Kisses

Maggie loooves giving kisses. If we're saying good-bye to anyone(and I mean anyone), she has to kiss that person. Okay, we don't let her kiss EVERYONE. No grocery store cashiers, coffee shopt baristas, etc.

Bedtime is no exception. When I say it's time for bed, she has to run back and forth to Steve and I and give kisses upon kisses. And she has to make sure that every single stuffed animal gets one as well. Love it.

New Job!

So the latest news in the Gibbs household is that I got a new job! I will be teaching middle school life science half-time in an online school! I did my first day of training today. I'm understanding more about my role, yet still a little confused...I think I'll learn more when I actually get started with students. But hooray! Now I've got Shaklee AND teaching. :)

Too Early For One Nap?

These past couple days Maggie has really been fighting her morning nap. Today it took almost an hour to get her to sleep. She is still exhibiting the sleepy signs, like rubbing her eyes and yawning, so I'm hoping she's not giving up the nap yet! She's a stubborn one, that Maggie.

Doggies and Kitties

Maggie has a love for animals - dogs and cats, in particular. "Doggy" is one of her favorite words, and she excitedly proclaims whenever she sees one. Sometimes she's a little off like when she mistakenly called her rocking pony or the cow on her Baby Einstein video "doggy." This word is definitely the most used of her limited vocabulary.

When it comes to cats, she loves to give Toby hugs and lay her head on his soft body. She also loves to give him treats. When she passes the cupboard where we keep the cat treats, she points and says, "kitty!" until I let her give Toby a treat. I thought this was quite adorable until one day when I turned my back and she ate the treat! I tried to pull it from her mouth, but it was too far gone. Gross!

Party!

Maggie had a great birthday followed by a fun party on Sunday with family! She loved the balloons, cake, presents, but most of all, she enjoyed the people.

Happy Birthday, Maggie!

Wow. One year ago today, at 9:42 AM, Maggie Allyson Gibbs entered the world. Before she was born, I always heard people say that life changes with a baby. Duh, that seemed pretty obvious. But I didn't really know how TRUE it is. I mean things really changed!

There have been times in the past year when I've wondered about this whole parenthood thing. There was mastitis, the first 2-3 months of fussiness that would never end, the sleepless nights, the teething, and everything else that goes along with a baby. It was (is) HARD sometimes.

But I know I speak for Steve when I say that we are blessed (and I don't use that term lightly) beyond belief with Maggie. A year ago, she was this precious, tiny, helpless thing with little hands and feet and beautiful dark hair. It has been amazing to see her grow into an inquisitive, take-charge sweetheart with an incredible sense of humor, who says "hi" to everyone she meets (that's her daddy)! She loves books and flowers, loves to give kisses and hugs and is always ready to point out when she sees a doggy or kitty. She is such a joy, and it is so fun to look at the world through her eyes. Her smiles and giggles are absolutely priceless.

So today has been a day of reflection for me, thinking back over this past year with all its ups and downs. What a year. And I look forward to what this next year will bring for Maggie and for us.

Happy Birthday, Maggie! Mommy and Daddy love you soooo much!

Backwards and Forward

Maggie's new thing this week is walking backwards. It's really more like shuffling backwards. As with everything new, she gets a huge grin on her face as she moves. I've been trying to get a video of her doing it, but the minute I turn the video camera on she's more interested in that.

In other news, it was strange to start the school year and not be at school. This is the first school year since I was 5 that I haven't gone back to school in some aspect. The first week of the school year this year had me picturing what I'd be doing if I was working. 7:40 - School would be starting. Students would be in their desks working on bell work. Noon - ok, we'd be in the middle of 3rd block. 2:15 - Students would be getting antsy as the school day is about to end. The first week we'd be covering the scientific method and measurements in Physical Science, intro biology and biochemistry in Biology, and classification in Small Animal Science.

I definitely miss teaching, but I know I made the right decision for myself and for Maggie. As we're coming up to her 1st birthday I'm amazed at how quickly the time has gone but also all the incredible changes and milestones that have taken place this year. I'm looking forward to all the new things we have yet to experience!

Shower for Maggie

This morning I had to take a shower as I was a mess, and the treadmill repair guy was going to be here soon. I closed the bathroom door so that Maggie could play with some toys in the bathroom while I quickly showered. Soon after I stepped into the shower, I see Maggie's curly little head peeking in. Not long after that, she stepped all the way into the shower and proceeded to play on the shower floor while getting doused with water. Did I mention she was fully clothed? She stayed there, playing contentedly until I finished.

Babyhood

Twinkling blue eyes full of personality. Auburn hair in wild disarray. Sweet heart-shaped face without a hint of a fine line. Little upturned nose. Rosebud lips. Round tummy. Perfectly chubby thighs complete with rolls. Bare feet pattering across the floor. This is my darling baby.

Diaper or No Diaper?

I often let Maggie run around in just her diaper after breakfast before I find her clothes for the day. Today I was around the corner and I heard the riiip riiiiip of velcro. And soon Maggie waddles around the corner minus her cloth diaper. She was smiling so big with her new freedom. It was especially cute with her crazy bed head. I love that girl. :)

Nine Month Photo Session

All right, I know this is late but Maggie had some photos taken at the end of June that are so cute! My friend, Amber, did a great job. (Shout out to Lemon Peel Photography!) I just have to share some.

Vacation

We recently got back from vacation in northern Minnesota. The small resort been a tradition with my dad's side of the family since 1968 (and I'm not sure much has changed since then!). :) The week was filled with waterskiing (my first in 2 years since I was pregnant last summer), swimming, a bit of fishing, feeding chipmunks and ducks, running, visiting with extended family, and a more confident and adept walking Maggie.

Maggie had a great time, and I'm sure she'll have even more fun next year. I'll get some pictures up ASAP!

Putting Two and Two Together

I'm not big on letting Maggie watch a lot of TV. However, one show that Steve likes to watch with her after breakfast sometimes is "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." It has a pretty catchy theme song, and Maggie loves dancing to it. So cute.

As a DJ, Steve is always downloading new songs, and he recently downloaded the Mickey Mouse theme song (no, he's not going to play it at the next wedding). Yesterday he started playing the song off of his computer, and Maggie immediately looks towards the TV. It's blank. She looks at Steve and then back to the TV. Hmmm... She was so confused as to why her TV song was playing, but Mickey and friends were not showing up!

Ah, sweet girl. You're adorable.

It's Official

I did it! Yesterday, I told my principal that I will not be returning next school year. I will be a stay-at-home mom. And I can't wait!

It was tough. Although my heart has always been 100% in wanting to stay home with Maggie, it took awhile until I could confidently put in my resignation. There was a part of me that wanted to be the mom that does it all. There was a part of me that wanted to be the career woman. And as hectic as it can be at times, I really do enjoy my job. Putting all that aside, there were just more reasons for me to stay at home.

I want to be there for all of Maggie's milestones. I want to be the one to help Maggie learn her ABC's. And I want to have the flexibility for other things as well, including focusing on my Shaklee business (another passion of mine).

Maybe when our kids are back in school, I'll go back. But for now, I'm going to bask in the fact that I will be a stay-at-home mama starting June 12th!

Countdown

Has it really been 4 weeks since my last post? There are 36 days left of the school year, and life will ccalm down just a little. I am SOOOOO looking forward to it.

On another note, Maggie is getting more teeth. The lower lateral incisors are coming in. She really hasn't been too fussy, and has only been getting up once a night.

I'll try to come up with a more interesting post next time! :)

Beautiful Spring!

I truly do love spring! Today was a great day. After church, we got to have lunch with the newly engaged Andrew and Kate. So fun! When we got home, we went for a walk outside. Ahhh...love it.

This week, Steve gets to be Daddy Daycare as he's on spring break. And it's only a 4 day week for me! Yay!

It's the Little Things

Although it was hard going back to work today after a week off, it's that much sweeter to see my little Maggie at the end of the day. She reached for me today for the first time! Love that little girl.

Also, the weather was FANTASTIC! Do I dare hope that winter is over?

Exercise? What's That?

There was a time in my life when running seven miles was a breeze. There was a time when I could eat absolutely anything I wanted and not give it a second thought. No more.

Although this time ended long before I had a child, I am realizing what 9 months of pregnancy can do to a person. Sure, I would go on walks and do some jogging while pregnant, but nothing too strenuous. I started back up after having Maggie and even got into P90X for awhile. Talk about a workout! But since being back at work with not a whole lot of time to myself, exercise has become a thing of the past.

This past week, while on Spring Break, I visited my parents and sister. While there, I got to make use of their fitness club. Nice! But since when has running three miles been so hard?!?!? Whew! I will say that it has felt GOOD to sweat this week.

I hope that the weather warms soon so that I can take Maggie out in the jogging stroller!

Where to Start?

I'm new to this blogging thing. Not quite how personal to get, but I'll start with my life.

After having Maggie 5 1/2 months ago, nothing has been the same! Duh! It was a rough start, but now she is a happy, healthy girl. She's growing so fast, and she is such a joy! Seriously, I had no idea how thrilling a smile or giggle could be.

Since starting back at work, life has become even more crazy. I get up between 4:45 and 5:15, feed Maggie and put her back to sleep, get myself ready for work, get Maggie's stuff ready for the day and try to leave the house by 6:15. These days, it's usually been closer to 6:30. Steve has been making me a Cinch shake for my breakfast and starting the van to help me out. Great, huh?

I commute 40 minutes to work and start the day with my prep. Nice! I get all my stuff ready for the day - planning, copying, etc. and place it all on my cart. That's right, I am a nomadic teacher. I have a Small Animal Science class, then lunch. During lunch, I take care of motherly duties before a quick bite to eat. Afterwards, I teach Biology and another Small Animal Class. When the school day ends, I take care of some more motherly duties, help some students with school work or tests, get some stuff ready for the next day, and leave for home!

At home, I get to love up my little Maggie, hang out with Steve, and get supper. Maggie goes to bed between 7 and 7:30 and then I get ready for the next day to do it all again! Whew!

I love weekends! And spring break is next week. Yay!

Joining the Blog World

So, I've decided to create a blog. More to come.