12.31.09 - Sick

For the first time in a year, Maddie is really sick. Slight fever, snotty nose and just a general sense of feeling crappy. Poor girl! All she wanted was to be held! So instead of doing anything for New Year's Eve we stayed home and comforted our Maddie Girl Maddie Girl. It was pretty rough on us as she was up three times in the night. It didn't even dawn on her dad that it was a new year until halfway through New Year's Day.

12.30.09 - Hey! That's my birthday balloon!

Maddie discovers her birthday balloon at dinner tonight.

It's been there for nearly a week!

12.29.09 - Best of Maddie 2009!

Well, we've made it to a year. A little past, actually, and I can't believe it! I sorted through 365 images and picked my favorites. Click here to see a slideshow recapping My Little Miss Maddie's first year!

12.28.09 - Basket case

Hmmm. Just gotta find the mate (Nate?) to this sock and kiddo! Where could they be?!!

12.27.09 - Full house

We had a great turnout for Maddie's first birthday party! Angie made a pink and yellow daisy cake to accompany a table full of snackies and punch. Maddie didn't care for the cake but ran her fingers though most all of the frosting. She even got a little in her ear! She raked in a ton of cool prizes including some new clothes, books and a shopping cart walker-rider.

All of the immediate family was able to attend including, from left to right, Aunt Tori and Uncle Brent, Grampy Keith and Gramma Karen, Grandma Nancy, Angie and Harley (duh!), Grandpa Shepherd, Uncle Tim, Grandma Shepherd, Grandpa Greg (who's holding cousin Emerson), Aunt Tessa and Nan and Pop along with a few other young aunts and cousins sitting in the corner where this image was made. To everyone who could make it and who've been so supportive of us this past year; THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING! We've been so blessed!

12.26.09 - Yay, Christmas!

Maddie and Taylor play while opening presents at Christmas at Gramma Karen and Grampy Keith's house today. What a great way to end Maddie's first Christmas. Thanks to everyone for all the great new clothes, books and toys!

12.25.09 - New family traditions

Santa left a note for Maddie underneath the Christmas tree.

12.24.09 - What's all the fuss about?

Maddie was a little stunned when we all broke out in a round of "Happy Birthday" tonight, promptly at 8:16 p.m. A year ago at this time Angie and I were welcoming her into the world (and missing Christmas at Nan and Pop's). We were there this year to celebrate. Aunt Tori had the pleasure of holding the birthday girl at the exact moment she turned one year old.

Happy birthday, Maddie!

12.23.09 - "I know him! I know him!"

Before Christmas with Grandpa Greg and family tonight we ran by the Lights on St. Paul display to have Maddie's photo taken with Santa. The display, one of Wichita's most popular, is a benefit raising money for the ARC of Sedgwick County. Inside the main building you can have your photo taken with Santa. For $4 they'll snap a Polaroid for you or you can use your own camera if you make a donation. She didn't want to go to him at first but he had a soft, smoothing voice that put her at ease. What a great Santa! Can't wait to see what he brings her tomorrow night!

12.22.09 - Oochy, ouchy, oh!

Maddie tried to break Brian and Brandi's end table with her forehead after dinner at their house tonight. The table won. That's a pretty impressive goose egg for her first one!

Thanks, Brandi and Brian, for having us over. Dinner was delicious!

12.21.09 - Get a grip

12.20.09 - Great Grandma Betty

Today we traveled to St. Paul, Kan., to celebrate Christmas with Angie's dad's family. Here Maddie sits on Great Grandma Betty's lap with her cousin, Emerson, as they prepare for a photo with all of the other great-grandchildren. Maddie also played peek-a-boo with Aunt Joanie, her godmother, got carried around a lot by Grandpa Greg and received a baby doll as a gift from Santa, who looked an awful lot like Uncle Dennis.

12.19.09 - Cheesiest. Smile. Ever.

Maddie's real proud of herself for unpacking her diaper bag at Gramma Karen and Grampy Keith's tonight. She stayed with them while Mommy and Daddy went to one of many Christmas parties.

Thanks, Gramma Karen, for sharing this photo with us!

12.18.09 - Find your own lap to sit on, Maddie!

Tonight, Harley decided it was her turn to sit on Angie's lap for awhile, something she's been doing more of the closer we get to Maddie's brother's due date.

12.17.09 - Dinner down under

Trying a new take on dinner tonight, I crawled underneath Maddie's high chair and flipped over on my back. She found it quite funny!

12.16.09 - Reach for it!

With sheer determination in her eyes, Maddie reaches for Angie's cell phone. She kept trying. Eventually she got it!

12.15.09 - Where's Maddie?

There she is!

Maddie plays peek-a-boo while helping fold (or unfold) some laundry.

12.14.09 - O, Christmas Tree!

Maddie finally sat still in front of the tree tonight for me to capture an image. I wanted her sans binkie but I'll take what I can get!

12.13.09 - Rough weekend

If the body language or mess doesn't give it away, it's been a rough weekend! Dang teeth!

12.12.09 - Hold me, Mommy!

Maddie's getting her second front tooth (and a couple of others) and all she wants is to be held by her Mommy!

12.11.09 - Joy ride

Nan and Pop joined us for some Christmas light looking tonight. Maddie slept through the first part of the west-side tour but woke up when Harley decided to snuggle with her in her car seat. If you've ever seen Harley try to rearrange a blankie you can imagine what it was like! Maddie thought it was hilarious. She laughed so hard we had to stop the Pilot and laugh with her.

12.10.09 - Tangles

Isn't Maddie's hair pretty following her bath tonight?!!

12.09.09 - Are you grumpy, Daddy?

There's nothing like coming home to this girl after a rough day at the office. Maddie wasn't too interested in taking any photos in front of our Christmas tree so I turned her upside down to shake a smile out of her. Doing so shook the grumpies out of me - just the way it should be! Thanks, Maddie girl!

No Maddies were harmed in the making of this photo.

12.08.09 - That didn't work out so well ...

We gave Maddie a spoon to eat her pears with at dinner tonight. She took one bite with it really well and then started slamming her left hand in it, getting it all over her face! We thought it was pretty funny and so did she!

12.07.09 - Toy box

Pop made a toy box for Angie when she was little. Shortly after we got Harley, he made one for her toys, too. So it only made sense that Maddie get her own toy box, too! We've had it since before she was born but only in the past few weeks has she really been interested in crawling over to it and picking out what she wants to play with. Occasionally she'll get into Harley's toys but for the most part knows which ones are for her.

12.06.09 - Monkey See, Monkey Do

Maddie loves to play peek-a-boo and Cayden loves to mimic. Should get interesting when his little brother arrives early next year.

12.05.09 - "da godfaaathuh III"

We're in Manhattan this weekend to have our annual holiday dinner with Brian, Emily and Travis. We've all been friends since college and it's so wild to think that Christmas now includes reading How The Grinch Stole Christmas to our little ones! Next year, the number of kids will be doubled! Oh, boy! Oh, boy!

12.04.09 - Take that, Nan!

For dinner tonight, Maddie whipped us up some white cake with tomato sauce, tomato soup, green chilies and black beans. Yuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh-meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Take that, Nan!

12.03.09 - Read this one!

Just before bedtime tonight, Maddie crawled into her room and pulled a stack of books off the night stand and began reading! (Well, sort of.) We're so happy that she loves her bed time stories! It's easily one of our favorite times of the day.

12.02.09 - Mommy kisses

Maddie has a booked called "Daddy Kisses" but tonight she got a bunch of Mommy kisses.

12.01.09 - Coasting to the end ...

Maddie hung out with Nan and Pop for awhile tonight. Who knew chewing on a coaster could be so fun?!!

And speaking of coasting, we're coming up on the finish now. I can't believe Maddie girl Maddie girl is nearly ONE YEAR OLD! I'm not sure what form this blog will take after Dec. 24. So, I'd like to hear from you. Leave a comment below with what you'd like to see here. (Remember, Maddie's getting a brother soon and I'll most likely be doing a daily blog for him!) Also, please take the time to leave Maddie some comments in the next few weeks so that she can read them when she's older.