woke up early
to continue my
quest to have a
(relatively) clean house.
madeline woke up
with a giant smile,
which forced me to
stop everything i was
doing just so
i could enjoy the
moment with her.
it’s amazing how quickly
she can shift from
smiling to crying…
i guessed she was hungry
and it turns out
i was correct
(i suppose i am a great father).
after making quick
work of all 6 ounces,
she passed out,
allowing me
to get back to the cleaning.
stranger friend lorenzo
arrived a few minutes
after i’d gotten out
of the shower.
(yes, i was dressed when i answered the door).
i gave him a quick
tour of the house,
introduced him to madeline
and we were off to
our tuesday morning
play group with the
moms (and some dads) of
the northeast los angeles.
arrived to see a
bunch of familiar faces.
we took our spot on
a borrowed blanket
in the shade and
lorenzo listened patiently
as the parents shared
lots of great conversation
and more than a
few laughs.
madeline posed for a couple
of photos
and worked hard to
talk over her
ever-talkative father
(or from the looks of this photograph, mimic my facial expressions).
our unofficial photographer
even managed to capture
madeline with a giant
grin and a drool-stalactite
on her chin.
sometime near the stated
end of play-group time,
martha asked if we
wanted anything from in-n-out.
umm…
yeah.
everyone does.
so she took off
with everyone’s orders.
she made it back
to the park and we
all enjoyed lunch together.
we hung around until
a little after two.
then madeline, lorenzo and i
took off for a quick
trip to amoeba.
it’s tuesday after all,
and that’s what we
do on tuesdays.
picked up nothing new
(bad week for new releases)
but did get a few
things i’ve been waiting
to pick up.
also picked up what
have become my standard
(kids or adults).
lorenzo even picked up
his own copy our
favorite movie.
after amoeba we stopped
for a cup of coffee.
some conversation later,
i noticed the time and
realized that we had to
be much further east than
we were at the moment.
asked lorenzo if he wanted
to join us for
an awesome monkey-themed
birthday party for
one of madeline’s potential suitors.
a quick phone call
to his wife
(she didn’t answer)
and we were off.
had a nice conversation
about one of the
vice presidential candidates.
as we drove
toward the sierra madre.
arrived right on time
at the home
of gentle ben and patient dana.
we hung out with
some of their friends
and family, and i got
to meet some
people who kind of
already knew me.
madeline got passed
from person to person
(which she loved).
when pressed,
gentle ben finally told
the truth about my
music taste.
we had another amazing
dana-prepared meal
(ben did nothing to help, as usual)
v. covered
his entire body with
his birthday cupcake
as we laughed.
after a bit more
conversation, we said
goodbye to everyone and headed
back to the neighborhood.
got home and said
goodbye to lorenzo.
took a sleeping madeline inside
and i made a few
phone calls as she kept
her eyes closed.
i fell asleep
while talking to
someone, which indicated
to me that it was
time to shut up and
go to sleep.
i’ve been talking all
day and i’m exhausted.
i went to the couch before
11:00pm for the first
time in, like, forever.
today there were countless
memories recalled and restated,
all helping me get to
where i need to be.
but now it’s time
to forget them all,
and get some rest.
it’s what i needed most.
93 Comments
If she smiles like that every day, things are going to be okay.
Awwww, sounds like a *lovely* day! And how beautiful she looks in her flowery blue outfit. SUCH a pretty girl.
Kiss her fuzzy noggin for me.
There is nothing better than a smiling baby in the morning.
Wow! Her hair almost has a red tint in the sun!
So happy you are having good days.
Sounds like a really great Tuesday. Thanks for the laugh about the picture – she was making your exact face in that one!
What a wonderful Tuesday report! And she is disarmingly beautiful in the playgroup pictures. That smile! What a little angel.
Another day that didn’t suck, YEAHH!
Keep on Keeping on
hey matt-
my mom is requesting some photos of madeline in the tub.
please help.
Loved the new photos! Keep up the good work Matt!! Hugs to Maddie…
Love the drool!
I fall in love with Madeline more and more every time I read about her and see that smile. Such bright inquisitive eyes – I always say that’s a sign of intelligence. She’s soaking it all in.
Glad you got some rest.
Wow, just followed the link to your birthday present of choice – Brilliant. That’s the second time this week The Red Balloon has popped back in to my life.
Read it as a child. Maybe I should unearth it and read it to my boy now.
Vicki at “Red Chair Gallery” did a painting inspired by it last week.
Excellent choice for a pressie.
Matt,you are looking much better these days! Maddy’s smile could light up a room (even with drool stalagtites).
I LOVE the outfit you had on her. My husband can’t dress our son….you are doing an amazing job!
Just passing by to say…
BUEN DIA Matt!
BUEN DIA Maddy!
BUEN DIA All my creepy friends!
Wishing you and all, a BEAUTIFUL day together!
I wish I were there!
Besos y abrazos
Sol
p.s. So happy to read that you are having NICE DAY and restful NIGHTS!
Pics of Ms. M are AMAZINGLY beautiful (as always!)
Blue is definitely her color, she looks absolutely adorable!!!!
She’s such a stunner. It’s amazing how quickly babies start coming into their own personalities so quickly. She’s got the same light behind her smiles as her mommy. Looking forward to meeting her on Sunday!
You ARE an amazing father! You’re doing an awesome job. Love, love, love the pictures from the park. Madeline must be the happiest baby around. So smiley and sweet. Her outfit is so cute too!
Good friends, conversation, In N Out!, and sleep–all thing to help heal!
I have thought about what an inspiration Biden must be to so many people who have experienced loss–he has truly risen up, taken care of his boys and made the most of the extremely shitty hand he was dealt. Reminds me of someone else we know…
You are looking and sounding really good, Matt. Madeline is beautiful, as always.
Enjoy your weekend.
Oh, and Maddy finally has the chubby thighs!! LOVE baby fat rolls. Hopefully Madeline is enjoying this time in life… babyhood is the only time when the chubbier your arms and legs, the cuter people think you are. Ha!
You ARE a great father! You doing a great job with Madeline! She is a beautiful smiley little girl who loves her daddy very much.
I love Madeline’s outfit! And the drool…time for teeth?
It’s good to see you BOTH smile.
Glad to hear you got some rest
Madeline is soooo adorable! You made it through another Tuesday! You are putting together a great string of days. I am happy for you both. Have a great weekend here in the MN! Glad to have you back! I will be looking for you if I made it to the west side… any favorite pubs or eateries on the east side of the Cities?
xo.
Sounds like a great Tuesday! You ARE a great father! Madeline is so blessed to have you as her daddy!
Her smile is INTOXICATING!
She is gorgeous! I have to agree w/Xbox… If Maddie smiles like that everyday… things will be okay! Glad to hear you had a day w/great conversation and even better friends!
Omigosh, that big grin is priceless, drool and all.
If I fly out to LA can I hang with her? Oh, and you too. LOL
Beautiful photos from whomever took them!
Have fun today!
Cheers
GO PORK.
That sounds like a great way to spend a Tuesday. Drool stalactite? Is that a scientific term? hahaha
Oh that drooly smile is just precious! What a happy girl she is!!!
Looks like a great day!
that smile is precious and infectious!!!
I’ve noticed that there is something conspicuously absent from your posts. At no time (that I can recall reading) have you ever really “compained” about the trials and tribulations of having a newborn. The tone of your writting (as it relates to child rearing) is consistently positive and thankful. I imagine it is because you’ve experienced great loss and cherish the blessing you have. I will try, try, try to think twice the next time I find myself frustrated about my otherwise happy and healthy 8 month old.
Anyway…I continue to admire your graceful embrace of parenthood.
Take care.
Hi Matt- Yea! A fun/good Tuesday! Way to go!! I love the pics of you and Madeline. You look so at ease with her, so peacefully happy. You really do have the father thing figured out. Liz is so proud! I just know it!!
You are a good father,
Love the photos and that big smile from Madeline.
Take care.
So happy you had a good Tuesday! Your baby is so beautiful. She gets cuter and cuter with every picture! Aside from being a wonderful father, you are also completely awesomesauce for having all the perfect cameras and lenses to capture those adorable, drooly smiles! Have a great weekend!
Madeline’s eyes look gorgeous in those photos! The blue of her outfit really makes her eyes pop even more! She is so precious, just looking at her warms my heart.
@Xbox: Way to *rob* me of firsties!!! And you’ve got a time-zone advantage!
:: grumbles in dismay ::
What a great time with your stranger friend. Yay for new memories!
WOW does she EVER look like Liz! See you guys Sunday!
Matt,
Obviously music is a huge part of your life.
Sometime when you have the chance could you write an entry about music and what it means to you? What do you love about it?
Also, I know that music gets us through things, but it also takes us back to a very distinct feeling of a certain time in our life. Do you ever get scared that some music that you really love will be too hard to listen to in the future? I don’t mean to pry, but that is something that has happened to me.
Take care.
You are an amazing father! Never forget that… and if you do, you’ve always got all us stalkers/creepers/strangers to remind you! Because we all think you are thebomb.com
Madeline is j’adorable. She’s so happy in her pictures! It’s so fun to watch babies grow & develop their little personalities! And her hair is growing daily!
Can’t wait to meet you on Sunday by Calhoun!
One more little reminder about the pics from the walk:
For instructions and information about Flickr and uploading photos to Flickr go here:
http://kyftibloglist.blogspot.com/2008/09/liz-logelin-5k-flickr-group.html
If you do not want to bother with that, please send the photos to me-
kickinginside@yahoo.com
and I will upload them for you. Thanks!
Matt,
I am so happy to hear you had a good day!! Madeline is stunning, which you know!
Take care,
Debbie
So, so awesome that you had a good Tuesday. You are always on my mind on Tuesdays…..
Those are just the best shots of Maddy and Daddy, she’s beautiful and you are looking good. So happy to see smiles on both of your faces.
Your baby is so beautiful. I don’t think I have ever seen eyes that sparkle so much. She is a little gem. And my she is growing so fast!
If it was a “nice” conversation it must have been about Biden, bc I haven’t been able to have a “nice” conversation about the other one, even though I’ve tried.
I love the comments today almost as much as the post…that’s even more fun.
@X-BOX – you hit it on the spot. What more can we say but that smile makes the world smile?
@ Lopez – thank you for saying what I think everytime I read Matt’s stuff. Our “little bundles” can be trying at times, but we are so lucky to have them.
MATT- I’m looking forward to creeping out this weekend at the lake…my kids, myself & the dog (she has a PINK collar, she’s ready to sport) are getting revved up to see you and my fellow creeps/broads/Matt&Maddie fans. Travel safe, if you haven’t snuck into the MPLS already!
Great pics – she is cute. And this post reminded me of when my kids were tiny. So many good memories – picnics, cupcakes everywhere. As a single dad, I miss the half-time my kids aren’t with me.
My daughter is 16 now, and I often find myself negotiating with her for who gets to use the car, her or me.
She wins a lot. I guess that makes “me” a good dad?
WONDERFUL pics of Maddy and her daddy! More hugs.
My cousin emailed me from Iraq where he is serving our country…and sent me this note…
Regardless, i’ll find a way to run on Sun and take a picture. We’ll be on the tiny Iraqi compound, so it will be interesting.
Pretty fucking cool if you as me!
I hope he sends a few pics for us to see on the LL5k Flickr page!
Asalamalaykom,
Did
you
actually
accept
that
you
are
a
great
dad?
Subhanallah! It’s about time! Now, if you’d just get rid of the meth lab in your bathtub…
i LOVE her outfit thingy. not usually one to comment on that (although she’s always quite fashionable) but seriously – i want that shirt or dress or whatever it is.
i also just wanted to say that i hope you’ve traveled safe and are enjoying the mn. i, for one, am thrilled because it is starting to think about being fall here. humidity be damned.
keep doing a rocking job. and pinch those cheeks for me – or have one of the creeps do it on sunday.
hey Matt,
I LOVED Maddy today almost best of all….with that AMAZING outfit that strikingly matches her eyes! and the drool was almost to much…it brought a HUGE grin to my face….sigh….sweet maddy, you are doing wonderful Matt!!!
Yay for a great day! I am totally in love with that smile and that little blonde fuzzy head! What a sweetie! The thing I love best about baby smiles is how the tongue is just barely stuck out all the time.
It’s so cute!
Looking forward to LGLM5K on Sunday!
sounds like a good tuesday. i love the pic ofyou and maddy making the same expression OR both trying to talk at the same time LOL. blue is definitely maddy’s color…it brings out her gorgeous eyes! have a great wkend in the mn w/ family and friends. xo
Great pics, again. Her blue eyes are piercing! Hope you are having a nice day.
Damn! It’s so damn good to see the humor, sarcasm, and happiness just scream out of your latest post. I’ve read it twice because it just makes me so happy to know you are having some very good days. I can’t wait to walk on Sunday. And YES, you are a great father!
she is beautiful. nuf said.
I practically scream every time I see Madeline with that big happy smile and those deep ocean blue eyes of hers. She is so FUCKING CUTE with the peach fuzz hair and all. Love your kid!!!
And I want to make mention here that I do not want to be confused with In n’ Out Martha. I am not her. Was wondering if my new Facebook BFF Kate in the Northridge was reading this and thinking “Martha is hanging out with Matt and getting him In ‘n Out and didn’t TELL me?!?!”
I just wanted to say that blue is your daughter’s color! I love that outfit from the park. It absolutely brings out her eyes! Also, Matt, you are doing a tremendous job. It’s so amazingly hard and rewarding at the same time. Madeline is very lucky.
Proud of you… on so many levels.
Madeline is beautiful. Her smile is priceless. Thank you for sharing that with us.
I really enjoy reading your blog and just wanted to say Madeline is gorgeous!!!
Great photos, she is a doll. Matt, you look more rested than I have seen you look in a long time. Nice to see some smiles.
Thank you so much for sharing your life with us.
@ Yosra – You always have some very insightful things to say, then you throw in the “meth lab in the bath tub” – I had to giggle.
Matt, I am inspired and intrigued (shitty spelling) by you say “memories recalled and restated, all helping me get to where i need to be.” So glad that the road is being traveled.
Ummm, I know that our shirts will not arrive by Sun, and unfortunatly my hub and I do not have any pink in the closet. Does Liz have a second favorite color?
All the best as always,
Andrea V
I love seeing Dad’s take their kids on playdates. Have you checked out Joeprah.com? That guy is a stay at home Dad and he’s hilarious. You two remind me of eachother.
You know…
Cause I know you so well…
That sounds like a pretty decent Tuesday considering some Tuesdays aren’t as good.
I wanna know what your friend’s true views on your tatse in music is..
Reading the comments i noticed a similar sentiment- how easily you take parenting in stride…Reminding me of another sentiment I pick up- not only from here but from parents in general- is how stressful child rearing can be.
I think we too often allow ourselves to live in a world filled with drama- we are all (moslty) human- we react and have limitations and emotions.
Perhaps experinceg the real- the painful challenges of life- all those other little created-temporary stresses are seen for what they are?
Although I admit- from reading Matt’s blog- i suspect he is just being himself and it works well in wacky land of parenthood.
Sometimes it is worth while to make the concious choice to choose peace in life-
Sometimes little smiling faces make the choice for us.
You are a great dad. I hope that your situation allows you to contiue to spend days like that with her, as often as possible. You are investing yourself in such a precious, priceless child…Good for you and even better for her!!
You both look so happy! And I am so glad you are getting some sleep. She is adorable–this post just made my day!
Yay for good days! I read this earlier but work was a BEAR today. Couldnt comment. (installed privacy screen on my new computer at work because people always look at what you are doing if you are smiling hugely at your computer)
Hey – I just read about you on MckMama’s blog (www.mycharmingkids.net)! Sounds like you met the kids, but not her. Hope that y’all will be able to meet up while you’re in town – you’re both awesome parents!
Sounds like you had a good Tuesday – here’s to a great weekend celebrating Liz!
Great pics. Her personality (and her Mommy’s!) really shines through her photographs.
love the drooly smiles!! the little cutie pie has such beautiful blue eyes! glad to hear your tuesday didn’t suck balls.
You.are.smiling.
Good.
Madeline’s eyes just seem to be more beautiful each time I see them. My oldest DD has similar strikingly blue eyes.
Oh, ITA, who *doesn’t* want In and Out. Animal Style.
sounds like an awsome tuesday! And those photos of you two are just adorable! She’s got the bluest eyes! So pretty! I made my donation for the Liz Memorial Run! Not much ($7.00) but I know every bit will help! *HUGS*
Look at the happy Madeline! I love her fuzzy hair and her huge smile, and yes, ok, the drool stalagtites too
I loved this post and am so glad you had a great day
wishing for more days like this for you and the munchkin, and can’t wait for french-toast-a-palooza in a couple weeks
Jamie
Was there ever any question about you being a great father?
Don’t count my Caleb out as a “potential suitor” for Madeline. My husband and I were just saying they could make a kid with some amazing blue eyes.
I go for an hour long walk every day, to de-compress, also to listen to very weird music! I will put on something pink and think of your Liz and absolutely gorgeous little girl Maddie. Her eyes are just out of this world! Good luck this weekend and I hope you get lots of strength and hope from other people walking alongside with you. Take care, Anja
what a day.
glad it was a good one.
hope this mn saturday treats you well.
What a great post and pics. Your daughter is more beautiful by the day! And happy, WOW! Have a great weekend in the MN
Hello, I’m a reader, but not a commenter. Until now that is. But, our daughters are nearly the same age, and I just made a dress for her, and randomly thought about Madeline… So, I’d love to make her a dress if you’d kindly let me know her size?
I started my day with a bike ride and a latte with my daughter. Thinking about you and Liz and enjoying life. I decided it is my Liz Memorial Weekend. Today and tomorrow, exercise more that usual, tell my family I love them more than usual, enjoy life more than usual. Live in the moment more than usual. Forget the shit for one weekend…don’t know if I will be successful but I am sure gonna try! Here’s to Liz!
The Liz Logelin Memorial Day has begun in New Zealand!!
We are about to head off for a big breakfast (hopefully with many pork products) and then the walk will begin!
It is 10.30am in our timezone, so we should be right on track to begin the first leg of the walk at 1pm
@Kate in NZ: YOU ROCK, MATE!!! Can’t wait to see your pix on the flickr page!!! Have a NZ sauvignon blanc for me, will ya?! That’s my favorite.
xoxo,
another Kate
@Kate in the Northridge
Walk is done, Sav is chilling in the fridge, I’ll have a glass for you! Pics are up, but waiting to be approved..
Tasmanian walk is done! My daughters and I had a lovely time walking along the track near the beach. Pics are on flikr waiting approval!
This is so exciting, watching all the photos go up on the flickr pool!!!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/lizlogelin5k/pool/
A big THANKS to the *magnificent* Kate in the TX for handling all the flickr duties for this event! You ROCK, Other Kate!
It may just be me, but the pic with the drool stalactite also nearly makes me think Maddy is wearing dangly earrings, one of them with a “G” from daddy’s t-shirt in the background. Wierd! So freakin’ cute, that girlie.
Haven’t checked-in in a while. You both look great. Madeline is growing into a beautiful young lady. I love the blue eyes and the fuzzy hair!
What adorable pictures. I have been reading this blog for what seems like forever, and never commented. You are an amazing human being. Madeline is so lucky to have a dad like you!
Someone linked me to your blog and I’ve been stuck here now for an hour, reading
I’m a photographer and I love seeing another person’s work, and your story struck my heart strings. At first I thought you may be from my area (I saw the Vikings reference, so I think I stuck around mostly to see if I could see how you are connected to MN). Either way, I’m going to add you to my blog reader.
One Trackback
[...] lorenzo and a [...]