Madelyn Elaine

March 24, 2012, 2:29pm. 8lbs 5 1/2oz, 21 inches long

Sympathy Pains

My children are having sympathy pains for me with this pregnancy. They frequently ask for help getting up, from the couch, chair, floor after a diaper change. I just laugh! Or, they say they can't do something because ------- hurts. I guess I complain too much! They also love to ask you to do things they can easily do themselves. Bring them their cup to get a drink, pick up their toy off the floor (I am constantly asking them to pick something up for me because it is very difficult after the baby drops to do any bending) Anyway, I hope that after the baby comes we can get rid of our sympathy pains!!!

Thaddeus is 3!

Here is a picture of his new toys. I love this kid, two new hot wheels vehicles and the kid is on cloud nine. I won't even tell you how much those two did not cost! I hope his tastes are always so simple :)

Here is his cake. He loved it and wanted to look at it all day (even before I put the truck on it) but only took one bite! Silly boy!

We love our Thaddeus a lot! Here are some fun facts:

1. He can button his church shirt all by himself (you know, the tiny buttons with buttonholes barely large enough for the button to pass, yeah, we are impressed!)

2. He loves his big sister. They play together every day and he is always asking, "Wanna play Gracie?"

3. He can count to 10. (and more but 10 is pretty standard)

4. He knows about 1/2 the letters and their sounds.

5. He loves his daddy.

6. He speaks in full sentences, including those tiny words like it, and, you know the ones they leave out at first.

7. He loves cars, planes, trains- normal boy favorites.

8. He attempted to be potty trained, that is progress right?

9. He loves being outside and has no problem being out there by himself.

10. He is the best behaved kid in nursery, and I should know!

11. He loves his little baby brother/sister already and wants to "hug" him/her on a daily basis, even in public! (he has to lift my shirt to do this, he catches me off gaurd and I have to explain that we don't lift our shirts in public)

That is our little man. I can't believe he is this big and can do all the things he does. We are blessed to have him in our family. He is quite the funny man lately (at least he thinks he is :)) and keeps us on our toes.

Grant had his birthday earlier this week as well. Their b-days are only 2 days apart, no wonder TD loves his dad so much! He is getting old, 30 is what he turned. I can't believe I am married to a 30 year old! (let's not mention the mere 5 months till I turn 30 :)) He is busy as ever and always working on a project around the house or for the house or on the house. He is handy!!

Dressers and Yogurt

I had to show off my husbands handi-work. We bought this dresser used and Grant turned it from a yucky dark brown stained dresser whose drawers didn't slide very well into a dresser/changing table with drawers my kids can actually open and close! I know, you want to marry him! To impress you even more I have to add that this man's only real wood working tools are a drill, circular saw and a sander! (and screwdrivers, hammer etc.)

I tried my hand at yogurt making yesterday and succeeded! I was a little afraid to try doing it all by myself because I am such a hands on learner. With most baking and cooking I can figure it out on my own but with other areas I am less familiar with I like to do it with a friend. Anyway, it is so easy a 12 year old can do it! Here is the recipe. Browse away on her website, she has some neat things. Making your own seasonings from bulk spices and the bagels I made and some other food storage gems!

I added 1/3c sugar and 2TB vanilla to the warm milk before letting it cool to make vanilla yogurt as my tummy doesn't handle the tartness of plain yogurt now that it is only 1/4 the size it used to be :) It isn't vanilla yogurt like you buy at the store though, be warned, you would need to add more than 1/3c sugar to get that I think. You can also spoon fruit or jam into the bottom of the jar and have fruit yogurt. You can make a smaller batch if you want to experiment, it is good though and did you know that plain yogurt can be substituted for sour cream in baking? Enjoy!