Cool weather is here!

I absolutely love this time of year (as long as it isn't gloomy and raining)! Today is perfect, and so were a couple of days last week. I love when it is time to pull out the warm, comfy clothes, yet the sun is still shining. And for some reason, I love bundling Madison all up - she just looks so cute! Here she is in one of her new fall/winter outfits - the first really cold day so far. I was loving her in this outfit!

She had a mouth full of goldfish here... :)

Love the Pumpkin Patch!

Yay! It's that time of year again! I'm looking forward to the cooler weather, the holidays, celebrations, costumes, decorations, cozy fires and warm comfort foods...and when I saw the Pumpkin Patch, I knew the fun was beginning! Well, at least part of the fun...it was HOT out there! Though Madison's nap was interrupted when we got to the patch, it was still lots of fun to take her there this year. She ran around determined to say, "Pumpkin", loved carrying the little ones around, but wasn't up for picture taking, so her daddy had to take them from afar.

Culture Parade

I almost forgot we had these pictures!! During Madison's first week back to school after the hurricane, they had a culture parade at school. Luckily, Dylan was still off work because his plant hadn't gotten power back yet, so he was able to go and take pictures. Madison's class represented Japan so she got to walk around in front of the school showing off their Japanese-inspired costumes. Madi's friend Yara's class (Yara transitioned to Tod II, which is where Madison will move to in about a month) represented Jamaica. Check out their fun costumes! I was so jealous I wasn't able to go to the parade, but Dylan took pictures and told me all about it. Madison saw Dylan watching and ran up to him to give him a hug. It sounded as though she was not only so happy to see him, but proud to show off what she was getting to do at school that day. So cute. :)

Vacation in San Antonio...5 weeks ago!

We decided right before Labor Day that we wanted to get away for a long weekend, even if it meant we didn't leave the state, so chose San Antonio since we had never been and there is lots to keep you busy there. We stayed 3 nights in a Marriott near the Riverwalk, went to Sea World, walked the Riverwalk one day, ate some good Mexican food, had our caricatures drawn (as well as a portrait of Madison), toured the Alamo, and then even drove to Concan and spent a few hours in the river on Sunday before driving back home. Little did we know we would be heading back that way the next weekend too! :)

GO BIG RED!!

It's football season and we're so excited that Madison gets to cheer on the Huskers with us this year! I bought a husker cheerleading outfit for Madison when she was still tiny and surprised Dylan with it for his birthday last year. It fits her perfect this year like we had hoped.

I promise I did NOT pose her like this...

And though she doesn't like it when we try and get her to wear one of her hats, she LOVES wearing her daddy's Huskers hat!!

Madi update - 14 months tomorrow!

Madison finally had her one year well exam last week. I was so looking forward to finding out how much she has grown since she went to the doctor last...it seems like it was forever ago!! SO, here are her stats: 20 lbs, 32 inches. I was really surprised when the nurse said she is 32 inches, but even MORE surprised when the doctor told us later that she is in the 97th percentile for length! As for weight, she is in the 27th percentile. She went through a growth spurt for sure, but seemed to only grow in one direction over the past month or so - UP! :)

Needless to say, Madison outgrew all of her clothes in what seems like overnight and until I went on a shoe shopping mission a couple of weeks ago, she went from having a different pair of shoes for every outfit to not having a single pair in no time!


Most of you know or maybe remember that Madison didn't even get her first tooth until right around her first birthday. She is making up for lost time though and about a couple of weeks ago started working on getting all four top, front teeth in at once!! At the time, I was afraid we had entered the terrible twos several months early, but now that all four have come through, her mood seems to have done a 180. She has been such a happy little girl the past few days and I just LOVE that. She is just so fun to be around - so cute and such a character - no matter what kind of day we have at work, she can turn everything around for us the minute we pick her up at daycare and she greets us with so much excitement!


Either the days are just passing too quickly or Madison is just changing so quickly I can't keep up! It really feels like she has learned so many things in just the last week. Her vocabulary has grown quite a bit and now includes ma ma, da da, duck, ball, book, puppy, thank you, bye-bye, hi, yes, no, wow, up, down, baby, Yara and probably others I can't remember right now plus some she has repeated or has said on cue, but not regularly just yet...such as nana, grandpa, grandma and other friends' and family members' names. She will pretty much try and repeat any word we say though. She really wants to talk!!!


I really have SOOO much more to update everyone about, but I'm feeling a small sense of accomplishment now that I've taken to time to add this and now I'm sleepy. More to come SOON, I promise! I'll try and post more pictures than words next time too. :)


Until then, here's a picture from the other night of Madison with her new baby doll and baby bottle. There are very few moments these days that she doesn't have her baby in her arms and the bottle up to the baby's mouth. It is WAY TOO CUTE!!!

Professional Pics

Well, this is my first day back to work and with internet since we evacuated for Hurricane Ike a week and a half ago. I have lots to share, but until then, I wanted to share the proofs from our professional photo session a couple of weeks ago. We just got these back today - a great way to start off my Monday!!

The link below is only good for two weeks when our deadline to order is up, but until then, enjoy! :) Turn up the volume on your computer too because the slideshow is played to music.

CLICK HERE!! SEPTEMBER 2008 PHOTOS BY JEN VAJDOS

I've got to get it together!

Ok, I have totally been slacking and am determined to get back into the groove on this blog! It is really amazing how much things have changed since Madison started sleeping less and moving more!! :) I think back to when she was sleeping so much and not mobile and am amazed at how much I got done compared to now. These days, I am satisfied if I get supper fixed, the kitchen cleaned up afterwards, Madison's bath and read or play with Madison for a little while before bed before I pass out on the couch. Note, I didn't say all of those things happen every night. In fact, there is a sink full of dirty dishes at home right now. Dylan usually has homework in the evenings, but if he is free to help with those types of things, I have a better chance of maybe getting in some tv time or computer time before I crash. Forget cleaning the house otherwise or doing laundry! Something's gotta give, huh?! And the poor ladies at daycare must think they did something wrong. I used to bake for them all the time, but haven't brought treats in months!

Anyway, I've felt like I've been in the fast lane for the past couple of months and I'm now making the decision to try and slow things down, get organized, and pick back up where I left off on the blog! I say this just as we are awaiting a news update on our dear friend, Ike, who may force us out of our homes for a few days...!

In honor of Landon's 3rd birthday....

I thought I would post a few old pictures too.

This is a funny picture I just came across. Wow, how much he has changed! What a little dumplin'...



And look how cute!



Now such a big boy!

Happy Birthday to Landon!

Landon's 3rd birthday was yesterday, September 1st, but he celebrated his birthday the weekend before at Chucky Cheese! It was Madison's first experience at Chucky Cheese, but she seemed to enjoy all the excitement and definitely the cupcakes (well, the frosting, that is).

Happy Birthday, Landon!!!