Easter Moving.

Today we celebrated Easter and as happy and excited as everyone was to celebrate that Jesus has risen, we also celebrate for the last time in our home.  The home our children have only known us to have, the home that had created so many memories for us both good and bad, and the home that when we moved in we said we never thought we could out grow.  Four growing and thriving children later, we've realized the time has come to make new memories in a new home.

Madelyn tries to help pack.

Or maybe I should say unpack.

It has been pretty emotional this process, much more than I ever thought it would be.  As I packed away box after box, the memories from the time we got that toy, or went on that trip, or played in the backyard pool... all packed up not only in boxes but filed away in my mind.

Last night over dinner, we sat in our kitchen with a few boxes and mostly echoing walls, and reminisced.  I asked the kids what has been their favorite memory from this house.  It turns out, I am not the only one who couldn't narrow down a "best" moment.  So many fun times.  Like the first time we brought Gabriel and Michael home and they begged us if they could "Stay with you forever?"  Or the memories of Christmas morning, them opening gifts and being so excited what had arrived under the tree for them.  For Michael he liked the April fools prank I play on them annually, yet they never seem to remember when it comes to April 1.Here's the fun video from this year, yep Mom fooled them again.

 For dad, it was the playing castle, or making forts, the first trips to building class, and first attempts at riding a bike without training wheels out in front of the house.  Yes its fair to say we've grown up in this house over the past 10 years.  All of us, not just the kids. After talking about our favorite memories I brought out this laptop after dinner and we all sat around the screen watching videos of some of our favorite memories.  The kids loved it just as much as dad and I, and while it was mainly us that had to hold back the tears in the realization that time has gone too fast, the kids were touched too as they looked back on their life for the past 5 plus years.

Yes this house has been a great place for us to grow and become a family.  We created many wonderful memories, it has been a place where we struggled together, and tried to overcome obstacles that life seems to throw each one of our ways.  As we celebrate our final holiday in the home that really is the only place our "family" has known, there are mixed emotions.  From Isabelle saying she doesn't want to move, to the boys begging us to find another place as soon as possible.  As I pack up our final boxes, repaint walls with fingerprint stains and scratches from being lived in, I think of the next family that might come to make this place their home.  And I hope that the clean, freshly painted walls will comes to record just as much joy and love as the walls recorded for us.

As I think about the blessings in my life and the joy that this home has given to me, I'm reminded that none of it is possible without the greatest sacrifice that was made for me, my children and my family.  And it is because of that sacrifice, that I can find hope and joy that while my family may go onto build memories in a home with new walls, that our forever home is not here.  Perhaps my heart will feel completely  at home on the day when we are all reunited, when I can enjoy all my children in our eternal home, all five of them.

Until then, we will pack up our final boxes, put our faith in God's hands for what our next house may look like and smile as we think about new memories we will hopefully be able to create.

Yes this Easter we celebrate and remember.  All that we have, all that we have been given and all that we give thanks for.

All the cousins on Easter

Michael, Madelyn and Ava

Madelyn and Michael found the golden egg

Madelyn, Nana and Papa with the golden egg they hid!

Park time

The boys played basketball

Belle was pretty happy with the items the bunny left her.

And a special bunny left us a basket outside our front door, which we all loved!

Maddie thought Easter was pretty fun too!

Happy Easter from our family to yours.

Until next time,
Angie

Madelyn's 9th Month

Now that Madelyn is well into her 10^th month I figured it time I catch up and recap what her 9^th month was like.  I feel guilty for doing this so late and for not being able to keep up.  But that’s just the truth, I can’t keep up.  Between vacation, the kids all starting baseball, and us preparing to move I have fallen behind and I can’t get up, I mean catch up. Wait, that reminds me of an old commercial. 

In Madelyn’s 9^th month I watched her grow and change, no longer a baby baby, but now an active, almost toddler baby.  And as much as my heartstrings ache that my baby isn’t small, (was she ever?), swaddle in a blanket, eat-sleep-poop stage anymore, she has moved into a fun, interactive, learn-something-new every day, mobile baby. 

They say were going on vacation!  Do I look ready?

Some of Madelyn’s new favorite things are to crawl over to Jack (who pretty much sleeps in his bed by the open front door each day), get as close as she can to him, pat him on the head til she gives her the look and Mom says, “Madelyn leave Jack alone.”  She then waves to Jack as if to say, “HI”  Thankfully this isn’t Jack’s first circus with a baby (Isabelle broke him in pretty good), so he’s patient, tolerant of her “pats” and just gets up, walks away and lays down someplace else around the house that temporarily is not in her striking distance.

What?  Nothing to see here Mom, Jack and I are just playing.

Madelyn also loves to pull herself up on things and cruise along the furniture.  She has found a great love of this and tries to pull herself up on anything she can, even if the item isn’t strong enough to hold her and comes toppling down near her.  Yes we’ve entered another stage of danger with our baby.  In watching how much she’s picked up already, I have a feeling she’ll be walking solo before her first birthday.  I guess with three older siblings, she sees them do things and is driven to be “free” also.

We continue to transition Madelyn to more and more table food.  As we went on the cruise, I brought with us several packets of baby food  to last us the week.  After seeing the amazing food we were eating, I think Madelyn decided she wasn’t going to miss out on the same yummy food.  The waiters were wonderful in bringing us food Madelyn could eat… steamed vegetables, mash potatoes, Cheerios,  rice, fruit and soft bread.  Madelyn was a fan and after the cruise pretty much hasn’t looked back on baby food… she doesn’t like it anymore.  As we get closer to her 1^st birthday, I am trying to figure out a plan to stop breast feeding.  Madelyn is a pretty big fan of my milk so I’m not sure how we are going to wean her off, but the pediatrician says at 11 months we can start.  Please wish me luck!  As much as I love being able to feed her milk my body has produced for her, I am ready to have my body back.  Mom wants to start finding a few minutes a day for me- if that’s possible. Running isn’t the same when you’re making liquid, if you get my point. 

Madelyn’s vocabulary continues to grow.  She says “Mama, Dada, Nana, Papa, Baba – Baby, and Ja- “Jack”.    Madelyn also learned how to clap this month and loves to clap when we cheer.  Watching her understand and learn what certain things mean makes my heart melt as I fall in love all over again.  Madelyn’s sibling still adore her and it’s a two way street.  She lights up when they get home from school, as the boys play, “I’m gonna get you” and Madelyn’s whole body shakes with her giggles.   And then there’s the connection between Isabelle and Madelyn.  There’s something about sister relationship, they connect on a whole different level.  Madelyn will stop whatever she’s doing and turn her full attention to Isabelle the moment Isabelle utters a word.  Madelyn watches Isabelle’s facial reactions and the second Isabelle starts laughing, Madelyn joins in.  I can’t wait to watch these two as they continue growing and strengthening that bond.

Madelyn now has 4 teeth with that second top middle tooth poking through the day we left for our family cruise.  I’m not sure if its just because those teeth keep bothering her, but she really likes to bite.  Not a good thing and I have had bite marks on my arm, my stomach, my chin, my leg and a few other places as well.  We tell her no and give her a serious look which she understands it seems for a second, before deciding biting felt so good, she’s just going to do it all over again.  No matter how many chew toys she has, she prefers to bite us.  We hope that will change soon.

I hear these books about your blog mom are good to read..

But Mom, I"m not featured in a signal story!

In thinking back over these last 9 months I’ve recalled so many times the 9 months I was pregnant with her.  Being pregnant sometimes felt like it was a series of a few years, instead of ¾ of a year.  

1 week old

9 months old

Yet when I think of Madelyn’s first 9 months, it feels like it was a matter of just a couple of weeks.  While I love the baby baby stage, each week, every month, has been a joy.  Madelyn has brought so much love and happiness into our home, it’s hard to remember what life was like without her. 

Madelyn Faith Haskovec @ 9 months

21 lbs, 14 oz, (93%)
29 1/2 inches (97%)
18 1/4 in head circumference (97%)

We love her so and thank God daily for the gift that is our strong, happy, and beautiful Madelyn Faith.

Until next time,

Angie