Kids say the darndest things.....

I know it's totally cliche, but I honestly didn't think kids really said anything all that funny, or darndest, until now that we actually have one... who is saying things that are funny and darndest! but it's true! It's fun knowing some of the thoughts that are floating around in this little person's head finally....

Here are some examples of recent conversations:
We drove through McDonald's and I handed Madison her happy meal as we were driving.
MJ: "What's this, Mommy?" (at the prize)
Me: "I don't know, Madison, what is it?"
MJ: "A robot, maybe" (it was an "avatar")
Me: "Yeah, maybe it's a robot"
MJ: "No want this, Mommy"
Me: "You don't want the robot?"
MJ: "No like this, Mommy"
Me: "You don't like the robot?"
MJ: "Kind of scary"
Me: "Kind of scary?"
MJ: "Yeah Mommy kind of scary"
Me: "Oh, ok, maybe we'll give it to Daddy when we get home."
MJ: "Yes give to Daddy"
And later, after Todd got home, sure enough, the first thing she said was: "Daddy! Robot!"
I thought it was funny that she remembered that. And I didn't even know she knew the word "scary" before that!

At dinner one night:
Me: "You are drinking out of a cup like a grown-up!"
MJ: "Grown up"
Me: "Yes, like a grown-up"
MJ, thinking: "Mommy is a grown-up"
MJ: "Madison is a baby"
MJ: "Madison is a girl."
MJ: "Mommy is a girl."
MJ: "Daddy is a daddy"

Looking at a coke can with Santa drinking from a bottle:
"Santa drinking beer!"

At bedtime:
"Madison sleeping in a big-girl bed"
"Mommy sleeps in a big-boy bed."
"Daddy sleeps in a big-boy bed."
"Solly sleeps in a big-boy bed."
"Isa sleeps in the basement."
"Big Bird sleeps in a nest."
"Red Robin sleeps in a nest."

Madison also likes to embellish stories as they're being told. For instance, we went to see Santa Claus at the mall the other day, and she cried and cried and clung to me and would not sit on his lap. Sigh. No Santa picture this year! Anyway, later when I was telling Todd about it, Madison decided to chime in at specific parts of the story.
Me: "Madison wouldn't sit on Santa'a lap."
MJ: "Cried!"
Me: "Yes, she cried."
MJ: "waaahhhhh" (trying to make crying sound, scrunching her face up)
MJ: "Baby cried."
Me: "Yes, and another baby cried."
MJ: "Madison no like Santa anymore"
It kind of reminds me of those Geico commercials where they have someone telling a story about their car breaking down, and someone else in the background doing the sound effects.

And another recent talent is "singing" -- it's hard to even describe!
Here are some of the songs so will randomly break into:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Ring Around the Rosie
Rockabye Baby
Frosty the Snowman

Although the verses are usually her own trademark versions...
For instance,
"Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder ah-ah-ah"

"Rock a bye baby
On the treetop
When the wind blows
The cradle will fall down"

"Ring around the Rosie"
then becomes
"Ring around the monkey, pocketful of funky"
"Ring around the baby, pocketful of maybe"
etc...

It's just fun to hear her little voice attempting to actually sing. For a while she was just sort of speaking the words but now it's a drawn out little tune.
Fun stuff!

Hope everyone has safe travels with the upcoming holidays! We are leaving for Indiana on Monday. Madison is excited about spending Christmas with Nana and Pawpaw this year!

Silly videos from the trip

For those of you so inclined to watch silly baby videos! I think maybe these are in the same realm as silly cat videos...... :)

We got spirit yes we do

We got spirit how bout you??

We had a blast at JMU going to the football game and all the reunion stuff. Madison did great with the travel and loved watching the marching band and seeing her mommy march!!

Thanks to Grandma for helping out!

And here we are looking straight out of the alumni magazine.....

Welcome, Twins!

I just wanted to post a quick pic of the newest little cuties to enter this world,

Ashley Renee & Brianna Reese!
Born 6.1 & 5.1 lbs on Oct 29th

Double the love!!!!

<3>

Oh wait, I forget this isn't facebook.....

And a post-trick-or-treating video to share

Miss Personality

They say you blink and your kids grow up before you know it. That is such a "old person" thing to say I can't believe I am even writing it! Ha. But one thing I didn't expect to wax nostalgiac on was the leaving-the-crib phase. One night MJ was in the crib, the next day she was in the bed, and that was that. I didn't even have a moment to pause and say, "this is our baby's last time in the crib." Todd brought home a toddler bed from our friend Melissa, and as soon as Madison saw the frame, she said "big girl bed" and that was it! She slept in it that night and never looked back. We left the crib in her room, just in case, but it looks like we'll be taking it down. It's moments like this that make you realize how fleeting life is!

Here are some more pictures of our crazy little miss personality. Being a drama queen, a band geek, a snow bunny, and hiding behind a tree! She is excited about Halloween and thanks to her buddy Hannah, will be going as a cat. As soon as she saw her cat costume, she proceeded to name it "Kit Kat," wore it around all night, and tucked it in on her changing table, a.k.a. Kit Kat's bed. I'm sure we will be posting pictures of trick-or-treating!

And in other news, we've had a ton of snow here, work is continuing to go well, and I have joined a book club! The book club is with my neighbor and her friends who are young and have *no kids*! So maybe these girls will keep me feeling young. They can at least hopefully get me to refrain from using phrases like "back in my day" and "blink and your kids grow up!" Right now we are reading 'The Likeness' which I am completely wrapped up in. Much to Todd's delight I have been up past midnight every night reading it by lamplight. That's when you know it's a good book!

Babies Babies Everywhere

I swear I am getting Baby Fever with all these cute babies being born left & right!

I've been meaning to wish congratulations to all the recent babies & mamas & daddies in our lives!!!

Baby Julian

Baby Leah
Baby Juno

Baby Sadie

Baby Ethan

And also to the babies-to-be (and yes that is plural)!

Then and Now

Happy Fall to everyone! We are enjoying the chillier weather and T is enjoying football season, and we've been hanging out with friends and hitting up the pumpkin patches.

In some ways I can't believe Madison is already coming up on her *2nd* Halloween and *2nd* Winter, so I thought I'd reflect here- In some ways she has changed a lot, and in some ways not at all! In fact she still looks pretty much the same to me in that snow pic!

2008

2009

2008

2009