emaline's party

This Saturday we went to Emaline's 2nd birthday party. I can't believe she is that old already! All the kids had fun playing and getting out every toy possible.
Emaline was very neat when it came to eating her cake.

Campbell playing with the kitchen.

Emaline's friends Parker and Aida (spelling?) watching Ema right before she got her cake.

Maddie and Daddy.

cruisin

M practicing her walking between the sofa and ottoman.

tigger

Tigger now takes naps with Madison.

i see me

On Wednesday Madison found the digital photo frame that Rick got for Christmas. She loves to watch it change photos, especially because most of the pics are of her.

bathtime

When we first moved bathtime into the big tub, Madison was not happy about it. So for a while Mom took a bath with her. But she is fine in the big tub by herself now and even seems to love it. She gets very excited when we tell her its batht time. And she LOVES to splash.

our interesting week

So Monday Rick was out of town (he got home that night). And I got a call at 6:30 Monday morning that Blythe's daughter Meredith was sick. So Maddie and I spent the day together. Then Tues and Wed Rick and I split days at home. Then Thursday I stayed home in the morning just to be safe, but took Maddie to Blythe's that afternoon. Then I worked Friday. It was a crazy week. This pic is from Monday. Maddie loves Elmo and recognized the Elmo on her shirt.

playdate with Georgia

Last Sunday, Georgia and her mom Becky came for a playdate. The girls had fun together and it was great for the moms to catch up too. I can't believe how big Georgia is! And look at her stylish outfit!

drivin'

This is Madison's walker car that she is supposed to push around as she practices walking. But as you can see, she prefers to sit and "drive" the car instead.

9 Months old

Last Saturday we put Rick's new stocking hat on Maddie. She wasn't too crazy about it, but she posed for a few pictures.
The day before we had Madison's 9 month old doctors appt. She is 17 lbs (30% percentile) and 44 in (50% percentile). The best part was that she didn't have to get shots, although we did get a finger prick.

check out campbell catherine

I almost forgot. You have to go to Campbell's blog and check out the pics. (see website's on the right, its campbell catherine). Madison and I went to visit Carissa, Emaline, Kerri and Campbell yesterday. And Madison and Campbell kept kissing! It was really cute. Campbell kept wanting to kiss Madison and Madison was just fine with it. We had a great time playing and we'll have to do it again soon!

helper in the kitchen

Madison decided to help us make dinner tonight by crawling into the fridge. Or maybe she is really going for that beer...

first steps!

So Saturday Madison took her first steps! She was going between her activity table and the ottoman but they were close enough she could touch both. But we thought we'd try a little farther and sure enough. I told her to come to me from the table. She only made it a couple of steps before she fell, but she took 2 steps! She has since done it again too. Also, Blythe called me today to tell me that she is trying to crawl out of her pack n' play. It looks like we probably need to get one of those tents so she can't fall out. Little monkey. We'll try to get pics of the walking soon.

J-Lo outfit

Here is Madison's new J-Lo outfit. Its too big, but its cute!
We went to dinner Friday night and Blue Moose and she was a big hit. Everyone wanted to say hi to her.

happy new year

Although the 11 days off seemed to fly by, we had a great vacation. It is always wonderful to see our family and get to spend time with them. We are so blessed to have them all. And it was wonderful to have Madison there for her first Christmas. It really does make it more special.
We also got to spend 11 days in a row with Madison. Not sure when that will happen again. And while it was exhausting at times, it was very special. In that time she has learned to wave, roar, and give a high-five. She is pointing at everything and loves to turn the pages in her book. And in the last couple of days she has started to lunge forward without holding on to anything. We decided she really wants to walk, but she hasn't figured out that she needs to move her foot forward first. It is only a matter of time. I can't wait to see what the next year holds.
Happy New Year!

more christmas

Wednesday we went to Rick's parents house for our final round of Christmas. Luke and Madison played well together and Luke even taught Madison to roar. Although it sounds more like "broar". Renny, Brian and Luke gave her some cute baby legs (leggings), a growth chart with her name on it, a darling sundress for this summer and a chiefs pacifer. Grandame and Grandpa gave her a little bath toy and a cute rocker with her name on it. She loved rocking in it altough she had to be held in place.

stockings at home in KC

When we got back to KC mid afternoon Christmas day, Madison got her second round of stocking gifts. She now has officially too many toys, but oh well. She got the activity table, the xlyophone, the Little People school bus, a toy cell phone and a guitar. She loves them all.

Christmas Morning

Here is a pic of her Christmas pjs that Aunt Ashley gave her.

We ended up doing stockings from Santa about mid-morning. In the stocking at Grandma's she got Pooh, Tigger, a baby doll, a cute outfit, a book of nursery rhymes and an engraved silver bell ornament to match mine from when I was a baby. I'm not sure she understood what was going on, but she had fun.