Taken From MiMi's Photo Files...One Year Ago

Not much to write about today, so I searched back through my photos and came up with this "blast from the past".  It's always fun to look back and see how little my grandbabies used to be.  Both children have grown and changed so much since last summer!

Our Not-So-Tiny Dancer...

 Last year's photo

This year's photo

Yesterday marked the official beginning of the new dance season.  Where did the summer go?  After some back-and-forth, it was decided that Madison would be taking another year of dance lessons.  She enjoys it very much, and it's good exercise, but it's expensive and involves an extra trip to town each week.  Of course, you're only little once, so what the heck?!  Maddie's mom will be making five trips to town each week!

I knew that Madison had grown a lot over the summer, but I didn't realize how much she had changed since last year--until I compared these photos!  Her new dance shoes are two sizes larger than her old ones!  She's grown several inches taller, as well--we have the mark on the wall to prove it!  She seems to have filled out around her waist a bit, too. 

Madison was thrilled to see that some of her friends from last year's "Wee Ones Morning School" are in her dance class this year!  I'm happy about that, because she wouldn't see them otherwise. When the church sponsored pre-K class, "Fabulous Fours" failed to materialize this year, it sent everyone scrambling to different schools for pre-K classes.

So, yesterday began dance for Miss Madison, but she still has three more weeks before school starts at the "Busy Beavers" preschool, where she will soon be making a new group of friends.  I can't wait to see what the new year brings...in dance, and in pre-K!

Another Trip Down Memory Lane...To The Park!

I found another short movie clip of Madison.  This one was taken a couple of years ago, at our local recreation park. 

Watching the movie clip brought back so many memories.  I'd forgotten how long it took Madison to learn how to climb up a slide--then get up the nerve to actually slide down!  I'd also forgotten that Madison enjoyed the "bumpy" slide more than the regular slide! 

When you're an only child, surrounded all day by only adults, sometimes it makes learning a bit harder!  Sometimes one of the adults even has to resort to acting like a child...(see end of movie).  I'm happy to report that Madison has mastered climbing the slide quite well these days!





 

Six Word Saturday..." Caden's Key"

My six words for today are: 

Follow the adventures of "Caden's Key"...

You may be wondering what "Caden's Key" is..."Key" is a tiny, beige, soft blanket, with the upper portion of a monkey's body sewn in the middle of it.  Some people refer to them as "lovies".

Our two-year-old grandson, Caden, has had Key since birth.  He formed an attachment with Key early in life.  Caden especially wants Key with him when he gets tired or sleepy.  When Caden began talking, he couldn't say monkey, so he referred to his friend as, "Key".

It's a good thing that Caden's mother had the foresight to go out and purchase a duplicate "Key" in the early stages of Caden's life--when it became apparent that there was going to be a lasting bond there.  Caden and Key are inseperable, and the two go everywhere together.  As a result, Caden and Key have been on a lot of adventures together--and Key has gotten left behind a time or two!

Key's latest adventure was in our local Alco store.  When Key came up missing, the search was on in Alco!  Christina found Key hiding in the M&M display!  Now how do you suppose he got there???

Caden and Key were at our house for a visit last night--along with Madison and her parents.  It was late when all left to go home.  My husband and I went to bed shortly after everyone left.  This morning when I walked into our pool room, guess what I found on the floor?  You guessed it!  "Key" spent the night with MiMi--again.

Below are a few photos of Caden and Key.  One of them is a picture of Key hiding in the M&M display at Alco!  Aren't camera phones the greatest?  There's no excuse to miss those "Kodak Moments"!

Speaking of Kodak moments, Caden took that first picuture of Key--all by himself!  Not bad for a two-year-old, huh?  I guess he wanted a picture of his best friend...

Thanks to Caden's mom, Christina, for the use of her Facebook photos.  They're all "keepers"!

The Word Patrol...

These are tough times that we are living in!  Nothing seems to be censored on radio or television anymore, and the language that one hears out in public these days is just plain filth most of the time, too. 

As a result, Maddie's parents are having to work "over time" to make sure she doesn't pick up any foul language from all of these outside sources.  They are doing a great job, and have made quite an impression on Maddie.

Now keep in mind, that none of us close to Maddie curse, so that hasn't been an issue, but one word that some of us tend to use sometimes is the word "stupid".  Madison's mama has taught her not to say "stupid" because she says it doesn't sound nice. 

Unfortunately, sometimes us older folks (MiMi and E) tend to slip up and use the word "stupid" to refer to things that "bug" us from time to time--like our politicians, mosquitoes, gnats, the south Georgia heat, and other pests!  You know, it's funny, the older we get, the more things seem to bug us!  We seem use that word quite a bit some days.
 
We have recently dubbed Maddie our little "word patrol". She is quick to remind us if we slip up and say the "S word"!  Thank goodness, our "bad word" vocabulary is pretty limited--and thank goodness for our little "word patrol"!

Look Who's Driving...

Can you see that tiny little head behind the steering wheel?  Guess who it is?  It's big boy, Caden, taking his first go cart ride!!!

Caden's dad loves to drive go carts, and a couple of weeks ago, their family traveled an hour to our nearest go cart track.  I don't know how his parents did it, but they managed to talk Caden into getting in the cart--and taking a ride.  Something Cade said he didn't care about doing again, but of course, I'm sure that opinion will change over time, too!

I love the photo of Brett and Caden riding around the track. I love family times...They're simply the best!

Sharing Some Recovered Maddie Moments...

Up until recently, I thought I'd lost a treasure trove full of movie clips taken with my digital camera.  Thankfully, my oldest son showed me where my movies are stored on my computer, then helped me file them so I could find them.  I'm very grateful for two my "computer savy" sons!

I'm feeling sort of nostalgic today, so I searched through the movie files and found a few old clips from several years ago.  Wow!  It's hard to remember Madison ever being this tiny, but I know that she was!  This video is over four years old!

These clips will mean so much to Madison one of these days...Not only is there video of her as a baby, but she will have her mother' voice narrating the movie.  Only us older folks can truly appreciate the marvel of being able to hear your mom's voice, one of these days, when she's no longer with you.

This particular movie clip concerns "The Wiggles".  Oh how we loved The Wiggles!  Unfortunately, by the time we discovered them, their show was nearing it's final season on television.  That's too bad, even I loved The Wiggles! 

Fortunately, Madison was able to attend a Wiggles concert while they were still coming on television!  Greg had retired by then, and Sam had taken his place, but the show was still great.  Lucky for us, her parents let me and my hubby tag along!  I truly enjoyed the show as much as Madison did! 

And now, without further delay...may I present, a "Maddie Moment" ...watching The Wiggles: