Maddy's 1st birthday!

My cute momma, Am, Maddy, and Luke.Muggy opening her bubble blower.

She'll be one hot momma in this little swimsuit from my parents.

A stuffed 'Scout' since, even after a year, the real one still won't look at her, let alone play with her.

The 3 amigos!

Excited at the sight of her very own cake! Cute bib is from Mimi and Papa.

Tastes good! Especially when someone lifts it to you!

All the kiddos! Carter, Savvy, Luke, Addison, Emerie (above) wasn't feelin' in the picture mood!

Pre Birthday party in her rainbow bright leggings!

My baby is 1! Still can't believe a whole year has gone by already. It has been an amazing year, watching this little monkey grow and develop. Her personality has come out and she is HILARIOUS! Spicy, cheesy, and hilarious! When I say spicy, I mean the side of her that comes out when she doesn't get her way...she will hit you or bite you, and then kiss you immediately after. She knows what 'be nice' means...even though she doesn't have much restraint in showing that she's displeased about something. Am has been a huge help! Thank you sweetie! Don't know what it is about Am pulling out her camera, Muggy will smile on cue every time. She LOVES her sister!

She's learning new words and chatters to herself in a language only she understands. She intimidates her twin cousins. Emerie always looks nervous when Maddy barrels towards her. She loves them though and loves to give them kisses!

Maddy's party was a blast! Couldn't have been more perfect for a 1st birthday. We barbequed, and all the kids ran and played and squealed and laughed! She got clothes (can't wait for summer to come so that she can wear her zebra and hot pink swim suit!), shoes, a puzzle, a lawnmower, books, dolls, a bubble blower, and a lot of other fun stuff. A little overwhelming for a 1 year old. She wasn't quite sure what was going on. And then the cake...I made her her own little cake with a Mickey Mouse candle, she LOVES Mickey, and she likes to go face first when eating sometimes. It was sooo priceless!

Better walking video...

Here's a better video of her walking. Since today she's ventured the entire length of the family room.

It's official...she's walking!

It's official, Maddy is walking. She suprised us one Sunday morning. (2 days before she was 11 months actually). She just...walked...

Hard to believe that my little monkey will be a year in 2 1/2 weeks. It makes me sad, yet I love watching her grow and learn every single day. She loves to point at things, mimic what you say, even the tone. Every day she's learning a new word. It's hilarious!

The video is a little dark. Don't know what happened, but you can see her taking a few steps!

Warm weather?????

Oh how I wish it was summer already! Boo to the ice crusted snow, the inversion, and the biting cold! I wish I was here...with my babies and my hubby!

Maddy and her new Winnie the Pooh train...

As you can see, this is a huge hit! This is the train's 2nd day home, plus a few days at the cabin...but look at her go! She's so proud of herself!!

Christmas 2009!

This Christmas, we spent a long weekend at the cabin. It was a perfect weekend! We got up there on the 23rd. First time that early before Christmas, but so nice to be able to relax. Christmas Eve, Jer and his family got up there and we were soon able to begin the long awaited festivities. For those who don't know (uh, where have you been???) my mom does xmas eve jammies every year. This year she made them, the bottoms anyway. Moose for the boys and kids, and leopard for the girls. They were cute and, as usual, very comfy! The kids had a great time. Special xmas eve stockings for everyone via mom/mimi. Maddy wasn't sure what all of the craziness was about. She soon found that she had new toys and books though, and was very excited!
6 am xmas morning...

the girls on xmas eve

me and my first baby

opening her first santa present...she continues to kiss and squeeze this thing everytime she sees it.

6 am, right before meannie momma woke her up. Couldn't resist the yummy sleeping position!

Jer and his family

Sissa and her family

My cute mom and dad. I snagged the wrong picture from my photo album...they weren't quite ready to say cheeze...but cute none the less.

Us on xmas eve

Me and Maddy on the snowmobile...she didn't get a ride this time, but did the last day. A short stint around the parking lot.

All in all, this was by far the most perfect Christmas. I am so thankful for a family that I not only love, but whom I truly love to hang out with. We always have so much fun. Whether it's a competitive game of nickels (and noone cheated this year...), to extreme sledding (at least extreme for us...a long slick hill with a nice jump, only one injury...), movies, arcade games, reading (mom and sissa), snowmobile rides, and a lot of laughs! Every single year I feel more and more blessed to have the family that I have, the parents that I have. None are more loving, or generous, or compassionate, or FUN as mine!!

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday and best wishes for a safe new year!

Thanksgiving and other catch up...

So, it's been a busy month and a half. With Thanksgiving, the boutique, and the various Christmas activities...it's gone by way too fast. Hard to believe that Christmas is almost here! That means I need to finish shopping. Thanksgiving was fantastic. My grandpa and Aunt Julie came up for it. It was so nice to spend the day with them. Then the frantic planning of our shopping night. It used to be morning, now it's started at 9 pm! Where there used to be at least a few hours of sleep, there is none. I wouldn't trade it though. McDonald's, Pretzels, and LOTS of diet coke keep us going! I swear no one has a funner mom to tag along with. She's got more energy than all of us put together. I swear it!! It's so much fun though! I'm not sure I can find the right words to describe what happened here, since I don't even know. Did my dad put it there? Did the kids? He just seems a little too happy to be donning an orange flower. Love my dad!

Sissa, Grandpa, me, and Jer. Love this pic!

Me and my cute little sista! Yes Sissa, we are hot!

Muggy's ridin' mimi's rooster!

First Thanksgiving!!