Shutterbug

Just call me "shutterbug!" I have always enjoyed photography and sometimes commit "random acts of photography." (I get a few good shots by accident!) I have wanted a digital SLR camera for years and I finally got one! My WONDERFUL WONDERFUL WONDERFUL husband treated me to a new Nikon D80 Digital SLR for Christmas.

Since I now have such a nice camera, I am scheduled to take a few photography classes in the next couple of months. It's time to learn the technical side of things so I can take great shots on purpose instead of by accident.

Battle of the Losers

Ahhh- its a good feeling. The Packers beat the Vikings TWICE this year. Sure, they BARELY did it but they did it. We were able to catch the Vikings vs Packer game at the Dome. Due to the Packer Vs. Vikings game at Lambeau field being on a Thursday, we gave up our tickets to Mike's dad and brother. We did enjoy the game on Thursday night in full packer gear.

First Steps

FINALLY - Madison is walking on her own!

For four months, Madison has been cruising furniture and standing on her own. For the past two months, she has walked all over holding just Mom's finger - but she has been too scared to let go and go it alone! It finally happened! She let go and walked all the way across the room to her Daddy. We were just starting to think that she would never walk.

Santa's Lap

Well - she didn't smile for the camera - but she isn't crying either! Madison visited Santa for the first time tonight. She call all dressed up in her cute Christmas dress and waited patiently in line with the other kids for her turn on the lap. I was afraid that she would cry, so I did my best to prepare her. We talked about how Santa can be scary looking, especially when he bellows HO!HO!HO! But he is really just a gentle old man that likes to bring toys to good children. As I set her on his lap, she tightened her grip on my arms but soon realized that I wasn't going anywhere and that she would be okay.
















Madison's new nickname is LOVERGIRL. Isn't this the cutest thing ever? She has learned to kiss and takes every available opportunity to share her love. Madison and her second cousin, Ben, were instant buddies at Grandma Muldoon's Christmas party last weekend. Madison's other second cousin, Colby, is the baby in the background. Madison is also very fond of hugging. She does the cutest little pat on the back when she gives a big bear hug.















There are a few great grandchildren missing in this picture. In the front row we have Madison, Ben, Davis, and Gretta. In the back row is Alexia, Isabelle, and Abby. The great grandchildren that are missing are Luke, Caden, Colby, and Mason. (I hope I didn't forget anyone!) I think there are almost as many great grandchildren as grandchildren now. Great Grandma Muldoon gives all the kids warm jammies for Christmas each year. The jammies were a real hit this year as all the kids quickly changed from the dressy christmas clothes to the snuggly new duds. Madison and Abby were especially proud of their matching sleeper and nightgown jammies.

The rat race begins

Wow! What a day. The day after Thanksgiving is traditionally for shopping - which I did today - ONLINE. Forget going out to the crowded stores to stand in line and fight for position to get that cheap portable DVD player or TV or whatever else - Did you know that many of the stores offer the SAME deals online with free shipping?? No lines, no pushy jerks behind you, no crowds and nobody asking me if I want this store or that store's credit card. I shopped a lot today - got a lot done! I only have a few gifts left to buy.

Shopping online left me some time to get our Christmas decorations up. The lights are up outside, the house is decorated, the tree is up.

Which brings me to a funny story....Madison is scared of the Christmas tree. She woke up from her nap around the same time that we finished putting up the tree. Mike lit it up and brought her in to see it. She got this terrified look on her face and grabbed Mike around the neck. She literally tried to climb up his chest to get as far away from that tree as she could! The fear did not pass with time, either. Everytime we brought her in the family room, she was afraid of that tree.

I suppose that is a good thing. I don't have to worry about her grabbing ornaments and eating them. (only Tyler does that!) I was going to wrap all the gifts and hide them away because I was afraid she would tear into them when I'm not looking - but that tree is a nice little built in deterrant. She won't dare go near those packages.

Diva in Training

Madison had her first haircut today! Since we're taking family portraits next weekend, we decided we should get her hair trimmed up and evened out a little bit. Her bangs hang down well past her chin! We like the length and don't mind putting it up in pigtails - so we just wanted a little trim.

Of course, Madison looks like she is sitting like a pro in this photo - but that is anything but the truth! She squirmed all over and only wanted to turn and look at the stylist as she tried to trim the back. We ended up sitting on the floor and playing while the girl did the best she could to cut the back evenly. I never thought we would sit on the dirty floor of a salon to get Madison's haircut and the stylist said she had never sat on the floor to cut hair before - but hey, she got the job done!

I hope our next trip to the salon will be for a mother/daughter spa day filled with pampering.

New Opportunity

Well - the time to get off the stagecoach has come. I have decided to leave Wells Fargo to pursue an opportunity with the Mayo Clinic. It seems like a no-brainer - my new job won't have any early or late meetings, no Saturdays, no daily sales goals to meet, no customers threatening me or yelling at me, the benefits are just about the same, and the money is better. I know in my heart that this move will make a lot of things easier in our lives. So why do I feel a little bit nervous about it? I guess I'm just nervous to be the "new girl" again. I'm used to being the one everyone comes to when they have a question - and I'm used to always knowing the answers. Now I'll be the one with questions. I'll be the "rookie." Despite being a little nervous - I am VERY excited. Only six days left on the bumpy and dusty stage coach.

GO PACK!!!

GO PACK GO!!!

Sunday was the best day ever! We joined a bunch of Mike's co-workers for the Vikings vs. Packer game at the Dome. It was a mixed bunch of Vikings and Packer fans - so we had a lot of fun with the rivalry. We went to one of the few tailgating lots in Minneapolis to enjoy brats and beer for breakfast. Tailgating at Lambeau Field is MUCH different from tailgating in Minneapolis. We were at a Nazi tailgating lot. No open flames, no tents, no giving the rival team any flack. Despite the goofy tailgating lots, we were able to enjoy the Packers walking all over the Vikings!!

In other news - Madison has a new tooth! FINALLY - she DOES indeed have teeth on the top of her mouth. Having only four teeth has not stopped her from eating anything! We went out for Mexican tonight to celebrate my new job - and she ate enchiladas!

Books

I LOVE BOOKS!!

Doesn't her face say it all? Nana and Grandpa Tigue sent Madison a Pooh backpack with Disney books in it. She was so excited to put that backpack on! Seeing her proudly put that thing on her back and stand up tall made my mind fast forward to her first day of kindergarten. Wow! She is growing up fast and she is only twelve months old!

I was worried about letting Madison play with the books - since they are "real" books and not board books. I was afraid she would get excited and tear the pages, but she sat so nicely looking at the pages and commenting in her klingon language about each page while pointing to the pictures. She likes to sit in my lap at night drinking a sippy cup of milk while I read the stories to her.

We have been signing with Madison and it is so much fun to see her learn new ways to communicate. "Milk" was her first sign. Everytime we gave her a bottle (now a sippy cup) of milk, we would make the sign and say "milk." It took about three months for her to figure it out. One night she was crying and I asked her what was wrong. Her little hand was squeezing over and over again, like milking a cow. I asked if she wanted milk and she stopped crying! It's amazing how quickly she is learning signs now. She signs "more" and "eat." We are working on "touch no" as well. We used the book Sign With Your Baby by Joseph Garcia. There is also a video set called signing time that has been recommended to me. You can find them at www.signingtime.com.

Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned

I learned a few important lessons over the weekend. It's funny how knowledge is gained through spending lots of money or embarassment.

1. The blower motor that moves heat from your furnace to the rest of your house is REALLY expensive. I learned this because our's died this weekend. Yep - dead. Good thing its early November and not January. I woke up Saturday morning to a cold house that smelled like smoke. The repairman came by for a mere eighty five bucks - but when all was said and done - the bill was $385. OUCH. I also learned that the previous owners of our house caused the blower motor to burn out by not covering the furnace when they finished the basement - sheetrock dust was the culprit.

2. My precious little angel (hint of sarcasm) of a daughter does not like shopping nearly as much as her mother. (This could be good or bad, depending on your perspective!) I thought I could use some new clothes for work. So, Madison and I hit all of my favorite stores in search of a suit or two. The ENTIRE time we were shopping, Madison kicked and screamed and pitched a fit.

3. This one is the most important lesson of all. NEVER undress completely to your bra and underwear while in a fitting room with a toddler. How do I know this? I was trying on a suit in a fitting room this afternoon. The stroller didn't fit in the room, so I took Madison out and set her on the floor of the fitting room with some hangers to play with. I took off my jeans and shirt. What was about to happen next, I have to admit, I never saw coming. As I was about to pull on a pair of pants, the little turkey discovered that the door didn't go all the way to the floor and crawled under it!! Right out into the main area of the fitting room! Since I wasn't about to go running out there in my skivies, I got down on the floor to reach under the door. I grabbed her by the foot and drug her back into my little room. Sorry about that rug burn, kiddo!! I really think I will have nightmares tonight about chasing Madison around Target in my bra and underwear.

So - those are my lessons for the weekend. Kind of makes me wonder what I'm in for with the week ahead!

First Post

Well - I've finally joined the blogger world. For the longest time, I couldn't figure out the point of blogging. I'm still not sure I "get it." However, I have decided this is a great way to keep the family up to date on the Adventures of Princess Madison.

For Halloween, Madison was a Packer Cheerleader. It wasn't too original, I know (since she is dressed in Packer-gear nearly every Sunday) - but this working mom has little time to go searching all over town for a cute over priced costume that she'll wear once. Geez I'll really be in trouble when she is in her first school play! She was cute in her cheerleader outfit - and after awhile, she wasn't afraid of her pom poms!

I really think Halloween is more for the parents and grandparents than it is for the kids. We dress them up, think they're cute and then drag them out on a cold Minnesota night to visit grandparents and great grandparents. Sure, Madison came home with a bag full of candy and gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Lee, Great Grandma Dubbels and Great Grandma Lee - guess who is going to eat that candy? Probably me.

So - this is my first blog post...a brief recap of Madison's second Halloween and a cute picture of her with Grandma Lee. I'll try to post more of our family activities this weekend.