Off to Disney world!

We have loved Mardi Gras. Happily (and sadly), I think this may be Maddie's favorite ever. Too bad she won't remember! I will post some of the thousand pictures I took after our trip to Disney, but I hope I will always remember her absolute joy with every minute of it. And she had a lot of minutes, since we went to every possible parade from noon until night and she only napped in the drive downtown and on shoulders! She fell asleep tonight wiggling her hips, waving for beads and nodding at the horses - all in her bed. I think she was reliving it all!

Having her cousins here, was great, too. JW & Rome loved the parades, too, but they are much more particular - Maddie likes everything, although she does know the difference between good beads and boring ones. The boys wanted spears and toys, and JW wanted the Star Wars people to come back again. We will really miss them next year, but maybe they share beads in Abu Dhabi.

I won't be posting from Disney, but these are some pictures from our trip in December.

Mardi Gras Mombo

Maddie LOVES parades! Everything about them - the crowds, the bands, dancing girls, floats, flambeaux guys, the horses ("ho, ho, ho") everything! Last night, when the rest of the family went inside, Maddie insisted on staying until the end of the parade (well past 11 pm). She line danced with the big kids - stomp two times, right foot this time, left foot this time, everybody clap - she's got those moves! She is the funniest, dancing, waving and absolutely loving it. She sits in her high chair and watches, or stands on her box and dances. She wants someone to hold her up when the floats go by and gets so excited when horses pass, she claps her hands and her head. Her two cousins, JW & Rome, love parades, too, so we have been parade maniacs and haven't missed one yet! I had some camera difficulties (oh, that's auto focus?), but we had a great time!

Rome, as the super hero princess.

Waiting for the parade - notice all the kids, especially Maddie, know which way to look.

JW, the strongest superhero

Jester hat Rome watched the parade and people from his high chair.

Here, Rome, I caught this for you.

Sure, Maddie, you can have one, too.

I'll take this one, please.

And yes, I can put it on myself.

Check out the lighted ones!

Rome just couldn't quite make it to the end.

Friday night was a little colder so peacock girl stayed warm in costume.

I can still line dance!

I am really cute, aren't I?

I'm even cute from the back! (No wonder Rome wanted to pull my tail!)

Aunt Ces, quick!, pick me up - a float is coming.

I want those beads.

Okay, I'll take the whole pack.

I think I will just sit here and wait for the beads to come to me.

Nick, the official bead catcher.

And, I said throw me something!

Hugging Mum; maybe she has beads!

Got them!

Where is that float?

Maybe if I bend over backwards, it will come.

Finally, I see it!

Catching beads, toys, footballs, clappers, stuffed animals...!

Bookoo Bouncing and the many faces of Maddie

The boys are here, the boys are here! Look they're here!

JW & Rome arrived on the 7 am flight from New York, which means they got up at some crazy hour. What do you do with two wired, tired boys? BOUNCING!!

My moms group was meeting at Bookoo Bounce (hooray!) so after music class, Maddie & I met mom, Aunt Ces and the boys, who came straight from the airport. The boys LOVED it! Bouncing, jumping, sliding, bouncing, jumping, sliding, repeat. Maddie followed them around and posed for Blair's camera (thanks again, Blair!) Her favorite part was the pizza - she ate her whole slice, finished half of JW's and then got another slice!

Mediatating?

Mom, that girl took my ball...!

Sweet eyes for Miss Blair.

Cupcake Playdate

We went to a small playdate with some of our best friends - Jessica & Alex (& Luke), Tiffany & Frank, Kim & Emily and Texann & Haley - on Monday. Tiffany and I wanted to conduct a cupcake tasting test - Maddie was too happy to participate.

Our friends at a Christmas party.

Our friends - and their Daddies - at the Little Rascals parade.

We love our friends - a tale of two Valentine playdates & and a party

We love our friends and playdates.

We got invited to two Valentine playdates!

On Valentine's Day, we went to a birthday party.

I took pictures with my friends.

And I clapped for the singing and Frank's amazing itsy bitsy spider hands!

At his house, I used his police car.

And played with more friends.

Then, the girls and I had lunch.

I was so worn out by all the fun, I napped for part of the party.

At least I woke up in time to see the amazing cake Chloe's mom made.

The birthday girl showed me how to work her really cool toy.

Happy first birthday and thanks, everyone, for including in the party fun!

The boys are coming!

Maddie's cousins, JW & Rome, are coming for their annual Mardi Gras/Disneyworld trip. (It's Rome's first time to get to do both trips, but JW's third!) This will be their last, too, since they leave for Abu Dhabi in mid-March.

I can't wait to see them and I know Maddie will love playing with them again.