Just Because

Just looking through some photos, and thinking about how sometimes the little moments get lost, in favor of larger events that seem to grab all the attention. We have so many photos that capture special moments - like this first one of Ollie, ready for trip out and taking special care of his stuffed doggy, Honey. What a sweetie.

And here's lovely Maddie, sitting at the breakfast table, with morning light streaming in on her. Oh, how we love you both.

And so it begins!

It's potty training time!!! Just like her big brother, Maddie is pushing three years old, and we're spending lots of time *talking about* using the potty, but not a lot of time actually doing it... Since Ollie enjoyed filling up his "Toidy Chart" (getting a sticker for each successful use), we thought we'd do the same for Maddie. She was VERY excited to find Thomas the Train stickers, and now she also loves the Peppa Pig stickers we found. Her FIRST EVER pee on the toilet was on Christmas Eve in Maine... it was after a bath, and I asked if she wanted to use the toidy, and she said yes!! Lots of smiles and high fives and encouragement followed, but it was a few weeks after Christmas before she went again. To date, she has 8 stickers on the chart, all from post-bath pees. We're getting there!!! I'm sure one day, just like Ollie, she'll announce that she wants to use the toilet, and that's that.

Addie's Princess Party

One of Maddie's best friends, Addie, turned 3 right after Christmas, when lots of her friends were away and things were just too busy to have a party, so Carol and I plotted to have a little party for her in January. It had a princess theme, and since Maddie doesn't have a princess dress, she (happily) wore her bumblebee costume, and with a crown on she became a bumblebee princess. Ollie was the resident pirate, also very pleased with himself. Addie always LOVES an excuse to be a princess... we love you, Addie, and Happy Birthday!!!