2011 SHARE WALK TO REMEMBER

October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month. It never gets any publicity and most people only know about it because they have experienced a loss or losses or if they know someone who has. It's unfortunate that it is not recognized and supported more since 1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss.

Every October SHARE puts on a Walk To Remember. They have poetry, music and a walk around the park followed by a balloon release. This was our second year attending and although it was a sad event, it was nice to be there with family and take time to honor Waylon.

I remember looking around at last years walk and seeing babies everywhere. It had only been about 3 1/2 months since we lost Waylon and it was just brutal to see all the babies around us. Even though I was so happy for those families, I couldn't help but be jelous of their blessings. This year, we got to bring our own little blessing Madison. We all walked for the steps Waylon will never take.

We wrote messages on our balloons, released them into the sky and watched as all the pink, blue and white balloons drifted out of sight. 



Thank you everyone for coming this year. We love all of you so much.

Waylon,

We miss you more than words can say. We think about you every day and wonder what you would be doing if you were here with us. Mommy, Daddy and your little sister Madison love you very much honey. xoxo

4 MONTHS

4 MONTHS

11-4-11

Height 23.75" (20%)

Weight 14lbs 2oz (75%)

It's so hard to remember back to when Madison was 4 months. So much has happened since then. Some things to document would have to be:

• Loves her BUMBO chair since 3 months old, sits in it every day
• Began sleeping 8-10 hours at night
• Started drooling like crazy
• Would NOT take naps unless we held her, they only lasted about 20 min
• Interested in objects and toys
• Tried rice cereal for the very first time
• Reflux was still bad
• Started to realize she has hands
• Loves to suck on her thumb and pointer finger
• In size 6 month clothes, size 2 diapers
• Began sleeping in her crib in her own room

I wish I could remember so much more. This was about the time that we really started to get her on a good schedule. It saved my sanity more than anything else so far. Everything was so sparatic, except for feedings, we had those down pretty well.

I guess I didn't take very many pictures of just everyday life around this time, only holiday ones. So note to self......TAKE MORE PHOTOS!! :)

I love you Madison, you are my everything little girl. It's been so fun seeing you grow up. xoxo

HALOWEEN 2011

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

We had so much fun this Halloween. We got all dressed up and went to have our pictures taken. One of the ladies involved with SHARE is a photographer for Monkeyface Photography and she agreed to take photos of anyone who came in if they would just kindly donate a small amount of money to SHARE. What a great idea it was!! The photos turned out great and it was for an amazing cause.

Madison was a duck for her 1st Halloween. I had so many ideas for costumes for her, but there were only a few choices in her size. We were limited, but I love what we picked out. She looked so stinkin cute!!

We went Trick-or-Treating at Grandma and Grandpa Stagge's house and Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Campbell's house. We didn't make it up and down our street because peanut had just about had enough of her duck outfit by the time we got home, so maybe next year. :)

We hope you all had a great Halloween too.





PICKIN PUNKINS 2011

Fall is getting to be at the top of my list for seasons. I am loving the harvest time more and more every year. I used to think it was kind of a drag because it meant that summer was officially OVER, and that the days of being outside and wearing shorts were done and gone. Next up.....winter, BARF!! I loathe winter. Especially after Christmas is over and the days get colder and colder and the skies are gray. However, as the years go on I am realizing how much I actually LOVE the fall season. I love to see the changing leaves, pick pumpkins, decorate with all the orange, yellow and brown. The smells of fall are heavenly. So, I have decided to embrace the season and enjoy it even though I know what is right around the corner.

The last 2 years since moving to our new home, we have gone to a local pumpkin patch to get our pumpkins. It is such a cute little stand that is family run and they have great prices compared to any store I've ever seen them at. It was a rainy day, so we bundled Madison up and drove over to pick a punkin.

Apparently we got there after a huge crowd of people came through, so the pumpkins were pretty picked over. But we found all 4 of us one and headed for home. Madison was getting cold and I tink the pumpkin head may have scared her. LOL  :)

It was a way fun day spent together. I had some big plans for those pumpkins, but I never got a chance to do them, so we had naked uncarved pumpkins this year. Next year I will try and do better.



2011 STAGGE FAMILY REUNION

Left to Right: Nick, Maisie, Terryn (holding Hendrix), Parker, Chris, Me (holding Madison) Carol, Bruce, Julieanne & Ren

Three years ago our family began a new tradition, the Stagge Family Reunion. It began in 2009 when we all just went to camp one weekend, and evolved into a full on fun yearly family get together over the Labor Day weekend.

This year we missed having JJ, Johanna, Jake and Josh there with us, as JJ had broken his foot the day before I think. Last year Chris and I were unable to attend because our grief was still pretty fresh and we just wanted to be home. Hopefully next year we can ALL be there for sure.

We had so much fun!! We went to the beach, sat around the campfire, got milkshakes, cooked some great food and enjoyed each others company.

This year Madison was able to go with us. She was only 8 weeks at the time and it was a bit interesting going camping with a newborn, but hey we survived and she did great!! We had to bundle her all up at night when it was freezing cold and strip her down to a onesie during the day when it was scorching hot. The weather up there is crazy!! Typical though for September at camp.

We visited Waylon's rock often and wished so much that he could be with us in more than just spirit, running around, eating smores. He would have been 14 1/2 months at that time. I'm sure he would have had so much fun at the beach, playing in the sand. We sure miss you little boy.

All in all it was a great weekend. We look forward to the Stagge Family Reunion 2012. :)



GARDNER VILLAGE 2011

Another tradition my mom and I have, is every year we go out to Garner Village sometime in the fall. Typically we wait until all the halloween decorations are out and we head for the cute little overpriced shops. They have some really cute things to see out there and their decorations for the holidays are AMAZING!!

We usually eat at Archibald's and peruse around the stores wishing we could afford some of the things we see. Even just window shopping is fun though. I didn't take as many pictures this year because we ended up going too early and the decorations were only about 1/3 of the way done.

Madison came with and because the shops are so small they don't allow strollers inside them. You have to park outside and then walk through. I didn't want to mess with any of that so I just ended up carrying her around the whole time. I wish I had known cause I would have brought the carrier with me. She just slept the majority of the time we were walking and she was a little too young still to enjoy any of the decorations. So hopefully next year we can time it better and she can have a blast out there.



Thanks Momma, I had fun going with you.



SWISS DAYS 2011



Every year my mom and I go to Swiss Days. It is absolutely INSANE!! It is a craft show type of event held in Midway, UT. There are hundreds of vendors there selling their handmade crafts, some are larger business owners and some are just women and men doing a little something on the side.



I swear that every woman in Utah and the neighboring states attends this show every year. It is wall to wall people. There are even a few men who attempt to survive the craziness. Poor souls. They are usually just walking around carrying all the stuff their wives have purchased. :)  They are definitely troopers out there.

It's funny because in past years I was always so frustrated with all the strollers running over my feet and blocking the booths so I couldn't get in OR out. However, this year.....I get it. I had to drive my own stroller up and down the rough terrain lined with booths because my little Madison was finally here to enjoy the trip with us. She was only 8 weeks at the time and slept the majority of the day in the stroller, but we had a blast. The weather was perfect and I found some awesome things to buy. I always end up with so many crafty ideas after we leave there.

It is so beautiful up there. I look forward to this trip every year in the future.

2 MONTHS

2 MONTHS

9-16-11

Height 21 3/4" (25%)

Weight 11lbs 7oz (60%)

Head Cir. 39cm (60%)

Goodness it seems like a lifetime ago that Madison was 2 months, but I am going to try and remember back to then and document what she was up to.

• Began sleeping around 5-6 hours through the night at 10 weeks
• Hated tummy time so much
• Started holding her head up at 5 weeks
• Wanted to be held ALL.THE.TIME.
• Loved her bath time
• Had a very persistent diaper rash
• Began looking at objects, loved trees especially
• Her reflux was terrible

I wish I could remember more. There has been so much happening over the last 6 months that it kind of all just runs together.

It has been so fun to be home with her every day. Trying, but so incredible to see all the changes that have taken place. I love my little Peanut sooooo much!!





2012 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

* 2012 *

Ok, so I am officially severely behind on my blogging. I have wanted to just sit down and catch up so badly but every time I get a small break for a minute, something else swoops in and takes my time.

One of my New Year's resolutions is to finally get caught up and stay caught up as much as possible througout the year. I suppose we'll just see how it goes.

This year I only picked a few somewhat do-able things for my list, so that I may actually get them accomplished this time. :)  Here is my list for 2012:



1. Drink at least 64 oz of water every day. Water is LIFE!! I know this, I have known this for a long long time, but I have such a hard time getting it all down for some reason. So far so good though!! Yay me!!



2. Catch up my blogging and try to stay caught up. Good luck right?



3. Pay down debt. Chris and I have spent a lot making our ranch suitable for our critters. Now it's time to pay it off!!



4. Complete another Pay-It-Forward project for Waylon's Day 6-21-12. Wow, it will have been 2 years. sigh.



5. Take more pictures!! I always say that and then I forget, or I think I'll just take some later, but I don't. So, no more thinking that, I am just going to do it. I LOVE pictures!!


There you have it folks, now I am on record for all the things I want to accomplish this year. Not much I know, but it's enough for me for this year. Plus.....anything else I accomplish will just be a bonus. :)

Here's to a great year. Happy 2012 everyone!!

1 MONTH

Home from the hospital. 7/6/11

Wow, Madison is officially 1 month old today. Time has just been flying by. It's hard to believe she has already been here for 30 days. She has grown and changed so much already. I know this newborn stage will be long gone very soon, so I am cherishing every (sleepless) second of it.

We introduced her to the dogs the day she came home from the hospital and everything went suprisingly well. The dogs just sniffed her and went about their business. It has been that way ever since. They don't bother her at all, and they know not to get too close. I am so relieved, I admit, I was a little worried. Yay!!

She loves to try and get her thumb, so she has to wear mittens now all the time because she was scratching her face and gouging her eyeballs. :)

At Madison's 2 week doctors appointment she had gained almost a full pound more than her birth weight. She was at 7 lbs 6.5 oz and grew 1/2 an inch to 19 1/2 inches. She is beginning to fill out and get those adorable chubby cheeks that are so fun to kiss. In fact, she just outgrew her newborn size diapers and went up to a size 1 now. I would assume she is over 8 lbs now.

She loves to make this face!! It's sooooo cute!!

She is FINALLY starting to get into a little bit of a routine now too. It doesn't always happen, but it is better than it was the first couple of weeks. Some nights she will even sleep in 4 hour stretches for me, so I can get a little bit more sleep at one time now. However, she is such a LOUD sleeper. It's hilarious, she makes all sorts of grunting and straining noises while she sleeps. Which, for me, is totally impossible to sleep through, so even though I'm not getting out of bed quite as often, I am still awake listening to her snooze away. Funny girl. I would loooovvveee to know how Chris can sleep through it? 

One more Stagge added to the grandkid count. 7/16/11

We have been getting adjusted to having her home now, and it is so amazing to look back at the time we had before she was here. Goodness, we thought we were busy then. Ha! Not even close compared to now. I absolutely LOVE being home with her. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to see her grow and change every day. 

Madison is such a good baby. She is starting to be awake a little bit more during the days now which is way fun. I love spending time with her. She really only fusses when she needs something, and other than that she is content to sit with me, or in her bouncy chair or swing.  

Oh how I love this little girl. She has brought so much sunshine back into our lives. It's been a bit bittersweet though, seeing her grow and change before our eyes. It has definitely opened my eyes to what we missed with Waylon and will continue to miss out on. I miss him so much, but I am so grateful for her. She makes me so happy.

I love you Peanut!!