Anna Kate, Soccer Star

The weekend before Anna's birthday we started off her first soccer experience with Soccer Shots. Her first day went well enough, only one episode being upset when she couldn't keep her foot on top of the ball for "control". The second practice went about the same, except this time she was nervous around her male coach (there was a female sub day one) and I had to talk her into holding hands and hanging out with another little girl who was also being standoffish.

Dribbling

She shoots!

She scores!

Adorable water break.

Brought Madison toys. Madison played with grass the whole time.

Posing before practice in her pink "trap" suit.

So excited about soccer!

Birthday Get Together

This year, we opted to simplify Anna Kate's birthday for a number of reasons. Pizza and cake with family and an outing with her bestest cousin. She couldn't have been happier, and I enjoyed the laid back event. Thank you to all of her family for coming and spending time celebrating Miss Anna Kate's fourth birthday, she had a blast!

First, the girls (minus Madison) went out to paint pottery. I gave Anna Kate options of what we could go do with Avery and she was pretty excited about this one!

Cousin's gotta twin!

Uncle David was an excellent babysitter for the day ;)

Of course the princess car had to go for a few rounds in the yard!

Aunt Laura got the best pic of the day... "Anna, hold my juice box and watch this!" These girls are a mess together.

Another adorable pair... These two were "fighting" over Carter's new present from Uncle David.

Time for cake! Cake by Gigi, hair by Daddy!

Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!

One of Anna Kate's birthday requests- party hats! Turns out they only comfortably fit Madison and Bailey, neither of which were too happy to participate.

Three matching girls opening gifts!

Happy Birthday, Anna Kate!!

Four years ago we welcomed our sweet first girl into the world. Four! And, while that first year is a whirlwind of changes and growth, this year stands out as a huge year of change for Anna Kate. In the past year, she has:
-become the world's best big sister
-started preschool and loves it
-made her own friends at school and the Y (and constantly invites them over to her house)
-started to help with chores such as "dusting", putting dishes in the dishwasher after meals, "cleaning" her room and playroom, "making" her bed
-learned to write all of her letters, can write her own name clearly as well as handful of other words (mom, dad, love) and asks constantly "how is this spelled?" so that she can write it
-started to read simple sight words and sound out shorter words
-taken a greater interest in math with a lot of success
-self taught herself to ride her balance bike like a pro
-has started to exit the threenager stage... maybe ;)

Here are some photos, I'll share more about her actual birthday later!

So sweet!

Love her real smile. She was laughing because Bailey is just out of this frame and kept standing in front of the camera. Silly Boog.

So big! And loves sparkles. Sparkly star shirt, sparkly tutu, and you can't tell but her leggings and shoes sparkle too!

Cutie patootie!

Madison Leigh, 10 Months

Welcome to the double digits, sweet baby!

This month, Madison has been working on her physical feats like crazy! She was already pulling up at nine months, now she will let go with one hand and then the other hand and stand for a few seconds before plopping on her bottom and grinning. She also seems to think that she can "climb" and will get on her tippy toes and try to push herself up to get something out of her reach. She is an avid and fast crawler, and enjoys doing laps around the living room, as well as chasing her buddies- Anna Kate, Bailey, Emma, and the robot vac.

Madison has also been working on her "tricks". She can now respond (infrequently and only without distraction, ha) to "how big is Madison?" by throwing her hands up and "if you're happy and you know it" by clapping. She has other "tricks" that aren't as fun or cute, like sliding her hands back and forth across her high chair tray and to toss all of her food to the dogs. She is a mess, and we sure do love her!

This month Madison also got her first cold, which was more than likely coinciding with some teething pain and resulted in a fever and lots of mucous and drool. She continued to be mostly happy though which was fortunate. She still doesn't love to eat much, though she does eat some. Her favorites are any carbs or cheeses, blueberries, sweet potatoes, and applesauce. She will also pretty much try everything we are eating, she just doesn't eat very much in general. Just last night she gnawed on a piece of broccoli for a good five minutes before giving it up to the dog. Did I mention the dogs are well fed these days?

On to pictures of this little cutie! There are a lot of photos because I got to playing with the camera. You're welcome ;)

For the best photos possible I pulled her straight out of bed, hence the paci. I love that she is grinning behind it though! She goes most of the day without her pacifier unless she is feeling sick, but loves it for bed when she is sleepy!

No big grins, just sweet smiles for being ten months old!

Yep, definitely ten months old.

I started practicing shooting in manual with my camera. So, here are a bunch of vaguely different shots using different settings. I couldn't pick my favorite, haha!

Did I mention this girl is trouble?

Super cute trouble.

Super (overexposed) happy trouble!

I could eat her up.

Big sister pics too!

I feel like this is fairly representative of their personalities... sweet and serious Anna Kate and ready to run Madison.

The way they love each other. Gosh.

More playing with settings and light.

Madison was done sitting still!

Best big sister!

February Phone Photo Wrap Up

Short month, no shortage of photos of my cute girls! Look at this post being all timely and such. You're welcome, my ten readers.

We went to the park. And then I thoroughly sanitized Madison. But look at how happy she was with her freedom! Gross.

These girls are trouble in different ways... Madison having an early morning party session by climbing in the book basket, and Anna Kate showing off her fashionable outfit.

At her nine month appointment, Madison was SO excited! Paper!

For my birthday, Mark got me a robotic vacuum (best gift EVER). Madison agrees it is awesome and loves to go turn it on. I only wish I could have caught her on video with her two hands on the back of it crawling behind it like follow the leader.

Just taking sis for a casual walk after church in a sparkly crown.

I mentioned she was trouble, right?

One of our neighbors casually mentioned that there was a park nearby that serves a neighborhood that they visit. We went to try it out, and someone offered to take our picture. Cool.

She is getting SO big! She never would have tried these things a year ago!

Sleepy squishy face. Yes, please.

At a friend's one night, Anna Kate dressed up in this get up and announced that she was a "super mommy". Adorable.

My new favorite photo of my favorite three people on the planet.

We have big plans for that wall, and it will definitely include a window seat so that Anna Kate (and Madison) can sit and look for friends. Here she was waiting on Avery and Carter to come over with Gigi and Ru!

A walk to the little library!

Sidekicks and sandbox fun.

She is into having her photo taken lately. The pose with the ball and the backpack is just funny.

This kid.

Just a casual series of photos of Madison tackling spaghetti with zoodles.

They matched and couldn't contain their enthusiasm.

My 80's princess on the back deck barefoot in February.