Precious Moments

As you know, we are thoroughly smitten with our little girl. She does the most adorable things! Yesterday while she was eating breakfast, I was on the computer with my diet coke beside me. She had her waffle and milk cup. She kept handing me her cup and then asking for it back, then she'd point. I soon discovered that she wanted her cup to sit next to my diet coke. Mommy and Maryn, just like I love it!

We're also trying to teach Maryn to sit down while she's drinking from a cup. She's not quite getting it, but when she asks for her milk (she signs "milk please") I'll tell her to sit down. I expect her to sit right where she is at the moment, but she likes to walk all the way across the room to sit. I usually have to get up and take her cup to her. She sure knows how to get attention.

Maryn fell last night and bumped her cheek near her eye. I was so upset, as was Maryn. I held her for quite a while and periodically she would pat me on the back to reassure me that she was alright...just what I needed! By the time Rich got home about an hour later, she was requesting food and smiling. She recovered quicker than me!

She likes to sit in our lap to read and play...today she is staying very close to me and protests when I leave her. We were in the basement looking at some books and she kept getting up, then returning. Upon returning she now "backs up" to sit in my lap. It is just so cute to watch as she puts it in reverse "looking" for my lap!

I may have missed the first 11 months of her life, but I sure hope I can capture all these cute little moments and remember them forever!

Thanksgiving

We packed our bags and headed to Mommom and Pops house to celebrate Maryn's first Thanksgiving with us. It was the first Thanksgiving in their new home and we were there with one of my sisters, my brother and their families. It was a busy place to be. It was also Maryn's first trip away from home. She did just fine and loved following her little cousins around the house.

The Cuteness

Maryn now has a nickname, The Cuteness. She is just so cute, we just can't get enough of her! This morning she was eating while I was on the computer and she decided she wanted her milk cup beside my diet coke instead of on her tray. I was not allowed to hold it in my hands until she was ready for it, it had to be beside my drink. When I was telling my mom, Maryn just smiled with pride!

Happy Halloween

The past two Halloweens I've spent the time between handing out candy thinking about what life will be like when Maryn was here. Of course, we had much more time to think about it than we anticipated. Two years ago Caleb and I discussed what Maryn would dress up as and if he could take her around the neighborhood. Well our first Halloween finally arrived. Maryn dressed as a ladybug and she was a very cute little ladybug! Josh and Caleb spent the evening with their youth group at Chipotle. If you dress as a burrito, in tin foil, you got a free burrito. Maryn charmed our neighbors while I handed out candy. Mommom and Pops came to see our "cuteness" which has quickly become Maryn's nickname, thanks to Caleb.

She's Walking!

Maryn took her first steps around her first birthday. One day I found an old Discovery Toys walking toy and brought it up for her. It gave her new perspective on mobility and she became even more determined to walk. She pushed that bear/train everywhere it would fit. She even got mad at things (like a wall or the refrigerator) when they "suddenly" got in her way! The week of Halloween is when she took off on her own and she has been trolling around ever since. She's still not totally steady, but has "found" the dining and living rooms and is no longer satisfied to stay in the family room and kitchen.

Future Marching Stallion

Those of you who know us well, know that our kids are involved in several extracirricular activities. This fall we only had one activity to keep up with - Josh playing tuba in the marching band. We went to every home football game except one (it was raining) and two of the four competitions. Maryn was a trooper staying up past her bedtime or missing a nap and still smiled at anyone who would look at her. She was well loved by the marching band! One of the competitions we went to was held at James Madison University, about 2 1/2 hours away from home. We met Mommom and Pops there and had a wonderful day. The South County Marching Stallions won their division of the competition. Maryn loved watching all the bands and "directed"from the stands. She did a great job keeping time - we were just thankful that she was pleasant and didn't even mind being bundled up!

Maryn Turns One!

On September 23rd, we celebrated Maryn's first and Josh's sixteenth birthdays. We had a fun day that started at church and continued when our family and friends gathered for dinner and birthday cake! I'm not sure if Maryn knew it was an exciting day because she had a hard time falling asleep for her nap. She even surprised us with a few of her very first steps. She enjoyed her cake though we didn't let her destroy it...Mommy needed some to eat!