Madison is 5!

Our sweet, baby girl turned 5 today....where has the time gone? 5 just sounds way too old! It seems like yesterday that she joined our family, and yet it is hard to remember life without her. She is such an amazing, special part of our family. What a year she has had. Here are a few highlights and accomplishments:

• She learned how to do a cartwheel and a bridge
• She can pump herself real high on a swing, and still loves to swing
• She can count to 115
• She has learned to read simple words and loves to spell and write the words she knows...about 25!
• She performed in her second dance recital, and did a tap and ballet dance
• She continues to be giving and kind to her friends. She still enjoys giving away her toys
• Her favorite color currently is purple
• She also still loves to play with her dolls, do arts and crafts, read books, dance and sing and watch movies...I don't think there is a favorite at the moment
• She is very insightful and doesn't miss anything we say, nor does she forget...If you say you will do something with her, for her...you better follow through!
• She has elaborate conversations and has always spoken very well...however she still has a few words that she mispronounces that we love: photum album (photo album), upslidedown (upside down), extructions (instructions), Duck Ella (Lake Ella), paterin (pattern), callepittar (caterpillar).

We are all so blessed by her each and everyday. To celebrate this 5th year of life we had a gymnastics birthday party yesterday. She decided that she wanted a purple, turquoise, and green cake. So, after Halloween trick-or-treating, I got busy making frosting and created a special cake for my princess. Thankfully it held up well and tasted great too! After a fun-filled party, thanks to Daddy, she spent the afternoon playing with her new toys and watching one of her new movies. This morning she woke up and opened the rest of her presents, and then put on her new dress, made by my friend, Janay. When she was asked what she wanted to eat for her birthday meal she said, "a taco", so after church we went out to lunch with friends for some Mexican. After watching another new movie, Brian surprised us by telling us to go get our nails done together. This was Madison's first time getting her nails done in a salon, and she thought she was really something special!

It was a wonderful birthday weekend, for a wonderful big girl!

Happy 5th Birthday Madison

Here is a slide show of the weekend!