Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

 4/4/14 We put you to sleep our beautiful, sweet 11 month old.....

 4/5/14 ...and when you woke you were our beautiful, sweet 1 year old!!! 

Happy birthday Madelyn!!! You enjoyed your favorite, pancakes, for breakfast on your birthday!  You also tried cows milk for the first time, you took sips and let it run out of your mouth all over your face but you kept trying!

You are a pro now at your chalkboard photos in your signature pink onesie

One year old and beautiful as can be, love your dimples and your smile, not to mention your beautiful big eyes and perfect hair....yep, I can say it, you are as perfect as they come.

"I'M ONE IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!"

Dear Madelyn,

You are 1 year old!!  Where do we even begin to describe or sum up the past year of our lives...at 5:15pm exactly 1 year ago our lives were forever changed when you came into the world.  Since that day your contagious smile, bubbly laugh, and loving hugs and cuddles have filled our days and nights.

Every month that passes is different than the last.  We are always asked if we are sad about you getting older.  Our response is, we are all getting older, it's bound to happen, we just happen to be lucky enough to experience it with you.  We are getting to see the world now through your eyes, the excitement of little things and new experiences.

When you were tiny and new snuggling was fun, and just holding you in our arms was the best feeling in the world. Then you started to sit, then crawl which allowed us to interact with you more; then one day you wanted to play roll the ball, and you wanted to read books with us, eat with us at the table and give us big hugs!  Now at 1 year we have so much fun playing with you!  You like to pass toys back and fourth and sit in the tray we keep in the family room and wait for one of us to pull you around for a tray ride.  One minute I'm folding laundry, the next I'm chasing you because you've decided to push the laundry basket away!  You look so cute when you take a few steps on your own, you teeter back and fourth a few feet then plop down on your butt all the while smiling so big and you are so proud of yourself!

Madelyn, every second with you is a gift.  We are so blessed to have you in our lives, you have made us a family; we will always laugh with you and be your play mates when you want to be silly, hold you and hug you when you are sad, calm you down when you are scared and above all we will love you with all of our hearts.  This has been the best year of our lives and we look forward to what the future brings for all of us!

We love you xox - Mommy and Daddy

Now I'll leave you with some of your gorgeous 1 year pictures.  You are absolutely beautiful sweetheart. 

You were having a bit of a rough day for your birthday pics, we asked the photographer for this particular background with the ducks; we never were much into nicknames but your dad and I called you our little ducky when you were first born, and you're still our little ducky :) What are the odds that these ducky shots are our favorites? :)

Oh sweet pea, here you are looking so cute with your little cupcake.  However, we have no photos to capture how much you hated the cake on your hands or in your face...but I promise you learned to enjoy the taste of cake by your birthday!

The adventures of Madelyn

3-6-14  All ready to cheer for Michigan State when March Madness begins!

3-8-14 Mmmmmm pancakes are yummy!!

Family walk!  We try to take advantage of the few days that are warm enough for a quick walk to get some fresh air!

"I can walk really good when I'm holding my Mommy and Daddy's hands!  I'm just not ready to let go yet!"

She usually has her nose in a book

"helping," Mama in the kitchen

3-13-14 Mama and Madelyn selfies!  

Play date!  We have been making it more regularly to some March-ish Mamas play dates.  Now that you all get around so well it's so much fun to get you all together and watch you just have a good time together!

Daring little girl, you wanted to hang on the bar just like the boys!

Bath time!  You like to stand by your tub and watch us prepare your bath.  You also like throwing toys in the tub and watching the water come out of the spout!

Family swim date at the Warren Community Center!

Higher Daddy, higher!

Play date with the march mamas and daddies got to come!!! Madelyn was so proud to be with her daddy in front of all of her friends!

So happy to be just like daddy :)

More reading...Madelyn likes to enjoy a good book while she gets dressed.

 Having a baby means you never have to grocery shop alone!  Grocery shopping is definitely a lot more interesting, can't pull too close to the isle or Madelyn will grab things, and she usually points at people that walk by.

 Daddy gets home from work and it's time to play!  

 Play date!  This time the ladies outnumbered the boys!

Lately, everything has found a way up your nose

Dress up with Mama!

 3-30-14 Alright, we have hit above 40 degrees!  Time to talk your walker for a spin outside!  You LOVED IT!  You handled the pavement like a champ and laughed and chased Izzie down the sidewalk!

3-31-14  Happy Opening Day!  Go Tigers!  You must have brought them luck Madelyn because they won!

 Busy day, we went to Goldfish to go swimming with the March-ish Mamas and all of your friends!

Biggest turn out at a play date yet; there were six babies there! 

 Once we got home it was time to take another walk outside, today it got to 58 degrees!  It was so sunny you even needed to wear your shades!

This is what confidence looks like....

Once you discovered the leaves you were uninterested in walking anymore.  You stopped to pick up any leaf you could and then would wave them around, eventually toss it and watch it blow away.

Only 5 more days until you turn 1 year old sweet girl!