Keeping up with us...in photos

This time of year is crazy busy for my family. We have THREE birthdays, Christmas and New Years...all within 20 days! We have a lot of fund celebrating! Plus, our daily life is pretty busy too!

One of our many parties at nana and grandpas!

We had a ton of friends (and their kids over) for New Years. It was great fun. I actually didn't get any pictures of the adults but remembered to snag a couple of Maddie and Hudson.

Maddie and I had a date to All About Kids.

I made Pioneer Woman french toast (along with homemade blackberry butter!!) for breakfast with my biggest helper.  Side note: LOVE Pioneer Woman. Check out the link for the recipe.

Then we went shopping and had a picnic lunch in my car. (Not my idea. Maddie said, "I don't want to go into the restaurant. I want to sit in your car with you sit in the front seat and eat." So we did. In the very back of the Target parking lot, we had Steak and Shake!)

Of course we had a little down time...

Maddie piling Sydney up with her toys. 

And then, learning her LeapPad with daddy.

My parents pulled up their carpet in their house so we went to draw on their sub-floor. Had lots of fun with markers doodling everywhere!

I'm getting better at taking the girls out by myself. On Wednesday we went to Tot Time at Chik Fil A. We fingerprinted with chocolate pudding! 

This weekend we also had Maddie's THIRD birthday party, but that's for another post!!

First Friday!

Maddie started part time last week and on Friday I had the girls for the first time by myself. It went great!! We had a lot of fun.

We played playdoh.

Then Maddie went to the dentist. Here she is playing in the waiting room.

She did pretty well until the very end. After she got flossed, she jumped up and shouted, "I've been good. Can I have my pez candy?!?!" Next time, I will bribe with a toy or something less sugary so as not to offend the dentist. She did not have any cavities though!

She is doing really well writing her name. She is learning to trace it first. She can name every letter in her name!!

In the afternoon Maddie played with Sydney and taught her how to use one of her new toys.

We also had leftover bananas so we made some banana muffins.

Finally, we had a glow in the dark party.

Man, it's so much more fun when my sister is home with me!!

Special Days

Let's be real. Winter birthdays, specifically those around Christmas, have the potential to really stink.  Your gifts are in Christmas paper, people try to do "combo" gifts and everyone is just genuinely worn out from Christmas that your birthday can kind of be an after thought. 

Hmm. As I type this, I'm unearthing a weird, psychological issue I didn't realize I had with my own birthday! I digress. Anyways, Chris and I totally get the holiday birthday woes and it's important to us that Maddie has a very special birthday day.

This year, Maddie wanted to go to school in the morning. It was Superbus day and she got to have oreos with her class for her birthday. 

We picked her up early and went to Build a Bear. Well, there was about 50 other people also at BaB. It was WILD.

Daddy got in line and Maddie picked out her bear and some clothes for him.

How Maddie felt about the line.

We waited and waited and waited...

We waited so long, Daddy had to take Madeline to Barnes and Noble to burn off some steam.

Sydney sat nicely in her carseat for a bit, but then wanted to get out and visit with the other people.

She also spit up ALL over their floor. I don't think she took too kindly to the woman asking how old the "young man" was. 

FINALLY it was our turn!

First, we pumped him up.

Then, she bathed and brushed him.

She picked a black cat and named it 'Madeline.' Ha!

After Build a Bear, we went to Qdoba!

Then, we had some play time.

And, every birthday needs a sugary treat! We let Maddie pick out a Gigi's cupcake. She picked a white cake with blue frosting, topped with a gummy worm.

Daddy got a cupcake too...his birthday was the next day!

We had one more surprise for Madeline. On the way home, we stopped at nana and grandpa's house for her birthday present. She was MEGA excited!!

Can y'all believe my big sister is 3? I cannot! I love her!! 

CHRISTMAS!

We had a wonderful Christmas. 

So excited Christmas morning! Santa brought Maddie matching nightgowns for her and her doll! 

Then we got all dressed up and headed to grandma and grandpas!

Christmas Day was the first day we noticed that Sydney was feeling a little better. We got a big smile!

(That wore her out though and she went back to bed for another several hours.)

THEN..we went to nana and papas. 

Lots of presents --- that's what four grandkids looks like.

We couldn't get these two to take a normal smiling picture.

Maddie and Quinn.

Sydney woke up (she slept through almost all of the gifts and all of dinner) and I decided she should probably put her Christmas outfit on, even if it was just for a few minutes. 

Nana made the kids matching hats!

Sweet Sydney. I hated that she was sick on Christmas but am so relieved this bout of RSV didn't get her in the hospital.

After three Christmases, Madeline was totally worn out.

The next morning, playing with her "Drawing board." 

There were lots of presents to be opened and yummy food to be eaten. But, we also took Maddie to church and talked to her a lot about celebrating the birth of Jesus. Because that's what Christmas is all about!

Hope everyone had a great holiday!