CHristmas Week pics

Santa was here

What a busy holiday season. I have come to learn that holidays as an adult tend to be a hurry up and wait and then fly by the seat of your pants event. Christmas was wonderful. Madison had a very busy holiday season. We kicked it all off with Christmas at my mom's family event on 12/20. We saw cousins and family we only see once or twice a year. It is a tradition started by my great grandparents and upheld by my "gangdaddy." Now that he has passed our families take turns holding the get together at our houses. It has been a blast and is wild to see how much the kiddos have changed. Madison is and will be the youngest for a while. There were to new engagements though. Congrats to Jay and Kristina and Kelsey. Madison latched right onto Olivia and played her heart out. After breakfast and present opening Madison stood up as sweet as can be and exclaimed "Thanks Everybody! Happy Birthday!" A little too much frosty I guess, but adorable all the same.

Madison went to a Christmas party with grandma and grandpa on the 23rd and really had a good time. It was a busy day. We met after the party and went to see Santa for her picture with him and a few last minute errands. I could see the excitement in her eyes as Christmas grew closer. As adults it is easy to lose the magic of Christmas, but seeing it through the eyes of your child quickly reignites the spark! What a gift it is to be a mom...

Christmas Eve was a blur... Madison spent the day with her Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa. I think someone there is in good with the big red man because Santa had made an early delivery there! Madison even worked hard to pick out presents and a candy basket for me and for herself. Her Daddy said i was very hard for her not to eat it all up... There was so much excitement about Santa's upcoming arrival at our house. Madison even got a phone call from the big man in the red suit. She was very excited. We have it on tape, so if I can figure it out I'll post it soon! We were watching tv when Madison heard Santa outside. She jumped up and said, "I need to take a bath. I need to go to bed, Santa is here!" We took a quick bath, climbed into Christmas pj's and then settled around the couch for "The Night Before Christmas" as told by Poppy. Mads got mad at everyone laughing and left the couch, climbed into aunt Kristina's lap and demanded the story be finished there. It is sure to be a family classic for years to come!! Got it on video too! We took her to bed, tucked her in and she told me to get out so she could sleep and Santa could come! And boy did he...

We woke up Christmas morning just before 8 am and set out to the living room to find a trampoline, smart cycle, train table, star station and more!! She was more than thrilled and by 12 noon was gifted, jumped, cycled and star stationed out. She headed for a nap and slept for 2 1/2 hours. When she woke up she got ready for her cousins to come and more presents! She even got a huge dollhouse! She has had a blast.

Madison had made mom and dad a light up Christmas tree to match the one mom has that is great-great grandma's. madison's fav thing to do is take all the lights out and put them back in. She called mom out bigtime Christmas night. Mom had the old tree lit, but had yet to plug the new one in. mads came out looked at both trees and said "you like your old tree better mamaw??" What a smarty! Of course mamw loves her new tree... no worries Madison, I think it is her new fav!!

All in all a great Christmas filled with family and friends! What a great way to close 2008!

Crafty!

Madison has been busy at home and at Grandma Linda's taking in all the Christmas fun the season has to offer. Who needs preschool when you are having this much fun? I might add this is the longest she's been healthy since August!! Here are a few projects she worked on with Grandma Linda this week...

Santa's Wonderland

We made a trip to Ashland to the Bass Pro Shop. It was quite the trip. We took Uncle Chris and Sarah and Connor and Kaelyn with us, Sherry and Alyx, and Tina and her boys. We ran into another girl from work and her 3 girls too! It was a blast. They had a place with fake snow, and that seemed to be the hit if the place second only to Santa. Madison ran full tilt at Santa, and the rest of the kids were more timid. We saw big fish, lots of toys, and even a big bear!! We topped it all off with dinner and headed home. Madison still talks about Santa's Wonderland.

Our "Brindabread House"

I am having a blast this year with Madison! There is so much she can do. We have been keeping busy with Christmas crafts. She is also learning Christmas songs. I have to say Frosty is her favorite. I'm sure she will be watching him for many months to come. We tackled a gingerbread house last week. What fun! Madison has quite the decorative touch. She even had fun sneaking a taste every once in a while. She bit the roof, and was wired until 11pm that night!!

Christmas Pictures!

All went well considering we were there for 2 1/2 hours start to finish! Madison Played really well while we waited. Can't believe she is so grown!

Through the years...

This is a time a year that i love to look back at pics of Madison and see how she has changed from my sweet little baby to my beautiful, smart and priceless little girl. I don't have many pics to go from this year, although Aaron assures me he will have them to me soon, but I will work with what I have. I also can't wait to see all the video from Mads over the years. Hopefully we will have that soon too. I am so thankful for the video we have of her, it's priceless. If only we had started sooner. Well, Here are a few pics from her first Christmas at 10mo. Her seconds Christmas at 22mo. and so far from this year.

My tree!

Madison is such a big girl this year I decided to let her have a tree in her room. it's a fiber-optic tree. We let her decorate it when I bought it home and she has been thrilled with it. She made little foam ginger people with her Grandma Linda last week, so last night we put tree hooks in them and let her add them to the tree. It turned out really cute! And on a positive note... after 3+ weeks I think her cough is getting better!!

They're Engaged!!

Well, Thanksgiving came and went and we had all kinds of excitement. My brother finally proposed to his girlfriend of almost 8 years!! It was beautiful!! We are very excited to be planning a wedding. I can't help but think about how sweet Madison will be in as a flower girl. I'll keep you posted as they decide on a date...

Christmas is right around the corner!! I braved my first Black Friday. I managed to get all of the hot items I was hoping for. Madison is going to have a great Christmas. She has gotten in really tight with Santa. She has been to see him 5 times already. He knows her name. It's very funny. I'm hoping she will be healthy by then. We are still fighting pneumonia. Her little buddies Lexi and Aiden (who she will tell you is her boyfriend) are in the hospital with pneumonia. Madison misses them terribly.

We went to the hospital today to listen to some Christmas music. Some of my co-workers were playing the flute. Madison went front and center and danced and twirled and clapped and cheered. She attracted as much attention as the music!! We may go back next week.

We were watching Sleeping Beauty today and Madison asked why everyone was sad... it was the part of the movie were Briar Rose pricks her finger and goes to sleep. I told her the mean lady made her go to sleep. She asked why she was mean. I told her some people were just like that. To this I hear come from the back seat, " This is reediculuss" I couldn't help but laght.

I also became "that mom" yesterday. We went all over town with a princess tiara on. It's funny how strange thing become perfectly normal when it has to do with your child and the things that make them happy. She even went bowling with it on. What a stinker!!