Mikayla's 3rd Birthday

Madelyn wasn't our only daughter that had a big day this weekend, so did our peanut Mikayla.  Sunday she turned 3 years old!  I knew months in advance that Mikayla would be sharing her birthday weekend with Madelyn's recital so we decided to celebrate her BIRTH-DAY in relaxing ways.  

First was a Birthday Breakfast, I made Mikayla's favorite... pancakes!!

After breakfast we got a special phone call.  Grandpa Copp & Grandma K had arrived and were settled at their vacation rental house.  So we packed up our pool stuff and headed over for a Birthday Swim.  This is the same house my Dad & StepMom rented 2 years ago.  We actually had Mikayla's 1st Birthday/Christening party here!

Mikayla LOVES to swim, she has no fear and is quite a natural.  She still wears floaties for now but we're hoping to ditch them soon!  After a couple hours Mikayla was getting tired so we called it a day, after all we still had presents to open back at home!!

Mikayla's birthday balloon bouquet!

Our peanut was quite excited to open her presents, so much so I couldn't get a picture of her without making a goofy face!  Silly Mikayla...

Mikayla got some FUN stuff!  Mike & I picked out TinkerBell & Disney Princess toys, a couple books and her very own keyboard!!

She also got a new TinkerBell costume & slippers from Grandma Tait!!

Here's Maddy & Mikayla - one calm moment in between fights over Mikayla's birthday loot!

I gave Mikayla her choice of dinner favorites, home made pizza (a Schuth family specialty) or mini cheeseburgers (sliders, another specialty) & curly fries.  She chose mini cheeseburgers but didn't actually eat one.... oh well... I tried.  My Birthday Girl was getting tired.

Ladybug cupcakes for our Ladybug!

Mikayla had a great Birth-Day celebration, it was a relaxing carefree day for all of us, which is just what we all needed, especially Mikayla.  This isn't the end of Mikayla's Birthday hoopla either, I've planned a gymnastics party at the Y for her next weekend.  She's so excited, she can't wait to celebrate her Big Girl Birthday with her friends, cousins, aunties, uncles and Grandmas who will all be attending!  See you all there!!

Now.  No Birthday Blog would be complete without a walk down memory lane so here we go...

Ready to pop any day!

She's here!!

She's perfect!!

June 13th 2007 - we're officially a family of 4!

Maddy is a proud big sister!

Little Mikayla lounging with me in our hospital bed just hours after she was born... giving birth was exhausting for the both of us!

Mikayla Ann Schuth 

Born: June 13th 2007 at 9:34 am

Measuring: 8 lbs and 20.5 inches

Where has the time gone?

DANCE OUT LOUD

This weekend was Madelyn 2nd dance recital, this year she tapped to the song Oye Coma Va.  She takes a ballet/tap combo class but her class can only dance one style in the recital.  A lot of preparation goes into these dance recitals.  The students are measured for costumes and begin learning their routines as early as Thanksgiving.  Once they learn all the choreography, it's practice practice practice until SHOWTIME.

Part of the fun of recitals is getting to hang out backstage with friends that dance in other classes. Maddy met Tayler in PreK 3 years ago, they go to different elementary schools now so they don't see each other often but when they do, they have a blast!  

This is Micha, she was in Maddy's 1st grade class this year, but is also in Tayler's ballet class!

This is Tayler's Mom Launa, she is an expert face-painter and balloon animal maker, she also does magic.  This was the 2nd year she entertained backstage.  The balloon animal line was never-ending! 

This year Grandma came to the matinee and gave Maddy these pretty purple mums, unfortunately it was so HOT outside and we were in a rush to get home to rest before the 7pm performance, that we didn't get any pictures.  Grandma also treated Maddy & Mikayla to McDonald's for an early dinner.  Mikayla in case anyone is wondering, was hanging out with my neighbors for the matinee.  For those of you who don't remember, Mikayla busted her lip open 30 seconds before Maddy was set to perform last year.  I ended up outside with a bleeding toddler, security and an ambulance and completely missed her dance.  Sure I'd seen Maddy practice her dance dozens of times but I didn't get to see her dance on stage in her costume, which is the ultimate reward after months of preparation.  Mikayla thankfully was fine after her accident last year but she is still a fidgety toddler.  She can't sit still to save her life so I was really glad I made alternative arrangements for her this year.  (Thank you Savannah!)

This years dilemma was technical.  Mike, his Mom and I had just taken our seats for the matinee when Mike discovered he didn't have the memory card for his Dad's camera.  He rushed home to get it, rushed back but missed Maddy's performance.  Boy was he upset.  Thankfully, the ushers weren't checking ticket stubs.  I suggested that Mike just come back for the 7pm show, stay long enough to see Maddy's dance while I kept Mikayla with me and Maddy backstage.  It worked out perfectly!  Mike saw Maddy's dance and got pictures and Mikayla got to take part in the hoopla backstage.  In fact, she didn't want to leave!  

Speaking of backstage, I volunteered backstage for the 7pm show.  I was official, I was given 1 of 6 blue vests and did my best to keep 50 girls between the ages of 3-7 under control and cater to their every need.  The girls were wild with excitement, it's was so important that they didn't run, climb on chairs, wreck costumes, tights, hair or makeup!  Since security is also imperative, all girls had to also be escorted to the bathroom or outside for snacks and drinks.  It was a crazy, long and chaotic day for everyone.  By the end of the night many of the youngins were way past their bedtimes and melting down.  When the show was over we successfully cleaned up our room, which was a disaster and we reunited every dancer and their belongings with their parents in 15 minutes!  Despite everyone's exhaustion we all felt accomplished.  Many parents underestimate the teamwork that goes into a production like this, and most the audience never knows what the teachers, stage crew, volunteers and dancers go through.  There were a few tears, bumps, bruises, missing shoes, and ripped tights along the way but everyone pulled together for two memorable performances!

It was late when we got home but I had to get a couple more pictures before we hung up Maddy's costume and tap shoes.  I was a little bummed that Maddy didn't get to keep her maracas. 

It's crazy how grown up Maddy looks when she's wearing makeup!  Here she is smelling her flowers in her robe before bed.  I'm so proud of Maddy, not only did she dance beautifully on stage twice but she was on her best behavior backstage.  She is really enjoying dance and is already talking about taking dance again this fall.  The trouble is, she likes all the styles of dancing, so maybe it's time to enroll her in a second class.  Question is?  Will it be Irish or Hip Hop?

This won't be my only blog about Maddy's recital.  I still have to upload the pictures from Mike's Dad's camera and the video of her performance!!  I did order the professionally recorded & edited dvd but it won't be ready until August.  Personal video cameras aren't allowed but I snuck mine in anyway.  Shhh don't tell Miss Connee!!

School's OUT For Summer!!

Friday was a Madelyn's last day of 1st grade and boy are we ALL happy!  The yearly school grind becomes exhausting for everyone.  The students, teachers and the parents all need a break!  Maddy ended her year on a high note!  She almost got straight A's!  She had NO TARDIES all year!!  And she received a Citizenship Award!  (Recognition Of Outstanding Achievement As A Positive Role Model And Exemplary Citizen)  Here are her grades for this quarter.  As always we are very PROUD!!

Math - B

Reading - A

Written Communication - B

Spelling - A

Handwriting - Outstanding

Science & Health - Outstanding

Social Studies - Outstanding

Art - Outstanding

Music - Outstanding

Physical Education - Satisfactory

I am extremely grateful to Maddy's teacher, without Mrs. Betts,  Maddy wouldn't have excelled the way she has this year!  I hope Maddy's 2nd Grade teacher is just as patient and dedicated!

One more thing!  Maddy also lost another tooth last week!  #8!  

Potty Training Update

So... 3 months ago I started potty training Mikayla.  At first her biggest challenge was learning to hold it for longer than 15 minutes.  Amazingly she CAN 'hold it' for a couple hours at a time now!  But... if she wears a pull-up or underwear, she has one accident after another.  So... for the last few months Mikayla has been potty training naked.  It's taught her potty independence at home but when we're on the go or it's bedtime she is perfectly happy to use her diaper or pull-up instead.  

It's time to take this to the next level; leaving the house wearing underwear!  No parent wants their child to pee their pants in the checkout isle of the grocery store or in their carseat, but if the accidents in inconvenient places help teach her to hold it when it counts then so be it!!  I did it with Madelyn, it's time to take this challenge on with Mikayla! 

My Mikayla... this girl quite a large personality for such a small little girl.  She's stubborn, curious, demanding, impulsive, talkative and full of energy!!  Preschool is a MUST this Fall!!  We just got to get this potty training thing down first!!

Mother's Night Surprise

When Maddy gets home from school on Fridays I always open her backpack right away so I can go through her Friday Folder.  Last week when Maddy's Birthday fell on a Friday and her backpack was set aside and forgotten.  Sunday night, (Mother's Day) I was getting organized for the Monday morning grind and when I discovered this!

I hand written note about how "awesome of a Mom" I am!

... and inside the tissue was this cute little planter made from a single serving milk carton and popsicle sticks.  Thank you Madelyn!  It's beautiful!  I love it!  We'll plants these seeds this weekend!  

Mother's Day

Saturday afternoon after Maddy's Lunar Golf party we packed up and left for Mike's parents' condo.  For the last 3 years we have been celebrating Mother's Day by the beach and the pool with our family.  We also celebrate... you guessed it!!  Maddy's Birthday!!  As well as Grandma's, Uncle Mike's and Uncle Gregg's!

We arrived just in time for sunset!

Mother's Day morning we sipped mimosas and ate a delicious egg & bacon scramble that my brother-in-law made us for breakfast!  Afterwards we exchanged gifts and cards!  I got some Burt's Bees 'stuff' and some new martini glasses. (Just what every Mom needs to preserve her sanity... something to drink alcohol in!)  Grandma got pjs, perfume and gift cards for pedicures.  Auntie Allison got a Kindle!!  She was so surprised!

Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Allison, Uncle Mike, Auntie Lauren and Uncle Gregg gave Maddy a white gold necklace to commemorate her Golden Birthday.  On it hangs a pretty script "M" and the number "7".  Maddy loves it!  Thanks everyone for such a thoughtful gift to remember this momentous birthday!

Maddy got lots of other cool presents from her Aunties, Uncles and Grandparents.  She's such a lucky girl to have such a loving and generous family!

pool time!

The only picture of me all weekend... this is the perfect way for me to spend Mother's Day... relaxing by the pool with my family. 

Mike & his sistas!

Mikayla is fearless in the pool!

Ahhh, the Gulf was beautiful!  I snapped this right before I ran to jump in the water too!

More cake!  But this time we have 2 cakes and 3 more people to sing to!  Grandma, Uncle Mike & Uncle Gregg too!

Mikayla had had enough with the attention Maddy was getting for her birthday, she was determined to blow out the candles!  Don't worry Mikayla, your birthday is right around the corner! ;)

Then there was Cam the Ham... the whole song, cake and candles thing brought back fond memories for him. He reached up for a taste of icing and just kept going!  The boy was grabbing cake by the handfuls and screeching at anyone else who came near it!  The whole family had quite a laugh!

We had such a great weekend, it's hard to believe that seven years ago Madelyn was a few days old and we were celebrating my first Mother's Day.  It's such a joy to share these precious days together as a family. I am so thankful for my greatest gifts, my daughters.