Madelyn turns 7!

Madelyn wanted to have a gymnastic birthday party at Altius! She invited her closest friends from 1st grade and the swim team!

Reina, Brooke, Ana, Max, Ella, Maaya, Melanie (and James and Cain not pictured.)

Madelyn

The group started with parachute time!

 Bouncing on the trampoline!

 Madelyn was very excited Annabelle was able to come celebrate with her!

 Climbing on the rope ladder!  Madelyn was a complete daredevil.  You can't tell from the picture how high she was.  She had to flip around the rope ladder and drop into a foam pit! She climbed higher than everyone else!

 The bucket swings were fun!

 We had cookie bars and ice cream after playing in the gym for an hour.

 Madelyn wanted cinnamon rolls for her birthday - which also fell on 'cinnamon roll' Sunday!

 Caroline likes to sit on the counter and watch her brother and sister eat!

 Gifts for the birthday girl!

 My heart!

Dear Madelyn,

You are seven years old!  You are an amazing young lady!  You are kind, thoughtful, smart, and beautiful.  You love school and truly excel in all areas.  You have a love of books and are always asking for me to read more to you each night.  We've settled on the fact that 4 books is as most as mom can do!  (These are chapter books!  You love the Where is and Who is series.)  You've loved reading about Clara Barton, Louis Braille, the first woman doctor, Elizabeth Blackwell, Egyptian Pyramids, and Niagara Falls.  I really am learning a lot through you!

You love art and often recreate projects from school at home. You are doing so well on the swim team.  Your dedication, work ethic, competitiveness, and skill are so impressive.  You have kind heart and have become the best friend of a little girl with Autism in your classroom.  You have learned how to interact with her using picture symbols.  You love playing with your girlfriends Macy and Melanie.  You've learned to jump rope and turn cartwheels.  You hop around the house with happiness.

You love to make plans and keep me organized.  You are helpful and love to teach James and Caroline.  I can count on you and trust you.  You have grown in your independence and will take showers and get ready for bed on your own.  Being on the swim team has also forced you to do things without me right by your side, and you've excelled at this.  You have been capable of this for much longer than you were willing to do things on your own.

Madelyn you bring our family so much joy!  Each birthday, I feel a gamete of emotions.  I love watching you grow, learn, and discover.  I also hate saying goodbye to the last age.  You were a fabulous six year old.

I hope you always know how much I love you!

Love,
Mom