Sunday Fun Day!

The weather has been SO amazing the last week, we can't help but come up with great reasons to get outside.  This afternoon we headed to a pond by our house for Madie to feed the ducks for the very first time.  She had so much fun and it was great to see all the families out and about in the neighborhood.

When we got home we decided to take our friends outside for a snack and sunshine

I cannot think of a better way to spend a Sunday.  And it appears neither can Ms. Madie!  Ha!

Big FUN Weekend!

This weekend MiMi and Granddaddy came for a visit.  It was SO much fun and Madie put on quiet a show.  She made sure to do every trick in her book - standing up, tumbling all over the place, clapping, clapping, and clapping, dancing, singing, walking behind her stroller, and playing with CoCo.  She played so hard she took a 4 hour nap after they left on Sunday!  HA!

Saturday, the girls went shopping and Madie got to ride in her very own duck.  She LOVED it!  I am not sure we will ever be able to just walk past it again.  

 All tuckered out after a long day shopping with her sweet bunny rabbit MiMi bought her. 

 Saturday night MiMi and Granddaddy kept Madie so Mike and I could go out to dinner.  It was great to go out and while Madie's time was not documented, rumor has it she had a GREAT time with her grandparents.  :)

Sunday morning Madie got ready and headed to the grocery store with the boys.  She came home with a stuffed doggy that Granddaddy bought her.  She LOVES her stuffed animals these days. 

 Thanks for a great weekend MiMi and Granddaddy - can't wait to do it again.  Who knows what I can show off then!! 

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day was on a Monday this year we decided to celebrate as a family the weekend before.  Good thing we did as Mike and I were in bed on the real day with some sort of stomach bug!  No fun!  Madie woke up Sunday morning to find her V-Day goodies from Mom and Daddy.

 She seemed pretty happy with her loot!

 Then we all loaded up and headed out for Madie's first trip to the zoo.  We were SO excited. It was absolutely glorious weather, we could not have asked for a better day.

 Madie loved the Gorillas the best

 We spent a lot of time with ducks too. 

 Madie even got to ride her very first carousel with her Daddy!

 After all day at the Zoo, we had one worn out little girl!  She really had fun and was so interested in all the animals.  We can't wait to go back! I didn't get many pictures, but had more fun just enjoying Madie and all of her discoveries!

 That night before bed, Daddy fixed her hair for her.  Good thing he is not in charge in the mornings!!

10 Months Old!

Ms. Madie Lou is 10 months old today.  She is growing so fast, I am not sure we can keep up!  Every day is a new and exciting adventure.  Madie is 28.5 inches tall and 20.5 lbs - just perfect.  She crawls like a crazy person and more than once I have said "where is Madie?  She was just here!"  (she's usually by CoCo's food and water - dumping or trying to eat!)  Ms. Thing is eating more and more table foods but really loves cheese and blueberries.  She also eats sweet potatoes, bananas and avacodos.  We are getting to the point where she really doesn't want to eat anything she isn't feeding herself - uh-oh!  Meals are about to get REAL interesting at the McQuitty house.  Madie pulls up and cruises and has recently started standing all by herself for at least 10 seconds. She is so proud of this accomplishment. Madie  has a super funny personality - her favorite things to do right now are say AH-Choo!  and pretend she is taking a nap, we can do this for hours.  Her favorite toys are her castle tent, Captain Courderoy (don't ask), her baby which she rocks and says "ahhhhhh", her stroller, and faithful old Sophie.  Madie says Da-Da all the time and now actually knows what it means!  It is SO cute!  We are not sure, but we are pretty confident she is also trying to say no.  Anytime we do anything she doesn't want she says na-na-na-na.  Madie continues to be in endless pursuit of CoCo and strengthen their love-hate relationship.  It is so much fun watching her little BIG personality grow.  Boy are we in for a ride.  Love you more than words Madie Lou!

Princess Ms. Chevious

Yesterday we got Ms. Madie a castle tent of her very own.  I thought she would like it, I was not prepared for how much she LOVES it!  

Here she is watching daddy put it together

 Is this really mine?

 Awesome!

 Checking out the windows

This morning Madie quickly went back to her castle.  She had her back to me so I wasn't sure what she was up to!

 She had swiped my iPhone and booked it into her castle! She had first discovered it last night and actually sent a text or two!

She kept spinning in circles laughing so hard 

 Oh yeah, this is her castle alright, and she is stockpiling. 

Can you say CABIN FEVER??

Day 4 of being iced in and Madie and I are DONE! We got a little creative today - ha!  Uncle Chad, bless his heart, had come over last night to stay with us and stay with Madie so I could go to work today.  Well, we woke up to 6 inches of snow so we were grounded again.  Madie was SO looking forward to hanging out with Chad today and I could not be more grateful for a brother who was ready and willing to step in for me.  And let's face it - I had fun hanging out with my little brother, I think we need more slumber parties. 

This is what it looked like out our back window again today. 

 Thank goodness for CoCo - we have played and played and played with her.  Pretty sure she is ready for us to get back to normal too. 

 We have discovered every nook and cranny worth crawling under in the house

 We could see the kiddos sledding down the hill behind our house all day today.  Madie has been getting over a cold so there was no way we were going out.  SO - we made our own sled and went all over the house.  She wanted her baby with her. 

 Finally when it began to warm up a bit, Madie got to get her first touch of snow.  Love these little hands. 

Here is to sunshine, snow melting and Texas weather.  Ha!

Dear Madie,

We are on the eve of our 3rd day home because of ice.  Boy is it cold!  As we prepare, there are some things I want you to remember.  We are going stir crazy, hate when our electricity goes out and are desparate to get outside for just a glimpse of sunshine.  There will be MANY days like this in our future, we live in Texas - we are guaranteed at least 2 a year and they are fun!  But we should never forget these facts - while we play in our warm home with all of our worldly belongings, there is a family cuddled together under a bridge praying for another blanket.  There is an elderly woman home alone knowing Meals on Wheels won't be there again tomorrow for her only hopes of a hot meal.  Remember this my sweet, sweet girl - "From everyone who has been given much, much more will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be expected" -Luke 12:48.  We should always open our hearts, minds and homes to those in need.  We should always try harder to make those less fortunate than us more comfortable.  "Let brotherly love continue.  Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unaware" - Hebrews 13: 1-2.  So years from now when I drag you out to serve lunch to the homeless in a shelter or drive under bridges to pass out blankets, know why sweet girl.  It is our Calling and our responsibility.  We are here to make a difference - and we will to at least one.  And then we will grab some hot chocolate and build a ridiculously large IceMan in our front yard - you can count on that! 

Love you!

First Snow Day EVER!

What's a girl to do on her very first snow day?

You mean we are staying home all day?  Really?

 Well, then let's play house.....

 And have a snack and watch Sesame Street......

 And build an awesome fort.......

 And work on my walking skills...............

 And build a tunnel to crawl through.....

 And tear down the tunnel.......

 And play with CoCo........

 And have a tea party.........

Now what are we going to do after lunch mom?