"On the Move!" December 28, 2013 - January 13, 2014

 After Christmas we were lucky enough to have some nice winter days to enjoy some fresh air!

                                               
12-29-13 Aunt Kara and Uncle Danny got us a membership to The Detroit Zoo!  We had a lovely 40 degree day to go and enjoy our new membership and it was the perfect day for the zoo!  No crowds and the animals were all very active and playing so we could see them!

New member here!

"Dad!!! Look behind us!! A LION!"

Madelyn's favorite toy has always been Sophie the Giraffe, so imagine her excitement when she got to see a REAL Sophie up close!

"Mom take my picture by this turtle!"

 We got to walk through and see all the cute kangeroos!

Thanks Michigan for giving us these beautiful few days to enjoy before you decided to make it a -20 degree windchill and almost 2 feet of snow!

We definitely have a snuggle baby on our hands.   It may be a phase, but Madelyn has been all about getting snuggles whenever she can, and we are sure to take full advantage of it!

All clean after her bath, Madelyn has become much more adventurous in the tub; she loves to splash around while squealing and smiling.  

 January 1, 2014 Happy New Year!!!  We enjoyed a quiet night at home with a fancy home cooked meal!  Madelyn did not stay up until midnight, but don't worry...she was up shortly after! :)  We spent New Years day doing household things, Madelyn decided to help with the laundry by playing peek-a-boo in the basket!

Our days at home together usually consist of running errands, Krogering, cleaning, cooking, etc. I also try to exercise with her...this is what happens lately when I try to exercise while she is awake...any time I get on the floor I become a jungle gym.

Madelyn has always loved tags.  If there is a tag on something, she will find it.  Unfortunately for Charlie Brown his tag is located on his butt.

Great Grandma Ellis was in for a visit from Florida!

 Happy 9 Months Madelyn!
-You started crawling ONE day before you turned 9 months!
- Just days after learning to crawl you decided that standing was way cooler and now usually just crawl to something you can pull yourself up on.  Stand there, sometimes you side step to something else, you are pretty good at getting around.
- You love to laugh when we laugh, your teachers at school have noticed it too.  Any time one of us gives the other a (usually sarcastic) laugh you chime right in with the same sarcastic sounding, "ahhh hahaha."
- You have beautiful hair that has gotten really long, and even though many people ask me if we have trimmed it, I promise you sweetheart we have not yet.
- There are 2 new things you do all the time, the first is you love to blow air out your nose as you scrunch up your nose (usually boogers come out, but you think its funny).  Second is you love running your tongue back and fourth across your top lip, looks adorable, however we have to be quick about wiping up your snot otherwise your tongue gets it just like a windshield wiper!!

This sweet girl posed beautifully for her 9 month photos. 

Madelyn has always loved music and has many musical toys.  She really enjoys to dance so whether she is playing an instrument or listening to a song you can usually find her swaying (sometimes even to the beat)!

Playing rough with Daddy is always fun!!!

 Crazy bath hair!!! "Dad, can I wear my hair like this to school tomorrow!?"

 Tea time with Daddy and Charlie Brown.  A lot of Madelyn's toys, including this tea set are geared towards learning manners...so we will definitely be teaching her to say "Please," and "Thank you!"  She needs to learn thank you soon because she is always getting so many compliments :)

 Bed head!  Maybe our next step will be teaching her to use a comb....

 Thanks Aunt Laura for picking out such a cool outfit!  Our little lady looks super cute in her tutu and jean jacket!

 Here we go....Madelyn crawled over to the rocking chair and pulled herself up....as she pushed it back and fourth she squealed and shook her head very excited to be standing!

 ....and not long after...she crawled and stood up at the ottoman....

.....and then I found her at the end table...just hangin out.

Oh sweet girl, you give us so much joy.  Learning all these new skills must be so exciting for you, Mommy and Daddy love watching you get excited to do new things!

Christmas 2013

The Christmas season came and went as quickly as always, but we enjoyed every moment of it.  I read somewhere that the only thing better than being a kid during Christmas is having a kid during Christmas.  I couldn't agree with this more.  Every decoration, every gift, every family party was cherished and enjoyed even more now with Madelyn in our lives :)

School project!  Madelyn surprised her Daddy and I with this beautiful craft that we hung up and displayed proudly!

Sneaky girl got caught sitting up in her crib; until now she would just lay there and wait for us to go and get her, but now she is up and ready for us...the excitement of Christmas coming must have sparked this new skill :)

Diaper Santa!  Madelyn is very excited for Santa to visit, she loves to wear her Santa hat every chance she gets.

12-24-13  Christmas Eve at Aunt Mary Kay and Uncle Mikes! 

Playing with Grandma Hergott on Christmas Eve!  Madelyn had fun seeing Daddy's cousins and showing off her Christmas Tutu!

I am one proud Mama.

Santa Came!!!!!  Alright...here comes a lot of gift opening pictures!  They're all so cute it's just hard to choose which to put on here and share, I'd like to save them all for her so she has them all to look back at one day :)

12-25-13  Madelyn enjoyed her first Christmas morning, despite battling sicknesses and other stresses that occurred prior to the holidays, Eric and I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful present than this smiling girl.  Watching her open her presents and enjoy the day was more than we could have ever hoped for :)

Madelyn did GREAT opening her presents, although she occasionally got distracted by a little piece of paper she would hold and wave around like a little flag. 

More paper waving!

Izzie even enjoyed her Christmas; Santa brought her a nice comfy new bed!

 Thanks Grandma Ellis for the new addition to our stockings, here they are looking so cute :)

Christmas Day; Tyler, Madelyn and Evan all posing nicely anxious to open their gifts!

Sister baby switch!  "Hey, you're not my mom!"

Madelyn was excited to open her gifts; but even more exciting was the maracas she got to play with!  Dancing and shaking the maracas all while opening her presents Madelyn was nothing but smiles! 

Thanks for my first kitchen Grandma!

"Phew, that was pretty exciting Dad....I think I'll just hang here with you and relax for a bit.  We don't have to do that again till next year right?"

Merry Merry Christmas from The Hergotts!!!!!

12-26-13 Day after Christmas still all smiles! :)