CHristmas Week pics

Santa was here

What a busy holiday season. I have come to learn that holidays as an adult tend to be a hurry up and wait and then fly by the seat of your pants event. Christmas was wonderful. Madison had a very busy holiday season. We kicked it all off with Christmas at my mom's family event on 12/20. We saw cousins and family we only see once or twice a year. It is a tradition started by my great grandparents and upheld by my "gangdaddy." Now that he has passed our families take turns holding the get together at our houses. It has been a blast and is wild to see how much the kiddos have changed. Madison is and will be the youngest for a while. There were to new engagements though. Congrats to Jay and Kristina and Kelsey. Madison latched right onto Olivia and played her heart out. After breakfast and present opening Madison stood up as sweet as can be and exclaimed "Thanks Everybody! Happy Birthday!" A little too much frosty I guess, but adorable all the same.

Madison went to a Christmas party with grandma and grandpa on the 23rd and really had a good time. It was a busy day. We met after the party and went to see Santa for her picture with him and a few last minute errands. I could see the excitement in her eyes as Christmas grew closer. As adults it is easy to lose the magic of Christmas, but seeing it through the eyes of your child quickly reignites the spark! What a gift it is to be a mom...

Christmas Eve was a blur... Madison spent the day with her Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa. I think someone there is in good with the big red man because Santa had made an early delivery there! Madison even worked hard to pick out presents and a candy basket for me and for herself. Her Daddy said i was very hard for her not to eat it all up... There was so much excitement about Santa's upcoming arrival at our house. Madison even got a phone call from the big man in the red suit. She was very excited. We have it on tape, so if I can figure it out I'll post it soon! We were watching tv when Madison heard Santa outside. She jumped up and said, "I need to take a bath. I need to go to bed, Santa is here!" We took a quick bath, climbed into Christmas pj's and then settled around the couch for "The Night Before Christmas" as told by Poppy. Mads got mad at everyone laughing and left the couch, climbed into aunt Kristina's lap and demanded the story be finished there. It is sure to be a family classic for years to come!! Got it on video too! We took her to bed, tucked her in and she told me to get out so she could sleep and Santa could come! And boy did he...

We woke up Christmas morning just before 8 am and set out to the living room to find a trampoline, smart cycle, train table, star station and more!! She was more than thrilled and by 12 noon was gifted, jumped, cycled and star stationed out. She headed for a nap and slept for 2 1/2 hours. When she woke up she got ready for her cousins to come and more presents! She even got a huge dollhouse! She has had a blast.

Madison had made mom and dad a light up Christmas tree to match the one mom has that is great-great grandma's. madison's fav thing to do is take all the lights out and put them back in. She called mom out bigtime Christmas night. Mom had the old tree lit, but had yet to plug the new one in. mads came out looked at both trees and said "you like your old tree better mamaw??" What a smarty! Of course mamw loves her new tree... no worries Madison, I think it is her new fav!!

All in all a great Christmas filled with family and friends! What a great way to close 2008!

Crafty!

Madison has been busy at home and at Grandma Linda's taking in all the Christmas fun the season has to offer. Who needs preschool when you are having this much fun? I might add this is the longest she's been healthy since August!! Here are a few projects she worked on with Grandma Linda this week...

Santa's Wonderland

We made a trip to Ashland to the Bass Pro Shop. It was quite the trip. We took Uncle Chris and Sarah and Connor and Kaelyn with us, Sherry and Alyx, and Tina and her boys. We ran into another girl from work and her 3 girls too! It was a blast. They had a place with fake snow, and that seemed to be the hit if the place second only to Santa. Madison ran full tilt at Santa, and the rest of the kids were more timid. We saw big fish, lots of toys, and even a big bear!! We topped it all off with dinner and headed home. Madison still talks about Santa's Wonderland.

Our "Brindabread House"

I am having a blast this year with Madison! There is so much she can do. We have been keeping busy with Christmas crafts. She is also learning Christmas songs. I have to say Frosty is her favorite. I'm sure she will be watching him for many months to come. We tackled a gingerbread house last week. What fun! Madison has quite the decorative touch. She even had fun sneaking a taste every once in a while. She bit the roof, and was wired until 11pm that night!!

Christmas Pictures!

All went well considering we were there for 2 1/2 hours start to finish! Madison Played really well while we waited. Can't believe she is so grown!

Through the years...

This is a time a year that i love to look back at pics of Madison and see how she has changed from my sweet little baby to my beautiful, smart and priceless little girl. I don't have many pics to go from this year, although Aaron assures me he will have them to me soon, but I will work with what I have. I also can't wait to see all the video from Mads over the years. Hopefully we will have that soon too. I am so thankful for the video we have of her, it's priceless. If only we had started sooner. Well, Here are a few pics from her first Christmas at 10mo. Her seconds Christmas at 22mo. and so far from this year.

My tree!

Madison is such a big girl this year I decided to let her have a tree in her room. it's a fiber-optic tree. We let her decorate it when I bought it home and she has been thrilled with it. She made little foam ginger people with her Grandma Linda last week, so last night we put tree hooks in them and let her add them to the tree. It turned out really cute! And on a positive note... after 3+ weeks I think her cough is getting better!!

They're Engaged!!

Well, Thanksgiving came and went and we had all kinds of excitement. My brother finally proposed to his girlfriend of almost 8 years!! It was beautiful!! We are very excited to be planning a wedding. I can't help but think about how sweet Madison will be in as a flower girl. I'll keep you posted as they decide on a date...

Christmas is right around the corner!! I braved my first Black Friday. I managed to get all of the hot items I was hoping for. Madison is going to have a great Christmas. She has gotten in really tight with Santa. She has been to see him 5 times already. He knows her name. It's very funny. I'm hoping she will be healthy by then. We are still fighting pneumonia. Her little buddies Lexi and Aiden (who she will tell you is her boyfriend) are in the hospital with pneumonia. Madison misses them terribly.

We went to the hospital today to listen to some Christmas music. Some of my co-workers were playing the flute. Madison went front and center and danced and twirled and clapped and cheered. She attracted as much attention as the music!! We may go back next week.

We were watching Sleeping Beauty today and Madison asked why everyone was sad... it was the part of the movie were Briar Rose pricks her finger and goes to sleep. I told her the mean lady made her go to sleep. She asked why she was mean. I told her some people were just like that. To this I hear come from the back seat, " This is reediculuss" I couldn't help but laght.

I also became "that mom" yesterday. We went all over town with a princess tiara on. It's funny how strange thing become perfectly normal when it has to do with your child and the things that make them happy. She even went bowling with it on. What a stinker!!

Back to square one

We're home from the doctor. Madison still has walking pneumonia. The doctor wrote for the Brand name Zithromax this time and off we went to fill it. 6 pharmacies later we discover no one in town has it. It can't be filled until Friday... I call the doctors office back only to speak with a very rude nurse who talking to me like I have a 5th grade education and hear the doctor talking to me through the nurse in the background. I am fit to be tied. I am entertaining the idea of changing pediatricians. I will be making calls next week.

Back to the doctor

Well, Madison has decided she likes this cold thing she has picked up. We have pulled her from preschool and kept her from Buzzy's, and she is still sick. Some days she seems better, others a little worse. She is a real trooper though. She never acts like she feels as bad as I imagine she must feel. She coughs terrible any time she gets active at all, and coughs sometimes at night now but not always. It sounds gross. I'm sure Dr. Allegretti is going to be less than excited to see us. Remember our adventure last appt. To her I'm sure I'm the mom who can't get her 2 year old to take medicine and she had to call in prescriptions 3 times for us. I'm sure she is going to tell me she needs the zithromax and I guess I'll have to ask for the real stuff, not generic. I'll let you know what happens. I guess insurance won't pay for brand name when generic is available, but they should taste that stuff!! I certainly can't blame the little stinker.

Our Finished Photos!!

We got our pictures back from October's photo shoot. They are awesome. I can't help but think Madison could be a child model!! I highly recommend Melissa Arlena Photography. She is wonderful and very talented. Here are a few more of the pics... ENJOY!

elfed!!!

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Preview of Melissa Arlena Photography

Here are a few shots that are edited by Melissa Arlena.

OMNICEF to the rescue

Madison took her new medicine that the doctor called in like a champ!! Thank goodness. I didn't know what else to do. The only downside is that we have 9 more days of meds and this one can cause diarrhea... Oh well, better than pneumonia I guess!

Advice needed

Ever tried to give a NASTY medication to a 2 year old?? The generic for a child's Z-pack is disgusting!! Madison refuses to take it and spits it out. I have tried everything. I am at a loss. I even called the doctor to see about an injection, but apparently this is the only medication that works for walking pneumonia. I'm not sure if I should believe this, I guess kids with an allergy to this are just SOL. Apparently e-mycin can be used sometimes, but they say it tastes worse than the z-pack. I don't know what to do. We even had a second bottle called in and flavored, no luck though. They ay there isn't a shot for this either. What should I do?? We are waiting for the doctor to call me back any minute now...

UPDATE-- Doctor visit

Well, I guess my instinct to take Mads to the doctor was right, even if I doubted it. She was a champ. Dr Allegretti was awesome. Apparently Mads has some wheezing with forced inhalation and exhalation. She said this could be the germ that causes walking pneumonia. She started her on azithromax, and if her cough isn't better by Monday she wants to call in an inhaler or nebulizer. I hope she is better. I hate it when she is sick. No school tomorrow for her!

Never-ending cold

It seems like Madison has had a cold or at least a runny/stuffy nose since the end of August. This happens to be the same time she started preschool. There is rarely a week that she gets to go in both Monday and Friday, and you guessed it, she usually gets there Monday and is home sick Friday! This one in particular seems worse than the others, so we are off to the doctor at 2:20. I'm pretty sure they will tell me it is just a cold and to "elevate her head for sleep, use cool mist, give motrin for discomfort." I'm sure they will also say to "give a vapor bath, use pediacare/vicks plug-ins" all of which I have ben doing. It will make me feel better to hear it though... She did sleep better last night, all night with almost no coughing. Wish us luck while we go out in this nasty weather!!!

Melissa Arlena Photography

Madison and I had our pictures done last week. Melissa came to our home and took pics of us. She was wonderful. She just put up our pics for proofing. We get to pick 25. She was running a special. If you would like to take a peek at our proofs please do. Just don't laugh at some of the pics of me. Mads looks great!!

Go to Melissaarlenaphotography.com , hit the option for website and then go to proofing. The password will be Brumbaugh.

Enjoy! I am excited to see what the finished photos will look like!!

Political Princess

I did not vote this year, but if I had I would have voted for OBAMA. My parents were split, as was the rest of our family. Madison made a clear decision and is very distraught that her choice fell to the wayside. we spent 20 min in the car today discusing the election. She makes it very clear that she voted for MCCAIN, and the thinks Obama is yucky! She makes a funny noise and everything. It's very funny. She told everyone everywhere we went today that she likes McCain and Obama was in fact Yucky and that we needed to get him away. So young yet so opinionated!! Look out world, she's only 2!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to everyone! Mads and her Daddy and I just got back from trick-or treating. I think she had a pretty good time. She was the only "Crabby-patty" out and about. It didn't take her long to realize how things worked. She quickly forgot the whole trick-or treat part and started running up to doors saying "i want candy.... please!" After we reminded her a few times she caught on. She was so funny! The way her costume fit she couldn't move her arms much, so when people handed her candy she always asked for help. "I can't reach my bag" she would say. She was an eye catcher for sure!!

Poor baby started off her Halloween rough... We made caramel apples last night. She decorated them with sprinkles, candy worms, and candy corn. She woke up at 5 am and threw up 3 times over about an hour. SHe then had diarrhea a good part of the day. I think we'll stay away from Target's worms from now on. Once she stopped puking and pooping green (from the black worms) She was good to go. She missed her Halloween party at school, but was none the wiser. All and all a great night. She's one well-loved kid.

We are still awaiting the arrival of the great pumpkin here at poppy's house... Hope we have better luck than Linus did!