Newsletter #4

Oh my darling ladies. What a force you are! You have banded together and are certainly trying to kill me! Let this be a lesson for you...your Mama is a ninja and you will never best me!

Although beautiful and charming for days, your Achilles' Heel is your lack of stamina, and you fall into sweet sweet delicious slumber after anywhere between 90 and 180 minutes have passed. I know your weaknesses, my darlings, and until you dare to learn mine I will be in charge here.

(All pictures of Madee taken by Charlie!)


Madee, at 20 months you are a burst of nuclear energy. I am excited that you have learned the word "yes" because I was getting tired of you telling me "no" to everything. Now, even when your TV characters ask you questions, you are happy to try and supply the correct answers.

Other words you have been saying:
bug
me
mine
nose
help
wow
on
up
chicken
bye
home
woah!
elmo
poop
milk
YAY!
bottle
shoes
juice
cheese
appleappleapple
please
thank you
duuuuuuuude

bob bob, bob bob, bob bob, - what can I say? You love Sponge Bob.

You also love garage sales. Last week it was just us girls and you made your first cash transaction. You know just what to do, and mill around a person's piled up stuff until you find something that tickles your fancy.

You are very good at puzzles. Not only can you pull out whatever piece I request, you know where it goes. You are all full of skills. I can spend hours sending you on missions. You are a better retriever than Zeus.

The other day I spilled water on the floor and as I turned to get a paper towel, you whipped a towel onto the floor and wiped it up. I WAS SO PROUD. Continue such behavior and you might just be my favorite kid.

You have been progressing all by your own accord in the potty department. The other day you peed on the floor after your bath, and when I said something about it, you went into the bathroom, pulled off some toilet paper, wiped your butt and threw it on the floor. (Just like Dad!) After that, we have been traveling to the bathroom after every dirty diaper and flushing the contents. You get very excited about it and say "bye bye" to the poop. You also say "Uh oh. Poop." so I know when to change you. Sometimes you say it but there is no poop. It is still in it's beginning stages.

You will actually wear things like hats and sunglasses for the novelty if someone says it's "pretty".

You practice talking all the time. You make up fabulous words and I just can't wait to know what you are saying. Seriously. It will be so nice for one of you to be able to talk to me. I am often held hostage in our own home or car by you, and it would be nice to at least have someone to talk to.

You are making leaps in the "please" department. You will walk right up to one of us with whatever you want and a "please?" You will also say"cheese" when I take your picture. The other day you were screaming "MINE MINE! MINE!" and I said "What do we say?" and you lowered your voice and said all sweet, "miiiine?"

Tone of voice is everything.


You love sparkly and fancy and you want my make up. You are naturally drawn to anything remotely dangerous, and I can't take an eye off of you for a minute or you may BLOW UP THE WORLD.

Everybody LOVES your hair. Seriously, it is too cute, and Mommy wishes she could pull it off. (Not pull it off your head, pull it off, wearing that hairstyle!) You will look back on your baby pictures and know you had great hair. I hope to always guide you in ways that help you to keep your great hair status. Your Great Auntie Teri pulled out a picture of your Dad, and it looks like someone has had that haircut before.


Of course Dad's is a little thicker, but he is already 3 in that picture. Can you see the resemblance? You are just a prettier version of your pretty little Daddy.


Oh that is funny, isn't it, Eden?

Speaking of funny, you love funny. You crack up all the time in hysterical baby laughter. You can also get pretty worked up and cry louder than any other baby. Ever. You always want to be held. I guess no one informed you of the fact that you are a "subsequent child" and can't have all that attention.

Fortunately for you, you are very charming and Mommy can still type tomes with just one hand. One hand for baby, one hand for the world. Only you are a gigantic baby and often require two. Big and beautiful - and I don't mean fat, but you are buttering up nicely. You should be nice and juicy by Thanksgiving!

Girl, you are hooked up to me like an RV at a KOA. And you are ready to walk right into college. I have a feeling that you are smarter than all of the rest of us, and you spend your tummy time army crawling. You already flip over and you are constantly wiggling and swimming in place.

It doesn't matter how big of a bed, you will scooch right up to me until I am hanging off - your scooching skills are amazing - didn't you get the memo? YOU ARE JUST A LITTLE BABY! You are very into your hands and like to watch your fingers curl and grab. You also like to grab my hair, Dad's chest hair, anything you can get your hands on.

Did I mention you are incredibly cute? It is pretty much ridiculous and I feel sorry for all the other mommies because their babies couldn't possibly be as cute as you. Once anyone makes eye contact with you and gets a smile, they are butter in your warm little move-ity hands.

You are spending more time grabbing and cooing and talking and giggling and you and your sister are tight. She rolls all over you and you just laugh. You also love her friends.

Interestingly enough, we chose the name "Eden" because we really liked the nickname "Edie", but the nickname just hasn't worked for you. Madee insists your name is "Ida", and we call you that all the time. Being it was my GrandMama's name, I LOVE IT. Sometimes I regret not just naming you "Ida" outright, but I think you will actually be happier in the long run with the legal name "Eden".

But your family will call you Ida. There is a delight in your eyes that will answer to no other name.