Back to school

School has started back. It is nice to be back at work. I have my hands full this year with double lasts years load of students, but I think this will be a good year.

Maddie is doing well at daycare. She is over her first case of the sniffles. Those of you who have heard about her poopy issues will be glad to know that she is much better, after switching to a soy based formula this week. She is holding her head up for much longer periods of time now, and is even adjusting to tummy time finally. We are noticing a lot of small giggles when we munch her belly and are just waiting for her to giggle at will. She is putting everything in her mouth now, and is starting to watch us as we eat. I can tell she is interested in food and have began to let her smell everything in the cabinets and when we eat. She has licked watermelon, apple, and a strawberry. The watermelon was her favorite!

Mike is working hard. He has been asked to go to Washington DC, to speak with 3 other partners, to congressmen about the direction of the restaurant industry. This is following a recent golf tournament that he played in for similar reasons.

This weekend we are expecting a visit from my dad and next weekend Sarah B is coming. So stay tuned for more!

Family time and the ever impending daycare!

Gosh what a past couple of weeks. Mike had some time off this past week and we were able to relax, visit family, and Mike got to play lots of golf. Back on the 2nd of the month, we had the wonderful chance to hang out with our cousins from Texas at my grandma Mary's. Ike, Karly, Natalie, Owen and Henry Gibbs. What an awesome family!! We also got to have a great family dinner with my Dad, Aunt Shirley, Aunt Phyllis and Uncle Tommy Gibbs, and cousins Jennifer, Eric, and Carrie Gibbs, and Wallace. It was a great time had by all. This was the first time Maddie had met Aunt Shirely and Ike and his family. Maddie behaved very well on the trip. She was very alert and observate as we spent time with the family too. It was perfect!

After we left Grama Mary's we headed southeast to Fayetteville to spend some time with Grama and Grandpa Sines, Aunt Sara, Uncle Albert and Aunt Mary, Uncle Daniel and Aunt Amanda and cousin Joshua. It was the first time Mary, Amanda and Joshua got to meet Maddie. It was an awesome experience sitting down as a family at dinner at Carrabbas on Monday night. I remember when it was just the Sines/Wilkerson clan and me, 7+ years ago.

I had the opportunity to really reflect on the past and see how much our family is changing,and spending time with the little ones really helped me envision our future as a family as the next generation starts to grow. I can't wait!!!!

Maddie also had her pictures made, and we tried to get our family pictures made too. But the rain put a halt that, so hopefully we can reschedule sometime soon.

Maddie is starting daycare tomorrow morning!!!! I am going to take her for a few hours each day this week, so that we can BOTH warm up to being apart. I can't let her sleep in her room yet, because I begin to miss her so much, how am I going to make it through daycare?

Stay tuned for more as the world turns...

More pics

Here are some more pics of the beach and Maddie practicing eating rice cereal from a spoon. We will be at Grama Mary's on Saturday, can't wait to see everyone!

Hot and Humid at the Crystal Coast

What an adventurous week! Maddie, Mike, and I are all home from our travel destinations. Michael had a good time in Las Vegas. He and Matt had the opportunity to see Penn and Teller and ate the bountiful buffet at the Belagio.

Maddie and I had a great time at the beach with mom and Uncle Bev. We shopped a lot, took a ferry to Ocracoke Island, and saw wild ponies in Beaufort. The weather was touch and go this week so we didn't have a lot of beach time, which is all the same, I was really worried about Maddie get sun burned.

Maddie also just recently went to the doctor for her 2 month check up and shots. What a champ! She received 4 shots and the roto virus drink, and with the help of her daddy she went right to sleep afterwards. She weighed in at this visit at 13lbs 8 3/4 oz. and 23 3/4 inches long. She remains in the 95th percentile for her age. It is hard to believe that she will be 3 months old in 2 weeks.

She has definitely found her hands, and mouth! She can often be seen and heard sucking on her closed fist or mine when I hold her. She is also making bodily movements that resemble sitting up. My mom and Uncle Bev, say that she rolled over at the beach. I am waiting anxiously for her to do it again.

Stay tuned for more as the world turns....

Out and about

Well our family is officialy on opposite sides of the continent/country/in different time zones/ different states.

Mike has just touched down in Las Vegas for another fun filled trip of sight seeing, gambling and guys nights on the town with Matt. He landed earlier this afternoon. So wish him luck, maybe he will win MILLIONS!

I on the other side of the country are down at Atlantic Beach with Maddie, Mom and Uncle Bev. Here is Maddie's first photo on the beach, stay tuned for more later after our trips are over!

So you got a comment, ay?

Hey! So I totally just figured out that this thing had comments people had posted. I am so sorry for being such a doofus! Please keep commenting!!!! I will check more often now! It is nice to know that my friends and family are reading and keeping up with us, out here on the coast. It makes writing and posting pics all the more worth it. I know I check blog pages weekly (sometimes daily) for updates and are always trying to get folks to start blogging. I think it is such a great venue for keeping in touch. A lot cheaper that $4.04 gas a gallon! Laura, Sarah D. and Jenn have been my commenters and I thank you SOOOOOOOOO much! Jenn has a great page, and if I could just get Sarah D. and Laura to join the group....

Here's a picture of 2 month old Maddie. She has started to grasp things now. I still have to place them in her hand and she is selective about when and what she will hold onto but I think its pretty cool.

It's Summertime!

Well what a busy week it has been. This week we had out of town friends in. My best friend Sarah and her son Alex came in from St. Louis on Monday. Alex is 2 1/2 now and a ball of energy! Usually I go out and visit Sarah and her family in August and go on a float trip with her friends and family but this summer we switched it up in lue of baby Maddie's arrival.

Their visit was filled with trips around our town (to the downtown park), a trip to the aquarium and beach, and then a long but well worth it trip to Charlotte for July 4th.

During our trip to Charlotte, we visited with Matt, Sarah, Mom, Uncle Bev, Grama Jink, Todd, Christy, Kristen, Aunt Cathy an Uncle David. This was the first visit Maddie had with the Cobb side of the family. The trip was great!

Spending time with Sarah D. really made me wish that she and I lived closer, so we could hang out and our children could grow up together. Its hard to believe she and I have been friends for almost 10 years! We started off footloose and fancy free, and now we both have great growing families of our own.

Maddie is doing well. She is growing everyday. She is full of smiles and is holding her head up strong, when proped up by daddy or looking over mommy's shoulder. Today she has been super fussy, but I am sure like all of us she is just having a moody day :) She is enjoying our late evening walks around the neighborhood in our stroller. This is a blessing being able to get back into exercise mode! We are getting ready for bath time now so, bye and I hope you enjoy the pictures!