Maggie's First Year Stats

She's One!

Why did no one warn me that at the one year pediatrician appointment they'd draw blood!  It was the first doctor appointment where Maggie was old enough to realize what was going on and she didn't like it one bit.  Playing with the toys and the doctor was all well and good, but when the nurse came in with the needles so along came huge crocodile tears.  I've never seen Maggie cry like this -- EVER!  The vaccinations and the finger prick was enough to warrant a shopping spree...we gals went to Target and bought some cute fall clothes to go with her cute new UGGs.  And we ate cupcakes.  I think I just started a new tradition with my daughter...doctors appointments equals shopping and cake.  Sorry Jared!

The Stats
She's 22lbs 3oz and has made her way down the charts to just 75th percentile for weight.
She's 29inches, 50th percentile (barely) and her head's holding lots of smart cells, measuring 75th percentile.

Here are some more photos from her birthday celebration, including her fancy new boots.  Jared and I laughed so hard when we put the UGGs on her.  She jumped to her feet and started running circles in the kitchen giggling nonstop.  It was hilarious!  It's still a bit too warm for the boots but today we wore our first pair of shoes, some cute pink tennies.  She loves them.  Mostly she likes pulling the velcro straps open, then closing them, then open again but she also likes walking in them.  I was afraid she'd hate them since she hadn't worn shoes yet but I think she feels kinda cool.

Lots of Love to all,

Nici

Working the Runway...Or Running Away

First Time Playing in a Bounce House

Playing With Her Friend Jack

Maggie's Hanging Flower Garden

Maggie's Flower Cupcakes

Aunt Boo, Birthday Girl, Mommy, and Grammy

Exploring a New Toy from Miss Lisa and Mr George

Maggie's First Birthday Cake

We just wrapped up Maggie's first birthday party.  A whole bunch of her little friends came and enjoyed "Cupcakes in the Garden."  Everyone in our house is whipped out! Besides me, they've all been snoozing for hours (and it's not even 10 o'clock).  More photos will come soon, but I know what y'all really want to see is the smash cake, so here you go.  She didn't do much smashing, but she did enjoy all the sugar.

Wait for it, wait for it...

Mmmm, First Taste -- That's My Dainty Girl

This Time, A Little Bigger Bit

Okay, It's All Going In the Mouth

Good Stuff

That's About As Messy As It Got

Where Is The Summer Going?

Exactly a month ago I said "We're Still Here," and then we disappeared.  My blogging is leaving a lot to be desired these days, but I've been re-inspired.  My girlfriend Courtney has started a family blog and reading it has made me realize how much I miss about her life and how grateful I am that I can now at least read about it.   So, here are my excuses for not writing more lately, and here are some cute photos of Maggie that will make you forgive me.

It's possible I may take on too much sometimes...just a little possible.  Recently I coordinated the volunteers for our town's 4th of July festival which brought in 5000 people.  I've started a speakers bureau for the TAKE Foundation and am doing public speaking on women's' personal safety.  I started the Humble Hostess blog. I planned a Disney World Trip for a Make-A-Wish kiddo.  I'm designing a new Integrity Hills website, among other marketing tidbits.  Helping Jared on his "projects." Yadda yadda yadda. Oh, and Maggie's teething and learning to walk. Okay, there's all my excuses and a quick update on what's going on in my world.  Even though the to-do list never ends I'm loving every minute of it.

And Maggie is an absolute hoot right now.  She cracks herself up and will giggle nonstop.  She's learning what gets a good reaction from mom and dad, and is forming definite opinions.  Her one summer activity, Kindermusik, comes to an end this week but we have lots of playdates lined up.  She's quite the social gal.

Maggie's walking more and more...

...but when she's in a hurry she still prefers crawling.

For one of our playdates last week we decorated (err, devoured) cupcakes.

The cupcake playdate exhausted Maggie so much not even a flashing camera could wake her up.

Hello. We're Still Here.

Hi friends!  Long time, no...um...blog?!  Sorry I haven't been very good at keeping our family updates updated.  I'm staying so busy with mommyhood, community volunteering, working a bit, hostessing and keeping up with Jared I haven't had any energy left for Flinn Village updates.  Whew! Just thinking about it makes me sleepy.  Speaking of sleepy, that's what Maggie's doing right now. And it's a slight monsoon outside so I've got some time to at least post new photos of our little petunia.

She's 9 1/2 months now. Can. You. Believe. It?!  Where did our little baby go?  Maggie has 4 teeth and by the amount she's drooling this week I'm guessing #5 is on it's way.  She's crawling and is quite speedy. She's climbing and is quite clumsy.  And she's discovered that opening and shutting cabinets often leads to pinched fingers and forehead bruises...yet she keeps going back for more.  She loves trying new foods and so far we haven't found anything she won't eat, though she doesn't love cooked spinach (can't blame her).  She'll patiently sit at my feet while I'm cooking waiting for a taste.  And when's she's had enough she simply tries to climb out of her high chair.  Jared and I have taken to saying "uh oh!" a lot and quickly placing her safely on the floor.  We've even tried tying her into the chair with a bunge cord but she's a little magician and has figured out how to escape.  She babbles constantly, especially to strangers in the store, and loves to say "Da Da" "Dooog" "Uh Ohhhhh" and blow raspberries.  Her favorite activity right now, aside from climbing, is swimming and we try to go to the pool on every sunny day.

That's about all the updates for now. Before we know it she'll be walking, talking and turning 1.  New photos that our dear friend Danny took are posted below.

Lots of love,
Nici

Oh...Mommy, Daddy, and Truxton are also doing just fine.

A Day in the Life of Maggie

Good Morning with Blueberry Pancakes

Play, Sing, and Dance at Kindermusik

Just Waking Up From a Good Nap

Playtime in the Grass

Mommy Put the Baby in the Buckets

Swinging

Black and White Favorite Photos

He Is Risen!

He is risen indeed!  And on this special Easter weekend in 2010, He also rose Maggie's first tooth and took Grandpa Voss to his permanent home.   

My mom made a special trip to KC to share Easter with us and Maggie's first Easter came with a beautiful new dress, a basket of goodies, and a first tooth.  She won't let us get near the tooth long enough to take a look but she's taken the opportunity to bite my finger multiple times.  She's handled all the excitement pretty well.  Other than waking up a bit at night and drooling a lot, the tooth doesn't seem to bother her.

Soon after our church service Sunday we all packed up and headed to Springfield to be with the family and lay my grandfather to rest. Robert "Archie" Voss passed away Saturday morning in his sleep.  My sister, Sondra, came in town from Dallas and even though the circumstance for her visit was due to a loss, it was great to see her. It was great to see everyone. I find it interesting how at the end of a loved one's life the final gift they give their family is reunion.  A military funeral was held on Monday, including a fly-over by an Air Force plane.  It was just as grandpa would have loved it to be.   And Maggie kept the family smiling by hiccuping through the entire funeral service.  I thought at least the gun shots would scare the hiccups away, but they persisted (the hiccups, not the shots). 

Maggie's First Easter Basket

Our Failed Attempt at a Family Photo

Maggie and her friend Louisa, aka Weezy, at Sunday's Easter Service

Playing in the Grass at Grammy's House

Mags Made Everyone Smile at Grandpa's Funeral

Presenting the Flag to Grandma Voss

The Fly-Over

I bet grandpa loved seeing this!

Sisters

Our Reason to Rejoice

Rest in peace Archie.

A Dozen for Half a Dozen

A dozen photos of Maggie at six months.

Thanks to Danny for, once again, catching Maggie's personality in these photos! We'll cherish them forever.

Our Family Likes Food

So avocado wasn't a hit, but Maggie seems to like sweet potatoes and sweet peas just fine.  Oatmeal for breakfast is just so-so, but when dinner time comes she gobbles up her veggies and rice cereal happily.  The varying colors of food that end up in her hair, under her chin and other random places makes bathtime interesting.   She doesn't seem to mind the mess and it's nothing a little soap and water can't clean up so Jared and I just smile and laugh along with her.

Jared's been working out with a trainer a few days a week, so when he emailed me one afternoon to say he was having a very busy workday Maggie and I decided to fatten him up with a treat when he got home.  It's moments like this that remind me how lucky I am to have the health, energy, and time to take care of my family.  Mags and I made a quick run to the store and had german chocolate brownies waiting for Jared when he walked in the door.  A crazy workday is always made better with chocolate and baby kisses.

Sweet Potato Face

Daddy's Special Treat