For The Madie-Starved

Ya know what keeps me up at night? Writing. Sometimes it's so bad, I can't fall asleep at all until I've written something down, even if it's just a list of things. If I don't write, ideas keep coming into my head and just as soon as I get rid of one another comes. (You'd think I'd have a novel published by now, wouldn't you?!?) This is how it was last night. I have been so good about writing during the day--even if it's just a journal entry--except these past few. And I'm angry at myself because I realize now that it's the writing that has helped me sleep so well lately. So here I am, back at it. I'm just glad I have something to write about. 

Mike told me yesterday he wanted to record some specific things from right now in Madie's life so we can look back on them and (mostly) laugh. Ironically, I can't remember any of the specific things he mentioned. Anyway, this'll have to do.

Madie has been a paaaaaaaain lately. I mean, really. She screams at me when I'm not paying attention to her, she screams when I pick her up, she screams when I put her down, she screams when I read the "wrong" page of a book to her, she screams when I don't read to her at all, she screams when I read a book without looking at the pages (as I type: "The shape of you, the shape of me, the shape of everything I see..."). I mean, the girl has developed some serious attitude. So bad, in fact, that I have been looking for an answer from God to the question, "What can I do? Anything. I will do anything you tell me to."

Yesterday, the answer came.

We happened to have a full day scheduled (sort of, as far as my scheduling abilities take me). After getting the girls I nanny to school, we came home and got ready for a brunch to celebrate a friend's birthday (my friend's, not hers), then we went and there were kids galore to keep Madie distracted. Immediately after the brunch we went grocery shopping, which wiped her out so she took a nice, loooong nap. The second she was up we went to go pick up Calli, and when we got back, a friend called to see if we wanted to play at the park in our complex. Why, yes we would! We were outside straight from about 3:30 to 5 pm. So here's the answer to the problem: (1) let her socialize, and (2) whenever possible, do it outside.

Here's some outside time we enjoyed just this morning, in fact:

That rock kept her busy for a solid 15 minutes. The girl is not particularly good at entertaining herself when she's indoors. She is a social queen bee. (Gee. I wonder where she gets that from.) Of course I get worn out when I'm the only one she has to play with, but when she's with the horde of kids at the brunch or at the playground with four other kids, she is happy as can be! Same with the outdoors. She loves to be outside and to observe things; the noise of the rock hitting the cement, in this case.

Another new trend (which also wears me out) is clothes changing. I knew it would come someday though, so I guess I can't say I'm surprised. The girl is obsessed with clothes, especially pajamas, jackets, and shoes. She cries when you try to take any of those items off her without another at the immediate ready. 

Madie eats her peanut butter sandwich in a velvet and satin holiday dress. Very chic.

The day this picture was taken, she had been changed from her pajamas into day clothes, from day clothes back into pajamas, from those into this dress she saw in her closet, and from this dress (after a bath) into a onesie (no bottoms)--all at her request/approval. Oh, and by the way, she really likes to eat "like a big person" now--holding on to the main part of the food item and taking bites out of it. That's a big hit.

These are for Mum and Karen. Mum bought these matching aprons for us months ago, and one day Mike brought mine out and strapped Madie's onto her (despite me telling him it probably doesn't fit still and me already in one). It's still a little big, but she loves to "help" in the kitchen. Oven mitts are a particular favorite. Karen, I just knew you'd freak over the matchi-ness of them!

This isn't anything new, I just think the picture's cute. We all know how much Madie loves Mike over anyone else--including the woman who went through excruciating pain for twelve hours, not to mention weeks of recovery, to bring her into the world (hey, no bitterness here!). I don't know that Mike could be much happier either: he's holding his sweetie while watching a Nat'l Geo. documentary on Yellowstone. (The last of three, actually.)