Santa 2011

We made it to see Santa at Northpark mall again this year.  We've made it an annual tradition to go with our friends, the Duffields.   They now live in Austin and come up for the visit each year.  We actually had the girls at our house last night for the night and had our first sleepover!  Another post on that coming soon...it was so much fun!  Will was excited to see Santa.  Maddie was too, until I sat her down. She started to cry but the magic of a stuffed Elmo the photographer had helped dry her tears and made her semi smile.  Will may have outgrown wearing pajamas to the mall...he wasn't so thrilled about the concept.  Of course, I'll continue to try next year because that is just what we do!  Will asked Santa for Percy (the green engine that delivers mail in Thomas the Train) and Maddie asked for a tea set (she already has 2) and table.  They enjoyed seeing St. Nick and both waved and told him "bye" many times as we left.

  

I hope everyone is having a fun holiday season!

Gattiland

Will and I had a little date and went to Gattiland for lunch and playtime.  We met our friends Vandy and Arden there.  Will's eyes lit up so big when we walked into the area with the games and rides!  He loved it!  I only took a couple phone pics and videos, but the giggling will show you how happy the kids were.  And Vandy and I had a great time, too!

Rangers vs. Red Sox

We went to the Ranger vs. Red Sox game tonight!  We are a baseball family.  We all  enjoy the game and have so much fun at The Ballpark!

Chris was given 4 tickets from a local law firm and called me earlier today to see if we wanted to go.  I said, of course!  Chris is a long time Red Sox fan, so usually we have to discuss WHAT he is wearing to the Ballpark.  Without discussion he put on his Rangers shirt (shock!) and said he was "wearing it for Will".  Too funny.  It was pretty cute because his shirt matched both the kids.  The only Rangers shirt I own is at least 5 years old and is royal blue - which they don't seem to make many of those these days.  I love it and I'm a hold out on buying a red one.  The seats were great - 5 rows up from home plate right behind where the Red Sox next up to bat took swings to practice.  The kids mostly like the food - hot dogs, ice cream in mini ball caps, popcorn, etc. and the fireworks.  We were lucky to see one home run which meant FIREWORKS!  We made it to the 5th inning and then headed home for bed.  It was a great night!

Maddie climbing up the stairs checking everything out

Josh Hamilton up to bat

Will's Swim Lessons

Will has been taking lessons at Emler Swim School since March.  He's finished two classes now and he is doing such a great job!  He just graduated from his Advanced Aquatots class.  To graduate and move to t next class he had to be able to swim 10 feet (with a teacher in the pool for assistance).  I'm so proud of him for what he's learned.  He'll continue to take classes through the fall to build on what he's learned.  He really likes it and we're hoping that my next summer he'll be able to swim at the pool without floaties (and me comfortable!).  Other things Will's learned include jumping in, turning and swimming to the side by himself, floating on his back, and rolling his head to take a breath half way through his swim.  Maddie and I go to each class and sit by the side of the pool and cheer him on.  I have to give props to Mads, she is so patient and good during class.  She is a great cheerleader from her Bubba, too!  She'll start lessons this fall, as well.  It should be fun because Maddie and I will take her lesson at the same time Will takes his.  And then I'm sure we'll all head to the play pool to play after lessons.

Here are some pictures from his last class this week!

22 Months!

Maddie is 22 months old and with every passing month I just can't believe she is ALMOST 2!  To say the last two years have been a blur is an understatement!  When Will was her age I was very close to giving birth to our little princess and I thought Will was so big!  Maddie is definitely still our baby and I can't believe she is almost the age Will was when she was born!

22 months has been fun for Maddie!  She is talking a lot, starting to put more sentences together and has funny little comments she makes.  A few things we love about Maddie at 22 months!

• I'm not longer Momma - I'm Mommy!  And often I am "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!!!"  
• She loves to play at home and after we've been out and about for a while I start hearing her say "Hhhhooooommmmmmeeeeee" in the backseat of the car.  She is a home body!
• Her new favorite word is "MINE!"  And she uses it a lot right now!
• She still loves her daddy and Bubba more than any other people in the entire world!
• She likes to cheer for things - like when we drive into the school parking lot she says "Yay skoo!" or when we go to the pool she says "Yay pool!"  She also always says "Yay" after you sing her Twinkle Twinkle or ABCs
• Twinkle Twinkle is by far her favorite song
• She loves to sing and often is humming, singing, or repeating whatever tune she hears
• She loves books and loves reading in Will's room before bed.  She usually runs out of the bathroom into Will's room after bath saying "Bubba, boo (book)!"
• She is 100% attached to her monkey and giraffe lovey blankets and wants to take them everywhere.
• She moved "up" to a booster seat and likes sitting at the big table with everyone.  It makes for entertaining dinners, for sure!  
• She really likes school, little gym and any other activity.  She runs right in and never looks back.  She'll start swimming lessons this fall and when we talk about it she says "Yes!" when I ask her if she wants to take swim classes.
• When it is just the two of us hanging out, Maddie is calm, observant, and sometimes clingy.  She is patient and will just follow me around and stay close by.  When she is with her brother she is WILD, all over the place, and does whatever he does.  With him she seems to have no fear.  It is fun to see her personality in both circumstances.
• Her hair just keeps getting curlier and curlier!  It is a mess and we love it!
• She melts our hearts -  I just don't think a sweeter little one exists.  She loves to rock and cuddle before bed, will just lay her head on your shoulder when you pick her up, and just loves to be loved.  She loves to see people she knows and will just run up to them, grab them and hug them!

Maddie, we love you so much baby girl!!!  Happy 22nd month!

The Greatest Show on Earth

Every year of Will's life I've wondered if he was old enough to take to the circus.  We decided this year was the year.  One of his favorite books is If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Suess.  He can tell you almost anything about the Circus McGurkis.  The book is LONG, so often we split reading it between nap and bedtime.  I also loved the book Water for Elephants, so I was kinda excited about the idea.

Anyway, that motivated us to get tickets.  We went to the pre-show and were able to get close to some clowns, an elephant painting a picture, and some other circus folks.  The kids got tattoos that said "The Greatest Show on Earth".  It barely fit on Maddie's little hand.   Before the show started we loaded up on light up necklaces, popcorn, sodas, and a snow cone in an elephant cup.  Will was pretty entertained and excited about the show.  Maddie was interested for about 3 minutes and then she wanted to run around.  She'd stop every now and then and point at a tiger, a jugglers or some sort of acrobat.  Will loved the tigers, the motorcycles in the sphere of death or whatever they call it, the tightrope walkers, and the trapeze flyers.  Chris and I did, too.  The show was REALLY long (to my surprise) and after about 2 hours we decided it was time to go.  I think we missed the last 20 minutes.   Overall the kids liked the show.  I think we'll take them back in 5 years or so...when they'll really sit and watch it!

The circus is a huge production and much more than I remember it being when I was a kid.  Clowns are not as scary, the ring master SINGS and has a crew of dancers that follow him around, and there are segways.  Who knew!

The Beach!!!

We went to Florida to see my sister and brother in law (Aunt Carrie and Uncle Josh) for a few days.  It was the first time the kids had every been to the beach and THEY LOVED IT!  We had a great time playing, eating, and just hanging out.  They kids built their first sand castle, swam in the ocean (on the bay and gulf sides) and got to visit Uncle Josh at work and see the airplanes he flies.  Will thought that was REALLY cool and asked Josh what all 1000 buttons did.  :)  Thanks Carrie and Josh for letting us invade your house for a few days!

Playing on the Bay Side.  There was a red flag warning, so we opted for the calmer bay.  The kids loved it - the water was calm, shallow, and they ran in and out about a million times.

At Flounder's for dinner.  A bar on the beach with a playground, lots of tourist and Will's first Shirley Temple.  It was perfect!

Maddie having an after dinner drink with the boys back at the house!

Day 2 of the beach - on the gulf side.  I took fewer pictures this day - bigger waves equal chasing kids more than relaxing and taking pics.  Still so much fun!

Maddie and Daddy on the plane ride home.  We were all worn out, but totally worth it!

Independence Day

For July 4th this year we decided we wanted to be in town for the Lake Highlands Exchange Club July 4th Parade.  It is put on by a local group that supports LH.  Kids are encouraged to decorate their wagons, bikes, strollers, trikes, etc., and walk at the front of the parade.  Then they stop at the end and watch all the larger floats come by.  The parade is followed by a carnival at the local rec center that includes bounce houses, pony rides, train rides, a petting zoo, and so much more.

We went to the lake on July 3rd and drove back that night.  A late night run to Walgreens was all we had for decorations and I was up until after midnight decorating the wagon.  I had no idea what to expect since we'd never been.  We were really surprised and excited when the kids were awarded a blue FIRST PLACE ribbon for the under 5 group!  More importantly, we had so much fun with friends and really loved participating in a fun community event!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!

A year and a half already???

Maddie is 18 months old today.  And as I type those words I just want to cry!  My baby is getting big, fast.  She already thinks she is a big kid.  A list of things I want to remember about this age:

• Maddie is my little kamikaze!  She runs everywhere, often not watching where she's headed.  
• Which makes her REALLY tough!  I think she is tougher than her big brother and she has no fear!
• She has CRAZY curls!  Where did that hair come from??  When wet it is down to the middle of her back.
• She can climb the stairs and slide down all by herself on our play set.  Scares me to death!  She loves it!
• She loves her monkey lovey and snuggles it and sucks her two middle fingers when she is tired.
• She doesn't like fast food or fried food much.  A good thing, but hard sometimes on mom.
• Will is her hero!  She loves her big brother so much, looks for him first thing when she wakes up, and giggles at him all the time.  
• She loves Elmo and screams "ELGO" when she sees him.
• Maddie doesn't say many words, but she does say Dada, Bubba, Elmo, All Gone, there you go (when she wants to give you something), Yes (Yea), No, and she has a word she uses for Bunny, Abby, and a few other things that sounds the same to me but I can't quite figure out how to even spell it.  She really only says Mama if she is upset and crying.  
• She knows most of her body parts
• She loves her earrings and mommy's, too.  She plays with them.  She really likes anything shiney!
• She is obsessed with shoes and likes to put ours on all the time
• Her smile lights up the room
• She doesn't really like to cuddle much, but when she does it is the sweetest love ever!
• She tries to jump and says "yay!" after she tries
• She sings A LOT!  Twinkle Twinkle is her favorite.
• She loves school and screams with excitement when we pull into the parking lot on Wednesday mornings.
• Her cheese face is hilarious!  And anytime you pull out a camera she says CHEESE and smiles big and squints her eyes.

18 Month Stats

Height - 33 1/8 inches - 85th %

Weight - 23 lbs - 40th %

Head - 18 3/4 inches - 75th %

Maddie - you are such a joy for us all!  Will loves to play with you, help you, and rough house with you.  Mommy loves your giggles and smiles, and that feisty attitude that will definitely be a challenge down the road.  And you are a Daddy's girl!  The way you run to him and scream his name when he comes home melts his heart, and mine.  We love you so much!