maddie's cupcake crusade!!!

maddie was SO excited to go on her 5th birthday "cupcake hunt"! we had to do it early this year...in order to pull off her surprise! ella chose the hiding spot...and we set our little girl off on the crusade!

it is always so funny to watch them searching...while we are giving them "hot & cold" directions! i'm not sure who giggles more...the girls or the parents!

she finally found it...and this is what she found...

she was super excited...but i could tell her wheels were turning. she just had this little look on her face. she came over and whispered that she didn't want ella to feel left out...be. still. my. heart. she is just wired for OTHERS! after we assured her that daddy was going to make ella feel special too...she was on board!!!!! we had less than 24 hours to get ourselves ready for our adventure!

over a year and a half ago, honey & grandpa took our whole family (minus baby ava who stayed home with aunt mamie!) to see a "homegrown" version of les miserables at centenary college! N.e.V.e.R in my wildest dreams could i have imagined how much my maddie would be captivated by this production. she almost became obsessed with it...so much so, that a friend of my sister gave us a copy of the dvd. madeline watched it every day...multiple times...and memorized every. single. song.

when i found out that the REAL show was coming to dallas...i knew that somehow we had to take maddie. after deciding that it would be too expensive for the whole family to make the trip, we made the call that we would just let madeline experience it! thanks to honey...that is just what we were able to do!

we planned an overnight get-away just for my middle baby!!!!!!

we woke up early sunday morning (new year's day) and loaded up for our girls trip! maddie decided she wanted to don her pj's for the car ride...so that is just what she did!

ella was so "big" about maddie getting some special attention...and made me very proud. (sometimes our ella doesn't take this kind of news too well!!!!!!!) she waved us good bye and we were texas bound!

it didn't take long for maddie to start thinking about what she was going to bring ella as a prize...at the first gas station we stopped at, she wanted to buy ella some colored rocks!!!! :)

we rolled into big D in time to grab a bite to eat and then we headed to the theater! madeline was so excited...and ready for her snacks - HA!!!
i have seen the show 7 times and it does not disappoint! it was fabulous...and just as i imagined, my daughter loved every single minute of it! i think the 2nd half was like a lullaby to her because she became very relaxed...but she did not want to miss her favorite song! she loves the line in one of the last songs that says "to love another person is to see the face of God"! if that's the case, i've certainly seen the "face of God" in her.

when the play was over, we took our sweet girl to the american girl store so that she could pick out a new outfit for "emily"...and of course, she asked if we could pick something out for ella! she ended up choosing a fancy dress from me and crutches and a cast from honey! (*maybe she will be a doctor one day...because if you recall...she chose a wheel chair this summer!!!!)

after some fun moments "oohing & aahing" over all things CUTE in the store, we made our way to mi cocina for some yummy mexican food! maddie doesn't eat much - but she loves beans and "wice"!!!! one final stop at baskin robbins for some bubble gum ice cream...and we called it a day!

funny how a hotel room can seem like the most fun part of a trip to a child! madeline was giddy and exclaimed "wow, i've neva been to a hotel befuw!"!!!! to which i replied "yes, you have...you stayed at the ritz carlton when you were 2 months old!!!!!!!"!!! (only because daddy was being courted by a DC firm!!!!!)

she pretended on the phones...and "called" honey & me from the bathroom quite often! she thought that was the COOLEST! it was so fun to be able to soak her up...all by herself! she says the funniest things...and we were able to focus on every. single. thing. she. said!

after a good night's sleep...snuggling together...this is what my sweetheart looked like...

love. this. child. SO. much!

we got dressed and made our way to what is for sure honey's favorite breakfast spot in dallas...bubba's! so yummy! after a couple of pit stops (at the local tj maxx!)...we made our way over to northpark mall! maddie tried on some shoes...but unfortunately, they were a bit too big...and possibly too tall for our accident prone gal...but she had a ball!
she got to pick out a few more happies for her sisters, make a few wishes in the fountain for them...and add lots to her "wish list"!

it was a FUN, full day...and one that i won't soon forget! she never complained for a single second...and hardly asks for anything. she is a joy to be with - no matter what we are doing!

i wish i could document every cute thing she says...or all the ways she shows her unselfishness...but it would be impossible! i'll just hold it all in my heart...and ask you to take my word for it!!!!

on the way home, after lots of SNACKS (her favorite food in the world!!!!)...she said "mom, do i have to stay awake the whole time?"...sweet baby...:) i of course told her no...and within moments she was snoozing!

my goal was to make my middle child feel like she was "queen for a day"...and based on the smiles...and memories she recounts...i'd say we did just that!

no doubt i love my trio more than anything in the world...but there is just something special about stealing each one away...by themselves...

thank you, maddie...for making memories with me...and for me! i won't ever forget this...ever.