A post... just because

I am beginning to feel like I only post stories about Madison and have been leaving my sweet boy out. I guess he is only five months and his big 'moments' are rolling from his belly to his back, but this little man is so wonderful... so go-with-the-flow... gives me smiles even when it's way past his bedtime... laughs belly laughs when you tickle his tummy... He's pretty much the greatest! I love you too TT!

Notty Eye!!

Ever since I started saying, "Oh my Madison, you have a 'snotty nose'", she has told me that she needs her nose wiped by telling me, "Mommy, Notty No!". I always thought that was funny. She has been a bit of a 'sick' little girl this winter and has had many 'Notty Noses"... but lately she has also had watery eyes. She often calls Matt or I into her room and says in an angry tone, "Mom/Dad... Notty No!... Notty Eye!... Notty Utter Eye!".

thunder

Just caught Madison teaching her Angelina Doll and her Puppy what thunder was. She was nose to nose with each of them individually whispering to them, "Way up high" and pointing way up. Then she let each of them individually look out the window as she said, "See thunder...". When she caught me watching her she scrunched her face all up and laughed as if she knew it was a little funny.

Turn-er-up!

Madison loves music... singing music, dancing to music, watching mom and dad dance to music, making her animals and dolls dance... The only thing she ever watches (partially b/c we don't have cable) is her Angelina Ballerina DVD. Anyways, lately when we get in the car, she wants to listen to her CD, which has numerous nursery rhymes on it. She tells you right away which song she wants: "Dock" (Hickery Dickery Dock), "Falling Down" (London Bridge), "Row Row Boat", or "Cheese" (Farmer in the Dell)... this one took me quite awhile to figure out, but finally I realized the last thing that was 'taken' was the cheese.

Funny story from today. I was in changing Eliott's diaper in our bedroom and Madison was just laying in her bed after she woke up from her nap. She usually lays in there for awhile just 'waking up'. I was singing "This Little Light Of Mine" and I hear from the other room... "Mom! Turn-er-up!".

She is the only person in the whole world that has ever asked me to sing louder! I love her!

2 years and so sweet...

Madison turns two... wow.

Ever since we brought Madison home from the hospital and began to 'show her off', people said the same thing over and over.. "Enjoy it, the time goes sooooo fast". So, Matt and I have often talked about how we really try to enjoy every single moment. We truly believe we have tried to embrace every stage and every moment of our little girls life, and I am so thankful for that! From the first moments we laid her in her crib, to the many "me do it!" moments we have had lately, it has been a wonderful whirlwind. Parenting is definitely the toughest, most worthwhile job anyone can ever take on. We truly feel like God has blessed us with this beautiful girl and we have tried our best, with God's guidance, to 'grow her up' in a Godly way. It's work, but it is sooooooo fun. I laugh so much every day because of things she does and says. Lately, she has become very independent..., her favorite phrase being, "Nooooooo, Me Do It!". Anything from getting tissue to wipe her nose, taking off her coat, turning lights on and off, wiping down the table, giving Eliott his pacifier, oh my the list goes on. And it's usually not the most efficient way - especially where it would be one flip for me to turn on the light... instead I have to wait for her to go find her stool, prop it up perfectly against the wall, and the watch her carefully flip the switch on, then off, on, off, ... That is just one minor example. But she is definitely learning, and that's what I love! She is definitely a mix of Matt and my personalities as well as some quirks of her own. She is sooooo detailed and particular, in the same way her Dad was when he was little (so I've heard). She has to have things perfectly in line and in place. For example, when she pulls out the drawer to get out a color, and I push it back in, she quickly notices if it's not 'completely' pushed in flush with the table. She will slowly walk back over, push it completely in, then continue on with her task. She is also VERY particular of what goes in her bedroom and does not go in her bedroom. For example, puppy, blanket, and mimi get to be in the bed... baby gets to be in the baby bed on the floor, but don't even think about having her play purse in her bedroom. The other night she whined for several minutes before I finally went into her room. She was holding up her purse saying, "no no no". I took the purse out of the room and she easily walked back into her bed and fell asleep. Funny. She is very touchy, lovey as well. Randomly squeezing and hugging Matt, me, Eliott or Chief. If you watch her go to bed, she hugs and kisses her puppy over and over again. She LOVES to dance. She will tell Matt, "More Mumic Dad". Then he must proceed to play her favorite song. For awhile it was "Soul Sister"... now she's into "All The Single Ladies". If it's not the right 'dancin' song, she says, 'no, no, no, ...' until it comes to the song she wants. Believe me, we've tried Raffi, Veggie tales, Go Fish,... no luck. She likes it more up beat :). After it starts, she always tells Matt, "Turn-er-up Peeb"... and Matt cranks up the volume. Then we proceed with a whole family dance party. Speaking of dance party, she often gets to have dance parties with her little friends at Day Care and the Hansen house on Tuesday mornings. I love that she gets 'out of the house' and gets to be part of an incredibly loving family and gain new little friends. At first Madison was a bit uneasy going, but Jess quickly found out that baking was a quick way to Madi's heart. She often brings home cookies or bread that she helped make. My heart melts when we leave and her friends (Austin, Avery, and Jacob) say "Bye Madi", in their sweet little voices, and Madi turns and says, "By guys". It's wonderful. She has so many wonderful friends. All you have to say is Jordann or Ayden is coming over, and her eyes get huge and she says, "Aynen!?" or "Jojo!?". It's great! You have definitely been an incredible little girl and I wish I could capture each moment and live it forever! With that said, I love watching you grow more and more into the little lady that God created you to be. We are so thankful for your beautiful smile that brightens even the downest of days! We love you sweet girl and have been so blessed by the last two years!!!

You've grown!... 35 1/4 inches and 31 lbs!

Eliott turns 4 months :)

The big 4 months... crazy! I feel like 4 months is when you finally grew out of your new baby stage and into your big baby stage... if that makes sense. You do so much! You smile and laugh a lot, you love to stand up on my lap (with help), you want to sit up and see the world so I sit you up in your bumbo, your jumperoo, or your high chair, and you like that. I also decided that 4 months was the time you needed to start taking some big naps and becoming an 'independent' sleeper, so we have been working on that as well. You have been doing a great job, for the most part :). You still like to snuggle with me at night sometimes, and I love that too! You can usually stay awake for an hour and a half to two hours before you need to get some zzz's. You've been working on taking three good naps and then bedtime around 7:00 or 7:30. You still get up once or twice to eat, and I haven't pushed that since Dad's leaving for break next week and I didn't want to work on that till after he gets home :). You started cereal this week too... you aren't totally crazy about it but you're doing a good job of taking it from a spoon. Soon we will try something a bit more yummy. I take you to the doc tomorrow, so I will have to update on your size after that. I definitely need to get to the store since your 6-9 month clothes are too tight! You are our big little man, that's for sure! You are loved by your Mom and Dad and you are sure loved by your big sis. Yesterday I turned around and Madison had your bouncy seat full of books and stuffed animals situated all around you and was sitting on a stool next to you 'reading' you a story. After the story was done, she went and got your 'keys' and shook them above you for further entertainment. She also will randomly walk over to you and hug and kiss you. The other day, when you were having a bit of a hard time napping, I went into your room and saw that Madison had somehow put your musical mobile inside your cradle. Thankfully it didn't land on you :). We are sooooo thankful that you are our sweet little boy. Your content, happy, easy going personality continues to spoil us. You have blessed us these first four months and we are so excited to continue life as a family of four! Eliott, you are loved!