Playing in the sun....

Sorry I've been slacking on updating the blog. I've been busy preparing for our new MOPs year at our church. And Austin and I are going to start a new small group at our church as well. Plus we love being outside when the weather is nice....so we've been busy enjoying the weather.

First I have to share some exciting news! Our beautiful niece was born on 09-08-07, Brooke Danielle. It was so nice to hold the girl we have been praying for throughout the last 9 months! She is beautiful and we are so thankful she is healthy (after some scares throughout the pregnancy).

I held Brooke and was amazed that it was only 18 months ago that Andrew was that small!! He is growing so quickly! Andrew is saying several new words each day. It is so nice that he is starting to communicate his needs with words!! He is turning into such a little man. Earlier this week, he was playing with the buttons on the TV (which he knows he shouldn't be doing!). I looked at him and said "No!" He looked at me and started to cry and walked to his "time out" step....before I could say anything else! I was laughing at him since he knew what he had done and punished himself. I called him over and he gave me a big hug and kiss. It was the easiest "punishment" I had to do....I didn't have to say a word. If only parenting was always that easy!!

Maddy keeps me laughing all the time. Yesterday Maddy was doing the United States puzzle and we have been missing Wyoming for a while. Anyways, after we had finished all the pieces except Wyoming. She said something like this "Oh, how sad, Wyoming is missing. Somebody probably ate it. And he will probably have to go to the hospital and get an x ray and have surgery to get the puzzle piece out. Then we can have the piece again". I was laughing so hard...because I have had to read the Curious George Goes to the Hospital book several hundred times over the last few months (It's her favorite book). So, in her mind she thinks we are going to get the puzzle piece back, just like George did! She has recently been very focused on coloring. She will sit for more than an hour coloring books (within the lines). She has also learned to write most of her capital letters (which I am learning is earlier than most kids). I have to share 2 more stories:

• This is an ongoing one. Now that Maddy is potty trained, we make frequent visits into public restrooms. This has, therefore, been the spot of much embarrassment and laughter (usually to other people in the other stalls). Well, Maddy is very verbal. And she very innocently (but much to my embarrassment) feels the need to give a play by play on things I have told her and sounds she may hear (I'll let you figure that one out!). I can't count how many times I have heard giggling in other stalls because of things she has said. The best was this weekend when we were at a wedding. All the stalls were full, Maddy had used the restroom and I decided to go as well since I was there. Well, in the process I hear Maddy yell "YEAH MOMMY. YOU WENT PEE PEE. I'M SO PROUD OF YOU" I was so embarrassed and wanted to wait for everyone in the whole restroom leave before I left the stall! Well, I quickly walked to the sink not making any eye contact and I had a lady stop me and tell me how funny Maddy was. :)
  
• This one happened a while ago. We were busy in the car and my mind was busy thinking through the day when I heard Maddy say slowly "Thanks for noticing me". I felt so guilty, thinking through what I did to ignore her....if this was how she was feeling long term....if I missed something important she was saying. I was about to ask what she meant by that when she started to laugh and say "that's what Eeyore says". Internally my mind gave a big sigh of relief!

Okay, sorry this entry is long. That's what happens when I don't update for a while. Here is a link to our photos. There are pictures I took around our house, at the park, at an apple orchard, at a baseball game, at the zoo and meeting Brooke for the first time!