Our New Star....

1 too Many Margaritas

Grandma and Grandpa Smith were in town this weekend and we all made the trip to one of the local Mexican Restaurants. By the looks of it, the juice Maddox was drinking had a little something extra.....

Trip to see Santa

After waiting nearly 45 minutes in line at the mall, Maddox had his first experience with Santa. He did remarkably well at first, but once he got a closer look at Santa's face he lost it. He didn't scream at the top of his lungs like most of the kids, but he was noticebly irritated. I guess I would be too if I was sitting on someones lap that looked like he had been on an all night drinking binge. Maybe we will have better luck next year!!!

Our 1st Trip to the ER..

After a loud crash and scream, we found ourselves rushing to the E.R......

Last night Maddox and Jenn were playing happily on the living room floor and his first accident happened. Maddox was in a sitting position on the carpet playing with toys, when he tumbled backwards and nailed his head (loud enough that I heard it while I was in the garage in the lower level) on our sofa table. He screamed like mad for about 2 minutes and Jenn and I were extremely worried. He had a VERY large bulge in the back of his head and we were unsure of what we should do. A friendly phone call to the E.R. resulted in "bring him in immediately."

So, we bundled him up and headed to the E.R. Once there, as always, we had to wait and wait and wait. Instead of the usual 4 hour wait, we were only kept in suspense for an hour or so. We had 2 doctors come in and look at Maddox and his head, and both stated he would be just fine, eventhough they used words like "head trauma." They said we just need to keep an eye on him for a couple of days to see if there are any changes in behavior, etc..

By the end of our E.R. visit, Maddox was back to his old self by flirting with the nursing staff...we will keep you updated if anything should change!!!

BUSTED!!!!

Now that Maddox is constantly on the move, he often finds himself in akward locations...


"Dad I'm stuck..."




After his many laps around the kitchen, Maddox thought he needed to pay a visit to the dog bowls..

Look Ma New Teeth!!

If you look REALLY hard, you can see 2 new teeth on the bottom...Look out MOM!!!

A Day on the Farm

Before the disappointing showing by the Iowa Hawkeyes against Illinois, we headed out to a local Apple Orchard to get Maddox exposed to real Iowa life on the farm. It was a beautiful day out for November and all of us really enjoyed ourselves. The Orchard is a short drive from Grandma and Grandpa Smith's and it was well worth it. Maddox was able to get up close and personal with goats, ducks, turkeys, pigs and other animals. He was not scared at all and thought it was a blast seeing his Dad feed the goats. When he gets a little older, we will have to head out to the Orchard again to play in the "Corn Pool", and to pick yummy apples.



The Smith Family at the Apple Orchard...



Maddox teaching Mom how to drive a tractor. It wouldn't start because it isn't a John Deere.




"Look I live in a Pumpkin, kind of like Sponge Bob in a Pineapple"




"These things are udderly useless!"

The goats sure were hungry....

Happy Halloween!!

Maddox had his first Halloween experience and he was a complete hit. We travelled to Grandma and Grandpa Smiths house and went Trick or Treating in Nevada. The City of Nevada closes off the downtown area and the kids trick and treat at all of the local businesses. It is a safe experience and the kids were out in droves (the most people I have seen in Nevada at one time). Maddox was not allowed to eat any of the candy that was handed out, but Mom and Dad sampled some for him. The town also had a costume contest, but we determined it was a complete waste of time. There was no actually judging, only 2 guys sitting at a table "remembering" their favorites. What kind of contest is that?? We were really looking forward to the $25 Nevada bucks. Anyway we got a free picture out of the deal.

Our little Monkey...

Jenn's office had Trick or Treat night on the 30th and Maddox stole the show. He had by far the cutest outfit, but unfortunately there were no door prizes....

Not a 20 something anymore

Maddox and his Dad want to wish Mommy a Happy 30th birthday.......doesn't that sound old??



Maddox had a blast helping Mom open up her gifts.

What a Big Week!!!

This week Maddox did not hit us with one surprise, but with 2. He has figured out how to move both his arms and legs in sync and the floor, and is crawling like a madman. He is constantly on a mission to chase the dogs and play with their toys. We cannot turn our backs for a second now, or else he will be down the hall and getting into things he shouldn't. Before you know it he is going to be running after the dogs...

Not only was the crawling a surprise, when Maddox went to stick Jenn's finger in his mouth, she felt something sharp and was startled. We pulled down his lower lip and what do you know he had a bright shiny white tooth. A couple of days later another tooth poked through and is starting to grow in.....Jenn is not too thrilled because of the obvious fear of his feedings.

Hawks Win, Hawks Win!!!

It was a sad day for Bucky the Badger. The Hawks pulled out the upset and beat Wisconsin 38-16. Our friends from Wisconsin will just have to feel sorry for themselves for the next year.....

Another Full House

This weekend the Smith household was completely crazy and buzzing with energy. It was time for the big Iowa/Wisconsin football game and many of our friends and family were in town. Our friends Jill and Shane came in from Milwaukee, Alissa and Kevin were in from Chicago, Alisha and TP from Cedar Rapids, and of course Grandma and Grandpa Smith from the big metropolis of Nevada. Maddox was not phased by all of the comotion and everyone seemed to really enjoy playing with him. It was the first time Jill and Shane and Kevin and Alissa had met him, and Maddox warmed up to them right away. No stranger danger yet.....



Maddox with Piper and her Dad TP..



Maddox and Alissa (aka Shorty)...see the link to her bump watch!!



Maddox chillin with Jill and Shane.

My 6th Month Photos...

This past weekend we took Maddox in for his 6th Month photos. He had a blast and was so good with the photographer. Here are some of our favorites....


Chillin after the bath..


I can see a new Hawkeye poster in the works!!


This is when he mastered sitting up....


Everyone has to have a baby butt picture!!

Getting ready to Hang with the big kids...

It was hard making the transition, but since Maddox hit the 6 month mark we figured he should start sleeping in his crib....rather than just collecting dust. The first night he stirred a couple of times but did not wake up. Instead of waking up peacefully at his normal time of 6:00 am, he starting crying. When Jenn went to check on him, Maddox had figured out a way to get his arm wedged in between 2 rails. It is my assumption that he was crying not because he wanted to get up and eat, but he was ticked off that he couldn't roll over. We are on the second night of him sleeping in the crib, and everyone should be pleased to hear that he slept in until 7:45 am......



He sure does look peaceful......

Movin on Up...

Now that he has mastered sitting up, Maddox has moved up to bigger and better things like playing basketball......

All tangled up

Since he is constantly on the move, Maddox often finds himself all tangled up in blankets...

Grandma and Grandpa get their turn...

Grandma and Grandpa Smith having a blast feeding Maddox..


It doesn't matter who is feeding him, Maddox loves his Bananas. It is absolutely amazing how well he has done with the solid food in only a couple of short weeks. By the looks of it he is going to be a good little eater.

Maddox Meets the Gulya's

This weekend our friends Kyle and Melissa came into town from Milwaukee with their 2 adorable boys Donovan and Hayden. The last time we saw the boys they were only a couple of months old, but now they are all grown up and on the move (really on the move). It was a real eye opener for Jenn and I and it was a good lesson in kid proofing 101 (I will soon be removing everything in sight that is at least 20 inches off of the ground). All of the boys had a good time together, as did the parents. It is always fun when we get together, and hopefully we will be able to do it more often.


Maddox is right at home with Melissa..


Kyle doesn't like to admit that he is actually a Bears fan....


Hayden thought Maddox needed an extra little push on the swing..


Donovan and Maddox having a ball on the floor..

Mom You're Hilarious

We aren't really sure what was so funny, but Maddox was having a blast!!!

Yummy Cereal

Today was a big day and we started Maddox on rice cereal. We were nervous that he would not be able to get any of the cereal off of the spoon, but boy were we wrong. As soon as we get close to his mouth, Maddox opens wide and tries to put the spoon in his mouth all by himself. At the end of the week we are going to try another solid food so he can grow into liking green beans.....video will be up soon!!

Thanks Grandpa Ross!!!

Maddox sure does like the new camo shirt that Grandpa Ross sent, but Dad is offended.......

Keeping on pace to be a big one.....

Maddox had his 4 month check up today and he is on track to be a big boy. He is in the 55% for his weight, and in the whopping 80% for his height. I am predicting that he will end up being a Brian Urlacher prodigy, but I may be expecting too much.

Along with the normal baby check up, Maddox got his second round of shots. That brings the score to date: Shots 2- Maddox 0. He did not like being pricked 4 times, but he took it like a champ and only screamed for a couple of minutes.

It is unbelievable how fast Maddox is changing. He is becoming increasingly interactive and is full of smiles. His favorite activity now is to roll onto his stomach and reach for his toys. He is scooting all over the floor on his back, and all of beautiful mullet hair is being rubbed off. Pretty soon I think we are going to be in for it and we will be chasing him all over the house.

Putting Gerber Out of Business

Who needs baby food when you have your toes?? Maddox discovered this week that he is extremely flexible and can get both of his feet into his mouth. He does get quite upset when he can't devour his whole foot and has to settle for his big toe. He is keeping Mom and Dad entertained and it is amazing at all of the new things he is doing. The next adventure will probably be crawling, so Dad better get busy with kid proofing the house.

I DON"T NEED A HAIRCUT!!!

Some people have suggested that Maddox needs to visit the local barber shop. I think people are crazy, and I don't know what they are talking about. You be the judge.....

A Blue Duck??...Now that's funny!

Need I Say More?

Already a Ladies Man

Happy 4th of July!!

Our friends Alisha, TP and their 1 month old daughter Piper came down to visit today and enjoy the 4th of July festivities. We all ventured out and attended the Iowa City Jazzfest on the U of IA campus, and then stayed for the fireworks. The fireworks are usually held at City Park in Iowa City, but since City Park is still "Lake Park", the show was moved to the Pentacrest next to the Old Capital. It created a very pretty backdrop and I wouldn't be surprised if they are not held there more often.
We were really unsure how Maddox would react to all of the loud booms and lights, but we have determined that he is going to grow up and be a pyromaniac. He was not fazed at all, and he loved sitting on Dad's lap watching throughout the hour long show. The only fireworks he did not enjoy were the one's he left in his pants.......



Just taking it all in...

Our Little Overachiever

This weekend while we were visiting the grandparents, Maddox shocked us all and decided he was ready to roll over. Tummy time is now a thing of the past and he is rolling over consistently from his belly to back. Occasionally he even throws in a back to belly maneuver. Check out the video in the video bar.......

Our first overnight road trip...

This weekend the family (including both dogs) embarked on its first overnight road trip to the sprawling metropolis of Nevada, Iowa. Much to our surprise, Maddox did an amzing job in the car and did not mind the 2 hour drive at all. Once at Grandma and Grandpa Smiths, he was absolutely spoiled by everyone that came to visit. He loves the sound of everyone's voices and even entertained us all with his little laughs. Grandpa Smith has the touch and can get Maddox to smile and laugh with ease. Overall it was a great visit and it appears that he will love to go Grandma and Grandpa's.



Between the laughter, Maddox had time to blow us some bubbles



Even Great-Grandma Smith was able to get Maddox to chuckle.......it must be a Smith thing,

I've Found a New Friend

Maddox is just loving the new stuffed giraffe that we found....

I prefer the fingers over the pacifer

Taking a break for family time

Jenn went back to work in a make shift office this week and has been dealing with the flood relief efforts. Mike is back to a normal work schedule and is just trying to keep the gawkers out of the flood waters. After a long week it was nice to spend time with the family.

What is wrong with this picture??

While visiting our friends Alisha and TP and their new baby Piper, Jenn thought it was a good idea to put Maddox in her papasan chair. As you can tell by his facial expression, he is not a fan of Pink.

We're all OK...

If you have been watching the news lately, you have seen the devastating floods in the Iowa City and Coralville area. The University of Iowa where both Jenn and I work continues to be under water, and our favorite restaurants are destroyed. Since we live on a hill we were not affected by the flood waters, but our lives and daily routines have been drastically changed. There are only 2 roads in and out of the Iowa City area, and what once took 10 minutes to get to work, now takes 45 to an hour. I was called in to work on multiple occasions to help with the flood efforts, and Jenn is currently displaced until the power is turned back on. Jenn's office did not take on any water, but it was only about 25 yards from suffering the same fate as so many other buildings.

It will be a long time before the Iowa City/Coralville area is put back together, but as we saw by thousands of volunteers, this community will come back and be stronger than ever.

Mom's Last Day.....

Tomorrow Mom goes back to work and it seems hard to believe that it has been 9 weeks since Maddox was born. Maddox will be going to an in home daycare and we feel very confident that he will get the care he needs. He will get to spend quality time with Dad a couple of days a week, since Dad has switched to the overnight shift. So, it should be fun but it will also be hard leaving our little man with someone else.

Going to Great Grandma and Grandpa's

We went and saw Great Grandma and Grandpa K. today and Maddox had a really good time. He was so smiley and was a little jabber box, who apparently had a lot to say.....