2 1/2

I can't believe it's already been two and a half years since Maddie has come along. I have to say that she still is a really good kid. Personality wise she's so sweet and if I say so myself, she's pretty smart too! :) We have managed to make our way through potty training with success. It took a while but at 2 1/2 where a lot of kids are just starting Maddie is done. Knowing what I know now I'd probably do a few things different but we made it through relatively unscathed.

Maddie has also really gotten to the point of saying lots of fun/cute phrases. She calls lawn mowers - mow lawns. The other night we were sitting at the table having dinner and she said, "Mommy I hear the mow lawns."

Some of her funny phrases include:

"Mommy, Cooper is so happy that I'm cute."  - This is probably going to bite me in the butt in about 14 years but soo cute now!

"Mommy I popped out of your belly and then I was boring (how she says born)." The things they learn/observe.

I'm sure there are many more but those are just the ones I can think of right now.  As the weather is nice we are trying to spend as much time outside as possible. Maddie is working on her tricycle skills (or as she says she needs work on her pedaling). My guess is by the end of the summer she should be able to get to the mailbox and back on her own. Right now she's just starting to get the pedaling but her steering skills still need some work.

Gymnastics is still a big hit and we go each saturday as long as they haven't been cancelled due to the holiday or we aren't in town. They are helping her to become more aware of her body and she's doing more and more things that she wouldn't have even touched 2 months ago. I love to see the confident little girl that she is becoming.

Coming up in the next few months is our annual trip to NH/Maine.  Should be a good but quick trip and then Maddie will have her first extended trip away from us while she stays with my parents for 4 nights. I'm still working through how i feel about the trip but know that she will have a good time. And in the grand scheme of things she would be at daycare during that time so it's not that I'm missing out on a ton of time with her but I really relish the few hours each night that i get with her and in the morning. I think the trip will be harder on me than it is on her but it's only 4 nights so I think I can manage. Stay tuned as I'm sure the next post will cover that trip.  In the mean time here's some recent pictures of Maddie. The first was at the Zoo outside the newly renovated Elephant House. The second was our first trip of the season at Great Falls to go hiking.