Birthday and Years Gone By

 How did she turn into this little girl so fast?

The hair really came in between year 2-3. Shortly after this picture, M got her first haircut.

Our sweet Madeline turned 5 yesterday. Five?! Some days have been endless but the years have flown by. We have had a fun filled two days that included her school celebration, a field trip to the library, play time at Chucky Cheese, pizza place for dinner, Yogurt Lab for dessert, and then a party today at McWane Science Center. Side note, the incorporation of new toys is the bane of my existence. I need to purge since we had Christmas and birthday one after the other.

Most people who know Madeline refer to her as my mini-me. Not just physically, but in personality as well. She is funny. She loves to joke and say crazy things. She loves playing with dolls, all things princess, dress ups, crafts, and any inanimate object can suddenly come to life in the middle of a conversation or situation. She is very dramatic. She used to be so tough, but has come to take the smallest of pains as major catastrophes which can resurface days later. Her little heart has really begun to understand the Lord more this year. She finally picked a hand! She writes right handed, but still does a lot with her left. She can write her name and most of her letters. She loves her sister, but does not like it when others show her attention. She feels the need to do something to Paxton like hug her or kiss her hard to make her presence known. Her vocabulary continues to increase. The things she picks up on surprise me. For instance, she asked what ominous and philosophy meant the other night. She loves technology like her daddy. The kid can work an iPhone. She is very independent-particularly with being self-directed in her playtime. Her downfalls are that she thinks she is always right, she dawdles, she has keen skills to tune out my voice, and she tends to blame others when things do not go her way. Ah sin....what a bummer. As I get older I see the cross Jesus had to bear for me continue to get bigger. Praying our girl comes to understand the same and that the Lord might (preferably gently) teach her humility. So thankful for our first daughter! She is a gift.