The playdate that grows together.....

stays together.

Or so we joke. 

This is Mady's longtime boyfriend, Truett.

Bryan and I have been great friends with The Stringer Family ever since we started at Seminary.

We used to live in the on campus apartments together and long before we had these two cuties,

our dogs enjoyed the occasional playdate. 

Here is Mady and Truett this time last year, Winter 2009.

Truett was about 5 months and Mady was 2 1/2 months old.

Fast forward to the Summer of

2010

Truett is 71/2 months

Mady is 5 months old.

 We spent this summer garage sale 

hopping......

taking long walks at Cherokee Park....

and just enjoying each others fellowship!

Truett is always trying to steal some sweet kisses from Mady.

She definitely plays hard to get.
Don't worry Truett, she does that to everyone!

       How did these babies turn into toddlers so quick?

Here they are today,

Winter 2011.

Mady is 14 1/2 months

Truett is 18 months old.

Playdates these days have less to do with the moms having fun

and

more to do with keeping these two entertained!

Wow, how so much changes in a year!

Mady really enjoyed Truett's

great Little People Farm

and

Little People's Noah's Ark.

In this picture, he was showing her

his Handy Many Tool set.

She loved the music it played.

Is it taboo to say this playdate 

ended in bed?

Haha!!

Well, it did! 

Mommy's close by, of course.

Mady kept asking for "Bed" and "Blankey" when she saw his crib.

So we stuck them both in there! 

Too cute!

We have greatly enjoyed The Stringer's friendship and are really going to miss them when they graduate this May.

A friend of mine reminded me of the Seminary's graduation hymn lyrics today and it really pertains to the many friendships we've made while in Seminary. 

Especially this one.

Here is the hymn lyrics that are so bitter sweet:

  “We meet to part, but part to meet when earthly labors are complete.  To join in yet more blest employ, in an eternal world of joy.”

Luke turns 1!

On January 15th, the family gathered to 

celebrate a little

adorable

boys

Birthday.

His throne....

Here is the adorable boy himself.

My youngest of two precious nephews.

Grammy and Luke.

The other precious Nephew, Layton...

seriously stealing

some 

sugar from his favorite cousin, Mady.

O-N-E!

The beautiful Momma and her boys.

So proud.

Opening some fun gifts.

Cake time!

Hey Luke, can I have some cupcake too?

Mmmmm....thank you...mmmmm.....Luke!

Happy Birthday Luke! 

WE love you SOOO much! 

Night-Night Routines

Brush my teeth so clean!

Puttin' my pj's on too.

Getting my bath and washing my hair.

Daddy made me a silly hat!

Good night kisses!

Love you.

Little Helper

Momma! We've got some work to do!

Look at all of this laundry!

I can help you fold it.

First you have to separate it.

Just like this.

Find this sock's mate.

and just start foldin' em' up!
Its easy.

What is this thingy,

Momma?

Is this how it works?

Or maybe like this!

Here I come to get ya!

So proud of my little helper. Good thing the Swiffer sweeper is light weight....this just may be a good chore for her in a few months. She already helps around the house by feeding Calvin each morning...and I mean more than the scraps that get thrown dropped from the high chair. 

She actually gets excited to go to the basement, where Calv's food is and feed him breakfast. Which usually consists of her on my hip while I feed him, but she's learning! Did I mention I love having a little helper?

Because I do!

No space left

What does this title mean?
Well, it means that there is no space left for pictures on my blogy-blog.

Funny. My brother told me I should put away the digital camera because I obviously take too many pictures. Hah. Who could resist when your subject is so cute.

[Insert cute picture of Mady that I just don't have anymore GB left on my blog for, sad.]

Its ok. I bought some more storage. I know that sounds ridiculous, but this blog is a scrapbook. I am literally am turning it into a book for my coffee table each year. I lack time and energy for anything more creative than this and photography. All my creative energies are spent with my little 30 inch 20+ pound cutie-pa-tutie. 

[Insert another picture of Mady]

Now because I cannot put any cute pictures, I will record some funny "Say what!?" Things Mady has started to say recently. 

A few weeks ago I was showering during Mady's nap and heard her waking over the monitor so I ran down stairs in my towel and proceeded to get her out of her crib to join me upstairs while I finished getting ready. As I stood, dripping wet with my towel on with my arms out to pick her up she pointed to my brown towel and said: "Bear" and "Rrroaarr"! Hilairous. She thinks my brown towel turns me into a bear!

When Mady wants me or Bryan she says all in the same word: "MommaDadda", its so cute. Its our brand name as her parents.

If she wants us to pick her up she says: "Up down", all at once as well. She knows they go together, but not so sure how they work together. 

She is obsessed lately with the bathroom. Likes going in there and shutting the door....usually to go "Poo Poo". Very quietly too. Funny how she knows this is what you do.

She is also obsessed with brushing her teeth. She says "Teeth-Brush" for her toothbrush every time she is near the bathroom sink. Maybe she'll be a dentist. 

Loves her new kitchen and continues to pretend cook. She feeds all her baby dolls and bears with a spoon. She makes the eating sound each time she feeds them by mouth and then says "Mmmm" for them. She must be a great cook!

She refers to our laptops as "Duck" because she loves to watch the same Youtube video of Elmo's Ducks over and over and OVER.  We have to tell her the ducks are napping to get her mind off of it. I think she believes we watch the duck video over and over again when we are using the computer.

When we ask Mady how big she is she used to just throw her hands up above her head, now she says: "Soooo"! While holding her hands up.

Pictures coming soon!

Boxes, 1 & 2

What is it about 

boxes

and

toddlers?

They are so

much

fun.

Soooooooooooo

MUCH

FUN!!

This was almost three months ago.....and its still so fun!

Flash back 

photos:

Mady 13 months old.

She's gotten 

a little 

bit 

bigger!

Peek-

a-

boo!

So much change in just 2 1/2 months.
We have had so much fun learning how to entertain
a toddler indoors....all winter!

Come spring, come!!!

January, a year ago

we were doing this...

                                   and this.........

and who could forget this...........

                     or this.........  

When did this baby turn into a toddler? 

Oh my, what a difference a year makes...

                      This is what we're up to now.........

Little Ms. Busy-body

is 

on

the

MOVE!

She is just as social as she can be!!!!

        



        Smiles from ear to ear!

Has captured our hearts!
Whether she likes it or not.

Cannot be held down!

Oh No!

Is never on the short end of receiving lots of kisses.

Curious as ever.

     Into new experiences.....

and

mostly

just 

enjoying 

the 

sweetness

of 

her life....

That is what we've been doing this year.

(15 Months in 5 short days!)