A REAL violin!

While we were in NM, Nanaw gave me some Suzuki violin lessons.

After I practiced with my box, she even let me play on a REAL little violin! I was very excited and very impressed with myself.

I loved playing while Nanaw accompanied me on piano. I wanted to play a lot of Christmas songs and I wanted everyone to sing along. I kept getting in trouble for pointing my bow at people to order them to sing and dance.

Finally, someone cooperated with my wishes. My Aunt Rita is a REAL BALLET DANCER. She and I played a silly game where she would dance as long as I kept playing, but would stop whenever I stopped. It made me laugh and laugh.

More Christmas morning

Daddy helped us unpack our stockings.

Madeline wasn't really sure what to think.

She definitely loved getting a new "Puppup."

But sometimes the whole "opening presents" thing was just a little overwhelming. She reacted much the same way she reacts when someone suggest that she eat food-- horrifed, but then intrigued after she tastes the little bit that's sitting on her lip.

Christmas morning

Madeline and got matching baby dolls from Grandmama. Madeline was very excited about hers-- she knew it was pretty serious business to have a baby of your own to take care of.

Merry Christmas II

Mommy should just stop while she's ahead, I guess.

Merry Christmas

A few days after Thanksgiving, we got all dressed up to take our Christmas card picture. Daddy took four pictures, then Madeline had a meltdown. Mommy thought we were not really up to our cuteness potential. She decided to keep going. She tried to bribe us with pumpkin muffins. Madeline was happy, but I looked a little less photogenic than normal.

We gave up the battle, but not the war. Mommy proceeded to dress us up three more times trying to get a good shot. It was pretty hard to keep Madeline still, as she liked to walk up to the camera to "see the baby."

Even if we were still, we kept making goony faces.

Finally, after almost 100 pictures and four days, Madeline lost patience altogether and Mommy gave up.

The Christmas card that went out in the mail was the fourth picture we took. Mommy wants you to know that we are really MUCH cuter than it would indicate.

Daddies and little girls

The littlest ones check each other out.

Annual cookie baking event

This weekend we had our annual Christmas cookie making jamboree, stocking up the freezer for our Epiphany party next month. Sarah and Ryan came with Baby Kathryn, and this year Beth joined us too. It's a wonder any pictures got taken, we were so busy, but next time we won't forget Beth and Madeline.

Sarah rolled out cookies like a champ with Baby Kathryn in the sling and me by her side. What a pro. We ended up with: gingerbread, sugar cookies, chocolate chip snowballs, almond spritzer cookies, cranberry orange slices, jam thumbprints, chocolate covered cherry cookies, Rice Krispies treats, chocolate brownie stars, Finnish spice cookies, shortbread, lemon sugar cookies, and there's a batch of pumpkin spice cookies in the oven right now. This year I'm getting old enough to actually be a big help in the kitchen.

Today I'm wondering

Do angels wear shoes?

I'm thinking they don't, because they have wings.

Excerpts from my Christmas hymn

Sleeping Beauty was an angel
She came to tell me
About the baby Jesus, and Mary, and Saint Joseph
...................
In ancient times of God
....................
She put him in the manger
And all the animals were so happy
It was a cold winter's night, so they slept in the hay
and tucked him into the straw
And the next morning, they said "where is our breakfast?"

Don't forget about ME, folks

I am LOVING my ballet classes. Last week my teacher said I was "doing great" and gave me a treat. Even though some of my classmates have been taking ballet for longer than I have, I am catching up fast. This is because I understand that ballet is very. serious. business. I do not laugh and talk with my friends during class. I do not play with my hair, adjust my leotard, or twiddle my thumbs. I do not stare into space. I watch my teacher very carefully and do my best to do exactly what she is doing. I still can't stop talking about it.

My favorite ballet (ok, it's the only one I know) is The Nutcracker. I like to dance to the music with Madeline, talk about the story, and try to convince everyone to "play Nutcracker" with me. Usually I want to be Clara while Daddy or Jacob is the Nutcracker. Madeline is often the Rat King. I'm going to see a real performance of the Nutcracker next week, and I am so excited I can hardly stand it. Sadly, I will not be wearing my tutu, but I WILL wear my CHRISTMAS DRESS!!

I also spend a lot of time looking at myself in the mirror whenever I get a chance. I prefer to be able to check my profile while dancing as well. Can you blame me? I'm pretty cute!

Special thanks to Nikki for the frilliest, poufiest tutu in my whole ballet class.

For your enjoyment

More fun with cute pigtails.

Are you ready for this?

Madeline Sophie can wear PIGTAILS now!!!

Mommy is having a hard time not eating her alive it's so cute.

Here she is with her favorite Christmas ornament, a baby in a stroller.

Enjoy these pictures, because within a few hours we had to relocate all the ornaments to at least four feet above ground level. Madeline was piling them all into her stroller and pushing them around, enthusiastically squealing "Baby! Baby!"

It was cute while it lasted, no?

Madeline and I have been enjoying playing together a lot lately. Sometimes we chase each other around the kitchen table or island, sometimes we walk around the yard holding hands, and sometimes we hug and kiss each other. Another favorite: sitting down together and passing toys or various schmutzes back and forth, sometimes laughing maniacally.

Madeline and Kathryn

It was pretty amazing that Mommy caught these two wily characters in the same frame, what with both of thm being mobile now. One of them might be quite a bit faster than the other, but Baby Kathryn will catch up soon.

Madeline Soph being a silly goose

Mommy says it's hard to take a good picture of Madeline because she is never in one place! You have to put her on one side of the room and back away from her quickly, snapping like mad.

It's me on my FIRST DAY OF BALLET CLASS!!! I'm so excited I can't stop talking about it. I have been wearing my ballet slippers nonstop since Mommy bought them last week and asking to wear my hair in a ballet bun every day. My favorite part of class was tap dancing.

Top Ten Cute Things About Madeline Sophie

As compiled by myself and Mommy:

10. She likes to climb on top of her high chair tray to reach the answering machine. She knows just which button to push to hear Dadaa talking.
9. At least three times per minute, Madeline will reach up with her index finger and touch your nose, saying softly "Boop!"
8. She says "Uh-oh!" indiscriminately while playing alone.
7. She has to check in with the picture of Baby Naomi each time she enters the kitchen. "Hi Baby!"
6. When she hears the garage door opening, she runs headlong toward to door to the laundry room, screaming "Da-daa! Da-Daa!"
5. If you put her in bed without her beloved Puppup, she just fixes you with her confused stare until you place Puppup safely in her arms. In fact, the only time she likes Puppup to NOT be in her arms is while she's nursing-- then she wants him to sit on Mommy's shoulder.
4. She likes to sing "Hello, La" out loud with Mommy.
3. She sings "Beep, beep" to the car song, but only when in the car.
2. She runs to the bathroom to get a diaper and wipes when she needs changing, yelling "Poo poo! Poo poo!"
1. She doesn't like wearing one piece outfits because she can't find her belly button.

Madline's first lollipop, take 3

She attacked it with vigor

And it filled her with delight!

She didn't want to let it go after that.