A weekend with Papa

Last weekend Jake was up in Mammoth for Matthew's bachelor party and my Mom was down in Cabo for Erin's bachelorette party so the kids and I packed our bags and headed up to Riverside to spend the weekend with my Dad.  It had to be close to a decade if not longer that my Dad and I spent a weekend together, so I wasn't too sure how this was going to go.  We showed up Friday afternoon and Skylar couldn't of been more excited.  She was so happy to wake up from her nap in the car and be at Nana and Papa's house.  The first night we headed out to dinner at the mall and stop by Nordstorms.  Papa gave Madden his first taste of a banana milkshake, which of course he loved.

The next day Dad came up with the idea of taking the kids and I up to Oak Glen.  When we first arrived the place was dead and half of park wasn't even open.  Luckily they have a little viewing center that was open and we were able to walk through to kill some time.

When leaving the viewing center Skylar got a big cup of corn kernels and we headed straight to the animals walk to let her feed all the animals.

 

The train ride finally opened so the kids and I jumped on for Madden's first train ride, while Papa sat it out.  Madden loved riding the train.  He was smiling and banging on the train for the entire ride.

When riding the train Skylar saw that the ponies had arrived and let Papa know when we got off the train ride she wanted to go ride the ponies next.  Having rid several ponies over the last few months, Skylar has no fear and would ride for hours if we let her.

Our last stop was the bakery where we picked up a famous Oak Glen apple pie and headed home since Grandma was planning on coming over.  The kids and I had a great time in Oak Glen with Papa and I was glad he came up with the idea to go.

Skylar spent half the weekend sitting in Papa's office coloring with his highlighters.  She colored Papa four pictures which he put on display in his office for her.  Not allowing Papa to get much work done, Madden would crawl into the office wanting to hang out.

Dad put together a great dinner for the kids, Grandma, and I that night and the next morning Papa Papa came over for pancakes.  My Dad was a ton of help with the kids which I was very thankful for and the four of us ended up having a really good time together.  Well, I think Madden had the best time!!

Madden's 9 Months Stats

Weight = 20.4 Pounds (50th percentile)

Height = 30 Inches (95th percentile)

Madden is 9 Months

9 Months already...boy did that go fast.  I can still remember those first few weeks when Madden was a infant and he was so hard.  I was crying, he was crying, it felt like it was never going to get easy, but now it's like those days never happened.  Anyone who meets Madden tells us how they love his smile and how happy he seems and its all true.  He is such a happy little boy who just loves to smile whenever someone shows him any attention.  He has grown so much since his 6 months update I don't even know where to begin.

Not long after he turned 6 months he started sitting up, which was the best thing ever. And it wasn't long after that he really started crawling everywhere and crawling fast.  He is even crawling up the stairs with the encouragement of his big sister.  He just loves to crawl into the playroom and play with all the toys along with Skylar.  He is pulling himself up on anything and everything that is his height.  He is standing on his own for 10-15 seconds which makes me so excited.  He just puts his arms up in the air as if he is so proud of himself.

Madden started walking around the furniture recently so we decided to bring out out Skylar's old walker and Madden is loving it.  He will use whatever can move and walk with it.  This morning I found him walking around the kitchen with one of the chairs from Skylars mini table.  I'm really hoping he will be walking by his first birthday.

Right now he has six teeth.  They all popped through within a few weeks of each other.  We just noticed the other day that it looks like he has two more about to come through on the bottom as well.  Luckily he's getting so many teeth because he loves his food.  He loves just about anything we give him.  Just last week he had his first pancake and he was loving the meatloaf we had for dinner last night.   He still loves all his vegetables and he can take down a whole banana by himself.  Half the time he doesn't want us to feed him with the spoon and rather pick up the food himself.  I can't even list his favorite food because he honestly will eat anything we give him.  The only thing he didn't seem to like were raspberries.  Think they were a bit too tart.

He loves playing with Skylar and being around her whenever she allows him to be.  One of his favorite things to do is remove all the outlet covers we have around the house and put them in his mouth.  He is such a trooper and doesn't mind being toted around to all of Skylar's activities.   Gymnastics class is like a big playground for him.  I barely get to watch Skylar because I'm chasing after Madden most of the 45 minute class.

These past three months Madden has grown up so much and its been so amazing to watch.  He is so much more advanced than Skylar was at this age that it feels like he is growing up much faster than she did.  I'm going to really cherish the next few months before our little guy turns one years old and he is no longer my baby.

Skylar and Madden 9 Month Comparison Photo

Skylar is 2 1/2...and then some.

So it wasn't until this weekend when Jake and I were discussing the kids ages that I realized Skylar was over 2 1/2 and I never did an entry on the blog to document what she is up too.  We are having so much fun with her right now.  She definitely demands everyone's attention.  She doesn't like when Jake and I are having a conversation that doesn't include her because she will interrupt and say "Don't talk to Dada..Mama, talk to me!" or "I'm talking to you Mama, I'm talking to you!"  Not long after she turned 2 1/2 we hit the WHY stage. Always asking "why" for anything we do or say.  I must admit in the beginning it was pretty annoying, because she wouldn't listen to our explanation and just continue to ask "why, why" but we have gotten used to it.  Back in October we got her potty trained, which was so much easier than I thought.  She will have accidents once in a while, which really upset her, but we were both so proud of how quick she picked it up.

She loves her brother about 90% of the time.  The other 10% she is pushing him around, laying on top of him, or taking toys away from him.  She loves to play with him, especially now that he is crawling all over the place.  They go in the playroom together and she can entertain him for a good amount of time.  I think her favorite thing to do is drive him around in her mustang.  Speaking of the mustang her driving skills have really picked up in the last few months.  Music is another thing she is very fond of.  We usually have a jam session every night before bath and we sing Skylar's top 3 songs 1) Twinkle, Twinkle 2) ABCs, and 3) Stevie Wonder's "Very Superstitious".  

Recently we started gymnastic class and Skylar loves it.  After her first class she was asking when she was going to be able to go back.  We are also still doing swim class.  Skylar is advanced enough to where I let her swim in the warm up pool solo.  I'm not sure what she loves more, actual swim class or the red  licorice she gets at the end of class.  

Her eating habits are getting a bit better.  We still can't get her to eat any fruit or vegetables, but she is eating more meats and if we chop the veggies up small enough we can hide them in some rice and she won't know she is eating it.  She is still taking her naps on a regular, but the days where she decides not to nap, she is actually OK, which is kind of scary because I'm not ready for the naps to go away.  Her favorite cartoons right now are Sophia the First and Max & Ruby.  She still has a huge love for books.  We have to read her 3-4 books every night before bedtime, and she loves to read books herself before her nap.  Sometimes when she wakes up from nap she won't want to get out of bed because she has to finish her books.  She is such a sweet little girl who just loves her friends.  Whenever we talk about her friends she makes us list all of her friends by name.  Her and CJ are still besties, but now Skylar also has a new best friend Sophie (who just moved in next door).  All three girls are on the wait list for the same preschool so us mom's are keeping our fingers crossed they get in.  

I don't think there is anything more I could wish for in a daughter.  She is so smart, loving, cute, caring, outgoing, and much more.  She is my girl and I still can't believe she is going to be 3 in just a few months, then starting preschool.  I wish that time would slow down and I can keep her at this age forever, but I also can't wait to see what else she has to bring us.  

Erin's Bridal Shower

This weekend I think it really hit me that my little brother is getting married.  I was sitting there watching Erin open up all her gifts, when I looked back and told my Mom and her friend Allison that I can't believe Matthew is getting married.  Erin and Matthew have been dating for 8 years, they have been engaged for a year and a half, and we have been talking about the wedding for months now, but it wasn't until the shower this weekend that it became so real to me....my little brother is a real grown up.  Okay, enough of the sappy stuff!

We had such a nice time at Erin's beautiful bridal shower.  Erin's best friend Tanya is her maid of honor, and let me tell you, she is the ideal MOH.  She already helped throw an amazing engagement party back in November, she is totally on top of the bachelorette party and she put together a beautiful shower for Erin.  The shower was held at one of Erin's family friends house in Riverside.  The home is an old Victorian style home with gorgeous grounds.  Skylar was very excited to attend Auntie's party.  She couldn't wait for the cupcakes and cake I told her she was going to be able to have at the party and she liked to point out that the party was only for girls, so Dada and Madden couldn't come.  When we arrived they had a awesome lay out of appetizers and drinks with great decor.

For lunch we dined on yummy sandwiches and salads.  Skylar was having too much fun and didn't want to spend too much time eating.  She wanted to go play with the other girls in the bridal party. Melissa turned out to be her new best friend as she would just keep coming back to check in on me, but would say she wanted to go back and play with Melissa.  I think Melissa really became her best friend when she got her a piece of cake.  

Present time!! Erin has great taste because she registered for the cutest stuff and it was really fun seeing everything she got. Skylar helped Auntie open all her gifts.  She would show off the presents to the crowd and made sure to give the ribbons to Tanya and the trash to KK.  She even would start opening up gifts before Auntie was ready.  With every gift open, Skylar would ask Erin if it was princess stuff in the box.  She was really hoping for princess accessories.  She was so cute up there and I'm glad Erin was such a good sport for letting her help.  

   
Skylar and I loved attending the shower and meeting the rest of the bridal party.  It looked to be a perfect day for Erin, as she was showered with a ton of love from all her friends and family. 

The Beautiful Bridal Party

Erin and her sisters!

 Now on to the wedding.....7 weeks away!!