She Turned 1 and We Had So Much Fun!

On Saturday, October 31st we had a great party to celebrate Maddie's very first birthday. In attendance were close friends and family members, every single person there loves her so much and it was a perfect celebration. The theme was "Sweet Tweets" - birdies and yummy treats galore. No orange and black this year.. just pink everywhere!

The kids played 'pin the candle on the cupcake', and guessed the number of Cheerios in a jar (874). They were able to decorate their own cupcakes and enjoy bubbles and sidewalk chalk outside. We had Wiggles and other kid's favorites on the iPod and everyone seemed to enjoy the ginormous cupcakes, and croissant sandwiches.

Maddie was in a wonderful mood after taking nap and looked oh so adorable in her cupcake birthday dress. We were so excited to see her little friends make it and they all played on the floor together.. chowing down on Gerber Puffs. Even her BFF Isabella was in attendance despite having to get ready for her own birthday party later that afternoon!

It was a whirlwind two hours that both went by very fast, and seemed to last much longer all at the same time. We didn't open gifts with everyone in attendance but spent Sunday afternoon doing so. Everyone was so generous! She received beautiful clothes, and some pretty amazing toys and books. It's a bit ridiculous how many toys we have in our living room. Thankfully Papa Dimino and Grandma Lena bought her a toy box to store some of her new loot.

We enjoyed visiting with them this week as they, along with Maddie's Uncle Erik and Auntie Sarah left a snowstorm in Denver and flew into town for the celebration. Here are some photos from our pumpkin season, party details and a few photos from their trip. It was a bit like planning my wedding all over again. What will I ever do with all my free time now?

I know Maddie won't remember it, but it's one I'll never forget. It's bittersweet as our little one grows up. We want her to grow big and start walking but those sleepless nights I never thought would end are now fading from my memory and it makes me sad to think she won't ever sleep across my stomach or nurse for hours on end.. ok, maybe I won't miss that much but you get the idea! Our cheeky monkey will always be our baby, whether she likes it or not! :)

Here are the photos you've all been waiting for. Unfortunately I forgot my camera at home (DUH) when we went to Auntie Pam and Alyx's house for trick or treating. I'm waiting for photos from Uncle Erik and then I'll post. She made a cute monkey and if you ask her what a monkey says (on a good day) she'll respond with "hee hee hee" and curl her arms into her armpit. What a cutie!

There's Something About Maddie... Is that Hair Gel? This is a few days before her birthday and she woke up with this awesome Bob's Big Boy curl



A gift arrived during the week for Maddie from Grandma Doris and Grandpa Frank. A new walker to get around the house.



The weekend before we went to Pete's Pumpkin Patch to get Maddie's first pumpkin



She LOVED the wagon!


This is the pumpkin we carved and were going to bring it to the party but it became rotten within 12 hours... just can't get a pumpkin to keep like you used to!


My MOMS club went back to Pete's Pumpkin Patch the Wednesday before her birthday. All the kids played in the pumpkins and had a great time despite the wind and cold weather that morning. Maddie had fun collecting pumpkins on her lap


Maddie got another pumpkin the Friday before her birthday at the First Five Fall Festival



Party details

This is the invitation I designed and printed.. it's showing up funky..it's actually dark brown and pink like the signs I made. I used elements from her room and I think they turned out pretty cute.


Gift Bag for the kids and her guestbook


Table with photo slideshow







A cake as big as her head.. no cake smash.. just a tasting of the frosting is all


Maddie and her Daddy

The winner of Pin the Candle on the Cupcake.. he may have peeked a little

Cupcake decorating

Shane enjoying his cupcake

Party People

We thought of betting on the baby races but then decided against it....I think baby Peighton won


Gift Table


Maddie's BFF Isabella (aka the other birthday girl!)

Babies enjoying snacks on the floor

Crista and Hannah

Just before all the guests arrived


Maddie opening her gifts the next afternoon





A girl and her pony... a gift from Auntie Alyx and Pam. So cool, it interacts with the TV like Wii for babies!



Monday, November 2nd (Happy 80th to my Grandma B!)
Rebel yell at the Janss Marketplace

Not so happy to ride in the ice cream truck





Vocabulary update- soon I won't be able to do this because she'll be talking too much.. she's now signing and saying "more". So we're up to: baby, kitty, mama, dada, uh-oh, balloon, more and she whispered papa and sang "meow-meow". Baby and Dada are still her all-time favorite words. Even though she signs "all done" and "more" she only does it after you say the word and not because she is all done or wants more. :) Give us a week, you never know these days what's going to happen. WHEW!

Are you as tired reading this long post as I am writing it? After such a whirlwind weekend, Miss Maddie now has a little cold and isn't sleeping well. Here's to hoping all our friends and family that are under the weather get better soon!

Maddie's 1st Birthday Cake Smash Photos

All Photos by the very talented Trisha Faber - Faber Photography

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how her birthday photos turned out. Her eyes look amazing!

We're Back and Our Suitcases Are Heavier

That's because we brought back two extra teeth, a bad cold, and a cough. Matt started sneezing and sniffling the night we arrived in WI and Maddie started to cough the day we were leaving! The only one not sick (knock on wood) is mom!

First things first, the question everyone has for us "How did she do on the plane?".. she did great! On the way there we had lots of snacks, a little bit of sleeping, and a Wiggles DVD to keep us entertained. The way back was an evening flight and Miss Maddie slept the entire way. Oh, we were in business class on the return flight so we had cushy seats and the extra room was nice.

We stayed at my grandma's house and had a great time with her dog Schatzie (means "my sweetheart" in German). Maddie loved having a puppy around and finally stopped screeching and crawling after the dog after the first hour or so. She was very excited!

Grandma Behling and Schatzie



My grandma was certainly surprised as we walked her into her 80th birthday celebration on Saturday. She was so touched to see all of her friends and family there, especially my Aunt Mary who came down with her husband from Northern WI. They don't see each other very often but talk on the phone all the time and are very close. She looks just like I remember!

My aunt Mary and her fur-babies.. BJ and Bailey


Here we are at Grandma's surprise party


Unfortunately for all of us, Saturday was the worse day for Maddie. I noticed two new teeth on the bottom coming in on Thursday and by Friday night she was running a fever. She was pretty miserable during the entire party and only wanted Mom. That meant Matt was the photographer. He did a wonderful job and helped out so much with everything! Reason # 510 I love my husband more than anyone! I didn't even ask.. he just did anything and everything.

Poor Maddie was the only one not having a good time at the party


The cake was from Delicately Delicious in Cedarburg, WI.. so yummy.



The weather wasn't so great... it was 45 degrees each day and rained several days we were there... it actually started snowing one afternoon as the freezing rain changed into snow. It wasn't enough to stick on the ground but still... brrrrrr!



It may have been stormy, but the leaves were absolutely gorgeous. The middle of October is not traditionally that cold in WI (guess we just got lucky!).. the changing leaves are something everyone should see.





Another highlight of our trip was having photos done by Trisha Faber... Maddie's 1st Smash the Cake session went great and I was so excited to see the photos... here are a few from her blog http://blog.faberphotography.com








I'll post a slideshow of the photos once I receive the CD in a few days.

I was able to visit with my childhood friend Tina and her family while we were there but unfortunately unable to see my friend Heather and her family. They were all really sick so their house was off limits. I did get a quick chance to see her kids and husband when we dropped off a gift on our last day.

Heather your kids are getting sooo big and Miss Isabel is just darling! She's sooo tall. You said she was but I wasn't expecting it. Gorgeous!

Tina was glad we were able to spend the extra time with her and her family. We've been friends since the fourth grade. We used to play with our Cabbage Patch dolls and even had a birthday party one year.. They gave Maddie a Cabbage Patch Newborn doll, perfect size for her!

She made a great lasagna from scratch and they got Maddie a Winnie The Pooh birthday cake. Her kids are so big too.. I guess that happens when you only see people once a year, if that. Seeing them makes me wish we lived closer but I'll tell you, after a week away, it was very nice to be back home in our own bed.

Now if only everyone was feeling better!

Here are some more photos from our trip.

Grandma Behling gave Maddie a soft doll for her 1st birthday.. notice the excitement in her eyes?.....


For the box! She threw the doll aside and pushed the box around


Maddie and Grandpa Frank (my dad)


Leave a baby alone with a kleenex box for one minute... this is what happens!


Anyone looking to decorate their toity room and cheer their favorite team?


She wasn't all tears this trip.. here she is having fun in her car seat


Grandma Doris and Grandpa Frank playing with Maddie


P.S. Maddie has a new word... "baby"!

Maddie Says Hi and Go Broncos!

11 month photo.. it's getting harder to keep her in the chair for her monthly photo

We've been busy, busy, busy! The days are really going by fast. I think it tends to do that once we reach Fall and before you know it, it's New Years Eve! This year I plan on slowing down and taking time to enjoy every moment of our little one.

I've been busy working on ideas for her birthday party and also coordinating my grandma's 80th birthday in WI. We leave next week and I can't wait to see all my family and friends.. especially my Aunt Mary. We haven't seen each other since I was much younger. We've reconnected via email and it's been fun getting to know her.. almost like I have a new friend that I really enjoy sharing with. She's so great and I can't wait to give her a hug. Not only that, but most of family has never met Maddie so it will be fun showing her off. I cherish my grandma and can't wait for her to meet Maddie. We'll be staying at her house.. hope she's ready for some crying and poopy diapers! :)

Miss Maddie seems to be evolving every day. More and more, she's like a little person instead of a baby. She's starting to talk (when she feels like it). She's said "dada" for awhile and actually meant it. We heard "hi" out of her the other day (check out the video below) and tonight I could of sworn she said "baby" when pointing to her photo while she got into her jammies.

She's starting to actually use her sign language. She knows the signs for baby, more, eat, and milk. She won't do them all the time and so far, it's just mimicking us after we do them or say the word but it's certainly a start and so cute, especially "baby" which is holding your arms together and rocking a baby in the cradle. Everytime I try to capture on video, she hears the beep from the camcorder and tries to attack us.. lol.

She's very big into pointing lately. I try to reward her communication by commenting about whatever I think she's pointing to. We have had a balloon in our living room for two weeks or so now and she LOVES it. If we ask her where the balloon is, she points straight to it.. same for her Cheerios, the kitty, and her large stuffed teddy "Bob" and a Little People named "Roberto". (aka Crista's dad.. inside joke)

It's so much fun watching the little wheels in her brain twirl as she discovers all these new things around her and expresses to us that she gets it! She's a little ham, standing behind her exersaucer and poking her head on the side or through toys to make us laugh. At the playground, she makes all kinds of noise until someone looks at her and comments on how cute she is. :) "Look at me everyone, I can go down the slide!"

Wish us luck on our plane ride there and back.. I'll report on all the fun when we return.

Maddie's first big boo-boo and just two weeks before professional birthday photos. :) She's ok and healing well.. little mishap with the front door and the welcome mat not being so welcoming that day. As you can tell from the photo, it didn't keep her down!


Her newest Mary Lou Retton moves


Grabbing a snack and watching the Bronco game


Touchdown- Broncos!!! We're number one!


Maddie loves watching football with her daddy