updates...

HAPPY BOY

It has been awhile...don't know where i have been...just busy I guess. We have been keeping full days around the Madden house. We went to Columbia for a week - which was so much fun. I left the pics from that week on my parent's computer, but I will put them on soon. We went to the Jump Zone, had visits by both Big Pop and Dot, got to see Mimi and Doc and meet their friends (and Mike's godparents) Kathy and John. We went to our niece's 3rd birthday party...so much fun and quite busy!! Since we have been back, we had Ryan's 15 month check up. He is doing very well. Finally slowing down on the gaining weight - 27 lbs this time. That is only 1 1/4 more than his 12 month visit. He is 32" tall. Doing great all around. Still not saying a lot of words, but you definitely know what he wants because he points to the object and then to his chest when he wants it brought to him. He "chatters" all day long and is a little social butterfly. He is really getting into repetitive games. He has a book bag that Aunt Diane gave us before he was born. We have been putting his DVDs in it lately to take on trips. Well, he has such fun taking each DVD case out, opening it, twirling the DVD around and then handing it to one of us to snap back. Once he has gone through all the DVDs in the bag, he has a fit until we put them all back in for him to start the game all over. He spends hours doing this. The same thing with a box of baby puzzles that Mimi gave him for Christmas. Takes each piece out and then puts them all back in to start over. (I have to say, these "games" get very tiring for Mommy!!) hahaha

What else - we had a bout with Hand, foot, and mouth courtesy of our neighbor Jake. That was wonderful...thank goodness he didn't get it very badly. You hardly even knew he was sick it was so mild. When we got back from Columbia Ryan was over the HFM and then it broke out at school. So, we spent a few days at home so that we wouldn't risk getting it again and not having the luck that we had the first time. Other than that, we have been doing our usual...hanging out, going for walks, playing with Jake and Brantley, and just being an all-boy, toddler.

One last thing - Mother's Day...what a surprise!! My handsome husband and toddler surprised me by letting me have 3 WHOLE hours to myself to run some errands and then spend some time at home...alone. When they got home I had the best surprise of all...Ryan came toddling in with a beautiful card and a flower (that he picked out himself) and handed it right to me. What a smart little boy. My wonderful husband also stuck in a nice little extra in the form of a massage. How WONDERFUL!!! Now, when I am going to have the time for a massage is another story. I have never heard of anyone having a schedule as busy as his has been/or is going to be in the next 8-10 weeks. YUCK!!

Enjoy the pics...there are some from Easter Sunday after Ryan woke up from his nap and finally got his basket, from playing at the park later that afternoon, time playing outside with Jake, and bubbles and dirt with friends and Daddy. Ryan is so good at picking weeds. He picks one piece and then pulls out all the weeds from the bag that Daddy is pulling. He thinks that is HILARIOUS!!

EASTER SUNDAY
Sliding down the really steep slide with Daddy

Getting stuck in the middle of the really steep slide with Daddy - hilarious!! (at least for me!)

JUMP ZONE

Jump Zone Slide


Playing outside on my climbing toy

2 Rough and Tough Boys

Learning to climb up onto my toy

Jake being so sweet and handing us a flower.

BUBBLES

I love bubbles. I chased them all over the yard!

Brantley hanging out in the play tube

Jake, demonstrating his driving skills

WEED PULLING

one in, LOTS out

caught, red-handed

Loving the dirt - such a boy!

showing Daddy all the great weeds I have been digging up

Jake, you gotta check out all these weeds...it's Awesome!

Just a funny face I had to post

alright, enough time playing...back to work!