For Grandma and Grandpa

My parents have spent the last three weeks in New York, helping my brother and sister-in-law remodel and move into their new home. I've e-mailed several photos, but here's a video I took tonight of Miss Madeline (3-1/2 mos) since I know they've missed her a lot. (Erika would be in there, too, but she's been on her cell phone downstairs all night. Sigh....)

They won't be home for a few more days, but here's a sneak peek on how much Maddy has changed since you've been gone. :)

Time has flown by

It's been nearly a month since I returned from maternity leave and I have yet to post anything on this blog. Geesh.

We've all settled into new routines since Miss Madeline joined us about 3-1/2 months ago. Now I'm back at work and Nels is a full-time stay-at-home dad. Erika is super busy with school, her social life and her extra-curricular activities. She's active in speech - and got a red ribbon at her first meet last Saturday - and she's the stage manager for the high school One-Act Play, in addition to getting straight A's and having a boyfriend...yep, you read that correctly. She's been dating Dylan (as opposed to her ex-boyfriend, Dillon) for about a week, which is how long her relationship with the other Dillon lasted the week before this one.

Nels is settling into his days spent caring for Madeline and it hasn't been easy for him to juggle his wedding photography business and a newborn. Thank God we have an awesome baby swing she loves. He puts her in the swing and he can get at least a little bit of time to work. Plus, my mom plans to help out more often once she and my dad get back from visiting my brother and sister-in-law in New York. Nels has got quite a few winter weddings to keep him busy and has been booking a lot of summer weddings as well lately.

Madeline is a charmer, a very happy baby who smiles all the time. She is so happy in the morning that it's hard not to smile back at her as she grins up at you from her bassinet. Her hair still sticks up in back — what my dad refers to as her orangutan hair — and she's starting to drool a bit, a sign that she might be teething soon.

Maddy and I went to the Twin Cities last weekend to hang out with my friends from high school, who all gather once a year for our annual Christmas party. It was so fun and Madeline, of course, enjoyed the attention. On Sunday we visited Madeline's aunt Patti and uncle Mark, and had fun chatting with them. Madeline even got to try out their baby swing, which is ready and waiting for their first baby to be born in April - Madeline's cousin!

Work is going well for me. Some days it is hard to leave a smiling Madeline behind but then, it's always a happy time when I can come home and grab her out of Nels' arms.

Life has become more busy with a baby and a teenager AND a full-time job, but we are blessed.