Fun

My original post was going to be about how Shara had to go to the emergency room last Thursday and then how we got into a car accident last Friday and then how we found out we probably owe on our taxes last Saturday and then how not much happened last Sunday and then how we ran out of oil last Monday but I decided against it. I thought it might be a little cathartic but I'm tired of talking about it. Just know that everything will probably be okay. Thanks for asking.
Instead I'm going to post a picture of yours truly mowing the lawn at our house in Maine that I found on GoogleMaps.

View Larger Map
I don't think you can see me in GoogleEarth but on GoogleMaps you can see me a couple more times coming out of the garage (behind our red truck). See if you're in front of your house! I've found that they tend to not have many side streets. Broadway, where our house is, is pretty busy.

The funniest thing in the world...

...will never be known because Maddie can't talk yet and she probably won't remember when she's older. Last night I happened to have the video camera on and got this clip of Maddie laughing her cute little baby behind off. Although the cause of this fit is still to be determined, Shara and I both agree that watching it has the potential to brighten even the worst of days. We particularly like the intermittent snorting and about 1:07 in.


By the way, if you're interested you can follow our blog by clicking on the "Follow" link to the right of this page. That way you won't get an annoying message from me demanding you look at our baby.

Double Feature

Our first video today is entitled "Candy Farm". The running time is just shy of 5 minutes. The question to ask yourself after viewing is, "Has Maddie inherited some of her parents' (mostly Mom's) OCD?"


The second (and slightly shorter) video is called "A Lesson in Sharing". In it, Maddie has harvested her candy crop and is distributing it. Then Shara tickles her.

It's Alive!

Maddie Calls the Police

Sunday evening, Maddie was sitting on the floor playing with the phone. She loves to play with the phone, the remote, the computer, etc. She's a little tech geek. Usually I unplug the phone when she plays with it so she doesn't mistakenly call someone but I forgot to Sunday. As I worked on some correcting, the telephone rang. I looked at our little miss, thinking that perhaps she just pressed the ringer adjust. I picked the phone up and instinctively said, "Hello?" A voice on the other end said, "This is the Ashburnham Police Department. Is everything ok?" I blushed and said, "Yes," and went into an explanation about what happened. "Well, we're going to send somebody out to be sure." "Alright, I'll look for him." Ten minutes later a cruiser pulled up to the house and an officer came to the door. We let him in and I explained what happened, all of us having a good laugh over it.
In other news, Maddie has developed another new talent that kept us all very entertained over Thanksgiving. We call the new move "Fish Lips." Check out the videos (she cries at the end of the second one...).

Maddie's New Talent

Maddie treated Shara and I at dinner tonight with a wonderful serenade, a sample of which is demonstrated here in this video recorded the other night during her rehearsal.

Maddie the Duck...or Chicken.

So, Halloween has come and gone. It's Shara's favorite holiday. She went as a Physician's-Assistant-on-Her-Day-Off. I went as an Exhausted- 2nd-Grade-Teacher-Because-it-was-Halloween-and-the-Kids-were-Nuts. Maddie went as Duck or a Chicken, I can't decide. That's your job. Regardless, she was damn cute.

So I've left Brian to do most of the blogging lately.  I thought it should be my turn.  

We can't believe summer is drawing to a close.  Brian has started his new job.  He is teaching second grade at the Page Hilltop Elementary School in Ayer and seems to really enjoy it.  Maddie is with Grammie Jane three days a week when I have to work. From what I can tell they seem to be having a fabulous time together.  

We have enjoyed the multiple babyfests and barbeques over the past 3 months.  It has been really nice to see everyone and we are happy to be back home where we know we'll be able to catch up more often.  There is the picture you asked for Trish.  Sorry to all whom I promised this 2 months ago.

Little Friend

"Little Friend"
Minor Threat

Madeleine's New Developmental Stage

Maddie crawled for the first time yesterday, after weeks and weeks of eager anticipation on the parts of both parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and interested friends.
The question is: what pushed our little nugget over "Not Crawling Yet" Cliff into "Holy Crap! She's Crawling" Chasm? Was it her favorite stuffed animal? Was it a bottle of milk or perhaps her favorite food? Was it the prospect of excited praise from both parents? Watch the video and find out!
P.S. This is the second time she crawled and each time it was for the same thing. I think she looks like an AT-AT!

Arrrrrrrrrr! Part 2

For those with no imagination...









(One of these photos has not been doctored. You decide which.)

Arrrrrrrrrr!

Shara's new job gives her four days off to spend with the baby and me. She takes Maddie down to the beach for a swim and out for a run. I do the same when Shara's not here. I've promised Shara I won't let Maddie start crawling until Shara's around to see it. And her hair just keeps getting longer and longer. I swear it's longer today than it was yesterday. P.S. I picked out the barrettes!



Here are some photos of a possessed Maddie in the bathtub. You wouldn't be far off to think she just bit the head off one of her rubber duckies.

Been a while...

Wow. I thought I'd pop a new post on here because I knew we hadn't posted for a while and I can'tbelieve it's been almost 2 months. FYI: if some words aren't spaced properly it's becauseMaddie ripped the spacebar off the laptop last week. She's developed a love for banging on the keyboard. We try to keep her away because I don't think that's covered by Apple Care.
Anyway, it's been a busy couple of months. Shara's been steady with her job and I (sadly) finished up in Belfast. I'm still looking for a job--anybody know anybody?--in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. I had an interview last week but didn't get the position. We're settling in to the house pretty okay. It's strange for me to be at my grandparents' house without them beinghere and running into people that I knew when I was a kid.
We moved 98% of our stuff down to Massachusetts. Some of it's here at our place, some is at Shara's parents, someat mine, some at my Aunt and Uncle's, and a tiny bit still at the house. We've got some new tenants renting the whole house and we just switched to a new real estate agent. Fingers are crossed. Here's a picture of the empty living room and dining room. Don't those floors look great? You, yes, you could own this place!
Maddie is (can you believe it?) still exciting. She's not crawling yet but any day now she should be. She's sitting up really well and can pull herself up onher own if we hold her hands. Today she started babbling like crazy. I'll try and post a video as soon as I get one because typing it out isn't as cute: "bah, bah, bah,bah, bah." Shara and I are happy she has a new vocalization in her repertoire because we were getting pretty tired of The Shriek!


Here's Maddie and her friend CM using Photo Booth on the laptop.









We went to the beach last week and every morning when we woke up we found Maddie all ready to go catch some SPF50 rays.

Mad(di)e in the Shade(s)

When you wake up in the morning and the light is hurt your head
The first thing you do when you get up out of bed
Is hit that street a-runnin' and try to beat the masses
And go get yourself some cheap sunglasses...

Thanks to Mimi and Popi for the sunglasses :)






Grammy and Grumpy--just kidding--came up this weekend for a visit. Relax...Grumpy didn't give Maddie any beer, she just found the bottle very interesting.












Spring is definitely here and summer is soon to follow. The nice weather has drawn us out of our winter den to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather we've been having. An easy fix for a fussy baby is some fresh air.

Here's a video of Maddie talking to her Mom and me. As you can hear, Maddie had a very eventful day and was very excited to share it with us.

Hats

Mimi and Maddie

I was out of commission 2 weeks ago following a minor surgical procedure and my Mom came up to help Bri and I with the baby.  We got this shot of Mimi and Maddie and thought we'd share.

Nice Weather is Here

Bri and I have finally had the opportunity to get outside with Maddie.  We went to Lucia beach last weekend, and walked the breakwater in Rockland yesterday. 

 We've been doing yard work while keeping our fingers crossed that the house will sell.

 

 There have been a number of people out walking in the neighborhood, and it would seem that several have stopped to comment on our 'For Sale' sign.  Brian thinks they were commenting on the condition of our house instead :(

Maddie's hair is now long enough for barettes!! 

Mimi and Popi Visit

Giggles

A couple of nights ago I plopped Maddie on my knee while Shara and I finished dinner.  Much to our surprise and delight she began giggling--Maddie, not Shara--which made Shara giggle and then Maddie, then Shara, then Maddie, then me, then Shara, then Maddie, then Shara, then Maddie, and then Shara again.  We didn't risk going for the camera but just enjoyed the moment.

Well, tonight Shara and I were finishing dinner again and I plopped Maddie down on my knee again and guess what?  More giggles!  Shara went and got the camera and we taped Maddie's laughs.  We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  Who knows what she finds so funny--maybe Shara had something in her teeth.