I Place this Class of Babies...

It's that time of the year again folks...Paris Fair starts later this week! To quote another fellow Holstein/Jersey breeder, "Driving through the gates at the Paris Fair is better than Christmas"...ok so maybe it's not quite that exciting, but it is a lot of fun.

Since becoming an official member of team Ash Lawn, it has become one of the busiest weeks of the year for us. As with other years, we have the usual repertoire of events that we participate in...the dairy 4-H show, Holstein show, beef 4-H show, Shorthorn show and the ever important main event at Ash Lawn, the Jersey Show.  

I am still very leery of the whole beef show thing....I'll be honest. I am terrified that the crazy things would run away with me....so I just sit on the sidelines and watch. I told Carm if he had a cute little well-trained one that I would show that one, but so far no dice. He tends to take older heifers and trains them a couple days before the show....not exactly my idea of well-trained!

I am a dairy girl through and through, so I LOVE the Holstein and Jersey shows. We don't have anything for the Holstein show this year (BOOOO!), so I will just be watching, but we have the usual string for the Jersey show....including my very own little brown cow, Brenda, who has graced Paris Fair with her presence for the past 4 years. Go Brendy! 

Maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves, but Carm and I are super excited for when Maddie can show a little calf of her own at the show! Both of us started when we were little, so we are eager to share the tradition with Miss Madelyn. Since, she is a little young this year (and maybe next year as well...), Maddie will just have to stick to the baby show for this year. Conveniently, the baby show is held in the morning before the Jersey show starts....Perfect! 

I didn't know much about baby shows until last year when I was asked to "judge" the baby show at another local fair. It was quite the experience. There were babies EVERYWHERE. The categories were drawn from a hat and then myself and the other judge had to pick a winner for each category. At the end of the show there was an award given out for the happiest boy and girl in each of the age categories. 

Now I know there are a number of dairy folks that read this blog, so you all can likely imagine how hard it was to keep from laughing the entire time I was there. Essentially, it was like a cattle show. All these parents showed up with their kids....most were locals, but as with the dairy shows, there were also the "Ringers" brought in from other towns/cities. They would call each age class up and the parents would take the kids and line them up (just like a dairy show!). Then we walked up and down the line and picked out he winners. Good thing we didn't have to give reasons..."Ladies and Gentlemen, I place this class of 0 - 6 month old female babies as you see them here today. I'm starting the class off with a girl I feel comes to the top of the class"....

Anyways, since we are now the proud parents of the CUTEST baby girl in not only Paris, but the WHOLE WORLD (ok so maybe I'm a bit biased), we have to make an appearance and show OUR baby at the baby show....we'll bring her in the car though....not the trailer. If you're in the Paris area on the holiday Monday, be sure to stop in and cheer on Maddie as she vies for the title of cutest baby in her "Sunday Best!" 

Daddy's Girl...

As some of you may remember from a previous post, when we found out we had a little farm kid on the way, Carm was hell-bent that it needed to be a boy...a boy to play hockey and be a farmer. We all know how I feel about this, so we won't go into the whole "girls can do anything boys can" spiel again, but the point is Carm was a little thrown off when we were told Maddie was a girl and not a boy.

It took him a couple of days to get used to the idea of having a little girl....I don't think I can count the number of times he told people I "turned his boy into a girl" in those first couple days after our ultrasound. Eventually though, he warmed up to the idea and the closer the due date came, the more excited he became (well, as excited as Carm can get). He constantly talked about the livestock that he and/or Grandpa George were going to buy for her, what chores she would do in the barn, what shows she would go to, the baby contests she would enter and win, etc. And then the moment Miss Maddie made her fashionably late (she IS a Kyle) appearance, any lingering doubt about having a baby girl dissipated as he was handed the little pink bundle that was Madelyn.

She has had him wrapped around her little finger since the word go.

Within weeks of her arrival, Maddie was a budding livestock farmer with a baby lamb, several shorthorn calves, a jersey heifer calf, a holstein bull calf and 21 baby ducks to her name...her first public outing was to the Spring Discovery Holstein and Jersey show in London!

Carman has never hesitated to help out with any of the "Maddie Chores"...he can change a mean diaper and even tries his hand at picking out outfits for her from time to time....he needs a little work on coordinating the socks with the rest of the outfit, but he doesn't do bad! He is a very hands-on daddy and one of the best parts of being a mommy sometimes is just watching him interact with Miss Madelyn. It can be quite entertaining!

Like I said, she has him wrapped around her little finger. 

But, her daddy is not the only man she has charmed in her short life....Grandpa George and Uncle CK also fit nicely into each of her back pockets. I have quickly learned to dress her in her "barn clothes" when we go down to the farm to visit during the day because between her dad, grandpa and uncle, her outfit is never clean for long! She is well versed in making chop, feeding calves, milking cows and checking the cattle at the pasture farm. 

This past weekend I spent the night away from Maddie for the first time. I was a little worried, but Carm didn't hesitate when I said he would have Maddie by himself for a full 24 hours. His mom was also away for the day, so it really was Maddie and the guys for the day. From what I hear, they all had a great time....there was a pile of laundry to prove it!

It is definitely a relief knowing that I can spend the night away without having to worry about how they're getting along. Next up....Carm and I will BOTH be spending the night away from her next month...will we be as lucky? We'll have to wait and see!

On another note, I had a couple of photo shoots with Mandy and Drew and Suzie and Swithin over the weekend, here are a few of my favourites:

Mom's the Word...

That's right folks! At a mere 5 months and 5 days, miss Maddie has given us her first word...a resounding "MAMA"....much to her daddy's disappointment! I think this milestone has been my favourite so far. Since it's difficult to capture first words in a picture, here is a play-by-play of how it went down...

Maddie: "Mama"

Nancy and I look at each other...

Me: "Did she just..."

Nancy: "I think so..."

Maddie: "Mamamama"

Me: "Holy crap!"

Ten Minutes Later....

Me: "Carm, guess what Maddie said a few minutes ago! She said mama!"

Carm: "No, she didn't."

Maddie: "Mammma"

Me: "Told ya"

Carm: "No Maddie, don't say that. Say papa"

Pretty much it has been the above scenario over and over again all day today! Now, we are pretty sure she doesn't fully understand what she is saying or the significance, but nonetheless, she has said her first word and keeps repeating it....much to her daddy's dismay! I think we will have a little chatterbox on our hands in the very near future and I couldn't be more excited!

On another note, "Operation Turquoise Shutters" is now complete! A big thanks to Chris and Steve for all of their hard work on the painting! Our little hobo hut has now been transformed into a classic country cottage.

Now we just have to learn how to garden so our flowerbeds look like flowerbeds and not jungles...

We have also had a couple of unusual "hot" vehicles stop in at Carmalee in the past few weeks. One was some sort of hotrod thing (I didn't get pictures) and the other a hot air balloon. The hot air balloon landed on the laneway right behind our shed! I quickly got over the embarrassment of answering the door in my pajamas when I saw the multicoloured balloon in the backyard!

I don't think you would ever get me up into one of those things, but they're pretty neat and they can land in my backyard any day!

Dirty Laundry...

Last week was chaos around here with all of the last minute things to get done before the wedding. Maddie, Carm and I spent the majority of our days down at the farm helping put the finishing touches on the beautifully manicured yard where the ceremony was to take place. Friday afternoon and evening, I finally had to take a few hours to tidy my house and get ready for the visitors that would be in the following day. I dusted, vacuumed, did dishes and did load after load of laundry...with things looking neat and tidy, I was ready for bed as soon as I switched the last load of laundry into the dryer...

I reached into the washing machine only to find my quilt sopping fricken wet!! UGH!! Just what I needed at 11:30 pm the night before the wedding. After attempting to restart the spin cycle a couple of times I concluded that my two year old washing machine was broken. Again...UGH!!!

I had a call into the washing machine repair man first thing Monday morning, but laundry is not classified as an emergency, so I am sans washing machine until Saturday morning for sure. At first, I didn't think 5 days without a washer would be a big deal, but as the week has gone on, the temperatures outside have got hotter, the baby and the husband have both gotten sweatier and the laundry pile has gotten BIGGER. I had to breakdown and haul a load of Miss Maddie's stuff down to Carm's mom's since we were down to her last pair of summer pjs. Tomorrow I will likely have to do some towels as well. Another crappy thing about the washer breaking THIS week...humidity! Normally, you can get two showers out of your towel before it needs to be washed as long as you hang it up....when it's humid our towels do NOT dry.  If you shower in the morning, the towel is still wet at night and has a beautiful musty smell....that's right, musty not musky. I HATE that smell. So, since we're down to two clean towels in the basket, a trip to Nancy's Laundry Mat is on tap for tomorrow.

On another note, today is Miss Maddie's 5 month birthday!!! YAY! I can't believe the little wiener is almost half a year old. It seriously seems like just yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital...a mere 8 lbs 1 oz then, little miss Madelyn has skyrocketed to over 16 lbs already!

Have  look at some of my favourites from our 5 month photo shoot yesterday!

Let Them Eat Steak...

That's right...steak, not cake. Anyone can eat cake, but you need to have good teeth to eat steak....two of which my darling Maddie has now! I know my last post was about teeth as well, but teeth are a big deal in our house these days. After being on the receiving end of several good steak-worthy bites...per feeding!!, I have decided that enough is enough with the whole breastfeeding thing. I have managed to wince my way through every other breastfeeding blunder thrown at me for the last 5 months and call me a wuss if you must, but this mama draws the line at being bitten. "They" say that you have to let them get one good bite in in order to teach them not to....well my little diva baby looks at me and laughs after she bites while I am telling her sternly that she shouldn't bite mommy...I think I am in for a lifetime of defiance if she is starting already...uh oh!

Anyways, I have cut back to just one nursing a day for now and will drop the last one in a couple of weeks. I am still pumping enough that she gets only one bottle of formula and the rest is breastmilk...so I am not a complete failure as a mom. I also have quite the supply in the freezer for her, so I should be able to keep her on minimal formula until she is well over 6 months (my initial breastfeeding goal).

I may have "given up" just shy of my goal, however, I am ok with my decision. I stuck it out through a lot of tears and crappy booby trauma, so I am saying "job well done" to myself. Not only am I much happier when bottle feeding miss Maddie, but I have a 5 month old that is happy, healthy and well over 16 lbs, so she is off to a good start. 

Now I am just looking forward to having my boobs back to myself and wearing REAL bras again! La Senza here I come! Woot!

On another note, I have another sister!! My brother-in-law's wedding was this past Saturday and despite the rain, it was a BEAUTIFUL day and a great party!! I happen to know the photographer personally, so watch for some pictures coming soon!

Well, time for a little "mommy time"...Confessions of a Shopaholic! Until next time my friends... 

Dental Drama...

It seems like a long time since my last post....but we have been BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!! Being in two weddings really has kept us hopping the last couple of weeks. Wedding #1 is T-7 so the countdown is ON! My blog will likely be on hiatus again this coming week as we get ready for the wedding on Saturday! But, should I find a spare moment, I will be sure to post something!

We have hit another milestone with miss Maddie. As the title of the post suggests, the teething process has begun. My darling 4.5 month old Madelyn has not one, but TWO little teeth popping through her poor little gums. I have read about and heard a lot of horror stories when it comes to teething. I am likely getting ahead of myself, but so far it doesn't seem to be TOO bad. Maddie is noticeably grumpy and seems a little off her game, but compared to some of the stories I have heard....she is taking it like a champ! These two teeth have been bugging her on and off for a few days now, but tonight is the first night where she was cranky enough to warrant a warm bath, some children's advil and early to bed after an uncharacteristic snuggle with mama bear. Miss Maddie is NOT much for cuddling, so that was the big tip off that she just isn't feeling like herself. Poor little spider monkey!

Lots of the baby literature talks about the babies' reactions to getting their teeth, and I would say that a lot of the information is bang on. Luckily, so far Maddie has been on the happier end of the teething trouble spectrum...THANK GOODNESS!

However, there are a few items that the literature does not cover...

1. The literature generalizes by saying that babies TYPICALLY start to get their first teeth between 5 and 7 months. Now, obviously every kid is different and they do imply that this is not true for all children, BUT since there hasn't been anything to convince me that Maddie is not a "typical" baby...we were quite surprised to discover two little teeth in her mouth at 4 months! After talking to a few different moms about this, I discovered that the majority of the babies I know...including myself, had their first teeth between 3 and 4 months....and a handful not until 8 or 9. Perhaps they should just scrap the "typical" stuff and just say that your kid will sprout teeth any time during the first year....and for a few unfortunate nursing mamas...your baby will be born with teeth! Creepy I know, but my doctor says it happens from time to time.

2. Also on the topic of timing, the books don't really mention that your baby can start "teething" a long time before they actually "cut teeth." According to my doc, if you x-ray a newborn's head, she will have a full set of teeth already, but they are WAY down in her jaw and have a long way to come up before they actually break the skin. Therefore when your precious little babe starts drooling like Paula Deen at a Butter Sculpture Exhibition at a mere 9 weeks old, don't worry because chances are her teeth are already on the move. Where were you on that one "What to Expect the First Year?"

3. It's a bit of a bittersweet milestone for mommy and daddy. On one hand, it is SO exciting that our little baby is getting her first teeth. She is growing up so fast! On the other hand, it's the first real realization that time is really flying...she is growing up so fast! I would not consider myself a real emotional person a lot of the time...generally I am a pretty cool cucumber, but I have to admit that I got a little teary eyed upon discovering Maddie's cute little chompers. Now, part of that probably has something to do with the addition of teeth to the already heinous breastfeeding  experience...whoever says they should "get one good bite" is nuts in my opinion...but part of it is also the newfound "mommy emotions" getting the best of me. You know, the ones that make you misty eyed while singing along to the Darius Rucker song or make you bawl like an idiot during a TV commercial! We used to make fun of my mom when she would blubber away during the Hallmark commercial where the mom is ignoring her kid all day and then realizes at the end of the day that he is down in the dumps and gives him a sappy greeting card with the wind-up butterfly that flutters out when he opens it. Admit it...you have all seen it...cheesiest ad EVER! But, now as a new mom, I better understand why it made my mom grab for the kleenex box!

So, all joking and emotions aside, Maddie has teeth!! Craziness! I just hope that she is over the worst in the next couple days (for these teeth anyways), or the next week could be interesting with that on top of all the wedding chaos!

Many of you have probably already seen this video, but for those who haven't seen it check it out!! Since we are in full on "Wedding Mode" this week, I felt it was an appropriate way to end...Enjoy!

Can't you just picture the Kyle boys pulling something like this off....HA! Not so much!!!

Cheek Pinchers vs. Soccer Moms...

I have always enjoyed grocery shopping...really, who are we kidding...I enjoy any kind of shopping! But, in particular, I do like to grocery shop. I love to cook, so I like taking my time and picking out the ingredients to try out a new recipe. I will stand in an aisle and compare products for a half an hour to make sure I am getting the best product...not the best value or the cheapest, the BEST product for what I am creating. While a lot of people dread doing their groceries, I find it relaxing and look forward to my weekly trip to the Sobey's in Paris...even if it is in a rush after work or at 10 pm on the night before a holiday when EVERYONE realizes they are out of milk and hamburger buns and the store will be closed the following day. I don't usually mind waiting in line and find it entertaining watching the other shoppers far more frantic than myself.

Recently, however, I have been introduced to a new type of grocery shopping.... Grocery Shopping as a Mommy! I thought that grocery shopping at rush hour was fun...man was I missing out! Now that I'm at home all day with miss Maddie, we have started to make grocery shopping a fun weekly outing for mama and baby. We spend easily an hour to an hour and a half wandering through the store picking out Carm's and my meals for the upcoming week. If I happen to go by myself without Maddie, I can be in and out in half an hour if I need to, but it is much more social if I have my sidekick along. Madelyn is like a magnet. Every little old lady, recent empty nester, little girl, pregnant chick, new grandma, new mom, cashier and even the odd man needs to stop and coo at Maddie...one lady even sniffed her....that was weird. Something about loving new baby smell...

One person that has yet to stop us though is what I call the Super Soccer Mom (SSM). You have all seen this woman...she fires into the parking lot and screeches her mini van sideways into a parking spot as close to the front door as possible before jumping out on her cell phone and running full tilt into the store dragging three kids under five with her. She plops the little one into the "race car " cart while the older two (both in soccer jerseys and cleats) squabble over who gets to ride on the front of the cart. She blazes through the store throwing the most obscene amount of food into the cart before standing in the checkout line checking her watch every three seconds and sighing loudly to let EVERYONE know that she is in a hurry. While some may find her rammy and a bit obnoxious, others admire her. "Look at her go! And with three little kids even! How does she do it?"...others like me? "Aww the kids are cute! But thank god it's her and not me!"

It's not that this lady doesn't want to stop and coo over MY cute little baby, she just does not have the time. Clearly. Once through the checkout line, she fires out of the parking lot just as quickly as she fired in...narrowly missing the cart boy and the next crazed minivan flying in on two wheels. Have you ever noticed that 90% of minivans have a ding on them somewhere? You aren't a true SSM unless there is a ding on your minivan from backing into the garage door in a rush to get little Sammy to soccer (or hockey or ballet or whatever).

Having A baby is a lot of work. It's a lot of fun and can make normally mundane tasks like grocery shopping a lot more entertaining, but it is a lot of work. I cannot imagine what it is like having two or three. Maddie is only 4.5 months old, but already she keeps us hopping. Those who have met the little monkey have seen the bald spot on the back of her head that she has given herself moving all over the place!

Lucky for me, I was raised by an SSM...with four active girls each less than two years apart from the next, it was a given that Sherrif became an SSM. She tackled things like her groceries flanked by four little "helpers" and naturally drove the van with the signature dent. She often had four different activities to be at at once, but rarely were we ever late for any of them. So, it's in my blood I guess...hopefully someday when we decide Maddie should have a sibling or two, I won't have a huge problem adjusting to life with more than one little sidekick. There is, however, one thing i will NOT be adjusting to though...I will NOT drive a minivan. Truck or small SUV maybe, but no minivans.

At a mere 4.5 months, Maddie is already super busy. Are we destined for chasing after her constantly? I think so!!