THREE

Happy 3rd Birthday Roman! We had a fun day celebrating Roman turning 3 on March 13th. We tried to make the day a special one (even though it was on a Tuesday). He waited all day to open his presents until Jason got home, but I let him pick 1 to open during the day.

He brought his favorite treats to school. Cupcakes, fruit and smoothies. YUM! 

Roman's Class 

Grammy and Papa called Roman from Hawaii to sing Happy Birthday! He was very excited.

CARS Birthday presents

Some of Roman's new friends from Radiator Springs. It is fun to see Roman really getting into his toys. He just loves playing with all his Cars. 

Nana and Pop came over that night for dinner, donuts and playing. Roman loved his color changer Cars. Very cool gift. 

Happy Birthday Roman!

I can't believe Roman turned 3. WOW! Looking back on this past year, we have had so much fun. I have to admit that the "terrible two's" were actually pretty easy on us, but I hear that "the three's" are what I should really fear. YIKES! I have gotten a few recent glimpses of the attitude and acting out, but I'm hoping that it passes quickly. 

Here is a recap of Roman at 3...

Roman is a funny, silly, chatty and sometimes sassy boy, but according to his teacher is very quiet and reserved at school. I've realized he can be pretty introverted in new situations and it takes a while for him to feel comfortable with a new group. He looks forward to going to school and church and we haven't had any tears for months with either. A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT for him. He is very routine and loves knowing what we have planned for the day. He loves playing with his cars, trains, jumping on the trampoline, hanging in the Hot Tub, playing with Paisley, reading books, playing store, going on little adventures, wrestling with his Daddy, hanging with his cousins, dancing, singing and playing at the park. He loves playing with Paisley and they have really started interacting a lot more with each other. I love watching them play outside together. It melts my heart when I see Roman sharing his toys with her. For his 3rd Birthday we moved him into a Big Boy bed. It was such an easy transition because of his age. Since he is on the older side for moving into a bed, we had no issues at all. From the 1st night he has slept in his new bed and loved it. We are in the process of updating his room into a Big Boy Room. Moving on from Animals to Cars. 

Roman has a photographic memory and remembers every detail with certain things. He has known all his letters for the last 6 months and actually taught himself. He loves bridges, tunnels and freeways. He likes to know what direction we are going while driving and we can imagine he will be out little engineer. The things that come out of his mouth are hilarious. I need to start writing them all down. The other day we were going to McDonald's for Kira's birthday. He kept repeating "Lets go to E.I.E.I.O's." It took me a minute to figure it out. 

Roman...we love you so much! You have brought our family so much joy and love. You are a ray of sunshine that keeps us smiling. You changed our lives forever the moment you came into our home. THANK YOU for being you. Our free spirited little love. You will always be my little boy.

Disneyland for Roman's 3rd Birthday

We had been planning to bring Roman to Disneyland for this 3rd Birthday and decided about a month ago that we should just wait until Paisley's Birthday. With school, Jason's busy work and other things going on it just felt too hectic to go. However the week of his Birthday came and I started getting the feeling that we just had to go to celebrate. I looked into last minute deals (no such thing at Disneyland) and found a hotel directly across the street (Fairfield Marriott). SIDENOTE: Amazing hotel! Loved it! On Tuesday night at around midnight I turned to Jason in bed and said, "Lets go to Disneyland this weekend." I told him about the hotel and quickly convinced him how fun it would be. I then made him call the hotel at midnight and book the room since there was only 1 room left (according to Expedia). Of course the only room available was a character room that was an upgrade for a character bed sheet and poster. Thank god we got the Cars Room. 

It was a magical trip. Jason and I have fallen in love with Disneyland as adults with young kids. It truly is magical and everytime we leave, we cannot wait to go back. 

Here are some of my favorite pics from our trip.

Paisley ordering some room service.

The fireworks from our hotel window. 

Roman loved the fireworks. Paisley clung to me like a koala.

Pluto

Just me and my Dad

1st Ride: Snow White (not recommended) Kinda scary to start off the day.

Dumbo. Don't worry, she didn't fly alone. 

Both kids love the carousel. They could ride it 100 times.

Both trains (Casey Junior and Main Train) were a big hit with this boy. 

Hello Paisley

Meeting his hero, Lightning McQueen. Can't wait for Cars Land to open. 

Kids napped, so we headed to the winery for lunch. 

Visiting Goofy's house

Total Daddy's Girl

Loving Heimlich's Train Ride

Our little bear

Tom Sawyer's Island is awesome. Kids can run free and explore. A little hesitant at first, but then could not get enough of all the bridges. 

She was so patient waiting in the lines. 

Our Animal Lover loved the Jungle Cruise. 

Happy Boy

Roman loved the castle that he sees at the start of every Disney Movie. 

Roman loved driving the cars. 

Nothing says the end of a trip like a giant lollipop. This is all he wanted from the store.

He still talks about his hotel room. It was a true highlight of his trip and he keeps asking if we can go back to the hotel. Miss Karen (from church) actually told me that Roman was sharing with her all about his new room (the week we came back). At first I didn't know what she was talking about and then realized it was his hotel room.

This was a much easier trip for us with the kids. Paisley is an absolute doll to travel with. Only problem is she didn't love being in her carseat during our 7 hour ride after 2 hours, but either did I. Roman was so much better than when we went a year ago. He was patient, understood the concept of waiting in lines and also understood that when the ride was over we had to get off. Thank Goodness! He did start getting a little scared of a few things, but still enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean. I just knew what his limits were and didn't try and push them on anything that was too dark. Due to the start of Spring Break it was packed by 1pm, but we still felt like we got in the perfect amount of rides and just exploring Disneyland. 

We can't wait to head back in October and will seriously consider staying at the Fairfield Marriott again. It was so convenient and just what we needed. Until next time Mickey! 

Some Favorite Pics

Due to my studying and homework this last week, I've been slacking on blogging. So here are some pics from the last week to keep you entertained.

 This boy was due for a Big Boy haircut. Jason convinced me to take him to a new place. I was a little worried about how Roman would do since it didn't specialize in kids haircuts (meaning no movies, no cool chairs, no balloons, no distractions), but he did AMAZING! He loved it. I think it made him feel like a big boy. He sat in the chair for 20 minutes and just smiled and looked at himself in the mirror. The 2 people in the shop kept commenting on how he was the calmest child they have ever seen. I told them I was surprised too. He made me so proud!

YEE-HAW! Paisley loves all animals and especially horses. I can't get enough of this adorable little face.

I went to school on Saturday, so Jason and his parents took the kids to Muir Woods.  Roman loved exploring.

 I keep our Fridays low key and it is the one day of the week that we don't have to be out of the house early. Roman and Paisley loved snacking on some cereal in bed after their showers.

 How is she getting so BIG? She just wants to keep up with everything her big brother is doing. Here she is ready to take a plunge off the slide. Her favorite way to go down slides is head first. Cannot take my eyes off her at the park. She is a daring one.

 Skippypets were back. A friend of ours had them at a Birthday Party. It was so fun to ride them again.

Pudding + Her own spoon = PURE HAPPINESS (and a total mess)

Lent

I decided this year to give up something during lent. 1st time to actually try and commit to the 40 days of giving up a luxurious item. I decided on SWEETS! I am struggling with losing some weight I put on a few months ago and decided this was the perfect time to try and be healthier. This is very hard for me since I craze, dream and love eating sweets. I blame this unhealthy addiction on my parents and their amazing ability to whip up the most delicious desserts. So far I have been successful, but I've got a ways to go. On Friday I took Roman to the donut store since he was a good boy for his doctor's appointment. It was so tempting and hard to watch the little ones gobble down their treats. Today I went to a party and baked brownies. They looked amazing, but I was proud to pass. We will see if I can keep this going.

Happy Valentine's Day

So thankful for the loves of my life! 

Wishing everyone a beautiful day.

Maddox Family Updates

Life has been a little crazy for the last few weeks so here is a quick recap since my blog is my journal and keeps track of everything.



Roman
Despite his outgoing, loud personality at home he is very shy at school. On Tuesday his teacher came up to me when I was picking him up to let me know that he is talking more and seems to be having fun. YEAH!!! All I want is for him is to be happy and to enjoy school. Little by little he is starting to feel more and more comfortable in his class. When I pick him up he has been telling me, "I had fun." That is all you want to hear from your child. I've realized his personality is so different from mine and I need to find ways to foster his sensitive soul. I am so happy I did the Walnut Avenue 2's program this past year. It has been such a great experience and Roman's little class of 7 is the perfect setting for him.

He is currently obsessed with the movie Beauty and the Beast. He has probably watched it 40 times (which means I've probably seen it 25). I have all the songs memorized. When Angela Lansbury comes on singing, "Beauty and the Beast", Roman looks at me and wants to do a ballroom dance. He says he wants a Belle Birthday cake, so we will see if it is still his favorite in 2 months.

Roman has started becoming afraid of the dark, which has given us some challenges at night. He is finally settling into life without a nap. It took about 4 months to transition, but now he is finally able to make it thru the day without becoming an absolute crazy man at 5pm. We are trying to get him IN bed at 8pm. By IN bed, I mean asleep. This is helping with his overall mood.

Despite his (at times) feisty toddler personality, he continues to make me laugh and smile with his funny sense of humor. I love our special time that we spend together while Paisley naps. I get to cuddle, talk and just laugh with him. He is beginning to talk so much and I love to hear what comes out of his mouth. He is such a special boy filled with such wonder.

Paisley has become a little tornado and is getting into everything. She keeps me busy and is becoming quite the character. She learned to jump this week and makes it about 1/2" off the ground. The look on her face is priceless and she is so proud of herself. Her main goal is to do whatever her Big Bro is doing. She looks up to him so much and gets so sad when he denies her. I've realized it is just the beginning of buying 2 of everything. She still has an easy going, loving demeanor, but can also be dramatic when she doesn't get her way. When she gets really mad she starts headbanging walls and even gave Roman a headbang to the face tonight. Something totally new for us to experience as parents. But seriously...for the most part she is just so chill. Very active, but so happy. Doesn't have a lot of fear, other than the occasional guy wearing a beanie.

She is enjoying her weekly playtime at Saint Matthews, loves hanging with her older cousin Kira and is obsessed with animals. She likes to look thru books, play outside, climb on anything and everything, kiss her doggy, play in water and reorganize every cupboard and cabinet in our house. She is finally getting a little hair and it looks like it may be a little wavy. We cannot wait to see what she looks like with a full head of hair.

As for me, I am happy to be back into a routine after the holidays. This past month I started a new bible study that connects your emotions with your spirituality. Great reality check and reminder on keeping balanced and focused on my faith.

Also, I decided to take the class at Cal State East Bay to get certified in Wedding Planning. It is perfect for me since it meets once a month (8 hours each class) and then allows you to do all your studying and homework from home. By the end of the class, I will have been taught everything I need to know about the industry, while also putting together an entire wedding from start to finish. I debated taking this class, but realized it was really what I needed if I ever wanted to pursue a career in event management. My goal is to have my business up and running by 2013. I am definitely not used to all the homework, but it is fun and teaching me so much. I am excited to be learning and looking forward to the future.

I am still working 2 days a week and keeping busy. At times I don't feel like I have much free time, but for now that is OK. If only I had a maid or someone to put away my laundry. Maybe in another 10 years. Ha ha!

Allright, it is midnight and Jason & I are both still up and have to work tomorrow. Time to go to bed. Good Night!

2012...Here We Go

2012 starts with me turning 33! Can it really be? I think I am now officially in my mid 30's. I think having a Birthday on New Year's Day makes me evaluate resolutions, goals and reflect on the past year even more.


2011 was definitely a challenging year, but also such a wonderful one. Part of the year feels like a hazy dream, but it raced by so quickly since we had so much going on.


2011 highlights included...
Jason got a new job (So proud of him)
Trips to Disneyland, So Cal, Hawaii and Ohio
Went to many fun and very festive weddings
Paisley started walking and continues to be such a happy girl
Roman is non-stop talking and stopped napping. Also started preschool 2 days a week.
Still working part-time as a facility coordinator for Temple Isaiah planning Bar and Bat Mitzvahs
Lots of special family time


Life with 2 little ones. What can I say? Life can be crazy, hard, exhausting and a lot of days I feel like I am running around in circles. I often wonder, how can my house ever be organized or clean. There always seems to be a missing piece of a toy, food spilled on the ground and laundry, laundry and more laundry.  BUT...WOW they bring me such joy. For all the work, I feel so much love. I know I have mentioned it before, but I have never been happier in life. I never knew how much joy being a Mom would bring me and I truly live each day to see the smile on my little ones faces.

Roman is becoming such a little boy filled with such personality. His talking and humor make me laugh. He is challenging at times, but oh so funny too. I still look at him and just melt. He will always be my little boy. The no nap has been a real challenge for the past 2 months, but in the last week we feel that he is making progress. We are trying to get him to sleep by 7:45 and it really seems to be helping.

Paisley is on the go. She loves to climb and I am constantly having to keep my eye on her. She is still pretty quiet, but is starting to talk a little. She is also starting to show a little drama (I know I have been warned with having a girl). When we tell her NO, she looks at us, makes a face and then the tears come on so dramatically and with such passion. She loves to keep up with her brother and for the most part is so easy going. We just feel so blessed with this little one.


Now on to a few goals and hopes for 2012...
First and most importantly, we hope for GOOD HEALTH! It has been a tough year with having 2 parents going thru chemo and Tyler having his open heart surgery re-scheduled twice. We continue to pray for healing and strength in the New Year.


GETTING IN SHAPE
It has really been 4 years since I have worked out. I'm embarrassed to admit this. I wasn't able to workout during my pregnancies and then it became a lack of having any time with 2 young babies. It is so important for me to be in good cardio shape, so this is a HUGE goal for me. I realized I have to make this a top priority and find the time. I just re-activated my account at ClubSport Valley Vista and can't wait to start working out again. Even if I need to go at 8pm, my goal is to workout 3 times a week (4 if I'm lucky). My Christmas gifts included new workout clothes and shoes. I am MOTIVATED!


STARTING MY BIZ
For the last 18 months I have worked as the Facility Coordinator at a large Jewish Temple in Lafayette. I have worked with dozens of families helping to plan their special celebrations. Through this I have worked with event planners, caterers and lots of amazing vendors. I quickly realized that my favorite part of my job was meeting with families and helping them throughout the planning process. I loved being able to give them guidance, while also keeping them calm, organized and excited. My favorite compliment (after an event) is when a client says, "I couldn't have done it without you."
I am currently working on a business plan for event consulting. I am also debating enrolling in the Event Planner certificate program through Cal State East Bay (starts this Saturday). I think it will give me the extra confidence needed to take this extra step. I know I am good at what I do, however sometimes I lack the confidence in myself to go for it. I think this program will give me the final push that need. My top priority continues to be at home with Roman and Paisley. One of my goals with starting my new business is to be able to start a career where I can control my own hours, while also being a Mom as my top priority. 

Stay tuned for more details.
In the meantime, here is our logo:

I wish everyone a very Happy New Year!  Can't wait to see what 2012 holds. Hoping for a beautiful year ahead.