Stay Tuned

I know I have a lot to catch up on, but we just got back from a week long trip to Seattle. I promise I will upload pictures this weekend! Santa brought me a new little Canon camera because my other one died so I took some better, more clear pictures! Yeah! Anyway, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and appreciate the patience as I catch up...(yes that means you Larisa;)) xoxoxoxo

Just Dance

Just a Year Ago...

December 2009

December 2008

What a difference a year makes:) Merry Christmas to all!!!!

My Baby Girl is 1!!

So today was the big day. Maggie turned 1! I have to say it was a day filled with mixed emotions for me. I feel so excited that we have made it through the first year. It was a rough one at times but at other times, it was amazing. This girl has a ton of frequent flyer miles and has been all over with us. She has grown and changed so much. She can be so sweet and so spicy. On the other hand, I was thinking back to where I was a year ago and it made me tear up. Seven feet of snow, big BIG belly, a weird c-section, NICU, silver hair...it was all surreal. It went so fast and so slow. I think it is more difficult because as Chris and I disucss life, we are considering being done with the "having kids" chapter. I just hope that I cherished it as much as I should have. Anyway, I am making myself tear up here so I will just tell you all the great parts of today:

Maggie went to her first dental appointment (we know a guy...) and was perfect! She didn't even cry when Dr. Andrew looked in her mouth.

She wore her princess shirt all day and then changed for the big party!

She was a champ at her party and ate her cake like a pro!
She is currently passed out asleep. We are going to have to read her the Too Much Birthday book!!!
We collected so many presents for the St. Margaret's women's shelter! Thank you to all who donated.

Anyway, I so look forward to all the adventures that children bring, but there isn't anything like seeing your child turn 1. It is like you can release just a tiny sigh of relief. (Just a small one;))

Spiderman Cake

Gingerbread House

This year I was all excited and bought a gingerbread house for Matthew to put together. I waited until Maggie was asleep and then brought it out. He was so excited. This is the first year he has actually "got it" and he carefully put it together as I was in charge of the frosting. He is so funny because he wouldn't use a different kind of candy until one was completely gone! It was so much fun. On a side note, today he told me that Maggie was on the naughty list. Where does he get this stuff!!??

Happy 40th Mom and Dad

Whew...I feel like I am behind! We went to Seattle this weekend to celebrate my parent's 40th wedding anniversary with a very nice brunch. We had some cupcakes for an early birthday celebration for Maggie...oh yeah and we watched Gonzaga CRUSH Davidson at the Battle in Seattle! All in all, not a bad weekend!!!!

Just want to say that making it 40 years...yes 40 years, is a HUGE feat. We have been married 6 and that sometimes seems huge! There have been some ups and some downs, but seeing them together just reminds me how much the payoff is when you put in a little (ok sometimes a lot) of hard work. They are an inspiration to me in my own marriage and I am so happy and lucky. Love you mom and dad!!!

This Year's Santa Picture!

Oh my gosh I love it! Every year we get a santa picture and if I can find them I will add them to this post but this is the first year that Matthew didn't cry!!!! Maggie looks a little skeptical but she didn't cry either. Matthew is totally into Santa. He keeps asking when Chrismas is. When Santa asked him what he wanted he just said trains. It is too cute!

Some New Cakes

I made some more cakes this week. This first one was the first cake I have actually covered in fondant and stacked! I was quite pleased with it:) It was for a 5 year old Princess party! I think the birthday girl was quite happy too:)

This one was for my trainer's daughter. She is turning 2. This paw is fondant but the rest is buttercream.

It's the end...or just the beginning!!!!

Here is the culprit eating a Christmas ball off the tree!

(Before I get into this post, I want to put a disclaimer that I in NO WAY look down upon any person's choice in regard to the feeding of their child. Nursing just happened to work for me so I rolled with it!)

So the day has come...I weaned Maggie from nursing. Let me just start by giving you the semi long version so you can understand where I am coming from. (get comfy...) I nursed Matthew for a year. It was the part of the whole getting pregnant/birthing/having a newborn part that was relatively easy for me. He came out, he latched on, he nursed for a year and the day of his 1st birthday, he looked at me, I looked at him and it was done. I never understood it any other way. I have this friend, Tracie, and she had a daughter (Emily) that was the complete opposite of Matthew. It literally took my friend 6 months to wean her daughter and Emily would cry and cry. I thought "Wow, if you want to wean her, just do it" (Yes, I am admitting I was very naive!) Enter Maggie...she is my payment, my retribution for how easy I had it with Matthew. Now I totally understand it all. The sleeping, the eating, the weaning...man oh man. Well, I have been ready for awhile to stop nursing. I am not one of those women that nursing takes off the weight. In fact, I am the complete opposite. Nursing keeps the last 15 lbs (or let's say 30 lbs) for me. I have been itching to get off the weight once and for all (especially since Maggie, most likely, is it for us but that is another whole post all together!) and just get my body back. As the one year marker approached, I realized that there was going to be no way that Maggie would be ready to be done nursing. She sometimes will wake up during her nap and cry until I go in there and then tantrum and point toward the rocker in her room where I nurse her until I give in. I thought a lot about it. Yes, there is always the "mom guilt" but then I did something that I had not done in 3.5 years. I put myself first. I thought "What the hell...I nursed this child for 11 months and that is good enough! It is time for me!" So I started giving her formula. She loves it! I don't think she even cares to be quite honest. Of course I have mixed feelings. I am so happy to be free of the nursing (although right this moment I am sore and icing) but it is sad to think that she isn't my baby anymore and she could be it. I am trying to look toward the future and get excited for a couple trip to Las Vegas in March and running a half marathon in May with Chris...all things that I have been dying to do but had to put on the back burner for Maggie. Now I can just focus on myself and be the best wife and mother I can be!!!!!!