Maggie's first word was "baby" (prounouced 'bee-bee')She now says:Elmo (eh-mow)Ball (mall) - typical girl...MamaDaddyTree (chee)Car (caw)Fishy (she)Maggie had her one year appointment yesterday with Dr. Willmore. Weight: 18lbs - 10th percentileHeight: 29 in. - 50th percentile2 bottom teeth (finally)I have now asked at least 6 different doctors that she's seen if she is "too small." I guess I'm always paranoid because when you don't have a chubby, 30 pounder, people start to wonder if you're feeding your kid. Chubby babies = bragging rights. Like somehow, the more rolls your baby has, the better parent you are. I have gotten a similar response from every doctor, "she's just where she should be." Then they go on to explain how breastfed babies should be 'long and lean,' and that babies take after their parents. What about the gigantic kids that have tiny parents, or vice-versa? Well, we're still proud of our growing, eating, cute, petite little Maggie.
While I talked to the doctor, she sat on my lap looking at a book, no problem. But as soon as he tried to come near her, she was very apprehensive. Even though I was holding her, she did not like him putting his stethoscope on her or looking in her ears. She kept trying to push him away with her hands - to no avail. He was very kind and very patient, but she wouldn't have it. After a few minutes, her frustration was apparent by her SCREAMING. She screamed and cried, even when he was finished and left the room, she continued crying while I dressed her until we left the exam room.Unfortunately, her fear was not over yet. He suggested we get a routine blood test for hematocrit and a lead level. I knew this wouldn't be easy. So, I took her over the lab where they had suckers. Perfect! She loved her lollypop, it was working great, until....They asked me to put a warm pack next to her heel to prepare for the blood test. So while she enjoyed her sucker, I gently tried to touch her foot with the warm pack. (It was not hot). She wouldn't let me get near her with it. It was like she knew what would come afterwards. Even the sucker didn't calm her fears, so there I was in the waiting room where I'd been instructed to "hold this on her heel for 5 minutes." HA!I walked to the back and explained that this was not working. We do these same tests work, so I understand the importance of "warming" beforehand, but it's a lot easier with a 4lb. baby than a kicking, screaming, one-year old. So I had to hold poor sad Mags while the girls warmed her heel for 2 minutes and then poked for the sample. She didn't even react as much for the poke as she did for the stupid warm pack! After they finished, I gave her back her sucker and she seemed very content. The lab girls acted amazed that I was such a calm mother through the oreal. Maybe I should have been more sensitive. I felt bad for her, but I understood why we were doing it, so that made the experience easier.Maggie survived and so did I. I think I'll wait a few days before we go get her shots.
Here's what she didwhen we got home.
Just this week, she figured out how to turn her walker around herself, so now she can go wherever she wants. (As you can imagine, we used to bend over many times to 'redirect' her walker or get it 'unstuck'.) Now she can do it herself, she's so proud.
Mommy's cell phone remains her favorite toy, and as a result, I have gotten several phone calls from people saying, "I see you called earlier?" Oops...
The whole group.
The 4 dorks.
Daddy and daughter with their swinging babies.
Lots of bouncing with "Ba-pa"
This is definitely one of the few times she smiled while on this rocking horse from Aunt Janna. She was pretty scared of it most of the time, but I am sure it will get plenty of use in the near future.
First pig-tails. My favorite!
Scrabble, Carcassone, Risk, and of course, Looping Louie!
Lots of swinging.
Lisa and I thoroughly enjoyed our joy rides (at speeds that will not be mentioned here) to Target, the grocery store, Ride Aid and all the other places where you would surely take a car like this. My dad's new toy was a lot more fun than expected.
Maggie had her own joy rides in this rare vehicle.
Opening her stocking on Christmas morning. She is holding her Elmo toothbrush and toothpaste that Santa got her for her 2 new teeth that finally came.
Every child needs a barn with all the animals. 
Here's the view at Ryan's parent's house on Christmas Day. Ryan put Maggie outside in her high chair to appreciate the white Christmas.
She also got her first taste of snow.
Not a huge fan of the white cold stuff. 
She got another Elmo to add to her serious collection. This one doesn't just talk, he tells like 10 minute stories - a little too long for Maggie's attention span. After about 30 seconds of his blabbering, she starts crying and gets scared. It's hard not to laugh.
While we waited for Santa (we thought he was supposed to be there at 8am, but he didn't get there until 10 - what a lazy Santa, and grumpy too!) we went and got some "professional" photos done at Kiddie Kandids - Maggie's first photo shoot ever.
She was really good and looked super cute - and we got out of there for less than $35 bucks!
Wait a minute, you're not my mom...
Just for fun.
That was our car yesterday.
The view from our window.
Here's what she didwhen we got home.
I forgot to display Ryan's birthday present...a shelf full of "good drink." Ryan's favorite thing is to have a huge selection of of beverages to choose from, so needless to say, he was thrilled to open the fridge on the morning of his birthday to this nice stash.
Testing the lights. 
She love the swings now.
She ate the bread while we fed the ducks. 
Later it got cold when we went to go watch Ryan play some soccer.
