Gymnastics

I recently signed Ashley up for a gymnastics class at a local recreation center. She attends the class each Wednesday morning with her friend Jillian. This is the first time she has done a class like this and she has had a blast. The teachers set up two different rooms in a type of gymnastics obstacle course. They swing from bars, go across balance beams, donkey kick, try cart wheels, handstands, and a variety of other skills. It is so cute to see her and Jillian in their leotards trying to do each stunt the best they can. The last class was this morning, and I hope now to have her attend a weekly dance class to see if she likes one more than the other.

Thanksgiving and Madison turns 1

Madison celebrated her 1st birthday on Thanksgiving this year. We had a good laugh at the fact that I had Madison the day before Thanksgiving in 2008, and I had Rylee on October 15th of 2009. Two labors, two hospital visits, two babies in less than a year. I shouldn't have been able to look back at Madison's birth a year later, and have already had another baby. Life throws curve balls some times.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This was the first time I was cooking most of the meal, including the first time I've roasted a turkey. In the past nine years that we have been married, we have either spent Thanksgiving with my parents or Chris' parents and they have always been the ones that have cooked the meal. This year our friends Lance and Amy Oyler and their kids spent Thanksgiving with us. Amy brought her yummy homemade rolls, pumpkin pie, pear pie, and mashed potatoes. It was a wonderful meal, and my first turkey, sweet potatoes, and stuffing seemed to taste just fine!!

After an afternoon nap, we took the girls for a drive hoping to find some Christmas lights. We found a few houses, but headed back home to have Madison's birthday cake. She went right for the cake before we even had a chance to light the candle. She surprisingly didn't want anything to do with the chocolate cake once she had one taste of it! Ashley helped by blowing out the candle, and then she took the candle and put it in Madison's mouth so Madison could lick the frosting off of it. We had to giggle at that! Then Ashley helped Madison open her presents.

So many things we were thankful for that day, and that we continue to be thankful for.

Ashley's 1st Official Haircut

A few weeks ago I gave Ashley her first official haircut. The reason I say "official" is that she has had bangs cut before, but never the length of her hair. I only trimmed about an inch off the bottom to even it out, and also because the ends were starting to look rough and unhealthy.

Eye Opener

Madison and Ashley usually take a bath together in the morning after they eat breakfast. I let them both play with their bath toys for a bit, and then I bathe Madison and then take her into her room to get dressed while I listen to Ashley singing in the tub. Once Madison is dressed, I head back into the bathroom to sit and let Ashley play a little longer.

A few days ago I had already dressed Madison and had put her outside the tub so she could still play with the bath toys, but from outside the tub. As I sat reading, Madison had leaned over the tub a bit too far and fell in.....clothes, diaper, and all!

I laughed for a minute, and then realized how horrible it would have been if I wasn't in the bathroom with her. I can understand how quickly a child could drowned if a parent wasn't in the bathroom when something like this happens. It quickly made me realize I need to be much more careful, and even though I was here this time, I need to always know where she is.