Long overdue update

Yes, I've been scolded enough times by many of you to know that I really, really need to download pictures from my cameras and post those photos! Apparently, there are several of you in need of a Maddie fix. Ok, fine, I can understand that, no problem. So, without further delay...I bring to you a photo essay of the past two months!

Maddie smelling the flowers during a visit at Nana's house. Watch out though if she spots a butterfly or some sort of bug...she'll be screeching and running toward the nearest adult. This has happened when a little butterfly caught her off guard while she was looking at flowers with Nana. Scared the dickens out of her thinking the butterfly was coming to get her.


No, this is not a theme of a girl with flowers post...this photo was actually taken in early May during Old Dover Days that I really like. Yes, even though it's blurry...I'll just blame the camera if that's alright with you.


Maddie enjoyed going to her friend Nina's birthday party at a Pump It Up place. Here she is flying down the big slide, about ready to slide into her friends. We've been to this place once before for another friend's birthday party a couple of months ago. At that time, Maddie got to the top of the slide and decided that it was too scary and had to be brought back down.


In May, we went down to one Sunday afternoon to Crisfield for a family reunion. I think we knew 8 or 9 people out of the 60 that came. Hence Daddy's name tag.

May also brought us a new "first" in our household. Maddie got her toenails painted like Mommy. Here is the proof. She was SOOOO excited although my sister thought I should have chosen a color less "tarty" *laugh* It's the color I wear, and it's the only one I have in the house.

Memorial Day weekend brought us down the shore where we had a wonderful weekend with the "fam". Maddie had a blast playing with cousin Molly.

In June we went to the Annual Chinese Festival at the Chinese American Community Center. There was Maddie had a blast, saw the show, two dragon dances, the lion dance and Maddie's favorite....the Monkey King! Had some yummy Chinese food, made a lantern craft and had an all around good time. We also had a chance to meet up with Kelly, Bob, Ethan, Evan and Erin at a Mom to 3 E's. Maddie is 2 months older than Erin, both adopted from China, both adorable and cute together. We'll be getting together again soon, once all of our vacations are over. I would post a picture of Maddie and Erin together but her blog is password protected so I won't put it up here. Instead, you'll have to make due with a picture of Maddie and the drums.

She watched the drummers intently during the dragon dance and when the "coast was clear" she made it over to the drums and *gasp* touched them ever so gently. Then she brought her hand down a little harder and it made that wonderful drum sound she giggled and got a great big grin on her face. We told her not to play the drum, it was not a toy...but the toddler in her got the better of her and she peered around and brought her hand down again making the drum sound and then literally high-tailed it out of there back to us looking behind her to see if something or someone was going to do something about the illicit drumming that took place. I couldn't help but laugh - so sue me.

This past weekend was a treat! We went up to PA to visit Auntie Nikki, Uncle Scott, Auntie Amy and Lily at Nikki's parent's house. Nikki and Scott, who live in MA, were down for a visit and visit we did! Some good chatting and barbeque topped off with swimming in the cool refreshing pool - here is Maddie, Daddy, Uncle Scott, Auntie Nikki, Auntie Amy and Lily. We hadn't seen Auntie Amy or Lily in a while either so this was an extra special treat! Lily was in a touring mood walking all over the place with big toddler grins! Adorable! Maddie loved the dress up shoes and jewelry from Nikki and Scott (by the way, she is STILL wearing them and carrying the different shoe sets around to switch out to match her mood for the minute). Swimming was a huge hit...although that was no suprise, Maddie loves the water. What WAS a surprise was she somewhere decided between last week at swimming lessons and this visit that she liked to jump into the pool and go under getting all wet. With her life jacket on she can swim around the pool quite well...apparently she thinks so too as she turned away from one of us, looked out to the deeper water to see Daddy swimming there, to which she yelled (yes, yelled, loud enough to make the life guard laugh) "Daddy, I'll save you!" and she started swimming out to the deep water to "save" him. She can really move too... It was a very nice visit, good to see Nikki's family as well. Oh, and I do have a photo of Nikki's Dad working the dress up thing, but I'll let Nikki's Mom spring that onto people in their christmas card. *grin* It's hard to believe that we've been friends for *cough* twenty *cough* years. I love you guys - I wish we all could get together more often. Right now we're planning a fall visit to MA...so look out!