One Plus

Well, our little baby is one. Actually Maggie is one year, one week, and one day as of right now. Since her big day (last Monday, May 18th), we have been busy, busy, busy and I have been unable to sit down to write a post about the event. Above is a picture of our sweet one-year-old on the morning of her birthday with some presents from her mom and dad. At first she didn't know what to think about the walking toy, but by the end of the day she was cruisin' across the room (though she still has yet to figure out how to turn). We're hoping it will help her get brave, because she still is too nervous to try to stand alone. When she realizes I've let go, she waves her arms and quickly drops to a sit. That's our cautious baby for you. She prefers scooting around on her bottom or cruising around on furniture to crawling (which she finally did learn to do and did about three times before fully resorting to scooting and cruising). Despite this, she still manages to get into everything. Go figure!

Anyway, back to the birthday. Maggie's cousins Rachel and Abigail came around mid-day with Aunt Jenn, followed by Aunt Lisa with cousins Sarah, Amy, and Neil. At 5:30 we met Grandma and Grandpa Gotfredson, Uncle Robert, Uncle Shawn, Aunt Nadine, and cousins Emma and Ava in the park and the party began! Maggie enjoyed her party and is still enjoying her gifts. Thanks to everyone who helped make her day special!! Here are some pictures highlighting the fun:

The party guests enjoying dinner

The guest cake--I was feeling ambitious with my venture into cake decorating, so I made a little cake for Maggie and a decorative one with cupcakes for the guests.

Maggie and her cake
(she is taking her wish very seriously)

Maggie loves her cake

Opening presents

We may have been there for a long time

if not for some helpful cousins!



Yay!! A doll from Grandma and Grandpa--now Maggie can practice being a big sister!

Saying goodbye to cousins

Me and my precious one-year-old at bedtime

I am so grateful to be mother to this sweet baby girl, my little Margaret. Her sweet smile brightens my days; her antics make me laugh. I love watching her learn to do new things. I love the way she grins and waves her arms in excitement when I come to get her from her crib in the morning. I love the way she waves her hand in the air and bops to the beat when she hears a funky tune. I love how she pours over a book for ten and twenty-minute stretches (which is like hours in baby time). I love her latest trick of crawling under the bar stools and grinning out at me from her "cage." I love how she loves to eat meals with us and enjoys eating what we're eating and trying to use her fork and spoon. I love how cute she looks when she is drinking from her straw. I love going on walks and outings with her and how she grins and gasps in the wind and holds on to the sides of her stroller like she's riding a roller coaster. I love how when we play phone, she picks it up after a ring or two and puts the phone to my ear. I love her growl, her "mooo," her "yum-yum-yum," her machine-gun laugh (which she does when she notices everyone else is laughing and figures she should be too), and all the other cute and funny noises she makes. I love how she grins when her dad comes in the room, even if she has been fussing and whining for an entire hour previously while I'm trying to make dinner. I love spending all day, every day with my sweet, gentle "baby Maggie" as her cousins call her. She is my baby and my friend and I'm so grateful for her presence in our home. Mike and I are very lucky. No, blessed.