Happy 4th Birthday, Madeleine!

Madeleine asked to go to Grammie and Grandpa's house for her birthday, so we all flew up together the day before her birthday. Both kids had so much fun and didn't want Steve or me for much of anything, so it was a nice break for us too!

The first few days were full of sunshine, so we spent lots of time outside. Both kids helped Grandpa cut some firewood. 

Ross played with Grandpa's homemade water table for hours, and had so much fun! He spent most of the first few days barefoot, and went traipsing through their wild bushes, forging paths with Grandpa. He never wanted to try the tire swing that Grandpa built, but Madeleine spent a lot of time swinging on it.

Grandpa built a little teepee and they had several lunches out there.

Madeleine helped Grammie make the pink icing and decorate with sprinkles... one for the cake, one for Madeleine....

Both kids played with the wooden frame that Grandpa built on a previous visit. They played doctor, store, work, restaurant...

Ross loves finding bugs outside and both kids were mesmerized by this little caterpillar.

Aside from fun in the attic, basement, and backyard, the kids also enjoyed several trips to the local John Deere store where they got to see big tractors right up close. Madeleine is already asking to go back for her next birthday (which she seems to think should be coming soon).

These days Madeleine loves riding her balance bike (she is very fast), eating fruit, and doing crafts. While I am putting Ross down for his nap, she opens her craft cupboard and makes me a letter or card and carefully writes "MOMMY" on the outside.  She loves setting the stage for a storyline, such as playing horses or doctor or school (she also directs the activity, tells me what to say, where to go, and what is happening).  She loves the movie Frozen and laughs and cries throughout it as though she's a grown woman watching the deepest drama. She is still very shy and hesitant to speak to strangers, and while sometimes I find great comfort in that, I also love it when she musters a thank you for the checkout person at Trader Joe's when they give her stickers.  She loves learning letters (numbers not so much), names all her dolls and characters Elsa, Anna, Madeleine, or Timothy, pretends she is a lost baby unicorn almost daily, and is almost always the doctor in a game of doctor.  She has several bags on the go at all times - currently one backpack is filled with nick nacks acquired from our trip to BC, another bag is full of all her birthday gifts, another is full of her doctor equipment, and there may be another one or two in her closet full of dolls who are sleeping (they often sleep for days at a time and you don't dare wake them!).   She knows exactly what is in all of them, and so I credit her with Steve's excellent memory.  She is such a character, so fun, imaginative and caring, and I feel so honored to spend my days with her.