I'll Eat Anything!

Just like his daddy, little Willy gladly eats anything and everything. Here he is eating my nose. I think it is the cutest thing ever. When hungry, Will gets everything a bit confused, eating my arm, my nose, my cheek. Once he finally finds the REAL source of his food, he is so very happy. Personally, I prefer it when he eats my nose. Breastfeeding hurts! (Please tell me it will stop hurting SOON)!

Tummy Time!

Every day, usually in the afternoons, little Will likes to have some tummy time. He told me that he especially likes it when he is next to the fire, all warm and cozy. He loves to just sit and stare at everything around him, perfectly content to take in all the sights. Too bad he also felt like having some tummy time last night after I fed him at 2:30 a.m.! He wasn't fussy; he just wanted some play time. Unfortunately, Mama just wanted some sleepy time....

An Ode to Grammy

Oh, how we have been spoiled by Grammy (my mom) this past week and a half! We loved, loved, loved every minute of it and could never thank Grammy enough for all she did for us. And, wow, did she do a lot for us:

Cooking:

She cooked us yummy homemade meals so that when Josh got home from work, dinner was served (just as he likes it; hopefully, he didn't get used to it, though). And she made us homemade bread--twice! Yummy, yummy in my tummy. We loved having a built-in chef!

Cleaning:

Not only did she cook for us, but she cleaned the house TWICE! It was so nice to have a clean-smelling house for a change, instead of a dirty-diaper smelling house. And she cleaned it so well, even vacuumming lines in the carpet the way I like it (yes, I am that OCD). I love a clean house and now with my mother gone, it may never be clean again. Yikes!

Changing:

Boy, oh boy, did she change some diapers. And with Will, that was NO small task, seeing as how he hates it and he tends to pee everywhere as soon as his diaper is off. She spoiled me, though, even changing diapers in the night before I nursed him. I'm not sure I'm ready to be the sole diaper changer during the days.

Cuddling:

She was the best cuddler with Will. If he was fussy, she would walk him and rock him and sing to him and just give him loves until he fell asleep. Once asleep, she would just hold him and hold him so that he wouldn't wake up. Will told me this morning that he is going to miss his Grammy's cuddling--apparently, it's not the same when I do it.

Crying:

No, my mom didn't have to withstand Will's tears, but mine these last three days, crying every minute at the thought of her leaving us. And they weren't just tears for the loss of help (though that's a BIG part), or tears over the fact that we live so far away (though that's another BIG part) but they were mostly tears because I realized how much I miss my mommy. I haven't gotten to spend time with just my mom for an extended period of time for such a long while. She truly is one of my best friends. I admire her, miss her and hope that one day I can be half the mother she is. We can never thank her enough for coming out here to the FREEZING state of New York and spoiling us ROTTEN. Thanks, Grammy! We love you.

I Got Dressed (finally)!

After about two weeks in nothing but comfy jammies, I decided it might be nice to see Will clothed for a change. So, we put him in overalls (of course, I HEART little boys in overalls--that is what his wardrobe consists of) and we snapped some photos. He didn't stay clothed for long, however. There is a reason he is always wearing gowns and jammies: much easier access for changing the ever pooping and peeing baby. Plus, they are so much more comfy--at least that's what Will tells me and clearly I agree since that is what I wear most days, too. So, these pictures aren't just historic because Will is dressed, but because I, too, am dressed (and that didn't last too long either. Jammies just are more comfy).





We tried and tried to get a family photo, but Will would just NOT look at the camera. This was the only way we could get him to keep his eyes open. Silly Willy!

There's No Crying in Baseball!

Well, if you were wondering if Will could cry, here's some proof--he sure CAN cry. However, he doesn't cry for long and he is easily soothed. Here, he was actually happy and cute, until we snapped the photo and the flash went off (clearly, he doesn't like bright, flashing lights in his eyes). I just thought it was a classic picture of him crying. Mostly he cries when he is in the buff: getting his diaper changed, changing his clothes and he cries bloody murder when taking a bath. Apparently, he does NOT like to be naked. I guess he is just a shy and proper gentleman; I don't know where he got THAT from.

Snugglin' Thief

Here it is, folks, the proof that Josh is a bed-snatching, baby stealing, very, very sneaky SNUGGLER. After putting Will to sleep soundly in his bed, I came back later to check on him only to find this: his daddy snuggling with him on the couch, both fast asleep. It's a good thing they are both TOO cute!

Hair Dos and Hair Don'ts

Since our little guy has a head full of the cutest hair, we've enjoyed styling it, trying to find the perfect hair-do. Along the way, we've learned some tips and now, out of the kindness of our hearts, we will share these tips with you, fair bloggers.

Hair Do:

Do style your hair in the latest of hair fashion for men world-wide: the faux-hawk. This is great to attract the ladies and it is simple and fast to do.

Hair Don't:

Don't style your hair as your dad would do, in this geeky, part down the middle, destined to live your life as a pocket-protector-glasses-wearing engineer (oh, woops--that IS your daddy....).

More Fotos...

Daddy and his little boy. Josh cannot get enough snuggling with his baby. I'll put the baby down in his bed only later to find him snatched up by his daddy, snuggling away. So far, little Will is a great snuggler like his daddy!
This is one of my favorite poses of the little guy. You just tell him to stretch and he streeeeetches so big. Josh had to get in on the action, too, apparently.
Here is the only photo we have with his eyes open. Like most good newborns, he is a sleeper, so we have to hurry to snap shots of him whilst he is awake. Last night we had to force him to stay awake awhile so he would sleep through the night (which he did--good baby). Here is the documentation that he does, in fact, have a pulse. So cute!

Will's First Pictures

Here are some of our favorite first pictures of our little guy (remember neither Josh nor I ever claimed to be photographers). More pictures to come soon! I gotta go feed that baby.

Dad and his little boy. Don't you love those lips??
He was born a Red Sox fan.....
Will next to the pretty flowers my family sent. Thank you! They were gorgeous and smelled BEAUTIFUL!
His first car ride. Can you believe how little he is? He slept the whole way home from the hospital.
Here he is in his favorite pose: swaddled snug as a bug in a rug. Look at that hair!

He's Here!!!

William Grant Madsen joined us unexpectedly (exactly two weeks early) on Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 5:10 a.m. after a very short labor, weighing in at 7 lbs. 11 oz. and measuring 20.5 inches in length. He has the cutest head of dark blonde hair with a hint of auburn. All are happy and well and LOVING having this cute bundle of sleepiness in our home.....More info. and pictures to come! Happy B-day, Little Willy. Can't get enough of you!

Acceptable Dinner?

I have a question that I've been pondering this fine Sabbath evening that I will now pose to you all, my fine blogging friends. In your well-informed opinions, what makes an acceptable dinner? In fact, what I really want to know is if you think the following comprises of a suitable, well-balanced meal: chocolate chip cookies (homemade, mind you), Ben and Jerry's Half-Baked ice cream (a Madsen household favorite), Wheaties (bran AND fiber) topped with banana slices (a fruit at least) and orange juice (yet more fiber). Now, before you make up your mind, I must express the advantages of the above meal. First, no grocery shopping was required; I ate what was already in my cupboards. Also, there was little to no preparation needed--open fridge, pour milk, grab spoon, eat cereal AND ice cream (straight out of the carton) with same spoon. That leads to the final appeal: no clean-up or dishes, only one shared spoon for the cereal and ice cream and one bowl for the Wheaties. Sunday IS the day of rest, so our meals should be low-key, right? And this meal facilitated faster access to the couch and a much-needed nap after waking up early for Ward Council.

I know I am no expert and I am far from a nutritionist, but I feel that this meal is a winner in my book. At least that's what I think and so does baby Willy. Like his mom, he is a lover of all things ice cream, so if there is ice cream involved, he's happy. Josh, I'm sure, would not have approved, but he hasn't yet returned from family ski trip, so he didn't get a vote. So, friends, what I need to know is if you, too, find this meal as acceptable and appealing as yours truly. I think you'll be hard pressed to find such a crowd pleaser!

P.S. Email me if you want recipes for any of the above dishes. It would be incredibly un-Relief Society of me if I did not offer the recipes for such a successful meal.