My cute girl...

I just had to post some pictures of Maddie from the last couple of days, just because I think she's so cute :)

Madilyn loved this new dress.  She was dancing around in it all morning. 

This is when she was reading a book she had just taken from Max...

This was Max after she took that book :(.  Sad boy!  Yes, I made her give it back. 

Standing in the kitchen helping me bake a birthday cake for Aunt Ashley!

 

MOVING ON....

We're having major napping issues here.  I'm sure that anyone who has kids understands.  Madilyn is in a stage where she doesn't quite need a nap anymore, but still kind of does.  Basically, it's a lose-lose situation.  Here's what happens on a day to day basis: 

Option 1:  Madilyn takes no nap.  By the time 5:30 rolls around, I have one unhappy little girl on my hands.  She goes to bed early that night (great!) but she sometimes has night terrors and has a hard time setting down, because she's too worn out (not great!)

Option 2: Madilyn take a nap at the normal time.  She ends up sleeping FOREVER, and then going to bed late and not sleeping good at night.  Also, not great.

Option 3: Madilyn tries not to take a nap, but ends up crashing in the late afternoon.  Because it's so late in the day, I wake her up after 45 minutes or so, and in doing that, I awake the beast!!!!  This makes our evenings completely miserable. 

Anyway, I'm hoping that she just grows out the nap thing quick and we can move past this horrible stage!  Here's a picture of one of her late afternoon naps.  She was watching Mickey and I went upstairs for about 10 minutes.  When I came down, I found this.  Very peaceful and so cute, but yikes, that ended quickly when I had to wake the poor girl up.  I don't blame her, I hate getting woken up. 

Madilyn starts dance class on Tuesday!!  Yay!! She is so excited.  We got her her first pair of ballet shoes and I ordered a leotard online (I can't wait to see her in it!).  Seriously, little girls in dance class is one of the cutest things EVER.  Mike even called me last week to see when her class is because he wants to go too; they have a little window you can stand behind and watch them.  I thought that was sweet that he wanted to come too :).  Anyway, I'll have pictures of that soon! 

Christmas!

The kids had so much fun on Christmas morning!   Madilyn couldn't wait to get downstairs and see what Santa had left.  They had fun playing with their toys for awhile.  And then a little later that afternoon we did a web-cam call with Mike's parents in Qatar.  Maddie had a lot of fun showing them her presents and talking to them.  Later that day my parents came down and stayed the night with us.  We watched "Emma Smith: My Story" and had a great time.  Anyway, it was way fun to have Christmas morning for the first time with just us and our kids!  They're getting to a good age now where it's fun to be at home :). 

Talk about a white Christmas! 

 

Maddie's stuff right after Santa came.  She got the American Girl twins with a stroller and bed for them.  She also got lots of books and new stuff for her dolls. 

Max's stuff...He got a new table, a toy box, a couple of trains, some books and "Finding Nemo".  Oh, and his favorite present, Curious George!  He loves it and carries it everywhere. 

 

First glimpse of her stuff.  Maddie named her twins Holly and Molly.  It kinds comes out more like "Holy Moley" which is awesome.  Cracks me up every time :)

Max checking out his presents...  I've got to get him off his binky.  He's an addict. 

Max and George, best buds. 

Madilyn eating a Christmas tree Peep and watching Nemo.  She had to get dressed up in her new hat, dress ups, and slippers. 

Max watching Nemo.  He loves this table!

Maddie showing of her hat that Grandma Dickson made for her.  Oh, and her new play ballet slippers from Grandma Nield.

 

Enjoying his pop-tart like a big boy. 

Christmas Eve

This year we had Chirstmas Eve up at my brother Andrew's house in Syracuse.  It was so fun!!  We had a great time and Madilyn was SO excited for Santa to come that night. 

Madilyn was VERY happy to see Gracie :)

This is just some of the family after we watched Luke II.  I love that video.  We turned down the sound and listened to it with Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven".  If you haven't ever heard it that way, you have to do it!  It's amazing how that song fits with the video so perfectly. 

I like this picture of my parents.  They were listening to some of the kids sing funny Christmas Songs.

This is my niece Sadie.  She is the cutest thing ever!  I love her!

I had to post this picture because it's the only one I have of the two of them together in their matching jammies! 

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays everyone!  This is Mike this time and I thought I would share with everyone a special Christmas message that got emailed to us just yesterday.

The Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Brigham Young University wrote a great song about Christmas.  A talented mix of alumni, students, and BYU staff produced the music, an accompanying video, and the following web site found at this link:

http://joytoeveryone.com/

Take time to watch this touching video today as we focus on the birth and life of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  May the Spirit touch your hearts just as our hearts have been touched this season.

We wish all of you health and happiness going into the new year!

P.S.  Stay tuned!  I'm sure Emily with have plenty of pictures later today or tomorrow.

Can't wait!

I'm soooo excited for Christmas this year.  I feel like a kid again!  I love that Madilyn finally gets it and knows that Santa is going to be coming.  I told her yesterday, "Maddie, I'm so excited, Santa is coming in a few days and it's going to be SO fun!".  To which she replied, "Yay!  I love fun!".  Anyway, I just had to share my joy that Christmas is close :).  I kinda wish it was today, because we've had non-stop snow, but it's ok.  At least we'll for sure be having a white Christmas!  Ok, that's all, I'll stop blabbing on. 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Haha! Loved this!

I hope you don't mind Jane, I had to steal this off your blog.  So funny!

My Grandma's Funeral

We went up to Idaho Falls on Wednesday and Thursday for my Grandma Anderson's funeral.  It was a bittersweet experience.  The funeral was so nice, and I loved hearing all the stories about my Grandma that I'd never heard before.  Madilyn was so sweet about it all.  She could tell that everyone was sad, so she was very obedient and reverent.  She kept saying "Grandma is sleeping and it's so sad". 

Right after the casket was closed the funeral director asked us if we knew the meaning of the word "casket".  He said it means "jewelry box".  I had never heard that before and I'm so glad he shared that with us.  It was a special moment.   

My sister and brother and some of their kids at the viewing.

Madilyn with her cousins Gracie and Olivia. 

My mom telling Maddie about Grandma

My mom and dad.  I love this picture of them.

My sweet Grandpa

My family, minus Marcus and Ashley

Why do I buy them toys?

When all they want is to play in laundry baskets, boxes, closets, etc.  I was doing laundry this day, and when I walked into the living room this is what I found. 

Anyway, I loved it, they were both wanting to sit in the baskets and read.  I'm so glad they like to play together!

(Maddie has got a great cheerleader clap going on in this one)

Madilyn is VERY particular.  For anyone who knows her, you know what I mean.  Anyway, she wanted the elephant and her bike perfectly positioned in front of each basket :).  I think she might have OCD.   Max LOVES books.  He'll just sit and look at them for forever.  So, long after Maddie was gone playing something else, he was still in here reading.  I hope he doesn't grow out of that!

Christmas outfits!

We went with Mike's sister and her family to get some Christmas pictures up at the park by the temple.  It was such a pretty area, and the snow on the trees looked great.  But it was SO COLD.  Indescribably COLD.  Maddie had a funny grin basically frozen on her face the whole time.  I didn't get really any good ones of Maddie alone or the two of them together, but I got a couple of Max that are adorable! 

 

 

The only picture I really got of the two of them.  Maddie's strangling Max and he's looking at a rock wall :)

 

Oh, I guess I got this one too.  You can tell Madilyn is freezing.  Poor girl! 

Her pretty Christmas dress that Mike's mom got her. 

Mike's sister Ashley, her husband Brian, and their son Tyson.  They look so festive! 

I'm so excited to go there and take pictures again when it warms up.  Madilyn and Max will love running around the huge park and it's just beautiful. 

Sunday Morning

We took some pictures of the kids this morning after we got them ready for church...

They were having fun looking at the tree...

And then this happened...

Max feel over the arm rest and broke off all the branches where he fell.  Basically the whole middle part of the tree is now a big, gaping hole.  I had been bragging to people too about how good Max has been with the tree :).  Oh well, it's my fault.  I was trying to get cute pictures of him grabbing the ornaments.  I should have known it was coming! 

We turned the tree around and it's okay, but you can still see that there's a big hole in the back.  We wanted to get a new tree next year anyway, so it's not a huge deal.  Now we'll just go shopping on the 26th for a new one and get one on clearance! 

My Sweet Grandma

My sweet Grandma passed away this afternoon.  She had gone in for heart surgery yesterday, and had major complications.  My heart is broken for my grandpa.  And I can't imagine what my mom and her siblings are feeling.  I'm so sad I didn't go up to see her last week.  I don't even have a picture of her with both my kids.  I know that she is having some great reunions right now in heaven with her parents and my cousin Lisa.  I am so thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation.  And I'm grateful to know that she is not in anymore pain and is at peace.  I love you grandma.  You will be missed. 

Baby Tag:

I saw this on LaRee's blog and thought it was cute.  Since I have two bambino's, I'll do it about my firstborn, Madilyn (it was a little more eventful). 

1. Where were you when you first found out you were pregnant? At our apartment in Wymount

2. Who was with you? Just me
3. How did you find out that you were pregnant? Peed on a stick
4. What was your first reaction to finding out you were pregnant? Really scared.  I didn't want to have another miscarriage.
5. Who was the first person you told? Mike.  I ran, with wet hair and tears streaming, to the computer lab where he was studying.

6. Did you plan to get pregnant? Uh, yeah, that's an understatement.  Lots of fertility drugs to get her here :)

7. Did you tell everyone else right away? No.  Too scared to. 

8. Was everybody happy for you? Yeah

9. Did you go out and celebrate? Not that time.  We learned our lesson from my first pregnancy.  It stinks to celebrate and then lose it. 
10. Did you want to find out the sex? Yes!
11. What was the sex? Girl.  I was a little sad, because I had wanted a boy first.  But I got over it right away. 

12. Did anyone throw you a baby shower? Yeah, my family.

13. If yes, who? My family.  Sorry, I just said that. 

14. Did you get any outfits at the baby shower that you knew you would just not put on your baby? Um, I don't think so.  Everyone had good taste.

15. How much weight did you gain? About 25. 
16. Did you lose all of the weight that you gained? Yeah, but I've got much more to lose.

17. Did you get a lot of stretch marks? Oh heaven's yes.  I'm like a road map of the United States.

18. What did you crave the most? Baked potatoes.  I think I had 3 a day during the first trimester.

19. Did you crave anything crazy? Nope
20. Who or what got on your nerves the most? Hmmm, probably a girl I worked with.

21. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy and labor? Yeah, hyper-tension, retained placenta, hemmoraging, dumb epidural didn't work (I consider that a major complication!).

22. Where were you when you went into labor? In the hospital.  I got induced because of the PIH.

23. Did your water break? The nurse did it. 

24. Who drove you to the hospital? Mike and my mom were with me.

25. Did you go early or late? Early, by 2 1/2 weeks.

26. Who was in the room with you when you gave birth? Just Mike and medical people.  My mom was sitting right behind the curtain.  She wanted in there so bad. 

27. How long were you in labor for? 23 hours of labor, pushing for 3.
28. Did you have any drugs for the pain? Two epidurals, but neither worked.  That was bad.

29. Did you go natural or have a c-section? Natural.

30. What was your first reaction after giving birth? In a lot of pain.  I thought Madilyn was way pretty. 

31. How big was the baby? 7 lbs 9 oz

32. Did your husband cry? I can't remember.  I think he cried when they said I was hemmoraging and had to go to surgery.  He was scared. 

33. What did you name the baby? Madilyn Suzan

34. Does her name have any significant meaning? I saw the name Madilyn on the credits for "Everybody Loves Raymond" and realized I loved it. Suzan is my mom's name and my middle name.
36. Did the baby have any complications? Yeah, she got transferred to Utah Valley NICU for breathing problems (she needed some Surfactant).  She stayed there 4 days.  That was hard.

37. How old is your baby today? 2 1/2

38. When is the next one coming? Hmm, I dunno.  Hopefully before Mike starts Graduate School!  I don't want a newborn with him in school. 

39. If you could, would you do it all over again? Oh for sure.  I did do it again, and it went much better.  Who would have known a C-section could be so heavenly!  (well, I guess it is compared to a 23 hour labor with no pain relief :)

40: I tag: Whoever wants to do it!

Just my opinion...

But this:

...is not a good look. 

I get that the 90's are back (leggings, tapered jeans, leg warmers), but really, the tights and shorts should have stayed in the 90's.  What's next?  Layered slouch socks in neon green?  Feathered bangs?  L.A. Gears with sparkly laces? 

Anyway, like I said that's just my opinion :).