom about 2-3 times a week to play. They usually play together very well, and are very sweet and loving to each other. Unless, of course, one of them has something the other one wants. The the smacking, pushing, and hair pulling starts. How is it that baby girls are born knowing how to pull hair?!?! This is what they got into this morning when we weren't looking:

She is turning into a big girl before my eyes! I can't believe she will be 16 months old in just a few days!

Andy:

Andy has had another great year at the office and we just celebrated with his Annual Christmas Party. It was different to get all dressed up when I spend most of the time in sweats! Again, no pictures. Andy also has a new hobby: growing a disgusting beard. I have expressed my dislike repeatedly, and have been told that he doesn't care. I'm thinking about growing my armpit hair out in protest.

Travel Plans:

We are gearing up for the big drive up to TN in a couple of weeks. Me, Andy, Maddie, the dog, luggage and a lot of presents are all going to be stuffed in the Pathfinder for a 14 hour drive. We are spending one night in TN, then getting up and driving to Cincinnatti! It is really stressing me out, but we are looking forward to seeing alot of the Ohio family. Then we are headed back for a week in Knoxville. Andy is driving back and leaving me and Maddie for a few more days, then she and I are flying back alone. I'm getting more and more stressed about this trip as it gets closer...so I need a lot of prayers right now!

Alright, I think that is it for our updates! Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season...now off to Christmas shop!

Holiday Preparations

2009-11-18T11:13:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is an interesting holiday around the Greiner home. As the vagabond children who moved away, we can't just hop in the car and pop in at this house for lunch, this house for dinner, this house for coffee and dessert, etc. The first year we lived in Texas, we flew home for Thanksgiving and drove up for Christmas. However, because of Andy's busy work schedule, the baby, etc., that's just not feasible anymore. Having just made the drive in October, we are definitley NOT coming up for Thanksgiving. We've been very blessed every year to have been "adopted" by the families of friends and provided a great meal. This year, we recieved even more invitations than we usually do (proof again of the wonderful friends we've made). As much as we love spending time with our friends, it's always a little bittersweet to be involved in someone else's holiday tradition. We always knew exactly what we were missing at home.

I love traditions. I love the idea of "this is how WE always do it!" whatever it may be. It's so precious in a family to just know things are going to be a certain way. Being here and being away from those traditions is difficult, especially now that we have a child. BUT...this year we finally decided to stop greiving over the Thanksgiving traditions we were missing out on, and eavesdropping in on those of other families, and start creating our own. We have our own little family now...it reminds me of a bible verse my Dad quotes often in church: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I will be in their midst." Our family may be small, but we are still a loving--and fun-loving--family! So the Texas Three are giving Thanksgiving a makeover, Greiner-style!

Andy has often mentioned when he was very young and his family lived in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, that they would host an "Orphan's Thanksgiving". Anyone from his Dad's work that had relocated away from home would be invited for dinner. Andy mentioned that maybe one of our new traditions could be hosting an Orphan's Thanksgiving of our own. So, that's the plan. I'm not going to lie, I'm freaking out. I NEVER cook at Thanksgiving! Sure, I stir this, or arrange that, and I never mind baking...but a TURKEY?!?!? With stuffing? Holy smoke...what have I gotten myself into? I hope my guests won't mind if I have to call Domino's.

I plan on taking lots of pictures of the preparations and finished products. AND this gives us a chance to finally bust out that electric knife we got for a wedding gift almost 6 years ago!

And today is Wednesday...that means just about a week until T-Day! Yikes!

Halloween

2009-11-03T05:44:00.000-08:00

Halloween really snuck up on us this year! With all the traveling Andy and I had both been doing, plus being sick, plus the death in the family, I don't think we really ever got into the Halloween spirit, if there is such a thing! So with just a few days to spare I put together Maddie's "Rock Star" costume. I wanted to have something that was made up of actual clothes...because seriously people, this girl hates getting dressed in general, so a heavy costume with something to put over her head was out. It didn't turn out exactly as I pictured. I think I had something more Disney-rock-esque in mind...and it ended up looking pretty punk rock! But it was a big hit and she was comfortable, so that's all that mattered!

The usual tradition at Halloween has been for several houses on our block, along with some friends from other neighborhoods, to gather at our house to give out candy. It was usually a big hit with the kids, since with one stop they got about 5 times the candy! This year was a little more low-key. Our good friends the Hoelzers brought Maddie's buddy Jordana (aka JoJo) and the Mysers came with Abigail. A couple other friends stopped by after trick-or-treating to play cards with Andy (sounds like I got tricked into that treat for him).

Our street gets absolutely mobbed at Halloween. We gave out about 400-500 pieces of candy! And I was really stingy with mine...only one piece unless you had a really great costume. Some of the best ones we saw were Oompa Loompas, a garden gnome, the Narnia kids, and one group of teenagers dressed as the PacMan game (one huge wooden contraption to be PacMan, and then colored tents for the ghosts! It was awesome!). We even had one sweet little girl come up to us and say "Trick or Treat...and GO VOLS!" How great is that?

So with the execption of Maddie's having to go to bed at 7--due to yet another day with no afternoon nap--and me getting devoured by mosquitoes (yes, on Halloween, gotta love Texas) it was a great night! Now the real fun can begin...getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas, my two favorite holidays!

Family Pic

Maddie and JoJo trick-or-treating!

Scott and Sarah with Bumblebee Abigail

Madeline, JoJo, and John Hoelzer

Even Rock Stars have to take a bath!

Goodbye John...

2009-10-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

Last week my world was shaken when I learned of the tragic death of Andy's cousin John. I have been going back and forth about whether or not I was going to write a post discussing it, but in the end I decided it would help me to put some feelings out there in the Universe, like it helped me when my friend Kelly passed away in June. Just like Kelly, I didn't get to say goodbye face to face. But I think John knew I loved him, all the same.

John was what, in the language of teachers, you would refer to as a "good kid." I know his mother, a teacher as well, would agree. So would his father, his older brother, and the scores of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and in-laws that got to love him while he was here. I was one of the last group, the "in-laws." I married into John's clan-like family, and was quickly swept away by the deep love that they all share. I was also blown away by the amazing warmth and hospitality of Andy's Aunt Laurie and Uncle Tom, and the sweetness and fun-loving spirit of their boys, Adam and John.

The first time I met John, it was on my first trip to see the "Cincinnati Family" and Andy and I had been together less than a year. I have a lot of memories from that trip, including one of mine and Andy's first real fights (so silly now!) and being quizzed on everyone's name (and not doing so hot). But "little John Carney"--as I called him for the next 7 years--was a highlight of that trip. He was just a kid then, but a lovable, funny, precocious kid who loved to make me laugh. He was never shy around me, and I felt a little bond with him from the beginning. I remember bribing him with a dollar--a whole dollar!--to eat an olive at LaRosa's Pizza. He did, but regretted it. I have wondered 1000 times since then, "Did he ever decide to try olives again?" I know it's crazy, but I was really concerned I had scared him away from them forever! That trip to Cincinnati was special for a lot of reasons, but my memories of John then, as that cute and funny kid, will last forever.

As time went by, I saw John at weddings, and for Christmas when we could make it. I remember teaching him "The Lotion Dance" at Liz's wedding (maybe not appropriate, but oh well) and cracking jokes downstairs in his basement with all the cousins. Then we moved, and the time started to slip by. The last time I saw John was two years ago at Christmas. I was struck by how much he had changed. "Little John Carney" was a tall, handsome, confident young man. His bright eyes were the same, even though he wore snazzy wire-rimmed glasses then, and his blonde hair was darkening as he got older. I remember marveling at his self-assuredness. He seemed so comfortable in his own skin, even though he was at an age when most boys are either awkward and reserved, or loud and obnoxious. He still loved to laugh, and to make others smile. If I had known it would be the last time I saw him face to face, I would have hugged him so much longer, and memorized his sweet smile. Now I have to wait until the next life to see it again...but I know I WILL see it again!

John's death was so devastating to me. It was harder than others I've faced recently, even my own family members. But it was also completely unexpected and shocking, whearas others weren't. Maybe that's why I took it so hard. I told Andy I didn't feel it was right for me to be so sad...others in John's life had to be hurting much much worse. But even though John wasn't "my" family, and I was only an in-law, I loved him so much. He stands out in my mind like Christmas lights on a tree or candles at a wedding...a bright, shining symbol of some of the happiest times of my life. And that's how I will always remember him, as someone fragile and beautiful that is gone much too soon.

I love you, Little John Carney. The next time I see you, you better have saved me a dance!

*****************

John T. Carney
(May 20, 1989 - October 19, 2009)

Carney, John T., beloved son of Thomas and Laurie Carney (nee Beck), dear brother of Adam Carney, loving grandson of Betty Beck, nephew to many aunts and uncles, and many, many cousins. He is also survived by his many SAE fraternity brothers. Graduate of Madeira High School, 2008. October 19, 2009. Friends may call on Friday, October 23rd from 9AM until the time of Mass of Christian Burial at 10AM at St. Gertrude Catholic Church, 7630 Shawnee Run Rd. (45243). The family asks that memorials be made to the Madeira Resident Homes for the Mentally Retarded, 6667 Euclid Ave. (45243). Thomas-Justin Memorial has been entrusted with the arrangements. You may express your condolences at www.thomasjustinmemorial.com

Back to Life...Back to Reality...

2009-10-20T04:44:00.000-07:00

Attention, I have re-entered the blogosphere! Sorry it has been so long since my last post, but up until a couple of weeks ago, nothing really interesting had happened! And then, since what happened was Andy and I getting deathly ill, I didn't really feel up to posting! According to the friendly neighborhood "Doc-in-a-box" Andy had H1N1, and I had an upper respiratory infection. I was a little confused as to how Andy and I could be sick at the same time, with the same symptoms, and he had swine flu and I didn't. Regardless, the most important thing was Maddie never got sick, and Andy and I are both better now (although I am JUST NOW better, over 2 weeks later!).

Also since my last post, we made a quick trip to Tennessee. It was extremely complicated (due to me). I didn't want to fly, because I didn't want to pay American Airlines a thousand dollars in airfare and checked bag fees, and because they wouldn't let me take my carseat on the plane. They said the plane was too small, and I could either hold Maddie for 2 and half hours, or buy her her own seat. When I asked how I was supposed to get a 1 year old to sit still with only a lap belt to restrain her, the lovely help desk employee told me, and I am not making this up: "Umm, I don't know. Like, can you like, just hold her down?" Click. Airline Fail. I hate American Airlines, and they hate me.

So we drove. I told Andy I was perfectly capable of driving me and Maddie myself. Luckily, he knows better and flat out refused. So he drove me, flew back, then few back the next weekend so he could pick me up. Husband of the Year? Absolutely!

The drive down was HORRIBLE. I convinced Andy it would be a great idea for us to make the 14 hour drive OVERNIGHT. The baby could sleep, we could take turns sleeping vs. driving, etc. Yeah, I was completely wrong. Thanks to an unfortunate encounter with a Mucinex-D, I didn't sleep one minute the night before we left. So during the drive I was going on two nights without sleep and couldn't drive at all without my eyes crossing. I also couldn't rest because of Maddie waking up and screaming for 4 hours. Then Andy was so tired he needed me to stay awake to keep him awake. Then we gave up and pulled over at a rest stop to sleep for an hour or so. We finally made it home alive, thank God. Needless to say, we drove during the day on the way home, and it was 1000 times better. Everyone was happy and rested, and the addition of a DVD player made Maddie handle the drive like a champ.

I didn't take alot of pictures, but in summation we had a great time! Andy got to go to the Georgia game on the first weekend, and we had so much fun at the monthly Greiner Family Day. Maddie had a ball with all her aunts, uncles, cousins, and of course her Grandpa and Mimi! We also got to spend some time with my family and my fave lil' buddy, Rylan. Just for the record, Gigi was there, she was just hiding from the camera!

Maddie and PeePaw

Having a snack with Granny

Cutie Pie Rylan

Cousins!

With Uncle Al

He really does love me...can't you tell by his face? ;)

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

2009-09-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

I decided to copy my BFF Audra (check out her blog here) by posting how my fall decorating is going. Now, I'm never going to be as crafty as she is, but I do my best. In fact, today I dedicated a couple hours to pure, undiluted CRAFT TIME! with my friend Madeline H. She brought over her little one, and while the girls played, the mommies crafted and enjoyed some "coffee talk." Loved it! We decided to make some Rag Wreaths to celebrate Halloween. If you are interested in how to make these super-cute wreaths, check out this excellent how-to guide--written by the aforementioned Queen of Crafts herself, Mrs. Audra Lynn. I made only a few modifications to make it more "Halloween-y."

Here's the finished product:

And a close up of the cute fabrics I found at--drumroll, please--Hobby Lobby, the happiest place on Earth!

In another tribute to dear Dra, I'm including a picture of my Fall Mantle Makeover. I didn't think to take a before picture...but here is the after!

Happy Fall, everyone!

Adventures in Aggie-Land

2009-09-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

We spent last weekend enjoying the hospitality of our good friends the Spences. Brian, Dawn, and Nathan live about 3 hours away from here, right next to Texas A&M University. Since they are A&M alums ("Aggies" if you will), along with neighbor-pal Scott, all the guys decided to take in the football game on Saturday while the girls hung out at the house. Andy had a great time at the game--A&M is rich in tradition, and Brian and Scott really enjoyed showing Andy their Alma Mater. And of course I had a fabulous time hanging with the girls. Maddie and her "boyfriend" Nathan definitely had their ups and downs, however. While they did share their first kiss while watching Baby Einstein, there were a lot of issues sharing toys. Soon enough they'll learn what their parents have...love is all about compromise!

Playing with "George" and "Duck"--the most fought after toys of the weekend!

The lone Vol fans!

She'd rather read than watch the game...

Maddie is looking irritated, like I interrupted a private moment or something!

She would not get out of the dog's bed...poor Allie!

First Haircut (for Maddie and Mommy!)

2009-09-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

When your baby is born bald as a cueball, and stays looking like Bruce Willis for a looooong time, you kinda forget about haircuts. I never thought I'd see the day when needing to give her hair even the teeniest little trim would be necessary. However, over the last 13 months or so, slowly but surely...her hair has been growing. Maddie has what I deemned the "Reverse Mullet." Long on top, short on the sides. Party in the front, business in the back. Not very comfortable for her, I'm sure. We tried rocking the "blowhole" ponytail (you know, the one that sticks straight up), we tried little pigtails, but today I had to admit it...she needed her haircut. She looked like a sheepdog. I was scared to death of making her look goofy, or worse, like a boy. I contemplated taking her to one of those little kid hairsalons...but I finally found enough courage to tackle it myself!

Here's the before....

during.... (at this point I was really freaking out, not to mention the fact that I was having to CHASE HER around the room holding scissors!)

and after! I was convinced I had made a huge mistake. All I could think of was being approached by a million well-meaning old ladies saying "Oh, how cute! How old is HE?"

So, to make myself feel better, I grabbed the closest hairbow and voila! Instant baby girl!

The evil glares are because I was getting in the way of her Baby Einstein video. So no damage done, no eyes poked out, and she can actually see now! About an inch and a half of baby bangs are taped in the baby book, and we can move on to the next milestone!

One Year Portraits are Here!

2009-08-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

Many of you have already seen these, or will see them when I email them out here in a few, and upload them onto Facebook, blah blah blah. But without further adieu, here are Maddie's amazing One Year Portraits from Erica Joyce Photography. Jake even blogged about how great the shoot went (see the link on the right). They are just fabulous and I think that the family photos turned out awesome, even though Andy and I joked about how we look like the Pasty Family from Whitetown, Canada. Not much chance to get a tan when you are chasing Maddie around!

Anyway, hope you enjoy. Family, I am emailing these out right now. Thanks EJP, you rock!

Click Here to See Maddie's Slideshow!

Delayed Birthday Post!

2009-08-19T04:53:00.000-07:00

As you know, Maddie celebrated her first birthday on August 11! We were all so excited for this big milestone. The day was a little bittersweet, I have to admit. As much as I am proud and excited of how much she has grown and learned in the last year, I can't help but be sad that she isn't a "baby" anymore! She is eating grown up food, walking (sometimes), talking (sort of) and just turning into a big girl before my eyes!

I was also a little sad that we had to celebrate her big day so far away from family. We were really conflicted about whether to have a big party or not. We could have very easily filled up the house with all our friends and their kids...but in the end we decided that having to host a party would distract us from really enjoying Maddie's day, and making sure she enjoyed it. I think if we had been at home, it would have been a different story. But we still had a great time with our little party of Mommy, Daddy, Gigi, and Maddie!

Maddie got some really cool presents from family and friends including pretty clothes and shoes, new toys, books, and two very special baby dolls. Thank you to everyone who sent gifts, cards, and called to wish Maddie a happy birthday! We all appreciate it so much.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day!

Maddie and Daddy sharing a birthday smooch...

Maddie and Gigi...

A new red wagon from Mommy and Daddy....

Her very own chair, from Gigi...

Cruisin'...

All smiles!

Keep an eye out for my next post (I'm sure the excitment is killing you)...I'm including a link to Maddie's awesome One Year Portraits!

Birthday Week So Far...

2009-08-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a birthday update, you will get one--soon! We are all super swamped this week since my Mom is visiting, and we have had a few unexpected events that took up some time as well. Just a few tidbits to tide you over until I can post more....

1) Monday we had our One Year Session and Family Portrait with Erica Joyce Photography. We also did a fun "cake smash session" for Maddie. I think the pictures will turn out great, and as soon as they are ready I will post a link!

2) Tuesday was Maddie's 1st birthday...oh, I could write a book all about it! And I will write a much longer blog post, including pictures, completed devoted to her big day. Just not right now!

3) In case you didn't hear, Maddie can walk! It happened last week, but I couldn't ever catch it on video until her birthday. Here's the video if you haven't seen it!

4) I got such an unexpected surprise on Saturday. Through the magic of Facebook, I discovered that a good friend from high school, who I also lived with in college, was driving from Knoxville to San Francisco on her way to begin Seminary. I hadn't seen Carmel in about 5-6 years and I was so thrilled when I saw she was stopping to spend some time in Fort Worth! So of course I let her know she couldn't leave Texas without seeing me and my family. Carmel is a great person, beautiful inside and out, and has devoted her life to serving Christ in whatever way she could. She even spent a year in Africa doing missions--she said the heat here in Texas reminded her of Botswana. Nice.

We had a fun lunch in Sundance Square, and I got to introduce her to Andy and Maddie. We chatted about friends from high school and college, and did a little reminisicing. She seems to have forgiven me for the horrible roommate I was. She is definitely in my prayers as she begins her Seminary training.

So that's all for right now, but I will get a post up as soon as I can about Maddie's big day! Love and miss you all!

Babies, Babies Everywhere...

2009-08-04T13:11:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we had another visit from Audra with Aidan and Neely in tow. Hank-dog stayed back in Louisiana, and the cats were very appreciative. As usual, we had a lot of fun and got into some crazy adventures...well, as crazy as two mommies with 3 kids age 3 and under can get! (Audra, I'll get all this pics to you ASAP).

The girls at the pool...

Nee-Nee being flippin' adorable...

Ditto...

Aidan burning off some energy...

We took the kids to Cabela's too. Why, you ask? Because Cabela's is awesome. The one here has a huge walk-through aquarium of freshwater fish and turtles, plus several museum-like displays of stuffed animals (the shot and stuffed dead kind, not the cute and plush toy kind). Probably not the most cheerful thing for a kid if they know the difference between an animal that used to roam free in the wild and a "furry statue"--but luckily none of ours did.

Maddie: "Fish are cool!" Neely: "Meh."

Excited Aidan...

Cabela's has great clothes too. I though about buying these shoes...

...to go with this swimsuit.

Andy, aka "Uncle Pants" also had a good time with the kids, although he conspicuously stayed "busy" most of the time. Hmmm.

I was sad to see everyone leave and hopefully they can make a trip back soon. Or maybe I'll make the trek to Shreveport again! The kids have more and more fun together as they get older. Luckily I don't have to worry about not having houseguests for too long--GiGi gets here on Friday!!!

What has Maddie been up to?

2009-07-27T11:56:00.001-07:00

Visiting with Grandma...

Being annoyed with Mom...

Lovin' on Dad...

Spending time with friends....

Chillin' by the pool...

Reading some new books...

Eating out...

Learning to wave...

and make funny faces...

and smile for the camera...

and trying new 'dos.

And keeping everyone entertained, of course.

Lucky Number 7

2009-07-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

This is pretty neat...

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2009/snapshots/PL4838632.html

Basically, the city I live is was ranked the #7 Best Small Town to Live in the nation! Pretty wild...I guess it makes me reconsider all the complaining I've been doing about my lil' town lately. The article mentions that traffic here is "not a selling point." I've got another not so great selling point to add to that: the weather.

Case in point:

Yes, that is my car thermostat. That was last week...TODAY is supposed to be the hottest day of the year. I'll be inside, thanks!

An Oldie but a Goodie...

2009-06-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

This video is from when Maddie was about 6 or 7 months old, and I meant to post it then. But it got lost in the depths of my computer and just resurfaced last night. Enjoy!

(PS...seeing this made me remember that I haven't posted pictures of our new living room furniture! I'll try to do that this week. Things have been a little hairy here with sick babies and mommies)

Fun Father's Day Weekend

2009-06-22T07:34:00.000-07:00

Andy's first Father's Day Weekend was a lot of fun...I enjoyed it as much as my first Mother's Day! We had really anticipating this weekend for a few reasons: first, our friends Brian and Dawn were coming in town with their little one, Nathan. Nathan and Maddie are 6 weeks apart, so Dawn has been a great resource for me. Nathan is just old enough that he is going through all his baby milestones before Maddie--but not so old that Dawn can't remember the answers to my millions of Mommy questions! We always have such a great time when we all get together--they are another great family we are blessed to have in our lives!

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Kiddos Playing
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Sharing Nathan's Favorite Book
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Handsome Boy!
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Another "Daddy's Watching The Baby" Pic...Brian and Andy sacked out in the playroom
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We spent Saturday night at Kensley and Jason's Wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and the reception was a blast. True to form, I cried at least 6 times throughout the night. My friend Elizabeth watched Maddie, but since Nathan is a night owl, he joined the party with us. He was a trooper and so well behaved! Kensley was an absolutely gorgeous bride and my friend Sarah was one of her beautiful bridesmaids.

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Mr. and Mrs. Sutherlin
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Brian, Nathan, and Dawn
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Nathan and Brian on the Dance Floor...Nathan LOVES to push his stroller!
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***After dinner, the Tuxedo T-shirt came out--because Jason and Kenz, they're formal, but they still like to party.
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Scott, Sarah, and Abigail
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Sarah, Kenz, and Me!
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The next day was Father's Day, and the very first one for all three boys--Scott, Brian, and Andy. The families spent some time at our house in the morning, and the babies got to play!

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Little Blessings
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Maddie and Nathan love to read!
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Who, Me?
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Later that afternoon, we took Maddie and Nathan to the Spray Park in our neighborhood. I think the Daddies had more fun than the babies.

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Proud Daddies!
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All in all, another fun and fabulous weekend! We can't wait to get back together with Brian and Dawn for the 4th of July. Hope everyone reading this has a wonderful week, and takes some time to tell special friends how much they mean to them!

Remembering Kelly

2009-06-09T07:39:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been hard ones for me. On Sunday evening, my friend Kelly succumbed to Colon Cancer. I won't say she "lost her battle," because she didn't lose. In the end, she died the way she lived...on her own terms. She was only 29.

I feel such a mix of emotions. Regret is a big one. Kelly and I met when I taught at Carroll, and for that school year we spoke every day. When I left the school, we only saw each other every few months or so. I knew she was sick, why didn't I try harder to spend time with her? Because I never felt like this would happen. Over the years that Kelly had cancer, I always said, "Yeah, Kelly is sick...but she's going to be fine. She'll get over this! She's a fighter!" By the time I truly accepted how sick she was, she was too weak to see anyone but family and her very closest friends. The last time I saw her was when we went to jointly celebrate our birthdays. Maybe that's a blessing...my memories of her will always be happy ones. I don't have images of her in the hospital seared into my mind like some of her other friends do. I selfishly wish I could have spent more time with her, said "Goodbye," but I really don't think that is what she would have wanted. Instead, when I think of our goodbye, I see us sitting on the patio at her favorite Italian restaurant, laughing about life and watching her attempt to eat a bowl of pasta bigger than her tiny body!

Yesterday I was listening to the radio when a song by Miley Cyrus (of all people!) came on. I started to just bawl. I wrapped my arms around Maddie and felt completely overcome with pain. Why? Why her and not me? Why do I have this beautiful life, so full of love, and her life is over? I don't understand. I don't deserve the happiness God has blessed me with. I have never understood my purpose in life. But I think Kelly's passing taught me something about myself. Maybe my purpose in life is simply to BE THERE for others. To comfort those closer to Kelly than I was, like my good friend Elizabeth. To lift up my husband in prayer and make his home a refuge. And to raise my daughter, who is a daily reminder that God does answer prayers. Maybe my purpose in this life is to help them acheive THIER greater purpose. Thank you, Kelly, for teaching me something that has eluded me for so long.

On a lighter note, I called my friend Elizabeth to tell her, "If Kelly is tuned to my station from Heaven right now, she is TICKED that I am listening to Miley Cyrus and crying over her!" Elizabeth agreed...Aerosmith maybe, but not Miley!

I have said to several people that I think the best way for me to remember Kelly is to try to be more like her. She was the type of person who would have wanted to leave this world a better place. All through her cancer struggle, she never complained. She never asked why. She simply tried to find ways to help others. She kept her positive outlook until the end, when she decided she was ready to go. So I am going to attempt to emulate her by trying to be more appreciative of the many blessings in my life. She is probably laughing at me...she knows I'm a complainer by nature! I'm going to try my best, Kelly!

Kelly was loved by many people...her family of course, her husband, friends from school, college, work, teaching and her students. Please pray that they all find peace, and comfort in the knowledge that she is no longer in pain. She was confident that she would be in Heaven and able to watch over those that loved her, but I know she would want us all to pray for them.

Another Great Weekend!

2009-06-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

We are recovering today from a very busy, bun fun weekend! I spent most of Friday cooking to get ready for a wedding shower for our friends Kensley and Jason...less than three weeks until their big day, and I'm so excited! It's been a while since Andy and I went to a wedding, and I'm sure I'll have a good cry at the ceremony (like always) and a good time at the reception (like always, ha!).

Sunday was Maddie's first visit to the pool! One of the best things about our neighborhood is the awesome pool complex. I've been anxiously waiting for this summer to see if she liked the pool.

Watch this video and tell me how you think she feels about it:

We had so much fun, and I'm going to try to take her as much as I can during the week. Here are some more pics...

Sunday night we had pizza with our good friends Madeline and John, and Maddie got to hang out with her buddy JoJo. I don't have any pictures of them together, but the girls had a blast in Maddie's new playroom. Yes, RIP to our pointless dining room that I have complained about for 3 years. It is reborn as Toytown, Texas. This was the BEST decision we have made in a long time. The rest of the house stays neater, and I feel so much more sane! Maddie loves having all her toys in one safe and secure place, especially now that she is crawling everywhere.

So, tell me, can YOU spot the happy baby in this picture?

Greiner Grandkid/Graduation Gala--May Vacation, the Conclusion

2009-05-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

The final part of our May Trip was spend at Grandpa and Mimi's house...while we were there Maddie got to experience a couple "firsts" (like ice cream, and a trip to the zoo) and she had a blast hanging out with all her aunts/uncles/cousins on that side of the family. The big celebration point of the week was Mitch's graduation from BHS...congrats, Mitch! For some reason I couldn't get a bigger picture to upload, but his body language is saying it all here!

Here are the rest of my favorite pictures from the trip. I was having problems uploading all of them, so I made a quick video instead. I also threw in a little video clip of Miss Maddie being her normal crazy self, too!

First Mother's Day--May Vacation, Continued

2009-05-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

So while we were in Tennessee I also got to celebrate my very first Mother's Day! That is special in its own right, but it was extra memorable because I got to spend it with my Mom (doesn't happen every year), and with my sister-in-law Amber! It was her first Mother's Day as well, and I'm sure she felt every bit as blessed as I did. The morning started with my gift from Maddie...I think Daddy helped her pick it out!

My gift from Maddie...a framed picture of us both, and a new Willow Tree for my collection
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Family Portrait

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New Moms!
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Me, Maddie, and GiGi
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Rylan...thinking about how he won the Mom Lottery!
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Back to Texas...

2009-05-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

My 18 day trek to Tennessee for a complete family immersion has, sadly, come to an end. I was sure I would be ready to get back here (can I even call it home after what I left back in Tennessee?) and resume my normal life...but it was so sad to leave. I have so many happy, happy memories from this trip, though! I can't stand the thought of not posting all of my favorite pictures, so I'm going to attempt to break it up into a few posts, for brevity's sake.

Up first, highlights from leg one of my trip: GiGi and PeePaw's house! I got to spend an absolutely amazing week with my parents and hanging out with my new nephew! Maddie didn't know what to think of him...I could see the little wheels turning in her head: "Wow, what a fun new toy! Wait, I can't beat, pull, poke, bite, and scratch on him? No fair! And why are other people holding him and not me? Better pull out my repertoire of fake coughs, gags, and squeals so no one forgets me!" Gosh, my baby is SUCH a ham, and this trip totally proved it. And isn't it crazy/wonderful to hold a newborn baby when you're used to one that crawls, climbs, and rocket-launches from your arms? Ah, memories! Anyway, here are some of my favorite pictures from the first few days home...

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Maddie meets her new cousin!
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Rylan
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Me and my lil' buddy
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One happy Gigi, holding Maddie and Rylan
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Granny and Maddie
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Looking a little jealous
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She loves her PeePaw!
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Okay, all 3 people who read my blog...tune in next time (tomorrow, I hope) for the next installment of "How I Spent My May Vacation."

Sick Babies and Airplanes

2009-05-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

Hello! I know, long time, no post...what else is new? Well, Maddie has survived her first real illness...and so did I, barely. I know I should feel blessed...almost 9 months with nothing but one stuffy nose. On Tuesday, she woke up with a high fever (got to 102.4!!!!) so I almost had a stroke. You might of heard the news about a little something called "SWINE FLU" going around in North Mexico...er, I mean Texas. Well, (hallelujah) she is fully recovered from Roseola, which "all babies get," according to her pediatrician.

We had a fun time at the Urgent Care Center, though. Oh wait, no we didn't.

On a happier note, it's vacation time! Maddie and I made it Tennessee yesterday and are staying with my parents until Andy gets in next weekend. A friend of mine mentioned that I was taking a really long vacation, but I would like to remind everyone that traveling with an infant is more work than play! I can't complain though, Maddie did great on the plane and got rave reviews from all the passengers and flight attendants (the same ones that were giving me the "Oh no, there's a baby on this flight! I hope it keeps it's mouth shut" look as we boarded). She took a nice long nap, too!

Right now, we are just relaxing at GiGi and Peepaw's, and enjoying getting to be with Baby Rylan! I love him so much, I can't wait for Andy to get here and meet him!

I will try to keep posting during our trip, because there is a lot of fun stuff going on...no promises, though ;) And I would also like to say a big "Thanks" to my dad, who is the only one in my immediate family to ever read my blog. YAY DAD! I LOVE YOU!

Full House

2009-04-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

We had a full house this weekend...Audra came to visit and brought Aidan, Neely, and Hank-dog. We had an absolutely gluttonous good time...what is it about being together that makes us lose all restraint? I guess it goes back to college, although we've moved up from spaghetti and butter, Chicken Helper, and Krystals. The kids had a blast playing together, and Maddie and Neely are already friends. I'm convinced Aidan and Maddie are getting married some day; they make each other laugh, and that's key in a relationship!

Speaking of Aidan, I won't tell stories on him (I'll leave that to his Mom), but he is by far the funniest kid I have ever been around. I love you, Aidan!

Audra has some much better pictures on her blog, but here are some that I snapped!

Sweet Neely

Pretty Girls

The Gang's All Here!

Aidan the Cat

Okay, so I will tell ONE story on Aidan...it had gotten a little too quiet, so I went in my bedroom to see if Aidan was in there looking for the cats (they tend to stay away when he's around, hmmm....). I found him sitting on the windowsill above my tub, talking to Claudia, brushing his teeth with my toothbrush. I literally almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard. When we busted him he told us he was a cat. He also said he brushed Claudia's teeth with my toothbrush, but I'm choosing to believe that was imagination.

Introducing...

2009-04-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

Rylan Allen Elkins
April 18, 2009
8 lbs. 3 oz.
21 inches

Love at first sight! I can't wait to hold him and tell him how much his Aunt is going to spoil him! Congratulations Allen and Amber, you will make wonderful parents!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend! Have you ever had a weekend where nothing out of the ordinary seemed to happen, but on Sunday night you sat down and thought, "Wow, what a great weekend!" That's how I felt about the last few days. We just relaxed and watched a movie with Scott and Sarah Friday night (and I got to hold Abigail, yay!), then Saturday we ran errands and had some steaks on the grill. The weather was nice until late Saturday night, when some crazy storms came through. Easter morning was cold and stormy, but we decided to stick to our plan of making it to the 7am service. My thought that it wouldn't be as crowded as the later services couldn't be more off base...still standing room only. With the exception of being completley wired and passing one very loud baby toot (at a key quiet moment in the service, of course), church went off without a hitch!

We celebrated with coffee and doughnuts while Maddie played with her Easter basket from Uncle Al and Aunt Amber.

Next were two of my favorite activities: A nap, and then baking! I made some pineapple coconut bars and a strawberry cake to take over to Lucy's (Sarah's grandma) for Easter Dinner.

Our adopted family came through for us yet again! I even made some hairbows for Abigail and Maddie, and burned myself on the gluegun less than a hundred times. Success! We also got to chat with Grandpa, MiMi, and Grandma Linda on the webcam. End the evening with a frozen pizza and a couple hours reading a great book, and I went to bed happy. Like I said, a great weekend...hope you enjoyed this long and super detailed recap!

Two exciting things coming up this week: First, Audra and her kiddos are coming to visit! Stefandra and Stefandra 2.0 are reunited again. I'm hoping that since Neely and Maddie are both sitting up, they might actually notice each other and become friends. Also, Aidan is very skilled at reminding me that I need to childproof my house, so I'm looking forward to his help ;) As for the second exciting thing happening this week (at least I hope it happens this week!): If all goes according to plan, I should have a blog post soon about my new nephew Rylan! I have been waiting for this baby for a long time! Everyone keep Allen and Amber in your prayers for a safe and speedy delivery and a healthy baby.

BTW, Maddie has two teeth now and will be crawling any day...yikes. She is getting so big! I'll post some more pictures from Easter when I get my stupid camera working, but here are pics from my phone.

Soooo close to crawling!

My friend Dawn gave me the "cold carrot as teether" tip. Worked like a charm.

What a ham!

Easter Morning

It's happening....

2009-04-03T07:56:00.001-07:00

Maddie is teething. It started on Tuesday and I knew I was dreading it for a reason. Would you like to know what my life has been like for the last few days? Well, lucky for you I captured it in video! If you are a big fan of Schadenfreude (Google it, you probably are), then this is for you!

On lighter note, here are some memories from happier times.
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Maddie and Daisy

Maddie and Abby. Maddie loves Abby, she is like a really cool new toy. Unfortunately, she hasn't quite learned that she can't pick up the new baby and fling her around like the rest of her toys. By the way, how awesome is it that Abby can smile like that at 5 weeks old!? She is so sweet!

Here's another example of Parenting Cliff's Notes from Andy. I asked him to get her ready for her bath, and he strips her and continues to play with her, naked on the couch. I wish he had gotten peed on. At least her clothes and dirty diaper are neatly stacked up on the couch to make it easier for me to pick them up later. There really isn't anything cuter than a naked baby, though, so I wasn't too mad.

I feel bad for posting that grouchy video, so here is a happy one.

28

2009-03-26T12:50:00.001-07:00

The title of this post is pretty significant, for once! 28 is how old I am now, after my birthday on the 14th. Yikes. And 28 is also the number of pounds I have lost in about 12 weeks! I am much more excited about the second "28" than the first. I am 2 lbs. away from my goal, and finally got rid of all my "fat clothes." Yes! So sorry for not posting more often, but I've been too hungry (ha ha, just kidding!!) My mom was here for my birthday and the week after, so Andy and I got to have a couple "dates" with a free babysitter! Not that my mom or child could have cared less about where I was...Maddie and her GiGi had a ball and love each other so much. It makes me so happy to see that they still have a great relationship even though they only get to see each other every few months. Here they are, all snuggled up.

I had a great birthday dinner at my favorite place, The Melting Pot. Here is a picture of me and Andy before gorging ourselves on cheese, meat, and chocolate. (The memory is making my mouth water!)

Mom also helped me with a ton of projects, like cleaning out the closets and getting goodwill bags together, and a little redecorating/organizing. Sometimes, all I needed was someone just to keep the baby occupied so I could actually FINISH something. I love it when people ask me, "So, aren't you bored being a stay-at-home Mom?" I usually laugh and tell them if I ever was, I'd be neglecting something, whether it's my house, husband, child, or (heaven forbid) myself! It was great to have an extra pair of eyes, ears, and hands around here, and it made me appreciate my Mom so much! Oh yeah, and any Mom-Stephanie-Maddie time includes lots of eating out and shopping, which was fun for me, but probably less exciting for the Budget Guru Andy. Here is Maddie looking super cute in a new spring dress!

Other than getting older and less, umm, Rubenesque, we are just enjoying our routines and watching Maddie grow. She is a very funny baby who needs to be the center of attention, and doesn't mind loudly reminding you of that. She has what I would call a "class clown" personality. Exhibit A , the following picture. What IS that face about?!?!

I love how in this one, she looks like she is holding his hand!

She loves to make funny noises, and if you laugh at her, she will repeat them ad nauseum. I use the phrase "Stop encouraging her!" a lot. She also loves her bath, just like her mommy!

Finally, one characteristic she gets from me! She has been scooting around on her belly for a while now, and has just started getting up on her hands and knees, so I think crawling will happen before I am ready for it. She still hasn't cut any teeth, which is fine by me. I want her to do it while we are in Tennessee next (May) so I have backup! I'm going to miss those gummy baby smiles!

This has been a pretty random post so I will end with a random story entitled "Adventures in Google-ing." Andy and I are on a home improvement kick, so last weekend I was on the computer looking for gardening ideas. I remembed something my dad was telling me about where you just buy a big terra cotta pot, and put it on your porch with all kinds of veggies or herbs in it. It's called a Container Garden and the idea sounded easy enough for my black thumb. Well, dumb me couldn't remember what it was called when I got on Google to look it up...so yeah, at any point now I'm expecting the cops, DEA, and President of the United States to bust down my door wanting to know why I was searching "How to grow a pot garden" on the Internet. Good thing I didn't look on YouTube.

Welcome, Spring!

2009-03-06T06:47:00.001-08:00

Well, it's the first week of March in Texas, which means of course it was 87 degrees yesterday. The weather went from the 30s to the 80s in a week...this is just one of the many things that drives me crazy about this state. You can NEVER put your warm weather clothes away. Plus my allergies are going haywire. You would think I would be used to it after almost 3 years, but nope.

Sorry I don't have anything more exciting to post about than my allergies and the weather (when did I turn into an old lady?). The good news is I am kicking off my birthday celebration 8 days early with my girl's dinner at Maggiano's tonight! AND GiGi gets here on Thursday for a nice long visit, so I'm sure we will get into something noteworthy. In the meantime, here are some random pictures to show what we've been up to!

Maddie and Daddy. I think she is trying to figure out "What's that gross thing growing on your face?" And no, she doesn't have clothes on. We're country.

Maddie and Nathan. He is so cute, but if he turns out anything like his Dad this will be their first and LAST date.

Maddie's Entourage. Daisy and Duncan follow her wherever she is in the house. This is beyond annoying.

Abigail Joy Myser. Abby is our neighbor/good friends Scott and Sarah's baby. I tell people I prayed this baby into existence so Maddie would have a best friend across the street. Thank you Jesus!

Maddie and Abby's first play date.

Silly Face!

Andy "watching" the baby. Umm, I must have missed the day in Parenting Class when they told us how to watch the baby while sound asleep.

I love this picture!

More Fantastic Portraits from Erica Joyce Photography!

2009-03-02T17:34:00.000-08:00

Copy and paste this link to see Maddie's 6-month photo shoot! Thanks Jake and Erica, these are awesome!

http://www.ericajoyce.com/cust/greiner09/

6 months!

2009-02-12T06:23:00.001-08:00

Maddie is six months old! Holy cow, time has really flown by. All those cliches about babies are so true...the really do grow up so fast! One of the best things is watching her learn. She can roll over, sit up, attempt to crawl (looks more like she's doing the "worm"), blow raspberries, and babble fun sounds. Her favorite is "da-deeee" and "da-DAD!" but I told Andy that all babies say that first, and she still has no idea what it means. Yes, I am jealous that she doesn't say "Dearest Mother" yet. She also does a funny thing now where she will become obsessed with something so tiny you don't even know what she is staring at, like the zipper or button on your shirt. And she laughs all the time, which is so awesome!

Andy is staying busy with work like always, but we are both really thankful that he has such a good job right now. He is getting ready to move into a new building, with a new snazzy corner office like the executives on TV ;) Now, if I can just convince him to stop wearing jeans and sweatshirts to the office everyday. As for me, my big project is trying to organize all my projects! I have a long list of things I want to do around the house, but can't figure out where or how to start. After 2 1/2 years here, our bedroom still has pictures leaned up against the wall, waiting to be hung. I will get it all done sometime!

Also, if anyone has a webcam we are on Skype and Windows Live Messenger now. You can just search for my name and email and add us. We would love to see some family and friends!

Ok, now for the fun stuff! Pictures and video!

6 Months Old!

New Summer Outfit

Still No Teeth :)

Ugh...Peas!

Please, can I just have my milk?

So here is the video of Maddie's first experience with vegetables. She had never had anything but breast milk and some occasional cereal until yesterday. The part where she starts gagging should tell you how she felt about it.

Newest Nephew!

2009-01-30T09:25:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the world to our beautiful new nephew, Waylon Duke Greiner, son of Andy's brother Matt and his wife Lydia. Maddie is excited to have a "baby" cousin now! He is so gorgeous, I could spread him on toast and eat him up! (That's for you, Aunt Kate!)

Waylon Duke
January 27, 2009

Picture Tag!

2009-01-27T14:28:00.001-08:00

This is from Audra, and it only took 30 seconds, so I actually did it! Yay! I've gotten lots of cyber chain letters, but I like this one the best!

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Here are the instructions: Go to the place where you store all of your pictures on your computer and open up the 4th folder. Open the 4th picture. Post the picture and give an explanation. Tag 4 people!

This is a picture from Andy's 30th birthday party, and from the looks of it, everyone is enjoying a frosty cold Coke and toasting to another awesome dish of my baked beans.

I'm not sure if I know 4 people who will see this, but I will guess and say that I tag: Kate P, Erica, Jake, and Mel.

A Tale of Two Christian Schools; or, Texas High School Football gets it right

2009-01-27T13:43:00.001-08:00

I had every intention of posting a big family update today, but somehow the memory card from my camera (which has the pictures I need) has grown legs and walked away. I'm going to be REALLY upset if it doesn't turn up...in the meantime, here is a great story I heard about last week on the radio and wanted to send out. I copied it from the blog of a radio DJ in Dallas, and here is the link to the original post, so I don't get sued. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did (I cried like a baby!). It is really powerful stuff!

http://www.kiddnation.com/profiles/blogs/tale-of-two-christian-schools

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Chances are, you saw the story out of Dallas about the Christian school whose girl's basketball team played a school for developmentally challenged kids...and beat them 100-0. The school is embarrassed about that now, but the damage is done; not only to the school, but to any Christian who believes compassion and respect are important qualities.

Texas prep hoops team might forfeit 100-0 win

I'd like to give you another story that shows a different side. This story is real. It was written by the talented Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated and it inspires me every time I read it:

High school football is big in America, but I suppose there is no place where it is bigger than in Texas. Friday nights there are legend.

The fans scream; the stands are packed; cheerleaders with pom-poms jump and sway to the beat of the school band and everybody joins in the chants and stomps their feet on the metal stands until you are sure they will collapse.

This is the frenzy of Texas high school football.

But there is one football team in Texas that is a little different. When they play on Friday night, their stands are empty, no band, no cheerleaders, no mass of parents or townsfolk wearing the school colors and waving banners and flags. They take the field without anyone cheering them on. When they score a touchdown, which rarely happens, there is no wild celebration behind them… All of it seems hollow and muffled in contrast to the tidal wave of roars and drums and chants that come from the opposing side.

They are the Tornadoes of the Gainesville State School, a fenced, maximum-security facility. The young men who go to Gainesville State are there because they have made some major mistakes in their lives. But the players who are on the team are there because they have worked hard and have earned enough good behavior points that gives them the privilege to leave the facility and play football on Friday nights—always an away game for them—always a home game for their opponents—and almost always a loss. They don’t have a weight program or training equipment or high-paid coaches and assistants. They don’t have a large pool of players to draw from. The school has 275 boys, but many are too old or too young or can’t or don’t meet the “criteria” to play. And they don’t have the support of a town and a mass of parents and family and reporters and bands and cheerleaders.

That is, until November 7th. Something changed. They played Grapevine Faith Christian School.
A few days before the game, the Gainesville coach, Mark Williams received a call from Faith Christian coach, Kris Hogan, asking him if it would be okay if Faith formed a “spirit” line for his team when they ran on the field. Mark said, “Sure, that would be a real encouragement to the kids.” He thought that the line would consist of a couple of the JV cheerleaders, but when they took the field, there were a hundred people in it and it stretched to the 40-yard line, filled with Faith Christian parents, fans and varsity cheerleaders, complete with a banner at the end for them to burst through that read “Go Tornadoes!”. And then, those parents and fans sat in the stands behind the Gainesville players and when the Tornadoes broke the huddle and went up to the line they could hear people cheering for them, by name. When they got a first down, “their” fans erupted.

You see, coach Hogan had sent an email out to the Faith Christian parents and students asking them to consider doing something kind for these young men, many who didn’t know what it meant to have a mom and dad who cared, many who felt the world was against them, not for them. Hogan asked that they simply send a message that these boys were “just as valuable as any other person on earth.”

So half of the Faith Christian fans were now sitting on the visitor’s side of the field, cheering for the Gainesville team, and in some cases, against their own sons. –Cheering for a team decked out in mismatched old uniforms and helmets. –Cheering for boys who wouldn’t go home that night and have a smiling dad slap him on the back and feel his mom put her arms around him and say “I’m so proud of you son!” –Cheering for the underdog.

This was a Friday night like no other for the Tornadoes. In the locker room, the players were confused. “Why are they cheerin’ for us, coach?”  “Because, men, they want to encourage you. They want you to know that they care about you…that you have value.”

 Coach Williams said the boys were stunned. For many of these kids, it may have been the first time that anyone had shown them, so visibly, unconditional love.

They were down 33 to nothing at the half. Williams encouraged his team to set a goal for the second half: to score a touchdown against this vastly superior team. And when the boys from the State School took the field again, with their fans cheering them on, everything started to click.

And they did score. Not once but twice.

And the fans went wild.

Coach Williams was asked what the bus ride was like on the way home and he laughed and said that they were all asleep—their bellies were full. That’s because after the game, the parents brought a whole bunch of food over to the guys: hamburgers, fries, candy, sodas…and included in the meal sack was a Bible and a personal letter of encouragement from a Faith Christian player. But then, he said, they formed a line for us out to the bus. And the parents patted them on the back and said, “Nice game” and “Look forward to seeing you guys next time.”

As they left the field that night, Coach Williams grabbed Coach Hogan and said to him: “You’ll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You’ll never, ever know.”

Just for PeePaw....

2009-01-24T13:43:00.000-08:00

Despite Uncle Al's protests, PeePaw's request that I put this on the blog won out. He is my dad, I have to listen!

A beautiful message.

2009-01-23T08:28:00.000-08:00

This really touched me. Hopefully a lot of people will see this and think twice about what they "know" about Former President Bush. Also, if his daughters can create such a touching message of support to the Obama girls, everyone else can back our new president 100% too! More posts later...

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Home again, home again...

2009-01-07T06:26:00.000-08:00

Wow. Two weeks in Tennessee, two flights with a 4 month old, and too long living out of suitcases! It was a great trip, but we are all glad to be back (even though we miss everyone)! Maddie handled the travel better than anyone, and she had a great time meeting all her aunts/uncles/cousins! She is a real social butterfly, I'm going to have to get her in Mom's Day Out soon; she seems bored with just me around now!

Since I have so many pictures, I decided to upload slideshows instead of individual shots. I am also splitting everything up by the events: Greiner Christmas and Friends, Elkins Christmas and Condo, and Maddie's Baptism. Chapter 1 is Greiner Christmas and Friends, and hey family...remember you can order these and others from my Picasa account:

http://picasaweb.google.com/segreiner

I will try to get the other slideshows up this week too.

Merry Christmas from our Native Texan, Maddie!

2008-12-19T06:51:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Christmas Pics

2008-12-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

So one big slice of my Holiday Stress Pie was our Christmas Picture. If I told you how much time/energy has been devoted to the When/Where/How of this picture and our Christmas Card, you would think I was completely OCD. For some reason, I just has a lot of problems making decisions about what we would wear, should we take it at church or at home, etc. The result is in the mail...but here are some "outtakes."

Pre-Christmas Dress...Not Happy.

Getting Happier.

Wink wink ;)

Remember Cabbage Patch Kids?

2008-12-08T18:02:00.000-08:00

I think I birthed one. :D

Thanksgiving Redneck Baby and Fulmer Appreciation

2008-11-30T08:01:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving this year, we continued our tradition of being "adopted" by Scott and Sarah's family. We had a great Thanksgiving lunch and Maddie (of course) was the most popular girl at the party. I made sure to get her all dressed up so that we could take a family picture to commemorate her first Thanksgiving....new pretty dress, frilly socks, little patent leather shoes....the works! A pretty big deal for her, considering she has had shoes on an average of once a month since she was born! (You can take the new mommy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the new mommy!) Well, OF COURSE, I procrastinated taking the picture until after we ate...then "Uncle Scott" wanted to practice changing a diaper, since he and Sarah are expecting a little girl as well. Bless his heart, he did a great job except the diaper was a little loose, and a little low. The next thing I know, she is snuggled up with him watching the Titans game, and lets loose a poop-splosion that soaks her undershirt, dress, Scott's shirt and his pants! She had poop on her cream-colored shirt up to her shoulder blades. Poor Scott. And poor me, because I forgot to bring another outfit, and my lovely family portrait was reduced to Andy holding "Naked Redneck Baby" on the couch. Ah, Memories!

Saturday was dubbed "Fulmer Appreciation Day" in Knoxville, so we celebrated here in the land of that "other UT" as well. I can't believe I am doing this, but here is a horrible picture of me with no makeup...Maddie looks so cute I had to post it. We missed everyone a ton this weekend, but in only three weeks we'll all be home!

Hysterical Baby!

2008-11-29T16:54:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! I promise to post a funny story about our day later, but I HAD to post this video that I just took right this second...we have been cracking up over it!

2 in one week?!?!?

2008-11-18T07:16:00.000-08:00

I know, you are shocked, all two of my followers ;) But I changed the blog to my default startup page, to encourage me to update. I wanted to post a couple of pictures to show how much Madeline has grown in the last three months:

6 days old

3 months old

2 weeks old

3 months old

What a big girl! Here are a couple funny pictures, just for the heck of it!

New Video!

2008-11-17T08:27:00.000-08:00

Here is a new video of Miss Madeline playing with some of her favorite toys. She is growing so fast! I tried to capture her big, gummy grin, but had to settle for an assortment of grunts and giggles instead. She is 3 months old and more fun every day!

Grandpa and Mimi!

2008-10-20T05:53:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend with Grandpa and Mimi! I'm very appreciative that they let us stick with our normal weekend routine, which is a lot of couch time, football, and relaxing. We did manage to get out for dinner on Saturday night, and church on Sunday morning, and my baby was an absolute ANGEL both times. I was so happy! She absolutely loved Mimi's funny faces and Grandpa's famous "Donald Duck" voice. I feel really lucky that Maddie has wonderful grandparents on all sides of the family to love her. Plus, not everyone has such awesome in-laws, so I am doubly blessed! On a side note, I have started a Picasa account to keep all my baby pictures on a web album. So if anyone is interested in ordering prints, they just need to go to:

http://picasaweb.google.com/segreiner

If you select one of the Galleries, you will be able to view pictures, download them to your computer, or order prints from Shutterfly or Walgreen's. I think this is a great way to share pictures, in addition to backing them up in yet one more place! It's alot faster and easier than emailing out pics, and it won't crash your inbox. (Picasa is not paying me, I just like it THAT MUCH!).

Here are some pictures from the weekend!

Better Late than Never...

2008-10-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoy the video above! I wanted to put it at the top in case you looked at my Blog and thought "Holy Crap, that's alot of reading...never mind!" Like so many other things, I have been neglecting the dear old blog (just put it on the list with my hair, shaving, sleep, and several other things that I can't seem to get around to during the day). BUT...my precious baby girl is asleep for a minute so I thought I would try to put a few thoughts down while I can.

**FIRST AND FOREMOST** I know most of my family already knows this, but if I haven't talked to you, you may remember me talking about my friend Erica that I use to work with at Initech, oh wait, I mean Staff Care. Erica and Jake are responsible for the amazing maternity shots of Maddie, and they are just all around great people. I would just like to request lots of prayers and good thoughts to their family as they are going through a difficult time with their pregnancy (Erica is pregnant with triplets and is very high-risk). Erica has been admitted to the hospital and will be there until her babies reach viability...I'm sure they wouldn't mind me sharing since they believe in the power of prayer and want as much as they can get. You can read Erica's blog (I have a link to it) for the full scoop, but suffice it to say they need prayers for themselves, their family, and most of all their little angel babies. I am crying as I type this so I will move on, but please pray because this family deserves all the happiness in the world and God works miracles every day...let them be a miracle!

As for an update on my little family, Maddie is growing so much and is starting to develop her personality. Unfortunately, it seems to be more like mine :( She is very happy...unless she is hungry, tired, bored, lonely, dirty or just generally moody and then she is fussy. Luckily she is pretty easy to calm now that we know she doesn't cry unless the problem can be fixed. We just down the list of things that could be wrong until we find it. She loves to be wrapped in her favorite blanket, taking a warm bath with Mommy or Daddy, or just being snuggled and talked to. My good sleeper has disappeared....for the last several days she wants to eat every 2 hours day and night. Andy has really stepped up to help so I can get a little sleep. I by no means expect her to sleep through the night for several more weeks...but I'm still hoping this phase passes soon!

Grandpa G and MiMi will be here next weekend and we are all so excited...I am especially excited about the night out MiMi offered. Anyone who doesn't think I am jumping on free babysitting doesn't know me very well!

I am going to try and make a better effort to update this, since Maddie is changing every day...and I guess Andy and are too! We are just doing our best to be good parents and stay sane, and as usual we hit a few snags here and there! :) Here are some new pictures..

Maddie and Crazy Auntie LaLa...

B-I-G stretch on the above mentioned favorite blanket!

On a Playdate with Jordana...
she is having fun, I swear!

How cute is this outfit?!?!

Pretty Baby....

Whooo Hooo for baths!

Catching some ZZZZs....

Right before she peed on the towel, blanket, and her PJs.

First Photo Shoot...

2008-09-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

Most of you know I HATE having my picture taken (maybe some repressed post-traumatic stress from having to do "sorority pose" eleventy billion times in college) but we just had the most amazing photo session ever with Maddie! First of all, big ups to Jake and Erica at Erica Joyce Photography for working so hard and with such difficult subjects. You can link to their website and blog under "Links" on the left. I wanted all you guys to be able to see how amazing the shots were, so here is a link to the slideshow...

www.ericajoyce.com/cust/greinerbaby

I am probably going to buy a CD that has all the pictures and the rights to reprint them, so if anyone would like a picture, just let me know and I will either email it you, or mail you a copy after I get the CD!

Also, just for giggles...during Day 1 of the two day shoot, Andy had to change his shirt FIVE TIMES in one day, due to the baby pooping, peeing, pooping again, and throwing up all over him. It was hilarious. He says he's going to dress as a toilet for Halloween now. He just hasn't learned that essential rule of parenthood: Handle a naked baby more carefully than a loaded gun!

On our own....

2008-09-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

Oh No! GiGi (or G-Ma, depending on the situation) had to go home on Saturday! So the Greiners of Texas are going it alone. So far, so good. The biggest snag over the last week has been my bout with Mastitis. What is mastitis, you might ask? Well, the Mayo Clinic defines it as:

"...an infection of the breast tissue that causes pain, swelling and redness of the breast. Mastitis most commonly affects women who are breast-feeding, although in rare circumstances this condition can occur outside of lactation.
Often, mastitis occurs within the first six weeks after birth (postpartum), but it can happen later during breast-feeding. The condition can leave you feeling exhausted and rundown, making it difficult to care for your baby."

I define it as the sickest I have ever felt in my life, complete with a 103.5 degree fever, a swollen, red, agonizingly painful, knotted up boob, cold sweats, chills, and shakiness so bad I couldn't hold a glass, let alone a newborn. "Exhausted and run down?" That was obviously written by a man. I literally felt like I was going to die for about 36 straight hours. Thank God Andy is the best Daddy ever and was able to take care of Maddie.

Needless to say, my sickness made it hard on everyone when Mom had to leave, but I am feeling better and strapped to the hospital grade breast pump like a Mayfield cow. No wonder people give up on breastfeeding!

Because I was so sick, Labor Day weekend was sort of a bust, but two fun things did happen. First, Maddie got to meet her Auntie Audra and her friend Neely! Just because Neely is still in utero doesn't mean they shouldn't be properly introduced.

Second, she watched the Tennessee game with her Daddy, and he was so happy to be holding her he didn't even throw too big of a fit when the Vols blew it AGAIN.

There's always next week!

2 weeks!

2008-08-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

Maddie is two weeks old today! The last several days have been really interesting, to say the least. We had a small feeding issue a few days after getting home from the hospital, which led to a touch of jaundice and two very stressed out parents. Once we got her eating again, she got much better! No more "Lemon Baby!" I would like to say "thanks" to Aunt Liz for being such a good sport the weekend she was here...she saw alot more of me crying and in varying stages of undress than anyone should. All the stress was worth it though, now that we have a healthy, hungry baby again!

We also had a Welcome Home cookout at Scott and Sarah's, which was so much fun! Maddie got to meet lots of people who have been waiting for her, and her future prom date Nathan.

This past week has been much more relaxing, now that we can finally calm down and just enjoy her. She has been cracking everyone up with her gassy "smiles" (Andy and I both agree, a smile is a smile, no matter the cause), and various diaper fiascos. She is eating great, and only getting up once a night (we usually have to wake her up for that one), and happy in the mornings. So far, so good!

PeePaw's visit was way too short, but we all enjoyed our time together and Maddie is pining for his snuggles. Here are some pictures from the last week...

Quick Pics!

2008-08-22T12:44:00.001-07:00

Hello! Here are a few new pictures that I have been trying to post...I will post a more detailed update of the last week (suffice to say, it will require more time than I have now, or perhaps will ever have again) soon, I hope. Dad is here this weekend, so that means a LOT of pictures! Check back!

Welcome, Madeline!

2008-08-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Welcome to our first blog post! As most of you know, Madeline Claire Greiner was born at 6:19 pm on Monday, August 11, 2008. She weighed in at 8lbs. 3 oz. and was 20 inches long. Her delivery was everything we DID NOT expect...a scheduled induction that was supposed to be quick and easy turned into 10 hours of labor, 2 hours of pushing, and an emergency C-Section. Seems like Maddie was "stuck" behind my pubic bone and nothing would persuade her to move!

The delivery was only the beginning of the drama, though. The docile, quiet and happy baby I prayed for is a red-faced screaming hooligan. She is full of spunk and personality...it is her way or the highway. She has a fiesty temper and great lungs...in fact, she was the hit of the nursery while getting her bath. Out of the 14 babies born at the hospital that night, only Maddie had the assembled crowds outside the windows laughing at the "lobster baby" pitching a huge fit! Check out her adorable hospital photo at http://www.baylorhealth.com/locations/grapevine/baylorbabies.htm. She is listed under "Madeline G" if you search by date.

We were discharged after a quick stay and are happily back at home. Here are some pictures from the event. Thanks to everyone for your well wishes and prayers! Check back in soon for updates!