Lately (as in the past 3 months)...

So I realized outside of Maddy's monthly updates and our Florida trip, I haven't really done much of a "what we've been up to" post since before the holidays.  So this is what we've been up to since January.

 

The past few months haven't been the healthiest for us all.  I feel like we've been battling one sickness after another since Thanksgiving.  With a family of 5, it seems like the sickness slowly passes from one person to the next...stretching it out for weeks.  We are finally all healthy again and hoping it stays that way!

 

So because I can't remember what all we've done the past 2.5 months, here are some pictures.

In January, we got together with the girls (and their families) that I used to work with.  These are the three youngest girls of the group.

Kens and her friend Reese in matching dresses (not planned).

We traveled to Columbus for Elli's 5th birthday party.

My girls love their baby cousin, Emery...not sure the feeling is completely mutual.

I had a date morning with these two...dentist, lunch and gymnastics.

We got together with some friends to watch the superbowl...pictured here the 8 kiddos 5 years old and under.

Days after we got home from Florida, we got hit with 8 inches of snow.

The girls loved playing in it!

More gymnastics...the girls are in the matching black and pink leotards.

Papa came up from Florida and stayed with us for a few days.  He got in a nap with Maddy (left) and Maddy raided his suitcase and tried on his socks (right).

Aves was star of the week in her preschool class.  Here is what she took for show and tell both days (pictures are from her teachers).

We are finally getting some warmer weather and this girl is loving the sidewalk chalk this year.

We hit up the big park by our house and I quickly figured out I need a new game plan for this summer.  Maddy was close on the heels of her sisters, climbing to the top of the playground, insistent on the biggest slides.

We've also spent lots of mornings and afternoons playing with friends, going to the library to story time, MOPS and lunches out.  We are ready for Spring!


Madelyn: 20 months old...

Another month has gone by and Madelyn is now 20 months old.  She is at such a fun stage and continues to keep us laughing (and on our toes)!

 

Maddy's vocabulary seems to expand daily as she picks up new words and points out things by name.  She is saying more 2 and 3 word phrases and I feel like it always catches me off guard to hear her say them.  One of my favorite things she says is "o-tay" when agreeing with you or responding to something you tell or ask her to do.  She likes to sing the B-I-B-L-E, Let it Go and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

 

Her current favorite things are (and most of them continue to be): her sisters, babydolls, her blankey, watching her shows, shoes, coloring, dancing and snacking.  She still loves to snuggle and prefers to be sitting on one of our laps (her sister's included).

 

Some pictures of the past month.

 

Playing with her little buddy, Will

Watching big sisters at gymnastics.  She kept yelling "Siss-say".

Forced silly face...we sent a picture to daddy of her new shirt

Getting her before nap "baba" from big sis.  The funny thing about this is, that Maddy does not like to hold her milk sippy cups (aka "baba").  Whenever she gets a baba, she won't start drinking it until you hold it in front of her mouth for her (you can see Aves holding it for her).  High maintenance much?! 

She is starting to smile on command.

Hanging in the car line waiting to get the girls from preschool (it was a pj day).

She found Papa's socks and put them on all by herself.

It's hard to believe how quickly we are approaching 2 years old!  Happy 20 month birthday, Madelyn Joy!

Siesta Key {2015}...

We made a quick trip down to Siesta Key last week to visit Nana and Papa and enjoy some warm weather.  We left after the girls got out of preschool on Wednesday, February 11 and drove through the night.  We ended up arriving around 7 am, just in time for breakfast and a full day in the sun.

 

We had a great week and the weather ended up being warmer than we expected.  We had two chilly days...one of which we braved it in the hot tub for a bit and the other we shopped while the girls went to the circus with Papa.  We did all of the usual Siesta Key things...dinners out, pool time, walks on the beach, ice cream, Drum Circle, shopping and Jeremy and I even managed dinner out alone.  We were also able to spend the afternoon with my college roomie, Dawn, and her family.

 

We ended up leaving at 4 am on Tuesday, February 17 to make the long trip home.  We had been watching the weather and tried to plan our trip home around it.  Tennessee up through Louisville got hit with lots of snow (and we all know how southerners handle even a little snow).  The trip home was uneventful, but super LONG.  The girls were troopers despite the long hours in the van.

 

Here are lots of pictures from our trip.

We "paid with love" for our McDonald's dinner.  For real...it's not just a hoax you see on the commercials!  Thanks, McDonald's for the free dinner!

Finally arrived!

This girl loves her some goggles!

The more accessories, the better!

I feel like she is looking so old here!

Oh, this girl!

And when did she grow up?!

Cotton candy at the Circus with Papa

Cook-cooks by the pool (cookies)

Dancing at the Drum Circle

 

Fun afternoon spent with my roomie, Dawn and her family!

 

Chilly morning fishing

Thanks, Nana and Papa for the great week!

Madelyn: 19 months old...

Madelyn is 19 months old and it is crazy to me how quickly she is growing up.  I feel like she picks up new words and tricks everyday.

 

As if it was possible, she is now even more obsessed with her big sisters.  She wants to be with them at all times, doing whatever they are doing and she has to have whatever it is they have.  She is in a big "mine" stage.  And although she hasn't quite learned that word, she tends to use a loud piercing scream to let her opinion be known.  She assumes everything is hers and her sisters are usually pretty good at giving into her wants (however, I'm not sure that is teaching her to share).

 

Maddy continues to hold her position as family "class clown".  She is hilarious and knows just how to make everyone laugh (and will repeat said action to elicit more laughs).  The girl has no fear (except for maybe strangers) and constantly keeps me on my toes.

 

Some random and funny things I want to remember about this stage with Maddy.  She often requests a hairclip or bow after nap or in the morning saying "clip".  This girl can do a somersault better than I feel like should be possible for a 19 month old.  Several weeks ago, she started doing them and it amazes me how good she is (with the occasional wayward roll).  She called it "nastics" when she does it, which is every more hilarious.  She likes to show off her arabesque (ballet move) and does it at random places...standing on a kitchen chair, etc.  She is still obsessed with shoes and can often be found in her sisters' closets trying them on.

 

Maddy continues to be a good eater and is taking her whole milk out of a sippy cup (we finally took away bottles just after her 18 month birthday) three times a day.  The girl loves to snack and requests one often.  Her favorite TV shows these days are Barney and Mickey...which she requests by name.  She still loves all things babies, playing hide and seek and dancing.  She is really into Anna and Elsa these days and I, of course, attribute that to her sisters.  She points them out by name whenever she sees them.

 

Here are two pictures and a quick video of our 19 month old.  I apologize for the poor quality of the video...it was taken in the basement and through the trampoline netting.

 

 

Love that she starts with her hands above her head!

 

Happy 19 months, Madelyn Joy!