Madison has been the quite the comedian these past few days.  That is really nothing new.  Her personality just seems to come out more and more each day.  Yesterday she didn't stop talking from the time she woke up until the time she took a nap and went to bed!  It seems to be a lot of the same conversation, but I just can't seem to get enough of it.  She is always saying, "Hey Mama!"  Then she will ask about Dada, Mimi, Baba, and Paul.  Still not much on Amy but it is a work in progress. 

Last night at dinner she had us laughing so hard I was crying.  We sat down to eat and Shane and I were carrying on a conversation as I was feeding Madison and not really paying her much attention.  Wrong and sad...I know.  I looked over at Madison and she is pretending that she is eating her yogurt and as soon as she would pretend to put it in her mouth she would go "hhhmmmm!"  When she realized we were watching her and laughing she knew then it was time to put on a show!  When I got the video camera out she didn't get AS dramatic but still very cute.

Also last night at dinner, we prayed right before we ate like we always do.  Well, Madison was almost finished eating and she stops and says "Amen!" and bows her head.  We told her that we had already prayed and she continued to do this several times.  Well at least until the video recorder came out! 

Madison was wide awake this morning at 6:00.  She was asking for a bottle so I went ahead and prepared one and gave it to her.  I put her back in our bed at about 6:45 and she fell right back to sleep and slept until 9:00.  She was not 100% when she got up.  I could tell that getting up early like she did really threw her for a loop.  After getting a very good nap I could tell she was back to her normal self. 

The reason I could tell this was because she was laughing and talking nonstop again.  I put her in her crib and she drank her bottle while I folded clothes.  She finished her bottle and I was almost done folding clothes.  When I finished putting the clothes up I went and picked her up to go and change her diaper.  As I picked her up 3 pappies (pacifiers) fell out of her shorts onto the floor!  I heard them fall and hit the carpet and Madison looked at me and just busted out laughing. 

Okay...last story and then I am done.  Yesterday I bumped into a drawer in the kitchen and Madison thought that was the funniest thing.  Well today I hit my knee on the cabinet and Madison started laughing again.  I pulled the video camera out to see if Madison would do it again and she did.  I would act like I hit my elbow on the cabinet and Madison would laugh SO HARD.  I hope you enjoy the video as much as we do! 

This video isn't as funny as the first but still pretty cute.  This is the one I took at dinner last night.



Another weekend has come and gone.  We are sad to see it go.  This is the first weekend Shane hasn't had to go in for most of the day on Saturday in a really long time.  We took full advantage of it and spent the weekend together making wonderful memories with Madison.  We took her outside Saturday while Shane did some yard work and saying she had a blast is an understatement.  She cried when we had to come in but the mosquitoes we starting to get really bad. 

Madison got to spend some time with mom and dad this weekend as well.  They went to dinner with us Saturday night and church with us on Sunday night.  When I have a chance, I am going to get on video what Madison does when we are all in the car together.  That being Shane and I along with Mom and Dad.  It is nonstop "Hey Mama!", "Hey Dada!", "Hey Mimi!", "Hey Baba!" 

I took this video Saturday night after I got Madison out of the tub and dressed before we went out to dinner.  I was telling her that we were going to eat with Mimi and Baba and this is the conversation that followed.  Just to let you know, when Madison is ready to eat she let's us know by saying "Amen."  Same goes for when we tell her we are going to out to eat.

Today was one of those days where I wish I had the video camera rolling nonstop.  Madison has talked literally ALL day!  Thursday means cleaning day at the Riley house.  Every Thursday I do my weekly clean and normally Madison is right behind me with an old dish rag doing whatever I do.  Today I cleaned most of the house before she woke up so she didn't get to help like she normally does but I did finish faster than usual. 

I have to tell you about the CUTEST thing Madison did today.  I have called everyone to tell them.  Every time we eat we always bless the food before.  I say this generic children's prayer and Madison knows right when it is over because she always says "Amen."  Well yesterday I quit saying the same old prayer and actually said a grown-up prayer.  I blessed the food and then I asked for God's protection over Shane at work.  Well instead of saying Shane I said daddy.  Madison was sitting in her high chair with her head bowed and before I get another word out Madison says, "And Mimi."  So we prayed for Mimi.  Then Madison say, "And Papa." So of course we prayed for Papa.  Then she says, "And Paul."  Right after she said that I said, "And who else?"  She immediately replied,  "Amy!"  She didn't mention the baby, but I did, so we prayed for the baby too.  It was absolutely the sweetest thing!

Well, tonight at dinner, as I said our prayer, Madison didn't say anything when I mentioned Daddy, Mimi, Papa, Paul or Amy.  As I was finishing up the prayer, I asked for Jesus to place his healing hands over Madison and to heal her of this disease.  I wasn't quite finished but before I could go on, Madison says, "Amen!"  It wasn't her normal 'Amen.'  It was like she was shouting it.  I couldn't help but laugh and cry all at the same time! 

I hate I didn't get these two precious moments on video, but they are memories I will carry for the rest of my life.

We have been crazy busy since last Friday!  Madison ran errands with me on Friday.  Saturday we went to Dothan to see my grandmother and spent the day there.  I had to wake Madison up at 6:30 and she didn't take a nap the entire time we were at my grandmother's house.  We left around 4:30 that afternoon and we weren't even out of her driveway and Madison was out!  She got some much needed sleep the entire way home.  Sunday she had to get up early again so we could go to church.  This was the first time Madison has gone to church since October.  She had a really good time and so did we.  That afternoon we all took a nap and Madison slept 4 hours.  I can tell that this weekend has taken a toll on her because she is sleeping a lot since we have been back. 

This week I wanted her to take it easy so we have stayed in for the most part and she has caught up on her rest.  She did get to have a play date with her good friend Madeline, which she enjoyed.  Madison is still going through this clingy stage.  I wouldn't say she is as clingy where I have to be holding her all the time but, she does always have to have my undivided attention or she gets a little mad!  We are enjoying this warmer weather and I want to go and do so much with her but it is something that we can not rush.  I have to remind myself of that.  My parents told me today that strep throat is going around real bad and that makes me nervous.  We are going to take baby steps getting her out more.  Summer will be here before we know it and we can enjoy it then. 

Here is picture of Madison in Dothan with my mom, our Cousin Jan, and Jan's little granddaughter, Brooklyn.  We were so happy that we got to see our cousin Scarlett (who I haven't seen since our wedding) and meet her daughter Brooklyn.  A good time was had by all!

While Madison is down for her afternoon nap I have a few minutes to update the blog.  I noticed on Monday that Madison wasn't really herself.  She didn't want to be in her walker very much, which is VERY unusual.  She either wanted to be in the chair on the counter or wanted me to hold her.  I didn't think too much about it until Tuesday when she was doing the same thing.  By that afternoon I called our pediatrician and set up an appointment for her to examine her on Wednesday morning. 

I was hoping and praying that I was overreacting and that it was all due to the time change.  Since her cardiologists told us that fatigue is a sign that the leak in her heart might have worsened, I didn't want to assume anything and wanted to be 100 percent sure it wasn't her heart.  I hooked her up to the pulseox monitor to check her oxygen levels Tuesday night.  Shane and I sat there and stared at that thing for two hours.  It was all over the place.  No consistency what so ever.  Below 89 is bad.  She mainly stayed in the low 90s and then would drop to the high 70s, back to the 80s and 90s, and so forth.

Long story short, we took her to our friends Matt and Summer's house Tuesday night at 8:30 so he could listen to her heart with his stethoscope and he didn't hear anything.  We felt good about that.  We still took her to the pediatrician on Wednesday and she also didn't hear anything either.  After all that stress and worry, we are going to get us a stethoscope and I am going to have our cardiologist show me what I need to do so I can listen at home.  We believe her oxygen levels were all over the place because the pulseox wasn't able to get an accurate reading. 

Needless to say, it sounds like it is the time change that made her so fatigued.  After catching up on her sleep she is getting back to her happy self!

The video I am going to post I thought was just too cute not to share.  Every time I am on the phone, Madison will ALWAYS ask if it is Paul.  Every time!  Randomly, through out the day she will just say, "Paul."  Followed by us saying, "No, Paul is in Texas."  I can't tell you how many times in a day we have this conversation.  We are trying to work with Madison on saying Paul, Amy and baby.  The video shows the progress we are making.  Obviously, we still have a lot of work to do!!  =)

Since Shane is playing with Madison I have a little bit of time to update the blog.  I haven't had much of that lately, but I am not complaining at all.  Madison has been going full blast from the moment she is up to the time she goes down for a nap or to bed.  She is talking nonstop and I just can't seem to get enough of it. 

We have had a pretty busy weekend.  As the weather is starting to get warmer we are slowly starting to get Madison out some.  I took her Friday to get her haircut and she looks oh so cute!  The hair was literally getting out of control.  I cut it about 2 weeks ago and it looked horrible.  Her bangs were getting in her eyes and since she can't lift her arms up, she couldn't move them herself.  I just cut the bangs and apparently added layers.  Now the hair is back to looking good again, thanks to Kim Guynn! 

Mom had outpatient surgery on Friday and we didn't know how invasive it was going to be.  Madison and I had planned on staying at their house most of the day helping them out.  Dad brought mom home around 11:00 and I picked up some lunch and we ate together.  Luckily, it wasn't as invasive as we had initially thought.  Mom is still really sore but is able to get around pretty good.  After seeing how well she was doing, Madison and I left to go do our grocery shopping so they could rest. 

This was the first time I had taken Madison to Walmart and Publix since November.  Saying she thoroughly enjoyed it is an understatement.  She had so much fun!!  I am looking forward to being able to take her with me more often now and I know she is as well. 

We have had yet another wonderful weekend.  Even though I am not working anymore ,the weekends seem to still fly by so quickly.  I wish Shane had the luxury of taking off whenever he wanted but unfortunately he doesn't.  We enjoy the time we are able to spend together on the weekends and make great memories. 

Pictures and videos to come tomorrow.

I was so excited yesterday that we received Madison's new high chair.  Amy had told me about this one and after doing a ton of research on it, we decided to order it.  Not only was I excited but Madison too was thrilled when she saw it.  She spent most of the afternoon in it and just watched everything I was doing in the kitchen.  I was able to attach it to the counter so she can sit right there as I am cooking dinner.  Here is a picture of it.

When Shane came home and saw Madison sitting it, I could tell he looked worried and didn't think it was safe.  I took Madison out so he could inspect and then he believed me that she was okay in it.  I promise!  I thought the same thing when I saw them the first time.  

Shane didn't sleep good Sunday night so when he came home last night he was very tired.  We ate dinner and Shane was in bed by 6:45.  Madison and I watched the Bachelor and played with bubbles!  The video I am going to post is of her laughing at the bubbles.  She has this little bubble maker that generates the bubbles and she loves it!  The sound was pretty bad on my computer so hopefully you will be able to hear her laugh.  The sound you will hear is the bubble maker.  Sorry that I didn't realize how loud it sounded on camera. 

I know that I haven't posted all week.  I am reminded everyday from my sister!  The good news is Madison is doing wonderful.  The not so good news is that she is still going through a very clingy stage.  She has been going wild on us here lately and that hasn't left much time for the blog.  I am so thankful though.

As thankful as I am that Madison hasn't been sick all fall and winter, it still makes me a little nervous that we haven't seen our pediatrician since November.  When Madison's cardiologist found the leak in one of Madison's heart valves in October, he said it was very minor and that he couldn't even hear it on the stethoscope.  He said if we were to notice where Madison's color changes to a constant pale color or if we notice a change in her energy level to go to the pediatrician or call him.  He said if it worsens our pediatrician would hear a clicking sound when she checked her heart with the stethoscope. 

I truly believe that in the last 6 months Madison has improved so much.  Before she was sleeping about 12 to 14 hours a night and then getting a 3 hour nap in the afternoon.  She is now sleeping about 10 hours a night and we are lucky if she gets a 45 minute nap in the afternoon.  I still make her rest for at least a hour every afternoon even if she doesn't go to sleep.  Even though she doesn't wake up until 8:30-9:00, since she sleeps with us if I get out of the bed she wakes up and cries until I lay back down with her.

As soon as she wakes up and drinks her bottle we play until lunch and then I try to get her to take a nap.  I cherish these moments that her and I have everyday.  All winter since we have been staying in, we are lucky if we get our showers before 3:00! 

I will try to do better this week in posting.  I didn't realize how many people follow this blog on a regular basis.  I am truly humbled by the amount of people that care so deeply for our Madison.  By no means am I considered a writer but I do hope that everyone who reads this blog will receive the joy that Madison brings to all around her.  She truly is a blessing to us.  I would not trade this journey we are going down for anything for I know that this is the Lord's will for Madison and we have put all of our trust and faith in him and because of that, we have the strength and the peace to go through each day.  Thank you for all the prayers that you lift for Madison. 

Sorry I don't have a video or a picture to post tonight.  I promise I will try to get some up this week.  =)