Happy New Year!

It is hard to believe this time last year we were starting the big decision process of should we move to Maryland or not as well as trying to prepare for Gabe! It is safe to say 2014 was a pretty crazy year for us and full changes. We are ok it 2015 is a little less eventful :)

Last week Derek had to go away for a week long conference and we were lucky to have Grandpa come for the week to spend time and help us out while Derek was gone. Madelyn has been working very hard on potty training and has successfully been going out into public with her big girl underwear!!She filled up her first potty chart while Grandpa was here and got to go to the toy store! We still of course have accidents here and there but for the most part think we are finally potty trained!!! Madelyn has also moved to the next level of swim lessons and it is amazing what a good swimmer she has become.

As for Mr. Gabe he has become very active, he isn't crawling yet but can get around by scooting, rolling or any other way he finds possible. He has been up on all 4 , rocking and even moving his hands forward but hasn't actually crawled yet. He is almost impossible to hold now because he won't sit still and changing his diaper is a work-out itself. He also still has NO teeth. I think the boy might be gumming it to eat his first birthday cake, lol! Madelyn crawled at 9 months and walked at 11, so maybe he is following in her footsteps! He is an excellent eater so far, and since starting food developed some adorable chunky cheeks! His favorite thing by far right now is the bathtub. You can't even walk into the bathroom with him unless you plan to give him a bath or break his heart!

Love when they nap together, precious!

Really Mom, I am over these pics!

Coffee date with Grandpa!

First potty chart filled!

Off to work with Daddy!

Family Pictures we got taken in Iowa, weren't easy with 4 kids under 3 but love how they turned out!

Christmas 2014

Each Christmas gets more special as Madelyn really gets into the Christmas spirit and excitement. It was also a big year because nobody cried when meeting Santa. This year Madelyn asked Santa for a princess and pink roller skates. We tried to do all the fun Christmas things this season, bake cookies, make gingerbread houses, carriage rides, see Christmas lights, crafts, etc.
We headed to Virginia on Derek's birthday (December 23rd) and stayed for 5 days. It was a fun Christmas week with family and Madelyn loved spending a week with her cousin Tate. After we came back Mom and Richard flew to Maryland so we could have Christmas with them. It is always more fun when you get to spread Christmas out over a few weeks. We all were very spoiled this year and received tons of nice gifts. Just the other day Mads said to me "Mom, where did Christmas go?" lol, I could relate to her pain, always sad when it is all over for the year.
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Madelyn's Preschool Christmas Program

Sending letters to Santa!

Picture with Santa (Madelyn 2 1/2 Gabe 8 Months)

Our beautiful gingerbread house

Madelyn had her friends over to decorate Christmas cookies
( Lilly, Ellie, Kate, Sam)

The suspense was killing her

Rudolph came to downtown Easton, we got to talk to him on the phone!

SANTA CAME!

Christmas morning before running to see Santa presents!

Someone got their pink roller skates :)

Whole family on Christmas

Opening presenting is exhausting ( ps. the matching outfits was not planned :) )

Christmas round 2 with Nana and Papa!

Dr. Madelyn, thanks to Aunt Sue!

Mads and Nana's BIG dessert while out to eat!

Halloween, Thanksgiving and everything else...

I know, I know I am way behind on posting. Since October we have either had visitors at our house or have been away every single weekend making it even harder to get to the blog. Therefore, I have a lot to update in a little post :)

Lets start with Halloween, we had a wonderful Halloween. Here in Maryland we had the cutest little Dorothy and a not so scary lion. We went to Trunk or Treat at Church the weekend before Halloween  and actually headed to VA for Halloween weekend. I'm not sure what Madelyn loved more; getting the candy, dressing up or doing it all with her cousin Tate. Surprisingly our shy little Madelyn was excellent at going trick or treating, she rang the doorbell and said trick or treat so well. I'm sure the candy wasn't a motivation, lol!

After Halloween, we had our good friends, the Millers, come visit for the weekend. Madelyn had her fist sleepover in her room with Lilly sleeping on her trundle bed. It was so nice having them here for the weekend and we had fun at the park, out to dinner and even went to the zoo. It was hard to say goodbye to them and miss the days we got to see them all the time in Charlotte.

Two weeks ago the kids and I headed off to Iowa, yes I was crazy enough to fly alone with two. It was a long day of travel filled with some plane issues but all in all the kids were excellent. A week after we got their Derek drove the long 14 hour drive to meet us.  We all had the best time, and it never gets easier leaving home. It was extra special this time having two weeks to really enjoy time with family and not being so rushed. We celebrated Thanksgiving at Aunt Sues house and I couldn't help look around the room and think how blessed we are to have amazing family. We may not get to see them as often as we would like but we sure do have the best time when we do.

Now that we are back we are busy trying to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year!!! It is even more exciting this year now that Madelyn is understanding and loving Christmas things. The elf has made his appearance in our house and Madelyn knows he reports to Santa on her behavior. However, not to sure she is to worried, the other day she wasn't doing something she was suppose to and I reminded her about the elf, her response  (while looking up at the elf on the shelf) "Elf tell Santa no presents" like it was no big deal!! She always keeps us laughing.

As for updates on the kiddos:
Gabe: He is such a love and sweet boy. Though he always wants to be right by you and cries if you walk away, when with him he loves to snuggle into you, hold your hand and smile at you. He is sitting on his own and not showing signs of crawling yet. Unlike with Madelyn we are totally ok with that, I'll take the days of only 1 mobile as long as I can!! He is eating solids foods twice a day and haven't found a food he won't eat yet! We also started the baby puffs with him to teach him to self feed and work towards finger foods. Time sure does need to slow down with him.
Madelyn: She has decided she doesn't need naps anymore. Yes our daughter who took until 18months to actually nap well decided at 2 1/2 she doesn't need them anymore. We still get one out of her 2-3 days a week and the other days she had quiet time in her room. The crazy part is she really isn't that tired on the days she doesn't nap and it makes bedtime even easier. We shouldn't be surprised we all know she is 2 going on 16.  She still is the most determined little girl I know but is the sweetest big sister to her brother and always wanting to feed, hold or play with him.

 

Park with Lily and Gracie

 

Snuggles with Aunt Elly

Woulnd't be at Nana's house with out some cooking baking

 

Special Date with Grandpa

Such a good big sister

Out to lunch in Iowa

 

 

Growing to fast!



 

Most thankful for these cuties

 

Two little Turkey's only 5 months apart

Off to Kara's Baby Shower

Love my Aunt Katty

 

Cousins, Cam wasn't feeling the pic lol

 

lil Hawks for the Iowa game

 

 

All dressed for Daddy-Daughter Date night at Chic-fil-A

 

Pumpkins, Cider, Cool Nights....FALL

Pumpkins, Cider, Cool Nights....just to list some of the best parts of this time of year. Needless to say we have been busy trying to enjoy all those wonderful "Fall" things. One of the best parts of Easton is it seems every weekend there so many festivals, fairs and seasonal activities going on that we are trying to take advantage of. This past week Madelyn and Gabe were very excited to have Nana and Papa come visit and even got to go to the beach for the weekend. It is really nice having the beach only about 50 minutes away now! We of course also had to go to the pumpkin patch:) It was so nice having them here and wasn't as hard to leave them this time knowing we are flying home in 3 weeks!

Gabriel has changed a lot over this past month, and hard to believe he is almost 6 months.  We have started him on solids and so far he has tried carrots, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes and pears. He wasn't a big fan of the peas and beans but loved the sweet potatoes and pears, typical kid doesn't like the green veggies! He is grabbing everything, really developing a personality and a little rolling machine. He is still such a sweet boy that smiles ALL the time. Everytime we are in public he just smiles and flirts with everyone he sees, making a lot of peoples day!

Madelyn's big change is we finally had our first haircut. She was starting to have a mullet, with a section in the back much longer than the rest so decided we probably need to trim it up some. We went to Annapolis to Pigtails and Crewcuts children's salon. She did such a great job and of course loved sitting in the car to get her haircut.

Happy Boy!

Off to school

Mads BFF Kate :)

Swim Lessons

Love our dates :)

Gymnastics with some buddies

!st Haircut

Nothing better than swinging with Nana

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Off to play in the sand with Papa

Last day on the beach

Fun day at the Boardwalk on Rehoboth Beach

So blessed

Just two cuties watching the waves