Fa La La La La.....

Maddie's first Christmas has come and gone! It was perfect! We had Garret's family over for breakfast and presents. Maddie basically just ripped the paper while we struggled to keep her from eating it! Then we headed to my family's...more presents and more paper munching! Lastly, off to Garret's mom's for yet MORE presents and dinner! We had a tough time shopping for her as she is in this "in between" stage. Too little for a lot of toys, but too big for baby-ish toys. So, we settled on lotsa things that light up, that she can chew on and that make noise! My mom got her an outdoor swing, which she loves! I so enjoyed watching my little baby girl on her very first Christmas, not really caring about much other than that she was surrounded by those she loves. The best present of all? Family...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snooooowwww!!

Ahhhhh, Ohio. The midwest at its finest! Let me describe the area from which Garret's mom, Susie's family is from. Greenfield, Ohio, population less than 5,000. Farms...literally everywhere. Two stoplights...one continuously blinking. Everyone knows everyone AND their business. Just like small town America should be! Being from larger towns myself, this was complete culture shock for me! I have to admit, it was really great!! Everyone was so welcoming and sweet to us. When a dinner was made, people would just come over with every imaginable side dish, dessert and a plate of gossip (I kid...sort of). They were truly some of the kindest, most genuine people I have ever met! His aunt Jan and her husband Lonnie have this lovely home that they opened to us all and made us feel so welcome. Garret's grandparents live just down the street so we got to see them every day! There were 4 generations in one room with Maddie there. We had a blast playing Wii, talking, drinking wine, playing with the baby...so relaxing and fun. And then it came....more snow than I had seen since my days in Colorado. It was beautiful! We ran outside like kids and had a snowball fight, made a snowman. And it was Maddie's first plane ride! She did great...not a peep either leg! During takeoff, her eyes would widen like saucers, but she was amazingly calm and well-behaved! I could have stayed for much longer. It was the most relaxed I have felt in so long. No calls, schedules, appointments. It made me realize taking the time for family and taking care of the soul should aways be a priority! Thank you Greenfield, for your warmth and generosity!

Maddie meets Santa!!

We are evil, cruel people...Garret and I. We decide, on one of the hottest days in early December, to wrap our precious daughter in the heaviest, hottest Santa-imitation (down to the goofy hat) outfit to have her picture taken with the jolly, old fella. And why Costco decided to have this photo session OUTSIDE their store, is beyond me. Mind you, it was CHEAP! I think we paid about 20 bucks to get a bunch of photos in various sizes and 10 Christmas cards. But was it really worth it?! I mean, the poor thing is sweating her little bum off and letting us know all about how unhappy she is about it all. Naturally, Santa and his elves thought she was just precious and fussed over her...all to my dismay. I just wanted them to HURRY already so I could get my poor baby out of the felt disaster and into some lightweight cotton for crying out loud! So, in the photo, she looks miserable and as I am ripping her out of Santa's arms and profusely apologizing to her for forcing her to wear that God-forsaken monstrosity, he leans over and annoyingly says "How do you think I feel?!". Touche', Santa, touche'.

Just cause it's funny....

All I want for Christmas...

is my two front teeeeeeth!! Maddie has two little teeth, just in time for the holidays. I have to say, NONE of the "tips" and tricks people suggested worked worth a poop. She has been cranky, fussy, restless....with zero relief from teething tablets, rings, cold washcloths...I tried it all. A little Tylenol before bedtime seemed to soothe her enough to continue her through-the-night-slumber (thank GOD!!), but that is all I can give credit to. I suppose they just have to "go through it", as they say. Lots of soaked bibs due to the drooling later, her two little bottom teeth are here for the world to see when she flashes that silly grin of hers!

Thanksgiving 2009

I am thankful for many things (see previous blog), but going from house to house to house is not one of them...especially with a 5 month old. If my mom (love her dearly and her cooking is to DIE for) wasn't so crazy-possessive about the cooking, I would love to host Thanksgiving dinner myself! I would rather cook, baste, sweat for hours than travel all over God's creation for more meals than any human, large or small, has any business consuming! But it really was great! We decided (like crazy people) to run the annual "Turkey Trot", a 5K at the crack of dawn. We figured we could justify extra pie if we got some exercise first thing. Garret did great, I almost died and the rest of the gang ran/walked with the kids (thanks Susie, for running with Maddie!) or were somewhere ahead of me. We all wore our Caleb's Crusade shirts and really had a great turnout. If it weren't for the constant drizzle and side-splitting cramp I had from the first mile, it would have been just perfect. After showers and naps, we went to Garret's mom's first, then to my sister's. The food was amazing, the company even better but we were WIPED by the end of the day. But as I listened to my increasingly fussy baby, I was grateful for her little healthy, fussy self. My sister had friends in town for the holiday who had also lost their 4 year old son to cancer. So, while I complain about the inconveniences of the day, I also feel blessed to have had all our families and friends happily and healthily running for a great cause and eating our body weight in turkey!

Thankful...

Two days. 48 hours. Garret's FAVORITE holiday, one of mine (although I have to admit, my Birthday with all the gifts and cake and spoiling is at the very top of my list, with Christmas being a close second....seeing as how not ALL the gifts are for me) and Maddie's first family holiday. Ahhhh, Thanksgiving. Turkey, stuffing, pie, family...triptophan coma. But I mostly like this time of year for it's not-so-subtle hinting at remembering all we are thankful for. I like to think I am always grateful, that I let the people in my life know I love them and their value to me. But I do become so much more aware during this holiday, especially this year when my blessings are so much more abundant than usual. So, here is my list...in no particular order. I am THANKFUL for:

1. my precious child that makes me realize what I was truly meant to do. Her smile makes my life worth living.

2. the love of my life who, in a very short time in the grand scheme of a lifetime has convinced me that true, unconditional, unwavering love does really exist.

3. my family that has been unconditionally supportive, even when my decisions have been questionable. I am eternally grateful for the support and help with Maddie, especially from my mom and sister.

4. my new "family" that have embraced me, have also been amazing with Maddie and supportive and encouraging of Garret and I's relationship.

5. the friends I have been able to count on for years and am convinced I will be snort-laughing with when we're old and gray (ok, gray-er...)

6. the new church we have been attending for a few months that is the first one I have been to that I get excited about every week and has helped me grow in my faith.

7. our modest home that although I would love to have a yard in place of the small, brick courtyard we have, is a place that holds the love and memories of our little family.

8. the fact that I get to work part-time and contribute to my family while being able to also be the primary care giver to my baby girl. Thanks to Garret for picking up the slack...

9. my goofy dog, who makes me crazy (garbage raiding, houdini-ing out of the porch, snoring like an old man, shedding what I am convinced is nearly his entire coat...) but is a loyal, silly, fun member of the family that makes Maddie laugh and will be her buddy one day.

There are the frivolous things like 80's hairbands, a good run, a fountain Cherry Coke, fresh cut flowers, a bubble bath, a warm cup of Mint Tea when it's chilly, laughing so hard you cry, Cherry Chapstick, prayer, reminiscing with old photos, surprises, reconnecting with old friends....I could go on all day (but I will spare you). I suppose my point, which I hope has not gotten lost in all my rambling, is I feel so very thankful these days...for the obvious things, the subtle ones, the dreams to be fulfilled, the reflected-upon past and the oh-so-wonderful present.

Family Photos

We went to Lakes Park a couple weeks ago where we took our first, official family photos done by a friend of a friend who is doing them for FREE until the end of the year. I figured we could afford THAT and maybe use a photo for our Christmas cards! Maddie was a little fussy (we had to wake her from a nap, or we would have been late...and you KNOW what they say about waking up a sleeping baby!) and the wind was crazy, so we have nutty hair (ok, I have nutty hair seein as how Garret has a quarter inch and Maddie is as bald as an old man) and a grimacing baby in most of the pics, but here are a few of the better ones...