8 months

Baby girl turned 8 months on Saturday and she just keeps getting yummier and yummier. We've talked a few times about not pursuing having more children and keeping Maddie an only child.... so we can focus on her being an Olympian. Great plan uh? 

And just because...

Olympics

Like everyone else in the world, we love watching the Olympics. There's something so empowering and encouraging about watching these athletes perform in a way not every single person can. I also can't help but remember how my life changed eight years ago right in the middle of the Athens Olympics. It's when my ex-husband moved out and I saw a Mormon chick named Megan rowing for the US "quad" that I knew deep down in my veins rowing was for me. It wasn't until two years later that the dream came true and I met my man but looking back I know everything was perfectly timed. 


Also, does anyone else compare their life experiences in reference to the Olympics? Let's do a little review.... 


1980- Moscow. My mother was pregnant with me and little did they know how amazing their life would be with me in it! 


1984- Los Angeles. I was almost 4 years old. We just moved to Idaho from Georgia. I'm positive I was a perfect child. 


1988- South Korea. Probably beating up on boys at school and making mud pies in ditches.  


1992- Barcelona. Just moved back to Georgia from Idaho and buried Daddy Jimmy, my dads dad. 


1996- Atlanta. I was almost 16 and trying to figure out how to survive my childhood as an unbalanced teenager. I wish I remembered more of visiting the Olympic park and things...


2000- Sydney. I was almost 20 living in Salt Lake City and 2-3 weeks shy of getting married for the first time. Oy vay. 


2004- Greece. Just bought a house with the ex and right smack in the middle of coming to the realization that I was going to be a 23 year divorcee. Later realizing it was the best thing to ever happen to me. 


2008- Beijing. Re-married this time to the man of my dreams I was convinced didn't existed. Experienced another life-changing experience when dad died two days into the games. 


2012- London. Still married to the man of my dreams, living in Connecticut and raising our baby girl because adoption rocks!


A few things I've realized in the last two minutes... 1- I would love to see Cony's timeline. 2. I love watching rowing. It does my heart really good. 3. I'm curious to see where our life will be during the next summer games. 

I love UConn

I really do love this campus! Yesterday, I took  group photos for the department I work for which meant I had access to the roof of the library. This was my view from the ledge....

and view from the bottom..

The M Cubed

I'm trying really hard not to be totally and completely devastated that I haven't written everything little thing down that our baby has done or eaten or seen or heard. That being said, I have a new appreciation for my phone because without it I would not have 90% of her milestones documented in some fashion.  


Her very first tooth popped out last Sunday (July 15th) and I know more are coming. There are some night it takes her an hour to settle down and it's hard not being able to do much for her pain. 


This past Sunday we put her on the floor during church service and before we knew it she had crawled two pews back to play with new faces and then about 10 minutes later I turn around and another family has her that's about 4 pews back. I really do pay attention to my child but she is very active and I know she needs to work her little muscles so it's hard not to let her roam.  


Maddie has been crawling for a solid two months now and is fast as lightening. She climbs on everything or everyone and I'm just waiting for her new push toy to come. Because whether I like it or not... she's ready. She's already standing on her own for a second without falling and just squatting down to all fours. She loves loves loves watching Baby Einstein. I have mixed feelings about this but I can not tell a lie, with her 5:30 or 6:00 morning wake up call- it's convenient for me. 


She's gotten really good climbing over and pulling on Gracie and Gracie takes it like a champ. I love having Gracie now that Maddie is feeding herself a few times a day because she makes a really good vacuum. And just so we are clear... I've always loved having Gracie. 


The last two weeks I have noticed that she as started to favor me when she's with someone else. She has yet to meet a stranger and for a while I felt she would rather be with them than myself or Cony. But it warms my little heart that is changing. Don't get me wrong- I love that she loves "strangers" but I love more that she knows me. 


What I love the most is hearing Cony say "Man, we have an awesome baby. I didn't know babies could be so much fun!" We feel blessed. Wish there was a way for our Devon to make all our babies. 

Sunflowers & Subs

Today is Pioneer Day and last week the youth went on TREK and since I work with the youth we went to the "Welcome to the Valley" activity on Saturday.  (Pioneer Day is a day we Mormon's celebrate the trek our pioneers made to the West in the 1800's and settled Utah).

Afterwards we went to a Naval Museum where you can tour a submarine. All for free. It was a neat experience to get a small glimpse of how Cony lived for almost 4 years. I have no clue how he did what he did in a sub UNDER water. I think I would be happier sleeping in an igloo with no blankets... and I hate the cold. 

Monday evening we went to a sunflower farm with our Rose's and Seal's which has become my favorite thing to do each summer. I have decided that when we retire I really want to have a Sunflower /Christmas tree farm with a B&B on the property for Afton to manage! I told Cony my plan and he thankfully agreed. It feels so good to have a (set) plan for our future. Oh, and I can't forget the honeybee's on the farm too. I really am being serious.  

How Does Your Garden Grow?

This year we decided to plant a garden and thought more of it as a test run but it's been growing  and producing really well. We both have a new found love for gardening and find it very gratifying. We've learned a lot already and we're making notes for next years garden.

Learned too late what to do for our cauliflower plant. Til next year!

Our little helper.

DOLs

A week ago I had the chance to spend a Saturday with Gwen, Nancy and Crystal. We call ourselves DOLs: Dogs Off Leashes. We did a few planned things but more unexpected... and it felt so nice not to be in a rush for anyone or anything.


We started by visiting a small grave site..

Found Devil's Hopyard Park..

We really do live close to the coast and I forget it all the time.

I believe we all gasped when we saw this home...

We had a really sweet picnic at the Florence Griswold Museum before we went on a tour. Something I love about CT/NE is the fact libraries have passes you can check out to get into museums, parks, etc for either free or half off.

I love spending time with my DOLs and so grateful for their friendships and talents. Because I have learned so much from them.

Summer Adventures

I haven't been in much of a blogging/writing mood lately. However, I realized I'm going to forget all these special moments if I don't write them down and write them down quick! 

4th of July was a heavenly day spent at the Boom Box Parade, swimming at our favorite pond, and BBQ'n with some of our favorite peeps; Caryl and the Rose's. Their five year old Sarah kept saying "it's a Cony and Megan and Maddie and Gracie day!". So glad she loves us.

I'll have you know that MMM is sporting her festive outfit our Tummy Mummy gave us.

Last week we also headed to the shore. This here is the best beach around-Rocky Neck Beach. It is lovely but boy did we take Southern beaches for granted. Baby Girl loved playing in the sand but I think she loved eating it more. Thrilled she's not afraid of the water.

A few weeks ago we went strawberry picking and got ourselves 18 pounds of em'. They are perfect for our morning smoothie.