Mother's Day!!!!!

We have had a lot of big changes taking place lately that I was looking forward to a Sunday to kick back and try not to think of everything that is going on! Maddie and Pat woke me up with lots of fun pictures and cards that Maddie made and told me that we needed to get cleaned up and head downtown! We spent the morning at the Milwaukee Museum. . . . .Maddie saw it on Curious George and decided she need to take me there too! After that, we headed over to Rock Bottom for lunch, hit up a park for some fun, and ended the day grilling out! It was a wonderful day!!!!

Maddie loves the swings!!!!!

Pat purchased this kite for Maddie, but he has been OBSESSED with it for weeks. I honestly think he got it for himself!

Us on the riverwalk downtown after lunch!

Happy Mothers Day to all the mommys out there!!!

Easter!

I know I know. . . a few weeks late on this one!!! It was a fun Easter this year for us with Maddie really getting into it. Like Santa, we used the Easter Bunny as much as we could to encourage good behavior! (don't judge!) We visited him at the mall a few times, and even ran into him at the zoo!!! Like usual, Maddie made out like a bandit!!!

Basket #1

Basket #2

Look what I did with the grass from #2. . . .

Basket #3

Easter Bunny at the zoo!

Those are 3 of the 7 baskets she got! Also had goodies from Nana right before Easter, GG, us, and her friend Ali from the Y. Spoiled much?!?

She knows what she wants!!!!!!!!!!

Where to begin? This little lady has been making us laugh harder and harder each and every day. Both Pat and Maddie needed haircuts BAD so I thought it would be quickest and easiest to pop into a great clips and get them both done at the same time. Maddie was super excited about getting her haircut so I thought that this was going to be a piece of cake. . . .WRONG! She took one look around and said to me, "Mama, where is my Barbie car???" I tried explaining to her that this hair place didnt have one but that it would still be fun. She looked at me like I was an idiot and said, "I dont want my haircut anymore!" I caved and took her to her little salon a few days later and she got to sit in her Barbie car!

After her haircut we let her rock out for awhile. Can you guess what will be on her Xmas/Bday list next? Guitar and microphone!

She has turned into quite the little mommy lately. She has to bring her new backpack filled with baby stuff everywhere. It is amazing watching the little things that she has picked up on watching me and other people.

Last weekend we got to spend a little time with my friend Jill and Maddie noticed she had a "picture" on her foot. (her new tattoo) What does Maddie say next, "I like it, I want picture too!" Good ol' Auntie Jill provided me with a "picture" for Maddie and this kid thinks she is the coolest thing!

Little Miss Personality

I have been having a lot of fun with Little Miss since we got back from Vacation. A day doesnt go by that something smart and witty doesn't come out of her mouth. She is this little person absorbing everything around her. She has had a fun couple of weeks hanging out with family and playing pretend!

Papa and his girls!

Nana's turn!!

Here is that personality shining through!!!!!

Papa and Maddie at the airport!

Here are a few highlights that took place over the past few days. . .because I could post on here DAILY the crazy stuff that she does and says.

Pat and I were having a conversation about his dining experiences when he travels for work, and Maddie decided to throw her two cents in.

Me: Gosh, I could go for a nice dinner out . . .but you dont want to because you eat out all the time for work.

Pat: I will take you out to eat and we can find a babysitter, I will wine and dine you.

Maddie: I come too guys!

Me: No Maddie, mommy and daddy are going to go to a fancy restaurant and you are going to stay home and play with a babysitter!

Maddie: *in a crying voice* But I want to come with you guys to DONALDS!!!!!!!

So her version of fancy consists of McDonalds - good grief!!!

Her other new trick. . . . if she doesnt want to answer you, she will close her eyes and snore. How the heck did she learn that? We were driving home from the Y today and I asked her waht she wanted for lunch! Next thing I know she is snoring and her head is tilted to the side. This kid. . . .

I did it!

I am a big fan of to-do lists and goals. There is something inside of me that bursts with excitement when I can set myself up for a challenge and accomplish it. My bucket list consists of completing a triathlon, and since I like to push myself, I decided that I need to check this "task" off of my bucket list at some point this year! A few months ago I was talking with a woman at my Y about training for one and getting myself ready. She asked me what was stopping me. "Well, I don't like running. . . .I am terrible at it! I have never been a runner and don't have the desire to do it. I could strap my shoes on and walk all day, but running - yuck!" Her response to my upbeat and positive answer was this . . ."When you start to show me a desire to run and an ambition to run, then we will go from there!" OUCH! But she was right. Even thought I didn't like running in the past didn't mean I couldn't start right? Towards the end of January I started running. . . .and then increasing a little bit at a time. In February the Y announced that they were holding an event in March to challenge individuals to be consistent with their workouts. For the month of March you had to complete the following - 112mi Bike 26mi Run 2.4mi Swim (or additional 7mi run) This was the perfect thing for me to work on my running, but there was 1 problem. I was going to be in Mexico for 8 days in March. Already feeling at a disadvantage, I took 2 weeks to decide. . . . . . .that I could do it. . . .and if I did, I would reward myself! I'm happy to say that I was able to complete all of my distances!!! My two rewards for accomplishing this - **My brand new Ipod (I'm loving it - never realized how motivating music can be) **A jogging stroller (will be mine very soon) At the end of the day I could have gone out and purchased these items on my own, but it feels so better to earn them. The past month has taught me that I CAN accomplish more than I give myself credit for. Next on the chopping block. . . . .my first 5k run at the Milwaukee zoo!

Life after Vacation

Pat and I had an amazing opportunity to get away with some people to sunny Mexico for a week! It was fantastic to get away and not have to worry about much of anything. I think the toughest decisions we had to make were -

Do we eat at the buffet today or grab a burger poolside?

What do you want to drink? Margarita, Bahama Mama, Dirty Monkey, etc

It was nice to kick back and not have to worry about ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting ready to snorkel

Hanging out after dinner

Fishing

Kari and I before fishing

Leaving Maddie for that long was harder than we both thought. Pat was gone for work the 3 weeks before we left for Mexico, so he was having a hard time right from the start. I have not been away from her for 8 nights before, so it was also an adjustment for me. Calling to check in and hear her little voice was great! "Hi mama, where are u?"

Then we came home. . . . . .and we were surprised to see how she was. She was so excited to see us and gave us endless hugs and kisses! If either one of us would leave the room, she would freak out and chase after us. Luckily she was so tired that she crashed HARD the first night we were back (and we did too). She wouldn't go to bed at night for us and would cry in her crib, "Daddy, are you still here? Daddy? Please come by me daddy!" Pat would rock her to sleep and then in the morning I would hear, "Mama, u there? I want to come by you mama!" The poor thing thought that we were going to leave her again! There were a few mornings that I ended up going and getting her and bringing her to bed with me because 5:30am is a tad early for me!! Drop offs at kid care while I worked were tough as well because she didn't want me to leave. We knew that she would miss us, but we didn't realize it would affect her this much.

There have been lots of snuggle time, plenty of Disney movies played, and endless hours playing with her non-stop in an effort to make her feel comfortable again.

Here is one of my favorite mornings last week. . . .

While laying in bed with her one morning this is what was said . . .

Maddie: "Mama. . . .mama, u sleeping mama?"

Me: "Yes Maddie, now you go back to sleep to." **my eyes still closed**

Maddie: "I cant mama, it hurts."

Me: "What hurts Maddie?" **eyes are slightly open looking at her**

Maddie: **picking her nose**

Me: "Maddie please don't pick your nose, its yucky"

Maddie: "But I have boogies mama"

Me: "Even if you have boogies you shouldn't pick your nose, its gross"

Maddie: "Fine mama, you pick it then!"

I could not stop laughing after she said that! Needless to say, neither of us slept any more than morning!

Things are starting to get back to normal, but this past week has been a hard one for all of us! With Pat gone this week for work, we are curious to see how the adjustment will be when he gets home Friday!

A HUGE THANK YOU to my parents and Pat's mom for watching her while we were gone. She was spoiled rotten and loved every minute of it! She even ratted them out on what they gave her after we got home.

"Nana took me for burger and fries and choc milk and toys"

"Grandma fed me french fries and pizza and. . . . . . ."

Thank you again for taking such good care of her, we love you guys!!!

Im TWO!!! . . .and almost 1 month

Well, a month ago she was anyway! I cant believe that I have not been on here with updates for a MONTH! Woops! Can you tell things are a tad busy? Anyway. . . .back to being TWO!

With so much to do for the party, I sent Pat and Maddie to the Dr for her 2 year check-up! This is the first appt that I have ever missed, but it was necessary to divide things up in order for us to get anything done! Here is the report I got back from Pat. . ..

Weight - 26ish - ish? 30 percentile for her age

Height - Not really sure, but it is 70th percentile

Head - ??? what ??? 80th percentile

That is what you get when you send the man! But most importantly, she is healthy and doing great!!

Favorite foods -

**apples
**burgers and fries (Mama, I want burgers and fries)

**sausage

**pizza

**mexican food

**hot dogs

**DILL DIP - wants it every day! I can make it with my eyes closed and 1 hand tied behind my back now

**condiments, red dip (ketchup) yellow dip (mustard), sprinkles (parm cheese), ranch. . .the kid goes a tad over board

Things she is into -

**Elmo and Sesame Street

**Disney movies

**Mickey Mouse/Oso/Handy Manny

**Tumbling class at the Y

**Music and singing

Here are a few pictures from her party!

Lots of Elmo cupcakes

Showing the entire room what she got everytime she opened something

She had to try her dress-up stuff on RIGHT AWAY!

The Froh Cousins

Growing up way too fast!!