Maddie's First Christmas -- 2009

We spent Christmas in San Angelo with the Ramirez clan, hosted by my brother Mark and his wife, Whitney, who is going to be a Mommy in the Spring. (YAY!)

As usual, we had a wonderful time, ate lots of food and just hung out. The weather turned out to be colder than expected so we got to enjoy a light snowfall on Christmas Eve.

Maddie had a permanent smile on her face the entire visit. She was giddy from all the attention, new toys and playtime with her cousin, Ava. Maddie's a pretty smart cookie because she has my family fooled into thinking that she never gets grumpy because she's so joyful with a house full of people.

Over Christmas, Maddie also started (officially) walking - i.e. more than 3-5 steps at a time. She can walk across an entire room, pick up toys and keep on walking. She's still a bit wobbly and crawls sometimes or does her funny knee hop but does walk quite a bit.

We'll definitely remember Maddie's first Christmas for years to come.

Playdate!

Everyday, I am thankful for my Mommy friends and they're sweet babies who have given Maddie lots of joy and socialization this year.

This past weekend, we had a Sunday playdate so a larger group of us could get together. As always, there was good food, great conversation and loads of baby fun.

Maddie is very thankful for her friends too.

Maddie takes a few steps

Over the last few days, Maddie has continued to practice walking with and without her toys/walkers/chairs, etc.

She's still pretty wobbly but seems to get more confidence every day. The main thing we notice about Maddie's walking is she walks more when she's in a really good mood and wants to show off. Otherwise, she prefers to crawl.

Maddie Meets Santa

Today, Maddie and one of her friends, Erica, met Santa for the first time. Santa seemed like a nice enough guy but Maddie was unimpressed and did not crack a single smile.

We managed to get a decent picture of her and Santa before she burst into tears and gave me a look which said, "MOM!!! Why are you just standing over there! Get me away from this silly man!" :-)

Still, taking Maddie to meet Santa for the first time was a sweet experience I won't forget.

Momma loves you, honey!

Snow Bunny

Besides Maddie's 11-Month B-Day on Friday, we also got a light snowfall that day. Austinites anticipated snow all week, hoping it would really happen, and it did for many in the city.

Although it didn't snow much and melted as soon as it hit the ground, it was still pretty and a fun memory to have with Maddie.

Here's a video of Maddie and I enjoying the snowfall.

11 Months Old

Today, Maddie turns 11 months old. The thought that we'll have a toddler roaming our house very soon excites and saddens me. Sometimes I want to bottle her up and keep her this age forever. She's so happy and innocent and sweet. She embodies living life to its fullest and she does so without even trying. If only life was always so pure.

A Few Things to Remember about Maddie at 11-Months Old:

• Pushes chairs/toys/riding toys around the house to practice her walking.
• "Sings" along with me or music
• Screams very loudly when she's excited about something like bananas or her sippy cup.
• She's communicating with us more and more. She points to things she wants (like water or puffs) and understands words like milk, banana, and some phrases like "Do you want to brush your teeth?"
• Enjoys being around people and other kids all the time.
• Remains a happy camper most of the day - everyday.