back from Mexico...Addie updates!

Tulum...mayan ruins and the beach!
Our all-inclusive....beautiful!
Out for cocktails at the Sunrise Tequila Bar in Cancun!
The girls....Victoria, mommy and Addison
Cousins....so cute together!
Daddy and Addie!
Addie eating dinner in her big girl chair for the first time!

We got to spend time with our niece and Addison's cousin (age 5), Victoria, on February 12! She has recently moved to Minnesota with her mother, so we hope to get to see her more often. We had a fun afternoon going to the playground by the river, making hot chocolate, ordering pizza and playing at our house! The girls seemed to really enjoy each other, and we loved seeing V!

Noah and I said goodnight to Addison on February 13, then left early the next morning for Mexico! As hard as it was to leave her behind, we had a wonderful trip and knew that she was in good hands with Annie! We enjoyed a couple days bumming around Playa del Carmen, an afternoon in Tulum checking out the Mayan ruins, and three days at an all-inclusive near Cancun! the weather was beautiful, and it was super relaxing having no agenda each day! :-) The only hectic part of the trip was the return......after two different planes with mechanical problems, we were delayed 9 hours in the Dallas airport on our layover, and didn't get to see Addison until the morning of the 20th after an all-night flight! We can't say we'd fly Sun Country airlines again....other than the fact that we do have vouchers now that might come in handy at some point!

Addison did wonderfully while we were away and had a great time with Annie. They opened Valentine's Day presents and cards, played outside and took lots of walks with Wally, took a trip to the zoo, and spent a morning at an indoor playground! Other than a few episodes of "asking" about mama and dada, Annie said Addison was great! We definitely appreciated our daily emails updating us on all of the cute things she had done that day......although I'm still fighting Verizon over my steep charges for this! :-(

Addie was excited to see us, and show us her new tricks....wiping her own nose with a kleenex and throwing it in the trash can, tossing washcloths and other random items in the toilet (even though with the locks it only opens ~1 inch), saying "eye" and pointing to her doll's eyes, and asking for "ap-ul"(meaning applesauce). She is as busy as can be, and definitely starting to throw some of those toddler tantrums when she doesn't get her way! :-)

Yesterday I got the dreaded page at work......Addison had a fever at daycare and I had to leave to go get her. Of course I left in a hurry and expected the worst! Fortunately, she was much better than anticipated! Her fever has passed, and it seems to be nothing more than a bad cold and teething. I did have to stay home with her today due to daycare rules of 24 hours fever free before returning....but luckily she is doing much better!

Today was a big milestone as we upgraded from the highchair seat to the booster seat for eating dinner.....and she now eats off a plate on the table instead of the highchair tray. She LOVES it!!! She must have been in and out of her seat about 30 times today! We also had a fun coffee and cookie date with our friends Stacy and William this afternoon! William and Addie always seem to have a great time together! :-)

On a side note, Addison continues to love "Mr. Vaccuum." The story goes like this..... Addison was absolutely terrified of the vaccuum for months and months......so I would have to literally carry her around the entire time I cleaned so that she didn't scream! Due to this nuisance, a few months ago I decided to start making "Mr. Vaccuum" in to a really great "person"! We started getting him out of his "house" (the closet), cheering for him when he did a good job, and hugging him hello and goodbye. This has definitely been the solution!!! :-) Addison now knows exactly where to find him and greets him with beaming smiles and sometimes even a kiss when he "visits us." She cheers and claps when he cleans the carpet and completes his work. Just another adorable Addison moment!

We have just confirmed our visits from family in the next few weeks.......Opa and Jojo will be here March 31-April 4, and Nana and Papa will be here April 12-17! Excited!

-14 wind chill......Mexico can't come soon enough!

So much LOVE!
Piano girl!
Addison and her friend Will playing the piano.....concert time!!!

February 11.....and bitter cold!!! I guess we were bound to get hit with it at some point! It has been an unbelievably warm Winter until TODAY! It is cold enough that we headed out to breakfast and then to Mall of America for 3 1/2 hours today. We actually had a lot of fun, and Addison seemed to enjoy watching the musicians and waterfalls, seeing a large stuffed dog, and riding the escalator! Oh, the thrills of a toddler! :-)

We have had a busy couple of weeks!

Addison had a bad cold and came down with ear infections. Luckily, after ten days of Amoxicillin we are in the clear!

Addison is talking quite a bit now.....I think I counted over 20 words the other day! She is also really in to finger plays that go with songs and nursery rhymes! Some of her favorites are twinkle, twinkle little star, baa baa black sheep, and the itsy bitsy spider! She LOVES to try all of these repetitively! She has also become quite the monkey the last couple of weeks.....climbing on EVERYTHING! She climbs up on to the chairs at our table, including in to her high chair, multiple times each day. We have had a couple little falls which have resulted in tears, but it doesn't seem to slow her down! Other highlights in Addison's development have been learning how to scoop dog food (much to mom's dismay!).....and practicing naming family members in photographs!

We no longer have a baby....Addison is officially a part of the toddler room at daycare! After a couple weeks of transitioning, February 8 was her first day with the "big kids." She sleeps on a cot at nap time and gets to go outside everyday now! She seems to be doing really well in her new classroom, and loves to be around the older children. She is by far the youngest and most petite child in her class, but it doesn't seem to hold her back!!

We started our new semester of music classes at McPhail and Addison still seems to enjoy each one! There are lots of new children in the class and Addison is no longer the youngest which is nice! Last week we played with feathers and sang out birds which she loved.

We had a fun play date last week with Addison's friends Will and Levi. We made some special valentines for Opa/Jojo and Nana/Papa. Can't wait for them to receive these!

Noah and I are leaving on vacation Tuesday morning early.....so Annie will be spending the night Monday night and then caring for Addison Tuesday morning-Sunday evening. We are excited for our get away and know that Wally and Addie are in excellent hands! We are so grateful to have such a trustworthy and loving friend and babysitter!

Tomorrow we are looking forward to Addison getting to see her cousin Victoria, who now lives only a few miles away. The girls had such a great time together over Thanksgiving.