We're moving

With the arrival of Madeline's little sister, Juliette Elise, we're transitioning our online home to a new site. Come see us at Sugar and Spice, and, if you're so inclined, add it to your bookmarks to keep up with the latest stories and photos.

(This site will remain active, as I have grown very attached to Madeline's blog over the years and still find myself surfing through the older posts from time to time.)

May

We're counting down the days until summer begins and, of course, Madeline's little sister finally joins us. But we didn't let the excitement ahead make us lose sight of the present, and we had a very enjoyable May. Madeline finished up her second year of preschool and really seemed to be coming out of her shell - just in time for the year to wrap up. She can be very shy and tends to blossom in more individual situations and when talking to adults. We hope to get her together with some of her preschool friends over the summer.

Otherwise, we spent a lot of time outdoors this month (I feel like I say that every month, but it's true!). In fact, looking over my pictures I see that none of them were taken indoors. We hope to keep up the trend through the summer and have been sprucing up our yard in anticipation of lots of time spent at home with the newborn in the coming months.

Here are some pictures from the month:

Madeline's end-of-the-year class gathering was held at Maymont Park. Not only did we get a personalized tram tour of the park, but Madeline and her friends discovered something crawly near the petting farm!

Madeline enjoyed a game of catch with one of her better friends from class.

For my birthday we spent the morning kayaking at Pocahontas State Park. Madeline rode with me and we had our own voyage of discovery through the calm waters. Above, we approached a large turtle who didn't seem too concerned about our presence.

After our paddle we had a wonderful picnic at the park. Pretty much the perfect birthday for me - a nice little outdoor adventure with my girls.

Madeline and I were playing in the backyard when we discovered a mole rooting through the grass. We kept an eye out for cats as he dug around.

Later we even discovered a tortoise in Aunt Amy's backyard! Actually it was just Amy and Ryan's pet tortoise, and Madeline enjoyed petting her and feeding her lettuce.

For Mothers Day we made an afternoon trip to Agecroft Hall - a genuine Tudor mansion that was disassembled and then rebuilt in Richmond in the early 1900s. We all enjoyed touring the manicured gardens...

but Madeline's favorite part was finding her way through the grass maze in the back yard.

Next up was the Urbanna Meet, the annual weekend gathering of small-boat enthusiasts near Lacey's parent's house. Madeline hung on for dear life took a ride on the rope swing that dangled from a large tree.

She also was very excited to head out on one of Papa's boats for a leisurely sail on the river. I think her favorite part of any boat ride is dangling her hand in the water (which you can also see her doing on our kayak tour a few photos back).

Once Memorial Day arrived we were able to make our first visit to the pool. Madeline was excited but a little tentative at first. She enjoyed her new kickboard and goggles and was even jumping off the side before our visit was done.

Usually when Madeline has a pencil and paper, she's making little lines and squiggles - mimicking the writing that she sees her parents do. She hardly ever draws anything, which seems more a matter of motivation than ability. But finally she decided to draw for us, starting with a picture of our house and then producing this wonderful portrait of her mother, complete with earrings and pregnant belly.

April

April was a fantastic month as spring sprung and we could spend a lot of our time outside. Madeline even had a week off from preschool, which we filled with fun adventures such as hiking and Putt-Putt. Here are some pictures from the month:

Sometimes there's just nothing better than dancing around the backyard on a perfect spring morning.

One of our first adventures of the month was hitting the exercise trail at a park near our neighborhood. Madeline makes sure to use each station, even if it wasn't the way it was intended.

Easter was the perfect occasion for Madeline to put on a dress (although she doesn't usually need an occasion - dresses have been her favorite outfits this year).

Madeline actually did really well during her very first experience with Putt-Putt. We pass a golf course every day on the way to preschool, and I told her we'd play when she was on spring break. I was surprised at her focus and determination, even in the midst of the windmills and spraying elephants.

On another day we visited Pocahontas State Park. Even with all the trails and playgrounds and lakes, she's invariably drawn to a swingset like a moth to a flame.

We did end up having a great hike at Pocahontas, and even got a chance to see, in real life, the rings inside the trunk of a tree. (She has a book that mentions tree rings.)

Our backyard garden really started to take shape in April. The space is cleared...

the topsoil and, uh, cow product were spread and worked into the soil...

and the seeds were finally planted! We're starting with peppers, carrots, watermelon and squash to see how successful we are.

When the rain forced us inside, the fun didn't stop. One of our blustery-day activities was a visit to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, where we checked out the scene and had a delicious snack in the restaurant, where we could watch the sideways rain from a comfy seat.

Lastly, we took the plunge and joined the pool of the neighborhood next to ours (there isn't one here, sadly). To celebrate I presented Madeline with her very own pair of goggles and a kickboard. Not only is she super-excited to get in the pool. but she loves her goggles. She wears them in the bathtub and while playing in the hose in the yard, and even when she's perfectly dry.

March

March was one of those months that seems to pass quickly before you look back and think to yourself, "What did we do this month?" Lacey and I traveled out of town on two separate weekends, so Madeline got some extra time with her Grandma and Papa in Urbanna. Otherwise we just kept up with the normal routine and enjoying the (official) arrival of spring.

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We continue to get things ready for the arrival of Madeline's little sister in June - the room is almost painted, which will allow us to get all of the familiar baby items out of the attic and get things organized.

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Here are some pictures from the month:
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We made sure to get out and enjoy a snow flurry one morning while it lasted - one of the only snowfalls of this mild winter. It's a good thing we got out early - all traces of the snow had disappeared within a few hours.

Madeline has been helping me prepare a new vegetable and herb garden in our yard this year. Here she helps get some seeds started that we will later transplant into the garden.

There's no shortage of dandelions in our yard. I consider it my duty to make sure Madeline has plenty of dandelions and other flowering weeds to play with every spring.

Madeline practices her paleontology in the backyard.

Madeline and I celebrated the first day of spring by taking a picnic lunch to our backyard.

After our picnic we made sure to spend some time relaxing, too.After our picnic we made sure to spend some time relaxing, too.

Madeline helps Mommy pick a bouquet from the backyard. . .

and then uses one of the flowers to show us her imitation of the Statue of Liberty.

Some friends of ours had a baby this month, and it was Madeline's first real chance to see a newborn up close. She took right to it - a good sign considering what's coming up in just a couple more months!

February

After four years of anticipation and excitement, we finally got to celebrate the first Leap Day since Madeline was born four years ago. It was a tremendous day, but the rest of the month was pretty good, too.

Probably the most exciting thing that's happening around here these days is Madeline learning to read. By sounding out the letters and using context clues she has been able to read words in books and elsewhere. With no prompting from me she read the text of an "I voted" sticker on election day this week. She also saw a sign in a field that said "tomato" and was able to read it, even though there was no picture or other clue what it might say. It's happening slowly, but I can see her making big strides in the next 6 months to a year.

Here are some pictures from the month:

Madeline was sick - again - early in the month. That usually means a lot of time cuddling on the couch and reading.

When she was feeling better, I took her to Inflation Nation to check out the bouncy houses. She loved it! When we walked in and she saw all the inflatable playthings, her smile grew and she turned and said, "I love you, Daddy!"

I got my little Valentine her own rose, plus some other treats.

Madeline spends a quiet moment listening and feeling for her little sister.

At long last we got the first snow of the year. It didn't last long, but we were out early enough to make a snowwoman (whom Madeline named Tina).

Madeline helps vacuum the house on a chilly winter day.

Madeline has been eager to help prepare for the new baby. Here she does some painting in her sister's room.

We've also been preparing a garden in our yard. The biggest task so far has been clearing the area, which was rife with roots and other vegetation.

Madeline's birthday celebration started on the 28th, when I took her to the Children's Museum and to lunch. She loved playing at the museum, including riding the spring-loaded whale back and forth.

She also played pirate ship, before digging for fossils and treasure in the sand pit.

Madeline came downstairs on her birthday to find a special balloon, a chocolate-chip muffin with candles and a few presents waiting for her. After celebrating with Lacey and me in the morning, she had another party at her preschool.

The party continued at home later that day, when friends and family came over to help celebrate the big day. She had a circus theme for her party, following her own visit to the real circus just a few days earlier.

Madeline, of course, loved being the center of attention. Here, dressed in her party dress, she conducts the singing of Happy Birthday before blowing out the candles on her cake.

January

After the hustle of the holidays, January was a pleasantly quiet month here. It was back to the routines - work, preschool and busy weekends - and, unfortunately, even a couple bouts of illness for little Madeline.

But on the last day of the month we got the biggest piece of news that we've received in, well, a few months - the gender of our new baby. And . . . it's a girl! Madeline is going to have a little sister. Madeline came along to the ultrasound appointment and patiently sat through the 20-minute exam, even though it can be a little hard to figure out what you're seeing on an ultrasound sometimes. And, while she says she was hoping for a little brother, I have a feeling that she'll like having a sister, too.

So now we turn to the next few months of preparation - getting the baby's room prepared and digging out all of Madeline's infant supplies out from the attic. The fact that we're having another girl means that we get to reuse all of those familiar and adorable clothes that we tucked away almost four years ago.

Another celebration we're gearing up for is Madeline's first real birthday. Madeline is a Leap Day baby, and this will be the first time that February 29 has rolled around since she was born. We're already involved in deep discussions about cake flavors and party themes!

Some pictures from the month:

Like I mentioned earlier, January was a quiet month. We found small things around the house to entertain ourselves, like bubble baths . . .

tea parties . . .

science experiments (such as seeing if a pot of water would freeze if left on the front porch overnight) . . .

making pancakes in interesting shapes . . .

and playing outside in the yard even on the coldest of days.

It's always fun to play catch . . .

until the ball gets stuck in a tree!

We even put in a cd of the Nutcracker and let Madeline dance along (she saw the Nutcracker Ballet in December and fell in love with it).

We even looked up some YouTube videos of the real thing and she danced along with the pros.