Zoo Mania!!!!!!!

We are so thankful for getting the zoo passes this year. We utilize them a lot and Maddie loves it. She is learning so much and is getting good at making a lot of the animal noises. She doesn't know what to think about feeding the goats. Frankly either does Mom. She had one kicking at her because he wanted more food and she was out.... Too Funny!!! :)

On our most recent zoo outing we had Uncle Ryan and Aunt Kari with us. We took Maddie on her first train ride. She was making the "choo choo" sound and staring at everything that went by. I was trying to teach her to raise her hand and pump it like a train conductor blowing the horn. She had that down pretty quick.

The rest of the day was a blast. We pushed Maddie around as she would sit at the edge of her stroller seat and just point and nod her head from one animal to the next making all sorts of noises. She is good at making cow noises, sheep noises, monkey noises, and lion noises. The rest of the animals I do them for her..... Or maybe it's for me... either way we all have fun and Mom pretends she doesn't know me.

Below are a few pictures of the Maddie climbing up on the baby gorilla and kissing the baby gorilla as well as a few of our train ride.

Enjoy!
Dad

Change . . .

Holy cow, I just realized that it has been 3 weeks since I have been on here - wow!!! Time flys when you are having fun huh?

I have been thinking about how things have changed so much. . . over the past few days, weeks, months, and years. We are in a moment in our lives right now that feels really good. I've been stopping lately to notice the changes that are around us and think back. For example, Pat and I use to book up every minute of every day we possible could and run everywhere. Recently Pat and I spent a Saturday night with an old friend (not age, just length of friendship) talking about the past, looking through old yearbooks, laughing, crying, and having one hell of a time! Who would have ever thought we would be doing that 5 years ago. That night was one of the best that I have had in awhile.

My hometowns summer festival. . . .when I was younger I was so excited to get my wristband on Thursday night so that I could ride on the rides all night long! Then I was excited when I was finally 21 and could drink down there - SO COOL. Now this year my excitement was watching my daughter dance to the music with complete strangers, ride the rides with our parents, and run around and explore everything. Hmmmmm. . . . .never imagined that before.

The word CHANGE and MADDIE are basically one and the same. This kid has something new to do or say every day and I am so blessed to witness it. Here are a few of her new things. . . .

*HAIR - yes you read that right, the kid has hair, and I took a picture of her bedhead one morning because I couldnt believe it

*Babbling and talking - she goes on and on and on, her new words "thank you" . . .I gave her a cracker today and that is what she replied with

*Her affection. . . .she is definately a tom boy, but this girl knows when to give a hug or kiss! I hit my head yesterday and she walked up to me, hugged me and kissed me right on the lips! When Pat put her to bed on Monday (flew out Tuesday AM) she gave him the biggest hug and wouldnt let go. . . .followed by a nice wet kiss!

People think change is a scary thing. . . .taking the time to reflect on things this month have gotten me excited about change. Im in a great place right now and look forward to more change soon . . . . . . .

Check it out - she can grow hair!

1 thing that hasnt changed, her love for books! (and her daddy)

She LOVED this frog - went by him about 10 times!

Our dancing queen!

Simply adorable - love this picture!

Papa and Maddie on her first ride!

Choo Choo with grandma!

Took daddy out for lunch downtown for Fathers Day!

A walk on the riverwalk downtown

Is my head screwed on. . . . .straight????

Wow, here we are in the first week of June, how is that possible?? It is terrible that quite often I have to look at my calendar on the fridge to figure out what day it is! All of these hours, days, and weeks are starting to blur together. Pat is running in one direction, I am running in the other, and we pray to god that one of us has Maddie!!! Lately I have had to have these out loud checks with myself. . . .purse (check), car keys (check), diaper bag (check), MADDIE (double check). . . . .my brain (check) . . . .not in that order of course! Our lives are still on the go with no end in sight at this point. Just when we feel as if we have something figured out, a curve ball is thrown our way! BUT, with this nutty life we lead, we must keep reminding ourselves that we will see the benefits of it all soon. Pat and I set high goals for ourselves over the next year and a half, but we are running in opposite directions and making sacrifices knowing that we will hit these goals one way or another. In the mean time, we have to enjoy the ride and take in all of those special, and not to special moments, together!

For example. . . .me taking Maddie to her 15 month check up today! I will fully admit that as we were pulling into the parking lot I had my head held high and my shoulders back because. . . . . well. . . .I WAS EARLY!!!!! It can be tough getting somewhere on time with a toddler who runs away from you thinking it is a joke! Well, today mom won the battle and we were early! As we approached the room Maddie was going to be in. . . .she cried. "seriously child, we just entered the room, what are you going to do when they poke you 4 times today!!" The other thought that entered my mind. . . ."Next time dad is bringing you!" She hated the poking and touching and all that is involved with examining her, but she did manage to make me smile as she sniffed at the Dr over and over. If you are not #1 on Maddie's list of people, you will get sniffed at! Thats Pat's daughter for ya!! So we got through the easy part (if you want to call it that) . . .and here are the stats at 15 months . . .

Height - 30 3/4in (60th %)

Weight - 21lbs 4oz (24th%)

Head - 43cm (87th %)

Then came the nurse with the shot tray. . . .I knew we were doomed but braced myself for the battle. I felt like we were about the hike the ball and I had to do everything I could to play defense. . . .she was looking at a book. . . .then threw the book. . . .looked at me. . . and SCREAMED! That thought I had earlier . . . .ran through my mind again, "Your dad can bring you next time!!"

But just like that we were out the door, she had her hippo, and she fell asleep in the car! So, we survived yet another visit to Dr Franck!!

Here is the comment Pat had after I filled him in on the adventures at the Dr's office. . . ."Now I know why she falls all the time, her skinny little body cant hold up her giant head!"

Mommy and Maddie enjoying a warm day in her backyard of toys!

Quite the diva. . .where does she get that from?? My guess is Pat. . .

All the fresh air knocks this peanut out. . .

We dont get adult time very often, but its good to know she is living the high life when we are not around. We wouldnt want her sitting there crying for us or anything!

Summer, is that really you????

What a wonderful weekend to be outside!!!!!!! I had to work all weekend, but at least I had my afternoons free to be outside and soak in all of the sunshine!!!! Pat and Maddie lived outside all weekend while I was at work and they loved every minute of it!!!!!!

Tomorrow Miss Maddie is 15 months old - wow!!

**Favorite foods - banana (she would eat these all day), crackers, toast, and mac & cheese

**New foods - bbq pork, hot dog, feta cheese

**New tricks - dunking her head in her water table and laughing, smelling your shoes and turning her nose up, multiple animal noises thanks to her dad, throwing garbage away in the kitchen, climbing up the ladder on her new play house in the backyard

Her and I will be living outside this week as it is suppose to continue to be warm and sunny!!! Pat is in Seattle this week so it will be a girls week!!!

Here are some shots from out summer weekend!!

15 Months Old

We walked to a park near our house. . .


Playing with dad!


Hanging out in the sand with mom

Staying cool with our water table!

Enjoying an ice cream treat to cool off

It was a busy weekend, but it was so nice to hang out as a family when we could! We celebrated Pat's birthday (which is today) hanging out, goofing around, and enjoying a yummy dinner at home! Happy Birthday Pat, Maddie and I love you so much!!!!!!!!!!!

Outside Fun!

I cant even begin to tell you how happy I am that it is starting to get warmer out! Maddie and I have been rolling in the grass, playing on her new jungle gym, and of course hitting the zoo! The zoopass we got is fantastic!!! Not much to write. . .I will let the pictures be the post this time - enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!

Zoo w/ Daddy and Uncle Eric!

Zoo w/ Mommy, Natalie, and Ella!

Her new toy!

Do you think she likes it??

One of those weeks. . . .

Its been one of those weeks. . . .the kind that you would like to forget but cant. The kind that make you bottle your feelings all day so Maddie doesnt know that something is wrong. . . . .and then once you here the silence in her monitor you know its ok to shed a tear. The kind that keep you awake at night asking why and never getting an answer. Or asking yourself what you can do and knowing the answer is nothing. Its been one of those weeks that you count your blessings. . .

BUT. . . .it has also been one of those weeks that I got to laugh because I think my daughter is one of the funniest people I know. You hear parents talk about their kids and say, "He/She is really advanced for her age!" I like to say, "Maddie is fricken funny!!" Here are a few highlights from our week together. . . .

**Running into our class at the YMCA on Tuesday in the pouring rain and she puts her face to the sky to let the raindrops fall into her mouth!

**At our class on Tuesday she walks up to this little boy, says hi, blows him a kiss, and runs away laughing (Pat doesnt know about that one!)

**I took her swimming on Wednesday and was showing her how to blow bubbles in the water - she dunked her entire head. . .came up blinking like crazy. . . .and then laughed

**At bath time on Wednesday night I got her undressed, she ran into the bathroom in the buff, stood next to the toilet and decided to tinkle on the floor - her and I both were laughing so hard

**I told her this morning that her daddy was coming home and her eyes lit up

Its been one of those weeks. . . . .the kind that you make it through the hard stuff but also enjoy the good stuff . . .

LIFE

May already huh, wow! Life has kept the Froh family busy as usual! Pat and I have been doing a lot of reflecting about life lately. Thinking about what we want out of life, who we want in our life, and what it has blessed us with. We are thankful for so many things in our life and it is nice to take a step back and think about those things once and awhile. This week we did just that and I must say, it has been a fantastic week! Pat and Maddie decided to start celebrating Mother's Day on Monday for me, so I have been spoiled! Coming home to a clean house, massages, and flowers are a few of the things I have been treated to this week - I am one lucky lady!

Hanging out in the Dells. . . Dont know what we would do w/o these 2 in our life!

Maddie's first ice cream cone!

A typical day with Maddie - smiles and giggles!

Playing outside in our new tunnel!

Life is good. . . . .