Happy Birthday Baby!

Today is your day! You are ONE! What a whirl wind. I am not sure where the time went but today we are going to celebrate with just our little family. In a couple of days we will have your big party with extended family. We set off this morning to buy you one more gift. I really thought you needed a little doll stroller to push around that is also a toy to help you walk. You seem to be going great guns on walking but a little help isn't bad. We picked up the last of the party supplies for you and then came home to have burgers on the grill. Your sisters and I made you a cake. White confetti cake with pink frosting and it had purple and green sprinkles on it. You were quite dainty, picking little bits of cake and eating it. Mommy and Daddy gave you your swing early so the three of you girls could all swing on the swing set together. Daddy and your sisters put your stroller together and you seemed to really enjoy it. The only problem...you don't allow your baby to sit in it. Happy birthday big girl...we love you.

Twas the night before...

Maddison's first birthday. I am a bundle of mixed emotions. Thankful being the first that she is here and doing better than ever. Happy, excited, sad, anxious....that should just about sum it up. The Lord blessed us on the day He gave her to us and blessed us again on the day He decided we could keep her for a while longer. Maddison has been through so much in this one short year. I am so proud of my little fighter. She is beautiful, strong, courageous, silly, smart, loving and a big stinker all rolled into a little 20 pound body. Her Daddy and I couldn't be more proud of her and are looking forward to the big celebration we have planned for her.

She is walking more everyday and talking up a storm. She says things like GO! Come! Papa, thank you, book, Mama, Dada, and hello is one of her favorite words.

Happy Birthday little girl. You've taught us all so much about life, love and family. You taught us to trust the Lord even more.



Thank you Lord for blessing us all.

Full moon

Bret brought his telescope home from his parents house that he had when he was younger. Ella has been fascinated by it and actually so have I. I had no idea I would find it so fun. Briana will love it when she gets home too. Do you have any idea how fast the Earth actually spins? When watching the moon through the telescope you really only have a short time before you have to adjust it again. It's very cool. Tonight the moon is full and I can't wait to take another look, it's going to be beautiful.

Kiddie Pool

Such a simple thing, yet so much fun. The girls have been enjoying the summer heat and cooling off in the kiddie pool. Sure, it looks calm and quiet now but normally it is filled with giggling, kicking splashing little girls. I don't know how they can have so much fun for so long in just a couple inches of water. Sure makes you appreciate the small things in life and the great joys your children can bring you.

SHE WALKS!

I was certainly not prepared for this. Yes, I should have seen it coming but I've been living in denial. My sweet little baby just shy of her 11 month mark started taking steps. She can walk a few steps on her own but prefers to hold on tight. (Thank you Lord!) She also started trying to climb the stairs. Ella and I were upstairs and Maddie wanted to come up. She was crying and yelling to us. I guess she had enough because the next thing I know, here she comes climbing right up. Scared us all but she did just fine. Grinning the whole way. Time to get the gate out.

Home from Chicago

We went to Chicago this weekend to meet my friend Nicole and her family. It was a BLAST. I had my usual nervousness on the drive down. So annoying. I wish there was a cure for anxiety issues. That aside things were fantastic. The kids got along like they had known each other their whole lives. Nicole and I of course were like two peas in a pod and even the men hit it off. We went to the Webber Grill for dinner. Everyone had awesome burgers. Then it was off to the swimming pool. The kids got nice and tired so they went to settle in and the big girls got to go out for a drink. Sunday morning it was off to the Brookfield Zoo. What a place! It was huge. We walked around there for hours but we still didn't see everything. Ella was in heaven because she got to see the elephants. Briana liked the monkey house and Maddie was just a happy little camper. She did great on the 4 hour drive too. Slept most of the time and even watched a few movies on the DVD player using her mirror. What a smart little stinker.

Happy 4th Everyone!

We had a fun fourth of July even though we didn't do anything fancy. We watched fireworks the previous Saturday and again on the fourth. Maddison loved them and wasn't phased at all by the noise. We did sit in the car because of the mosquitoes so I know that helped.