Here are a few updates on the Madster. First, here she is enjoying a nice warm winter day (notice the short sleeves!) with some friends. Look at that curly hair of hers, it just flips and curls all over the place!

 She is a full time walker now, has been for about a month.

 Here she is saying "GO" When she does her lips go into a perfect circle like this. Se has great form.

 I went to get a plate off the table and came back to this. She is upping her game with the whole dishwasher. She is attempting to actually get inside the basket.

Life has been busy and good here in the nations capital. My nanny job is awesome, and Bryan's work is going good too . Life really is good. I am reminded every time I see My little Madi smile, or get a big hug from Bryan. I love when I get to see Bryan and Madi play together, and to hear Madi cracking up! The simple things in life are the best things !

Remember how I said Madi likes to put her food in her hair? Here is a good example, she actually has grapefruit juice dripping down her face, her hair is just wild, and she couldn't be happier about it.

 She also makes it hard to say no to giving her ice cream when this is the reaction we get in return.

This winter had been amazing. Last week there was a day that was in the low 70's.  You heard me right, that happened in January. Me and some friends decided to go feed ducks, and have a picnic outside. While there, we saw this guy walking all these dogs. I counted 12, but I could be off. It was wild, and they were all so well behaved.

 Madi enjoying the sunny day

 She kept picking up leaves and trying to throw them. I thought it was adorable.

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Here is her throw

A pretty shot of Madi by the water!

This last weekend we went back to Rock Creek Park, a beautiful place close by to go hiking, have picnics, and be in nature. Madi enjoyed holding sticks, touching trees, and handing us leaves.

 Our perfect baby

 Madi has been talking a lot more now, and loves to say GO. We will say ready.. set and then she goes GOOO. She also says thank you, Hieee (Hi), tick-tock, backpack, mama, dada, yeah, no, and of course, and used most of all is UH OH. I love it when I can hear her in her crib saying GO. Also, when you give her a bite to eat she goes Mmmm.  She also loves to share her pacifer, her idea of a good time is sitting down and just passing the pacifier back and forth, each taking a few sucks. It makes us laugh. She is also a little helper. When I unload the dishwasher she is right there handing me things to put away. What a sweat heart!

 She also likes to take her food and rub it in her hair....and then eat it. I guess its a little better than when she would chew her food, spit it out, look at it and then eat it again.

Here she is modeling Moms sweatshirt

 

Madi also likes to always have things in both hands. Like these 2 sticks here. If she gets a treat, it is necessary to have one in each hand with her.

Lastly, Madi had her one year check up, and had to get 4 shots, and her blood drawn. It was so sad to say the least. She is a champ. And of course her stats are..(Drumroll please) 19.2 pounds (14th percentile) and 30 inches long (82 percentile.)

There have been a few new changes lately. I have started a nanny job watching a cute little 2 year old 3 days a week. It has been really fun to have Madison play with the little girl. It is so fun to be able to stay with Madison too! Bryan is on his ENT rotation (Ear, Nose, Throat) Which has been good as well.

 Watching a Dora with Madi is one of the only ways to snuggle with her for a few minutes. (Being sick is another, its a bitter sweet!)

 Madi's hair is long enough to put into little pig tails. My sis-in-law did it when we were in AZ, and I have been trying to do it ever since. This day she had them ripped out in about 2 minutes.

 This I though was strange. When I went to get her out of her crib this day she had one arm out of her jammies. The zipper and button were still up, so how she managed to weasel that arm out, I have no idea. I am sure it was not easy.

 Here is another little boy I watch on occasion. Good thing I was supervising. Madi looks a little awkward and tense on her date with a boy/

Madison turns ONE!!!

Madison really turned one. We can't believe how fast this year has gone. She has been the best blessing that we could have ever asked for. She has brought so much joy and happiness into our lives! Bryan had the day off, which was fun. We went to a place called Rock Creek Park and played there for a while, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather we are having.

 The ONE year old on her Birthday!!!

 Then we sang her Happy Birthday and had some cake.

 Mmmmm Mmmmm

 Then we also went on a fun outing with some friends to feed ducks and enjoy the nice weather.

 All the Kiddos

And the ladies.

Happy Birthday Madison!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy New Year! 2011 has been a great year. We welcomed Madison into our lives, I finished nursing school, and Bryan become one year closer to being done with residency. We have truly been blessed this year, and are excited to see what 2012 will bring us! 

To celebrate, we started New Years Eve by going to this fun little area where there are walking trails, and the Potomac River where we fed the ducks (and seagulls). It was 60 degrees, and sunny. It was the perfect day to be outside. 

 

 Here is Bryan and Madison feeding the ducks.

 When we fed the ducks all these birds came and would dive catch the bread in their mouths. It was pretty cool. I think we were more excited about it than Madison.

 Then to finish off the night we had some of our good friends come over for food and games to bring in the New Year.

Happy 2012!!!

Be prepared for a picture overload. I wanted to put a lot more, but decided not too. This last week, we were able to go to Arizona for Christmas. We haven't been home for the last 2 Christmas's so it was really fun to finally be able to make it home this year. My brother from Michigan also got to come home, which was really fun. The first Sunday we were there, he blessed his son Jet. Family on my Dad's side came down for it.  I hadn't a most of them in several years, so it was so nice to be able to reunite for the special occasion.

Santa made a visit to my moms house while we were down. All the girls dressed in there Christmas jammies! I love how Madi is laying here!

Madi and Santa didn't hit off too well at first...

 Here is some of the fam that came for the blessing, My Grandma Leavitt, Aunt Leann and cousin Megan

 Madi also got to have a B-day party thanks to Kelly for suggesting the good idea. I can't believe she is almost ONE!!

 We also went to ride the Polar Express!!! It was the cutest thing ever. You get on a train, they give you cookies and hot chocolate, they read the Polar express, you go to the North pole, see Santa, and then sing Christmas Carols all the way back. Madi loved it! This is what we got my parents and grandparents this year for their Christmas gift.

 All the girls ready to go on the train at the Hotel!

 Here is all the kids looking out the window at the North Pole

 Here is Madi poking cousin Jet on the train

 The whole fam!

 Then we had the Christmas Eve eve with Bryan's family where we had a  game of white elephant, great food, and Joker.

 Christmas eve we went and sang and passed out gifts at a homeless shelter, and then came back to my parents house to open presents, and watch Christmas Vacation. Madi got the hang of opening her presents. It was so cute!

We are so happy we were able to spend this special season with friends and family.