Sunday, November 15, 2009

Pumpkin patch

A pumpkin patch in key west.......we loved it!! Miss K and Miss B watch the fine art of pumpkin coloring from Madi.


Mr K gets his pumpkin finished and Daddy is still working on that tattoo with Madi!

Will the tattoo stay on is the question....



Madi looks for her farmer feet!





Miss B finds probably the smallest pumpkin there while Miss J shows perfect form for pumpkin bowling??





Hay maze and games, how fun!





Finding the right pumpkin......maybe this one is too heavy....







Miss K watches Madi try to lift another heavy one...








Maybe this one is Just right!









Giddy up!












Daddy watches Madi color.












Putting the final perfect touches on....













Navy Ball and babysitting

So we decided not to go to the Navy Ball, but our friends did, and we babysat their daughter for them. Although Miss B is at our house alot, it was the first time we babysat and Madi was pretty excited. Mr S and Miss N look fab for the ball!!

Madi becomes an extra daughter for Miss N!!
Not to be outdone by Mr S and Miss N...the fashion divas take a picture together too! So sweet!





Miss K comes by to see Mr S and Miss N off for the ball.


By the end of the night, we weren't sure if we'd find the girls in Madi's room!! But they sure had fun.







Saturday, October 31, 2009

Petting Zoo

So we knew there was a petting zoo near the Sheriff's office....little did we know that it was AT the Sheriff's office!! Hilarious!

We saw some fat pigs, and a pot bellied pig.....most of the animals that they have are abused animals that they were nursing back to health. It was sad to read the stories that they had posted with each animal.
























Nothing like a llama and a parking lot.








Madi pets a miniature horse. And no....it's still not Halloween yet, veils were the accessory choice of the day.












My favorite kind of alligator...one with it's mouth taped shut.








Oooooo, a ferret!! And a convict!! Ooooooo!!











The veiled lady pets a rabbit.














poor turtle...all he wanted was to get back inside his home. Miss B and Madi feel sorry for him too.











Chasing rabbits.














Chasing rabbits was fine, taking one to hold was another story.















Daddy, Miss B and Madi feed the billy goats.


































Madi makes a friend.


















"She thinks my tractors sexy"








































Another Miss B and Madi scope out more animals. A really nice place for Key West....we just learned not to go when the heat index was in the 100's. Whew, it was just too hot that day.























Thursday, October 29, 2009

Update on how she's doing

So we're a few months into school now. We've made so much progress with her, it's been unbelievable. The day she wrote her name and you could read every letter, we cried. She can say the letters in her name too. She's drawing and learning new songs and she loves her friends at school. But has it been easy......ummm......no.





We're working with just about every agency we can. We started "from the bottom" and are working our way up to deal with the " big stuff." We first had her hearing tested. We noticed she'd complain about certain noises being too loud, noises that really shouldn't have bothered her. Sure enough, there is a muscle in each ear that does not expand and contract the way it should be. Her hearing is fine though, it's just the loud noise issue. Although it wasn't something that needed to be done immediately, it was suggested to us to have neurological testing done to determine if there were any other problems.





We are also going to begin speech therapy soon. There are many letters she can't say properly. We're also working on getting her to stop sucking her thumb and index finger, since it is not only affecting her teeth, but her index finger as well. ( she twists it so oddly that her finger is now beginning to turn)





We also will begin counseling in a week. It's all done through play therapy, but I just feel that things will probably get worse before they get better. But there has to be a beginning where she can begin to heal from the wounds that she has. She still thinks she has to leave again, and it's hard to explain " forever" to a 4 year old that doesn't really know tomorrow or yesterday. We've tried telling her she'll never have to have another mommy and daddy again, but she is very sceptical about that.





Overall, she is doing fine. She is blossoming and learning better then we expected her to. She has her days where we're all ready to tear our hair out, but it was to be expected, and we know it won't be over for quite some time. We just love her, and pray that she can "catch up" on just being a little girl.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Fire Safety Night





Fire Safety Night...not a whole lot displayed, but in Key West, as parents you attend EVERYTHING that is kid friendly, because those events are too far and few between!

The whole gang in the bounce house. Nothing like a bounce house with 95 degree temps outside!!





Monkeys in the bounce house!







Miss K and Miss B...more monkeys!!









Madi becomes a fireman! Firewoman? Fireperson!! What's politically correct these days??






Madi and Mr L finally tire of seeing Sparky the firedog!











WHoohoooo...it's Sparky!








Run Sparky run! The whole gang is going to ambush you!











Mr J really looks like he's interested in being fire smart!!














Daddy re-enlists

The "Ask my Dad He's the Chief" shirt!!!
Kissing retirement goodbye.....

Madison didn't know, but she was getting an "award" too!!



She was so excited to get her Certificate of Appreciation!!





She made everyone crack up when she turned around and asked, "Daddy, what'd you do with your gum?" And then everyone laughed wondering if she was flipping him off!! Luckily I had taken the picture at just the right time!!





Madi's Certificate! proud little girl!!





Coloring at the table where we went out to eat the next day








Checking out the Key West chickens that went running by while we were eating.









Monday, October 5, 2009

School time!!!

Key West's newest "Superbee!"

Getting to visit the classroom before school starts


Her teacher gives her a tour of the things she'll be learning soon! Luckily we'd already met the teacher at the playground this summer, so Madi wasn't as intimidated by her as I think she would have been. She was always concerned about not doing anything that the teacher would fuss her for!!


muggin for the camera when she ran into her friend Mr J during open house




Some Mommies and their kids that are part of the PTO and are friends with Madi!












Are we leaving for school yet?







Double checking the backpack before we leave for school.








Watching the kids coming towards the classroom.









First day of school and already getting "scolded" by the teacher!!