04.29.12 - Green thumbs

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.

12.24.11 - Maddie's 3rd birthday

Maddie turned 3 today!


We celebrated during breakfast - chocolate chip bagels from Panera.


So proud of herself for blowing out the candles.


The birthday bunny she got from Santa a few days ago joined us at the table.


Her birthday prizes included a couple of Strawberry Shortcake paper books.


Again, so proud!


Christmas Eve is Angie's mom's family's big Christmas celebration so we spent most of the afternoon and evening at Nan and Pop's house. We sang Happy Birthday to Maddie at the minute of her birth. She sang along, too, while cuddled close to Nan.

Happy Birthday, Maddie Girl!

10.31.11 - Strawberry Shortcake

Maddie dressed up as Strawberry Shortcake - one of her favorite characters - for Halloween this year and struck this pose in from of Grandpa Greg's house. She likes to watch Strawberry Shortcake movies on Netflix and she's always quick to tell you if she wants to watch "a big Sortcake" or "a ittle sortcake." (That's a long movie or a shorter episode, for those of you who don't speak toddler. Nan made the outfit from a pattern Angie found on eBay and we purchased the hat separately, also off eBay.

08.07.11 - Little helper

It's been well-documented on the boys' blogs that we went to McDonald's today. It was our first time to actually go inside and we invited Nan and Pop to go with us. Without asking, Maddie went to hold the door for Pop. It's quite heavy for a two year old so Nan helped. Still, it's another one of those melt-your-heart moments!

05.08.11 - Mints

Maddie loves to eat the mints from Nan's candy dish. She can't just have one. No, she's gotta have a yellow one. Then a green one. And then a pink one. And five minutes later, she'll want to have some all over again.

01.02.11 - Woooo Hoooo! Maddie's 2!

Rubber Ducky you're the one, you make birthdays so much fun!


Someone thought they'd be funny and sneak some contraband into the party. I didn't think I had to worry about stuff like this until she was a teenager!


She liked 'em. Ugh.


Blue punch! (Because ducks swim on water, duh!) Maddie's got one clever Mommy!


Opening her first gift. Harley wants to know if there's anything to eat.


Nope, it's Maddie's first camera!


What's this one? "A BOX!" Well, yes. But look over there. There was actually something in the box, silly!


Get outta my way, tissue paper!


Grampy Keith and Nan and Pop watch as Nate tries to get in on the action.


Maddie lets Nate help open a gift.


Maddie sneaks a bite of icing before we can sing Happy Birthday to her. She ate the icing, ice cream and M&Ms but pretty much turned her nose up at the cake.


She had no problems blowing out her candle.


Her most special gift came from Nan and Pop. Nan's dad (that's Maddie Great Great Grandpa Scheer) made this baby bed for Nan when she was a little girl - nearly 75 years ago! And if you ask Maddie how many babies she has (between Christmas and her birthday) she just says, "more."

And in our house, ain't that the truth?!! Happy second birthday, Maddie Girl!

12.24.10 - Maddie's 2nd birthday

Maddie turned 2 on Christmas Eve. Despite the extra work involved, I kinda liked that there was a Christmas tree in the background of this photo. Given that Christmas is her Mommy's favorite holiday, I hope that Maddie grows up to like it as much, too, even if it coincides with her birthday. And if not? Well, sorry kid. It wasn't our fault! As for the bagels? That's been a family tradition for as long as Daddy can remember. We used to celebrate with doughnuts but they aren't as healthy and good eating habits form early, right? She was able to blow out both candles so we're excited for her birthday party next weekend.


We asked Maddie is she wanted rice or pizza for lunch. Both are her favorites. She emphatically said, "Pee-tuh!" so we went to Pizza Hut. She gets plenty of healthier items off the salad bar, too.


She was actin' all sorts of silly while Mommy was away in the restroom.


Hey, Maddie! Let me see that 'big smile' one more time!


That night, we gathered at Nan and Pop's for Christmas Eve. She shared a chair with her cousin Emerson ... for awhile. This is close to her birthday minute. I wish it were, though. You'll see why in a second.


One of her birthday gifts was this cool "I'm 2" t-shirt. Yes, she's definitely 2. You'll see why next.


This is the photo from the minute she turned exactly 2. What is she saying? "NO!" as we sing Happy Birthday. Yup, she's 2 alright.

11.10.10 - Cheese

We asked to see Maddie's "big smile" tonight at dinner. She gave it to us ... while saying "cheese!"

Saying what??!!!

Where on earth did she learn that, I wondered. Certainly not from any of us around here. Then it dawned on us - Lisa takes a lot of photos at daycare. Well, we couldn't keep her from learning to say cheese but at least, so far, we've kept her from McDonald's. I don't think we have to worry about Lisa doing that. Now, Nan on the other hand ...

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.