Chatty Cathy

I know every parent says this all the time, but I can't get over how quickly Madeline is growing up. For an update, she now has about 7 words she says. She's not the biggest talker when we're in public, but at home she's usually jabbering about something. These are her words:

"Up"- her first word. She used to say it about 20 times/day but now it's less often

"Mama"

"Dada"

"Keys"

"Cheese"- sounds the exact same as "keys", but she actually says them both in the correct context

"Uh-Oh"- maybe counts as a word, maybe not?

"Shoes"- sounds nothing like the correct pronunciation, but we can tell she's trying 

"Mama" and "Dada" were really solidified in the past 2 weeks. It's also so fascinating realizing she understands WAY more than I gave her credit for. Including the meaning of "No". Even after we say "No", she'll just stare straight at us and in slow motion move her hand toward the off limit object, all while never breaking eye contact. The little stinker knows exactly what she's doing. :-). 

You Have a Baby....In a closet!

      So that title is obviously a reference to one of my favorite movie lines "You have a baby...in a bar!" from Sweet Home Alabama. I was reading this blog post recently and thought about how people really do get a kick out of the fact that Madeline slept in a closet the first 3 months of her life. The first 2 months in New York, and the 3rd month when we were moved back to Nashville and stayed with my mom. The truth is several of my other friends' babies slept in closets as well, and it's not that unusual. 

      Someone told me right before Maddie was born that all you really need is a car seat, diapers, and a place for the baby to sleep, and I firmly agree. We were in a 475 sq.ft. studio, and therefore had no room for unnecessary items. We had to make it work we and we did. I thought this would be a good opportunity to show Maddie's first "nursery" for those of you who didn't get to see. 

19 in. deep closet with accordion doors and one cute 'lil girl. Those prints are the first things I ever bought Maddie. Bought them from a Chinese artist on West Broadway in Soho when I was about 4 months pregnant. 

Just so you have a reference, that's Maddie's closet on the left pre-baby

 She has since upgraded to a crib in a room with 4 walls. The prints from her "closet nursery" came with her, hopefully making her feel at home. :-)

New Yorkers take on Nashville

Some of our best friends from New York, John and Summer Ellis, came in town a few weeks ago so John could run the Music City half marathon with Stephen. They brought their 2 kids John Jr. and Anna Charles so Madeline was able to have her first sleep over. While the race ended up being a bust (down-poured the entire time), the weekend was so much fun. I should point out, despite almost dying from hypothermia, they did manage to run one of their best half marathon times to date.

There was a lot of playing, reading the Berenstein Bears, and Settlers of Cattan (only the adults partook in this last thing. If you have never played, I highly suggest you start. I am definitely not a big strategic board game type person and even I loved it). It was a bummer that it rained the whole weekend, but it was nice to just stay in and catch up with our dear friends who we miss so much.

Sweet Anna Charles. 2 going on 12.

 Maddie (a tad wind blown) and Aunt Sum

Snuck in a trip to the Dragon Park during the 2 hours it didn't rain.

John and his Mama

I think one of Maddie's favorite parts of the whole weekend was John's palette on the floor. She has this weird obsession with collapsing on any soft pile of pillows/blankets.

Maddie and Big John

 The kiddos in their pj's. Sweet John was trying to kiss Maddie the whole weekend. Maddie wasn't too crazy about it, but I thought it was adorable.

Name that Celebrity

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Rodney Dangerfield

Lately...

Easter
The Easter service at Redeemer in New York is one of Stephen's favorite days of the year. While we were sad to miss it, we had a great first Easter in Nashville. Please excuse the wrinkled dress. This pic was taken at the end of a long day. I wish that was also the reason for the empty basket, but instead that's because her parents ate all her candy a few days earlier when my mom ("Bunny") dropped it off. Hope that's not means to call DCS. :-)

After our church service, we went to lunch at Stephen's grandparent's house in Hickman County. Maddie found Granny Charlie's Easter eggs outside and was pretty enamored. 

The nice thing about being little is that Maddie can still fit into some of her old clothes. My Aunt Jo and Uncle Lynn gave Maddie this Easter dress shortly after she was born and luckily she was still able to squeeze into it one more time. 

                                    7 weeks                                                                    1 year

Last weekend we were busy with 2 birthday parties. William and Douglass Oliver and Maggie Harris. As you can see, the twins devoured their smash cakes....Another very special birthday party was happening in St. Louis for Townes Jung, so sad we had to miss it.

Maggie's mom Margaret is one of my best friends from childhood. We were so excited to have girls born 7 weeks apart.

 Maddie was especially excited about her sunglasses party favor

Also been enjoying some swingin' at the Dragon Park whenever we can

 Maddie recently found out she could open and close the outside door and found it quite entertaining.

Maddie doing one of her favorite things, lounging on the couch. She'll seriously just lay there and not move. (think someone's getting too big for their pj's)

Lastly, I just can't get over these teeth. They crack me up. 

Workin' Girl

I started back to work at a new job when Maddie was around 8 months old. While I thoroughly enjoyed my days in "retirement", I needed to go back to work so I could use my nurse practitioner degree before I forgot everything I had learned in school. I was very very blessed to find a job at Vanderbilt's REACH for Survivorship Clinic. A lot of people ask me what I do, so thought I'd share this article that gives a good look at the reason behind these new Survivorship Clinics that are popping up at many of the cancer centers across the nation.

Maddie's Baptism

Today was a special day because Madeline Rose Wright was baptized. It's such a special moment to see a church congregation accept a little child into their community and promise to help raise them up. We're also so grateful our families could be there with us to celebrate. Even more exciting was the fact that Maddie was baptized along side her cousin Isaac. So amazing to think that a year and a 1/2 ago he was playing in an orphanage in a small town in China, and today he was being baptized with his forever family in a church in Nashville, TN. Even though she won't remember it, I hope Maddie can grow up to understand what a special day today was and that her baptism is a celebration because it is a sign of God's covenant promise.

Considering she hates baths, I couldn't believe she didn't cry. Instead she did great and was smiling and pointing at people the whole time. Seems she loves an audience, just like her Momma. 

Thanks to my Aunt Sabra and cousin Jenny (thanks for sending so quickly), Madeline was able to wear the 107 year-old gown her great grandmother Jenny Fancher Smartt (my grandmother) wore when she was baptized. I was praying the whole time that Maddie wouldn't accidentally rip a hole in it.

 Maddie and Isaac before the service

A wedding and special thanks...

Went to the wedding of one of my good friends from high school Lauren Toth (now Lauren Stark- aren't you jealous of her cool new last name?) No, she'd didn't marry Tony Stark, but someone even better, A.J. Stark. He's a pilot in the Air Force and has been serving our country overseas this past year. They met through our friend Kathleen whose husband Matt is also a pilot in the Air Force. Matt was a groomsman in the wedding, and flew in from Qatar just a few days before the festivites began. Below is a picture of Kathleen and her sweet boys welcoming daddy home (stole these from your FB page Kath). If this doesn't bring tears to your eyes, then I don't know what does. Just wanted to say a special thank you to Matt, A.J., and all the other men and women out there serving our country. I know I don't say it enough.

The Bride and Groom (AJ shed his jacket to display his custom Air Force tux shirt. Love it.)

Cory & Lauren

My hot date

The Big 0-1

Madeline's party went off without a hitch. Pretty simple party consisting of just cake and desserts, but hopefully Madeline will realize how loved she is by the people in her life.

She could have cared less about the smash cake (which I didn't mind because it came free with the cupcakes from Publix.... love me a good bargain)

Uncle Robert and Aunt "Nai Nai"

All the cool kids out on the balcony

 We really packed everyone one in

 One of the best parts of the whole weekend was that one of our best friends from NY, Allison, got to be there for the party. She held Maddie when she was 15 minutes old, so these 2 have a pretty special relationship.