The Apolenis Family

Dean's Graduation Party

2010-06-11T16:30:00.003-04:00

My cousin Dean graduated from Edgewood High School this year. We had a very nice party for him at my parent's house on June 6th. All of our extended family and friends were able to celebrate with Dean. And, my sweet girls love him too. Madison calls Dean and Dillon her "best friends!" :-) So cute....Congratulations Dean! We love you!

Strawberry picking at Butler's Orchard

2010-05-25T20:34:00.003-04:00

Many people cannot believe that this is true, but I have never been strawberry picking before! I have been looking forward to going, so when my friend Michelle called and asked if the girls and I would like to join her and her boys, we jumped at the chance! Both our husbands were working on Saturday so we wanted to get out and do something fun.

WELLLLLL......one thing someone who's never been strawberry picking before doesn't know is how DIFFICULT it is with one adult by herself with a toddler and baby. I had the great idea of bringing along our portable booster seat to sit Caroline in since you can't fit a stroller in between the rows. That worked for about 10 minutes....until she picked up a huge rock full of mud and tried to eat it. When I removed the rock from her mouth, she started screaming (obviously mad at me because she wanted to eat the rock!) and wouldn't sit in the chair any longer. So, we stayed as long as mom could hold a crying, snotty-nosed baby and watch an active 3-year-old so that she didn't step on the bushes. By the end of the time there, all 3 of us were covered in dirt, snot, and red stains. But, we created a memory and got some delicious strawberries....and I caught a few good smiles at the beginning :-) Next time, I'm definitely taking dad along!

This is Caroline eating a handful of mud with a HUGE rock in her mouth! When I took the picture, I had NO IDEA there was a rock in her mouth!

1st time in the pool this year!

2010-05-25T20:18:00.006-04:00

It was an 85-degree day in May and I just couldn't wait to blow up the pool and have the girls play. We love being out on our deck. I was curious how Caroline would react to the pool since sometimes she loves the bath and sometimes she hates it. Here are both girls' first reactions:

Madison's face is priceless - its like she's never been in a pool before! I love childhood joy in even the simplest things!

And then there's Caroline....not quite the same initial reaction :-)

But, I LOVE how sweet Madison can be - the way she so tries to comfort her little sister is just so sweet

And then finally, a SMILE!

Here's some other cute shots from the day:

Is it REALLY May already?!

2010-05-25T20:12:00.003-04:00

It really is! I love the warm weather! It is my favorite time of year. I love getting outside with the girls and all the fun things that summer allows you to do. Some of the things we are looking forward to this year:
swimming in the pool, visiting endless playgrounds and parks, having picnics, going on walks, coloring with sidewalk chalk, riding bikes and scooters, visiting the Germantown splash park, going to the zoo, going to the enchanted forest petting zoo, playing in the sand at the beach, and of course, JIMMY CONE!
We are excited for summer....are you?!

Girls' Weekend

2010-05-25T20:09:00.002-04:00

Once again, my mom and I had the opportunity to get away for a weekend with our good friends, Robin and Jesse. We visited the most quaint place ever - New Hope, PA. It is a small village-type town with little shops and walkways, hometown restaurants, and beautiful sights. We had a great time shopping, laughing, and of course, EATING! :-) We love you Robin and Jess.

Madison Elizabeth turns 3 - Part 3

2010-05-25T17:49:00.003-04:00

All the planning and preparation and it was FINALLY here - my little girl's CINDERELLA party! She has been talking about it for MONTHS. She had asked if she could have a princess Cinderella party and dress up like Cinderella. So, my mom and I found the perfect Cinderella dress, gloves, and accessories and all the decorations to make it a perfect princess party. As she walked down the stairs with the Disney music on, Joseph and I had tears in our eyes....it felt like she was walking down the aisle! Thank goodness that is farther down the road! But, she is so big now....I can't believe we have had 3 amazing years with you, little Madison. We love you more than words can say. You make us laugh, you bring us joy, you are a precious gift.

Madison Elizabeth turns 3 - Part 2

2010-05-25T17:43:00.004-04:00

On Friday (the day after her birthday), we hosted playgroup at the park to celebrate Madison's birthday! We went to Madison's favorite park, the one she so affectionately calls "Sam & D's park" - it is across the street from their house. It is a wonderful playground with a great pavilion. The weather was absolutely beautiful! All of her little friends came to celebrate with her. We enjoyed lunch and cupcakes after a full morning of playing! And, Daddy surprised us and was able to come too! What a fun day! Stay tuned for Part 3!

Madison Elizabeth turns 3 - Part 1

2010-05-25T17:37:00.005-04:00

Ok, so this is going to take more than one post! Madison's official birthday (April 22) was on a Thursday. That morning, Daddy and I got Caroline and surprised Madison in her bedroom while it was still dark. We had a chocolate Hostess cupcake with a candle and balloon. You should've seen her face - she was SO HAPPY! The entire time we were singing Happy Birthday to her, she was beaming! All morning she kept saying, "Thank you mommy for coming into my room this morning! Thank you mommy!" We let her eat the cupcake for breakfast - kind of a mistake....she was wired from all of the sugar all morning! :-)

Good Morning sweet girl! We love you!

Giraffe Park

2010-05-25T17:31:00.004-04:00

This is one of Madison's favorite places! And, Caroline's too (now that she LOVES to swing in the baby swings!) There is a huge wooden park near my parent's house that Madison loves to go to. It has earned the name "giraffe park" because there is a large metal giraffe at the front of the park. It is such a creative playground - so much fun, especially when Daddy is with us and can chase us!

Easter Weekend

2010-05-25T17:22:00.006-04:00

Celebrating our Lord and Savior! Sunday church, Easter egg hunts, dying Easter eggs, dressing up....So fun!

Happy 31st Birthday Daddy!

2010-05-25T16:53:00.002-04:00

Love the eyes!

2010-05-25T16:52:00.002-04:00

She has such beautiful BIG eyes! I could look into them forever!

The little everyday moments....

2010-05-25T16:43:00.006-04:00

I can't believe my 1st baby is almost 3! And, my 2nd baby is now 9 months old....Oh how time flies! Lord, please help me to cherish every minute I get to spend with my precious girls. I am so grateful I am home with them everyday....I love the little "everyday moments" that I get to experience every single day....like getting them up from their naps....what sweethearts.

I walked in after her nap and found...

2010-05-25T16:40:00.001-04:00

Sweet Caroline is...

2010-05-25T16:37:00.002-04:00

learning to pull up and stand on her own! She no longer wants to sit in the bottom of the pack-n-play. Who would?! Not when you can stand up and see over the top! She even pulls up in her crib...time to lower the mattress!

Madison's 1st haircut

2010-05-25T16:28:00.003-04:00

A haircut you say? But, she doesn't have enough hair to need a haircut! Yes, that's true. But, her hair was starting to look out-of-control. There were stringy pieces going every which way and it seemed to be growing unevenly. It even started to look like a mullet some days :-) So, I had my friend Kerry who is a hairdresser cut her hair. She just trimmed it up so that it looked nicer and more "styled." Madison did great! They say that most kids hate getting their hair cut and many cry. Well, not my girl. She was super brave and sat VERY still.....amazing....

Thank Miss Kerry! You did a great job!

Caroline loves PUFFS!

2010-05-25T16:23:00.002-04:00

She is just starting to master finger foods. Gerber Puffs are such a great invention! Both of my babies have loved them (Madison still does!). They are perfect because they dissolve quickly in their mouths, but give them practice picking up small foods. You can see her little hands starting to master the pincer grasp. She is getting so big!

And. speaking of big, here is my other REALLY big girl. She is loving her scooter and helmet. Whenever she wears her helmet, it reminds me how big she is!

Another blizzard?!

2010-05-25T16:07:00.003-04:00

Can you really believe we had another HUGE snow?! We usually only get 1 a year, if that. We got dumped on again, another almost 2 feet of snow! I tried to take some pictures, but the snow was coming down so hard, it was nearly impossible! It was so deep that Madison actually preferred to play in the snow on the deck. Caroline just watched from the glass door :-)

Later, when we visited Grandmom and Granddad, Granddad had made a sled for him and Madison to use on their back hill. Notice I said MADE....yes, only he could do that or would WANT to do that! He made it out of a piece of old table. It was great!

Happy Birthday Grandmom!

2010-05-25T16:00:00.003-04:00

We celebrated my mom's birthday at her house. As you can see, Caroline was very eager to try the cake :-) Thanks for all that you do for us! You are a wonderful mother and grandmother to me and my girls. They adore you!

Sam's 30th Birthday Ski Trip

2010-05-25T15:50:00.003-04:00

Joseph's best friend Sam (and his twin brother Nate) had their 30th birthday celebration at Deep Creek Lake. Danna surprised Sam by renting an amazing house right on the lake and inviting about 20 of his closest friends to the house for the weekend. It was great to get away without the kids and spend time with close friends. The house was AMAZING - it had 6 bedrooms, a game room with 2 flat screen tv's, shuffleboard, a hot tub on a huge patio, and much more. We had a lot of fun making memories together. "Shots, shots, shots!" (inside joke :-)

How many adults can you fit in a hot tub?!

Great job on all the food/planning/prep Danna!

Happy Birthday Sam! We love you guys!

Pop-Pop Apolenis' 90th Birthday

2010-05-25T15:48:00.001-04:00

What a celebration of life! Happy 90th Birthday Pop-Pop! We all love you!

My Sweet Girls

2010-05-25T15:39:00.004-04:00

I wish I did this more.....just grabbed my camera and snapped some shots of my girls just doin' everyday things. They are so cute and I want to capture moments so that they can last forever...

Caroline - 7 months
Madison - 2 3/4 years

Christmas with the Apolenis Family

2010-05-25T15:29:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately, some of the kids were sick, so Madison and Caroline missed out on this celebration. However, it was great to have the family together. Here is a snapshot of our evening....

Christmas at Grandmom & Granddad's House

2010-05-25T15:10:00.003-04:00

Christmas at my parent's house is always a HUGE EVENT. And, when I say huge, I don't even think most people have any idea of HOW HUGE I really mean. Here is a snapshot of our day....

Mommy helping Madison open presents - this was one of her favorites - a bag of pretend McDonalds play food!

Caroline sitting with GiGi - I love her "first Chrismas" bib - she is our little package of sweetness

Four generations - Brannon and Sean were visiting for the holidays

Daddy helping Caroline open gifts

This was the massive pile of presents (and not even all of them) that were waiting just for the girlies. Madison is now into princess stuff so she got a new dress-up dress with wings, a wand, a crown, and jewelry. She also got a Little People castle. She was in heaven!

This picture cracks me up! We found a "baby's 1st Christmas" hat for Caroline, but it was WAY too small!

Here's Madison posing in her dramatic way - she's going to be trouble, Daddy!

Grandmom, Mommy, and Madison having some fun!

My sweet girls in their matching pj's - All I want for Christmas is you two! :-)

The Blizzard of 2009

2010-05-25T14:52:00.004-04:00

When we first heard about the blizzard coming our way, we were all very excited about the possibility of getting snowed in for the entire weekend together. I ran out to the store the night before to stock up on essentials, fun food and snacks, movie rentals, and a new game. However, our plans got changed very quickly......

Friday night as the snow was getting ready to start, I noticed that Caroline had a high fever. Afraid that she may have an ear infection, I decided I should take her to the doctor before we got snowed in. Unfortunately, the doctor was already closed and so were the prompt care places. So, we made a stop at the emergency room at Shady Grove. The doctor ended up checking her urine and sure enough, she had an infection. Now, in adults, that would simply mean that we have to go on an antibiotic. However, what I didn't know, is that when an infact gets a UTI, it is much more serious. The doctor came back with the results of the UTI and told me that I had better prepare to stay in the hospital through the entire weekend because of the snowstorm because they had to admit Caroline for more testing. I was so upset! There was no way I wanted to be snowed in all by myself at the hospital for the whole weekend, so my parents were kind enough to take Madison so that Joseph could come be with me.

Poor little Caroline was such a good little girl the entire 3 days we were there. She was constantly poked, prodded, and disturbed, but she never minded. All of the nurses adored her and would regularly stop in just to sneak a peek of the little cutie. More testing later revealed that she has a condition known as "kidney reflux," which makes her very prone to getting recurring UTI's. In order to prevent that, she has to stay on an antibiotic for at least 2 years and then she will be retested to see if she has outgrown the reflux. Most babies, we were told, do outgrow this.

Thank you Lord it was nothing more serious. When we got home from the hospital, we snapped some photos of the massive amounts of snow we had!

This was her sweet disposition the ENTIRE time we were at the hospital. How can you not want to just kiss all over that squishy face?! The hospital gave her the cute little pink hat :-)

The snow was as tall as Caroline!

Joseph - you are such a good dad! Thanks for staying with me at the hospital and holding Caroline, caring for us both, and making the most of a boring situation with me! There is no one I would rather be snowed in with than you!

Winter's 1st Snow

2010-05-25T14:46:00.003-04:00

The 1st snow of the season was nothing major, but still fun to play in. Daddy tried to make a snowman, but it turned out pretty lumpy :-) Madison enjoyed posing like a supermodel, but didn't really get into the snow much. I love this picture - what a girly girl!

Visit to Santa

2010-05-25T14:43:00.005-04:00

My mom wanted to take the girls to see Santa, but as you can see, neither girl was too happy about it! If you think about it from their perspective, it is a little weird to get all excited about sitting on some fat old man's lap that you've never met before!

BEFORE

AFTER

Here we go again....

2010-05-25T14:41:00.003-04:00

Well, I have been TERRIBLE about updating my blog, once again. The busyness of life just seems to creep in and I rarely feel like I have time to sit and blog. So, I'm going to do my best to highlight some of what's been going on since December. Stay tuned......

Getting Ready for Christmas

2009-12-10T11:33:00.004-05:00

We finally got our tree! That always makes me more excited for Christmas - it doesn't seem official until you get your tree! We got the $20 Home Depot special and it is beautiful....and the perfect size too! Madison LOVED decorating it and had tons of fun going through all of the ornaments and playing with them. She did a great job putting them on the tree too! Daddy always sets the tree up, puts the lights on, and then mommy does the ornaments. This year, I had a great helper! I look forward to the many more Christmases to come when the girls will be able to be much more involved in the Christmas traditions!

Here are a few cute pics from last night - poor Madison has pink eye so even though she looks uncomfortable, she was having a lot of fun!

How could she NOT be on the "nice list" with that cute face?!

They really do love each other - Madison is a great big sister!

Madison is always taking care of Caroline....I think they are going to be great friends!

Daddy and his girls...thanks for being such a great father to them, Joseph!

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care....

Our mantle looks so much more complete this year!

Caroline is such a big smiler!

And, of course, Madison did the honors of putting the star on top.

Our Christmas Photo Shoot

2009-12-10T10:53:00.005-05:00

Thanks again to our dear friend, Peter. He took us to such a beautiful spot in Black Hills Park to capture sweet memories for our family. I just love how these pictures so portray such a perfect picture of our family dynamic. And, my beautiful girls are just so sweet....Thank you Peter!

Grandparents are the BEST!

2009-12-09T22:57:00.002-05:00

I just had to give a "shout-out" to my parents. They love our girls unconditionally, help us out ALL THE TIME, and do everything and anything for us and the girls. Mom & Dad, thank you for all you do all the time! Thanks for orienting your lives around our family. We love you very much and our girls are so blessed to have you as grandparents!

Monkey Slippers

2009-12-09T22:52:00.003-05:00

I just HAD to include a picture of the cutest girl ever with the cutest new slippers ever! One of her favorite animals (although she really loves them all!) is a monkey. I found these slippers and knew she would love them. How cute are they?! And, how cute is she?!

One last scooter ride before the cold sets in.....

2009-12-09T22:41:00.004-05:00

It is November, but we have been experiencing some really mild weather. So, the other day when it was pretty warm outside, we took Madison outside to ride her scooter - probably the last time before the cold sets in.....oh, how I miss summertime when she can play outside and get all of her energy out!

Here she is perfectly posing for the camera

She LOVES her Daddy

My Thanksgiving...home alone :-(

2009-12-09T22:25:00.011-05:00

Thanksgiving is always a fun time at the Apolenis household, with all 8 siblings, their wives, and children in town! However, this year was a little different for us. Madison and Caroline BOTH got sick Thanksgiving morning with fevers and colds. So, mom and the girls stayed home in order to not spread the sickness around to the other little ones. It was quiet, but my mom gave me a good reminder. I could be thankful that I even had children to be home with. In that moment, I realized how grateful I was. The Lord has blessed me with two beautiful girls. They needed me to be with them, caring for them. What a joy it was to serve them and love on them. Joseph and the girls are my life. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Christin & Eric were in town visiting. Their little baby boy, James, was born 2 weeks after Caroline. We were so excited for them to finally be able to meet each other! Here are some cute shots of them - staring into each other's eyes, holding hands, and loving on one another.

Karen's Baby Shower

2009-12-09T15:42:00.011-05:00

As tradition would have it, every time one of the Apolenis girls is pregnant with their first baby, the other sister-in-laws host a baby shower in her honor. It's always fun planning and getting excited about a new Apolenis grandchild! Mark & Karen, the 4th in line, are having their first baby in January. This will be baby #7 - and it's a GIRL! Yeah! We love girlies in this family!The shower was a success and Karen was super blessed. We can't for our new little niece to arrive!

Caroline's 1st Taste of Cereal

2009-12-09T15:14:00.002-05:00

Caroline is now 4 1/2 months old. I realized that I hadn't even started introducing any kind of solids to her. When you have your 1st child, every new milestone is such a BIG DEAL and you are counting down the days until the next big milestone. With the 2nd child, everything has been a little "delayed." hehe :-)
Here is the progression of how the experience went:

BEFORE feeing her cereal (happy as a clam)

DURING the eating process (she's not so sure....)

And, just one more bite....pure DISGUST!

AFTER the eating was finished (whew....happy again!)

Caroline's Baby Dedication at Covenant Life Church

2009-12-09T14:52:00.003-05:00

On November 1st, 2009, we dedicated our sweet little girl, Caroline Brooke, at Covenant Life Church. Our church does a ceremony where parents can publicly state that they want to dedicate their child to Christ and the important job we have of raising our children to love Him. Our family & church family agree to come along side us in this awesome journey to love, nurture, and teach our children about the Gospel. We pray that the Lord would help us raise our 2 daughters in His ways, to love Him first and foremost with thier lives, and to one day make the decision to make Christ their Savior. What an awesome day that will be for Joseph and I to witness.....There could be no greater joy than knowing our girls will be with us forever in Heaven worshipping our Savior.

Mom & Dad are so grateful for you Caroline - what a blessing you are to our family. We look forward to each and every moment we get to spend with you.

Thank you to our families for attending this day with us. We love you and appreciate your investment in our childrens' lives.

We all love you dear Caroline!

Update on potty training....

2009-12-09T14:50:00.002-05:00

So, we hit a little "bump in the road." After our very successful week of going on the potty, Madison got sick and going to the potty was very difficult for her. So, we have resorted back to pull-ups for a little bit until she is fully better. Of course, we still remind her to go and she sometimes tells us. But, there is a big difference when she is wearing pull-ups. She is less aware of it and still ok with going in her diaper. So, as soon as she is ready again, it is back to the big girl underwear!

Potty Training (finally!)

2009-12-09T14:38:00.003-05:00

Ok, so the day was finally here. I guess you could say I have been putting it off. But, I knew that Madison would do better once she was a little bit older. And, I have been busy taking care of a newborn and adjusting to life with 2! So, Madison turned 2 1/2 and I thought it was time to tackle the whole potty training thing. She did GREAT! We just decided to go "cold turkey." She woke up and I told her we were going to wear big girl underwear. Now, she had already been watching potty videos and reading potty books. She had also been practicing sitting on the potty a lot. So, I knew she was ready to at least try. I put the big girl underwear on her, she had 2 accidents, and then that was it! She went on the potty the rest of the day! Now, we just have to work on her telling me just a little bit sooner. Each time she would have to go, she would yell "Mom, it's coming out!!" and we would have to high-tail it to the bathroom! With a little sticker and candy incentive, she was super excited! Of course, she we haven't figured out the whole naptime/nighttime thing yet - she is still wearing pull-ups while she sleeps.

As you can see from the pictures, she was very proud of her new underwear! :-) I think this is Madison saying, "Ok, mom, enough with the camera.....you are embarrassing me!"

GiGi's 75th Birthday

2009-12-09T14:24:00.005-05:00

On October 22, my grandmother turned 75. She has been such an important part of my life and is now so involved with my two girls. I love it! Madison affectionately calls her "GiGi" for Great-Grandma. She dotes over them and spoils them to death. We celebrated her 75th birthday at my parent's house with just our family and Robin and Jesse. What a fun night!

She is such a loving Great-Grandma to my girls. Gigi can always make Caroline smile!

4 Generations (Caroline was sleeping)

Of course, Madison wanted to help open presents. We made GiGi photo coasters from Shutterfly. What a neat idea!

I am my grandmother's ONLY granddaughter. So, as you can imagine, we have a special relationship. I love you Grandmom!

Robin & Jess are like family to us.

Caroline's 1st Bumbo experience

2009-12-09T14:21:00.002-05:00

Well, she can finally sit in the cute little Bumbo chair. I love this chair. I love that I can sit her in it and she can be on the table with us. I love that she's on our level. She can even sit on the counter with me while I cook. What a cutie.....

Columbus Day Zoo Trip

2009-10-14T22:06:00.006-04:00

Daddy was off from work on Columbus Day so we decided to take a fun family outing. Madison has been asking to go to the zoo for awhile and we just never got the chance to take her this summer since Caroline was born. So, we packed everything up, jumped in the car, and headed to the National Zoo. It was a chilly day, but perfect for walking around - Caroline did great in the stroller all bundled up. Look how much my big girl has grown since last year's trip:

Last summer - she was 14 months

This year - 2 1/2 years old

What a difference!

October Farm Fun

2009-10-14T21:32:00.004-04:00

So, this year we decided to try out this new farm that is by my parent's house. My mom offered to watch Caroline so that Joseph and I could take Madison and enjoy the time with her. Applewood farms was super neat and affordable too! It only cost $3 per person and Madison was free! They had a hayride to the pumpkin patch, a large corn maze, a kiddie maze, a petting zoo area, model trains inside the barn, and a real train that ran throughout the farm! Madison really loved the corn maze - she thought it was super fun. Here are some highlights from our trip:
I love how Madison is studying the animals so intently. She wanted to know everything about them - what their names were, where they lived, who their moms and dads were, etc.... :-)

Getting ready to ride the train

She looked so super cute in her new puffy vest - I love how she always seems to "pose."

Daddy and Madison by the pumpkins

Here Madison is running through the kiddie maze. It was the perfect size for her. She was so determined to find the "right" way out.

I absolutely LOVE her expression in this picture - it is the "I'm super cute and I know it" expression :-)
I just love my girly so much. I'm so glad she lets me squeeze her often. Here we are in the pumpkin patch - taking a break from the extremely hard job of finding the "perfect" pumpkin for her AND one to take home for her little sister :-)

My sweet angel

2009-10-14T21:29:00.003-04:00

I can't believe Caroline is already almost 4 months old! I love these pictures of her - they show her great smile. You can so easily get her to break into huge smiles these days. It is so much fun. I love my girl.

September Beach Get-Away

2009-10-14T21:13:00.004-04:00

What a blessing it is to have a grandfather who owns a beach house in Ocean City RIGHT ON THE BEACH! You step off the back deck right onto the sand. He didn't have any renters for one week in September so he let us go down with some of our dearest friends. What memories we made! The Bangs, The Sohns, and the Decarlos all joined us for a long weekend trip. Having 7 toddlers and 3 newborns all together was sure to be chaotic, but I have to admit that it was "fun" chaos! The kids all did great sleeping and we really had a terrific time. It wasn't great beach weather except for one of the day, but we still managed to have tons of fun. We took the kids to the boardwalk rides two nights. And, on the last night there, we put the kids to bed early and enjoyed the best crab feast we had ever had. The crabs were huge, delicious, and seasoned just right. There's nothing better than some large crabs, some cold beer, and hot corn on the cob! Exhaustion set in on the last day because all of us adults couldn't seem to get to bed before 3am each night - the fellowship and fun was too sweet! I love the pictures from the trip - anyone notice that Madison is the only "white girl?!!" hehehehehe.....

Visiting with GiGi and Aunt Pam

2009-10-12T22:25:00.002-04:00

Madison calls my grandmother (her great-grandmother) GiGi. It is super cute. She has such a good relationship with her. I love to watch my grandmother interact with my girlies and love on them. Aunt Pam is my godmother and loves my girls to death as well.

Madison's 1st Trip to Dutch Wonderland

2009-10-12T22:18:00.003-04:00

This really brings back great childhood memories. When I was a little girl, my grandmother would take me to Dutch Wonderland every summer. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, Dutch Wonderland is a theme park for toddlers and preschoolers. Madison was the perfect age to enjoy it. The only ride she was too small to ride was the roller coaster (she was very disappointed!). We went with our good family friends - Sharon, Stephanie, and her two kids, Scarlett and Chaise.

Rehoboth Beach Vacation 2009

2009-10-12T22:04:00.004-04:00

Every summer we enjoy a week of relaxation at my grandparent's beach house in Rehoboth. We weren't sure how "relaxing" it would actually be this year with a 2-year-old and 2-month-old. But, it was great! My parents were such a big help and we were all able to have a wonderful time. Madison LOVED the pool again and LOVED the rides. One day we met my cousins, Jason & Lori, and their 3 girls at the beach to play. Madison just couldn't get enough.

My New Camera!!

2009-10-12T21:57:00.002-04:00

Soooooo.......I was finally able to get the camera I've wanted for so long. I have been saving up money to buy a really nice camera and I finally had enough! I wanted a camera that would easily capture my little girls. My old camera took so long to take a picture that I always seemed to miss the moment. And, with toddlers and babies you know you have to be quick! I got the Nikon D60 and am loving it! I really know NOTHING about it, but that's ok! Even with knowing nothing, it takes great pictures! Here are some of the very 1st shots I took with it when I was practicing outside - not too bad!

My precious BIG girl

2009-10-12T21:45:00.004-04:00

I honestly can't believe Madison is almost 2 1/2 years old. My, how time flies! These pictures of her truly capture her personality: full of joy, precocious, spunky, loves people, dramatic, fun-loving, and cute as a button. It's actually very difficult to get good pictures of her these days, as she never wants to sit still! Jonalee, you are a hero!

Our 1st "Family of 4" Photoshoot

2009-10-12T21:29:00.006-04:00

Jonalee met with us again to do a family photo shoot. She is just so talented and I'm so grateful to have some great shots of our new "family of 4." Here is a small sampling:

Caroline's 1st photo shoot

2009-08-06T22:18:00.004-04:00

A friend of ours from church, Jonalee Earles, served us so well by doing a "photo shoot" with our girls. Many of you know that our dear friend Peter normally is our "personal photographer," but his wife just gave birth to their 3rd child so he's been pretty busy :-) I was hoping to get a good picture of Caroline to use for an announcement......well, I got SO MUCH more! Jonalee did such a WONDERFUL job capturing my girls. She even got some great pictures of Madison, which is REALLY hard to do these days! I love how she captured Madison's personality and her love for her baby sister. These pictures are precious to me and I will treasure them forever.....thank you Jonalee! Here is just a small sampling...

Precious moments

2009-08-03T16:45:00.004-04:00

Here are some pictures from Caroline's first few weeks (thanks Grace & Karen!):

Coming Home

2009-08-03T16:25:00.004-04:00

Welcome home Caroline! My dad made a pretty sign to put in our front yard. What a fun surprise! My mom was at our house watching Madison so she was there to greet us when we arrived home. We were able to come home after just one night in the hospital because mom and baby were doing so well!

Lots of people love you, Caroline...

2009-08-03T16:13:00.003-04:00

Uncle Jason & Aunt Gina

Papa & Nana

Aunt Pam

Gigi (Great-Grandmom)

Granddad & Grandmom

Our Sweet Blessing has arrived!

2009-08-03T15:53:00.003-04:00

After 10 months of anticipation, she is finally here! Caroline Brooke Apolenis arrived on Friday, June 19 at 5:18pm and weighed in at 7 lbs. 4 oz. and 20 inches long. Labor and Delivery went very smoothly, once again. Praise the Lord for another healthy baby girl. I am constantly reminded of the Lord's kindness and goodness to me through my two girls. What blessings they are. What joy they bring to our lives.

Summertime is here.....

2009-08-03T15:48:00.003-04:00

Well, it is now June (which is the official start to summer in my world), and my little girl is already having so much fun outside. She loves playing in the pool and I can't pass by these pictures without smiling. She is truly a bundle full of joy!

Our Girls' Weekend...Just like the old days!

2009-08-03T15:25:00.005-04:00

All growing up, my mom and I would take trips with our two best friends, Robin and Jesse. We were like the 3 Musketeers (but, of course there were 4 of us ;-)

Our friendship with them really is timeless.....we have had so many fun adventures together throughout the years. They are really more like family to us than friends. And, this weekend trip together that we took was just another added memory to the precious ones we already have. It was a weekend filled with laughter and smiles. We went to Leesburg to do some shopping and stayed at the Lansdowne Resort. We wanted to fit in a fun weekend away before baby #2 decided to arrive. Jesse was so worried that I would go into labor on the trip (I was 37 weeks!), but luckily, baby girl stayed all snuggled up inside.

Here is my mom and Robin:

Robin, you truly are my 2nd mom - I love you very much. Jess, you are the sister I never had. I treasure your friendship and the time we get to spend together. Love you!

Upon returning from our trip, Robin and Jess got to see little Miss Madison - I love this picture of the 3 of them:

A little bit about my girlie....

2009-05-31T22:41:00.002-04:00

I wish I did a better job of journaling regularly about different things my girlie is learning, but I thought I would take a few minutes to jot some thoughts down now. Over the past 6 months, I've been amazed at what Madison has learned. Here's just some of her newest nuggets:

ABC's - she can sing the whole song, recognize all the letters, and knows what sound each one makes (thanks to Leapfrog Letter Factory and our Fridge Phonics!)

Songs - she loves to sing! She can sing many different songs by herself, but here's just a few: Jesus Loves Me, Holy God, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Rock-a-Bye Baby, The Little Einstein Theme Song, The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Theme Song, This is the Day, and many Veggie Tale Songs! The funniest part is when she tries to hit a high note, but her voice just gets louder instead :-)

Talking - she talks NON-STOP! :-) Now that she is two, she is truly blowing me away with all of the words she knows and can say clearly. She is now speaking in full sentences, too. She regularly says please, thank you, excuse me (comes out scuse mees), and bless you all on her own. She dictates to me almost all of what she is doing and is now talking to her dolls and toys while she plays.

Dancing - she LOVES to dance! She especially loves to dance to the "Hot Dog Song" on Mickey Mouse and to the Imagination Movers.

Another amazing thing is that she knows and can recognize where we are driving almost all of the time. When we head in certain directions, she quickly tells me that we are going to grandmom's, nana's, church, etc....She knows roads and turns too! Crazy!

She LOVES people - she greets them, hugs them, kisses them, talks about them, and prays for them. It is so adorable. If someone is sick, she asks to pray for them. And, when we do pray, she insists on holding our hands....so sweet.

I will be adding more as I think of more and hopefully I can use this blog as a place to document cute things she says, does, and learns.

Madison's 2nd Birthday

2009-05-31T22:05:00.006-04:00

Once again, I am SO aware of how time flies - I can't believe I am writing a post about my little baby girl turning 2 years old! What a fun time we had celebrating her birthday. We had a Minnie Mouse party at my parent's house to celebrate with family and a few close friends. One of Madison's favorite shows is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Playhouse Disney. She had the perfect red and white outfit and we borrowed Minnie ears from Naomi Bang to top it all off. What a cutie pie! Here are some of my favorite moments that we captured from the day. You can see how excited she was and how cute - I love the one with her ears sticking out :-)

On her first birthday, she didn't even want to touch her cake. But this year, she decided all on her own, to bend over (after blowing out her candles) and LICK THE CAKE! It was priceless.

For her birthday this year, she received many fun gifts, but one of her absolute favorites was the sand & water table from Aunt Robin and Aunt Jesse. I know this will provide many, many hours of fun and entertainment this summer on our deck :-) Thanks Aunt Robin!

Then, on the day of her actual birthday (April 22), Joseph and I surprised her with a new pink scooter (just like the one she LOVES to ride at her cousin Jason's house!) and pink helmet. She is really good at riding it! She just has to perfect moving side-to-side. We also enjoyed some fun time at Chuck E. Cheese that night - she is LOVING the merry-go-round these days!

Daddy's 30th Birthday!

2009-05-31T21:55:00.003-04:00

I can't actually believe Joseph turned 30! It makes me feel really old to say that, considering I met him when we were young college students! It's crazy how time flies!

To celebrate, we had a small family dinner - chicken parmesan (his favorite) and a small cake (pineapple upside down, also his favorite). What he didn't know was that I was planning him a surprise dinner with some of his closest friends.

On March 28th, I arranged to have our friends go to this neat Japanese restaurant (where a big group can all sit around the table and the cook makes the food in front of you). When Joseph and I arrived at the restaurant, he was totally surprised to see all of them! What a fun night of fellowship. Thank you to all of our friends who showed up to bless Joseph. He truly loves you all very much!

Grace's Wedding Shower

2009-05-31T21:49:00.002-04:00

On March 7th, we celebrated Grace & Scott's upcoming wedding (April 5th) with a bridal shower. Danna was kind enough to let us host it at her house. The Apolenis sister-in-laws organized the shower for her. I think Grace was truly blessed and had a wonderful time.

Chuck E. Cheese

2009-02-12T15:54:00.003-05:00

Madison is now 21 months so it was about time to try out the famous Chuck E. Cheese :-) The first time my parents took her, she wasn't too keen on riding all of the rides. But, the second time we took her, she did better. She really enjoyed some of the baby rides. She especially loved climbing and crawling through the big tunnels and tubes with daddy. I'm so glad he was able to get in with her because there was no way I was going in there!

I think we used more tokens playing skeeball than she did!

It's January and we're waiting for a snow day.....

2009-02-12T15:38:00.005-05:00

Madison is all prepared for the cold weather. My mom bought her the cutest hat and mittens. And, she made her the best scarf! Madison loves her scarf and makes sure she always has it on when we leave the house.

All bundled up.....

And it FINALLY came.....just enough snow for a little outdoor fun. I had found a baby sled on craigslist for $5 which turned out to be a great purchase. Joseph's parents have a hill in their backyard so we did a little sledding. We had a great time!

Madison's 2nd Christmas - 2008

2009-02-12T15:24:00.004-05:00

Unfortunately, I did a terrible job this year of documenting our Christmas with photos. I wasn't feeling the greatest, as I had been struggling with severe nausea and exhaustion. But, nonetheless, I wish I had more pictures to show how much fun we had. We spent Christmas morning at my parents house. Madison had so many presents to open that we had to tackle it in stages. :-) Her favorite gift, by far, was the free stroller my mom and I had found at a yard sale - what a find! And, it was perfect because it is a double stroller which fit the twin cabbage patch dolls my mom bought her perfectly. She pushed it around all day.

We were also able to spend time with our dear family friends Robin & Jesse, Aunt Pam, and many others. I love our time with my family, extended family, and friends. It's always busy, but always worth it.

Just to serve my memory, Madison also received many other fun gifts - a kid-sized table and chairs (from GiGi), a play kitchen, dollhouse, doctor kit, and megablocks (from Aunt Pam), a animal hospital (from Robin & Jesse), and much more!

My parents gave Joseph and I Wii! What a surprise! They also included the Wii fit, mario kart, and lots of extras. Boy, have we had fun with that!

Christmas card photo shoot

2009-02-12T15:09:00.004-05:00

Once again, our dear friend Peter agreed to take some pictures of our family. The purpose of the shoot was to capture a good shot for our annual Christmas card. But, as always, Peter does such an amazing job that we were able to get many more great pictures too! Here are just a few....

The one we used for our Christmas card:

Some fun fall photos in the leaves:

And, this one just shows her personality so well. That's what I love most about Peter's photography - he always seems to catch Madison's personality so well. I treasure these memories since she changes so quickly!

Thanks Peter!

Happy Thanksgiving 2008!

2009-02-12T15:04:00.003-05:00

This year, we decided to spend Thanksgiving with the Apolenis crew. Everybody was able to be there - all eight siblings, wives, and children! Uncle Lou and Aunt Therese (along with their children) and Aunt Colette and Lindy also joined us. The amount of food was unbelievable! It isn't very often that the entire group is together in one place at the same time. So, we took advantage and captured a great photo of the Apolenis family. What a bunch!

Celebrating New Life!

2009-02-12T15:00:00.002-05:00

Yes, at the end of October, we found out that we will be having baby Apple #2 at the end of June! We were sharing the excitement with my mom (she bought us a "congrats" present). Madison's face says it all - we are so happy!

Fun at the park

2009-02-12T14:57:00.004-05:00

I just love these pictures of Madison enjoying the last of the nice fall weather. She is finally big enough to really be able to play on our neighborhood's tot lots. She loves climbing, sliding, and swinging. And, as you can see, she loves the camera :-)

Madison's 2nd Halloween

2009-02-12T13:38:00.002-05:00

Once again, we attended our church's harvest party. Madison was much more aware this year of what was going on and really enjoyed the whole event. She dressed up as a flower fairy and was oh so cute! She had fun playing all the games in the different rooms and especially loved picking out candy after each one! Every time, she would pick a lollipop! Although mommy wasn't feeling very good (I had just found out I was pregnant!), I had fun walking around with her and seeing all of our friends dressed up too! Maybe next year, our whole family will dress up, right dad? ;-)

GiGi's Birthday

2009-02-12T13:23:00.003-05:00

October 2008
It is tradition for my entire family to celebrate birthdays at one of our favorite restaurants - Giovanni's. It has the most delicious Italian food. As you can see from the picture, Madison was the highlight of the night, even though it was GiGi's birthday :-)

Our Girls' New York City Birthday Trip!

2009-02-12T13:09:00.005-05:00

October 2008

My two dearest friends, Danna and Johannah, both turned the big 30 this year! So, the three of us wanted to celebrate in some way. Unfortunately, with Joseph losing his job this summer, going on the cruise or trip we had initially talked about was not an option. We had decided to just do an overnight in Leesburg when Sam (D's husband) emailed me from Iraq and said that he wanted to suprise D for her birthday by sending the 3 of us on a trip. Upon hearing this news, I was like a little kid on Christmas morning....I was so excited! So, Sam and I proceeded to do lots of planning. Needless to say, we ended up in NYC! We had tons of fun - eating at a quiet, authentic Italian restaurant in the West Village, seeing The Lion King on broadway, staying at the beautiful Marriott hotel in Times Square, running in Central Park on a 70 degree day, sharing martinis at a fun hotel bar, eating pizza at 3am, and staying up all night chatting....all expenses paid by Sam. What an amazing trip! Thank you, again, Sam for blessing not only your wife, but Johannah and I as well. The memories made are etched in my heart forever.

August memories

2009-01-06T20:50:00.009-05:00

Eric & Christin's going-away party
Joseph's older brother Eric (with his wife and daughter) were gearing up for a cross-country move from Georgia to California. So, before heading west, they decided to come to Maryland for a visit. We attempted to get all of the cousins in a picture together - this was the best we could come up with :-)

That same day, Madison had fun swinging on a big girl swing by herself for the first time. She knew how to hold on and loved it, although it made mommy a little nervous ;-)

Enchanted Forest at Clark's Farm

Awhile back, my dad had sent me a link for a farm in Ellicott City that had bought and restored all of the old Enchanted Forest theme park things. My mom and I decided to take a day trip there to see what it was all about. What a neat place for toddlers and preschoolers. There was a petting farm (full of goats, chickens, rabbits, horses, cows, sheep, donkeys, llamas, etc...) Madison loved feeding the animals and seeing them in person (she is used to seeing them only in books)! We also got to take a hay ride, which of course she was front and center for, never taking her eye off of the tractor. We packed a picnic lunch and made a fun memory. The best part was when I got stung by a bee in my mouth and my whole face swelled up. If you've even seen the movie "Hitch" then you'll understand what I mean when I say I looked like Will Smith when he was sipping on benadryl :-) Yup, funny memory....

Some Fun Random Summer moments

Fun with water and bubbles with our playgroup on our deck:

Fun with yummy fruit smoothies made by granddad:

Good food and Good friends at Rockville Town Center (where Fractured Prune was enjoyed after dinner, of course :-) Thanks Peter for the pictures

Our Annual Family Vacation

2009-01-06T20:33:00.005-05:00

Every summer we go with my parents to my grandparents place in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware for a week of fun and relaxation. I knew this year was going to be even more fun than usual since it would be Madison's first time when she could actually participate in things. I was especially excited about taking her to the beach for the first time and riding the baby rides on the boardwalk for the first time. It was a vacation with many "firsts."

Here are some of the highlights:

She loved riding the rides - wanted to try all of them - and squealed super loudly on the swings. It was so cute. We all took turns riding certain rides with her. It was just as much fun for us as it was for her :-)

She loved the beach. She would sit in the sand and play for as long as we would let her. She even would walk down to the water and let it rush up over her.

My parents always do something really special for my birthday (my birthday usually falls while we are on vacation). This year, like most, when asked what I wanted to eat, I didn't hesitate to say "CRABS!!" So, thank you mom and dad for all the fun memories, for providing such a fun trip for us (since Joseph was without a job and we couldn't afford much), and for making my birthday special every year. We love you!

It's a New Year!

2009-01-06T20:16:00.004-05:00

I can't believe how fast the time has flown.....it seems like it was just summertime! Well, I'm REALLY behind (my last post was from July 4th!). So, in an attempt to catch up on what's been happening around here for the last 6 months, I'm just going to highlight some favorite moments.

July

Swimming Lessons

Madison and mommy took swimming lessons for the first time! I wanted Madison to get used to the water before our beach vacation this year. She loves her baths, so I figured that once she got used to it, she'd love the pool too! Well, the first day, she was very timid.....barely wanted to get her toes in. But, by day 2, she was going all the way in. If I wasn't watching very closely, she would've walked right in until the water was over her head! She loved jumping in from the side and picking up water rings. We had so much fun!

Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A

I can't remember when I've had so much fun dressing up and acting like a little kid! I love my playgroup - all of the mommies have become such dear friends to me - and all of the kids have become such dear friends to Madison. We look forward to our time together each week. But, this particular week was particularly fun! We decided to get together, make our costumes, and then head to Chick-Fil-A to receive our free meals (stay-at-home moms will do anything for something free :-) Our group was a hit - all the management at the store were taking our pictures and telling us how we were the best group that had come in! What a fun memory!

July 4th

2008-08-23T16:43:00.003-04:00

We decided to celebrate July 4th at Uncle Jim & Aunt Kathleen's bay house. Last summer, they bought this AMAZING house right on the bay that we have all been able to enjoy. What a blessing! Before heading down there, we decided to buy Madison a life jacket so that we could take her out on their boat.

We were actually able to get her into the bay for a little while and she took a boat ride too. She really loved the boat. She just didn't like the life jacket very much because it kept riding up and hitting her in the face!

Our 1st (but definitely not last!) Trip to the National Zoo

2008-08-23T16:33:00.003-04:00

So, we decided to take Madison to the zoo in June. She absolutely LOVES animals. She has always loved reading books, but the ones with animals in them are by far her favorite. She tries to imitate the sound each animal makes. It is so cute when she attemps to sound like an elephant. Her daddy taught her how to make that sound and it is so funny!

So, we headed off to the zoo with Grandmom and Dillon, too! We had no idea how Madison would do in the heat all day (I think we picked the hottest day in June!), missing her morning nap. But, she did wonderfully! She was in awe of everything she saw and never made a peep all day to show that she was tired! She is such a flexible, easy-going baby.

The highlight of the day was definitely the elephant house. They were giving the elephant a bath while we were there and she was so amazed by it! Here are some pictures from our day:

It's Been So Long...

2008-08-23T16:16:00.003-04:00

I feel the need to apologize for how long it's been since I updated our blog. Ever since Madison's 1st birthday, we've been so busy! The summer has flown by - I can't believe it is almost over! So, I thought I would try my best to catch everyone up on our summer.

Madison has changed SO much! Just looking at her pictures from her birthday reminded me that she not only LOOKS so much older now, she also ACTS so much older!

Let's start back in May. Whenever the weather was nice enough, Madison wanted to be outside. Then, Grandmom & Granddad bought her a very cool bike which made it even more great to be outside! She LOVES the bike and will let you push her on it all around the neighborhood. She even knows how to ring the little bell on cue! It has a great handle that I can steer and push with and I don't even have to bend over the whole time! This bike has definitely been a highlight this summer!

One of Madison's favorite places to go on her bike is to Gianna's house. Gianna is one of Madison's best little buddies. It only took Madison a few weeks to figure out exactly which house Gianna lives in and now when she gets outside, she points and runs straight for it! Here she is attempting to go and find her friend :-)

Knock Knock, Gianna.....are you home?

Madison's 1st Birthday

2008-05-22T22:29:00.005-04:00

I write this post with mixed emotion.....This past year has been the most amazing year of our lives. Joseph and I can't even imagine our life without Madison. She makes our family comlete. She has so fulfilled every dream and desire we had for what our family would look like. She is the perfect fit for us in every way. So, as we celebrate her first year of life, we are so very joyful and grateful. But, even now, one month after her birthday, tears still well up in my eyes as I think about it. I can't believe one whole year has passed. The tiny baby girl I used to hold swaddled in a blanket is now so big! I still creep into her bedroom each night to check on her, kiss her, hold her....will I ever stop doing that? Part of me is so excited for the toddler years to come....part of me is so sad to have already passed through the infant stage of life. But, I know the best is yet to come.....

Celebrating her birthday was so much fun! She began walking just one week before her big day! I was really hoping she would! Of course, she still lacked a lot of confidence, so she didn't show off her new walking skills too much at her party, but did take a few steps. We had a party at my parents' house on April 19th to celebrate with family and friends in Harford County. And, the next day we celebrated at Danna's house with family and friends from Covenant Life. She was really the "princess" of the party - we had a princess theme and she played the part well! One disappointment.....she refused to eat her cake - both times! She still isn't interested in any type of solid food at all, cake included. I guess twenty years from now she'll be wishing she still didn't like cake :-) Here are some of the highlights. Thanks again Peter for taking such beautiful pictures of our baby girl and capturing important moments in our family's life.

(She REALLY didn't want the cake!)

So much to say...

2008-05-22T21:19:00.012-04:00

Well, it has been SUCH a long time since I sat down to write about my sweet girly! So much has happened these last couple of months! She has changed so much and has learned new things everyday! Let's go back to Easter and start from there...

Easter was very interesting - for any baby's first Easter, you expect that it will be all fun, but for us it was quite different. Madison got very sick the night before Easter. We had gone out to dinner with my family and while at the restaurant, she started vomiting. She continued to throw up multiple times that night. For the first time since she was born, I was up with her most of the night. Poor little angel....she was in so much pain. Her body must've been aching badly because you could tell she just couldn't get comfortable and lie still. But, as any mother would attest, I didn't mind holding her tightly and soothing her through the night. When your baby is sick, all else stops....On Easter Sunday, she seemed a little better, but wouldn't eat or drink anything. Needless to say, we ended up having to take her to the hospital that night because of dehydration. Luckily, they were able to give her medicine to settle her stomach and then she was able to take in some fluids. The week following Easter was more cuddling, holding, soothing....she just wasn't her lively self.

She did, however, pick up a few Easter eggs during her first "Easter egg hunt" outside my parents' house :-)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Well, the next big event was going to Stride Rite for the very first time! I think I have looked forward to this particular "first" in her life for a very long time! I just couldn't wait to take her to get her foot measured and get her first pair of walking shoes. Madison's great-grandma wanted to bless her by buying her 2 pairs of shoes for her birthday. So, off we went - Mommy, Madison, Grandmom, and Great-Grandmom.

Once again, Madison surprised me. For some reason, she did NOT like getting her foot measured! She sobbed every time we put her foot on the metal measuring tool. But, we were able to get her the cutest little pair of white and pink sneakers and a pretty pair of white sandals to wear with all of her dresses this summer.

After trying on shoes, she got to ride in the cars outside the store. While getting new shoes would be the best part of any girl's day, that was probably not the highlight for her! She loved riding in the car! She refused to sit down - she HAD to stand up to enjoy the ride (and believe me, when she gets an idea in her head, you can't change her mind :-)

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Throughout this entire year, my family has so sacrificially served me in so many ways. Many times a month, my mom and grandmother (sometimes bringing along my Aunt Pam) have come for the day to babysit Madison so that I can substitute. They never complain about how early they have to get up or how much traffic they encounter coming and going. They joyfully come and spend quality time with their favorite little girly. This has been such a blessing to Joseph and I, as it has allowed me to make a little extra money each month while not having to worry about the care Madison is receiving. Believe me, she gets spoiled :-)

Thanks Mom, Grandmom, and Aunt Pam! Madison adores you all!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------So, from about 10-12 months, Madison "discovered" many new favorite things....

KEYS - she LOVES them! And, she knows the difference between real ones and play ones.

OPENING CABINETS & DRAWERS - there is a particular fascination with opening the ones she shouldn't get into - cabinet locks are on their way....

READING BOOKS - she could literally do this for hours - she especially loves turning the pages. The cutest thing is when she walks over to you with a book, points to your lap, then flops down, like she's saying "please read this to me mommy." Then, when she's done reading the book and turns the last page, she signs "all done, " gets up, finds another book, and starts the process over again. It is so cute. Her favorite books are board books (because the pages are easily turnable), books with flaps, and books with surpises hidden behind things. She knows exactly where to look and exactly where to pull the flaps.

SWINGING - we were out walking recently and discovered the "tot lot" by our house for the first time. Words can't really describe the joy she experienced on her first ride in the baby swing. Each time the swing went back, she would throw her head back and scream in excitement. She just giggled and giggled and wanted to keep going and going and going and going.....It was hard to get her out of the swing! She really loves being outside so we both can't wait for summer!

PRETENDING TO BE LIKE MOMMY - she mimics many things that she has seen me do. For example, she picks up her telephone and puts it up to her ear (backwards) and says "ha" which means "hi" in her cutest little voice.

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I must throw in just a few random pictures that truly capture her sweet spirit. Whenever I am tempted to get frustrated with her or frazzled by a crazy day, I can always look at these pictures and remember what a gift she is. Precious girl....

All day long, she wanders over to the glass door and looks outside. She waves at passing kids, dogs, pretty much anything. But, her favorite time to be by the door is when daddy is leaving for work. She stands there waving and blowing kisses until his car is long gone. It is just so sweet.

Our Lil' Terp...

2008-03-03T14:13:00.004-05:00

That is what we used to call her before she was born. She looks so cute in her Terp sweatsuit - she'd make a cute boy too :-) She has really gotten a "mind of her own" lately - she definitely lets you know when you do something she doesn't like. She is "cruising" along the furniture and loves to walk around holding on to your hands.

Doesn't she just look so mischievous in this picture?! I always wonder what's going on in her head. You never know.....

Something new everyday.....

2008-02-13T12:34:00.004-05:00

Things have been crazy at the Apolenis household. Madison if FINALLY feeling better - she was sick on and off since November. She turned 9 months on January 22. I can't believe it! In just three short months, she will be one! As you can see from the picture above, she LOVES her baths! Now when we walk into the bathroom she lunges for the tub!

After her bath is over, we usually spend some time playing together. She loves rolling around naked on the changing table! Look at those scrumptious little rolls :-)

I love babies in hats! She is just too sweet. She loves being in her crib - day or night. She loves going in it when she's tired and she loves going in it to play. It's her little place....

These past few weeks have been FULL of new surprises. She cut her first two bottom teeth the day before she turned 9 months. At her nine month checkup she weighed in at 19 lbs - still in the 50th percentile. She is 50th percentile in weight, height, and length - you can't get much more perfect than that! She crawled across the room for the first time on the same day she got her teeth! It is such a cute crawl, too! She moves in a slow, thoughtful way, and her hips wobble back and forth.

Another new skill she learned is how to pull up in her crib. She loves standing now that she figured out how to do it! Just this past week, she began waving bye-bye, clapping, and doing "so big." She also knows the sign for "all done" now so whenever she doesn't want anymore food, she vigorously waves her hands back and forth and purses her lips - too funny!

I'm sure the next couple of months are going to be tons of fun as she learns new things each day!

Sweet Moments...

2008-01-11T23:54:00.000-05:00

I was standing by Madison's crib tonight watching her sleep. What an angel.... I can't believe how the time has flown - one minute she's swaddled up like a little peapod and the next she's sitting up independently playing with toys! Tears were just rolling down my face as I reflected on the past 8 months. What a joy she has been and what excitement and fulfillment she has brought our family. Words can't describe the love I feel for her. And, I was reminded what a precious gift she is - entrusted to us - how good God has been to us to give us such a sweet little person - a gift we don't deserve. How grateful I am for sweet moments like these below.....

Madison's 1st Christmas

2008-01-07T15:38:00.000-05:00

Our good friend Peter took some amazing photos of our family and our baby girl right before Christmas. She is so much fun at photo shoots because she is always smiling! Thanks for capturing such wonderful moments, Peter!

She had her own Santa hat with her name embroidered on it and lots of "Christmas clothes." She was very festive all season long!

We spent Christmas morning at Grandmom & Granddad's house opening TONS of presents! Madison's favorite part was, of course, the shiny wrapping paper! She did a great job opening each present (with the help of mommy) one-by-one. Christmas has been a great time for us to reflect as a family on how good the Lord has been to us! Madison brought us so much joy during the holiday season. What a blessing she is - the best Christmas present ever!

Our First Snow!

2007-12-10T15:00:00.001-05:00

So, we got our first snow of the season last week! It made everything SOOOO beautiful! The pine trees that line the back of the house were tipped with white snow and our wreath on the front door looked so pretty! It made me feel like it was really winter and that Christmas is really just around the corner!
Madison got all bundled up in her snowsuit and looked like the cutest little snow bunny ever! Look at that precious face.....
We took her outside to "play" in the snow. You could tell it was a new experience for her. She loved looking around and was studying everything intently. When her hands touched the snow, she winced and didn't really like it. Then I had the brilliant idea of putting her on her belly so she could move around in the snow, but she put her face right into it and then started screaming! We decided she better just "watch" the snow this year....
We asked our neighbor to take a photo of the 3 of us on our deck - it got a little too dark too quickly so you can't see the beautiful trees in the background. But, we tried!

Is it that time already?!!

2007-12-03T15:14:00.000-05:00

Madison got up on all fours for the first time this weekend! Daddy even got her on video! She has always loved playing on her belly, but this was the first time she made it into the crawling position! I don't know if I'm ready for the crawling to begin! We don't even have baby gates yet! But, it won't be long....

She was rocking back and forth when she was up on her knees, but as soon as one of her arms went forward, she flopped down onto her belly.

Here was one last smiling pose before she got completely frustrated. She kept getting up on her knees and trying to move towards me, but just couldn't get it. After about five minutes of trying, she broke down into a hard wail as she reached her arms out for me. So cute!

Getting ready for Christmas

2007-12-03T14:45:00.000-05:00

This weekend was a fun time of getting ready for Christmas! I can't believe it is almost here! We decorated our house and went to a local farm to pick out a Christmas tree. We first tried going to Home Depot to get a tree, but none of them looked very nice. I'm so glad we decided to go to Meadows Farm instead. We ended up picking the first tree we saw! It is so cute and perfectly shaped too! Madison had fun standing by the fire and touching the needles on the trees. Madison's 1st Christmas is off to a good start!

Mark & Karen's Wedding

2007-11-26T14:08:00.001-05:00

Joseph's brother Mark got married on November 10th in beautiful Negril, Jamaica. We joined his entire family for a mini vacation to enjoy the wedding. We were there for 5 days while my parents watched Madison (they were in heaven!). The weather was beautiful, the food was delicious, and the beach was relaxing. Vacationing at an all-inclusive resort is really the way to go! And, it was a blast to have friends and family there to hang out with and dine with. The wedding was absolutely gorgeous - there is no better setting than in a gazebo on the beach! Congratulations Mark & K aren!

Madison's 1st Thanksgiving

2007-11-26T10:40:00.001-05:00

We spent Thanksgiving Day with the Sinclairs in Perryville. Madison had so much fun playing in the leaves and playing with her 3 cousins - Kate, Emma, and Brianna. It's amazing how she responds to other children. She smiles, giggles, and reaches her hands out for them. We enjoyed family and, of course, Scrabble! I actually won this year!

After dinner, we went to Grandmom & Granddad's to enjoy pie and celebrate Granddad's birthday! It was a busy day, but it was wonderful to see all of my family. It reminded me how grateful I am for my family and for the blessing that they are to Joseph and I.

Madison's 1st Halloween

2007-11-26T10:34:00.000-05:00

October 31st was a fun night for us! We went to Covenant Life Church's Harvest Party. Madison dressed up like a flower and was the cutest little baby there! She had so much fun walking around and interacting with all the other little kids dressed up in costumes. She just loves people! We had fun posing her in front of the pumpkin display and snapping tons of photos.

Hiking at Sugarloaf Mountain

2007-10-25T11:29:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday, we went hiking with the Apolenis' at Sugarloaf Mountain. What a fun time we had! Madison got the best view of all, as she got to ride in the baby Bjorn. Daddy had the hardest trek up the mountain because he was carrying her! Madison loved looking around at all the sights. And, every person that came up to her was greeted with a happy smile! We had beautiful weather and saw beautiful sights...