the life of RILEY: Yes, I am back (for the moment)

It is getting pretty pitiful that I have to apologize every time I post for not posting in so long. We have been so busy! I have been so busy with my business (you can check out my latest shoots on Ellis Avery Photography Facebook page (nice plug,huh!)) which is great. We have enjoyed football games, friends, church, baby showers, a trip to the lake (see the next post), school, and much more. I can't believe that Halloween is almost here and then before you know it, Santa will be here! It is crazy how fast this fall has gone by.

Everyone is doing great, just an occasional sniffle here and there, but we have not been sick since Madison got her tonsils out. What a difference we had already been on about 6 rounds of antibiotics last fall by this time.

Like I said the business is going great, Brian is loving his new job and is starting to slow down for the year. Madison and Carter are growing up so fast. Carter is saying so much now, still broken sentences but we are actually conversating. He copies everything that Madison does and says. She sometimes gets frustrated with him, but for the most part she is pretty tolerant of it. I tell her he looks up to her and it is the best compliment to have him want to be like her. She has used that to her advantage by telling him to do something bad so he gets in trouble instead of her.

Madison is doing great with her letters (reading and writing) and can tell me what words start with. She is very interested in the human body, she loves to hear about muscles, organs, bones, veins, and babies (of course) she might take after me and go into the medical field. She wants to be a mom so bad. Here is a recent condensed version of a conversation we had:

Madison: Can you help me find a husband?

Mandy: One day when you are much older, I would be glad to help you find a husband.

Madison: Because I need a husband to have a baby.

Mandy: Yes you certainly do.

Madison: First I will have to go to college and I will live up in Athens so I don't have to drive far to the Georgia games and you and Daddy can come and stay with me, just for the games, but I know that you won't sleep good and you will want to go home and sleep in your own bed.

Mandy: Yes, I probably will. Yes you will go to college first, then get married, and then a baby.

Madison: I will ask Carter to move in with me so he can take care of my baby when I go to the Georgia game.

Mandy: That will be a great idea.

Over the summer at VBS her nametag said "Maddie". All week everyone called her Maddie. On Thursday after being there all week she tells the teen helper "I am not Maddie, I am Madison". She has been on a big kick about her name being Madison and not Maddie. We were leaving school the other day and her friends Riley and Katie yelled "bye Maddie". She yelled back "girls we talked about this, it is Madison". Oh boy.

When I was on bedrest when I was pregnant with Carter Brian had a melt down one day because he was basically a single parent trying to work and run the house. He got frustrated and said "I am only one man"! It became a big joke and we say it all the time. The other day I was telling Carter to get his shoes on and he says, "I one man". Oh no, I have double trouble, two Brian's, too much!