A Tale of Three Birthday Parties

Happy Birthday Madeline!!
On her birthday (11-13) we celebrated with our next-door neighbors with cake and ice cream.
This was Madeline's first taste of dessert... and it was a hit! Chocolate cake and ice cream sure were yummy!
Madeline's good buddy Cooper and his dad, Dave, came to watch her enjoy her cake. He's still too little to have some of his own!
Since she turned 1 this year, she could invite 1 friend to her party. Here's Cooper with his mom, Liza.
On Saturday (11/15) we celebrated with the Schmitt side. She's getting pretty good at opening gifts.

A set of musical instruments provided the evening's entertainment.
She wishes that Aunt Laura would have given her a cell phone for her birthday.
On Sunday (11/16) we celebrated with the Hay side.
She got a ball pit from the Duncans, and here Uncle Phil and Grandpa are blowing it up for her.
Hooray! More gifts!

Snuggle time with Dad and Curious George.

Happy Halloween!

It was such a beautiful night! We had fun seeing the kids all dressed up, and visiting with our good neighbors. As you can see, Madeline can stand on her own, but hasn't started taking too many steps yet.

The little duck costume was quite a hit! She didn't mind it, so we wore it six different times this week. Too bad she'll be be too big for it next year. Maybe we'll pull it out again on Easter! ;)

Uncle Mark stopped by to see Madeline all dressed up!
Madeline and Dad
... and Aunt Laura and Uncle Hunter stopped by too!
Before trick-or-treating we visited Grandma at school.

Trick or Treating at Grandma & Grandpa Hay's

On Halloween Eve we did our first trick-or-treating in Villa Park.

Madeline scored some tasty Goldfish crackers, and Dad got a chocolate bar.






Then we went over to Great-Grandpa and Grandma Luzinski's...
... where Madeline got a pumpkin that was just her size!

Halloween Party

Our playgroup had a Halloween Party on Wednesday. The kids had a great time, and the costumes were too cute!
Madeline with some buddies

Gone Apple Picking

A few weeks ago we went up to Michigan to visit some Hay relatives and enjoy their apple orchards and fresh picked apples. Although Madeline had never been a fan of apples or applesauce, she certainly changed her mind when she tasted them fresh out of the basket!

Pumpkin Picking

We had a blast this past weekend at a local pumpkin farm with some good friends. Madeline spent quite a while searching for just the right pumpkin to take home.

We played in the corn bin,
rode the tractor tricycles,
pet the animals at the petting zoo, went through a corn maze, jumped on a trampoline, and took a hayride. What a great fall day!

Happy Birthday

And a Happy Birthday it was!
Madeline loved the balloons, and thought "Happy Birthday" was being sung to her, not me. She beamed! Her first birthday will be a treat.