Bruce's Father's Day card

So picking out a Father's Day card may be one of the hardest things for me to do now. Last year I finally just grabbed one and hurried to the check out crying. Damn Hallmark and all their good words...just breaks my heart. I take joy in the fact that Bruce is a daddy and loves is little girl so much, but it is still so hard.

So, this year I decided I would avoid that stress and Madelynn and I made Bruce his Father's day card.
So I used her little hand print (note - trying to get a one year old to put her hand on an ink pad and then spread her fingers to make a print is very difficult) to make princess crowns. He loved it. It made me so happy and really seemed to make is day, plus no tears were involved.

PS - wipes remove ink very well :)

Our little princesses

Madelynn and Kennedy at the birthday party. This picture melts my heart. They just look so precious. It was such a wonderful day....

Great friends

They really did have fun; not sure why Madelynn is pushing Piper's head here :)

This is Piper and Madelynn making their debut as friends. I have recently gotten back in touch with my dear friend Sarah from high school and we were able to get together during my last trip to ABQ.

Madelynn and Piper had a great time together. The just played and laughed as Sarah and I got to chat and catch up on old times. What a great trip. We are truly blessed.

We also got to see Katie and Aubrey but I need t get copies of those pics to post.

Randomness

Madelynn in her 1st birthday crown. I couldn't get her to wear it on her birthday, of course.

Our first big "boo-boo". She fell on Bruce's belt buckle that was on the floor. It looks worse here than it actuall was, but it bled like crazy. She was a tough cookie.

Looking so cute in her blue and yellow. I love this picture. She cracks me up and has such personality!

Sportin's the glasses...that she only had on for at 5 seconds. We try to get her to wear them but they never last. She won't keep socks, shoes, hair bows, hats or glasses on. I guess we are lucky she keeps her clothes on, at least she does for now.

Ummm, let me think about that....She was helping me make cookies for my friend Denise. I love this look that she does. It is so funny. She looks just like Curious George in the book of my dad's that we found. She is actually a lot like him if I really think about. Our very own Curious Madelynn...

Using her middle finger

Mackenzie (4): "Look, I know how to use my middle finger. It's easy. You just put in your thumb, pinky, pointer, and ring finger and hold your middle one up"

Meghan: "Who taught you how to use your middle finger?"

Mackenzie: "I taught myself, and, look, I just taught you"

Out of the mouth of babes...

So Meghan calls me and says, "At what point do I tell my child it is inappropriate to use your middle finger?"

1 year...

As I sit waiting for the birthday cupcakes to bake at 12 o'clock at night, I find myself thinking back to what I was doing a year ago tonight. I had gone on a walk with the dog, felt very crampy when I got home, relaxed and watched some TV, then went to bed for some well-needed rest only to awake at 11pm needing the bathroom. Got up to go and realized I was wetting my pants. I ran to the bathroom and I was still having this problem I thought I had taken care of as a toddler. It was 2 weeks until my due date so I thought no way was my water breaking, but as I was cleaning up the floor I thought, just maybe. Called Whitney and told her what was happening and she said, "your water broke, dork. Why are you calling me? Call the hospital."

So, as God's timing would have it, it was perfect. Meghan and the girls had just gotten to ABQ a few hours earlier, her in-laws were there, they stayed with the kids and Mom, Whit, and Meg made a road trip at 2am for baby Madelynn's arrival.

As we drove to the hospital I couldn't help but think, "This is the last time we will be just the two of us" that, and "I should have painted my toes."

Then, by 11:00 that day our lives were turned on end as Madelynn Ruth arrived happy and healthy. What a day!

And here we are a year later. She is such an amazing little girl who walk and talks (her own language), gets into everything, blows kisses, and cuddles with the dog. Everyday is something new and exciting. There is never a dull moment in our lives with her. She is so active and energetic. She make life happy and complete and I smile each morning as I go into her room to get her.

Her birthday was so amazing and such an example of all the love and support she has in her life. There are so many people around her who just adore her and I know that she will always have an extended family where ever she goes. What a year! I can't wait to see what next year brings.