In Memory of Amber Infante

My cousin's wife Amber died suddenly on Thanksgiving Day. She was only 27 years old and they had only been married a year longer than Tyler and I. I feel so horrible for my cousin. They were living in New Mexico but he is going back to CT because he has no family in NM. Here is the obituary I found on the Internet that her family must have placed. It's just such a tragedy. I have a few random not so great pictures of them from their wedding.

They aren't sure what caused her death. My dad said that that morning Anthony had taken her in to the hospital because she had a terrible headache and was short of breath. The doctors sent her home because they could find nothing wrong. Later that night she couldn't breathe so they sent her back in. She died that night at the hospital. They think it was a brain aneurysm but they are waiting for the autospy results (which takes weeks).

It happened to fast. No one knew it was coming, it's not as if she had a long illness. She was so young, too. My dad said she had just recieved her Master's in special education and was getting ready for a new job. And for it to happen on Thanksgiving... it's just so shocking. And it's not like I was particularly close to them (unfortunatly). It was just so sudden.

It's just such a horrible thing to have happen. My heart aches for my poor cousin who I'm sure believed he had met his companion for life. I can't imagine waking up each day and not seeing my sweet Tyler next to me. I can't imagine what he is going through. I hate to be so cliche, but it's times like this and things like this that force you to see how precious life is. I look at my beautiful little baby boy and my beautiful little baby sister and I am in awe of how precious and sweet and wonderful their lives are. I wish I could say that from now on I won't take a single minute of my life for granted, but I can't promise that. No one can really.

Our prayers are with you Amber and Anthony.

Mattie's First Thanksgiving

Well Mattie and Max both had their first Thanksgivings. Max slept through most of it and Mattie had her first tastes of Turkey and all the fixings. As you can see, she really enjoyed it.


She ate sooo much turkey I thought her little tummy was going to burst open. She's really cute and getting very sassy, too. I can't believe she's almost a year old now!! It's crazy how fast that year went. I feel like she's my baby, too, since I help take care of her so much. I love her like my own even though she's just my little baby sister. She's really smart, too. Here are a list of some of her tricks. She can:

stick out her tongue (and she means it too)
blow bubbles
snap her fingers
she knows where her nose, piggy toes, tummy, eyes and teeth are
she waves goodbye
she blows kisses
she screams and talks A LOT
she pulls herself up and walks around holding on

The list could go on and on. AND... on Thanksgiving Day she took her first real steps!! She wasn't holding on to anything and she kind of just let go and walked about three or four steps to Tyler. It was the cutest thing ever. But she only does it when she's not really thinking about it. When you try to get her to do it, she refuses. Anyway, she's getting so big and I love her and she's adorable.

As for Maddox, I didn't take a single picture of him on his first Thanksgiving. Oh well, there weren't any pictures of the pilgrims and Indians on their first Thanksgiving either. Here's one of him in his bath.

His new thing is that he LOVES to talk up a storm. He will coo and gurgle and squeal your ear off if you let him. He's getting big, too. He's been eating like a pig, it's unbelievable. I think he's ready for solid foods.

Anyway, hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Crazy Hair

So Maddox has always had crazy hair. I thought I'd do a little photo montage to show you all just how crazy it's gotten over the past four months. That first one is of him a few weeks ago. Look at that 'do!! I swear I can't get it to go down. It's kind of started to fall down by itself in the front. But the back is like a peacock. Some people have suggested to me that I should use baby oil or hair gel... but come on, he's just a little baby! Why should I start to put all that product in his super fine silky hair? I love him just the way he is!! Enjoy the montage!!

Newborn faux-hawk


6-week hair (Go Bears!)


Check out how far it grows up!


You might think it's just bed hair, but it's not!!


The hilarity never ceases!


And one taken just last week...

His hair is getting so long now that I'm afraid he looks like a girl (see above picture). Also, he wiggles around so much in his crib at night trying to roll over that he wakes up with little dread-lock-like knots in his hair that are impossible to get out. And I kid you not, that is his real, natural, hair. I do nothing to it. I have witnesses!

So... riddle me this Batman... when is it okay to give a baby his first hair cut??

Swing me higher!!

Baby Max LOVES the swings. He doesn't really fit all that great in the baby swings yet, but we kind of prop him in there and lean him forward and swing him back and forth slowly. He loves it!! He has this big smile on his face the whole time.

Okay, so these pictures do not do it justice, he looks more uncomfortable than happy, but seriously, he loves it.

He also LOVES being outside and going for walks. He could be totally fussy and we stick him in his stroller and he's totally happy (with his pacifier of course). Tyler and I try to take him for walks everyday when he gets home before his bath and bedtime. He loves looking around at the trees and up at the sky. He's so curious all the time!!

My baby is PHAT (and fat)...

Sometimes Maddox likes to put on clothes that make him look like a thug. Only this time, he looks like a really chubby thug that is not very thuggish but more like huggable and cheek-squeezable.

Ribbitt Ribbitt

Here are some pictures of Max in his Halloween costume. He was a frog. I wanted to make a little crown for him to wear so he could be the frog prince, but I didn't think of it in time and I didn't have the time so I had to be content with just my little froggy. Isn't he adorable??




The costume ended up being a bit small for him since I bought it so long ago and he's been growing like a weed!! And, every time I put him in it at my grandmother's house in CT he would cry so I had to wait until we got home to take some cute pictures. Next year we'll actually be able to take him out for candy!!

Rock and Roll

So Tyler and I took Max down to J.C. Penney to get his pictures taken. We had a five o'clock appointment so I thought it might be a disaster. But surprise!! It wasn't!! In fact, he did great. AND he rolled over for the first time there! Of course I've only gotten him to do it two more times at home, but he did it!! It was from his tummy to his back.

So last night was a huge mile stone for him. I'm pretty proud. The photographer was a little grumpy about it though, she mumbled something about uncooperative babies or something. Whatever... my kid rolls over!!

His pictures came out pretty cute, too. We don't have any online, but I'll try to scan one in later to show you all.

Oh and there were like three or four different people who came from like, across the mall, just to comment about his hair. Poor kid, people are always laughing at him!!

In this picture Maddox is making his intimidation face... scared?

Connecticut... yes it's a state

So Maddox and I just returned from our 12 day trip to Connecticut. (For those of you who don't know, our whole family is back there -- my dad, grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) We got to spend Halloween there which was awesome and we also got to see some pretty leaves. It was nice to bring the baby and show him off, too. But let me tell you something, taking a trip with a four month old by yourself makes you appreciate your husband A TON. Maddox was the biggest whiney momma's boy the whole time!! He only would let me hold him and even when I did I had to walk around and around or he'd get bored and fussy. I was going nuts.

Besides that it was nice to go. Max got to meet his great grandma, we all dressed up as witches and took pictures, my family had a seance (I did not participate because I am the biggest woos ever), we went to a haunted house on Halloween and we even ate donuts and cider. I miss the fall over there, the cool crisp weather and my family. We came back to 84 degree weather in San Diego. YIKES!!

The other bad thing is that Maddox got a cold while we were there. And his sleeping schedule got totally screwed up. So we can't even try to get him back on his night time routine until he's not sick anymore. It's been hectic to say the least.

Anyway, here are some pictures for your enjoyment! Maddox was a frog for Halloween. I have yet to get a good picture of him in his costume because he was crying every time I put him in it. I think it was too small! Max seemed to balloon up while we were there. At the doctor's yesterday they said he was 14lbs! Only about two weeks ago he was only 11lbs. He is a chub to say the least!

Maddox next to a spider web cake I made



Four generations


Little MattieWitch cooking her baby Frog


A family of witches


Little Chubby and his grandpa