Funny Valentines

Patrick and Madeline had fun making Valentines this year...and even more fun appropriating an empty box for a game of hide and seek.

Snow Bunnies

Donald and I have long hoped that we could get Patrick on skis while he was young, and last weekend the opportunity presented itself to take a few days off and head to Wintergreen with the Stohs family. Patrick and I made a special trip to the library to check out skiing books, and we watched YouTube videos of children skiing as "visualization" exercises. We didn't count on the fact that someone else was paying very close attention. Madeline quickly started telling me "I go on skis. I go down the mountain. If I fall down, I get back up and go down the mountain, right Mommy?" So what could we do but rent Wintergreen's tiniest skis and put her on them? While we don't yet have a future Lindsay Vonn on our hands the kids had fun getting out on the snow and we'll definitely try it again. Donald and Andy got a nice afternoon of skiing in after we took the kids back, and everyone enjoyed Wintergreen's indoor pool when it was too cold to go outside.

Packing Heat

At first glance it's a child's sweet drawing of his family: Daddy, Mommy, Patrick, Madeline, and Patrick's friend Caroline (far left), all under an apple tree and the rays of two suns. Look a little closer: we're all holding guns. "Not Madeline, Mommy," Patrick patiently explains. "She is just a baby. She is only holding sticks." Of course.

Two Years of Maddle Maddle

Madeline's two-year checkup (a few months late) went great. She's in the 94th percentile for weight (33 lbs) and 92nd for height (36 inches). She can stack 6 blocks like nobody's business, string together words to form sentences, and draw a line, among other amazing toddler tricks. She's currently sporting the hair of a 1970s country singer, but we can't bear to cut off those golden ringlets just yet. She loves playing with her babies, holding tea parties, eating hot dogs, avocados, and strawberries, and playing hide and seek. And of course, as always, she loves her brother like crazy.

Two for the Road

Both kids piled on for a piggyback the other night. Luckily Donald didn't throw his back out.

Bowlarama

The kids bowled for the first time ever with cousin Soph at Ft. Myer a few weeks ago. That's Madeline holding a 6-lb ball! Patrick had a great time too, as did Donald, who was doing so well he refused to let Madeline have his turn!

Roanoke Chistmas

We had a great time in Roanoke with Gran T, Cousin Colt, Aunt Whitney, and Uncle Josh. Patrick and Madeline found an unexpected treat...a 4-wheeler in Gran T's garage. Even Madeline got the hang of it.