A little bit of Ollie

Ollie is joining the ranks of the noteworthy moments- to which we couldn't be more pleased. A couple weeks ago my sweet sister in law held a "boys camp" at her house for a week, during which all the Madsen boy cousins could come play. So we shipped all 3 boys off for an entire week! The point of this is that Ollie came back talking so much more often and more clearly than he had left a short 8 days earlier!

So on that note, we were driving the other day and drove past the temple. He always points them out, very excited about it. SO I ask who is on top, to which he replies "Moroni!" (before going to cousins camp he called him "mona"). I ask what Moroni is holding in his hand and he replies, "a french fry!" I have heard many kids interpret what Moroni holds- a gun, a lightsaber, a sword (clearly I only speak to boys), but french fry is new.

He has really enjoyed the fireworks this year. The first time we saw them this year was at our city celebration, and I don't think he remembered them at all from last summer. We went to the big concert they do in the evening and then afterward they start fireworks. He was SO excited when they started that he began fumbling around for the word for them and settled on "pokies." I absolutely LOVE hearing him call fireworks that. He has seen enough in the last month to where he has started to call them fireworks, but if they catch him by surprise or they are close by, he still gets overexcited and calls them "pokies." This is one I wish he would never stop using!

He has started using the bathroom! HOORAY for us! We are a LONG way away from being fully trained, but he has gone all day today with no accidents yet (it's only 2 pm) and yesterday he only had one. Maybe the end of diapers is in sight for the Madsen's!
He has now permanantly added the "rrr" sound to his pronunciation of truck. I am so relieved- given that "t" has been given the "f" sound. I can handle "fruck."
I know there is one more thing he has said I wanted to add... I may have to go back and add it later.
The last thing to add is a boy moment we had in our home about a month ago. Of course anything of epic proportions at our house includes Emitt, and this is no different.
I was on the phone taking care of some business one morning and the cordless phone began to die. I had to then resort to the corded phone in my bedroom upstairs, which I had done many times before. Keep in mind that as the phone rings for this particular call, I am currently mopping the kitchen floor. I quit mopping to go upstairs to finish the call. When I return downstairs about 10 minutes later, I walk into the kitchen to see Ollie licking the floor. My first feeling was, "at least it is freshly clean..." but I should have looked a little closer. There was this red liquid all over the freshly mopped kitchen floor. I stand there and try to put the puzzle together- where did this mysterious red goo come from? Then I see the pair of scissors. It is getting worse by the second. I see a piece of clear plastic, then another, than about 15 more. I realize this is an Otter Pop wrapper that has been cut into about 30 pieces. Ahhh! We really aren't out of otter pops like I thought! Apparently there was an unfrozen one somewhere that Ollie happened upon and decided to treat himself to. I curse my dead phone battery and grab a rag and go down on my hands and knees to clean it up, and then re-mop. This is when I notice Emitt sitting under the kitchen table, a smug smile on his face and bright blue all around his mouth. Right. Those adorable cinderella princess cupcakes the neighbor shared with us. Oh wait... is that one stuck to the bottom of the table? YUP. Emitt heard me coming and knew he would be in trouble, so the only thing he could do was reach up and STICK IT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE KITCHEN TABLE! This cupcake is just dangling there! It is then I decide to more fully take stock in the status of my kitchen. I find blue frosting down the microwave door (this should be a clue for my future), on the stovetop, down the oven door, and along the countertop by the sink. Now that I am seemingly focused on Emitt, Ollie decides this is his chance to run. He stands up and then I notice the remainder of his scissor skills... 4 large holes in the legs of his shorts. At this point I am so beyond even knowing who to scold or what to clean up I just take a seat. Luckily no cupcakes fell from the table. After recovering from that light headed please-tell-me-this-is-a-dream moment, I got to work cleaning up. I thought the moment had passed... that is until I tried to thaw the meat for dinner. Apparently along with eating a cupcake, Emitt needed to know what would happen if he put one in the microwave. Well, in case you are interested, the light blue frosting turns to sticky impossible to clean goo and the cupcake explodes and then bakes itself onto the walls of the microwave.
You have to have these moments to appreciate the pokies, don't you?

Old McMadsen walks the plank

Ollie loves everything about farms and farm animals, so we had decided on a farm party for his birthday. The first go around got canceled, so we ended up with a million different plans for the next week. Origionally we were going to have a traditional madsen birthday party at our house with all sorts of farm games and what not. But... after the duration of illness, I wasn't up for such an event. So we decided to haul the party down to the farm and Thanksgiving Point instead. Enter the 6 inches of snow we received the day before the party. Although we love winter, our guests don't, so we showed pity and planned for a sledding party instead (Here is where the theme becomes nonexistent). Apparently we were getting a little more Colorado weather, because by the time I returned home that evening, all 6 inches were gone! So we were out of luck again. I still didn't want to try the farm because of the mud, there was no snow for sledding, so....

we decided to give it a go at Pirate Island instead. We had never been here before, but it ended up being great! It's pretty much a combination of Chuck E Cheese and Casa Bonita. Despite the fact that Ollie was PETRIFIED of the skeletons they had all over the place, the boys and the few friends that were able to make it had a great time!

The boys loved the balloon swords that the balloon guy made.

I think we had all the little pirates in the joint up on this stage having the grand master fencing battle of all time! Ollie also found a worthy foe in the balloon bouquet grandma brought.

Of course, there were more candles to blow out- and Ollie shared this one with his best buddy, Great Grandma Ruth. He also had a great time in the arcade! He got to...

But his favorite of all was the basketball shooting game. This is Luke, Emitt, and Ollie all doing it at the same time. They found this a great way to stretch their tokens!

Thanks to all who joined us for a great celebration!

Happy 2nd birthday, Ollie!

We celebrated Ollie's 2nd birthday at the end of last month. I can't believe my baby is 2! Because we had spend the previous 3 weeks puking, with the last of the puke coming just a day before, we decided to postpone the festivities a week and hopefully not share our joy with the world. I think he scored on this because he ended up with 3 birthday parties!

We had to do a little something for him on the actual day, puke or no puke. Usually Kent and I decorate the boys' rooms on their big day. But I found out this year- Ollie is still too light of a sleeper! I woke him up 3 times before I finally decided to decorate the front room instead- which never happened, by the way. Anyway, I walked in to get him out of bed on the big day and this is what I saw...We had gone to burger king a couple days earlier and I had forgotten that I had left his crown on his dresser, which he can reach from his crib. It was as if he knew it was HIS big day or something!

Ollie's favorite food is muffins, so we indulged him in a few (more than half of the batch) on his big day.I love that cute little smile!

That evening, Grandma and Grandpa Cox braved the bodily fluids and came up to celebrate. I don't think that Ollie even really likes cake that much, and I was feeling pretty badly that day, so I passed on the cake and we had birthday sopapillas instead!

One of my favorite things about Ollie is his neat freak side. It isn't that he doesn't ever make a mess- because he is a champ at it- but it better be cleaned up precisely how and when he wants it to be when the time comes. This rolls over into birthday present opening. He meticulously pulls each little strip of paper off the gift- including tiny little pieces of tape- and it all has to be off before he can even start to really see what the present is. Then, after he has figured out what the toy is, the rest of the opening is on hold while the last batch of paper goes in the garbage (or his garbage truck toy). It was extreme enough that the cousins have made "no wrapping paper" stipulations on all Ollie's gifts from now on.He recieved some very nice gifts- but I think his favorite was the bag of goldfish that Tyse picked out for him, or the watercolor paints that Emitt picked. In fact, when bedtime came that night, all 3 boys were wailing about putting the paint away. I guess that means they liked it.

I must say that for a sick birthday, it was pretty fun! Happy Birthday, baby boy!

Will the real Ollie Madsen please...

Last year sometime Kent's dad brought over a few boxes

of his things from growing up and inside were these two little cabbage patch dolls that Kent had when he was little. The boys have adopted them as their own and love to change their diapers and clothes, as well as give them naps and sleep with them.

The funny thing about it is that both boys have named their dolls "Dolly Ollie". So Tyse thinks we have 3 ollie madsen's at our house- Ollie, Dolly Ollie, and Dolly Ollie. What good company Ollie has!

Ollie is 6 months

Ollie has really gotten to be a lot of fun lately. He just turned 6 months and has been so much fun! He loves to interact with his brothers and loves when Emitt gets close and bumps heads with him. He loves his jumper- even enough to sleep there....

he also loves the mirror.

He is starting to eat solids more (even though the first time I attempted he cried harder than I think he ever has) and is a big fan of applesauce and can pass on sweet potatoes.

He is already a thrill seeker and loves being tossed in the air, hung upside down, and jumps on anyones lap at any time. Feedings now take forever because he prefers to watch what is going on and play. He sleeps 11+ hours at night (hard to believe that with Emitt at this age he was still waking up every 45 minutes), which makes you think I should be well rested. Oh well.

He has the most engaging giggle. He is topping the charts at 16 1/2 lbs (25%), which always makes me laugh because everyone always thinks he is so chubby for his age! It is those adorable leg rolls. Love it. He can get up on his hands and knees and sits wonderfully. He chases toys around by rolling and scooting on his belly.

He loves watching almost anything on TV, has definite favorites on toys, and loves his mobile. We love having him in our home. His smile makes my day! We love you Ollie!

Tagalong

My kids LOVE their "taggies." Tyse was given one by my aunt when he was born and I didn't have any idea what we really received- it still is what he wants any time he is tired, hurt, etc. Emitt has one, no wait, he carries TWO around anytime he can find both (he has a backup).
If you haven't seen one, it is a square piece of fabric- most often fleece- with ribbon tags poking out all over. My kids love to rub the tags as they fall asleep or sit in the car or whatever. Anyway, I got so many comments about them that I started making them and selling them at local boutiques and to friends and family that ask. I have LOVED doing it and I think they are just so great. Anyway, I made one for Ollie before he was born, but his is a little different. It hgs minkydot on one side, and silk on the other, along with the tags over the edge. This week he finally is old enough to notice it exists and play and suck on the tags. I was so excited and took some cute pictures of him with it.
If anyone needs a cute and unique gift, let me know! :)

Ollie's Blessing

On sunday we were able to have Ollie blessed at church. It was such a beautiful day and we were so lucky to have friends and family from all over join us to celebrate! Unfortunately, I forgot to take any pictures until the day was almost over, so this is what I have to show for it...

I am going to have Kent take some pictures of Ollie in his blessing outfit so you can see him later. It was fun to celebrate with people that we don't get to see as often as we would like. It is amazing that you can live only 20 minutes away from family or friends and it takes a major event to even get to see them! So thanks for all that made it and we missed those that couldn't come-maybe next time!
The blessing was wonderful. I am always so in awe of the power of the priesthood. What an amazing blessing in our lives! I am grateful for a husband who holds and honors his priesthood and can bless our children (and me) in these times and in other times that we need it. This was the first time we have blessed one of our boys at church, so it was a new experience for us. Those visiting our ward had a treat- we just split our ward 2 weeks ago, and we are in the small, still growing, very young ward. We just left a more established ward and had 240 women in relief society, and almost 200 kids in primary, so we are now considerably smaller. But on sunday, we had 5 baby blessings and 1 confirmation, so the place was packed! it was even more full than the fullest days before the split. So between the blessings, confirmation, and about 10 minutes of new callings, there were only 5 minutes left for testimonies. It seemed to be the shortest sacrament meeting ever.
The highlight to any party, in my opinion, is the food, and we were really feasting this time! Thanks to all that provided food for us! I stole this picture of Amy eating a tart from her mom's blog- thanks! I promised recipes from the food, so here they are...

Kahlua Pork- 7 lbs. Boston Butt Roast (Pork Shoulder- just a different way to cut it, but the regular cut works) 2 T. Hawaiian Salt (Get it at ethnic food stores- one called Many Lands in provo by the hospital) 2 T. Liquid Smoke (By the BBQ sauce at the grocery store) Place pork in crock pot. Cover with salt and pat into skin. Pour liquid smoke over top. Cook on low heat 12-18 hours, unplug 1 hour before serving. Shred with forks and serve.
My note- I made 15 lbs and served 45 people. It is a really cheap and simple thing to make and serve- and is incredibly delicious!

Fruit Salad (made by my mother in law) Any selection of fruit you may like- we had grapes, bananas, strawberries, nectarines, blueberries, and blackberries Sauce: 1 egg, beaten 1/2 c. sugar 1/3 c. lemon juice 1 Tablespoon butter In saucepan, combine egg, sugar, lemon juice, and butter. Bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Place in a different bowl to cool (place in the fridge). Just before serving, add 1 Tablespoon of milk and whip until well mixed. Pour over prepared fruit.



Tart Shells 1 c. plus 2 T. butter 1 c. sugar 1 egg 1 Tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon almond flavor 3 c. plus 3 Tablespoons flour Mix all ingredients. Press into any shape tart tins that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees until they are browned.
My note- they have been taking me about 15 minutes to cook. You don't want them white because they will break when you remove them from the tins. They need to be somewhat browned. Also- you can just put canned pie filling in to finish them, or you can try some of my favorite fillings below...


Lemon Tart Filling
1 c. sugar 2 T. flour 3 T. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt 1 1/2 c. water 2 lemons
2 Tablespoons butter 4 egg yolks, beaten

Juice and zest lemons.
In medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, corn starch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice, and zest. Cook over med-hi heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter.
Place egg yolks ina small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 c. of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour into baked shells.

Chocolate Tart Filling
1 c. sugar 2 T. unsweetened cocoa 2 T. flour
1 pinch salt 2 egg yolks 1 c. milk
1 T. butter

IN a large saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Mix well, then stir in egg yolks and milk. Whisk until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is consistency of pudding. Stir vanilla and butter into custard. Pour into baked shells.

Fresh Strawberry (or Peach) Pie Filling
1 c. sugar 2 T. cornstarch 2 c. water
1- 3oz pkg. coordinating jello 1-2 pints fresh fruit

Stir sugar and cornstarch together. Add water and bring to a rapid boil. Stir in Jello. Cool and pour over fruit in pie shell.

Ollie's mini photo shoot

The other day while I was giving Ollie a bath, I asked kent to come take some pictures. Little did I know I was going to get 247 of them! I am not even exaggerating! But they turned out SO GOOD! I am so glad we got a good camera and that Kent is figuring out all the settings and things!
Here are some of my favorites....