Flashback Friday

I'm starting a new tradition and calling it "Flashback Friday" as a highlight to our week.  Hope you enjoy!

This was a big week in our home! We made a decision to send Madison to preschool starting in August on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  We went back and forth about a million times, just ask Ryan - I changed my mind pretty much every hour.  But, we do think this is best for our family and for Madison's development.  It will give me a lot more flexibility for my patients, which is important to provide.  And, hopefully it will allow me to be more "present" when I am with Madison.  I know you working moms understand, right? The constant tug to juggle work, even when you are home? I am constantly struggling with notes to write, doctors to talk to, letters to write...all while trying to enjoy my time with Madison.  Whew - so, here's to hoping this is a good change!

Madison enjoyed lots of time with friends this week.  We had a pool play-date on Monday and today I left her at a girlfriends with a babysitter so we could go shopping!  The babysitter had four kids, age 16-18 months.  Amazing:)  We shopped all morning at the enormous consignment sale and totally stocked up on fall  clothes.  See....

Step 1:  wash and throw on the floor to sort

Step 2:  sort and organize

*I am such a summer-time girl, but have been really enjoying stocking up on fall/winter clothes for Madison.  I mean, how cute is that snowman shirt?  It wasn't actually from the consignment sale, but I did just get it for her*

Step 3...put away!

* Please don't judge my shelf storage...it is a work in progress.  Today was just getting hangers organized by size and season!*

As a side note, I have come to really appreciate consignment sales.  When I was pregnant I was very apprehensive.  As it turns out, they are fantastic! You have to be patient and willing to sort through, but you can find amazing things. Plus, I think I'm addicted to the thrill of the find!  There are still some things I feel strongly that I want to buy new for her, but for play clothes...consignment sales are the best!!  So, new mommies-to-be, give them a try.

Parting with the Paci

I admit it, I think there is something super cute about a baby with a paci.  Ryan on the other hand feels much different.  It isn't so much that he doesn't like a paci, but the fear of an older toddler, still taking the paci in public, was too much for him. So fearful in fact that, just last week Ryan took the paci away!  Ok - it was a joint decision, but I never would have had the strength to follow through.  

Madison has pretty much had a paci since day one.  I pushed for it, I like that she had a strong suck, it gave me a "break" from nursing and we tried to restrict it to only sleepy and very fussy times!  Lately, we had been pretty good about keeping the paci for only crib times.  So good, that I couldn't find a recent picture of Madison with her paci.  Which makes me sad, but I'm pretty sure Ryan wouldn't be very happy if I gave it back to her just to snap a quick picture!  

We did the "cold turkey" route with the paci.  Ryan had a few days off from work and he took the chance to not only drop her down to one nap (she had been threatening to do this for several days), but to also take the paci away.  Hello daddy bootcamp daycare! He tells me she only fussed for a few minutes and my heart wants to believe him!  Honestly, it was easier than I anticipated.  The first few nights she fussed for a few minutes, but never more than five-minutes!  Since then, she's been doing great.  She will sometimes do a very pitiful whine/whimper and we can see on the monitor that sometimes in the middle of the night she is "looking" for the paci.  I give Ryan a lot of credit.  The reality was much less scary than the anticipation and now Madison is paci free.  

Ryan also wanted to try taking the lovey away - but I held my ground on that.  She loves it, she sleeps great with it and I love my sleep too much at this point.  And, I have a friend who still has her lovey!  Ryan thinks that might be an issue, but she's pretty normal (love you KH) and if Madison turns out like her I'll be pretty happy.  So, the paci is 100% gone and we all survived!!

A look back at the Paci...

Here she is just a month old in her bassinet with her paci - it's huge on her!

Maddie at 6 months sleeping with her Paci & Lovey

One of those "public" paci times - Maddie trying to stay awake at her 2nd-cousin's wedding!

Madison on her 1st Easter - getting ready!

A very sleepy 6-month old Madison

Tutu-Madison

Old Salem

This is a delayed post - but we have such cute pictures from a recent trip we took with Ryan's family.  Aunt Christy & Uncle Brad invited us to their new home for the weekend (in May!) and part of our trip involved a visit to Old Salem.  What a neat place!!!  

Madison enjoying the water pump!  

Love this picture of Maddie with Aunt Christy, Aunt Michelle and "Uncle" Jimi

She is one lucky girl!

 

Attempt at a family photo! 

 Ice cream treat with Daddy.  Lovey is out - Madison was wearing down!

Look at this amazing town.  It was so sweet!  Some of the houses were private residences; it is hard to imagine living on a road like this.

 

Madison was done at this point.  But, I think the picture is adorable.  There was no "reasoning" with her.  

It is still sweet of her and Nana!

Sweet Seal of Approval

We had our sweet neighbors over for dinner tonight with their two adorable little boys.  As a special treat, we made Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes.  Thank you pinterest and this fabulous link!!!

Madison did our taste testing and apparently is a chocolate-lover.  In the second picture her hands are blurry from signing "more."  Too cute!

I can't say I was too impressed with the final presentation, but they were yummy and it was a nice surprise for Maddie!  I think I'll plan to bring the dozen that are left over to playgroup tomorrow!

Beach Babe

Summer 2012 is the summer of the pool in the Castile house.
Luckily for us, Madison loves the pool as much as we do!  Ryan & I have been taking her pretty much Saturday and Sunday for the past several weeks and then I take her during the week. We don't last all day, but she is tons of fun.  Her favorite parts seem to be watching the other kids swim and eating her snack:)  We had a play-date with her little friends from playgroup and I'm kicking myself for not taking a group shot of them - next time!

Maddie lounging

Maddie and Nana enjoying an afternoon at the pool in June!

Thank you Starbucks!

I really really love my time home with Madison.  She's fun and funny and very entertaining. But, I'd be lying if I said it was free from meltdowns and moments where I have zero-ideas of how to parent her.  I do remember my close friend telling me several months ago that this stage is actually harder because of the frustration toddlers have and their inability to express their needs.  I admit, I shrugged it off.  Thinking, maybe it wouldn't be that way for our family.  Whew- I was wrong!

After a downright fantastic morning, Madison took a 90-minute nap (not too shabby for our newly transitioned once a day napper) and woke up cranky!  We started our afternoon calm, reading together on the floor, but in the blink of an eye "this" transpired:

Full blast melt-down.  For those of you that know Madison well, you know the first sign of a meltdown is the "bow-throw."  She has perfected the art of ripping out her bow when she's angry.  And then she just melts.  It is amazing to me how quickly this happens. And then...just as quickly, she's back to "this:"

So happy that she's dancing and I can't snap a good picture of her!

I am pretty sure the frustration comes from her not being able to tell us what she wants.  We do sign with her.  She's consistent with "more, please, help, eat, all done."  Here's the thing, she can sign more and help all she wants, but if she can't tell what she needs help with, or what she wants more of...I'm pretty useless.  She's starting to say words, but only a few.  Her vocabulary is not very "effective" yet.  Generally, we try to go through what we think it is she wants, and if we strike out multiple times - we try the redirect approach.  She lasts just several seconds and can generally be distracted by toys.  But, whew - she's got a personality!  

Which, brings to me to my big-fat sincere THANK YOU to Starbucks today for offering free "refresher" drinks.  Ryan and I were each able to try one and it was just what we I needed to get through the afternoon!

Tips anyone?  How to more effectively communicate with a toddler in mid-meltdown? Or, perhaps avoiding them all together (ha!).

Bags are Packed

Think this will hold all of our beach toys?