Tribute to the Swing

Thank you for always being there, rocking me, soothing my tummy, playing "great" music for me, growing with me, comforting me, letting me sleep with you and providing an ease to my aching body.....thank you my ever so faithful, lifesaving, nap giving, sleep providing, tummy soothing SWING!!! You provided me with 26 weeks, 182 days, 2,184 hours, 131,040 minutes, 7,862, 400 seconds of comfort!! I grew through 3 head rests and wore out 2 motors! Thank you beloved swing for always being with us, even from the very beginning!

The first picture below is the day we brought Maddox home from the hospital. (Can anyone believe he was ever that little, and look at the hair on his head, crazy!)

We have officially transitioned from the swing, all sleeping is done in the bed. All naps, and the entire night! The Madd-man was 7 pounds away from being "kicked" out of the swing for safety reasons and the time was right to make the switch. After we got back home from Oklahoma I told Maddox he had one full week left in the swing (I wanted to get him regulated back on his schedule since we were out of town for two weekends in a row) therefore, last Sunday marked our first day on our new bed sleeping adventure! We have had some long nights and making adjustments to our napping, but over all he has taken the change like a champ! Way to go Maddox! I am so proud of you!!!

On July 9th, Brad and I celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary!! I cannot believe it has been 3 years already (however, this year in itself has felt like a life time...hahah) There are so many things I love about my amazing husband and the bond that we share!!

I love his smile and his since of humor! He is always making me laugh

I love his gorgeous blue eyes and the way they can calm my spirit with just a simple glance

I love his work ethic! He honestly is the hardest worker I know (at everything he attempts)

I love watching him turn into a Daddy!

I love sharing things with him....shampoo, toothpaste, sodas from Sonic, etc.

I love his ability to figure things out (like laying tile and our new wood floor...he does such an amazing job!)

I love how he always makes sure Maddox and I are taken care of

I love how he loves his family and takes great pride in his parents

I love his passion for life and making sure he finds things to enjoy about every single day

I love that he works hard so he can play harder

I love my sweet husband and I am so blessed to have him in my life!!!

Happy 4th of July

Happy belated Independence day to everyone!! Hope you all enjoyed some time with your families. Brad, Maddox, and I traveled to Oklahoma City for the holiday weekend and spent some time with Brad's family. It was a well needed trip and we enjoyed being able to see everyone (although, it was not nearly enough time, but we take what we can get at this point). Maddox traveled really well and I discovered new and unusual ways to "entertain" him in the car. It cracks me up the things that will amuse him and the things that he just looks blankly at you as if to say "are you serious? Did you really think that was funny?" Oh my sweet sweet boy!


We enjoyed a nice scorching hot picnic at Grandma Jo's and then spent some time in the hotel pool (thanks Kim, Austin and Brandon for joining us for a swim, we enjoyed the company!!)


From our hotel window we could see all the wonderful fireworks shows and it was great. Maddox was sleeping away in his swing (yes we packed it and brought it with us everywhere, Dennis and Murlon's house, Grandma Jo's and the hotel, it was a life saver!!) and we were watching the fireworks from our balcony window with Brandon. We had a wonderful time!! What did everyone else do for the holiday???


Moving on, today is Maddox's 6th month birthday....I know, I can't believe it either. He is getting so big so fast!! Not a day goes by that someone doesn't comment on my "lack" of feeding the poor baby...hahahah...everyone is amazed by how big he is!! I am too!!! I am anxious to see how much he weighs and how tall he is (we don't go back to the doctor until August).


I am amazed at all the new things my little one is able to do. He is eating stage one and stage two Gerber baby foods. He can have juice (we have attempted a Sippy cup, he is not fond of the idea of him having to hold the cup. He believes that is MY job...hahaha) He sits up all by himself. He talks and smiles. He knows his name and responds when it is spoken to him. He rolls over (he is still not fond of his tummy, so he remains on his back, but at least we know he can do it if he ever wanted to). He is amazed at other people's hands, he loves to hold them and watch how each finger moves, it is precious to watch him discover new things. I could go on and on but I don't want to bore all of you will my rambling, so I will move on to the important part....PICTURES!!

Please get me out of this car!!! Are we there YET???

Happy 4th of July everyone! I sure am pooped!!!

Maddox and his sweet Aunt Kim!!!

Loving the cool water and his car floaty! He is way too cool, he drives his car backwards!!!

Getting all warmed up after the swim!

Maddox grandma and great-grandma, telling stories!!

Maddox and Grandpa going for a walk!

Baby Sitter

We have a baby sitter, no, not someone to watch our child, we have a baby who sits!!! Maddox can sit up on his own and he LOVES it! One day the Madd-man decided he would sit up by himself and he has done it ever since. He reaches for things and is trying so hard to find a way to move on his little bottom (I do believe we will have a scooter soon).




















This past weekend we had the opportunity to travel to Arlington, TX for our first annual Malone Family Reunion (my mom's side) It was a lot of fun and it was great getting to see the family! I wish we could have stayed longer, but we enjoyed the time we had! Maddox traveled well, he was definitely ready to get out of the car when we arrived at the Macaroni Grill in Louisville. (I was tempted to start crying like he does because I too was ready to get out of the car; however, it is frowned upon to see a 25 year old woman throwing a fit simply because I am antsy. Something about being a mature adult or something...overrated...hahahah)





















The big secret is finally out...drum roll please.....Jason and Kameron (my bro and sis-in-law) are expecting their first baby!!! Yippee...I will be an aunt, Brad will be an uncle, and Maddox will be and will have a cousin!!! Congrats you two!!! I pray that we will be as great to your little bundle of joy as you are to our little Maddox!! Thank you for your love and support and if there is anything we can do for the two of you, please let us know!!!


The vacation was fun fun. We were able to go to Hurricane Harbor on Saturday while my mom kept Maddox. He went swimming loved his car floaty so much he almost feel asleep in it!!! Saturday evening we went to a Texas Rangers baseball game. We had a wonderful time, despite the rainy weather, Maddox was bored about the 3rd inning, but everything turned out fine. I was able to have some good cuddle time with the little man in the Baby Bjorn frontal carrier. We had a wonderful time seeing our family. We are now doing laundry and preparing to hit the road again. We are going to Oklahoma City to visit Brad's family for the 4th of July.
On the way home from Dallas, I was reading the billboards and there was one that said "Relax, I am in charge-God." This simple statement has hit my heart at its core. I get so worked up, over analyze and allow myself to be consumed with things that don't even matter. I need to step back and RELAX and realize, I am not in charge and I never will be. The Lord will provide and take care of everything, I simply need to be obedient and allow Him to take the lead!!! What an amazing feeling!

HOWDY

Maddox's sweet personality is being to show through and through!!! It is so much fun to see what makes him laugh and what will make him give you the "stink-eye" He makes the funniest facial expressions! He is currently fascinated by his little hands, he is constantly moving them and just watching his fingers bend and reach and pick up things! You can almost see those wheels just turning in his head as he is attempting to discover new things!

He has become such a happy little boy and I am so excited about that. What an answer to my prayers and what a JOY he is to have in our lives!!!

Just Roll With It

Wow how things can change in one day. Its just crazy how fast Maddox is learning new tricks, eating new foods, and simply discovering his world around him! As I have mentioned, Maddox has mastered the art of the roll from tummy to back; however, today he rolled from back to belly and belly to back, just like a roly poly!! It was hilarious and he always has this stunned look on his face when he accomplishes the roll over (I honestly don't think it is because he is surprised by his new accomplishment, it is because I get so excited and I think I scare him a little...hahhaha)

Maddox has done amazingly well with all the new foods he has tried! S0 far he has eaten sweet peas, green beans, carrots and sweet potatoes! The change of foods does not seem to affect him, he just eats whatever you allow him to! He is a very eager eater and has made this very easy for Brad and I. He has been more gassy since we started the solids, but in all honesty I was totally expecting some tummy problems because that is all that we know with the Madd-man; however, overall he is doing amazingly well with the change of diet and I couldn't be more thrilled!

It has been so fun watching Brad and Maddox bond over the past 5 months. It just melts my heart to see them giggle and play together! Brad is so good to him and I love to watch Brad's face light up when he gets home from work and begins to tickle Maddox. When Brad comes home for lunch and I am feeding Maddox his lunch, it because almost impossible to keep that spoon in Maddox's mouth because he is constantly watching Brad and forgets to pay attention to eating (now for those of you who know Maddox, you realize how big of a statement that is. Maddox actually gets distracted from eating because he is so focused on his daddy. It is absolutely precious!!!)

I feel this has been the best month of motherhood for me. I am finally beginning to feel like myself again and I am loving all the time I get to spend with Maddox. I don't feel like I am constantly walking in a fog or so exhausted that I can hardly function. I have time to pick up the phone and call my friends, sit down and write a quick email, and enjoy the day ahead of me! I knew it would eventually get there, it just took me a while to find MY spot in this new world I am surrounded by, and let me just tell you, I LOVE it! I am so blessed to have an amazing husband who works his bottom off so that I can have the opportunity to stay at home with Maddox. I am so lucky to have this time with my mom to bond with her and watch her relationship grow with her grandson!! I have the best friends a girl could ever ask for. Thank you Brad, Sarah, Dusty, Kameron, Jason, Carol and Anna for your constant support and patience as I have attempted to find who I am as a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend. You guys have been so supportive and have helped me more than I could ever thank you for!!!

Sorry to just ramble on and on there. I have some pictures for you and some video! I hope you enjoy!!

Maddox eating carrots

Maddox and daddy laughing



Jumping around in my Birthday suit!!!

Lets Roll

We have officially mastered the art of rolling over from tummy to back!! (by we I mean Maddox, you guys would not be interested in knowing that I can roll over from my tummy to my back, I am 25 for goodness sake) The minute you place the little man on his tummy, he shifts those hips and rolls over on his back again. I always knew he hated tummy time, he has found a way to get out of doing that for sure!! Hahaha. It is so amazing to watch the new things he can master in just a few days!!! I have a feeling he will be crawling in no time. He already tries to wiggle his little legs while he is attempting to roll over. Oh my goodness, I am about to have my hands very full!!

Well I am going to sneak out of his room for now, he is finally asleep! I shall leave you with one of my favorites of my boys!!

High 5s

Happy Birthday to.....Me and Maddox (well kind of) This past week I turned the big 25 and Maddox turned 5 months!!! (I know..I cannot believe he is that old either...crazy how the time goes by so fast) Just a month for 5s It was a fantastic birthday for me. I actually feel younger this year. I always pictured myself much older when I started a family, so having Maddox "early" actually makes me feel much much younger (it doesn't hurt that I still look 15, although I do get some pretty nasty looks from the elderly people when they see me with Maddox...hahahah)

Things in the Voda house are going quiet well at the moment. Maddox is still sleeping in his big boy bed and doing great at it, I still pray for the day when we sleep through the night, but I try to cherish this time that he still "needs" me in the wee Hours of the night. We started the cereal again this past week and Maddox has done much much better with it this time. His little tummy is allowing him to digest it much easier. We ate sweet peas this evening...he made some funny faces, but he ate every last bite (he tried to help me feed him and he would pat his fat little hands on the high chair try when I wasn't going fast enough. Do you think I am going to have a "demanding" little one on my hands....I do think so..heheheh) He is laying on his tummy for longer periods of time throughout the day and is attempting to master the tummy role (that can go two ways...rolling from tummy to back and simply the fact that I have a rather plump boy with a few belly roles....so precious)

Maddox finally laughed out loud for Brad and I....yipppee...what a glorious sound!!! He laughed when he was getting his 5 month picture made, he laughed at the girls at Brad's work, and he laughs for Brad when he makes silly faces or noises. I think this has been our favorite milestone! We have anticipated that laugh for a very long time now and we attempt anything to make it happen. It is wonderful to know that our little one is feeling better now and is able to discover more of his personalty and enjoy the world around him. Thank you Jesus for helping him feel better!!!

I will leave you with a small video of Maddox the Sucker-Fish licking the frost off of a cold glass and some of my favorite pictures from this past week!!! I hope everyone is doing well, thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to check up on our sweet little man!!!

Here is a pic from my birthday at my dad's house!! Don't my boys look handsome (yeah, I was a little tired that day, sorry for the squinty eyes!!)

Maddox eagerly awaiting his yummy cereal!!! (I love love love this highchair by the way!)