laughing through it all | alex + jon

Summary

Podcast Summary: CHEERS! with Avery Woods

Episode: laughing through it all | alex + jon
Date: May 25, 2026
Guests: Alexandra ("Alex") Madison & John Madison

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Episode Overview

Host Avery Woods sits down with Alex and John Madison, the dynamic couple known for their humor-infused social media presence and candid storytelling. Together, they delve into parenting, marriage, navigating public tragedy, career pivots, and maintaining joy and connection through life's hardest and happiest moments. The tone is warm, heartfelt, hilariously real, and deeply relatable—perfect for listeners seeking comfort, laughter, and validation in modern family life.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Parenting: The Beautiful Chaos

Transitioning into Parenthood

• Alex reflects on the wild pace of time since having baby Lucy:
  • “I feel like if you want time to slow down, get pregnant. If you want time to go at the speed of light, have a baby.” (03:14, Alexandra)
• Avery and Alex discuss whether or not to have more children and the societal/family pressures:
  • “It feels so blissful. And I'm like, do we want to disturb the chaos?” (03:51, Alexandra)
• Avery shares her own experience balancing two kids, discussing the sibling relationship and how it evolves:
  • “They're either best friends or worst enemies. But if they're worst enemies, it's for like five seconds fighting over a toy...” (06:31, Avery)

The Realities of Child Sleep

• Exhaustion, sleep training, and nightly routines are front and center. Alex describes Lucy’s sleep struggles and their attempts at co-sleeping, sleep training, etc. Finally, they get her to sleep through the night but with early wake-ups.
  • “She's now sleeping through the night. But, like, she's up at 4:35 every day.” (08:35, Alexandra)
• Avery empathizes, sharing her own daughter’s habit of sneaking into the parents’ room.
  • “I literally have a permanent twin size mattress next to my bed.” (09:29, Avery)

The Work-Life Blend

• Both couples discuss the privilege and challenge of flexible, creative careers, especially compared to their former healthcare jobs.
  • “...If you think you're still gonna have fomo, you're probably not ready for kids. Like, you can't have fomo.” (10:50, Alexandra)

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Meeting, Marriage, and Career Pivots

Origins: Tinder Tales

• Alex and John met on Tinder in 2016—starting with casual dates and a few months of cat-and-mouse before they became serious.
  • “We met on Tinder. Swiped right ... didn't start dating right away ... I was in my single girl era.” (11:10, Alexandra)
  • John humorously claims his persistence: “We have so much fun together. And then he switched it up ... I had to make a mental decision. I was like, I have to marry this guy.” (12:08, Alexandra)

From Health Care to Media

• Both transitioned from demanding healthcare roles (Alex as a filmmaker, John as an OT) to building a media business together, starting out of Alex’s grandma’s basement.
  • “Once we figure that out, we're pretty much fine.” (18:51, John on working together)
  • “He would work as an occupational therapist Monday through Friday, and then we would shoot weddings on the weekends.” (13:33, Alexandra)
  • John reflects on healthcare burnout:
    • “It really is. It's underpaid and... you are just working so hard for ... I mean, nursing is...” (14:23, John)

Going Full-Time Content Creators

• Their decision to leave steady jobs was gradual, waiting until their creative work could match their salary and acknowledging the emotional weight of leaving behind wedding videography.
  • “I truly held such a high honor ... it was really hard for me to give that up.” (20:40, Alexandra)

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Life Online, Vulnerability, and Humor

Staying Grounded in a Public Marriage

• The couple intentionally draws a line between their scripted comedic skits and their private life.
  • “It creates like a little bit of a divide ... we're not vlogging ... we recreate these comedic moments later on.” (22:00, Alexandra)
  • John explains their practical routine for segmenting work and family time, and maintaining perspective:
    • “We try to do as much as we can, like on a Monday and a Tuesday, and then kind of have some, like, time where it's just, like, family.” (22:43, John)

Work Ethic & Identity

• All three reflect on how coming from 'real jobs' in healthcare, with no family money to fall back on, shaped their approach to new media.
  • “But I feel like our work ethic and our drive is so much greater.” (23:21, Avery)

Humor as a Coping Mechanism

• Humor is the glue in Alex and John’s marriage—both on and off screen.
  • “We just love to fuck with each other ... we really use humor to, like, you know, dark humor with things that happen in our lives or just a lot of things to navigate.” (16:39, Alexandra)

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Navigating Loss in the Public Eye

Sharing Their Pregnancy and Loss Journey

• Alex and John openly discuss the loss of their first son, Leo, the challenges of a high-risk pregnancy, and making the choice to share publicly.
  • “I think for me, I couldn't hold it in. Like, I am a very vocal person. ... we were so excited about becoming new parents that I was like, we have to share that this is now what. This is a part of our journey.” (26:05, Alexandra)
  • John admits to being initially reluctant:
    • “Was I reluctant at first? Yeah... but I knew it was like a big outlet for Alex as well.” (27:21, John)

Processing Grief Differently

• Their distinct grief styles and the necessity of being vulnerable and honest with each other:
  • “I actually got a little bit resentful ... because I felt like he wasn't as connected as I was ... but we had to learn that together.” (28:45, Alexandra)

The Community of Loss, Hospital Experience, and Healing

• Alex shares how support from healthcare professionals (many with their own loss experiences) and the ‘loss community’ online helped enormously:
  • “A lot of the people who we actually interacted with during our loss ... they had experienced it themselves and that's why they were in the field.” (30:26, Alexandra)
  • Avery and Alex note the strange protective distance healthcare workers sometimes maintain:
    • “You put up a little bit of a wall. But I think that is also a healthy separation.” (31:57, Avery)

Humor After Heartbreak

• The couple’s controversial but healing use of dark humor resonates with others who’ve experienced loss:
  • “We weren't really sure. Prior to posting our first dark comedic skit about loss...it had just blown up in the lost community where they were like, you're saying what we're thinking or what we're feeling.” (34:06, Alexandra)

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Parenting After Loss & Joy in Everyday Moments

Pregnancy After Loss: Disconnected but Hopeful

• Alex explains her emotional distance during her pregnancy with Lucy out of self-protection:
  • “I honestly just operated as if I wasn't pregnant...I didn't want to talk about it, didn't have a baby shower...I didn't want to have to clean out another nursery.” (38:10, Alexandra)

The Joys and Surprises of Parenthood

• Both marvel at how naturally they’ve taken to being parents (“We're actually good at this!” (46:58, Alexandra)) and share gratitude for sleepless nights and routines after their difficult path.
  • “In the late nights up with her, I was like, I'm so thankful that we get to do this with her and she's here.” (47:21, Alexandra)
• Favorite things about Lucy include her babbling and pronounced personality.

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Marriage, Daily Life, and Rapid Fire Newlywed Fun

Arguments & Dynamics

• The “biggest fights” are about communication, daily logistics (“did you grab the stroller?”), and minor parenting mishaps.
  • “If there is an argument that we have, it's like lack of communication. Like, you said you were gonna grab the diaper bag..." (19:10, Alexandra)

Compliments and Descriptions

• John on Alex as a mom: “So nurturing. The best. You're a natural with her. And I love, like, your little combos you have.” (47:38, John)
• Alex on John as a dad: “I love seeing him love her so much. Like his heart has grown … seeing him being so vulnerable like with Lucy has just been so beautiful.” (49:09, Alexandra)

Rapid-Fire Newlywed Game Highlights
(52:56 onwards)

• Who said “I love you” first? Alex.
• Drink of choice? Dirty martinis with blue cheese olives—in-depth debate and restaurant recommendations ensue.
• Who takes longer to get ready? Alex (but John puts up a fair fight).
• Who has stronger dishwasher opinions? Alex, and she explains why John’s family is hopeless at loading dishwashers.
• Who’s more dramatic when sick? “Definitely John!” (58:25, Alexandra)
• Who would survive longer in the apocalypse? Neither; John wants out in the first five seconds (“I hope there’s a nuclear warhead ... right in the face first.” (59:23, John))
• Who’s more spontaneous? Alex; John needs everything planned.
• Who’s more stubborn? John, “we’re both Taurus but...”

Memorable Parenting Mishaps

• Hilarious tales of plane travel and projectile vomit showcase the messy reality of parenting.
  • “Lucy shits through her onesie all over Alex ... have to change her in the aisle ... I never want to do this again.” (63:17, John & Alexandra)
  • Avery's own story: solo travel, a sick toddler, and a fruit snack disaster.

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Notable Quotes

• “If you want time to slow down, get pregnant. If you want time to go at the speed of light, have a baby.” (03:14, Alexandra)
• “We just love to fuck with each other ... we really use humor to, like, you know, dark humor with things that happen in our lives.” (16:39, Alexandra)
• “We're actually both really good parents...it just comes to you...I felt like we were made to do this.” (46:57, Alexandra)
• “We're privileged that we don't have any real big stresses right now ... our arguments are so minimal.” (19:47, John)
• “You don't want to accept it because then you don't want to get your hopes up.” (45:46, Avery)
• “Why would I want to live any longer than the initial blast?” (59:23, John, apocalypse question)
• “We're gonna be helicopter parents for sure. I don't know and I don't care. I'm gonna helicopter the out of her.” (60:32, John)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:18 — Introduction to Alex and John, early banter about family/kids
• 03:51 — Deciding about having another child
• 10:23 — The flexibility of careers and parenting
• 11:04 — How they met: Tinder origin story
• 13:33 — Career changes: OT + filmmaker to business owners
• 14:23 — Healthcare burnout and family backgrounds
• 16:31 — How social media and couple content began
• 19:10 — How they argue (or don’t), communication issues
• 20:40 — The choice to leave traditional work for creative work
• 22:00 — Staying grounded in public life; skit-based content
• 26:05 — Publicly sharing the loss of baby Leo
• 34:06 — Using dark humor in loss, public reception
• 38:10 — Pregnancy after loss, protecting hope
• 47:38 — Compliments between spouses as parents
• 52:56 — Fun rapid-fire newlywed questions
• 63:17 — Hilarious travel and parenting fails

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Memorable Moments

• Alex hugging (not hooking up) on the first date, then tossing John’s early “marriage” paintings in the trash.
• Vivid, hilarious exchanges about plane mishaps and disastrous toddler experiences.
• The dishwasher debate—parallel lines only!
• John’s refusal to survive the apocalypse; both are gleefully honest about their “bare minimum” survival instincts.
• A recurring theme that humor and open communication are their lifelines, especially in hardship.

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Overall Tone & Takeaways

The episode exudes warmth, humor, and unsparing honesty. The Madisons model how to keep laughter alive through the hardest losses, why being public with pain can foster community, and how partnership is built on both loving banter and a shared willingness to grow. Both Avery and the Madisons allow listeners a seat at a table—wine in hand, laughter through tears—where nothing is off-limits and every parent (or couple, or hopeful parent, or loss survivor) can find a little bit of themselves.

Best for:
Fans of slice-of-life storytelling, parents navigating the mess of modern family, couples learning to laugh through chaos, anyone processing loss or work/life transitions, and lovers of smart, snappy banter.

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Find Alex and John: @alexandramadison @giveittomestraight (and Google for the rest!)
Thanks for listening—cheers!

Transcript

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[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

I'm so excited cuz I just got two of the upholstered armchairs with the

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

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[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

Hey, it's Avery. Welcome to Cheers. Alex and John.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yay.

[Avery Woods]

I am so happy to be sitting down with you guys. I adore you both. I adore your story. I followed you forever. You know this.

[Alexandra Madison]

I didn't know that, but thank you. And likewise, thank you for having us.

[Avery Woods]

Oh my gosh. I'm so grateful you're here and I think I found you through Kat. Oh, okay. Like a long, long time ago. I love your story and I love your honesty and your Humor. And I am so excited just to be sitting down with you.

[John Madison]

Thank you for having us.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

We're so excited to be here. How are you guys?

[Alexandra Madison]

How are we? I don't know. This morning I was like, I want to punch John in the head. But, like, that's just standard. But, like, we're doing okay right now. Yeah.

[John Madison]

Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. We're on a work trip here, so we were like, we want to see you. And then. So missing Lucy. We have our daughter. She's eight months, and so. Yeah, work trips are hard.

[Avery Woods]

We were talking about that. How is she? Eight months?

[Alexandra Madison]

Flies. I just flew by. I feel like if you want time to slow down, get pregnant. If you want time to go at the speed of light, have a baby.

[Avery Woods]

Yes. And then when you have another baby, having, like, a toddler running around. At least in my situation, a toddler running around and then a newborn when you're, like, up all night breastfeeding and they're growing so fast. I blinked, and we were just talking like, my son's gonna be eight this year. That's such a big kid age. It's wild how fast it goes.

[Alexandra Madison]

Almost double digits. That's crazy.

[Avery Woods]

I know. We were in the car this morning. He was like, mom, I'm almost double digits. He said that. I know. It's crazy. So soak it in. I know it's. It can be hard, but how, like,

[Alexandra Madison]

did you decide, too? Because I think that's. That's where we're at. We're like, one is like. It feels so blissful. And I'm like, do we want to disturb the chaos?

[Avery Woods]

So I'll be totally.

[John Madison]

I'm sorry. First of all, I was in question. I'm like, I'm good. I'm good with one. I don't. Like. Alex is having this internal battle. Like, I'm part of it.

[Alexandra Madison]

But, yeah, we just, like. I think that that's for me personally, because I'm like, you know. Yeah, we'll talk about Natasha. We're going to do what we. We decide to do.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Alexandra Madison]

But, yeah. How do you kind of get there?

[Avery Woods]

So I'll be honest with you. When Ziggy was born, David scheduled a vasectomy. I was kind of good. Missed having Ziggy. As he got a little bit older and more mobile, we were like, okay. We felt like it was kind of selfish to not give him a sibling to grow up with and have that time together because David was an only child, and so he felt like he was Always missing that type of family unit. My mom was an only child and she was always saying it was really hard for her, especially as she got into her adult years, that she didn't have, like, siblings to lean on. And then my sister and I were five years apart, so she moved out of the house when I was 15, I think. And she's in the military, so she was always traveling. So we were like, we do eventually want another kid, but we wanted them to be quite a bit apart.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

During the pandemic, when ziggy was like 18 months old, my IUD was embedded in my uterus.

[Alexandra Madison]

Oh, my God.

[Avery Woods]

It like randomly happened.

[Alexandra Madison]

Did you need surgery for that?

[Avery Woods]

No, unfortunately. She just like kind of ripped it out of me in the office. Lovely. And she was like, like, what's your plans for. For kids? Do we want to put another one in? And I was like, well, we do want another kid. It's probably not going to be like another year to two years, because I wanted them like three to five years apart was my goal. And again, this is also during the pandemic when I was working full time in the icu. So I was like, I don't want to be pregnant during the pandemic. And she took my IUD on. She was like, well, I don't want to put another one in if you're going to want to try in the next, like, year or two. And I immediately got pregnant.

[Alexandra Madison]

Really?

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[John Madison]

I've heard like horror stories about IUDs too, where like half time it doesn't

[Alexandra Madison]

work and we just do the old school pull out method. And that's just.

[John Madison]

I'm a champion.

[Avery Woods]

I'll be honest with you. I used to take Plan B like it was Smarties back in the day, like when David and I were first dating and even first married, like when I was still in nursing school. And we were like, we cannot have a baby right now. Yeah, we were pulling out.

[Alexandra Madison]

At least you knew, though. And you were like, I know for sure. I think for me, I was like, listen, we're married. If I get pregnant, I get pregnant. But yeah, it was always. We were always like on the fence about it, though. And now, especially with two, it's like the chaos of it and like disturbing that piece. But you have a lot of experience with only children, so hearing their perspectives helps.

[John Madison]

It's not what I wanted to hear, though.

[Alexandra Madison]

I know. It's interesting because I feel like sometimes siblings aren't always friends either. So, like, you could still grow up lonely with siblings. But do they get along.

[Avery Woods]

Yes. So I will say they're either best friends or worst enemies. But if they're worst enemies, it's for like five seconds fighting over a toy or something. But like, even when we surprise Stevie for, for her birthday at Disneyland, she was emotional that brother wasn't there with her. And still like last night she was literally crying to me putting her to bed, like, I just want to go to Disneyland with brother. Like, she wanted to share that moment with him. So they're two years, seven months apart.

[Alexandra Madison]

That's good.

[Avery Woods]

And I also was like other different genders. I don't know if they're going to have a lot in common, but they are best friends. And now, now that we're out of like the trenches where we had a newborn and a toddler, they do entertain themselves together, so.

[John Madison]

Well, that's huge.

[Alexandra Madison]

And I feel like travel them too. They have a buddy because we were talking about that. We're like, if you go away, it's just gonna be like, I don't want her to feel like she's third wheeling, like a couple where she's alone. Because I grew up with siblings. So did John. And so, yeah, we've just been like having these conversations. So I love to talk to parents who. But it's nice to know that like, you're out of it. The trenches. And like, it's probably hard for a season.

[Avery Woods]

I'm sure it's hard for a season. But I will say, I look back and it's still some of the happiest times of my whole life. Like that 18 months. I would say like 10 to 18 months is probably like my sweet spot. Like I loved that age so much when they're like having a personality.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. Trying to walk. It's getting so fun.

[Avery Woods]

Yes. But now it's so fun having like grown up conversations with my kids. It's really weird actually.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

I'm like, I don't, I don't know who you are or where you came from. And I was just telling you I feel like they're so much smarter than me. So I'm like, okay, at least I got that. Like you're better off than I am.

[Alexandra Madison]

That's the goal is to have your kids do better than you do.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. But you will feel right in the moment, like if you get to that point where you're considering having another baby for her, you're going to feel like, okay, now's the time. But don't force yourself to do it just because everyone's right.

[Alexandra Madison]

She's Also only eight months. I'm like, she's still a horrible sleeper. I'm like, we got time, right? Yeah. Oh, she was not a good sleep

[John Madison]

and still she's basically waking up like every two hours.

[Alexandra Madison]

She's not. Still not.

[John Madison]

But what like a month ago? She's almost nine months now.

[Alexandra Madison]

And we tried everything. We were like, let's try co sleeping. No. Let's try, you know, sleep training. No, we tried everything and we like didn't want to torture her and we really wanted to like follow lead. But she's now, she's now sleeping through the night. But like she's up at 4:35 every day, so.

[Avery Woods]

And you're breastfeeding?

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Avery Woods]

It's. I did taking care of babies with both my kids sleep training program, which is like the non cry it out method. Okay. She was a NICU nurse and she does a sleep training program. And that was when I was breastfeeding and also working 12 hour shifts. So I was like, I have to sleep or else it's just like not safe like this. So we sleep trained them. But now I think Stevie is going on like nine months of coming in my room every night. Like all of a sudden when she turned 4, I don't know what it was, but she started like remembering her dreams when she wakes up. So she was having bad dreams and she would wake up scared. So she come down to our room. So I literally have a permanent twin size mattress next to my bed.

[Alexandra Madison]

Stop.

[Avery Woods]

And she comes in every night between like 1 and 3, but she doesn't wake us up.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

She just like wants to be near us. And so it's, it is never ending.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. But also I was gonna say there's always a regression.

[John Madison]

As long as she sleeps, she could sleep with us for as long as she wants.

[Alexandra Madison]

And that's why I was like, listen, she could come in our room.

[John Madison]

I just don't need her doing parkour in the fucking bed at 2 in the morning.

[Avery Woods]

Oh yeah. Oh yeah.

[John Madison]

Yeah. Chill out.

[Avery Woods]

That's what Dave and I told ourselves. We were like, okay, we're gonna be sad when this moment isn't here anymore. Cause she's our last baby. So if this gives her comfort, I'm not gonna fight her on it.

[Alexandra Madison]

Right, Exactly.

[Avery Woods]

There's gonna be a time where she's not gonna wanna sleep in our room.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. She's not gonna wanna hang out. Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

But it is. Parenting is so wild, isn't it?

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. It just goes so. I just can't believe how quickly it Actually goes, yeah. And again, I'm glad we decided to have babies in our 30s. I just feel so much more present and, like, that we're able to give her time. And so that's, like, what I feel so thankful for.

[Avery Woods]

And having our very flexible career that we're privileged to have where we can work from home and travel as little or as much as we want. And I look back and I'm like, oh, I wish I was in this place now with my kids. And obviously, it wasn't meant to be. Be. And working as a nurse, I feel like I miss so many firsts, but that's why I'm so grateful.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

To be able to have so much time with them. Right. Yeah.

[John Madison]

Like, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything now. I love that because we did so much before Lucy came in, so.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. Yeah. And that's it, too. We're like, if you think you're still gonna have fomo, you're probably not ready for kids. Like, you can't have fomo.

[Avery Woods]

Totally.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. Because she'll always come first.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, exactly.

[Avery Woods]

Okay. I want to take it back because I actually don't know how you guys met, and I would love to know.

[Alexandra Madison]

I'll give you the floor, John.

[John Madison]

I. I'm one word. I'm like Tinder. We met on Tinder.

[Avery Woods]

Did you really?

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. We met on Tinder.

[John Madison]

Swiped right.

[Alexandra Madison]

In 2016. We met on Tinder. But, like, we didn't start dating right away. It was kind of just like, again, let's hook up. We didn't hook up. Well, not the first date. The second date, we hooked up.

[John Madison]

Real class.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. You gave me a hug the first date. Then the second date, we hooked up.

[Avery Woods]

But then. Hug is crazy.

[Alexandra Madison]

I know.

[Avery Woods]

She's crazy.

[John Madison]

I thought.

[Alexandra Madison]

Excuse me.

[John Madison]

First off, I thought we were just getting a drink. Alex sits down, orders a whole pizza. Orders, like, all this stuff. I'm like, what the fuck?

[Alexandra Madison]

I'm sorry. Like, girls gotta eat.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. 100. I respect that. But I wouldn't be eating cheese before I'm hooking up with anyone.

[John Madison]

Oh, that's true.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. Well, I had. I had something to do after that, so I knew, like, it wasn't. It was like, an earlier date anyway. So. Yeah, we met on Tinder, and it wasn't, like, immediate. It was, like, a few months of, like, you know, cat and mouse, where I'm like, no, I'm just, like, in my single girl era. And he's like, we have so much fun together. And then he switched it up. Like, we ran into each other at a bar. And again, this was before I caught on.

[John Madison]

After months of torture.

[Alexandra Madison]

I feel like this before. Like, really. I mean, 2016, I guess social media was still a thing. But he's at a bar, and he sees me from across the bar, waves, and, like, gives me this look like, fuck you.

[Avery Woods]

That is such a John way.

[Alexandra Madison]

And then he walks off, and I'm like, are you serious? Like, he's. He always would come over to me, just, like, court me and be like, you're my wife. We're gonna get married. Like, our second date, we did a paint night. He tells me. He goes, sign my. Sign my last name on your paintings.

[John Madison]

You're like, you're really making me sound like such a creep. It wasn't to me. It was.

[Alexandra Madison]

I was like, okay, weirdo, red flag. I threw the paintings away. Stop talking to him in front of me. Duh.

[John Madison]

She took the painting through the trash.

[Alexandra Madison]

Now, of course, I'm just like, I would fucking marry him. But anyway, so he walks away from me at the bar, and I was like, how dare you? And that's when I had to make a mental decision. I was like, I have to marry this gu. And so I stalked him to the next bar, and then I was like, listen, we are meant to be. And then we.

[John Madison]

So I. You know, I won in the end.

[Avery Woods]

So it's been 10 years?

[Alexandra Madison]

Pretty much, yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Or like, on your first.

[John Madison]

Yeah.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

How long after that did you get engaged?

[Alexandra Madison]

Not long. Like a year and a half.

[Avery Woods]

Okay.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Compared to, you know, I mean, you were young, though.

[John Madison]

Well, you were young. We moved fast because we started a company. We. Within nine months of dating, we moved to New York, moved into your grandma's basement, started our wedding company. I mean, I just feel like that makes sure.

[Alexandra Madison]

I was a filmmaker and I was working for a company, and John saw my work, and he was like, you have to do this on your own. Like, you have to start your own brand. Because I was doing a lot of the heavy lifting for this company. And I was like, I just can't do it alone. Like, I need a second shooter with me. I need another editor. And he was like, train me. I'll do it. Trained him. He would work as an occupational therapist Monday through Friday, and then we would shoot weddings on the weekends. Lived in my grandma's basement. Saved a bunch of money, but, yeah, so we got into media together when we started dating, and so.

[John Madison]

So as a fellow healthcare worker, yeah, I wanted out so quick. I'm like, how. How can you get me out of this?

[Avery Woods]

I love my ots, by the way. Like, especially in peds.

[John Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

We loved our.

[John Madison]

I have so much respect for health care, like so much with like my peers and everyone. But it is. It's so grinding and the burnout is real. My mom, so my mom was an rn. She's a nurse practitioner now. She's doctor of nursing. My sister's a pharmacist.

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

Wow.

[John Madison]

So I've come from a healthcare background, but I mean, it really is. It's underpaid and. And you are just working so hard for. I mean, nursing is.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[John Madison]

Even LPNs.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. Oh, every CNAs.

[John Madison]

Like it's CNA, definitely.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. And in the hospital I worked at, in the PICU, we didn't have CNAs and so.

[John Madison]

So you were the CNA.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. Wow.

[Alexandra Madison]

That's a lot.

[Avery Woods]

Because we worked in a level. I worked in a level one trauma, so the kids were the sickest of the sick. Right. So most of them were on a ventilator. So cnas couldn't really do much to help us if they wanted to. And so the RNs really did everything. But I agree, it's so underpaid, Underappreciated.

[John Madison]

How many patients per nurse max?

[Avery Woods]

2. But we can only have one vent at a time. Yeah. Unless we had a cardiac kid. So we also had a cardiac. We had a CVICU in our picu. So we had a lot of open heart babies. And so that was a one to one. So we also did ECMO in our facility. And then I was cross trained to nicu and so I would kind of go back and forth between both.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

And you see so much that the world doesn't understand.

[John Madison]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

You know, like you think you see stuff on the news or a documentary. It's like you have no idea.

[John Madison]

So you see it in person world.

[Alexandra Madison]

He would come home so burnt out.

[Avery Woods]

Yes.

[Alexandra Madison]

And again, because first off, I wasn't

[John Madison]

in, you know, emergency. I was in a nursing home.

[Avery Woods]

Okay.

[John Madison]

But you're still. Especially during. COVID was kind of crazy.

[Avery Woods]

Oh, yeah.

[John Madison]

I mean that was the number one population that was getting.

[Alexandra Madison]

And that's how we started. He'd come home burnt out from being an essential worker. And I'm like, I have an idea. Had no weddings to do. So I'm like, let's do TikTok.

[John Madison]

I'm peeling my scrubs off. I'm like, what?

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Wait. Okay. I was going to ask. So this is how you guys started on social media.

[Alexandra Madison]

It was during the pandemic. He's going in as an essential worker. All of our weddings and like production work was postponed to the next year because no one was working on sets or like having big events. And so I'm like, what am I going to do? You know, I'm on social media like everyone else. I start posting our very like highly curated cinematic content because I'm like, this is just beautiful work. Of course it's going to do well. No, the only stuff that started doing well was like low quality. And I say low quality but like shot on an iPhone. We put our cameras away and then couple content is like what we slowly found ourselves in. So started during the pandemic.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, and it's, it's always very humor based. Has that always been like a big part of your relationship or that just come naturally for social media?

[Alexandra Madison]

I think we, yeah, we always just love to fuck with each other and so that's just like where we found like our common ground was through humor. And again we always say like we're never really mad at each other long because number one, like now we work together, we don't have time to be mad. But starting the business together, we couldn't. So like we really use humor to like, you know, dark humor with things that happen in our lives or just a lot of things to navigate. We just always go back to humor.

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[Ashley Furniture Representative]

I feel like with summer coming, there

[Avery Woods]

are so many summer events coming up,

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

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[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

What do you guys think you fight the most about?

[John Madison]

So I think what happens with us is navigating something new all the time. So, like, when we started the company roles, like, I didn't know what my role, like, learn like a learning curve, you know, so it was like that moving who's in charge of finances, like, getting all that initial stuff out of the way. Like now having Lucy, it's like delegating who's doing what. But once we figure that out, we're pretty much fine.

[Alexandra Madison]

I know. It's really just like, if there. If there is an argument that we have, it's like lack of communication. Like, you said you were gonna grab the diaper bag. And it's like if we show up somewhere and we forgo got the stroller, I'm like, you were supposed to grab.

[John Madison]

Did that two days ago. We're like, what?

[Alexandra Madison]

And you could see us, like, looking, trying to blame each other, and we're

[Avery Woods]

like, it's nobody's fault. Like, but also surviving without a stroller sucks. Yeah.

[Alexandra Madison]

So it's a lot of those things now. But, like, we really don't. I. I say this and it's like, so lame. But, like, we really are friends.

[Avery Woods]

Like, that's how I feel with Dave and I. It's like, it's like tiny little. It's not even an argument. It's just like a little spitz.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. Like, what the.

[John Madison]

We're also. We're also all privileged that we're like, we don't have any real big stresses right now. Like, I'm not like, freaking out over finances or like having to go to a 9 to 5 or whatever. Like, so our arguments are so, like, minimal.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. We try to, like, delegate a lot. And so I think that that helps. But, like, communication is number one.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. I feel the same. Where back in the day when we had nothing to our Name. We were so broke and like, every paycheck mattered down to the penny. That was the biggest stressor in our relationship. And I don't think it was necessarily us fighting about each other's spending. It was just like the overhead stress that was like, constantly weighing on us, like a dark cloud following us, you know?

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

We're so lucky.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. No, we talk about that all the time too. I'm like, we could go back to grandma's basement, you know?

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. Which is very humbling to think back to just a few years ago, you know, what was the moment that you guys realized you could do it full time?

[Alexandra Madison]

We didn't want to do it full time until, like, we knew that we could match the salary or more. And so. But it actually, it was still hard because for us, doing weddings is such an intimate thing to do. Like, you're creating heirlooms for people. And I truly held such, like a high honor of like being spending one of the most important days with people and capturing these memories for them. So, like, I really did love doing weddings. There were such long days and it was like a lot of editing in the back end, but it was really hard for me to give that up. But, like, our team had a lot of heart to hearts with us and they were like, you guys can't. And we knew that we had to walk away when we started getting. Becoming a distraction at weddings.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, that's interesting. It's kind of the same with me. I did both for so long and my team was like, we love you and you like being humble and like keeping this consistent paycheck in your career you worked hard for. But there's going to be a time where you're going to have to choose. And then it was when my patients parents started recognizing me.

[John Madison]

It's also tough when you're doing so many. Like, we had, I was still an ot. We had the podcast, we had weddings.

[Alexandra Madison]

We were trying to, yeah. Do too many things at once.

[John Madison]

And we had digital.

[Alexandra Madison]

We wanted to do one thing well. We really had to focus in on that.

[Avery Woods]

What do you think keeps you guys grounded in your marriage being so public online?

[Alexandra Madison]

I would say you can maybe have your own answer, but I think the fact that we do skip based content really helps because it creates like a little bit of a divide. Like, we're not vlogging. We're not like sharing every intimate moment or feeling like we have to or like, if we didn't like, catch a moment, we recreate these comedic moments later on. So I think that like, it allows us to be really present, you know, in our lives. I don't know.

[John Madison]

I don't share the same.

[Avery Woods]

Ditto.

[John Madison]

I don't know. Well, we also had the podcast where then that was more.

[Alexandra Madison]

But it was like, sit down. I just feel like, you know, and you were going on a trip. Like, we were able to, like, enjoy it and not really be like, okay, let's make sure that we're capturing for the vlog. And to each their own. Some people are great at that. That was just where we were. Like, we want to be able to.

[John Madison]

Oh, you're talking, like, we have, like, a point of separation between, like, work and, like, our lives. Yeah. Because we're pretty good at, like, structuring our days where we, like, try to do as much as we can, like on a Monday and a Tuesday, and then kind of have some, like, time where just like, family.

[Alexandra Madison]

But I think, yeah, also the people in our lives, like, I still have all of my best friends who I grew up with, like, in college. Our family members are close. And I think just like, knowing that this is all just a blessing and it could be gone in a minute, you know, and we all come, like, we've worked such hard jobs growing up and, like, to get here, so it's not like this was overnight for us. So I think that, like, putting in the work, putting the hours, it helped us, like, really appreciate, like, where we've gotten to.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. I had this conversation with Jackie Aina, who I love so much, about the difference of people in our industry when they've come from a really hard working career where they don't have, you know, family money to fall back on or people to kind of pick you up versus the people that maybe grew up in this industry or more privileged, like, from what I came from, for an example. But I feel like our work ethic and our drive is so much greater. 100 and trust me, there are so many people that I've met in this industry or that come from a different background than I do that work so hard. And I'm not discrediting that, but I feel like, like, for me, for example, I was like, I can't give up my consistent paycheck. Two weeks. I only get one brand deal this month. You know, I'm like, I got kids.

[Alexandra Madison]

John is still doing his therapy.

[John Madison]

Well, we worked hard for those degrees. I mean, I can't believe I even passed the board exam. So I'm going to keep that.

[Avery Woods]

Hell, yeah.

[John Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

That's what I told David. I was like, I will renew this constantly because I'm not taking the nclex every day.

[John Madison]

I'll never, never, never again. I won't be able to pass it.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, exactly. And it's. I don't know, there's just something. Maybe it's my pride, but I'm like, I just don't want it to go away.

[Alexandra Madison]

No, But I. We also, like, love the.

[John Madison]

It's part of your identity too, you

[Alexandra Madison]

know, And I think just working hard and being able to, like, look back and be like, that was really hard.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Alexandra Madison]

And, you know, so I think that that helps.

[Avery Woods]

And you guys, on your podcast, this. There is separation, because you guys do a lot of advice. Like, people will kind of send you guys questions and advice, which I think is really cool, because even though you do have a separation from your content in your real life, people do see what a stable marriage you have, which is really special.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. I think. I think, again, it's because we've of. We've done a lot of work. I've been on a lot of therapy. But, like, it's not like we don't have our problems, but I think that we know that at the end of the day, we're a team and, like, working through that together. And so I feel like, you know, it was never our intention to display that and be like the. The poster child of marriage on the Internet, but I think it's just like, that's. We're just being ourselves, you know?

[John Madison]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

Well, and you guys are really vulnerable, too. You went through a very public loss with Leo. What made you feel so comfortable sharing that? Like, was it something that you contemplated maybe just touching on and then kind of moving forward with your life?

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Or obviously, as a pick, you nurse. Like, I, you know, experience this type of situation with so many different parents, and it's. It's just the worst possible thing to happen. Yeah. But I think. I think reading your guys's comments, it fills me with so much joy that you guys have helped so many people in your situation, because people don't really talk about that kind of thing. What. What gave you the strength to be so public about that situation?

[Alexandra Madison]

I think for me, I couldn't hold it in. Like, I am a very vocal person. Like, the way that I process hard things is by talking about it. I think I just. I don't. I don't think I felt like I owed it to anybody, but we were so excited about becoming new parents that I was like, we have to share that this is now what. This is a Part of our journey. So when we were pregnant with Leo, we knew pretty early on that it was a high risk pregnancy. Like, he had a massive hole in his heart. And so there was a lot of things that they were like, he's gonna need this surgery, he's gonna need that surgery. So we were very prepared for already a really rough road with him and that we kept behind the scenes because we were like, we don't need to, you know, talk about this yet. We're gonna, like, see what happens and just like, really move forward with hope and faith that, like, this will all work out. And then when we lost him, I just, I couldn't believe it because I feel like I truly have such, like, optimistic tendencies where I'm just like, it's all gonna work out. Lucky girl syndrome. And in a way, sure, it does work out. You know, we have Lucy. I love her so much in the moment. Obviously you can't, you know, Hindsight is in 2020 then. But I think I just felt like I had a duty to share my experience, our experience. And I also wasn't going to do it without, you know, him, because it was his experience.

[John Madison]

Was I reluctant at first? Yeah, because I don't want to, like, air out what's going on in our lives. But one, it was therapeutic for both of us to talk about it. Our lives are public. And I. I honestly didn't know how it was going to go, how it's going to be taking us talking about it. But I knew it was like a big outlet for Alex as well. So I was, whatever, whatever to kind of get over it was. It was just tough.

[Alexandra Madison]

Our grief journeys were so different though, because I think I knew I had to sit in it and process it. And John was like, let's just like, let's move on to the next chapter. But then I think he was also trying to preserve himself, to be there for me and be strong for me. And then I've never gone.

[John Madison]

Neither one of us has ever gone through an experience like that before. Like, I don't know how to navigate it. And I think my natural instinct was like, let me just make sure Alex is okay. Whatever we gotta do in the moment, and then I'll fucking figure out, leave

[Alexandra Madison]

later, you know, at a bar in the Hamptons, and I look and John's crying and I'm like, oh, this is supposed to be fun. And I'm like, oh, shit. Like, it's hitting him now when, like, I'm okay and now he's going through this.

[Avery Woods]

It's so different for a mom and a dad. Right. Cause obviously you're carrying him. Your body is different.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

But you don't have the. This baby in your arms. But then for John, it's his son. Yeah. That he's so excited to meet. So it's like, not only are you grieving differently, but you're processing different emotions because you both experienced it in far different ways.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. Yeah. And I think that that's what the major difference was. And, like, I actually got a little bit resentful, like, post loss, because I felt like he wasn't as connected as I was, which makes sense. Like, I was physically growing him. And, like, I don't want to say he was just an idea to John because, like, he was physically here, but, like, we didn't have a life with him yet. And so John didn't have the type of connection that I had. And I don't think had the same emotional experience of that loss that I did. Like, they're completely different, but we had to learn that together. And I. We actually met with a grief counselor once, and she kind of helped us. Like, you know, just say, like, this is normal. Everybody goes through this. But I didn't realize, though, that, like, I needed him to be strong for me. I didn't need him to, like, be breaking down for me in that moment. Like, he had to kind of be my rock, because I don't think that I would have been able to process it and be. Get through it if he wasn't. If he was grieving as heavily as I was at first.

[Avery Woods]

Speaking of, you know, coming from the healthcare background, I. I wanted to ask for those that. Listen, that are a part of the healthcare community. Your experience in the hospital during this, was there certain things that your healthcare team did for you that made this just a little bit easier or helped you in a way that you didn't know that you needed.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, I mean, I think everybody was just so gentle and very kind. I don't know. Did you. What was your experience?

[John Madison]

Every time we went in, there was a fucking bad news every single time. So, like, no, I hated it. Well, I knew going in something bad or something new was gonna happen. We were, like, going in somewhat optimistic, and then leaving these appointments, they'd be

[Alexandra Madison]

like, the, okay, we found something else. And it was like the way you're taking forever looking at the scans, but then the loss itself, like, everybody was just so, like, again, very. A lot of the people who we actually interacted with during our loss or, like, after the loss they had experienced it themselves and that's why they were in the field. Specifically, they were like, I went through this and that's why, like, I'm working with you one on one is because, like, I did this. It connected us with so many people after losing Leo. You know, like a huge loss community, just like from posting or people who we've met in our real life. Like, I didn't realize that there was this community. And again, it's a club that you never want to be a part of, but until you're a part of it, like, it's just a horrible experience. But like, you're just so changed and like, kind and like they were so grace. Graceful, gracious with us. Like going through that experience. Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Going through that so far into your pregnancy too. It's just something that you're like, it's never going to be me. Even though you guys knew 100 information about him.

[Alexandra Madison]

Oh, yeah.

[Avery Woods]

You know, it's like, oh, well, he's at a viable gestational age, like, you know, 26 weeks.

[Alexandra Madison]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

I think that's what it was.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

It's like you don't. You just never think it's going to be you. But I feel like at least I'm so glad you had a good experience with the people that you interact with at the hospital because that is unfortunately something that, you know, I saw every day and it's such a sensitive matter and you want to make sure that you do the parents, right.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

You know.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. Because I feel like, like what you. I don't wanna say that you get hard to it, but you probably are like, this happens every day, you know, like, this is.

[Avery Woods]

You put up a little bit of a wall. But I think that is also a healthy separation. So you don't bring it home. At least for me. When I had kids, I was like, I can't bring this into my family. And it also made me a very anxious parent because again, working at a level on trauma, I saw the worst of the worst and like the weirdest accidents, like the freakish things that would happen. One in a million. Right. And so then I'd be like, David, they can't. He's like, you can't wrap them in bubble wrap.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

They have to be kids.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

So it's so challenging. But I. I think you guys handled it just so beautifully and you've helped so many people and you should be so proud of that. And I love that you already touched on the dark humor thing.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Because your guys skits and stuff. It's like you want to laugh with you guys and. But it's also, you know, you're like,

[Alexandra Madison]

should I like this? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Avery Woods]

But also, David and I have gotten some weird ass looks from people because we also have the weirdest dark humor because of our jobs.

[Alexandra Madison]

Oh yeah.

[Avery Woods]

And people are like, is this insane?

[John Madison]

I'm sure he's seen some crazy shit too.

[Avery Woods]

Insane. 12 years in law enforcement. Yeah, crazy. But you have to cope in a way that makes you okay if you're

[Alexandra Madison]

not laughing or crying.

[Avery Woods]

Yes, exactly. Or you're like so fucked up in the head, you know, and so there's enough sad stuff. Okay. Yeah.

[Alexandra Madison]

And I think that that's what it was. I was like, like, that's our way of healing. And like, while it might make other people uncomfortable, like, I'm uncomfortable. And so like we were just going to walk through this together and I don't know, we were just naturally like saying certain things and I'm like, that's funny. Like, I wonder if other people who've gone through loss feel this way. And like, we weren't really sure. Prior to posting our first like dark comedic skit about loss. I was so nervous. I was like, is this so out of touch? Like, is this, this not honoring the, the, you know, loss of our son? Like, but this is also our experience. And so again, like, I sent it to our team. I was like, is this out of touch? Like, is. They're like, this is your experience. Just post it, see what happens. So it was one of those, like, post and throw my phone. I'll come back to it in an hour. And then like it had just blown up in the lost community where they were like, you're saying what we're thinking

[John Madison]

or what we're feeling, we also don't want to do in a way where like, people feel sorry for us.

[Alexandra Madison]

I don't.

[John Madison]

That's the last thing I want. And we had to say something.

[Avery Woods]

Even with you being on edge about it, you're being sensitive of other people's feelings. But this is also your experience. Correct. And you have experienced loss and this is how you're dealing with it. And it might not be the way everyone is, but I think people really resonate with that type of content because it makes, it's very real and people don't usually share that type of thing.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, similar to what you said, it's like you never think it's gonna be you and then it just creates a whole nother list of worries. Was like pregnancy after loss too I was like here we go again, you know. But I think again all of this and I think speaking publicly on it really was a healing tool and therapeutic and just helpful with other people. But it was like a two way street. I feel like hearing other people's stories help me and then vice versa.

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

I feel like with summer coming, there

[Avery Woods]

are so many summer events coming up,

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

there's so many weddings, there's vacations, themed parties, you name it. And you know that feeling when all your friends are getting married and suddenly every weekend your summer is booked. You could spend hundreds of dollars on guest looks or you could rent your clothes from nuuly for just $98.

[Avery Woods]

For me, I'm always on Pinterest and

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

I feel like my style is constantly evolving and changing so I never want to fully commit and pay to have this whole new wardrobe that I might only wear one time. And so Nuuly is a perfect solution for that. You could buy every micro trend that you might end up hating, or you could just skip the commitment and rent trends from Nuuly. You're packing for vacation but nothing feels cool or weather appropriate. You could buy a whole new wardrobe for your trip or you could rent stuff from Nuuly and send it back when you're done. Nuuly is a great value at 98amonth for any six styles. But right now you can get 28 off your first month. When you sign up with the code Cheers, just go to n U-U-L-Y.com and enter the code Cheers at sign up to get 20 off your first month. That's N-U-U-L-Y.com newly with two U's and code cheers for 20 off your first month at newly subscription clothing rental Summer break should be fun, but it's also important to keep young minds active. IXL helps kids stay engaged and avoid losing progress between school years. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning. Whether they're building math confidence, strengthening reading and writing skills, or reviewing science concepts. IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the US and studies showed kids who use IXL score higher on test tests proven in all 50 states. I excel is a program that we used for Ziggy in between kindergarten and first grade and it truly changed the game for us. Just like every kid, he loves to be on his iPad. We don't allow things like YouTube, but we love downloading learning games for him and he thinks IXL is the funnest game, even though he's actually learning something. Because we moved mid school year for

[Avery Woods]

kindergarten, we wanted to make sure he

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

was on the right track to be able to be at the first grade level going into his new school. And I excel kept him on track. Now that Stevie going into kindergarten, she's also been using IXL because she wants to be just like brother. And they both are loving it. They're both finishing their school year strong.

[Avery Woods]

Stevie is finishing TK and Ziggy is

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

finishing first grade going into second, which is crazy. So they've been using IXL to review key skills, stay sharp over the summer, and build confidence in challenging areas. I'm excited because it gives them both a head start for next year. And who does not want their kid to exceed make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and Cheers with Avery Woods. Listeners can get an exclusive 20 off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com cheers Visit ixl.com cheers to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Avery Woods]

And now you have your beautiful baby.

[Alexandra Madison]

Our angel.

[Avery Woods]

She's so cute.

[John Madison]

Little Lulu Canoe.

[Avery Woods]

How was that pregnancy experience for you?

[Alexandra Madison]

So scary. I was so disconnected.

[Avery Woods]

I was gonna say it was every day. Like, is she okay?

[Alexandra Madison]

I honestly just operated as if I wasn't pregnant. Like, I wasn't, you know, drinking or doing drugs. But, like, I just continued the pregnancy as if, like, I didn't want to talk about it. Didn't have a baby shower. I didn't want anyone to because I didn't. We didn't have a baby shower with Leo because he was 26 weeks when we lost him. But, like, we were planning it. We still had his nursery done. But I was like, I'm not doing the nursery. I'm not having a baby shower. We're not speaking of this until she's here. Like, I did not want a single thing. And when people did give me something, I gave it to my mom. I said, get it out of my house. Like, I did not want to have to clean out another nursery. Like, that was the hardest thing for me to do. And so I didn't want a house full of things that I was just going to have to get rid of. I tried to force myself to get excited. We didn't announce that we were pregnant until around, like, 30 week, 32 weeks. I was in the third trimester.

[Avery Woods]

Oh, I screamed at myself when I saw that. I was like, oh, that made the

[John Madison]

time go by faster too. Cuz we're like, let's just, like, make sure she's healthy and won't say anything.

[Alexandra Madison]

People started stopping me in public, and they're like, you're pregnant? And I'm like, no.

[Avery Woods]

Like, no, I'm not.

[Alexandra Madison]

I'm just. I'm just getting so. That was hard. And then I was like, you know what? This is another thing that's really challenging for me that I'm sure other people can relate to. Pregnancy after loss is scary as fuck. I don't want to. I don't want to acknowledge that I'm pregnant, but I have to. Like, my. My mind and my body were in completely different places, and so I kind of just like, did the best that I could. I did it scared, you know, But I really. I don't think that, like, I let myself get excited until we were, like, checking into the hospital to get induced, and I was like, she's actually gonna come. Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

What was that feeling like when you first.

[Alexandra Madison]

Oh, my God.

[Avery Woods]

And you heard that cry?

[Alexandra Madison]

I looked at her.

[John Madison]

We were like, whose baby baby is that?

[Alexandra Madison]

Because she was so, like, swollen. And, you know, I was like, but

[Avery Woods]

they look so weird.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. Yeah. But, like, I started sobbing immediately because I just was like, I made it. And now, because so many people were like, oh, my gosh. Well, like, don't be worried. You're gonna have so many other worries. And I'm like, that's great. I just want to get to, like, this one chapter where I could get her out of my body.

[Avery Woods]

People, shut the up.

[Alexandra Madison]

No one can shut up sometimes.

[John Madison]

You don't. You don't have to say anything, you know?

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. Also, I. I will tell you, every. Every stage of. Of life with my kids has been better and better. Yeah, I could say that matter of fact, like.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

And. And I look back to when I was like, I just want them to get older. I'm so tired and, you know, like, in the trenches. And now I'm like, I would give anything to go back to that. Anything.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

And then every. Every new age with them is so fun. So much more fun.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

So there's so many positive parents out there. Just. There's always a negative people that has to do.

[Alexandra Madison]

Of course. Yeah. Well, that's the Internet.

[John Madison]

When we were in the hospital, I just. I was the worst, like, supportive partner in there. I'm like, they're there. Keep going. They're doing good.

[Alexandra Madison]

The nurses are cheering me on because they're great. And again, like, I felt like I

[John Madison]

had to, like, be like, one of them. Or better. And I was just doing horrible things.

[Alexandra Madison]

I just had, like, a broom patting me on my head, and he's like, go, Alex, go.

[John Madison]

I think I was repeating what the nurses were like, push, push. I was like, push, push.

[Alexandra Madison]

It was so easy. Like, I had the best birth experience. It was like, epidural. Like, just snacks, and it was just like, they're like, you're ready to go. I, like, progressed so quickly. It was great. That's amazing.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Alexandra Madison]

Recovery was easy. It was great. Also.

[Avery Woods]

It's like, you haven't done that before. You don't know. It's like you never held a woman's leg.

[John Madison]

Is there a class to take on, like, the. The words to say during the birth?

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, it's an interesting thing. And, like, for me, I had C sections. So, like, they don't allow the partner to come in until they're already starting. Right. So, like, I do the spinal on my own. Like, they're already cutting. And, like, in walks David, and the video is like, him, like. Like this. Like, on my shoulder, like, thumb. Like, that's all you got. Exactly, Exactly. My arms are, like, strapped down. I'm like, run. My head.

[Alexandra Madison]

Anything. Anything is. Yeah, tell me.

[John Madison]

He's like, eating a sandwich.

[Alexandra Madison]

He's like, you're doing great to keep it together.

[John Madison]

Yeah.

[Alexandra Madison]

I think that that's what it is, too. It's like, John is also very nervous,

[John Madison]

you know, not medieval. What's the word I'm looking for? It's, like, so prim.

[Alexandra Madison]

Primal.

[John Madison]

Primal. I'm like, this is wild.

[Avery Woods]

It's cave woman.

[Commercial Narrator]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

It's crazy.

[John Madison]

I did nursing home with geriatrics. I. This is a whole new thing for. I was like, holy cow.

[Avery Woods]

Labor and delivery nurses are amazing.

[Alexandra Madison]

Amazing. They were the best.

[John Madison]

I kept telling. I was like, I want Lucy to do a clinical rotation here.

[Avery Woods]

Isn't that cool?

[John Madison]

Yeah, it's awesome.

[Avery Woods]

It's. I. That was one of my fe. Like, I was in between NICU pick you and then L and D, because I loved both so much. I think it was more so with labor and delivery. Then you send the mom off to postpartum, and then you're like, oh, you don't have the baby.

[Alexandra Madison]

Oh. I, like, made sure to get everybody's Instagrams. I was like, here's her now. I was like, yeah. Because they were like, oh, my gosh. Like, we've. They've walked me through this whole process, and then, you know, don't get to, like, see her.

[Avery Woods]

What's your favorite part about parenting?

[Alexandra Madison]

Like, her Chunky thighs, really just eating her up. I. I don't know.

[John Madison]

Her babbling. I love her babbling.

[Alexandra Madison]

Just like seeing her grow and like develop a personality. She's just so fun and funny and cute and lovely and an angel and perfect and amazing. I love her.

[Avery Woods]

Obviously. Yeah. I think she was in like a. Like a fuzzy bear outfit or something with a hood.

[Alexandra Madison]

Oh, yeah, yeah. It was Halloween. She was a golden retriever.

[Avery Woods]

Oh my.

[John Madison]

From bridesmaids.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, from Bridesmaids.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. That's. That's so funny. That's what I miss, cuz. Now my kids are like, I don't want to wear that.

[Alexandra Madison]

They have opinions.

[Avery Woods]

What the hell? Yeah. Like, you know, like the baggy clothes are like cool, right? Like the surfer kid stuff. And I get a lot of.

[Alexandra Madison]

Especially California.

[Avery Woods]

Yes. I get a lot of clothes from like Fostered Collection or Ziggy Zaga. Ziggy's like, I don't want baggy shirts. I want a form fitting shirt.

[John Madison]

I'm like, what?

[Avery Woods]

Who are you?

[John Madison]

That's a style, though.

[Avery Woods]

I don't apparently.

[Commercial Narrator]

Yeah, yeah.

[John Madison]

I need a style. Style tips.

[Alexandra Madison]

I know. That's like, again, I could put Lucy in whatever she wants. She has no choice. Yeah, exactly.

[Avery Woods]

Oh my gosh. I love it. Who does she look more like, do you think?

[John Madison]

When she was.

[Alexandra Madison]

She's my twin.

[John Madison]

Not any. Not anymore.

[Alexandra Madison]

No. She is. I have to see our baby pictures. Show me, like online. Obviously. John's twin, of course. Like, John is our baby. But she actually.

[John Madison]

Hence why I said, whose baby is that?

[Alexandra Madison]

When she came out and I looked at her and I was like, how did I make my twin?

[Avery Woods]

You're so lucky. Yeah, I don't have.

[Alexandra Madison]

Oh, no. To your kids.

[John Madison]

Yeah, you're so lucky.

[Avery Woods]

Ziggy has my dimples and my eye color, but everyone says he looks like David. And then Stevie is like pale as all get out. Neon blue eyes, blonde hair.

[Alexandra Madison]

Does your husband have blue eyes?

[Avery Woods]

He has.

[Alexandra Madison]

He does.

[Avery Woods]

Very bright blue eyes. And then he was a towhead as a kid. Like bleach blonde till he was like six.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

He tans though. That poor girl is sea shit.

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

She might eventually.

[Alexandra Madison]

Lucy's pretty pale too. And she also has light eyes. She has like bright green eyes. Really? But my mom has ice blue eyes, like white walker eyes.

[Avery Woods]

Gorgeous. Yeah, good luck with that.

[Alexandra Madison]

She does.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, good luck with that. John, what was it like watching Alex go through her pregnancy after what you guys went through?

[John Madison]

Nerve wracking. I was just making sure she was okay the whole time. I. I didn't we didn't really talk about it. We were kind of like, this isn't happening. And I mean, I would have, but I know that, like, that was her process. Cuz, like, having a healthy pregnancy is like such a miracle. It's crazy. So it was so surreal going through a healthy pregnancy where nothing's going on. Every appointment we go to, they're like, you're good. It's a five minutes instead of the horrible news we got every time with Leo. But yeah, we were just kind of like, just keep going, don't.

[Alexandra Madison]

I will say that John in life is more of like a pessimist. He's definitely, you know, glass half empty, whatever. But like, in this process, I was like, john, you have turned a leaf. You are the most optimistic.

[John Madison]

Well, I mean, we both can't be like me. I don't want two of me. I'll be me. And if you start being like me, I'll be like you.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. Yeah. No. So it really was nice because I was like, I've never experienced such a positive side of before. Yeah, it was hard.

[John Madison]

A lot of work, you know.

[Avery Woods]

Well, and you don't ever. You don't want to accept it because then you don't want to get your hopes up.

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

And so I, I empathize with that, with what you guys went through, because it's like, well, you can't come to terms with all these positive things happening 100%.

[Alexandra Madison]

You know, we let ourselves, I feel like, get too excited with Leo, that it. But I don't want to be like, it made the heartbreak even worse. And that's why I didn't want to get excited here, because in therapy she was like, you're going to be heartbroken no matter what if something happens. Like, so why not allow yourself to still be excited? Do you think, like, being excited is going to make it less hard?

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Alexandra Madison]

You know, if something does go wrong.

[Avery Woods]

How do you think becoming parents has affected your guys's relationship and dynamic?

[John Madison]

I mean, I love it so much. I think we look at each other because we had to. Lucy's not here with us. She's with her grandmother. And so, like, the night before we came here, like, I feel like the house is so, like, we. We're not whole without her now, you know, caring about something so much more than myself. What's the line? It's like your heart's outside of your body. It really is.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[John Madison]

I'm like, don't. Don't break my heart.

[Alexandra Madison]

She's going to. I just love seeing John, be a dad. And I think what shocked me the most is, like, how naturally we both are. Both.

[John Madison]

We're actually both shots.

[Alexandra Madison]

Really good parents. Yeah. I'm just like, we're so good at this. Like, we're actually. And it just comes to you at least, like, in our experience, like, maybe not everybody. It comes to them naturally, but, like, I think that was the most shocking thing to me was how we're both just so. I felt like we were made to do this.

[John Madison]

I think also losing Leo put it into perspective. Yeah. How fortunate and lucky we are. I'm like, we have such a. We have a healthy daughter. And, oh, my God, like, so, like,

[Alexandra Madison]

in the late nights up with her, I was like, I'm so thankful that we get to do this with her and she's here.

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

And I think also when you become parents and share a child together, you just love and appreciate the other one so much more because you see them in a different role. John, how would you describe Alex as a mom?

[John Madison]

So nurturing. The best. You're a natural with her. And I love, like, your little combos you have.

[Avery Woods]

She's like, ba, ba, ba.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, we chat all the time, but, like, we yell at each other. So, like, if she's over on the other side of the house, I'll scream. And I'm like, oh, my God, my girl. But, like, we realized I created a monster because we brought her to the airport, like, two weeks ago.

[Avery Woods]

She's shrieking.

[Alexandra Madison]

She's across from the airport yelling at me. When she sees, I'm like, now is not the time to, like, have our yelling conversations with each other. So I think it's just, like, the relationship. Like, I love seeing him and Lucy together. Like, it's just. You see your partner in, like, this different role, and you made something together. Like, I'm just like.

[John Madison]

I don't know if this is, like,

[Alexandra Madison]

made this little potato bad thing to

[John Madison]

compare, but I'm like, Lucy's like another business. We're, like, learning our roles again. And so we're. I do this little bath time routine, put her in the tub. Alex bathes her. I get her diaper together and all that stuff. Like, we have such a routine, people. Like, we've dialed in.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Oh, we're the same. Like, we are so regimented and. But that honestly, will help you so far in the future with your. With your kids. Yeah, Because I have friends that, like, oh, my gosh, my kid didn't go to bed till, like, midnight last night. I'm, like, 8:30 on the cut off like they know 7:30 bath time, Jamie's by 8, we're brushing our teeth, we're reading our book like lights out. But that's what makes like that routine helps kids so much.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Especially as like she starts school and all that.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. It doesn't help with her wake up time yet. She was still figuring out she just

[Avery Woods]

loves you so much.

[Alexandra Madison]

I know. She's like oh my gosh, the birds are up. I must be up with my parents.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Alex, how would you describe John as a dad?

[Alexandra Madison]

I know he, he loves me so much but I love seeing him love her so much. Like his heart has grown. He's always been emotional but I think Lucy just cracked him open. Yeah, no, you were like he's definitely, you're definitely more in touch with your emotional side and I love that about you is that, that like you know, you're not afraid to show your emotions. But I think seeing him being so vulnerable like with Lucy has just been so beautiful.

[Avery Woods]

Like you're probably the funniest dad. Like she is going to have such a funny sense of humor with you guys as parents.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, no, she's, she's definitely going to

[John Madison]

be a talker 100% cuz we don't shut up girls.

[Avery Woods]

I mean that's just how they are, you know. Today's segment is brought to you by by Ashley.

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

And one of the most important things for us in our home is we

[Avery Woods]

love hosting but we want our environment

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

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[Avery Woods]

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[Avery Woods]

you have those pieces of furniture that look really, really pretty but you sit on them and it feels like you're

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

We don't want that here in the woods household.

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

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[Ashley Furniture Representative]

furnishing your house cuz it can't be super achievable sometimes when it comes to the price points of different furniture companies. But Ashley makes it so easy.

[Avery Woods]

I recently hosted a bunch of moms from the kids school over at the

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

house and all of them were talking about how cohesive our house looked with

[Avery Woods]

the furniture but also the that I was so comfortable. And it just made my heart burst. Cuz that it's exactly the goal that we went for when we furnished our home. One of my favorite parts about Ashley and one of David's favorite parts about

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

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[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

And that's why David's ecstatic.

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

Because usually we'll have furniture delivery delivered,

[Avery Woods]

but he has to put it together, he's got to build it, he's got to get the power tools out and then he's got to take all the

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

cardboard out, all the trash out. It just becomes hectic and then you push it off and then you have empty corners of your house.

[Avery Woods]

No, no. Ashley makes sure it's quick, it's easy,

[Ashley Furniture Representative]

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[Avery Woods]

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Discover the new Ashley Luxe collection by visiting Ashley in store or online at www.ashley.com luxe.

[Avery Woods]

Okay, so usually we end with rapid fire, but I thought it would be fun to end with a newlywed. Rapid fire.

[Alexandra Madison]

Okay.

[Avery Woods]

Even though you're not newlyweds.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, it's been 100 years, but it's okay.

[Avery Woods]

Who said I love you first?

[Alexandra Madison]

Me?

[John Madison]

Alex.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Really? You were rejecting him?

[Alexandra Madison]

It's because when I knew that we started dating, I was like, I am going to marry him and he loved me for so long. He like literally said it from like Date number two. But he's like, but I wasn't serious about it.

[John Madison]

Fucking lie. You said it first. And I go, don't tell me stuff when you're drunk, but keep going.

[Avery Woods]

Wait, what are your guys, drinks of choice?

[Alexandra Madison]

I love a dirty martini.

[Avery Woods]

That's mine. Do you like blue cheese olives?

[John Madison]

Fuck yeah.

[Alexandra Madison]

That's the only way to hell yeah.

[Avery Woods]

So good.

[Alexandra Madison]

So good.

[John Madison]

Okay, so this is the issue I'm having. I don't know how to order it. And now I'm starting to panic. I have a complex about it. I like basically just chilled vodka with blue cheese stuffed olives.

[Alexandra Madison]

Like he doesn't like any dirt in it.

[Avery Woods]

And I'm like, wait, that's what David drinks.

[John Madison]

Perfect. But it's called. Some people call it bare boned.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[John Madison]

And I feel like it's stupid to say, like, I want a bare boned martini. So there's another.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, that's weird.

[John Madison]

Now I'm like, I want a martini, but just the vodka and the olives don't make it dirty. No vermouth.

[Avery Woods]

He just orders whatever vodka he's drinking on the rocks of blue cheese olives.

[John Madison]

Is it in the stout you want on? He likes it on the rocks, though.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yes, but then just say just a vodka. Order your vodka with blue cheese olives.

[John Madison]

Don't say martini glass, little ice chips.

[Avery Woods]

Okay. I have a place for you to try. They import their blue cheese olives from some place that's famous for blue cheese. Couldn't tell you, but since you have team members in Calabasas, they open one there. It's called Boulevard Steak.

[Alexandra Madison]

Write it. Write that down. Write that down.

[Avery Woods]

It's B, L V D. Oh, wait a minute.

[John Madison]

Right across from King's.

[Alexandra Madison]

No, we went to the spot next to it.

[Avery Woods]

They have one in the city and then. Oh, yeah, King's Fish. Yeah, right across from there. Yes, in the comments. Okay. Their blue cheese olives will literally change your life. They're so soft, like melt in your mouth. And I literally asked for like an extra side tray of them.

[Alexandra Madison]

So good.

[Avery Woods]

The best.

[John Madison]

Love blue cheese.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. So you have to go.

[Alexandra Madison]

If you ever have.

[Avery Woods]

Perfect.

[Alexandra Madison]

We'll write that down.

[Avery Woods]

Okay. Who takes longer to get ready?

[John Madison]

You, of course.

[Alexandra Madison]

I guess. But like, John does take long.

[John Madison]

If I have to shave my face,

[Alexandra Madison]

it takes a minute and then shit. And then I know part of David's

[Avery Woods]

routine is, is like, exactly how are

[John Madison]

you gonna start your day without?

[Avery Woods]

And mind you, like, he's six' five, so his knees are like this on the toilet. He's like sitting there. I'm being right.

[John Madison]

I don't feel, I don't feel bad for him. Six' five. I don't feel bad for you, you giant. I'm jealous. Oh, six' five.

[Alexandra Madison]

Oh, no.

[Avery Woods]

I have to.

[John Madison]

Cool. Do you have to jump in the car like I do?

[Avery Woods]

No, he has to duck in the door.

[Commercial Narrator]

Doorway.

[Alexandra Madison]

Door frame.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. My father in law. Six, eight. So if he walks into anywhere, he like ducks his head like that. They're a giant family of.

[Alexandra Madison]

Are your kids like off the charts?

[Avery Woods]

My seven.

[Alexandra Madison]

Cuz you're tall too. Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

My seven year old son is like here on me.

[Alexandra Madison]

Stop.

[Avery Woods]

He's a really good swimmer. He's on the swim team at school and I was like, keep doing that. College scholarship.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, exactly.

[Avery Woods]

You got it on yourself.

[John Madison]

Swimming's the best.

[Avery Woods]

Okay. Who's the better cook?

[John Madison]

So Alex taught me how to cook.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, I know. Now I'm like stumped for all these questions cuz I'm like, we're shifting a little bit. I was. Was. But I think after losing Leo, I really was like, I don't have it in me, don't care. And so I'm like, I'll uber eats, but we cook a lot from home. Like if, if it's like a Sunday, I'll do it. But yeah, I think I like taught him the foundation of like, you know,

[John Madison]

for example, I didn't know how much stuff you do with chicken broth. Okay.

[Alexandra Madison]

Use chicken broth for everything.

[John Madison]

I mean, when you're using a pan, I'm like, butter, butter lard, whatever. And I'm like, oh, chicken broth. So it doesn't stick to the pan. It didn't know.

[Alexandra Madison]

But John, he started a segment on his channel called John's Cooking Journey.

[Avery Woods]

Wait, I'm actually said I've never seen that.

[Alexandra Madison]

So he makes so many things. Like, he is such a good cook. And I feel like also being postpartum, like I didn't make a single meal for myself for months. And like, I still, I still don't.

[Avery Woods]

Good husband award.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Good job.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, he's a great cook.

[Avery Woods]

Who's more stubborn?

[Alexandra Madison]

Definitely John. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, we're both tourists, but like John, it comes out and.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, I could see that. A little hardheaded. All right, if John went on a reality show, what would it be?

[Alexandra Madison]

What show do you want to go on, John?

[John Madison]

Well, we're moving to the city, so.

[Avery Woods]

Oh, yeah, you're gonna be city people.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, exactly.

[John Madison]

Go on that show in the city.

[Avery Woods]

Wait, I think I'm going to the city for press. Maybe like, the fall or winter. So I'm gonna hit you up.

[Alexandra Madison]

Let us know. Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Martini. And I'm hanging out, actually. I love you both, but I want to hang out with Lucy more than.

[John Madison]

Fair enough.

[Alexandra Madison]

I don't blame you. I, too, would want to hang out.

[Avery Woods]

Lucy on one hand.

[John Madison]

Martini, perfect.

[Alexandra Madison]

She's the best.

[Avery Woods]

Okay. Who has stronger opinions about how to load the dishwasher? Dishwasher?

[Alexandra Madison]

Me, for sure. Because John comes from.

[Avery Woods]

Just throws it in.

[John Madison]

But I'm the one who empties it.

[Alexandra Madison]

John.

[John Madison]

And loads it.

[Alexandra Madison]

John will load it with, like, four things and start it.

[John Madison]

That's such a lot.

[Avery Woods]

And it pisses me off. I'm like, I gotta. I got dishes on the table for the kids. Now I gotta wait for this to stop.

[Alexandra Madison]

But it's also, like, John never played Tetris as a kid. I'm like, there is a way to fit so much more in here. But I realized this, though, like, when I started dating him and I met his family. His family does the same thing. He's like, from a family of. I'm like, l. How are you? Why is this four things?

[John Madison]

I just throw stuff in there, though.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, but, like, he'll put plates in on an angle.

[John Madison]

Are you trying to get us to start a fight after this podcast?

[Avery Woods]

I'm sorry, but an angle is crazy. I'm on her side with that. There is, like. There is parallel lines.

[John Madison]

They're not parallel. They're like little hooks. How do. How do you supposed to put the plate in there? You put one in, and then the other plate doesn't go in right after it. It's. It's a wash.

[Avery Woods]

I'll send you a diagram later. Who's more dramatic when they're sick?

[Alexandra Madison]

Definitely John.

[John Madison]

Are you, like, targeting me? Are you targeting me right now?

[Alexandra Madison]

I think when we moved to LA, he had a cough that lasted at least, like, 48 days.

[Avery Woods]

Oh, David. I literally sent him to get fucking antibiotics yesterday because he's had this hacky cough for three weeks. And I literally looked at him, and I was like, I love you. And I know you're, like, not enjoying that, but it's excruciating to everyone in the whole family.

[John Madison]

All right, listen here, Nurse Jackie from my mom being a nurse never brought me to the hot. She's like, unless you chop your hand off, you're. You're fine. Here's a band aid.

[Alexandra Madison]

You are so dramatic, though. Like, you don't actually like you. You don't have a tickle that often that you have to hack it up fine.

[Avery Woods]

Now they have like virtual reality. No, not virtual reality. Virtual zoom.

[Alexandra Madison]

Zoom.

[Avery Woods]

I don't know why virtual reality like Zoom Dr. Things I told, I was like, and guess what? He got antibiotics yesterday. Not coughing at all today.

[John Madison]

Next question.

[Avery Woods]

All right. Who would survive longer in the apocalypse?

[Alexandra Madison]

John said he would give up immediately.

[John Madison]

Oh yeah. I hope I get mauled in the first five seconds. Who wants to live? I hope there's a nuclear warhead. It just pelts me right in the face first. Why the fuck would I want to live any longer than the initial blast?

[Alexandra Madison]

Post apocalyptic show that we watch? He's like, oh, I would just jump off that bridge. Like, he never even says he wants to give it a shot.

[John Madison]

Fight for a king of beans, take them and then shoot me in the face.

[Avery Woods]

That's kind of how I feel about. What's the movie? You have a daughter now, John.

[Alexandra Madison]

You have to live.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, you have to live for your kid. What's the movie with John Krasinski and Emily Blunt?

[Alexandra Madison]

Oh, quiet place.

[Avery Woods]

Quiet place.

[John Madison]

She would die first.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, see that? I'm like, see that? Miserable, loud. Yeah, it's miserable. Yeah.

[John Madison]

Are you quiet when your kids go to sleep?

[Avery Woods]

No, but my kids, they have blasting white noise so like they couldn't hear shit.

[Alexandra Madison]

And Lucy does too. But John, God forbid I speak above a decibel of four. He's like, you're so loud. I'm like, she has white noise. Okay.

[Avery Woods]

But I will say when my kids were like having a hard time sleeping or like waking up every couple hours, then yeah, I, we were all like, shut the up.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Because every, every minute is precious. Right? That you get. No, it's true. Who do you think is going to be the stricter parent? Because you guys are at the age where like you're not really having a dis.

[Alexandra Madison]

I know.

[John Madison]

We're gonna be helicopter parents for sure. I don't know and I don't care. I'm gonna helicopter the out of her.

[Avery Woods]

I think John's gonna be. I think he's.

[John Madison]

I'm gonna be stressed.

[Avery Woods]

I think you're gonna be a softy and do that too. And I also think you're going to be stressed out for sure.

[John Madison]

I'm just saying yes to everything you're saying. How do I.

[Alexandra Madison]

But I think when it comes to like everyday discipline, like I, I would take that cuz he again, he's such a softy. Like he doesn't like to see like we go to the pediatrician, they're weighing her and he's like, don't punch my

[John Madison]

pediatrician in the face. I was like, leave her alone.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[John Madison]

Right now?

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. It's hard.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. Okay. What's Alex's favorite food right now?

[John Madison]

Carbs. Any bread? I feel like you have more cravings now than you.

[Alexandra Madison]

You did, for sure. Yeah, I definitely have more cravings now that I'm breastfeeding than I did when I was pregnant.

[Avery Woods]

Oh, yeah. I ate like a whale when I was breastfeeding.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[John Madison]

Favorite food? Actually, I just. You'll eat anything.

[Alexandra Madison]

Everything. Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

What's like, your death row meal?

[Alexandra Madison]

God, I would probably say, like, pizza or some. Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Well, that's a very neat. Alex.

[John Madison]

If she won the lottery, she's like, you know, I'm gonna do order a

[Alexandra Madison]

pizza with everything every single time.

[John Madison]

Like, that's what you're gonna. That's your first.

[Alexandra Madison]

That would be my first thing of just being like. But that was also. Again, what Before. Before, like, I could afford pizza with toppings. Now, like, back then, I was like, oh, my God, a pizza with.

[John Madison]

Wait, what's your death 35?

[Avery Woods]

Sushi. Sushi.

[John Madison]

So basic.

[Avery Woods]

I know. It is. I'm such a sushi hoe. I don't know what it is.

[John Madison]

Well, if you're asking me.

[Avery Woods]

Thank you for asking.

[John Madison]

Thank you for asking me. It's a wet burrito. Massive wet. Yeah. What for you, white queso. And I'm talking, like, sloppy, like, enchilada style, not enchilada. And it better be a flour to tortilla.

[Avery Woods]

Okay, okay.

[John Madison]

Burnt steak tips.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yum.

[John Madison]

Martini. Maybe some truffle fries.

[Avery Woods]

Like, crispy truffle fries could get me going.

[Alexandra Madison]

Sushi John is really just a basic bitch. Try his truffle fries and martini.

[Avery Woods]

I also love good Chinese.

[Alexandra Madison]

Like, I love cold Chinese food.

[Avery Woods]

Oh, I can't do a cold food.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, that's the best. Oh, I love cold food.

[Avery Woods]

Okay. Who's more spontaneous?

[Alexandra Madison]

Me, for sure. Yeah. John needs a plan. Like, if today, for example, I was like, let's go grab a martini at

[John Madison]

where you said, sorry, we don't have time.

[Alexandra Madison]

He would say, yeah. Like, if we had plans to get

[John Madison]

dinner, was that in the calendar?

[Avery Woods]

Liar. You're like, oh, you're all on board.

[Alexandra Madison]

It would ruin his day. Like, if we have a group anytime

[John Madison]

we go out, I'm like, what's the time?

[Alexandra Madison]

And who's going? Like, he needs to know everything. If I, like, invite a friend who,

[John Madison]

like, wasn't throws a wrench in my

[Alexandra Madison]

plan, like, what the heck? It was just supposed to be like, he. He needs a set plan.

[Avery Woods]

I'm surprised that parenting hasn't just thrown you into a spiral, though.

[John Madison]

We haven't done anything crazy yet.

[Avery Woods]

Got it.

[John Madison]

You know, I'm sure we'll get there.

[Avery Woods]

Next time you're here, I'm forcing you to bring Lucy. And then we're gonna go on a double date to Boulevard, and we're gonna

[Alexandra Madison]

be on our team.

[John Madison]

Let's just tell you our flight experience with Lucy recently, please. Okay. Because Alex is so adamant on taking her on the plane. I'm like, can we just, like, wait? We're flying back from Florida. Florida. We're never prepared. All of our stuff's in the top.

[Alexandra Madison]

Well, we were in the bulkhead, so, like, we couldn't. You know, when you're in that, they're like, you don't have a seat to put your stuff in front of. Yes.

[John Madison]

We're in the descent, so we're, like, 10,000ft from the ground. Lucy shits through her onesie all over Alex, so we have to change her in the aisle, because on the flight, Southwest doesn't have, like, armrests that go up.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, it was Southwest.

[Avery Woods]

It was the worst.

[Alexandra Madison]

It was the worst.

[John Madison]

So now I get up to get the bag, and the lady's like, sir, you can't stand up. I'm like, oh, I. You want me to stand up? Yeah, I'm helping everybody out in this plane. Yeah, change your butt ass naked in the front. I'm like, this is. I never want to do this again.

[Alexandra Madison]

They're like, you can't have her on the floor. Right now we're descending. I'm like, I have.

[Avery Woods]

Look away.

[Alexandra Madison]

We have.

[John Madison]

Look at her pants. Look at her.

[Alexandra Madison]

But again, whatever. It's like, you know, it's nature of the game of, like, having kids.

[Avery Woods]

I'll tell you. Sure. That'll make you feel a little bit better. So when I was pregnant with Stevie, Ziggy was. I don't know. Know what? How old was he? He was less than two, maybe 20 months. And I was like, I'm gonna take a spontaneous weekend trip to go see my parents. So I was flying from Arizona to California, and I was by myself. David was working, and I brought my car seat with me so he could be strapped in the car seat. And he was, like, begging me at the little airport store to get these red gummies, and they were like fruit snacks. I'm like, whatever keeps you distracted. Like, I'm struggling. I'm so. I was so pregnant. Carrying, carrying Suitcases in the fucking car seat, which is so heavy. And then he doesn't wanna walk, so I'm holding him on one hip. So we're sitting on the flight, and he's just downing this bag of fruit snacks and eats the whole thing. And I'm like, whatever. Yeah, Nothing new. So much red dye. 40, like, insane. But I'm like, you know what? You're quiet. It's fine.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah, yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Projectile vomits. Red just everywhere. In the whole car seat. It's, like, down. It's all over me. How far?

[John Madison]

Autism.

[Avery Woods]

We had, like, another hour and a half. Oh, my God, it was so bad. And the flight attendants were like. And of course it's, like, smells, and it's, like, sticky from, like, the fruit snacks. It was so bad that I literally just stripped the, like, car seat things, and I bought. I had my mom buy a car seat, come pick us up, and then we washed, like, the car seat pads at her house so I could fly home with it.

[Alexandra Madison]

My God. And you were alone?

[Avery Woods]

I was alone, yeah.

[John Madison]

Wow. Your husband. What a piece of.

[Avery Woods]

I know. Working. What a bag of ass.

[John Madison]

Working. Providing for our family.

[Avery Woods]

And I'm like, I'm gonna take a cute little trip. He's so spontaneous. See, being spontaneous bit me in the ass.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes it does that, but it's worth it. Now you have a story.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, I do. I'm gonna remind him of that as he's older and tell him what happened. I guess that wraps this up, which makes me kind of sad because you guys are such a joy.

[Alexandra Madison]

We have to go get Martini soon.

[Avery Woods]

Martini, Come to New York. When I'm in New York, I'm coming to visit you. I want to hang out with Lucy, and we're gonna exchange baby photos after this.

[John Madison]

Perfect.

[Alexandra Madison]

Oh, she's an angel.

[Avery Woods]

Thank you for having us. No, thank you guys for being here. I'm with you both. Where can everyone find you on socials?

[Alexandra Madison]

John?

[John Madison]

Yeah, my YouTube.

[Alexandra Madison]

Alexandra, Madison. Give it to me straight. We're all, you know, Alex and John. I don't even know. I don't even know, like, which one has, like, how many letters. Just look it up.

[Avery Woods]

All the different things. We're like, just Google.

[Alexandra Madison]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

All right. Thank you guys for being here.

[John Madison]

Yeah, thanks for having us.

[Avery Woods]

Cheers, everyone.

[Alexandra Madison]

Cheers.

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[Alexandra Madison]

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[Alexandra Madison]

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[Alexandra Madison]

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