She's off...

... and really will be running by Christmas. Here's a video Luke made of her while we were getting ready for church on Sunday morning. Enjoy!






P.S. She had just put on a new pair of red shoes. She loved listening to them tap on the floor as she walked around the house.

Home with the Girlies

The Sickie Bed on the Sofa

Yesterday, Maddie came home with a raspy voice and a little cough. During the night, she felt a little warm. When she got up this morning, she had a low grade fever so I decided she better stay home. She cried when I told her she couldn't go to school. She loves school! Within a couple of hours, the fever was gone. And now, she is feeling much better.

It was nice to have her home and to have an excuse to stay in all day. We were in our jammies way too long, watched Star Wars and HSM2 (both Maddie's choices), played games, and did puzzles. Maddie even did some self-assigned "homework" since she wasn't at school to do her "work".

Walking Wounded

While Maddie was home resting, Isabelle was adding another monster scratch/bruise to her face. Yesterday, she fell on the umbrella and got a scratch on her forehead. Today, she fell on the chair and added one to her cheek. I love that she is walking and is so proud of herself, but I don't like all the bumps and bruises that come with it. It's probably a good thing we stayed inside today so I didn't have to listen to my friends joke about me being a bad mum!

Talk About a Bag Lady

The Full View

A Closer Look

Sunday is Maddie's special day. Well, after church, anyway. She can wear whatever she wants and do her hair however she wants without her Mom's input. Today, she chose her Hannah Montanna shirt and a tiered, floral and striped skirt. While looking for the gold, rhinestone belt to go with her shirt, she found herself on her bedroom floor with all of her handbags. I'm not sure what inspired her to tie them together and fill them with all of her stuffed animals, but here is the look she created for herself. Talk about fashion! Talk about a bag lady! I had the reputation of being a bag lady when I was little, but this... WOW! Maddie has taken over the title, today.

P.S. The bags were super heavy!

Small Glimpse of a Little Baby

While Isabelle is taking her first steps, I'm wondering what happened to my baby. This week, I put her down for a nap, got her out of bed, moved her into the carseat, put her into the car, took her out of the car, collected Maddie from cooking class at school, put her back into the car, and brought her into the house. I was amazed that she slept through it all and slept another half hour after we got home. I miss those days when she could sleep through anything. It doesn't happen very often anymore. And when we got home and while she was sleeping, I saw a small glimpse of a little baby that I had months ago. I don't know if it was just the hat or the blankets snuggled around her face, but I loved seeing that little baby again. It didn't last long enough. Once she was awake and out of the carseat, she was chatting away and trying to walk across the room to Maddie.

As for walking, she takes about six or seven steps at a time before she falls down. For anyone who has been to our flat, she can make it from the far edge of the carpet to the sofa. She'll be running before Christmas!

Halloween

Getting Ready to Carve Pumpkin

Izzy Potter

Girls with Carved Pumpkin

Star Wars Princess

ASL Lower School Costume Parade

Happy Smile

Sister Smiles

Belle the Bat

She Wore the Costume Most of the Day

Ready to Trick o' Treat - The Princess & the Bat went Trick o' Treating followed by a Pizza Party with Friends.

In Maddie's Class, Watching the Kids

Izzy's Other Costume - One of the Only Pictures in which She Looks Like a Carruth

HSM 3

Maddie, Ally and some friends went to see High School Musical 3. Maddie loved it so much she wanted to stay at the theatre and watch it again.

Surprisingly, Ally let Maddie dress herself for the movie. What's even more surprising is, after seeing Maddie's 'fashion' outfit, Ally actually let her wear it to the movie.

This is Maddie modeling her outfit for the camera.

10 Months & 2 Steps Old

My baby girl is growing up. She can stand up on her chubby little legs, and this week she took her first two steps.

There's a ceiling-to-floor mirror in our lift, with a metal bar running across it. The bar is placed 2 - 3 feet off the ground. This week, instead of riding the lift in her stroller like a normal baby, Isabelle decided she likes to get out of her stroller and stand herself up in front of the mirror, holding onto the bar as she goes down. Upon arrival on the ground floor, she grabbed hold of Maddie with one hand, Ally with the other and walked from the lift door to our building's front entrance (about 15 - 20 feet), smiling at the porter as she passed. Ally said Isabelle was so proud of herself.

Also, she makes this super cheeky face, which daddy loves.