The Hartsell Family

Saturday, February 21, 2015

12/22/14 Trip to Chicago

Madelyn and I decided last minute to downtown Chicago with Beth, Connor, Juliana and Grandpa. She was so excited even though she had no idea what she was going to actually be doing. She said her favorite parts were riding the train and coloring while on the train. She also liked being able to write on the bench at Gino's East when we got pizza.

I was happy to relive my childhood and show Madelyn the huge tree and moving window displays at Macy's. We saw an old hunched over homeless women and I was nervous about what she was going to say. She was so excited and said, "Mom, I saw an owl!" There was no convincing her that the homeless lady wasn't an owl so I just let it go. She also didn't like the man singing by the window displays and talked about the "loud man" over and over again asking why he was so loud. So I would say she definitely got the Chicago experience and wants to go back. Maybe next year we'll bring Daddy and Allison espically since Brian had no idea what I meant by window displays. I was happy Allison was at school because it was a little cold and rained a bit and was so much easier with just one!

Juliana and Madelyn on the Train

The three kiddos on the train!

She loved coloring on the train and was so good

Madelyn wore the elf hat for awhile and was so cute!

Stroller buddies: Juliana took turns pushing Connor and Madelyn

Checking out the huge tree at Macy's

Mommy and Madelyn

Madelyn checking out the window display

Madelyn and Connor watching Santa

Making her mark at Giordianos

Madelyn was so big she didn't want to sit with me on the bus back to the train station!

12/17/14 Allison's 11 months

Here's what we remember from Allison's 11th month:

She can crawl while holding on to things in her hand or mouth!
She likes beating her tummy like Tarzan and always smiles :)
She can crawl up the stairs without help and is getting better at going down the stairs NOT head first although she still tries to do this and needs to be reminded
She crawls without looking back.
She is always leaving us to go crawl off on her ow usually to places we don't want her to go like to the stairs, the cat's water fountain, the refrigerator, to the window to remove the gel clings Madelyn put up!
She had another bad bout of diaper rash.
She really likes fruits especially berries. She likes her food to have lots of color.
She is very fast and very inquisitive. It took her 5 minutes to crawl out of her room and into our bathroom and figure out how to get the cabinets open (all with Brian watching her).
Seems to be saying "all done" = a da
At school, she likes to eat and doesn't like to nap :(
She wants to be down and moving all the time so photos are hard.
Preta is not found of the crawling / chasing Allison although he still likes to snuggle while I am nursing her as long as Madelyn isn't around.
She is now pretty steady with a push toy.
Allison loves Leia, our dog, and feeds her way too much food. It is usually one bite for Allison and then one bite for Leia. We have cut Leia's food down to compensate.
Allison loves Leia's dog toys. She even has been caught crawling into the dog crate to get them out. Luckily Leia is great and lets her take them, even from her mouth, although we are trying to get Allison not to do that.
Allison laugh is so cute; she sort of cackles when she laughs.
She loves to hold and twirl my hair at all times but especially while nursing. I am not sure why both my children still love holding on to my hair. Part of me thinks it's because they don't have much and part of me thinks it's because they know I can't leave while they have my hair in their hands but maybe it's just because they love the feel and smell of it. I don't know and don't mind that they do as I rarely have my hair all done up :)
She cries everytime we put her in her car seat and fights us to buckle her in.
She LOVES drinking out of water bottles but some times she just spits the water out.
She's started crawling up the step stool in the kitchen. Anytime she sees it, she goes for it.

Sleeping Angel!

Loving her whole pear!

Allison on the step stool.

SO BIG!

Giving her plate of food to Leia!

Waving!

Standing in her crib!

Surfing?

Climbing at school.

Monday, February 9, 2015

12/13/14 Polar Express

It was Madelyn's third time going on the polar express and she loved the ride to and from the North Pole. It was Allison's first time and she loved the cookie! Both girls did not enjoy seeing Santa. Madelyn wouldn't even go in the tent but she loved the big bond fire and had a great time with her cousins. It was nice that it wasn't too cold but we wished there had been snow like last year.

On the way to the North Pole.

Loving her cousins

Allison enjoyed her HUGE cookie.

Luckily she shared with Mama.

Madelyn was no where to be found and Allison was not happy.

Showing off their bells. Madelyn was happy her cousins got her one.

Singing carols on the way home.

All tuckered out!

12/6/14 Breakfast with Santa

We were so lucky to be able to go to my sister's school again for Breakfast with Santa although Santa was not a big hit with either of our girls. Madelyn would not go near him and asked Allison to get her present for her. Allison didn't last long on Santa's knee. She found him a little scary. Madelyn had been hoping Santa would bring her a frozen lunch box and was so thrilled when he did and Allison was happy with her stacking caterpillar.