Happy Birthday, Maddie!!

March Madness, I tell you... our sweet little Maddie turns eight (8) today!!

Maddie and I baked 40 brownies to share with her second grade classmates at Mendham Township Elementary School. We're celebrating with dinner tonight at Jam Cafe (formerly Limestone Cafe) in Peapack, NJ, then again on Saturday night with a very small slumber party (three friends are sleeping over) with four great themes: dogs, skulls, basketball, and rock stars. Our cake lady, Carol Falcone of As You Like It cakes, is baking another amazing birthday cake (featuring a cockapoo playing basketball and wearing a pink bandana)... Carol baked a Nemo cake for Maddie's 2nd birthday party in 2004 when we had just moved to the Roxiticus Valley from NYC.

While I can't believe my baby girl is eight years old, Maddie is already counting the days until her 16th birthday, when she can audition to be the next American Idol... though she and her girl band, the Butter Bites, are probably better suited to Simon Cowell's new show, the X Factor, which allows groups, not just solo performers, to compete.

Maddie's Puppy Planning

After extensive research, including slumber parties with our Bay Head neighbors' cockapoo, Cashew, we have determined that London is not allergic to cockapoos. Rex and I have told the girls that, if all goes right with business and scheduling, our family will pick up an 8-week-old cockapoo puppy at the end of June. Maddie has been hard at work, compiling a journal of everything she needs to know about taking care of a dog -- feeding, grooming, training, etc. She will soon start posting all of her puppy planning to her blog, I Love Dogs and So Do You, so we hope you'll stop by Maddie's blog and check in on our puppy progress...We think we'll be ready!

Maddie's Incredible Kid Day

As the 2008-2009 school year comes to an end, Mrs. Brown's first grade class at Mendham Township Elementary School is planning a final celebration. On Friday, June 12th, we will celebrate "Incredible Kid Day." To prepare for "Incredible Kid Day," all of the parents were asked to take some time to reflect and think about why we feel our child is unique and truly incredible. For this special day, Rex and I will share our thoughts with Maddie by writing a special letter to her telling why we think she is "incredible." As I started writing in earnest, Maddie wanted to know why I was getting all mushy and teary-eyed. We will read our letters to Maddie in class on "Incredible Kid Day," but I've decided to post mine here as well:

Maddie,
On the day you burst out into the world, I was filled with so much joy and love that I thought you couldn’t be much more incredible…but as you’ve grown up to be an almost second grader, I’ve discovered that you grow more incredible with each passing day, week, and year. Maddie, you are INCREDIBLE!
I think you’re incredible, and love you because you’re the one and only you… the unforgettable Maddie!
Naughty but nice, with that sweet mischievous grin that tells me you’ll never be in trouble for long. Remember when you forged that note from mommy excusing you from math lab with Mrs. Fuller? I can’t wait to see how this fun-loving approach will play out when you get to middle school and high school.
Creative. I love the unique projects you come up with, pulling together your favorite photos and writing stories about them. I can’t wait to teach you how to do more on the computer, since you’re already building upon the basics that Mr. Gallo teaches in technology class. At school, you work so hard at reading, writing and spelling and you’re turning out to be a real math whiz. I’ve been so proud of you as you master double-digit addition and subtraction, learning to tell time, and counting money… at school and in “real life.”
Rock Star, dancer and choreographer, singing Hannah Montana and High School musical faves with your all girl basement band, the Butter Bites. You’re the only first grader I know who is writing her own songs and choreographing dance moves for performances for family and friends, and one day the Disney Channel and the world!
Entrepreneur at the beach…the way you and London have been painting and selling seashells down by the seashore for 25 cents each since Memorial Day 2007 is impressive. You and your sister have earned over $300 towards Kit’s American Girl tree house, way too many Webkinz and your college savings plan….not to mention the friends and “fan club” who stop by our beach house every weekend to paint with you and admire your beautiful painted shells.
Daddy’s girl and sous chef. You’ve been cooking with your dad since you were a preschooler at Westmont Montessori… Santa really knew what he was doing when he brought you a set of your very own kitchen tools and ingredients for Christmas.
Incredibly poised, a graceful ballerina, and an agile gymnast
Big smiles that you give me every day… when I wake you up in the morning and tuck you in at night, and everywhere in between.
Loving sister and loyal friend to all your friends, old and new. You and your sister, London, have been best friends ever since she greeted you on your first night home from Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC, and the love that the two of you share is just incredible. You’re also a loyal friend to many new buddies from your kindergarten and first grade classes. You’ve kept up your friendship with Izzy from Westmont Montessori, and when you get together it’s like you were just working on a project together yesterday…chat chat chat!
Even if you couldn’t do any of these things, Maddie, I’d still find you to be an incredible kid. Just by being yourself, you fill my life and our home with happiness and love…and that’s pretty darn incredible.
-- Love, Mom

"Piggy Back Ride"

Another great shot from Maddie's class trip to the Bronx Zoo... the kids called this a "piggy back ride" and none of the chaperones set 'em straight, they're only in first grade after all...

Maddie's Class Trip to the Zoo

The weather was a little iffy yesterday, but that didn't stop Maddie and her class from having a great time on the First Grade class trip to the Bronx Zoo. I was lucky enough to chaperone, and I'll be sharing some more photos as soon as I get a chance to upload them. On your right you'll see Norma the Tiger.

Below, Maddie and her girlfriends agreed that the Polar Bear was their absolute favorite. They all wanted to bring him home to the Roxiticus Valley, but there wasn't enough room on the bus.

Happy Birthday, Maddie!

Today's the Big Day... Maddie is seven (7)!! I packed her off to school with brownies for the whole class, and tonight we'll celebrate at her favorite restaurant, the Limestone Cafe in Peapack.

Happy birthday to my sweet, sweet girl... mommy and daddy and London love you!

I Love Dogs and So Do You Presents... Tana

Since Maddie's sister, London, is allergic to most animals, we can't have our own dog at home, so Maddie did the next best thing. She started a blog, I Love Dogs and So Do You dot blogspot dot com. We don't post there very often, but every now and then Maddie finds a dog who is just too cute to be ignored. That would be Tana, a new golden retriever puppy who arrived in the Roxitius Valley just before Christmas. Tana, short for "Montana," came to live with my good friend and fellow Roxiticus Desperate Housewife, Susan, her husband Mike, and their daughter, Abbey. Tana is so sweet that we're trying to get a shot of her doing something naughty so we can win a $500 gift certificate in an online contest for the scariest or funniest pet photo. She ate one of Susan's high heels the other day, but no one caught her in the act. I sorted through all of our pet pictures and found the one on the right, which Maddie took last Sunday night.

If you have a photo of your pet causing trouble around the house, check out the contest, brought to you by Energized Seller, a site for dedicated home sellers and real estate professionals. They're looking for photos of pets who are potential home marketing challenges... the kind of photos you might find under "What Not to Do" under the 101 Home Selling and Staging Tips. If Maddie's photo of Tana is chosen, we'll win a $500 gift certificate to our choice of Lowes or Home Depot.

Wordless Weekend: Lookin' Back... Maddie at Yankee Stadium in 2002

Blubbering Mother of the Year Prepares for Incredible Kid Day at Mendham Township Elementary School

As the 2007-2008 school year comes to an end, Mrs. Brown's first grade class at Mendham Township Elementary School is planning a final celebration. On June 12th, we will celebrate "Incredible Kid Day." To prepare for "Incredible Kid Day," all of the parents were asked to take some time to reflect and think about why we feel our child is unique and truly incredible. For this special day, Rex and I will share our thoughts with London by writing a special letter to her telling why we think she is "incredible."

Over the weekend, I was chatting with another MTES first grade mom...she asked if I had cried while I wrote my letter....my initial reaction was "Oh, S***, it's due on Monday? I haven't done it yet!" But I quickly changed my tune, and could relate as I started writing in earnest... London wanted to know why I was teary-eyed as I pulled together her letter last night. We will read our letters to London in class on "Incredible Kid Day," but I've decided to post mine here as well:

London,

On the day you were born, I was filled with so much joy and love that I thought you couldn’t be much more incredible…but as you’ve grown up to be an almost second grader, I’ve discovered that you grow more incredible with each passing day, week, and year. London, you are INCREDIBLE!

Incredibly poised, a graceful ballerina, and an agile gymnast.
Natural tennis player with confident strokes, you can serve, rally and score!
Creative writer, artist and avid reader. This spring, we’ve already spent several beach days sitting together in our beach chairs on Mount Street Beach in Bay Head, New Jersey, plowing through our “page turners” together. It makes me so happy that you love to read… and write creative stories and illustrate your books and draw fabulous fashions. We’ll both remember and enjoy our beach reading days for a lifetime.
Role model and loving sister – On the day we brought your sister home from the hospital, you said “Maddie - OUT!” While I was worried that you were trying to get this new little person OUT of our house, it turned out that 13-month-old-you were expressing delight that your baby sister was finally “OUT” in the world…the two of you have been best friends ever since and the love you and Maddie share is just incredible.
Entrepreneur at the beach…the way you and Maddie have been painting and selling seashells down by the seashore for 25 cents each since Memorial Day 2007 is impressive. You and your sister have earned over $150 towards Webkinz and your college savings plan….not to mention the friends and “fan club” who come every weekend to paint with you and admire your beautiful painted shells.
Dedicated and enthusiastic student. Every day when you wake up, you still jump out of bed (OK, so you move a little slowly in the morning just like Mommy) ready to get on the bus with busdriver Dan and go to school in Mrs. Brown’s class. You work so hard at spelling and math and you really really love to sit up there in the Author’s Chair to share your journal and special creative writing projects with the class.
Investigator and Scientist: Daddy and I were so proud of you this year when you brought your lava lamp experiment to the MTES Science Fair. It was terrific that you learned about the project through your 4-H club, and wanted to share your hypothesis and results with your friends from school.
Band leader, singing Hannah Montana & High School Musical faves with the three Singin’ Van de Kamp Sisters.
Loyal friend to all your friends, old and new. You’ve kept in touch with your best buddy from our apartment in New York City, and when you get together it’s like you were just running up and down the halls of our West Village apartment building yesterday…chat chat chat! You also keep up your friendships from Westmont Montessori, and you’re a loyal friend to many new buddies from your kindergarten and first grade classes.
Even if you couldn’t do any of these things, London, I’d still find you to be an incredible kid. Just by being yourself, you fill my life and our home with happiness and love…and that’s pretty darn incredible.

-- Love, Mom