Los Angeles Zoo

What a wonderful day!

When I got going this morning, I thought maybe we had picked a bad day to go to the zoo. It was overcast, foggy, and downright chilly outside. But, I knew how much Madilyn was looking forward to seeing all the animals, so we continued on our way. By the time we got to the zoo (near Burbank) it was nearly 20 degrees warmer! What a difference heading inland makes.

At the zoo we met up with my Aunt Kathleen, Uncle John, and Kathleen's mother, Allwyn. We're so blessed to leave near family in both directions during this assignment!

Madilyn loved the petting zoo. She enjoyed the soft fur of the sheep and brushing the goats.

Here we are checking out the elephants! Madilyn talked about these elephants all week long.

See the mud and dirt on his back? Even on her way to bed tonight she was still saying, "that elephant was throwing mud and dirt all over him! He needs a bath!"

We couldn't take a trip to the zoo without her puppy (leash that is). She was thrilled to have someone walking her around the park :)

The stroller is so easy to push when empty!

We stopped to catch a bit of shade and even Grace hammed it up for the camera.

Thank you everyone for a fun filled day. We had a great time!

Jerusalem Marketplace

Today we had to opportunity to attend a fun little function at the church some friends of ours. They had the church grounds set up to resemble a marketplace in the time of Jesus. There were pottery stands, drumming stations, etc. Madilyn really liked getting to make a cross necklace and listening to the worship band sing. She talked about the band the whole way home! It also makes me feel great when she sings along. I know at this age their little minds soak up everything and try to be very conscious about what she watches and listens to.

We were quite busy going from station to station, but I managed to get a few shots of her dancing along with our neighbors, Ann and baby Lydia.

As usual, Grace was on her best behavior as well!

Early Birthday Fun

We had a small pre-birthday celebration for Madilyn last weekend. We had a fun present for her we wanted to let her open before Matt left for Afghanistan. Thankfully, Matt's parents were also here and Don was able to help Matt with the assembly! It was quite a project, but they got in done perfectly.

Madilyn has spent the last week LOVING to jump outside. Here's a short video of her on her new trampoline :)

Disneyland!

Since Matt is deploying soon, we thought it would be fun to take Madilyn to Disneyland before he takes off. Matt's parents were able to spend the week with us and took wonderful care of Grace while we gave Madilyn some one-on-one attention :)

She had a great time and sure was EXHAUSTED at the end of the day!

Waiting in line for the Snow White ride. She did awesome with all of the lines!

Mommy and Daddy didn't mind the wait much either ;)

King Arthur's Carousel 

Dumbo!

 Madilyn couldn't stop talking about going to meet Mickey Mouse. She was a bit shy at first, but warmed right up to him. I think this may have been one of the highlights of her trip!

Here's a fun little video of Madilyn's first roller coaster ride in ToonTown

All in all we had a wonderful day and can't wait to do it again in the future :)

Sisterly Love!

First off, how have 25 days already passed since my last post? Wow, nobody warns you your days will go by even fast with each new child.

Anyway, the girls have been SO cute lately! It is so much fun to watch Madilyn starting to connect with Grace. They sit and play together now (well, Grace is in the Bumbo, but still), or Madi will lay down next to Grace on the playmat. Sometimes Madilyn will even come and sit next to Grace in her swing and "read" her books. Grace is completely captivated and in awe of her big sister. It melts my heart! Just last night I had laid Grace on my bed and turned on some cartoons for Madilyn as I was trying to get ready to go out to dinner. Madi climbed up and laid down next to grace and they just laid next to one another holding hands and cooing back and forth. LOVE.

They're growing just as quickly as ever. Madilyn will be 3 in less than 3 weeks and Grace turns 5 months on Friday. Yikes!

They were just too cute today not to grab pictures of. I couldn't pick just one.

Four Months (already!)

Grace had her 4 month check up this last week. She is doing fabulous and meeting all of her milestones right on time. She weighs 14lbs 6oz and is 24 inches long. Way to grow baby! She's almost doubled her birthweight :)

Grace loves to socialize. She smiles and coos and is reaching for her toys. She hasn't quite figured out how to giggle yet, but she tries and makes a funny growl. It is rather adorable. Her favorite places to play include the boucy seat, floor gym, and swing. She's not too cray about the bumbo yet, but I bet she will be in another month or so.

We have not started solid foods, but probably will sometime around the 5-6 month mark. Right now she's doing great without. She sure does love to eat though!!!

Grace has a very laid back demeanor, so very different from Madilyn. She's a snuggle bug too. I know this sounds crazy, but the nights she only wakes once, I really enjoy the extra little snuggle time. It's so much fun watching her grow and I'm looking forward to seeing her really blossom in the coming months. For now, I'll cherish each precious day. They grow far too quickly.

"I Love My Mommy and Daddy Because..."

Three Months Old, Starting Preschool, and More!

Lots of things have been happening here since I last updated. My big helper Madillyn started preschool last week! She's attending the local Lutheran Church Preschool two days a week and LOVING it! She comes home and talks all about her day, her friends, the crafts, you name it. This week the lesson was all about mail. So, the teacher asked each child what they enjoy and then they got to walk to the mailbox and send their letter home to mom and dad. Here's a picture of Madilyn's letter so you can see what her favorites are :)

On our days home we seem to have a never ending supply of chores. But, somewhere in there we have a little fun too! Madilyn loves to cook along with Mommy. Here she is making some Oatmeal Scotchies to send to work with Daddy (after she makes sure they're edible, of course!).

 Mmmm, cookie dough! A girl after her Mama's own heart. I am a complete sucker for cookie dough!

We bring Grace into the kitchen so she can "help" as well. However, this is almost always how she ends up :)

When we're not cleaning or baking, we love to hit the Aquarium. Here Madilyn and her friend Madden are learning about the sea lions.

Madi has really taken a liking to her sister and adores bath time. Really, she loves any time she gets to sit next to Grace. She doesn't even mind her sister taking over most of the bath. (Truth be told, she often tries to cover Grace with those foam letters. She thinks it is hilarious. We're working on it...)

Grace is now three months old and her little personality is so fun! She is SUCH a happy baby. Her little gummy smile melts me every time. She's cooing all the time and really is just awesome. Here is a little video we took just before her bath this evening. She had to make sure she got her thoughts in on this post too.

Of course we won't have an official weight on her for another month at her 4 month check up, but I did step on the scale with her this weekend. Looks like she's hanging out around 14lbs :)

Aquarium of the Pacific

Today Don, Sandy, and I took the girls to the aquarium in Long Beach. Madilyn loves seeing the fish, but especially enjoys the sea otters/lions, and sharks! We finally took the plunge and bought an annual membership. I really hope this will be a great activity for the girls and I during the weeks. They even have special shows and events just for members. (Look for a hopeful post next month when Super Grover makes his appearance!)

We had a great time looking at all kinds of sea life. We even saw the largest lobsters and crabs I have EVER seen before! Very impressive. We had hoped to catch the 4D special movie on our way out, but after sitting in the theatre for a bit, they announced it was broken and we wouldn't be able to see the show after all. Bummer! Oh well, still a great trip :)

TWO Months!

I know technically Grace is already two months and one week old, but for the sake of time slipping away from me, we're going to round down.....and call this her two month post :)

Grace had her two month well-baby exam this past Tuesday and did awesome. She is in the 25% for her head and length and nearly the 75% for her weight. When we say she is completely different that Madilyn, we mean it! Madilyn was always long and lean (even now her height put her in the 90%+ while her weight remains in the 25%) and Grace is short and chubby. But, I love it when babies have rolls on their rolls.....isn't that how they should be?!?

Grace is now:
-lifting her head and chest up and fully turn her head in both directions independently
-eating lots during the day, but spacing out night feedings (yay!!!)
-sleeping a 6-9 hour stretch at night before eating and going back down (This is HUGE!)
-giving us lots of smiles through the day
-enjoying when people talk to her-
-and cooing in return!
-loving bathtime
-still disliking car rides, but we'll get there :)