All in a year!

Well, it's already been over a month now since our little girl's birthday and we still can't believe she's 3!  Maelee really did turn into a little girl this past year with no semblance of a toddler left... sigh.  Her conversations with us, her friends, and her toys both amaze us and crack us up at the same time and she is definitely little Miss Independent with an "I know what I want!" attitude.  Whew!  Yes, it has been a little exhausting over this past year and sometimes all we can do is just shake our heads at her stubborn defiance.

Or laugh...  Like when she yells out "What are you doing, weirdo? Have a rotten day!"  as those are two sayings from her books/toys that she knows aren't kind and she wants to say something mean to us.  Really hard to just put her in the "naughty corner" and not simply crack up hysterically!  Admittedly, it has been a trying year.  But even with the strong will and occasional crazed fits, her sweet, joyful spirit could soften our frustration in a heart beat.  She is quite an outgoing, happy gal who can make family & friends, and even strangers smile.  We praise God for her daily and look forward to another year with this sweet child!

And now a trip down memory lane with some of our favorite pics & memories over the last year...

Two Year "Photo Shoot"

 

 

May 2012

June 2012

July 2012

 

August 2012

September 2012

October 2012

 

November 2012

December 2012

January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

 

April 2013

 

And the THREE Year "Photo Shoot!"

 

It's always so hard to choose a small handful of photos to represent a whole year! (Couldn't help myself with all the ones from the most recent "photo shoot," though!)  It has been quite a year.  Lots of special times with family and friends enjoying our city, and enjoying each other.  We are so thankful for another great year with our Maelee-Mae!

A Weekend Away...

The last weekend of April, our little family spent a little time apart and enjoyed sweet times with others.  Well, poor Steve not so much- he had an ad board in Miami...  But, he really does like Miami and was at least able to enjoy a good phone conversation with his folks one evening while also enjoying a sweet whisky sour from the 25th floor of his hotel- that's gotta count for something! :)

I had a very refreshing time a couple hours north of the city at our church women's retreat in Lake Champion, spending sweet times with the Lord, and good times with friends; Maelee had a blast with Nana & Pop-Pop in VA for a few days. I was even able to get some much needed home organization projects going before and after my retreat while Steve & Maelee were still away.  I missed my girl (and my hubby!) dearly, but did enjoy the "break."  And I'm so thankful for the precious memories my daughter and parents were able to share together- rooftop dinners, running along the river front, a boat ride to and play at the National Harbor, and just being together.

Here are some pics from their visit:

Fun at Alexandria's Market Square...

At home with My Little Ponies

And along the Potomac River...

Boat ride over to the National Harbor...

The crazy statues at the National Harbor!

And one of the highlights of the trip to the Harbor- making her very own bear, Lulu...

Dinner on the roof after a very long, very special day...

  Playing after church

Such sweet times together!  And here's a slideshow of more fun from that special weekend:

And just a couple shots from my retreat:

 

 

Also a very sweet time!  We are so glad everything worked out for all of us that weekend away...