Let's Get This Party Started

Maggie's new playroom is finally complete. It looks so great and Maggie absolutely loves it. She constantly asks to "go in my new playroom". It's pretty amazing how fast it came together and I'm quite proud of John that he did it all my himself (with a little help from some friends). Topping off party: TBA

A Visit with family

A few weeks ago we had a really nice visit with Jim, Mary, Kasey and Mackenzie while they were here for a soccer tournament (Go Kenzie Go!). Maggie had a great time visiting with her cousins and aunt and uncle. We got to see Mackenzie play some really great soccer and get cupcakes and go to the park with Kasey. We even got to see our buddies in Baltimore. It was a great weekend. We only wish it could have been longer.

We're on YouTube

I just posted some of Maggie's videos on www.youtube.com Go check them out and maybe if we get lots of views Maggie might end up on Good Morning America or The Today show! Just search for my username, MaggieMagoosMama, and the videos will come right up.

Happy St. Patricks Day

I promised I would be better about updating the blog and here we are...

Here's a quick post to get me back into the swing of things. Maggie and some friends enjoying the St. Patrick's Day parade in Gaithersburg.

Up to the moon...and back.

Tonight for the first time I put Maggie to bed without her nightly bottle. I've been working on getting her off bottles completely for some time now, but we started in earnest last week. With the holidays and all our time away I didn't feel like it was a good time until now. After her 15 month check up I was told to start the process and that very day I dropped the nap time bottle with no fuss at all. About a week later I tried to drop the morning bottle, but I caved after a few days. The truth is I, not Maggie, wasn't ready to give up bottles yet. Every time I thought about it it seemed as if no bottles suddenly meant she wasn't a baby anymore. It was too soon and I wasn't ready to give up that special time yet. I felt the same way when she weaned herself from nursing - she was ready and I wasn't.

So, last week we dropped the morning bottle and replaced it with a sippy cup. Much to my surprise she took the cup of milk on the second morning of the transition. Up until this point I hadn't been able to get her to drink milk from a sippy cup. She drinks about half while we have some snuggle time and then the rest at breakfast. All this week we've been heating her nighttime bottle less and less (she doesn't like a cold bottle) and last night she drank about 1/4 of it and pushed it away. We read two books, brushed our teeth and she went right to bed. So tonight was the final test - no bottle at all. She had her bath and got dressed for bed. We took our usual position in the rocking chair (she is asking for the baba at this point) and we sit down. I offer her a sippy cup of milk which she pushes away and after that she settles in with her thumb in her mouth as we read Guess How Much I Love You. The only protest I got was when I suggested we read Goodnight Moon (which we have read every night for her entire life!) and she cried and wanted to read Guess How Much one more time. Teeth were brushed and she met Monkey in the crib for a date to dream land.

So, I'm trying not to look at it as an ending, but a beginning. She is growing up so fast and I don't think she could ever guess just how much I love her.

A Catholic by nature

I just love this picture. This is Maggie outside of my neighbors house. She is fascinated with her statue of The Virgin Mary and without prompting walked up to it and gave it a kiss. I certainly reminds me to take a step back from the business of every day life and reexamine my faith.

Christmas Morning

We had a really nice Christmas in Albany this year. We said we weren't going to go overboard with gifts this year since Maggie is so young, but of course - we did! She got a Tickle Me Elmo (Extreme!) - it's hysterical to watch and she absolutely loves it. She also got a mini Dyson vacuum just like Mama's. Since we will likely be away from home most Christmases we've come up with a nice tradition for Maggie. Each year I buy her a special pair of Christmas PJ's and that will be how Santa knows where she is. Maggie really loves being with our families which is the best present we could ever ask for. Seeing her play with my nieces and nephews just like I did when they were her age makes very happy. Overall it was a bitter sweet Christmas without Grandpa there, but Maggie makes everything so much fun that you can't help but smile. We had a good time being with family and watching all of Maggie's antics.

What will you bring?

Dear 2011,
First let me say welcome! We're very glad to see you and to bid goodbye to your friend 2010, which was a very challenging time for our family. I have very high hopes for our relationship and promise to do my best to be my best this year. While I don't want to put too much burden on you in these first few days of your new position, I do have some requests:
1) Please keep our families and friends safe, happy, and healthy.
2) Help us to focus on what is truly important - love.
and finally...
3) Please lock Sarah Palin in Alaska and don't let her out.

With sincere thanks,
The O's