Grandma & Granddad visit =)

Grandma and Grandad (Sharkey) came to visit Madeleine this past week. Anyone who knows the Sharkeys, knows a visit from them means 3 things:
1. Good Food!
2. Good Times!
3. LOTS of checks off our To-Do list!!! :P
Of course, this week was no exception!

We started the week off with a relaxing week-end getaway in Sonoma. Rose researched and booked a fabulous house in Sebastopol with beautiful gardens throughout the grounds, AND A POOL & SPA, and a fire pit which we used every night! (Sharkey and I now have lots of interesting ideas for our tiny backyard! :P
Here's Maddie enjoying the gardens with Granddad


And the pool



Hanging out with Granddad in the shade!



While at the pool, Rose discovered a great thing: GOGGLES! Maddie LOVES them more than anything!!



Relaxing in the morning


Rose made up a new game with Maddie: Up/Down, based on Madeleine's love of standing AND of getting lots of praise. ;>

As you can see, Maddie didn't like that game one bit, LOL! ;>

We did manage to tear ourselves away from the wonderful chateau a couple of times during the week-end... we even took Madeleine on a hike!
(No, Wendy, not a paved trail... but close!)



We're not sure if she likes the hike

or ocean...


Of course she likes them! (Maddie's just a True Sharkey and has the Poker Face Feelings down already!)



Upon our return to San Francisco, the Sharkeys immediately sprang into action! (But not Sharkey Sharkey, of course, hehe!) :P
Rose & Bill
fixed (scraped, sanded, & painted) the soon-to-be-rotting posts holding up our deck



they plugged and painted the fireplace hole



Bill replaced a rotting step to the cottage =) (now Michelle can't sue us!)


Rose researched, drove all over SF to find the right materials, AND fixed the peeling wall covering!


Rose also began (much needed!) work on our front and back dirt patches! She planted some lavender and moved around other plants



And we even (FINALLY!) hung Madeleine's princess canopy over her crib! =)



Of course, it's not ALL work and no play at the Sharkey Chateau! Madeleine encouraged Grandma and Granddad to take some time off from their chores to play with her. ;>
Bill made up a Steps Game with Maddie, which she LOVES (and all the praise doesn't hurt, either!)!!



Grandma even got Maddie to do some Tummy Time!




Certainly no trip to SF is complete without a trip to the beach! =)


While enjoying a lovely day and leisurely stroll along the shore,



we almost got totally drenched by a renegade wave! :-O
(This is, of course, a "Fox-5" reenactment, but a pretty good one, I must say!)



Quality time ~ relaxing with Grandma and Granddad :)





Happy Hour! =)


It's hard to say whether it's Sharkey & I or Madeleine who are MORE looking forward to Rose & Bill's next visit!! :)

Madeleine is 5 months old!

Madeleine's Growth Quilt!


So many new things to report...
Madeleine LOVES her hands:
gumming them (although still not sucking on them really)

grabbing toys (for the sole purpose of putting them in her mouth)




grabbing OTHER people's hands (of course, to put in her mouth), and it should come as no surprise that Daddy's are the tastiest! ;)




And she loves to stand (ALL the time!)




Playgroup friends! (This is our San Francisco Feb/March mommies & babies group)
Maddie is front, left, with white shirt & blue pants.

Couch potatoes!


Going on a walk with Mommy. Maddie loves being snuggly in her Moby Wrap, and I love it because random people can't grab her hands. Although, we do get a lot of looks & laughs as we walk! ;)



Playing with Daddy (after he gets home from work & before their nightly walk)



Madeleine is also reading a story (or 2!) before bedtime every night with Daddy.
(She pays better attention when Mommy's not distracting her with a flash!)


Visits from Auntie Wendy
Madeleine was fascinated by Wendy's champagne... a taste for the finer things in life?



MOVIE MADELEINE
Pirates of the Carribean
ARR, Matey! It doesn't really come across as much in the photos, but Sharkey and I think this outfit makes Madeleine look like a Mini-Pirate!


Deadwood
For those who watch the series, this is Maddie's 'Swearengen' outfit!


Doing Crazy Leg Kicks during Baby Bath Time!
(The naked video was better, but Sharkey's afraid of drooling internet perverts; not sure what that says about YOU! hehe...)

Opera Enthusiast

We had opera on the other day, and Sharkey noticed Madeleine smiling & squealing with delight more than usual. Maybe it was the high notes she enjoyed?

Of course, listening to opera while playing with DADDY is the BEST!

Squeals of Delight & Raspberries

Maddie's been doing raspberries for some time now (Daddy taught her that one)...


But her latest sound is what I've termed "Squeals of Delight".


And if Madeleine gets REALLY excited, she'll do both! (Such a Daddy's Girl!!)

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

As many of you know, our Little Treasure HATES tummy time... However, it's supposed to be good for her, so I've been doing some Tough Love as of late and putting her on her tummy for short bursts of time. Needless to say, Little Miss Mensa has figured a way around my best intentions!

That's right, every time I try to give her tummy time, she rolls right out of it! Sorry, Mommy!!!
Of course, she can't (won't?) roll from back to front; what would be the point of that?!? lol...
All signs keep pointing in the She's Really Going To Give Us A Run For Our Money direction! :P

And now she's just rubbing it in our faces. :P

(Don't worry, Grandparents, we were keeping an eye on her proximity to the coffee table!)