8 Things and An Update

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Olive Garden
2. Julians
3. Casa Ole
4. Chipotle
5. Texas Roadhouse
6. Chick-fil-a
7. Daniel Boone's
8. Saltgrass

8 Things That Happened Today
1. spilled a glass of water in my lap
2. fed Maddie
3. watched The Christmas Shoes with Jaime
4. changed a diaper
5. cooked dinner
6. filed my nails
7. paid bills
8. ate a sugar cookie

8 Things I look Forward To
1. going to Disney World
2. having another baby
3. getting Lasik eye surgery
4. Christmas morning
5. my wedding anniversary
6. seeing Maddie take her 1st steps
7. paying off student loans
8. a visit from the in-laws

8 Things I'm Scared Of
1. starting a new job
2. losing someone I love
3. never buying or building a home of my own
4. having to wait a little longer than planned for another baby
5. spiders!!!
6. car-wrecks
7. hurting someone's feelings
8. being let down

8 Things I Wish For
1. a happy life for my kids
2. a new car
3. to own my own baby store
4. being debt-free
5. fewer allergies
6. a happy husband
7. more quality time with my family
8. a vacation

8 Things I Watch On TV
1. Biggest Loser
2. Survivor
3. House
4. CSI Las Vegas
5. CSI Miami
6. Little People, Big World
7. A Baby Story
8. Bringing Home Baby

Now, I tag: Windy, Melissa and Caci.

Time for the update now:
It's official. I'm a probation officer for Smith County. I start January 12th! =)

Hello out there

I suppose I need to catch my "faithful readers" up on all the exciting news in the Crouse House.

Actually, there isn't too much exciting news at all, which I suppose is why I haven't blogged in a few days.

However, let's see what I can come up with:

Maddie has a top tooth coming in. She rubs it like crazy with her fingers; so much so, that she is drying them out some. The same thing is happening on her right thumb, which she seems to suck on when she is sleepy.

I got a call-back about a job, finally. It was in regards to a probation officer position I applied for. They seem to like me and proceeded to carry me through to the next step, which was to have a psychological test done. I completed that yesterday, and as long as I'm not too crazy, they may offer me the job. =)

I'm almost done with Christmas shopping, or shall I say-the money has almost run out! Either way, I don't care. It just means I no longer have to fight the crazy crowds and can instead spend my time at home, drinking apple cider and keeping a baby out of the tree.

Im excited about Christmas this year! I get to experience Santa all over again, except this time, on the other end of it. I've even been, umm...practicing up on eating all those Christmas cookies. Eh, it's what any good Santa would do.

Oh, and have I ever mentioned that I absolutely love being a mom?!? =)

Ka-Boom

Mark my words...

before Christmas day, that tree will "mysteriously" come crashing down.

A Sneak Peek

A few weekends ago, we went to have some family pictures taken. My hope was, not only to get a picture of us all, but to have something available for Christmas cards and Christmas gifts. I'm not posting the BEST picture...that's the one that you'll just have to check your mail for, but I am posting a few others that I liked. I hope you enjoy too! It was a little windy and cold that day, but I think they came out well!

8 months, Oh My!

Happy 8 month birthday, daughter of mine! You are growing so fast. I love you more and more, every day! I can't believe that in only 4 short months, you'll be a year old. Oh my!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

Bath time in our house is always fun! Madison has loved all of her baths, except for maybe the first two or three after she was born. She is too big for the baby tub we have, so for now, she ends up on her sponge in the ktichen sink or in the big tub. She doesn't care either way. As long as she can splash in the water and play with her duckie; she's happy!

Trick or Treat

I think it's safe to say that I am the proud mother of the cutest little ladybug around! Last night was our church's Fall Festival and it was a blast. I had been dying to dress Maddie up and show her off. She got lots of comments...but then again...how could she not....? She looked absolutely precious and enjoyed the activites as much as a 7 1/2 month old could!

So, I was Bored...

In my greatest attempt yet, to avoid cleaning my house; I chose to take pictures of my growing and gorgeous daughter. I'm trying to put her in a couple of outfits she hasn't worn yet, because I'm so afraid she will outgrow them. I can't stand the thought of missing out on an outfit. Baby girl clothes are too cute for that!

Hope everyone is doing well out there in the blog world! Here goes nothing:

Check out the shirt! A good friend of mind made it for me while I was still pregnant.

She is precious! Can you see her two bottom teeth?

I'm Back!

Whew, it's been a while! Needless to say, things have been pretty busy around the Crouse House. I've been sick, really sick, and am still not feeling the best. I go see my thyroid doctor in about 3 weeks and I anticipate having a very lengthy conversation with her. I'm tired of not feeling well. Tired of it. Besides being sick, I've been spending alot of my time taking care of a teething little girl. Maddie has her first TWO teeth poking through on her bottom gums. It's so cute and pretty astonishing how sharp those things are! She was fussy for a few days but now that they have broken through, she seems to be happy again. She is also pulling up on everything! Last night she even let go of the coffee table, which she had used to pull up, and stood. Of course she was only in that position for a matter of seconds before she came crashing down. Luckily, this time I didn't find a bruise... :) Also, we went to our first and probably only Hallsville football game of the year! Maddie had a blast! She loved the band and enjoyed watching the girls dance in their pretty outfits. It was cool that night too, so it really felt like football weather. If it wasn't an hour away, then we would probably go to more. Oh well! Here are a few recent pictures. Hope you enjoy!

Papa

This past week, my grandfather passed away at the age of 72. This is my first time to experience the loss of a grandparent, and for me, it was somewhat expected; though I'm not sure one can ever totally prepare for such an event. His funeral was yesterday, and up to that point, I had really considered myself to be acting relatively strong. I remember when I was a little girl, how afraid I was of papa's possible death. I told one of my cousins a few days ago that I was somewhat glad that it happened now, in my adult years. I feel like at this point in my life, I can look at things much more realistically and think through it logically, versus what a child is capable of doing.

You see...
I know papa has always had relatively poor health. I know papa has been in a lot of pain for a long time. I believe that death isn't the end and I trust that time will help heal some of the hurt. And on top of everything else, I know how blessed I am to have spent as much time on this earth with my grandfather as I have.
But it still hurts.

Yesterday was hard for me, as it was for most of my family. The strength that I thought I had, turned into weakness once it all finally sunk in.
Am I over it?
Nope, I'm sure not. My heart hurts, my mind is constantly thinking of him right now, and the tears are still coming. I miss papa more than anything in the world. I'm not sure that will ever change. I don't think it has to, either.
For now, my plan is to write down (in my own personal journal) everything I can remember from my childhood...everything I know of these last few days...every detail of his funeral and burial...every story...every....
And then some day; with a little help from cousins, aunts and uncles, and all the rest...I'm going to tell Maddie all about my papa. And even though, she may not have known him long enough to remember, I'm going to assure her that he knew her! And she will be a better person because of it.

Yep, papa was larger than life, and one of the greatest men I will ever know. If I could tell him one more thing, it would be the same thing he told me when he first saw Maddie:

"You done good."

The Cutest $3.00 Outfit, Ever. Complete With Matching Bow.

October 1...Fall Is Here

I know, I know. The official first day of Fall has already come and gone, but it's finally starting to sink in with me now that October is officially here. (notice the change in blog colors, evidence #1)

I've recently purchased the makings for a spice cake, a pumpkin cupcake pan, packets of candy corn (my favorite Halloween candy), pumpkin carving tools and have brought down every Fall item I have from storage! WHEW! On top of all that, I woke up this morning and was freezing. My toes were so cold. I immediately shut off the air conditioning and have functioned quite well with the windows up today! I've actually been doing this a lot lately. It feels great and makes the electric bill look so much better!

The kids at our church are having a Hayride in the next few weeks (evidence #2...or maybe 3, I dunno, I've lost count) and I'm responsible for coming up with a game or two. I'm even trying to piece together a scarecrow outfit to wear to the event. Speaking of outfits, I think I'm going to put Miss Madison in her "First Halloween" onesie with matching bow, today! It should be cute, which means, I'll be doing my best to come up with some good pictures!

Until then, hope everyone is enjoying this nice Fall day!

Picnic in the Park

A Fun Day!
In the first picture, Maddie is trying to blow bubbles! It's a new thing for her and she does it constantly, while making a really loud noise and spitting all over herself. Gotta love her... =)

A New Day!

What a gorgeous morning! I woke up pretty refreshed and feeling better than I have in a week or so. I think I might be on the up-and-up, with the worst behind me now!

Jaime will be home in a few hours and we have big plans to go to the grocery store, and to possibly hit up Babies R' US for a highchair for Maddie. I actually enjoy grocery shopping, especially when I can go with my husband, and I look forward to making a home-cooked meal tonight for Jaime! It's one of his few early evenings home, so I plan on taking full advantage of it! I'm also in the Fall mood and am considering decorating my house a little. I don't have much Fall stuff, mostly just Christmas, but I'm going to work with what I have! I don't really get into the big Halloween thing. I don't like witches, and skeletons, and stuff like that. I'd rather decorate with pumpkins and mums, and have my house smelling like something "spicey!"

Tomorrow is a big day in our church! After worship, I have a Children's Ministry Team meeting, then marriage class with Jaime. At 5:00, it's our annual I Love My Church: Picnic in the Park at Bergfeld. I'm looking forward to good fellowship, good hamburgers, and a nice evening in the park with my Maddie. It will be her 1st time at the park and I'm pretty excited. I hope to have some pictures to post later!

A Rough Patch

The pain continues.

It's been slightly over a week, and I'm still struggling with not nursing. I'm getting over the emotional hump, but having a difficult time physically. I'm still hurting quite a bit and am pretty fed up with the discomfort. It's affecting my sleep, which in turn, makes me feel even worse than I already do. I'm ready for a good day.

Jaime is busy, busy, busy. I'm pretty ready for high-school football to be done. Only 8 more weeks.....

Moving on:

Maddie thought this was particularly funny. Nothing like jumping up and down on your daddy's throat! =)

All Done

Well, it's over. I've officially nursed my daughter for the last time and am now in the middle of the painful process of "drying up" my milk. When I was still pregnant with Maddie, I knew that I wanted to atleast try to nurse. When she was born, it was difficult and painful, but nothng that wasn't to be expected. Within a few weeks, the pain was gone and she was a natural eater! I loved every second of nursing and tried to set small goals along the way for myself and for her. After accomplishing my first goal of being able to do it; I set my next one at 6 months. Now 6 months have come and gone, and I struggled with what to do next. I've been praying a lot about whether or not I should go to work. I've been testing the job market lately, and though I haven't had much success and would rather stay home with my daughter any day, I decided to go ahead and stop nursing. When I made the decision, I had no idea how difficult it was truly going to be. I had weaned her done alot but still expected some physical pain. The pain, however, has been pretty intense. But besides that...the emotional feelings attached to it have been even more heavy. I cried for three days straight because I missed it so much. I'll never again get to nurse Maddie, and though it may seem silly to some, it's actually a big deal to me. It's such a fun bond between you and your child. I look forward to doing it again someday.

6 Months!!!

Happy 1/2 Birthday, sweet girl!

Something I Love

I now adore baby leg warmers. Especially, when it's my baby that is wearing them!

The shades aren't too bad either. =)

The Coach

East Texas high school football started this past week. Hallsville played Tatum Friday night and won 42-7! I wasn't able to go to this particular game, so I don't have any pictures yet. However, I did get a shot of Jaime and Maddie together, the night before. The coach was so excited about his first game, that he was trying on all his football attire!
Aren't they so cute? =)

A few updates...

I'm starting to feel a little better. Sort of. Some days are better than others. I still think it's my thyroid, especially since I had two negative pregnancy tests(that's for all my cousins), and plan on calling my doctor soon to try and get a blood test in. In the meantime, I just keep taking my current dosage of medicine, and hope for the best...

School is in full swing now, and I am officially the wife of a coach AND teacher! Jaime seems to be loving it at Hallsville so far. It's keeping him busy, so Madz and I don't see him much. But, all the hard work he puts in to Hallsville and his club soccer team, is what's allowing me to be a stay-at-home mom for the time being. We sacrifice in a lot of ways so that I can be home with Maddie, but it's worth it. And luckily I have my degree and can use it any point, if we need it. =)

Hope all is well out there in blog world today! Until next time, here's a picture of our girl:

Blah

I haven't quite felt myself lately. Actually, for about two weeks now, I've felt very poorly. My body feels drained, yet sleep doesn't help. I ache all over, my heart races on and off, I've had a lot of headaches, some nausea, and sometimes I just feel like if I don't sit down-I may fall down instead. My house is a complete wreck and I can barely get up enough energy to get out of my pajamas for the day. For those who don't know, I do take medicine for my thyroid on a daily basis. A few years ago, after being sick a lot, the doctors finally picked up on the fact that my thyroid was completely messed up. I went through treatment and now it is handled with a simple pill. No biggie...just one of those things! However, my levels do get off at times and when they do, I usually feel bad. During pregnancy, because of all the other hormonal changes, my thyroid went crazy. My medicine was constantly being adjusted. The same thing has happened since I delivered Maddie, too. It's just a process of leveling out the hormone again. At my last visit, I was normal, but I just have a sneaky suspision that maybe it's off again and that's why I feel so rough. The only thing that would prove it, is a blood test. I'd have to call my doctor and see if I could get in because I don't technically see her again until November. But, who knows....
Please pray that it's nothing, and that I start feeling like myself again soon. I hate feeling down for an extended period of time, and just trying to guess at what the cause is. Blah...

Photo Shoot

I found a cute outfit for Maddie the other day. At Babies "R" Us (my favorite store), they had a sale on all their spring and summer clothes. I picked this outfit up for $4 and I just love it, especially the little bonnet! I thought the peach color looked really cute on her and it was a nice outfit to wear to church. She got lots of comments, so Jaime and I decided to have a little photo session when we got home. :)

Fears

When Jaime and I first got married, we moved into an apartment above a boy's dorm on the ETBU campus. The dorm was constantly on lock-down, and in order to get in, you had to slide your school issued card to unlock the door. If you didn't have a card, for the "most part", you were not getting in. I felt pretty safe in my apartment. Not only did you have to slide your card to enter our dorm, but you had to go through two thick doors and up some stairs to get to our house. We were usually left alone. Now things are a little different. I live in a house, right off a major highway, and at any given point...someone could decide to break in. Atleast that's what I've been worried about lately. All of sudden, something that was never on my mind...has consumed my every thought. I think part of it is that I am not use to the house we are living in yet; on top of the fact that it's no longer just me and Jaime but we also have Maddie now to protect. Having children automatically makes you worry more! The other thing I'm scared of is fires. My biggest fear is..."what if I don't get to Maddie in time?"

I don't know why I've been thinking about these things so much. It drives me crazy. But I freely admit, there are a lot of things Im scared of...and that fear has become even more heightened since I became a mom.

Is this normal? I've been praying for a sense of peace lately. All I want is to have my family safe and sound....

A Birthday Request

On September 1st, my sweet hubby is going to turn 29 years old. As always, before any big event that requires a gift, I asked him what he wanted. I really enjoy giving people gifts, especially Jaime. I want to give him the best and always feel like my gifts fall a little short, compared to the things he gets me. So, I really want to do my best to get him something good this year. Here is how the conversation went:

"Jaime, what do you want for your birthday this year? It's almost here." - me

"It sure is, huh." - him

"Yep...so what do you want?" - me

"Can I have anything I want?" - him

"Well, I'm not sure...what exactly are you thinking?" - me(in a scared voice)

"I want another baby!" - him

"You want another baby? Really? Already? You do know that Maddie is only about 5 months old, don't you!" - me

"I know. They are already going to be too far apart as it is. I want them to go to school together. Grow up together. I think it's time for another baby." - him

At this point in the conversation, my parents are laughing, and Im panicking...afraid that we will always be broke...and I will never have my body back again. It took a lot of convincing for my husband to finally give into us trying for Maddie as quickly as we did. Now that we have her, he's gone crazy with the whole baby thing! It's insane....but sweet!

As for Jaime's 29th birthday, Im not sure I'll be able to give him a baby...but wouldn't be surprised if baby #2 is on his or her way a little sooner than even I had planned....

My Little Fish

This past weekend, Jaime took Maddie swimming for the very first time! She was so CUTE! It was so much fun to watch her. She absolutely loved it! (I was secretly praying that she wouldn't be one of those babies that was going to scream!) I hope that she always likes the water and that she becomes a strong, responsible swimmer. I learned how to swim at an age that I would consider "late". I know all the basics, but am by no means a strong swimmer. I want different for Maddie! And for now, I think we are off to a good start by just letting her get use to the feel of the water, and having her kick around and splash!

Family and Friends

What a great day!
Maddie and I had such a special treat today! Not one, but two, lovely ladies came out to our home for a visit! It was a blast! I love sitting around and talking with other ladies. And I love that they adore my daughter as much as they do and want to see her. Family and friends are the best!
On a different note, I want to encourage my readers to take the time to visit two of the other blogs I read. I do not know these women personally, but their story is pretty powerful. Take time to read about them and their families. Pray for them too. These ladies are so strong considering the curve balls life has thrown them. The blogs are: "Bring the Rain" and "A Little Slice of Heaven." Enjoy!

Busy Bees

WHEW!

I finally am getting a chance to slow down, sit down, and write a little. These past few weeks have been super hectic. From: moving into a new house(and all that includes), VBS, soccer camps, doctor's appointments, and the daily routine of taking care of a 4 month old...Jaime and I have barely stopped. Now granted, I actually enjoy staying busy. Kind of helps to pass the day a little. But right now, all I want is a relaxing vaca...maybe on the beach somewhere. And if it wasn't for the lack of money, time, and a bunch of stretch marks left behind from having my daughter...I'd be on that beach. Trust me.




Maddie is doing well! She had her 4 month shots today, and as always, was a trooper! I put her in her bed when we got home, and she actually laughed(and I do mean laughed, not cried) her self to sleep! Oh Lord, please let all my children be as good and wonderful as my first born!!!




Speaking of babies, another group is coming up. It seems like everyone is pregnant! And you know what that means right...yep, it makes me want to be pregnant again. Now this isn't crazy talk, because the minute I delivered Maddie, I was "ready" to do it again. I miss being pregnant! But when I say "ready", I just mean that it was a great and wonderful experience that by no means made me want to shy away from having more children. Regardless, of the two hours of intense contractions and extreme pain for weeks after, during healing. The delivery, however, was wonderful(epidurals are amazing)! And Jaime and I have agreed that we would like to have our kids close together. But realistically, there is still more weight I want to lose before I get pregnant all over again, among a few other things to take care of too. But, if I can make it through Maddie's first year, then I'm game for anything after that. I just need to get through this first year....




Here is a picture of the growing girl, with mommy at VBS last week! Gosh, if the next 8 months go by as fast as the first 4, then, wow.....

Growing Up

Well, she's finally done it. Maddie rolled over this week! (the picture is of the little one in action) She's only gone from her back to her tummy as of right now--but that's a huge accomplishment! I can't believe how my little girl grows and changes on a daily basis. I'm so proud to be her mother and to have the opportunity to watch her develop. There is always something new now. It's amazing! With that happiness and pride, comes a sense of sadness too. With all her growing, I start to lose my baby more and more. Granted, she'll always be my "baby", but she won't always be the little thing that she is now. I suppose there is something pretty special about something so small and sweet!

Dance with Cinderella

This past weekend; Jaime, Maddie and I traveled to Crosby to see a good friend of mine get married. I was honored to be able to be a bridesmaid in the ceremony, which was beautiful! At the reception, Erin and her dad danced their daddy-daughter dance to Chapman's Cinderella song. Now, as if the song doesn't make me cry on a regular basis anyway, it was particularly moving to see a father with his little girl. It makes me think of my own little girl. Though she is only three months old right now; there will come a day when she brings that special guy home to meet us, and then, in an instant--she'll be gone. Though I'm sure I will be happy to see my child happy--to see her thriving, and to know that she is following the path that we all follow, the same path I followed; I also know I will be sad. Until the clock strikes midnight, I pray that I cherish each moment of Maddie's life--of all my children's lives. And when that day does come, I'll sit back and watch Maddie and her father dance to the very same song. And with a tear in my eye, but a smile on my face, I'll watch her go....

Welcome! My hope through this blog is to fill people in on the daily happenings at the Crouse House! For those that are far away, or those that are near, I pray that you enjoy reading about all the neat things God is doing in our lives!

This past December was a fun month for me! I FINALLY graduated from ETBU with a degree in sociology. Looking back, there were times when I thought I'd never get finished with my schooling. I had a few bumps in the road, but I finished none the less. My degree, whether I ever use it or not, is pretty special to me. Now time to pay back those loans! :) Also, Jaime and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary on December 30th! My, how time passes!

On March 13th, Madison Elizabeth Crouse was born! She is almost 3 months old now and looks just like her daddy. I can't even begin to describe how much I love that little girl of mine!
Jaime and I have moved back to the Tyler area and are really enjoying being back near family and friends. We've closed the chapter of our lives in Marshall, and are embracing the new things God has in store for us as a family of three.

I'm pretty content with my life! I have a husband that does all he can for me. A Godly guy, that is not only good to me but is also a loving and very involved dad. I'm not sure I could ask for much more! My Maddie is such a joy... not to mention, aboslutely gorgeous! Her smile melts my heart.

Oops, speaking of the little one, I hear her calling now! Till next time...