Happy Birthday to TWO!

Today is a very special day for many people in my life. It is special for my mother because today was the day I was born. It is special for my daughter because today is the day she was born. And it is very important to me because it was not only the day I was born but the day I became a mother. Maddy and I share a birthday! She made me wait an entire week over my due date in order to give me the best present I could get, her. Anyone who has been pregnant can agree that to get your baby out after nine months of waiting and being uncomfortable definately IS the best present you can get. This isn't the best picture of me I will say but it is the very first picture of us together on our very first birthday together.

When Maddy entered the world the doctor exclaimed, "THAT'S A BIG BABY! She has got to be at least 10 pounds!" In actuality she was 8 lbs 9 oz and as chubby as could be!This was our first cake together. And I would like you to take note at the shag lamp in the background that I thought was SO cool!I have thrown in just a few of my favorite pictures over the last 8 years of Maddy.It is wierd to think that 23 years earlier my mom held me as well. I couldn't find a picture of my mom holding me but I am sure she did. Right mom?1st Birthday, Elmo party.Here is a picture of Maddy at 1 and I picture of me at 1. I see a few resemblances. 2nd birthday, Sesame Street party. We were actually living here in Portland when Maddy turned two and I was about 7 months pregnant with Josey and managing an AWFUL apartment complex. After being definately my hardest baby she was such a great toddler. This is one of my favorite pictures of Maddy and Dustin. I plan on taking one of her dancing on her own wedding day and putting these side by side. Check out the baby with no neck. I adore this picture of my girls. Maddy turned out to be such an amazing big sister. She ahd Josey are like two little peas in a pod. They really are best friends(I don't know if that will last forever but I will take it now!) I know a lot of these pictures are blurry and I apologize for that. My scanner still isn't working so I had to take pictures of the pictures again.

3rd birthday, Jay Jay the Jet Plane party.

4th birthday, Superman party. (Our Superman Birthday. This one shocked me a little when my listtle 4 year old girl wanted a superman party but we had fun with all the little girls that came.) And if you notice Maddy's face, this picture was obviously taken before I had digital film. I LOVE digital cameras. Maddy has always sort of dance to her own beat. She has always kept things very interesting for me and I have loved it! She is so creative and dramatic and always keeps me laughing. This was her dressed as Mario from Super Mario brothers when she was 4. I couldn't believe that was what she wanted to be but it was so we went with it and she was the hit of the party!
5th birthday, My Little Pony party.6th birthday, I think it was just a princess party or something, I guess I don't remember. Probably because I was having a baby in a coupl eof weeks!
7th Birthday, Surprise party at Peter Piper Pizza.

I totally forgot to bring a cake to this party! Can you believe that? I thought they provided one so we didn't have one! Luckily the group behind us had a TON of extra cupcakes that they let us have and use (they were friends of someone at our party it wasn't just random stranger cupcakes). So Maddy DID get a cake to blow out. That party was hard. We were moving a couple of days later and I almost didn't have a party for her but I am SO glad that I did and she was able to get a little going away party as well.



I will have more pictures of her tonight after spending the day with daddy at work and blowing her candles out and such. We got lucky because today was bring your child to work day. So Maddy and Josey got to go to work with daddy all day and a friend of mine is watching Lilly for me this morning so I can do whatever I want to for my birthday! What a great birthday for both of us!I thought I would share a picture of Maddy at almost 8 and a picture of me when I was 8.

I love you Maddy! Happy Birthday! I can't believe that you are 8 years old. You are truly one of the most creative, happy, funny, most beautiful people I know and I adore you and thank Heavenly Father all the time for letting me be your mommy!

By the way Maddy has an email address. It is maddythespy@hotmail.com. She thinks she is so grown-up and would love anyone to send her an email. We check it all the time even though I am the only one that sends her anything!