Madeline's 6th Birthday

On Friday we celebrated Madeline's 6th birthday and oh what fun we had!

To start the day off we went to Homestead restaurant and had a wonderful breakfast.  

She had a ball!    

After breakfast we went home and opened a few presents.   She received a pillow pet, and some new clothes for her American Girl doll Elizabeth.

She was so happy and said thank you over and over again.  We loved that!

Madeline had requested earlier that she would like a day with just her mom and get a pedicure.  

I was totally up for that.  So we dropped Max off at Grandma's and went to get our toes painted.  It was so fun to have some girl time.  

After the pedicure we picked up Dad and went to dinner at TGIFridays and Madeline insisted that we tell the waitress that it was her birthday.  We told her and after dinner they brought out a huge ice cream sundae and asked if Madeline would like to be sung too.   Madeline surprised us all by saying "yes"!  So out came all the waitresses and they sang Happy Birthday.  Madeline looked terrified the whole time!  It was so funny.  

We finished off the evening by going to a movie.  

It was so fun to spend the whole day with Madeline.  We were all pretty anxious to get back to our baby Max though.  

On Sunday we had our big family celebration, with cake and ice cream and we blow out the candles.  

Our 6th Birthday Photo Shoot

Dear Madeline,

I am so happy that you are 6 years old but it makes me a little sad as well.  You are growing up so fast.  You love life and you don't quite understand why everyone can't be happy like you are.      You are very aware of what people are feeling and you take everything in.  You don't miss a thing.    

You love reading and you are quite good at it.   You have finished all of the Junie B Jone's books and you are starting on Percy Jackson.  Such a big book but you are not intimidated by that at all... you just dig in and go.    You love the History Channel and after watching a documentary of the Titanic you insisted on learning all you could about it and you have many of the facts memorized.  You even taught me some things I didn't know.    You are so excited to start 1st grade this year, and I am glad that you want to stay home another year so I can teach you.  I love watching you absorb everything you are learning and I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I see you finally catch on to the subject I am teaching you.    I know sometimes we don't get along but I love you more than anything.  

You love being a big sister.  You have waited a LONG time to finally have that role.   You hate it when he spits up though.  I can't say that I blame you... you have gotten the worst of it.... right in the mouth!   You were so mature and understanding when we adopted Max and then went through the crazy hospital stay.   Heavenly Father prepared you for the big moment of being a big sister.   He knew you could handle the sudden arrival of a new baby and all the demands a baby makes on me and Dad.    You love Max so much and when he cries in his crib you insist on getting in and cuddling with him so he will settle down.  Max adores you.  When I get him out of the crib and bring him into you he gets so excited and just watches everything you do.    You will be a great example to him.  

                                          

Madeline I want you to know how much your dad and I love and adore you.  You completely steal our hearts with your smile and good attitude.  Continue being a sweet girl and nice to everyone you know.   I   secretly love that you like to fall sleep in our bed.  I know you won't want to forever that is why I enjoy it now.  I take a picture in my mind of the moments when we are all in my bed and we talk about our day.    In fact last night I told your dad that in ten years we will be wishing that all our kids were in our bed where we knew where they were,  instead of being out late at night.   

I love how close you are to your dad.  You love going out with just Dad.    He loves to take you skiing and watch you learn spanish.  When you would come home from a skiing trip Dad would just talk about how good you were doing and he loved the conversations on the ski lift.  I hope you always remember those great times and good conversations with Dad.  He is a smart guy and can help you through anything.  

We love you so much Miss Mads!   Happy 6th Birthday!