sunday was quiet.
didn’t even step
foot outside the house.
which is a shame,
’cause it looked like a
gorgeous day.
held my baby
all day.
we had a diaper-change
accident for the first
time in awhile.
i’d gotten a little arrogant
over the past month or so
and this time i wasn’t quite ready
with another diaper underneath her.
i paid the price.
she peed all over everything.
and i mean everything.
i look at it as her
way of telling me it was bath time.
bob and anna stopped by.
they took turns holding madeline.
anna offered to re-pot,
and babysit my orchid
.
while i’m in the mn.
todd stopped by to say goodbye before
he makes his big move east.
(good luck).
we got a shot of him
with the robot before he left.
todd left and
gina showed up to hold madeline
until her next photo shoot.
she arrived with basket of
cookies baked by
one of her friends.
(how awesome are these?).
madeline slept in gina’s
arms the entire time.
madeline was so out,
and gina was so content that
gina only took 1 or 2 photos,
and she got those
right before she left
for her photo shoot.
it was 5:00pm when she left.
the next time i looked
at the clock
it was 2:21am
i realized i did nothing.
all night.
but i talked to
a friend
from 2:22am until 4:48am.
that was more helpful than sleep.
a good, lazy day.
39 Comments
Sometimes we all need those ‘do nothing’ days. Nothing wrong with that. I’m sure Madeline enjoyed the extra time to sleep the day away.
Glad you enjoyed a quiet, lazy Sunday – as they should be
Your hair is looking fabulous and the cookies look fantastic.
Also glad you had a great company – in person and over the phone.
:::big hugs from south florida:::
I must say that Miss Madeline looks like a little doll sleeping on your Friday post. She is so gorgeous—I can see why you sat and held her all day Sunday!!
And–those cookies are pretty awesome!!
I’m glad it was a good, lazy day.
So glad you had a nice lazy day…we all need those once in a while…
Lazy Sunday’s with your beautiful daughter, she’s so blessed to have you. She really is.
*hugs*
Glad to hear that your day was relaxing. Here’s to more of those.
My daughter is 13 months and I still can’t trust her without a diaper for more than a few seconds. She’s always peed as soon as the air hits her. I dunno .. maybe its a girl thing. My son never really did that.
Wishing you a not-so-sucky Tuesday.
Lazy days with your little one are the best.
Sounds like a perfect Sunday to me! Glad you had a nice cuddly day with your beautiful little girl.
And… hope you guys had fun celebrating Madeline’s birthday today.
Happy week 11 Maddy!
Ohhh, Erika, boys do it too, you just need to have the cover on the top rather than the bottim lol. The difference between changing boys and girls is that with boys if you dont protect you get pee in the eye.
Glad you had a lazy day Matt!
I have been reading & crying this blog since I heard about the terrible loss of your beautiful wife. You are not doing nothing….you are healing & grieving & most of all being with your BEAUTIFUL daughter. She is a very lucky little girl to have such a great dad. I wish I had magical words of wisdom to ease the pain. Just keep being the great dad you are & keep telling Miss Madeline how wonderful her mommy was….Liz will live on. (((HUGS)))
Sounds like a lovely day just snuggling with your girl.
I used to line the back of my couch with towels over towels so when the boys sprinklered it I could just throw the top layer in the wash. Its a handy strategy for throwing up sick too.
Just when you think you have the diaper thing down (or the feeding without barfing, or the uninterrupted sleeping) those babies will put you in your place. What would we do without them (besides be rested and odor-free)?
I’m a long time lurker, but I had to say, it’s nice to hear you had a nice lazy Sunday! Here’s to many more!
Hope to hear that you have more of these days. My daughter only peed on me once when she was so small. I got lucky with that I guess. She’s 13 months now and is too busy struggling to get away from me during diaper changes to even relax enough to pee!!
just found ur website … wow. i’m amazed by your strength & completely saddened by your story but uplifted by your beautiful daughter & wife. all these emotions! love your blog & your writing style ~ photos are very artistic & cool too.
I’m in dallas, btw. I went thru some terrible, terrible grief 10 years ago when I was 24. reading your story is bringing back the pain & memories – but not in a bad way. In a way that just makes me relate all the more to you. believe me when I say that time is the only thing that heals. you are doing everything i did ~ talking, going places that we went together (me & paul), keeping the memory alive. that will help you get thru this … don’t hide from your grief – embrace it and embrace liz, as if she is right next to you. she is.
you are a very, very special person. don’t know you but your words convey that to me & liz was/is lucky to have you.
know that there are people out here who are holding you in our thoughts, prayers, minds, spirit. stay strong. you’re an amazing dad. xoxo from dallas
I am so glad you have the kind of friend who’ll spend some middle-of-the-night time just listening.
You’ve received some great gifts (while all I send are prayers and good thoughts) and, I believe, those cookies are among the greatest!
ah, you have already discovered one of my favorite parenting days…pajama days. though normally reserved for rainy sundays, a friend of mine told me she takes her kids out of school one day each year for a pj day. brilliant!
you’re doing great.
kim from the davis
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to wash my changing pad cover since Ian was born. If it’s not pee it’s spit-up…what goes in must come out, eh?
Glad you had a lazy day. They’re the best, especially when you have someone like Madeline to share it with.
Hey – keep meaning to ask you – did you graduate Minnetonka HS? Did Liz? My brudder is your age, I was class of ‘91.
“Go skippers” if it means anything to ya !
i love a day where i can just sit around and hold a precious baby… my precious babies are 7 and 4 now so unfortunatly they have to be sick before they will just plop down on my lap for the duration… on the upside they are toilet trained. LOL
Those cookies are awesome. You have some thoughtful friends. Wishing you a good week!
Love those robot cookies! You know what? Most days I sit at work bored just waiting for something or someone to take my mind away from the tedious moments. And you know what else? When it’s the middle of the night in Ca. it’s daytime here in Germany, so feel free to call and chat about whatever, whenever you want. :O)
I’ll send some phone numbers to your email address.
I just looked at the photo of Liz and you at the Broback wedding. It always makes me smile. I know you’ll have a great trip home. You’ll be fighting family and friends off to be able to get to hold your beautiful Madeline, though. And, hey, now you need to find out about the “State Bird” (mosquito) protection for an infant. Something you never need to think about in the CA =)
Doing nothing days are essential!
There are few things better than a lazy Sunday. I am so glad that you had one, it is good for a battery recharge now and then. I said a prayer for you and Madeline this morning, as I always do. Hoping your Tuesday is bettter than they have been.
Jenn in NC
Sometimes those days are the best, and those cookies looked ga-reat makes you almost not want to eat them…well at least for a couple hours so you could admire them some more..and then well..those cookies would be goners. Glad you had a chill day yesterday, we all need those sometimes.
I had a nice visit matt, even if she slept on me the whole time.. I loved it.. It was nice to see the both of you… we will get more pics in July…
safe travels….when you lift off.. have her sucking on something for her ears…paci, bottle etc…
enjoy your time with your family and friends…
~g
Hi Matt. I have been reading your blog since the article in the Strib. I have wanted to write but didn’t want to say the usual stuff….you’re doing a great job, sorry you had a bad day, glad you had a good day, Madeline is gorgeous, keep up the good work, you are a great father, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I totally feel those things and agree with everything people write. It is just that I knew there would be something much more that needed to be said to you and I knew it would come to me.
And last night it did.
As I was riding on a Harley down Hennepin Ave., going from the Uptown to the Downtown, it hit me………I am looking at the world differently after reading your blog and seeing your pictures. I found myself looking at all the places I’ve been to and driven by 1000 times differently. Like I was looking for the perfect “shot”… I don’t even take pictures!! But looking at yours has given me a different appreciation for things I see. The counters, stools, tables, people, buildings. I found it quite amazing. And as we came upon the Basilica of St. Mary I looked at how beautiful it was and wondered what the shot would be of that. Then I looked across the street at the Mpls. Community College and its reflective glass windows and I saw it………the reflection of the Basilica in the windows……I knew that was it. Prior to reading/viewing your blog, I never would have EVER seen this.
So Matt, yes, you are doing a great job and have a gorgeous little baby girl, and yes, it fucking sucks. But I wanted to say Thank You——— For helping me to see a whole new world through your life and your amazing photography.
i love those cookies!!
Matt,
Can’t wait to see you both.. at least we sure hope to. I know you will be very busy.
I do have to ask, Is Mr Robot coming too?
Auntie E
A do nothing day is a perfect day when it is with the baby you adore.
Love the cookies!
Haircut looks good!
Matt, I saw you and Madeline on Rachel Ray today. I wanted to drop you a note to tell you how inspiring your story was/is. My wife died nearly 6 months ago leaving me with our 6 year old son to raise alone. We adopted him from Russia in 2003 and he has been the joy of our lives. He is now all I have left of her and he is my complete and entire focus. My wife did everything, I have had to learn of to cook, clean, educate, discipline, and do all the things that a wonderful mother does for her child and husband. I felt comforted in listening to your situation knowing that I am not alone. Thank you.
Saw you on Rachel Ray today. Started out so heart breaking and yet it saw so up lifting be the end. My heart goes out to you. Stay Strong.
I saw you and lil miss Madeline today on Rachael Ray. She is adorable and looks just like her momma. I have to admit, I cried.You are a very strong daddy and I can tell that you love her more than anything in this world.Madeline is very lucky to have a father who loves and cares for her as much as you do. Keep up the good work and always remember- God helps in mysterious ways.
Hi Matt I am from South-Africa. I saw you on the Oprah show today and I must congratulate you on what you are doing. You restored some of my faith in men. I am a single mother, but the father decided to walk out on the two of us.
I will read your blog more often now. Keep faith things will get better.
You are a great parent!
I know those days, Matt. It’s like Tom Hanks says in the movie, Cast Away. We just have to keep breathing.
Chuckled about your diaper accident. I remember those. Sunday my youngest chucked her dinner all over her room and bathroom. I thought the same thing… Become a wee arrogant about how well things are managed.
Sent you an email. Wishing you all the best. Showing up is half the job. The rest means getting no sleep.
And think about this: it does get easier. But, then it gets way more complicated. Trust me. I’m there.
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