Kitty? What Kitty? I don't see any kitty cat?

Madelyn and Puzzle the cat have bonded well over the past few months. Really I think the poor cat is so baddly wanting attention that she doesn't care what kind it is. Puzzle usually lets Madelyn abuse her a little and then retreats to a corner far away.

Madelyn really LOVES her cat. This is her "hugging" Puzzle.

Snow Play

Snow arrived in southern Manitoba on December 1st. Just in time for the Christmas season. Being the excellent parent I am; I decided to get Madelyn dressed in her snow outfit and we would explore the new white blanket on the lawn outside.





Madelyn was hesitent to crawl out the door. It has been a while since I had opened the door and said, " Out you go." She also had difficulty moving wih all the outerwear on.




I thought a ride on the sled would be fun. Madelyn wasn't really that sold on the idea. Once again I think the clothing was holding her back as she wasn't even able to move any limbs or even really turn her head. I guess I'm a little over protective.

Madelyn let me know that it was time to go back inside. I guess that was the "princess" in her that was tired of having her face wrapped in a scarf. We have been out since and she has had a much better time.

Feeding Update

I have not posted on Madelyn's feeding for a while. As you can see from the above picture, Madelyn really enjoys mealtimes now. She has also moved to a sippy cup since November, and only has a four oz bottle in the morning after she wakes up and after her nap. I don't know how to get rid of these two bottle times. So if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

Madelyn's Favorite Foods:

• Macaroni and Cheese (kd)
• Spegetti and tomato sauce
• Any form of pasta
• Cheese - almost any kind
• Bread
• Crackers (ka-ka)
• Chicken noodle soup - home made of course
• Grapes
• Melon
• Orange segments

Christmas Pictures

We had an action packed Christmas week. We were able to keep the 25th free for ourselves as our own family unit. It was a good thing too because southern Manitoba was hit with a huge snow storm. We almost didn't make it to Grandma and Grandpa's on the 26th.

Madelyn giving her new "kitty" a kiss. So adorable.

Madelyn loved unwrapping, it didn't matter what was inside.

Madelyn even wanted to help everyone else unwrap their gifts.

Just can't resist this one. Notice how Madelyn looks more like me and not Carl anymore. Yeah!

Ready, Set, Go .... And we are off to the races.

Madelyn started walking a few steps at a time in mid November. But she really took off on December 14th. She had an appointment with the physiotherapist and she was just evaluating her on a chart, and stated that as she was stepping, but not yet walking. Madelyn was about 5 -

6 weeks behind. (no kidding, maybe five weeks in hospital and having major surgery does hold you back.) Madelyn must have not liked what she heard, because as we left she grabbed my hand and walked out of the office and hasn't stopped walking.

For the first weeks she was always walking with her hands up in the air. I think she was trying to be prepared for any falls, either that or she was being carismatic, and praising God for the ability to walk. Hmmm, maybe both.

Needless to say my life has become even more busy. Some days I wonder how I will get anything done. But then I think back to this,

and then I just sit back and ponder all the joy that she has brought to our lives and how much more we have yet to see.

Christmas Time Is Here Again

This is our Christmas card this year. It was just a random picture we took on our yard in late October. But since we didn't get snow until December 1st this year I thought it was okay to have green grass on a Christmas picture. Merry Christmas to all of you that I won't see before the Christamas season is over.

I am very excited for this Christmas season. I was just thinking a year ago and how busy it was for us. We had to many get togethers scheduled to close together. I was still pumping breast milk every three to six hours. And Madelyn's feedings were so particular. Inbetween all the wrapping paper and eating of turkey I was pumping, adding formula powder following a special reciepe, making bottles, breast feeding, and trying not to cry every half hour because I was so thankful to God for giving us the best Christmas gift since salvation......Madelyn.

That leads me to the next topic. How life has changed for Carl and I since we have had a child. Holidays are much more enjoyable for me since no one really asks about us having a baby anymore. How that is such an insenstive question to ask anyone. I will always stop and rethink life questions like that.

Back to the present.....or presents. We have bought a few for Madelyn this year. I am stopping myself from buying to many as Madelyn still has two sets of grandparents, and everyone knows how grandparents spoil there granddaughters with way to many toys.

We a very much looking forward to spending the 25th at home this year, just enjoying the day and all that it brings.

Cheers!

Happy Halloween!

Madelyn got a second hand costume in the hand-me down box from her cousins. As she is not really old enough to trick-or-treat I took her to a few houses of people that we know just to show her off and she was as snug as a bug. (Pun intended.)