December Pictures and Wonderful Holiday Memories!

 Daddy, Maddie and Dane all walked downtown PR to see Santa at a holiday party.  They had a great time and loved all the chocolate they were able to eat!

 Maddie and Dane had a Christmas program at church.  We had been practicing for weeks.  The kids sang songs and did a Christmas Alphabet poem.  Maddie did great!  She started out the program saying, "A is for Angels."  As for Dane, he only wanted to sit with his family in the pews.  Maybe next year!

 Claire and Maddie showing the adorable lollipops from Maritiza.

 The entire family came to see the show!

Maddie had a Christmas performance and party at preschool.  Dane joined her on the rug.  They both had a great time!

 Santa came to the party too!

 Our family Christmas celebration normally takes place on Christmas Eve, but we changed it this year and had it early so all could be together.  It was wonderful to be with everyone.  We were definitely missing those who were not able to be with us.

 Getting silly hugs from cousin Scott.  He was a hit.

 Grammie brought out funny mustaches! :)  Maddie and Claire seemed to get the joke.  Dane and Allie- not quite sure!

 Silly kids.  Dane was hot, so he went sans clothing.  He isn't a fan of pants anymore.

 Ice Skating!  Maddie did great! We will hit the ice again in the near future!

 We had a really nice Christmas Eve.  We went to church, come home and had a nice dinner.  Everyone helped prepare the meal - it was wonderful!

 Maddie and Dane really wanted a guitar and they love it!

 Christmas morning opening presents.  Daddy is wearing a Purdue Pete hat in case you are wondering!

 We went to visit great g-ma in the hospital on Christmas.  Maddie picked out the flower/stuffed dog that we brought to her.

 Maddie was SO excited to get her first American Girl doll. She named her Caddie.

Maddie loved all of our Christmas decorations.  She was able to play with some of them, including the reindeer family.  She often gave her dolls reindeer rides! :)

Maddie took her job of watering the tree very seriously! 

Christmas Pictures

One of grandma's friends is a photographer.  She had the challenge of taking some family pictures for us.  She was very patient and worked very hard to get some cute shots!  Hard to believe we took these the weekend after Thanksgiving.  Oh - I have some updating to do!

Birthday Girl

Maddie showing her silly self...

 Maddie wanted a cheerleader party this year.  She was a very fortunate girl to have so many great family and friends to celebrate with her.

 On her actual birthday, we headed to Water Tower Place and checked out American Girl Place.  Maddie was able to pick something out (we did set a price limit, so much was off the table).  She thought long and hard about what she wanted.  She ended up deciding on, Licorice, a little black and white cat.

 The kids hanging on Woody outside AGP and by the Lego store.

 Dane got Maddie a gingerbread house and she LOVED it.  I think this just may be Dane's annual birthday gift to his sister!  She was eating the candy like crazy and since it was her Birthday, I let her go with it!

Maddie was such a big girl at her appointment.

Weight - 34.4 lbs.(50%)  Not that it really matters, but I thought she was 33 lbs.so I was surprised when I saw 34.4 on the chart.

Length - 40" (3' 5") (50%).

Our doctor was shocked that Maddie was 50% for height - she thought she looked much taller!  Sometimes I think those % charts don't seem right!   She is perfect whatever she is! :)

Madeline is 4!

Oh....where do I start with this little one?!?!  She is a mini Matt.  She is persistent and she knows what she wants.  Maddie notices all of the little details (so Matt and so NOT me) and is a very inquisitive little girl.  She also can't keep her hands off of things and breaks and spills things often.  She is our little spunky monkey, as we like to call her. She loves helping in any way that she can, whether it be with Christmas decorations, cooking, cleaning (well not that so much - ha!), or anything that involves Dane.  She is such a good big sister and she always looks out for Dane.  She is always calling him "sweet heart" or "sweetie pie" and when he cries, she is always right there to cheer him up.  She loves to dance, loves music, loves to read and go to the library, loves playing dolls and Barbies, loves getting her nails painted, loves her friends and cousins, loves dresses and dressing up, loves making crafts and is always asking for us to tell her a story.  She is going to school 3 days a week and is loving it.  She is so friendly with all of the other kids and makes sure to say bye to all of them.  Once in the car, she often asks to roll down her window so she can yell "bye" to her friends once again.  She no longer has a shy side and is quick to strike up a conversation with anyone who will listen to her.  She wakes up around 6:30 (no matter what time she goes to bed) and jumps into our bed.  Most mornings it is cuddle time with daddy and that is his special time with the kids.  (Dane is sometimes the first one up and Maddie joins him or vice versa.)  She is getting more mature and more in control of her emotions and we are enjoying this age so much.  She is our little buddy and so much fun.  Matt and I couldn't feel more blessed to have her as our daughter.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADDIE GIRL!

Baseball

Dane LOVES sports!  He can find a ball in any pile of toys!  He grabbed this baseball bat and beach ball and couldn't get enough! It seems like we will have a lefty...but some say it is still too early to tell for sure.

Princess Night

We had a fun little get together for a princess party.  We put up lights and did a little bit of decorating, as Maddie was very into it!  We watched disney princess songs and the kids danced.  It was very sweet!

Halloween Videos

We had some fun after all of the trick or treating.  We even had someone make a special appearance!

Halloween Hoopla!

 Maddie loved carving pumpkins this year.  She helped clean them out and thought the guts were funny.  Dane was into it for about a min. and then ran off and played with his toys.

 We had pumpkin pancakes Halloween morning.

 The kiddos going out to trick or treat.  We had fun this year on our new block!

 The cousins LOVED trick or treating this year!  It was a little chilly, but a beautiful day!

 Maddie with her jack.  She wanted a bow on it - 100% her idea.  She is such a girl. :)

The kiddos posing in their Halloween costumes.  Dane did wear jeans (not camo's) on Halloween, but truth be told, we took these pictures the day after!

 Could this Woody be any cuter?!?  He didn't want to wear it to the trick or treat festival at my school, but he was into it on Halloween and the next few days after.

Thanks to Claire for letting Maddie borrow your Ariel costume!

Halloween Songs

Maddie sang these songs at preschool and taught them to her brother.  He copies everything his big sister does!

10 Years!!!

These past 10 years have been the best 10 years of my life.  We had a very nice anniversary and I feel so blessed each and every day.  My mom and dad ordered us the same cake we had on our wedding day.  Matt really wanted to make up for not smashing it on my face at our wedding.  While all of that was going on, Maddie "sampled" some of the cake while nobody was watching her.