January - Thinking back to the beginning of the year and looking at pictures from this month I just can't believe that Maddie was still dragging herself around Army style, not really even crawling. She let me put bows in her short fine hair. She was really getting the hang of her new Christmas gifts and she loved bubble baths in her inflatable duck tub. She would only say "dada"!
February - Maddie began to master holding herself up if I helped her get to a standing position. She saw her first snow. Her personality was really starting to show through. She loved it when I would strap her into the umbrella stroller and race her around the house. At the end of February we moved into our new house which was about twice as big as the old one so Maddie had a lot to explore.
March - By this time Maddie was really crawling and getting herself into the strangest places. She got herself underneath the bathroom sink but then couldn't get out! She loved to stand in her crib and shake the rail and holler for me. She got her new big girl car seat and I got my new camera so I loved taking pictures of her when she would let me!
April - Maddie turned 1! It was so great to celebrate her birthday twice. We had a party at home with lots of little friends. And we also spent Easter weekend in Georgia with the family to celebrate her birthday again. Even though she got some really awesome gifts, she seemed to prefer to play with the Tupperware. She had lots of play dates with her friends Milana and Addison and she even got a pool for the backyard. Maddie also cut her first tooth this month!
May - This month Maddie and I took a three-week vacation to California to visit my family. We went to Las Vegas and my best friend Dani got to meet Maddie for the first time. We spent time with my grandparents near Yosemite and were pretty much surrounded by lots of family daily. It was so awesome! We were so glad to be home though when we arrived back in Knoxville. Ike was so afraid that three weeks away would make Maddie forget about him. Well she sure proved him wrong!
June - First steps. The first week of June Maddie took her first steps and then she was off! Pretty soon she was running and she was unstoppable. We visited the splash pad which she loved and we spent lots of time outside in the summer heat. We were sad to see our neighbors move but luckily they only moved across town.
July - We spent the 4th in Georgia and Maddie had her first ice cream cone. She shared it with her Great Grandma Cheryl and loved every bit of it! She spent lots of time in the pool and outside. Her doctors were concerned about her low weight and Maddie endured lots of testing over the past several months but they were finally coming around to see that Maddie was a perfect little angel with no health problems!
August - Another month filled with play dates at the park and playing in the backyard. We visited Georgia again at the end of the month and I started college!
September - I went to my first Nascar race this month in Atlanta over the Labor Day weekend. It was one of the best times I had all year. Maddie stayed with the grandmas and had a great time. Ike and I were both pretty busy with school this month. Maddie really started picking up a lot of language around this time. She was learning new words every day.
October - What a fun month! We went to the Foothills Fall Festival, Maple Lane Farms pumpkin patch, went on a hay ride, painted and carved pumpkins and even did a Trunk-or-Treat with the KnoxvilleMommies group. We celebrated Ike's birthday, made edible playdoh and Maddie even let me put her hair in a ponytail for the first time. Maddie and I explored a few parks around town while the weather was still decent and played in the colorful leaves in the front yard.
November - My mom came to visit us and we had lots of adventures. We stayed at home for Thanksgiving and I made the big dinner all by myself for the very first time. By now Maddie had 8 teeth and was eating well for the most part. She is still very picky though!
December - The year has drawn to a close and this month has just gone in a flash. We celebrated Christmas at home early then spent the holiday with family in Georgia. Maddie was so excited to open presents and stockings and play with all her new toys. We played in the snow but mostly stuck close to the playroom inside because of the weather.
Tonight is New Year's Eve and we don't have big plans. Maddie will go to bed on schedule and Ike and I will stay up, have a pizza, and welcome 2010 with hopes of more fun memories!
