12.30.11 - Maddie's 3rd birthday party

We celebrated Maddie's third birthday party tonight. We celebrated with a taco dinner, including black beans that Maddie has been saying for months she would eat on her birthday. Do you think she ate any? Of course not! After dinner we opened presents and ate a Strawberry Shortcake chocolate cake - that Angie made - with ice cream. The house was packed, we now own every conceivable Strawberry Shortcake toy that can possibly be made and Maddie went to bed a happy three-year-old.

05.22.11 - Scenes from Emerson's birthday party

The highlight for Maddie at Emerson's birthday party today were the chickens in the backyard. She had a great time chasing them and enjoyed it even more when Uncle Brent helped her hold one. She tried to show her Mommy but she wasn't interested!

10.31.10 - Happy Halloween!

Maddie and Nate pose with their "punks."


Dressed as a K-State cheerleader (because she refused to wear her original cupcake costume), Maddie's first stop trick-or-treating was at Grandma and Grandpa Shepherd's house.


She wasn't much into taking pictures. When Grandma Shepherd asked her to blow me a kiss, she made a fish face.


From there, we headed to Nan and Pop's house where we trick-or-treated in the neighborhood with Brent and Tori and their kids. Gramma Karen and Nan (and Harley!) went along, too.


Maddie held tight to her Tootsie Rolls.


Checking out her loot at the end of the night.


We thought she was going to want to sleep with her basket of candy. She didn't want to let go of it to be buckled in. We got home and she danced around the living room a bit but it didn't take her long to wind down.

12.27.09 - Full house

We had a great turnout for Maddie's first birthday party! Angie made a pink and yellow daisy cake to accompany a table full of snackies and punch. Maddie didn't care for the cake but ran her fingers though most all of the frosting. She even got a little in her ear! She raked in a ton of cool prizes including some new clothes, books and a shopping cart walker-rider.

All of the immediate family was able to attend including, from left to right, Aunt Tori and Uncle Brent, Grampy Keith and Gramma Karen, Grandma Nancy, Angie and Harley (duh!), Grandpa Shepherd, Uncle Tim, Grandma Shepherd, Grandpa Greg (who's holding cousin Emerson), Aunt Tessa and Nan and Pop along with a few other young aunts and cousins sitting in the corner where this image was made. To everyone who could make it and who've been so supportive of us this past year; THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING! We've been so blessed!

12.26.09 - Yay, Christmas!

Maddie and Taylor play while opening presents at Christmas at Gramma Karen and Grampy Keith's house today. What a great way to end Maddie's first Christmas. Thanks to everyone for all the great new clothes, books and toys!

12.24.09 - What's all the fuss about?

Maddie was a little stunned when we all broke out in a round of "Happy Birthday" tonight, promptly at 8:16 p.m. A year ago at this time Angie and I were welcoming her into the world (and missing Christmas at Nan and Pop's). We were there this year to celebrate. Aunt Tori had the pleasure of holding the birthday girl at the exact moment she turned one year old.

Happy birthday, Maddie!

06.17.09 - Baby sittin'

Maddie baby sits Cousin Emerson at day care today. I really do hope they grow up to be best friends.

05.30.09 - Uncle Brent

It's no secret that Uncle Brent (Angie's brother) is the last person Maddie wants to see or be left with. Every time he tries to hold her, she screams and cries. He took it hard a few times, too, because he's really good with kids and adores Maddie. But tonight a strange thing happened. Grandpa Greg invited all of us over for dinner and Maddie didn't cry when her "Uncle Brenners" tried to hold her!

Thanks to Shania for snapping this photo and Nancy for sending it to us!

05.26.09 - Cousin!

After unpacking the car and resting up a bit, we went over to Brent and Tori's house tonight to meet their new son, Emerson Kenneth. He was born last Thursday, about the time we were heading north on the Kansas Turnpike. We can't believe how big Maddie has gotten in five months! We can hardly remember her being so tiny.