Five for Friday: Five Great Things That Maggie Has Done in Her First Year.

Happy New Year Everyone!

I still can't believe that Maggie is a year old now. Time flies. Maggie and I are just relaxing today while they finish the work on our apartment.

These are the five greatest things has done in her first year.

1. Seeing her laugh and smile. One of my favorite things is to make her laugh.

2. Walking. She still needs a little help with walking, but she does it so well. She can walk while holding one of our hands. You can tell by looking at her that she wants to walk so bad.

3. Feeding herself. Maggie won't really let us feed her any more. She will push the spoon away and insist on feeding herself. What can I say, she knows what she wants.

4. Being a camera ham. Every time I point the camera at her, she get a big smile on her face. I think I am over 5k pictures.

5. Making me the happiest daddy out there. I love spending time with her. Even on the bad days.


We hope everyone has a happy and safe New Year. If your in Chicago remember the CTA has penny rides tonight. If not, call a cab if you need to. Cheers!

Maggie is a year old!

That's right, Maggie is now 1. Just seems like last week we brought her home from the hospital on Christmas Eve 2009. She has grown so much in this past year. She was our little snuggle buddy at first with her sleeping on our chests after eating. With her legs tucked under her body and scooting up to our necks to be closer to us. Sometimes I would be on the couch for two hours because I was very comfortable and I didn't want to wake her.

Now she is growing teeth like crazy and starting to walk. She loves  to stand up and play and she very good at pulling herself up. She can stand for a few seconds on her own, but she lacks the confidence to try it by herself.

We had a few friends and family over last week to celebrate her birthday. Nothing to big, but I did make her a cake (below). Not bad for a rookie. This was her personal cake which we let her destroy. All homemade yellow cake with a chocolate butter cream frosting. Tasted pretty damn good!

Maggie got a lot of toys and books for her birthday. I still haven't opened some of her new toys as there is so many. You can never have enough books though. She love's all of her new toys. I, on the other hand are not a huge fan of the noisy toys. I got her some ABC 123 blocks for Christmas. No noise, only learning.

Maggie and I have been doing very well on my SAHD days. We still have pretty much the same routine. I play with her a lot more now. She is easier to interact with now. She is becoming her a little person! The only bad thing is that she is starting to yell and whine when she wants something and we need to stop this. When I am making her lunch for example, she will yell until she gets her food. Unacceptable. It will take time, but we will teach her this is not the way to get things. I like teaching her things. I want her to learn the best things in life.

Let It Snow!

We spent Christmas at my wife's parents house downstate in Highland IL. We had a great time while we were there. Best part was we really didn't do anything. For two days we just sat around the house and watched Maggie play with all of her new toys. The drive down was a whole other story.

We decided to leave on Christmas Eve after my wife got off work at 7:30pm. So I loaded up the car by myself (nothing new there), and headed to pick her up at the hospital. Did I mention it was snowing? Snowing the whole way down to Highland. As we left Chicago to roads were not that bad. When we got further away the roads got much worse. My average speed was 40mph. I didn't go above 50mph until we almost got there on the country roads because the roads were clear. I almost called off the drive early on, but the roads would get bad then better a few mins later. The drive took forever, and I drove the whole way (once again nothing new) because the wife was very tired and she hates driving in the snow. We finally arrived at 2am. I was tired but not as bad as the day before when I drove to the south side of Chicago, a distance of 14mi. and it took over an hour to get there in traffic.

We got up the next morning and had some breakfast and opened presents. I got the wife a necklace with Maggie's birthstone in it. I got some books and clothes. Maggie got me a Cookie Monster t-shirt. I smoked a few Christmas cigars out in the smoking lounge, aka the garage and yes it was cold. Those cigars kept me nice and warm.

The first pic is on Christmas. I got her as she was clapping. The second is the next night. Every time I pointed the camera at Maggie she did this. The last one I got yesterday. Took me a while, but I got one with her eating her toes.

A Lazy Sunday.

Today has been a very laid back day. Although, I am doing stuff around the house. Mostly just taking it slow since there is no 49ers game on today. I made the test cake for Maggie's birthday. I had a few nibbles, it tastes really good. The frosting is an Italian meringue butter cream. Very good and it was not too hard to make.

We went to see the Zoo lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo on Friday. We went with the kids that my wife used to nanny for. Those kids were so excited to meet Maggie and to see my wife. It has been some what of a tradition to take them every year and we always have a lot of fun. The 6 year old girl that she used to watch has been sending her notes. She called Elizabeth to let her know they are pen-pals. Too funny. Maggie will enjoy it much more next year.

We are getting ready for Maggie's first birthday. Still a lot to do. We are also getting ready for Christmas. This year we will be down state with the wife's parents house. I might go to the 49ers-Rams game on the 26th. At this point in the season, the 49ers are pretty much done for. We will be leaving Christmas eve for down state, that way we can be there Christmas morning.

Five for Friday: 5 things I wanted for Christmas but never got as a kid.

TGIF!

1. Cash register. I asked my mom for one and got a cheesy plastic one. I wanted the real thing! I think I told her that on Christmas, oops.

2. One of those Power Wheels things. You know the ones. Thought they where so cool! Maggie will be getting the pink Barbie one (if thats the one she wants).

3. Every Star Wars toy ever made. I did get a B-Wing one year. Wish I still had that thing.

4. A brother. Eh I was an only child. Got lonely at times.

5. Nintendo. Got a Genesis a few years later. I have a Wii now with a lot of old school games on it.

It's Almost Maggie's Birthday!

Maggie will be turning one in less than a week. I think I may be more excited than the wife. Of course I am excited for Maggie also. We are having a small party for her. Just family and a few friends. Nothing big. Although I am making Maggie her own birthday cake. This was a long debate for the wife and I. She doesn't see a need for Maggie to have her own cake. I think it is a nice idea for Maggie to have her own cake. I had my own cake, all to myself. Made for some great pictures of me devouring the cake. I intend on doing a test cake this week for her. The wife likes to make things from a box. I, on the other hand, like to make everything from scratch if I can.

We have been buying her birthday presents throughout the year when they are on sale. Don't tell Maggie, but we got her a doll stroller, a tea set, and a bunch of little people toys. Almost time to party!

Home Sweet Home

We are back home. Feels good to be home. Except for all of those crazy drivers in Chicago. Look for some changes in the coming weeks to this blog. I now have time to spend designing it as I want it.
Please don't forget to vote!

Maggie's First Visit to Santa

Hello again from Highland IL. We are still here until tomorrow. We are having a great time visiting and relaxing. I had a nice nap earlier today. Maggie on the other hand, did not. She only slept about 30 mins. She is the power nap queen.

Maggie had her first visit to see Santa on Friday. She did not like Santa at all. I kind of expected her to be scared of Santa. Even today, when her own uncle was dressed up as Santa, she cried the whole time. I took some pics on Friday. As you can see, she was not fond of Santa.

Maggie got a new Teddy Bear last night at grandpa's office Christmas Party. She loves it a lot. It is one of those build a bears. She also got a gift card to get some new outfits for her new Teddy. This kid has more stuffed animals than some stores keep in stock.

The other pic of the snow I took today when I went to Wal-Mart to get the wife a Diet Coke. Good times. As you can see the wind was really blowing the snow. I found it to be kind of fun. It was a short drive. Roads were not that bad. Visibility was really bad though.

Five for Friday: 5 Things I Saw at Wal-Mart (The small town kind)

Greetings from Highland IL. Pop 9500! We are visiting my wife's parents for a nice long weekend.


Five for Friday: 5 Things I Saw at Wal-Mart (The small town kind):

1. Several different things that had camouflage on it. Such as a Snuggie

2. A Red Ryder Carbine BB Gun, yep that one. 75th anniversary. Simply awesome.

3. Several different pocket knife gift sets (I'm one to talk, I carry one everywhere, and I still have my dad's old buck knife.)

4. I only saw three mullets.

5.I saw a blow-up John Deere tractor lawn ornament.

Makes for great memories. 

Five for Friday: 5 things Maggie has done in the last week.

Here we go

1. Pulled herself up to a standing position. She still can't stand by herself. If she hangs on to something she will stand and laugh all day.

2. Spit up on daddy's face. Yes this happened. Yesterday. This is only like the fifth time she has spit up.

3. Had her 1st ever Thanksgiving.

4. Had her first taste of turkey.

5. Started pointing at everything ( I mean everything, the cats, the pictures on the wall) and say ugg.

This pic is from yesterday at play group.