WoW-Santa Came

Elmo

...or MoMo as Madeleine calls him.

I would like to thank Sesame Street...Madeleine's favorite new word is 'MINE.'

Christmas Concert

Thursday night we were fortunate enough to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas concert held at the Conference Center. You'd think with 20 doors it would be fairly easy to go in...but not when there's 21,000 plus of your friends trying to cram in as well.

Salt Lake Temple all decorated for Christmas

Every year the MoTab (as us in Utah call them) Choir puts on a Christmas concert with someone famous; this year it was David Archuleta (American Idol runner up from Utah) and Michael York. Past guest performances and narrators have been by Natalie Cole, David McCullough, Walter Cronkite, Angela Lansbury among others. It's not your typical 'churchy' concert...they had little cottages that elves were decorating, ballet dancers, other people in costumes dancing in the aisle.

Tabernacle at Temple Square

Even though you can fit so many people in this place, there were still hundreds left out in the 24 degree temps who couldn't get it. Apparently all the little teenage girls love themselves some David A. We only arrived 45 minutes early (after taking TRAX) and somehow found seats only 20 rows up...front and center.

Luckily Peter was free that night so he played with Madeleine at his house. I'm pretty sure he's sick of dancing to Frosty the Snowman!

Thanks for a great evening, Mark!!!!

My parents when we visited Temple Square the night after Thanksgiving.

102

Janae-Do you have a thermometer for Madeleine, she's really hot...
Me- Yeah, don't know where it is though...and besides, you have to stick it up her butt
Janae- Never mind

So I come home at my normal time and poor Baby is HOT, like a 102 degrees HOT. Give her Motrin, call the Dr., take her up to SLC, they weigh her (23 lbs!) and can't find anything wrong...of course. Ears look good, throat's red but the Strep test came back negative...no clue why she's so hot, and cranky, and sleepy.

I come home and feel around in her mouth because she's been eating her hands like C.R.A.Z.Y. Yep, feels like there's a molar coming in...that's probably the reason...great. At least I can apply the co-pay to our flex spending account by years end!

Now I Know My ABC's

Three Santas

2008

2009

2010

Thankful Thanksgiving

This is the first holiday in 6 years which we've spent together as a family.

Peter: My job, Baby (that would be my Baby, I don't think he has any), and family!

Daddy: Happy for life, happy for health, happy for everything. Also happy we figured out the fireplace without gas leaking.

Mother: Spending this Holiday season with family; cause I love my family.

Mark: Healthy people.

Baby: Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle playing with me. Grandma putting me to bed and reading cause my parents don't. Daddy singing my ABC's every night. A new little sister sometime in February; and for immediate and extended family who love me.

Betsy: The health, love and safety of my family. For my brother living so close to Madeleine so he can be apart of her life; and my parents extended visit this year. I'm thankful for Mark who puts in crazy hours each week so I can work part-time so I can play with Madeleine while still enjoying the time we can travel to see the U.S.

Jinx

I jinxed myself. Last night was horrible. You'd think a 2 year old saying 'Hi Dadda!' would be cute, not at 4 in the morning; that was after the 10:30 screaming fit...and the 1:30am screaming fit.

Madeleine: BUBBLES
Me: No, Madeleine...that's dust flying around.
Madeleine: BUBBLES!!

She might give me a complex.

Big Girl

I'm so proud of Madeleine. For the past two nights, and about 2 weeks for naps, Madeleine has been sleeping in her 'big girl' bed. Janae has been awesome with putting her in the bed for naps, but Mark and I haven't been so brave! When she has the choice, she chooses the bed instead of her crib...yeah! At night my mom reads to her, says prayers, then night night...Baby cries for a minute then she's out! This morning we hear...knock knock...then her door open...then ours...'hi momma hi dada.' Luckily it was 7:20 this morning:-)

She has also been making great progress on the potty. Courtney had her just about potty trained last spring, but then we slacked this summer; now we're back on the band wagon!

I only hope I didn't jinx this whole thing!

Kids All Grown Up

Over the weekend one of our best friends - Jon - was married up at Hill Air Force Base and Peter was in the wedding! We're a couple of good lucking kids from Da U.P., eh?

P.S. - Peter is single...if anyone was wondering:-)

2-Two-Do

Madeleine is now 2...or 'DO' as she says.

We had a fun birthday with her; nothing too special. Just my parents, Peter, and Pops & Lani and boys...great food and a crying kid. Apparently she doesn't like the song 'Happy Birthday' cause every time we sing it, she cries. Maybe it's the candles she doesn't like?!

She also had her 2 year check-up...we have hit 22 lbs! She can now 'officially' be in the car seat which she's been in for almost a year... For those of you who are wondering, yes- we do feed our kid, yes-she does get whole milk, yes-she LOVES fried food and sugar...she's just WAY active. That's probably the same reason why I weigh less now than I did ten years ago...even when I was working out; all I do is chase after her!

And, because I'm a bad mom, or at least bad at documenting our lives, here are pictures from her 1st birthday!

A Small Preview

A small preview of 10/30 (yes, I know Halloween is on 10/31, but out here, it's celebrated on Saturday...)

As heard this morning...

Mark: 'Hi Baby'
Madeleine: 'Hi Baby'

If she's doing this at 2...imagine what she'll be doing at 22?!

Singing in the Rain

Broadway and Football

Last week we finally celebrated my birthday! On my actual birthday back in July, Mark surprised me with tickets to the Broadway show 'The Lion King' which was touring in SLC. For those of you who haven't seen it...everything about it is AmAzInG!...The costumes, set, stage, including the company (thanks Jon and MarKey!) Since The Capitol Theater is so old, the crew actually had to tear down a wall for the opening scene where the elephant walks through.


Then on Saturday it was our annual company picnic...let me tell you how excited Mark was to go...haha. Anyways, they had a ton of bounce houses which Madeleine LOVED. I'm pretty sure we won the 'Worst Parents of the Year' award when we made her leave.

When we left there, we headed up to Logan, about a 2 hour drive, to watch Utah State University play Fresno State (tough loss for USU). We hung out with Macie and Pops while TJ coached!
What a fun and busy weekend!

Seattle

This weekend we were fortunate enough to head off to Seattle from Thursday - Sunday. Despite a 'no nap schedule' weekend, we had a blast! One of Mark's best friends, Andrew and his wife Lessa, live out there so we stayed with them and their 3.5 month old Lily. Mark's other friend, Jessica, with whom he grew up with in St. Louis lives there with her husband, three year old (Josephine) and newborn (Noemi). Man...I wish they all lived closer! The weather was perfect...overcast and cool the first day and sunny and upper 60's the next. Madeleine did awesome on both flights...it helps that we had her strapped into her car seat both ways. She had her own seat and was still able to fly for free...and even slept on the flight back!

Top of Mt. Rainier from plane

Ferry to Bainbridge Island

Playing with the Sea Cucumbers and baby Dungeness Crabs

DVD Player

Apparently when Madeleine is bored of her 'D', she doesn't wait for us anymore. She now will stop the current D, open the player, put in a D of her choice, and press play.

She has also mastered the word 'NO'. Not just by shaking her head, but yelling it at the same time.

the wedding...over a month later

And my 29th BiRtHdAy!

So Glad

Tonight was the rehearsal dinner for Macie and TJ's big day tomorrow. Mark and I helped Pops and Lani set up and all that jazz...but let me tell you, I AM SO THANKFUL TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE! The whole wedding weekend was SO stressful...this time around I can go home, go to bed, and wake up in the morning without worrying if the food will arrive...I'm just a guest and i LOVE it.

A tiny bit of vacation

Mark, Madeleine and Aunt Flora

Mason, Colin, Baby and Gavin

On 'Thomas'

First night...who needs a swim suit?

Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk

Same boardwalk

Enjoying the sand between her toes

Driving her boat at the amusement park in Rehoboth