Tea Party!

My next door neighbor's 3 year old niece was in town so we spent a girly (very girly) day with them! We had a tea party! I didn't really know if Madelyn was old enough to 'get it' and sit still and not break the tea set, but she did great and had an awesome time!

There is a really cute place in Grapevine that does the whole thing. You first pick out your dress-up clothes and accessories! We brought the leotard with tutu, but Madelyn picked out the wings, pearls, and purse!

Then the tea party begins...they had tea and then cupcakes!

They also put make-up on you and since Alaina was wearing it, Madelyn wanted to also...

Then she checked out how beautiful she looked in the mirrors...

She really did have a great time...I can see more tea parties in our future :) Thanks to Granny for the adorable tutu and the Carlsons for the cute apron with Madelyn's name on it...they brought it back for her from Italy!

Mema and Popio!

My parents came to vistit! In case you noticed, they used to be Gramma and Papa Jo, but Madelyn has renamed them Mema and Popio, so we are going with it!!

Madelyn wearing a dress my mom brought her from Mexico...

Mema and Madelyn relaxing one morning...

Popio and Madelyn

We had storms one night and the power went out. Madelyn was very helpful with the headlamp...around her waist!

And we have a new tent/tunnel that Madelyn loves...especially when she can talk Mema and Popio into getting in with her...

the tunnel...

Popio is teaching her some interesting habits :)

Whee!

hard to tell from the picture, but Madelyn is copying my mom's leg exercises! Madelyn often lays on the floor now to do her "Mema exercises"...

We went to Picnic in the Park where we passed up the free hot dogs but stayed to play for a bit...

ZOO!!

We went to the Dallas Zoo!

They have a new "Giants of the Savanna" exhibit, and you can feed (for $5) lettuce to the giraffes!! Very fun, but I think I might sneak in some lettuce in my purse next time :)

The elephants are now in the new part too, so they have lots more room. Here is Madelyn getting a lesson on tusks...

I love this! Clint and Madelyn acting like elephants!

Up close and personal (behind glass) with the lions...

hopping like a kangaroo...too bad Clint didn't join her with this one!

petting zoo

This was definitely one of the highlights for Madelyn, and it didn't even involve animals! She played in the stream in the children's zoo and had a blast!

Our hero! It was POURING when we left so Clint ran to get the car while we stayed sheltered!

Happy Birthday, Hudson and Emma!!

Most of Madelyn's friends here are boys, and the construction theme is popular with those little guys! Madelyn likes it too :)

The set-up at Hudson's 2nd b-day party was so cute! It was in his backyard...

All the kiddos were given their own hard hats and tool belts full of tools! Here is M modeling her hat...

this is the only pic I got of the birthday boy...Hudson is the one on the right...

check out my cupcake...I love parties!!

Me and Madelyn...

We had two parties (can you say sugar overload) on Saturday, so we left the construction zone and headed to the Elmo party! Emma had everything Elmo...a bounce house, cookies, cake, cupcakes, and pinata!!

Madelyn and the birthday girl!

She did a great job with her first pinata...with a little help from Mema!

and she did a great job picking up all the candy! I might have suggested she go for the Peanut M&Ms :)

The stylish black and white outfit is courtesy of Aunt Nicole...thanks!

swimming lessons!

Madelyn took swimming lessons for 2 weeks. I wouldn't say she can really swim any better than before the lessons (so not at all!), but she did learn a few things!

We would start out in a circle and sing songs (Old MacDonald...and on that farm he had a fish), and Madelyn always liked that part

Then we were supposed to work on different skills...such as blowing bubbles and kicking

and jumping in from the side...

About halfway through the practice time, Madelyn would spot the basket of toys that the teacher would leave sitting on the side of the pool the whole time. They weren't supposed to play with toys until the end (so I wish the instructor would wait to bring them over then!), but Madelyn couldn't resist. She would tell me she wanted to jump in but as soon as I would set her up on the side, she would make a bee-line for the toy basket! Sneaky girl! Here she is choosing the baby doll...

and making a run for it...

look how proud she looks!...

She made it to safety...Mema's chair!

She might have been a bit of a stinker, but doesn't she look so stinkin' cute in her hat...

and cover-up...and towel? I mean, look at that pony tail!!!

There was also a splash pad at the pool, so we stayed after and played some of the days. Madelyn liked the water slide! Here she is sliding from Brittney to Aunt Sharon...

Happy Birthday, Lincoln!!

We went to Lincoln's 2nd B-day Party at the Little Gym!

Madelyn with the birthday boy...

The party room was set up with everything construction! It looked awesome and the kids got TONS of sweet treats! Of course everyone had to wear a hard hat...

They had free time in the gym. Here is Madelyn showing my Aunt Sharon how she loves to hang! My aunt and cousin were in town so they came to the party too!

parachute time...can you tell she's excited?!
jumping down the air track with Brittney (my cousin)...

isn't she pretty?!!!!