MY daughter

After an unusually early am wake-up at 6:30, it's nap time in the 'Madness' house. Nap time gets harder as they grow, they know how to guilt you into making a couple reappearances after you leave, "Mommy, come back" always tugs at the heart strings, "Mommy, I NEED *insert totally random object, like her purse with a play hot dog, carrot and panda, here*" makes me roll my eyes, but still grant the request after she says please,  "Mommy, I dropped my blanket" is one of my personal favorites, since it's kind of impossible to drop a blanket out of a crib...and it's amazing how she KNOWS to look into the video camera as she's requesting me. Two times is my limit though and she has figured this out...smart little cookie or spitfire...

Well, we started gymnastics last week. Madeline loves it, so much that she threw this massive fit when we had to leave today. Yep, she gets in that gym and runs like she has never run before, like she's finally free from the cage that I keep her in or that I never take her out of the house...it's awesome. The other kids? Oh, yeah, there are other kids in the class. I kind of forget about them sometimes....total duds, they just sit on their parents laps and wait for the instructor to tell them what to do. Pssh, imagine that. No sense of independence like MY daughter, as she is running around in a circle, kicking the ball and pretending to play soccer. Oh, you didn't know they had balls in gymnastics? They do...they just hide them away so only the super smart kids like mine can find them. She even found a new piece of equipment today, that rope used to lower the partition in the middle of the gym. You didn't know you could use that? Don't worry, it's only for the super advanced kids like mine. Every Thursday I am just beaming with pride at my toddler that marches to the beat of her own drum, a natural born leader.  THIS is how I get through hellnastics Thursday. *smile* 

I would normally get embarrassed or attempt to over control the situation, but then, I asked myself, would I rather have my two year old running and laughing, not having a care in the world OR flipping her shit as I held her on my lap, with screams echoing through the gym? And after careful consideration over what role I wanted to play, I take a deep breath and let her have fun...while I come up with scenarios in my head about the other kids being older, not as social, not having an extensive vocab like Madeline, not being as active....I find it really helps.bah ha ha!

1st week, right before she started running the show.

This week. Thought that maybe losing the skirt and 4 pigtails would lessen the sass. Not.a.chance!

But she did warn me on her daily calender, before we left, that she was feeling 'excited'.

The pregnancy is coming along. What am I now? like 30, 40 weeks? Eh, something like that. I almost forget that I'm pregnant sometimes....until someone asks me how far along  I am and I get this deer in the headlights look because I forgot what the last damn "your baby at ___ weeks" email said. I usually guess and hope Anthony doesn't call me out on it. This pregnancy is going by so fast, I don't have the time to 'baby' myself or take long afternoon naps time and put my feet up, while pulling the "I'm pregnant" card. I guess it's a good thing, though. It doesn't feel like I'm waiting as long. 

But, then I sit down and relax at night and the sweet, little energy sucker starts moving around and I get that warm, fuzzy, there's a life inside me feeling. It is the most amazing miracle to have a little human moving inside you...honestly, one of the best feelings in the world. When I'm busy during the day, there's always those super hard kicks and rolls, reminding me to make room for the next little gymnast in our life. HAHA!

Last week. Wild hair and makeup free before the gym.

Saturday. Dressed up for Anthony's work function.

And now, I guess I better go do some STUFF.