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!