Christmas with Renee and Terry (Brad's mom and stepdad)

After the Eck Family Christmas, we drove to Wichita, Kansas to have Christmas with Renee and Terry. Madison received a doll that can swim and her first computer. She was so excited to put the doll in the bathtub and she even laughed as it was swimming around. But when I put her in the tub with the doll, she freaked and kept saying "doll out". She did not like the doll in the tub with her. I guess we'll try swimming with the doll again at a later time.

Later that night, Brad's cousin and his family came over. Madison had a great time playing with Briley (5 years old) and Brynn (18 months old). She was sharing her toys and didn't hit any of the kids. And that's a good day in our house! :)

Madison and Nae-Nae

Chad and Kristen just laying around

Madison and Brynn

Eck Family Christmas in Kansas

Every year the Eck Family Christmas is in Sharon, Kansas in the old elementary school. There are so many aunts, uncles, and cousins that it has to be held at a gymnasium. Madison had a great time running around the gym and playing with the kids. And she loved opening her present (a doll) from her Grandpa Mel. Oh, and she is now learning names so she LOVED her Uncle Chad and kept running after him yelling "Chad" and "Tisten" for Aunt Kristen. Very cute! And yes, she can tell the twins apart. :) She knows who her daddy is and who her uncle Chad is.

Madison and her Uncle Chad

Gymboree

Madison's friend Jack had his second birthday party at Gymboree. We all had a great time. For those of you that don't know, Gymboree is a like a little gym for toddlers. Madison LOVED it. Once she got over her shyness, she loved running around, climbing on the jungle gym, sliding down the slide, jumping on the trampline and even eating a chocolate cupcake. Looks like we will have to look into some Gymboree classes after the holidays. (Don't mind the redeyes :))

Just some pictures

We haven't done anything very exciting lately. I did have my 30th birthday last month and so we went to Eichen's with some of my friends. We had a great time. Too bad I forgot to bring my camera...oh well. And I also went to Savannah, Georgia for 4 days for a work conference. I stayed in a spa/golf resort on the river and it was gorgeous. I loved the historical area and would really like it if Brad and Madison came with me next time.

We are so excited about Christmas this year! Madison should understand it a little more and will LOVE opening presents and spending time with family. We decorated our house this weekend (I'll post pictures of the decorations soon) and Madison likes to turn on the lights and look at everything. Here are some random pictures that we have taken over the last few weeks. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Fest at Church

On Sunday afternoon, we went to the Pumpkin Fest at my parents' church. There was trunk-or-treating, games and a pumpkin patch. Madison wore her costume (with a black onesie under it so it wouldn't be itchy) and had a great time getting more candy. She has no idea that she is getting "food" so I'm not worried about her eating it yet. But she loves picking out a piece of candy and putting in her trick-or-treat bag.

My brother Brian, his wife Jackie and my nephew Austin met us there. Austin was a cute little dragon!

We tried to take pictures of Madison and Austin in the pumpkin patch but my little girl was having none of it. She would barely sit still for 5 seconds so this is the best we have. Oh well. Someday she'll love the camera and start cheesing it up!

Madison loved the games. She played the "toss the beanbag in the bucket" and "toss the spider on the hat" games. She throws things all around our house, but the second we tell her to throw the beanbag or spider and she refuses. She wants to gently place the toys in the bucket. Oh well. Maybe I can teach her to stop throwing stuff at our house!

Storybook Forest

On Friday night, we went to the Storybook Forest at Arcadia Lake with my parents ("Ma-maw and Pa"). It's a trail through the woods for little kids and instead of scary monsters, they have storybook characters like Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel and the Itsy Bitsy Spider. It was so much fun and just so cute. Madison loved running from character to character picking out candy from the buckets and putting it in her trick-or-treat bag. This was probably my favorite Halloween event that we've been to so far and I'm excited about going to it every year!



Here is Madison and daddy at the Three Little Pigs stop.

Here is Humpty Dumpty on the wall. She wasn't quite as scared as she looks in this picture! :)

The itsy bitsy spider was not as itsy as it should have been. Fortunately Madison has lots of practice killing spiders and bugs at home so she wasn't scared of this little/big bug.