Madeline's Castle

October 12,2010
Doug, Ethan and I were downstairs the other day doing some things while Madeline was upstairs playing. She called us up to see the castle she had built:

She made it for the little doll you may be able to see inside:

Then Daddy let go of Ethan:

He only knocked down a few blocks, and he helped put it back together:

Only to do this:

She has the patience of a Saint!

After everyone settled down, another castle was built:

Oh yeah, and I set up the timer on the camera again while the kids were playing:

I thought about getting a maid...

...then I remembered we had kids:Never too young to start learning:

Some words from the wise:

Madeline getting prepared for some deep cleaning:

...but not too happy about it:

Taking off her "handana." She quit! She said the labor was too hard and the pay was awful. Well, I still have Ethan :) He'll just have to pick up the slack.

Bath Time!

Their favorite time of day:

Yes, Ethan's diaper is very full...pretend you don't notice.

Today he was her little buddy

5/14/09
Madeline was a little more fond of Ethan today than most days. The past couple weeks Madeline has not been as kind to him, so it was nice to see her be so sweet to him again.
Here she is trying to put on his "flip-flops" so we could go for a walk:
Ethan got really fussy later in the day and the only way I could get him to sleep was on my bed. Well, Madeline came in to check on us and saw Ethan asleep and said she wanted to lay down with him. So she went and got her Lamby and pacifier, hopped up on the bed, found a little spot, and fell asleep! It was too cute! I laid there for the longest time just looking at the two of them.

She even posed for a picture with him, which normally she doesn't like.

Madeline's 1st Tea Party

Shortly after we moved here we became friends with a guy Doug worked with, Jason, and his wife (Jasmine) and 2 kids (Robert,4 and Jenis, 3). Jason is currently overseas on a one year tour of duty. Madeline and Jenis are 6 moths apart in age, so they have made great playmates!
Jenis invited Madeline over the other day for a tea party!! I was SO excited!!! My little girl going to a tea party?!?!?! Too many dresses to pick from!
When we got there, they started by making cookies. Well, actually the cookie dough was already prepared. They just (attempted to) used cookie cutters to make shapes out of the dough. Here they are working together (or sharing germs...whatever you want to call it)
The hard part...waiting. Not sure what Madeline was saying here, but she was probably telling Jenis which one is "mine."

While the cookies were baking we went upstairs to put on some jewelry. Madeline found a beautiful necklace and bracelet. Of course all you probably see in this picture is our daughter playing the drums!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She loves the drums a little too much. My cousin Nathan says she's starting at the perfect age. I'm not sure what Nate is implying, but there will not be a drum set in our house! (unless she asks of course :) )

I'm sure when Ethan is older he won't want to be reminded that he attended a tea party, so we'll just tell him he was there as the bodyguard. Robert was at school while we were visiting, but my kids were quick to play with everything in his room, especially the drums and the trains. Ethan LOVED watching the electric train go around the track. Every time the train would get close he would grab it and put it right in his mouth. I would take it away, put it back on the tracks, then he would grab it again when it came around. He sure makes me laugh.

Posing for a picture. Notice the drum sticks in Madeline's hand!!

Choosing their plate and saucer. Guests first!

Madeline needed quite a bit of help pouring the (sweet iced) tea. She thought it was like a watering can where you just pour until it's empty.

Time for the delicious cookies!

She loved the tea! Madeline brought her purse from home and when it was time to drink the tea she wanted to wear her purse.
Not sure what she was doing here, but the picture cracks me up! Not sure where she gets her girliness from!

Poor Ethan, he just hung out in the bouncer, on the floor, or stood at the table to watch us eat and drink stuff and can't have yet. He had a great time though!

Madeline and Jenis were singing their ABC's together, but by the time I got the camera out, just Jenis was singing and Madeline was dancing. Madeline was too busy eating her lemon to sing.

Teamwork

I began trying to get Ethan to drink from a sippy cup recently, but he hasn't been all to interested. That is, unless it is Madeline's sippy cup. He could see one of her cups from a mile a way. It's not like she uses the same type of cup every time either. He just knows it's her...and he wants it! Fortunately, Madeline finds it a little funny. The other morning Ethan kept trying to get a hold of Madeline's cup, so finally she decided to help him drink from it. Does he look a little excited about this??? Notice Madeline is showing him how to open his mouth.
He was laughing so hard at her that it was hard for him to get a sip.

Through teamwork, he finally got it!

I asked Madeline if I could get a picture of the sippy cup and this is her reaction. She even put her arm around Ethan...too cute!