Skateland

Madison and I had a blast at Skateland on Saturday.  Reagan had fun watching with grandma.  No rumps hit the skating rink fortunately!  Madison can't wait to go back.  

Kids say and do...

Kindergarten.  Such a fun age.

This morning we woke up to 12 wild turkeys in our backyard.  The kids thought it was great.  When we left for school we snapped a few pictures and Madison asked, "Mom, they don't like us do they?"

I replied, "No, they're scared of us."

Madison says, "That's because we cook them." 

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And that was only the beginning.  In school the kids make cute projects for the different holidays.  For Mother's Day, they made an award about their moms.  It lists our name, hair color, eye color, age and favorite food.  Oh yeah, and our weight.  Now they received no direction on this other than most mommies are over 100 pounds.  Well, Madison is convinced that I weigh........205 pounds.  Yep, you got it, I'm a big mama.  Maybe I will let her look at the scale next time I step on so she can redeem herself! 

My mom told me to keep the award and bring it out when Madison turns 18.  Should be good leverage when she asks for a car.  

Madison's Story

It's only fair to Madison to tell her story as well.  

Ben and I were married April 1, 2000.  We were both sophomores in college.  The summer before my senior year at Concordia we decided we wanted to start a family.  Anticipating it would take awhile, we were shocked to learn that I became pregnant less than two months later, coincidentally the week of September 11, 2002.  For those of you who know about Concordia know that "pregnant girls" are generally frowned upon.  I had a wedding ring on my finger so they could all just look the other way.  I graduated the first week of May, very pregnant, and just wanted to wear a sign that said "I'm married."    

My pregnancy was very uneventful, fortunately.  The excitement would come later with Reagan I guess.  I was thrilled to learn we were having a girl and the joke was up until delivery that if they were wrong, it would be one funny looking boy in all the girl colors.  Almost everything (and there was a lot) that I and moms and grandmas bought, and after 5 baby showers I believe, was pink with some purple.  I remember saying after she was born, "Is it a girl?"  I feared that we would have a little boy with nothing to wear home.  

Madison's labor was 13 hours long, not terrible for a first baby.  We got to the hospital and they sent us home because my labor wasn't strong enough.  We had been to the hospital twice prior with pretty decent contractions only to be sent home so this was again a disappointment.  However a few hours later we were back.  So, anyone who knows me well knows I have (had) a major fear of needles.  I was bound and determined that there would be no needle of an epidural and I could do this on my own.  (Hindsight - STUPID!!! They make great drugs for a reason.)  Anyway, my doctor was not on call that evening and we were very fortunate to meet Dr. Dangerfield.  He would later help up through our difficult pregnancy with Reagan.  After 1 1/2 hours of very intense labor at the end, Madison entered the world at 12:51 am on Saturday, June 15, 2002.  Dad, Grandma Tammie and Grandma Torey all got to welcome her with me as I was a little anxious and didn't want our mom's to leave when it came time.  

I will always remember and laugh about the morning she was born.  At about 2:00 am we were all exhausted so I sent Madison to the nursery so Ben and I could get some rest.  Very excited I was up quite early the next morning and Ben was still snoozing in the chair.  I could not get him to wake up and all I wanted to do was walk down and get Madison.  After much annoyance and prodding he finally awoke and we went together to meet our daughter.  

She was a healthy 7 pounds 2 ounces and came home as scheduled.  She had a touch of jaundice but not severe enough to be hospitalized.