Pre-birthday photo shoot

Madeleine and I had a little photo shoot out front a couple days ago.  Matt and I have been thinking more about her upcoming birthday and I want to make invitations with her picture on it, hence the need for recent photos.  Several of Madeleine's favorite objects made cameo appearances in these photos: our tulips, which Mom has been asking for pictures of; Madeleine's bead toy that she got as a consolation gift for having a cast; and my camera lens cap which she thought was pleasant to chew on.  Enjoy!

Madeleine loves to be outside.  And she prefers sitting on grass or dirt to sitting on her lovely, soft quilt.  When I sat her down on her blanket for photos she pouted and pulled the blanket back so that she could grab grass and dirt and twigs and tree seeds, those little helicopter ones.

This afternoon I was weeding out front and one of my neighbors was holding Madeleine while chatting with Matt and I.  Maddie kept pointing and "ah, ah"ing towards me so my neighbor sat her on the ground next to me. She sat there for a half hour or more holding my little trowel and trying to pull up little pieces of weeds and grass with me.  Matt made the insightful comment that she just wants to do whatever we're doing.  He is so right.  She wants to be where we are, do what we do, eat what we eat, etc.  She even wanted our fish that Matt grilled for dinner Friday night--and she liked it!  It was really soft and mild and moist, perfect for her.  If we're eating something that she can't eat because it's too hard or chrunchy she at least wants to hold my fork or spoon and try to use it.  :)

You might be able to tell in the picture above that she wasn't feeling great.  She's had a runny nose on and off again the past couple weeks.  I'm not sure if it's teething, allergies, or bugs that we pick up from other kids.

Sitting by the vinca.  She'll grab a vine and pull each of the flowers and leaves off a strand.  If' she's tired she'll just grab for the whole ground cover and pull as many leaves and buds as she can.

This child has beautiful hair.  Did you know that the first activity Matt and I did together before we ever went on a date was that we played tennis?  That evening I wrote in my journal something like this:  "Today I played tennis with this really nice guy named Matt.  He's really good and smoked me but it was fun anyways.  He has great hair..."  I think Madeleine got the "great hair" gene.  :)

Ready to sleep.  See that pink elephant she's clutching?  It's from Mom and Dad and sings three verses of "do your ears hang low?"  Madeleine loves it and dances whenever the music starts.