Happy Birthday!

Maddie had her seventh birthday on Wednesday. I think we had a pretty good day. I made her the big birthday sign on our easel - she loved it. I let her open one present before school. Us girls went and surprised her and had lunch with her at school. I have included a picture of my not so good potato bar. Yuck. When we saw her, I noticed a large scrape down her nose, so I asked her what happened. She said she was skipping and fell down. I chuckled wondering how on earth she got road burn on the top of her nose. Anyway, while we were eating with her friends I said, "So, did you cry when you fell?" I got my very first ever roll of the eyes and "MOM." I totally embarrassed her. It was a proud moment for me.

When she got home from school we made our birthday Build A Bears from this kit I had bought, then when Jer got home we opened presents and went to Chili's for dinner. She was a good girl and shared her molten chocolate cake with all of us. :)

For her cake this year, she asked for the Costco cake that Amy had for her birthday. I was the mean mom and said I wasn't going to buy a cake that would feed 50 for just the 5 of us. She said that it would be fine if I just made it look like the one that Amy had. White with balloons on it. I did my best. :(

My favorite picture of the day was the one in the lower left corner of Macie. She had a really hard time not getting presents.

I can't believe that Maddie is 7. I still remember the day my little red-headed baby was born. It's been an adventure ever since.

Seven things I love about her

1) She is so helpful!! I LOVE when "Maddie's" is open for breakfast and I get to stay in bed. (She calls it her restaurant and makes the girls breakfast).

2) She is so smart! I admire her desire to learn. I don't think there are many kids out there who thirst after knowledge quite like her. If no one will teach her what she wants to know, she'll figure it out on her own.

3) I love when she leaves me notes. I constantly find little "love notes" or "reminders" about things from her. It makes me smile. The night of her birthday, she locked herself in her room and made me a huge thank you sign on the dry erase board. I didn't get a picture of it before someone erased it. :(

4) She is a good example. I'll just brag just this once, but have you seen that kid in primary? She doesn't move. She folds her arms and pays better attention than I do. (Now watch, today she'll be bad). She's the same way at school.

5) She is an awesome basketball player! She's been playing on the Jr Flash team and she's learning a lot. She's really stubborn and hates that she's not great at it, but she's getting better. The other day at McDonalds, I sent the kids in to play and I couldn't see her. My dad said, "She's playing basketball" and then I saw her shooting hoops with some boys! I was so proud of her. She was making almost every one! (Granted, it was only a 6 foot hoop, but it's progress)

6) I love when she comes and sits with me at the piano and sings along with me playing. Now that she can read, it's even better. Today we learned the new song for primary together and that makes it more fun for me to practice.

7) I love how willing to serve she is. She is always the one to say we should take treats to the neighbors. We had new neighbors move in and the little boy is in her class at school. He was having a hard time at school, so she assigned herself as his "buddy" and has really helped him adjust to his new school.

Love you, Maddie! (Or should I say Madison? She goes by Madison these days).