Merry Christmas

Well, its been a great couple days leading up to Christmas. Starting on Sunday we had a great Church service to remind us what we are really celebrating, we had a fun filled Christmas Eve party with some family and close friends, and of course Santa visited our house and brought us more then we all need! Madison truly had a blast this year. She was a pro at opening presents and was eager to help Hudson open his....while she still can. Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and are spending it with those you love. While I think about the perfect presents I have been given having a daughter and a son, I reflect on the birth of Jesus and the perfect present that God has given to all of us. Let us remember the true meaning of this holiday, and appreciate how tremendously blessed we all are. "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you:he is Christ the Lord."Luke 2:10-11

Madison the Photographer...or Rockstar....or?

Last weekend we celebrated an early Christmas with Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles and some cousins. These were just a few of the gifts that Madison received to spur her imagination on. As of today, she has 9 things that she wants to become. In her words she wants to be a picture taker, a rockstar like Hannah Montana, an animal doctor, a child doctor and a nurse, a fire woman, a cheerleader, a teacher, and a Mommy of 3 daughters. As you can see in the pictures, she was role playing several of those already. A typical woman already getting good at multi-tasking!! Below are pictures that she captured with her camera. She's still learning how to hold the camera steady, but she's exploring many different settings.

Whatever she decides she wants to become, I have no doubt she will be successful!!

Holiday Concert

Last week was Angela's 5th grade chorus concert. We all enjoyed the holiday songs and funky dance moves she performed with her best friend Gabby...just look at those cool girls!!

Madison was so excited to see Angela walk onto the stage that she almost ran right up there with her. She loves her cousin and wants to do everything she does. What a great role model she is! It seems like yesterday that she was Madison's age and here she is finishing elementary school and heading into middle school next year.....Oh Boy!

We Got Elfed!!!

For a little holiday cheer, just click the title to view our family's elf moves....Enjoy!

Pilates (click here to view article)

An article I wrote about pilates was published in the Tallahassee Democrat today. It says that it is written by the owner of Fit and Functional, but it is actually written by me. For anyone who is interested in my thoughts on what I do check out the link to the article....and go out and try pilates!!

*This is one of my clients and I during a private session using the Reformer.

All I want for Christmas...

Madison and Hudson visited Santa over the weekend. Madison delivered her Christmas list pretty confidently, and with good manners, of course! Here is what she has asked for this year:

A yellow Belle dress from Beauty and the Beast

(she saw Roberta get one at her party and has wanted one since)

A Tinker Bell yo-yo

(she saw it in a store, and since she was Tinker Bell for Halloween, she thinks she needs it)

A picture of a pink unicorn

(we are not sure where this one came from, but after some searching around, Brian was able to track down a little elf that is hard at work for Madison.....but please don't tell her!)

Hudson still doesn't know what all the hype is about just yet, so I think it's safe to say that all he really wants is:

milk, milk, and more milk

It's amazing to me the power that saying, "Santa is watching" has had this month!!

We'll have to wait and see what Santa brings these two nice children.

We have already recieved our gifts this year!!

Hudson is 3 Months!

Another month has come and gone already, and I have to say that Hudson just keeps getting cuter and cuter!! He has such a sweet personality and a smile that melts your heart. His growing cheeks and chubby little body lend themselves to many kisses and snuggles...and he doesn't seem to mind. He has grown into a great conversationalist and loves to interact. He still loves to be sung to and will sometimes try to sing along. One of his new favorite toys is a singing Baby Tad with lights that blink along with the song. He has enjoyed exploring his rag tag blanket that Janay made him and sticks his fingers in the tag loops, then pulls it to his mouth. Lately, everything makes it to his mouth...except his pacifier. He has decided to refuse a pacifier at all times now, and prefers his or our fingers and knuckles instead. A game that really gets him laughing is to pull his fist out of his mouth and then pretend to put it in your mouth instead. Seems simple, but we can go back and forth for quite a while and he finds it hysterical. He is also extremely ticklish. So, Madison loves to give him tickles. Hudson and Madison continue to build a great relationship as brother and sister. You can see the love they have for one another in the way they look at each other. It's very sweet!

As far as sleep goes, he is still hit or miss. He sleeps anywhere from 4to 8 hours at night, then goes for another 2 to 3 each time after that. I guess the big boy likes his belly full!! He is still taking 3 naps a day, but the length of each nap differ from day to day. His happiest time of day is first thing in the morning. His bright blue eyes and big morning smiles make you forget how many times you had to wake up the night before. They also make it hard to leave him. This month I have begun working part time again, but he has transitioned remarkably. Although I would love to be at home exclusively, I am thankful that Brian is able to be home with him when I am working. So far, everything is working out well for us all. We still have a mix of chaotic days and calm days, but I guess that is the life of a family of four. We are looking forward to seeing what the month ahead brings!!

Chicks Dig Me!

Hudson's looking handsome in his Chicks Dig Me shirt. I know Grandpa and Grandma have been waiting to see him in this! He's also enjoying the new view as he sits up in his Bumbo seat from Uncle Bobby and Aunt Kimmy.

I Think I Can, I Think I Can...

Tonight, for the first time, our family participated in Tallahassee's 3K Jingle Bell Run. Every participant gets bells for thier shoes, santa hats, shirts and glowing necklaces. A few of the families from Madison's school invited us to run together with them. We only have one jogging stroller for Hudson to ride in, so we were worried how Madison was going to do actually running in this race. We decided we would let the kids run and see how far they get. Boy, did Madison surprise us all. The competitive spirit and determination came out in her, and she ran and ran and ran....with a few short walking breaks. The crowd of runners were amused at her desire to finish this race, along with her cute comments. She kept yelling to her friend Sam(the boy in the picture) and us, "Keep running guys" and when we were going up a hill she would say"I think I can, I think I can." After we left her friends in the dust, she asked "Am I going to win the race?" As we crossed the finish line, Madison was very proud of herself as our crowd of friends cheered her on from the side lines. I think we will make this an annual event for our family, and I see a future running buddy for me!

Thanksgiving at Grandma Jean's

We had our annual Thanksgiving visit at Grandma Jean's in Brooksville. Everyone enjoyed meeting Hudson for the first time, and I think he had a good time too. Madison loved playing with her cousins and staying up late. As usual we all had our fill of turkey, stuffing, ham, pie, cookies...you name it, we ate it! We relaxed, shopped and had a couple good scrabble matches. We always have a great time with family. We truly have a lot to be thankful for this year!!

Hudson has a lot to say!

We've been telling a lot of you that Hudson is really vocal, so I thought I'd let you see and hear for yourself. He's so much fun to talk to because he can really carry on a conversation. He loves to sing (squeal) along to "Head, shoulders, knees and toes", and "Patty-cake, Patty-cake". He talks to people sitting around us at church (during service) and he's already even talked back on the phone!

A Trip to Sea World

We decided to take Madison to Sea World this year for her birthday. I wasn't sure if I was crazy to take a 2 month old and a 4 year old to an amusement park, but it was really a great trip. Fortunately we had Grandpa and Grandma with us, the weather was beautiful and both kids were amazingly well behaved. What made it even more special was that one of Brian's old friends works there, so she set up for Madison to receive special attention at the dolphin cove. We had our own personal animal care provider teach Madison how to give the dolphins commands, hand feed them, pet them and even hug one. We had to coax Madison into hugging one, but once she did she loved it! Although she didn't get to sit on Shamu like I did as a child (they no longer do that), she certainly enjoyed her special day. Fun and educational! Thanks a bunch Candy!!

On our way out of town we stopped at my cousin Meghan's house. Madison and Hudson got to spend some time with their cousins Mason and Julia. Madison enjoyed playing with both of them, and said she can't wait for Hudson to be as big as Julia, who is 6 months old.

Hudson is 2 months old

Our big boy is growing like crazy. Not only is he growing in size, but in personality and strength. He is rewarding us all with big, bright-eyed smiles, gurgles, coos and squeeks. He is really alert and communicative....especially when it comes to Madison. Its truly special to see how he lights up for her and to watch them "talk" to one another. It's like they have their own secret language already. He is also very busy these days exploring his hands. He'll hold them up in front of his face and just watch them move. I don't remember Madison doing that, but its funny to see. He is now stretching out his nightly sleep about 5-6 hours in a row, then 3 hours after that. One of his big accomplishments this month is rolling from his tummy to his back. I thought it was just a random thing, but he's done it three times in the last week. So he may be BIG, but he's got strength to go with it. People will stop me and tell me he looks like a little football player....we'll have to wait and see about that! He's latest stats at his 2 month check up were:

Weight: 13 lbs 6 oz (95th %)

Height: 23 1/4 in (55th %)

Its amazing to me how with your first child, you tend to anticipate and want to rush to the next milestone, and now I just want to slow both of them down. Time goes by too quickly these days, and I am trying to cherish and remember all of them. Despite the hectic days and lack of sleep, I truly love being a Mommy. I couldn't imagine my life without Hudson and Madison. Sometimes, its all surreal, and feels like I am playing house with Brian, but then I thank God that this really is my life!

Happy Birthday Madison

I can't believe that Madison is four years old today! Where has the time gone? It feels like yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital. It's truly amazing how much she has changed in just four short years, and how big her personality has become. While it would take me too long to highlight each year that has passed, here's a brief look at how she has grown throughout the years.

This was our little burrito baby in the hospital after she was born. The other picture was what we used for her birth announcment.

Here she was at 5, 6, and 9 months old. What a cutie...even if she had no hair!!

By her first birthday, there was no doubt she was the princess of the family. She thouroughly enjoyed that first birthday cake, and was already willing to share some with us.

At 2 years old Madison was like a mini me. She had on my shoes, my purse and was talking on my cell phone. This year she started going to preschool, and has loved it ever since. Finally, she figured out what she liked and didn't like and was able to express it. Look at that pout face!

From her third birthday until now has been quite fun. She has learned and accomplished a lot this year. Here are a few of her highlights:

She learned how to write her name and a few other words.

She likes to count, and can count up to 50.

She had her first dance recital, and took her first gymnastics class.

She learned how to swim, and went down her first water slide.

She graduated into a big girl bed.

She learned how to ride a bike.

She had her first crush on a boy in her class named JJ...she thinks she's going to marry him!

She also became a big sister...and is a super one.

She's still extremely loving, empathetic, sweet, fun, and giving.

She enjoys and is eager to pray when she has the chance.

She has a memory like you wouldn't believe...so, if you ever tell her you're going to do something later, you better follow through!

She loves to make up dances...our favorite is the robot!

She still loves the Disney princesses, but also enjoys Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake.

She also loves to make us laugh. Can you tell?

We are truly blessed to have this special little girl in our lives. She teaches us things all the time, and amazes us by the person she is becoming. We are so proud of her!

Happy 4th Birthday Madison

Happy Halloween

The pictures say it all....Enjoy!

Birth Announcement

I finally got Hudson's birth announcement finished and in the mail. This is the picture we used and actually took ourselves in our living room. It was quite an adventure, but he was a good sport.

Happy Fall!!

Good times with Uncle Bobby and Aunt Kimmy

It was a wonderful weekend having Bobby and Kim in town from Baltimore. We enjoyed lots of good food, good company and a good football game.....despite the fact that we lost this year. At least we had fun leading up to the game with some collegiate pumpkin carving. Check out the pictures below.

Our Early Riser

Growing up I was never the morning person, so it figures that I would have a child who is. Madison is so eager to start the day, she would often awake at the crack of dawn. Through the years we have tried different tactics to delay her early awakening. Once she learned her numbers, we decided to place a clock in her room to help her learn when it would be OK to come out in the morning. The rule has been that if she sees a 7 at the beginning, it's OK to come wake us up, but if not, she needs to go back to sleep. This brilliant idea has worked great for months...until this week. For several days in a row we were amazed by the fact that she was waking up at exactly 7am. One early morning I was feeding Hudson around 6:30 and as I left his room, I heard an alarm going off in Madison's room. When I went in her room, she was awake. Apparently this clever girl discovered the alarm clock, and how to set it. Her alarm has been going off around 6:40, and she was staying awake and watching the clock until it said 7:00. I had to laugh when she confessed this to me!

Hopefully she's still this chipper in the mornings when she's a teenager!

It finally feels like Fall...sort of!

We enjoyed the brief, but cooler weather this morning as we visited the pumpkin patch. As you'll see in the slide show, Madison had a great time getting her face painted, playing games, riding a pony and looking at all the pumpkins. Hudson enjoyed the fresh air and music before nodding off to sleep. Hopefully we will start to feel many more cooler days soon. We are all tired of the heat here!

A+ Check-Up

Hudson had his one month doctor's visit yesterday, and had a terrific check up. He is growing extremely fast and seems to be right on track developmentally. We could tell he has been growing, but we were shocked by how much. Here are his current stats:

Height: 21 1/4 inches (40th percentile)

Weight: 11 pounds 5 ounces (90th percentile)

Head Circumference: 38.6 cm (60th percentile)

These are quite different measurements then we had with his dainty big sister , who was 20 1/2 inches and 9 pounds 13 ounces at his age. Looks like Madison better think twice about bossing him around as they grow up. At this rate he's going to surpass her pretty quickly!

Hudson is 1 Month Old

An entire month has already gone by in our little man's life. Its amazing how much Hudson has grown and changed in such a short amount of time. He is starting to settle into a routine with three wakeful and three sleeping periods during the day. He has thankfully begun to sleep about 4 hours at a time during the night, and when he does wake up he is great about eating and going right back to sleep. He loves to eat...and it shows! He has outgrown most of the newborn cothing, and his cute, chubby rolls are emerging and filling out some bigger clothing. He knows his name, and recognizes his family. He already seems to be fond of his big sister and enjoys watching her...when she moves slow enough for him to follow. Our hearts have melted at the smiles he is beginning to give us, and we have even heard a few laughs when he is tickled between his neck and chest. He is such a bundle of joy, and is truly a good baby. Having a baby back in the house makes us realize how grown Madison is, and it only seems like yesterday that we brought her home. We are trying to cherish each day because they are flying by! And while I would love for Madison and Hudson to stay this age forever, it is a privelage to watch them both grow and develop into little people.

Happy 1 Month Birthday Hudson!

Let's Go Seminoles!!

Madison and Hudson cheer on the Seminoles in hopes for another win this week.

Before every game Madison asks, "Daddy, what color team do we want to win this time?"

GO NOLES!!

Farewell to MomMom...Hello pacifier!

Handling two children is certainly easier when you have one adult per child, but I am managing. It's been two days since MomMom left and we've already broken out a pacifier for Hudson. After listening to him cry most of the way to and from Madison's school and then trying to play with Madison, soothe Hudson, and attempt to prepare dinner (boy I miss all those wonderful meals) all at the same time, I was ready to give it a try. I'm not sure I want him to have one all the time, although Brian and Madison both agree on the issue. I will say though, it was definitely nice to sit down to the dinner table tonight, while Hudson quietly drifted off to sleep in his bouncy seat with a pacifier. We'll see what tomorrow brings!