8 months

8 months!!!! It's been a busy 31 days around here.

The latest on Maddux:

17 pounds, 3 ounces.
got his second tooth...third one poking through.
went on his first big vacation (probably his last for a long while).
makes hilarious noises using his hands and mouth.
chooses to eat only rice, bananas, and orange vegetables.
learned to pull himself up and stand along the furniture.
walks along the furniture.
crawls (not the army- scoot anymore).
cuddles with mommy and daddy.

Cruisin!!!

Well, we got back from our week aboard the Carnival Conquest last night. It was rough coming home to everyday life and the lack of all you can eat ice cream cones 24/7, but it is nice to be in our own bed and have Maddux in his own crib! We had so much fun with the whole family and all the kids! Vacationing is definitely a different experience with a baby....so many different aspects we hadn't thought of. Sleeping, eating, going to shows at night (or actually NOT going to shows at night), being stopped every five minutes so someone could talk to Maddux, waking the neighbors in the middle of the night when Maddux woke up crying (sorry Amb and Tye!!!) :) But then...there were all of the AMAZING things. The aforementioned never ending supply of soft serve twist cones just an elevator ride away, free sushi bar, salmon available for dinner almost every night, snorkeling in crystal clear water, swimming with Stingrays, wandering Cozumel on foot in the rain, playing with Brooklyn and Boston, being with the family, laying by the pool, yes...I could go on and on!

I didn't realize how horrible the lighting is in most of my pictures! Bummer! Also, I have very few pictures of Drew, Maddux and me together but hopefully some of my family took some and will send them my way! Here are some...

My dad and his girls...

Mom and the girls...
Grandma and Bop Bop and their Grandkids...

Sisters...
Our last night at dinner...

Maddux tanning his bod...

Daddy and Maddux swimming in the salt water pool...


That's Cozumel in the background (my hair is out of control from the wind as we were leaving the port)...


Senor Frog himself....

This was in Cozumel after walking in the rain. We are drenched...


Maddux in the window looking out at the Grand Cayman Islands. He was so sad to leave those stingrays :)

BIG stingrays. We had NO idea they were this big!!!



Daddy and Maddux on the boat after snorkeling in Grand Cayman...


Amber, Tyler, Brooklyn and Boston out snorkeling...

This crazy Jamaican guy stopped us and asked to take a picture with me and maddux when we were getting back on the ship. We didn't realize he would then ask for a tip for being in our picture!


The beach in Jamaica...

Jamaica again...the water is so clear and so blue!

My dad...ready to snorkel! :)

Drew and Maddux in our room, Maddux took many naps like this on the cruise! Drew loved it!

This is on a tour we took of Jamaica before going to the beach...

Maddux and Mommy at dinner...
The big water slide on the ship...

The family (minus the Carlsons) touring Cozumel by foot. (We were looking for cheap shops, but only found a disgusting place that smelled like rotten meat...we didn't end up shopping) :)

Bop Bop feeding Maddux an ice cream cone. It's dripping all over him...

I left Madudx downstairs with Drew while I was packing upstairs. I get a call from Drew (yes...a phone call from downstairs) saying, "You're going to want to come here, and you are probably going to want to bring the camera". This is what I found! VERY MESSY!!! (If anyone wants a box of 11 unused Gerber Biter Biscuits, we have a box up for grabs!!) :)

GO DREW!!!

K, I have to brag about my hubby for a minute...! Drew has been working his BUTT off with the goal to lose 20 pounds before we go on our cruise (this Saturday...woohoo!!!). He has lost 21 pounds!!!! We have been living on grilled chicken and grilled vegetables for dinner every night and he has done a great job sticking to his diet (even with his wife sitting next to him eating three Ben and Jerry's pints in a week's time-bad wife!!). Anyway...I am so so proud of him and how dedicated he has been, so I wanted to post some before and after pictures.

Before...
(click on the photo for the full effect)

AFTER...

Here are some of our latest Maddux pics....