Watching Their First Christmas Movie Together

Watching "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (cartoon version).

Butt Scoot'n Boogie - A Madison Update

Madison is not crawling yet, though she is very close. Instead Madison has developed a way to scoot across a room all the while sitting mostly upright. It's very funny to watch.

Madison is doing very well in the big tub and loves, as she has for some time, to have her hair dried. When I lay her down on the towel and rub her hair with both hands she lights up every time!

Maddy is still hard to dress. Well, harder than I remember Emily being. Maddy moves those little legs soooo much that once you finally get one leg in, you better not let go or you'll be starting over. :)

I am sad to report that Maddy is turning into a mama's girl. She doesn't respond to my voice like she once did but still loves the sound of her mommy. Oh well, this is still better luck than I had with Emily. She didn't like me until she was 18 months old...

Peek-a-Boo is Madison's favorite game. She has been pulling covers, towels, even bibs over her face for several weeks. It's very funny to see her try to hide using a bib that's upside down and all that covers her face are the shoulder pieces. She laughs and giggles every time which is infectious.

Dinner Out

Tonight we went out as a family to Marie Calendar's. We had the expected chaos when you take a 3-year old and a toddler out for a sit-still-for-an-hour meal. To make matters worse, we forgot a toy or any other means of distraction for Madison.

Highlights:
The waitress came to get our drink order. I said, "a coke will be fine." Sondra continued with, "I'd like a lemonade." Before she could continue, Emily looked up at the waitress and said, "I'll take a milk!"

Doubling as a prop, Madison used her washcloth as a toy. She stretched from her hair chair and began scrubbing the table as if she worked their. I kid you not, she looked like a 40-year old lady as she stared at that table and wiped it meticulously. The determination in her eyes as she watched her rag move in circles was priceless. After a few rounds with the edge of the table, she began to wash herself in the same manner.

In the middle of the chaos of keeping Maddy entertained and Emily still, I looked at Sondra and said, "You realize we're paying to do this, right?"

No Santa?

Tonight Emily said with a very serious and determined face, "I don't need Santa, I'll get my own presents."

Who Needs an iPod?

Emily put both Dukies to her ears to see which one played Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Playing Rough

One of Emily's favorite nighttime activities is to "play rough" with me. Knocking papa over has evolved into all out wrestling and tickling. She runs and jumps on me, she gives me head butts and of course, knocks me over.

Bedtime Ghost

I'm surprised I didn't post this a long time ago...

For about 6 months, or longer, whenever I get Emily out of the tub she likes to have her towel thrown over her head so that she can pretend to be a ghost. She's a lazy ghost, mind you, as she likes to be carried to wherever mommy and Madison are. Once we find mommy, I lay the ghost down and mommy pretends to be curious about the lump in the towel. Emily is very cute as she giggles away as if she's going to surprise her mommy.

Yes, I'm Influencing My Children

Take a close look at one of Emily's new favorite toys and you'll see it's none other than the Battlestar Galactica. Yes, I am turning my daughter into geek long before her time.

Tonight we "flew" in the Galactica to all of the planets in the house. For Example, the office is planet F, toy room G and Emily's room is E. How they got those names, I don't know. :)