Maggies big girl room (and Mayzie)

As you may well know, or not know, my sister in law Julie has lived with us for the last 4 years or so.  So, Maggie and Max have always shared a room.  When Mayzie came along, things got a bit tighter, but we were making it work with her sharing Auntie Julies room.  But this July, it just became time to say goodbye to Julie and allow our kids to have a bit more space to grow. Though we miss Julie, we know that it was the thing that needed to happen.

So, with the room vacated, I could now let my decorating "diva" come out and make something fun and pretty for Maggie (and Mayzie) to share.  Now, I'll be honest. I had a total vision of what I was going to do in this room, over a year ago.  With time, budget and laziness a factor, I had to pair that vision down.  Then, there was an opinionated 6 year old to contend with as well.  I mean really, who said she was allowed to have a say here.  But, after I firmly nixed her desire for an all pink room with unicorns and fairies, I figured I'd better at least let her have SOME (albeit tiny) say in what her room looked like.  I tried to gently "guide" her in what she wanted.

I kept putting the project off for several weeks because I just could NOT find a paint color that I liked.  I had originally thought some form of coral, or a very muted shade of rose/pink.  When I finally found one I thought might work, I got a sample jar and promptly painted a giant square.  Maggie didn't see it until the next morning, at which time her immediate response was "Nuh uh! NO WAY!"  Phew, at least I tried for a pinkish, and she didn't like it.  Thankfully, I LOVE the blog Better After and on it I'd seen a room makeover for another 6 year old and the wall color was really pretty.  I contacted that blog owner and asked the wall color.  She graciously replied.  So, Behr Balmy Seas it was.

I woke up randomly one morning and said, THIS IS IT! I started working and could not be bothered with the realities of life until it was finished, 3 days later.   But, you guys, I couldn't be happier with the results.  I love the color, Maggie loves the color.  I got to incorporate pinks, purple and orange accents, because who knew....everything goes with aqua, as it turns out.  On this same blog, I loved how the woman had painted this adorable, whimsicle tree on the wall.  I wanted that too.  I also "thought" that she'd installed flower knobs so things could hang on said tree.  I went full throttle for those knobs, only to discover, upon closer inspection of her pictures, they weren't knobs, but silk flowers or something.  BUT I was doing the knobs.  Anyway, let me just show you in pictures the befores and afters.

For the record, I'm typing this up on Jeres computer, and it's an apple, and I've never done it on here, and I get confused wtih the picture situation, so let's all hold a good thought this turns out.

Anywho......


BEFORE:

 After Maggie moved into the room, before the redo, she felt the bed was the perfect place to display every stuffed animal that EVER was.

 I absolutely ADORE this built in area.  There is SO much storage.  But it was sort of a catchall.

Proof of my attempt at rosie/pink. And one cute baby photo bombing.
 

Lets face it, bed in the corner = hard to make, but a lot of "play" room.

 

 

 

 

Now, as this has proven to be RIDICULOUSLY difficult and confusing, the pictures on this stupid apple computer, I shall move on to the after and hope for the best.

AFTER:

A shot from the hallway, best I can get in a small space.  No worries, we shall be covering all walls, and details.  That fabulous brown dresser I inherited out of my Grandpas house, I love it so.  I love the bed in the middle, not only for the ease of making it, but because it gives symmetry to the room.

Let's talk bedding.  I found this on Amazon, and I actually love it.  It was my one real concession to Maggie.  She gets pink, purple and flowers here.  But really, all the colors work so well.  I'll be honest...in my "perfect" world, her bedding would be a giant fluff of white and ruffles to fit with the soft and historical business that is happening on the side of her bed.  BUT, I really am happy with this.  It only cost $79.00 for the whole set, which included the two decorative pillows as well.  I should also mention that the fabulous old iron bed frame came from a friends Grandmas sale, I scored it for only $50.00 last fall.  I lurve it so.

 Just a view from the door of the "history" wall.  I just love this.  Also, I chose to give Mayzie and Maggie each their own distinctive M's.  This is Mayzies.

A view of the whole wall.  It includes Maggie and Mayzies blessing dress, my moms baby bonnet, bib, pinnafore and a doilie, all tatted or crocheted for her by her grandmothers. When my Mom gave me these "treasures" I immediately saw them framed and in some romantic little room.  This isn't totally how my vision was, but I still love it.  It makes me happy to be displaying and preserving such beautiful pieces of my families history.  I had all of these frames but 2 just laying in my garage, waiting for the day to use them.  I painted them all white. The two oval frames were awesome finds at Joanns, 60% off, and IKEA, just cheap! I'd like to add a vinyl quote along the bottom at some point that talks about family, heirlooms, history, something.

 Mayzies M is just a $5.00 cardboard 3d thing from Joanns that I painted white and glued some rickrack and flowers to.  Then I thought it'd be cool to finish her name in the corner, so I had Jere write it on there.  He has the BEST handwriting!

 
This frame was around a giant corkboard that I ripped out and put up on the wall by Maggies desk.  It's a super cheap/crappy frame, but it was the perfect size to go around the dress hanging on the flower.  I absolutely love hanging frames around 3d objects.  And this particular look makes me happy.

 I LOVE this little pinnafore, especially because it happens to be in a corally/orangeish color, which ties in so perfectly!!

  My Moms sweet bonnet.  I won't bore you with ALL the framed things, but just a taste of what is up there.  And how simple it was to do!

 For Maggies "M" I knew I wanted something fancy and grand looking.  I went to IKEA and got this frame for $29.00 and then enlisted the help of a neighbor friend to cut me this vinyl M. I applied it straight to the glass, which frankly is a bit nerve wracking, to get it just right.  It's not, it's crooked, but it's ok and I still love the way it looks.  You'll be "shocked" to know that Maggie was so upset, because Mayzie had a decorated M and hers was just boring.  FOR REALS?  I went out of my way to make hers fancy looking and yet, not what she thought was cool. Oh well, I still love it.

 Found this perfect and darling lamp at Target, to bring in the hot pink color and it was only $20.00.  The polka dotted jewelry box on the dresser was at Home Goods for $6.00.

As mentioned, I adore this built in.  It was one of my favorite features when we bought the house.  I literally ripped that cork out of an already framed cork board that Julie left behind.  I glued and nailed it into place and then just threw up a few of Maggies things.  I LOVE the little decorative bin on the first shelf, it has all the fabulous colors, coral, purple, aqua and pink.  Found that at Target for like 8 bucks.  I can now shove all of Maggies stuffed animals into the drawers and there is TONS of space in the cupboards above for anything and everything else we need to store, and or get out of the way for photo ops.  You know.

The closet wall was the perfect place to put the tiny kitchen, which still gets used regularly, and to throw in a splash of yellow with that antique mirror that I bought at a sale for a mere 10 bucks last Spring. Also, let us note the cute flying pink vinyl bird.  I got a set of 5 for $2.99 on Amazon.  They make their appearance around the room.

 As I mentioned, I saw this on another blog.  But then, when I was looking for vinyls, I saw this, but in brown, and realized that other lady must have just copied it. Which, gratefully, I have artsy friends and my friend Lies'l just came and free handed this onto the wall for me, with crappy brushes I might add.  I love the whimsy and the fact that it takes up the whole wall. I even included a knob by the desk for Maggie to hang her backpack on.

 Let us note the happy bird sitting on the tree, and the other one flying away, into the air vent. And Mayzie gets to sleep peacefully under the silly tree.  I also love that my friend that made me that quilt on Mayzies bed musta been inspired, because it's aqua and pink.  

 So, I went to Hobby Lobby and picked up 7 glass drawer pulls, and they were half price, thank goodness.  I had NO IDEA how I was going to attach them to the wall, but darnit, I was gonna do it, no matter what.  I also stopped at JoAnns and bought these teeny little canvas' and some scrapbook paper and ribbon. The canvas' were on sell for 99 cents, AWESOME!  I cut the paper to size, printed out some pictures and also picked up some scrapbook accent pieces and created these little hanging pics for the tree.

 So anyway, I went to Home Depot and actually found helpful people.  These two workers opened up many a package of screws and plastic wall thingys to find the right fit.  I ended up getting those plastic anchors that you drill a hole, tap them in and then screw the object in.  They worked PERFECTLY!

 I love how they look, and the fact that there are happy little reminders to Maggie of her family.

 Ummm, so finally here...Maggie INSISTED that she have a picture "in" the tree, because she's a crazy monkey, and was wearing monkey pajamas.  Besides, it IS her room after all.  

Hopefully you've enjoyed the little tour of the room makeover.  It's still in that new stage, so it makes me happy every time I pass it.  Next up, a re do of Maxs room to make it more boyish, and ALL his.  I feel maps in my future, because he wants sports, and well, that's just too cliche.

Little girlies and pretty spaces,

Allyson
 

A Looky loo at the LOO!

Oh friends. OHHHHH friends.  It is FINALLY done! And, I could not be happier with the outcome.

What in the world is the crazy lady even referencing?  Well, I'll tell you.

Two years ago when we moved into this roachcoach House, I painted the living room, two bedrooms and did a number of other projects and at the time said, hell to the NO on painting either of the bathrooms.  It was HOT, I was tired and bathrooms gross me out. Even brand newly done, empty house bathrooms are still creepy to me.  Sooo, the bathroom was left alone.  To say it was bland would be an understatement.  Oh, and also, it's wee teeny, itty bitty!  Like, 2 people can barely fit in it tiny.  But, it serves its purpose for private potty time and quick showers.  

Anywho....I decided that this summer was THE TIME to get some projects done.  That darn bathroom being one of them.  Once workshop was over in June, my super procrastination kicked into high gear.  Everyday I'd say....OK, I'm gonna do this.  And then I'd find 20 other things to do. But yesterday I woke up and said, DAMMIT, today IS the DAY!

I spent from literal morning until 1 a.m. scrubbing down, prepping and painting the walls and vanity. I wont lie, it was a bitch. BUT, the end result is worth it.

Even better, this project cost me all of about $7.00 for a can of spray paint.  All the rest of the paint I had on hand from previous projects.  YESSSS!!!

Don't look too closely or you'll see the shoddy workmanship on my painting.  But hey, when you're sweating into oblivion and working alone and semi delirious, you just be happy that anything is done at all.

In a perfect world I'd knock out the shower wall and get an entirely glass surround, which would enlarge it slightly and just make everything feel bigger.  Also, I WILL be ripping out that hideously awful white tile and just sealing the concrete until I can afford flooring I like.  MAN I hate tile, no words for it. ESPECIALLY white ceramic tile.

BTW, my "h" key is broken and it's suuuuuuuuuuuuper annoying.  Carry on then.

BEFORE:

  Can we say brown and BORING!!!!!

AFTER:

I painted the walls the same color of grey that is in our bedroom, I rather love it. Then I painted the vanity swiss coffe, and spray painted the knobs in hammered metal.  I WISH I had white blinds, but no such luck. As for the playbills...I promised Jere that if I ever painted the bathroom I'd hang more of our playbills.  We have a huge collection of them, that used to hang in our office when we were first married and had such a thing as an office.  Anyway, I love how they look there.  And please, tell me you see my clever humor in those I chose.  Well, I got a giggle out of it anyway.

So there ya go.  A bathroom before and after.  Now, on to remaking Maggies room. Heaven help me, that is a huge job staring me in the face.  BUT, Auntie Julie has moved out and Maggie has moved into her own room, well, with Mayzie, but it's gonna be beautiful when I'm done with it.  Anyone wanna come paint?

Loos and lookies,

Allyson
 

Just Say It!

A couple of months ago I walked into church and deposited my kids on the bench.  I then headed to the hall to pick up a tithing envelope.  As I was exiting the chapel, one of the darling greeters stopped me, shook my hand and said "You DO realize that you light up a room, don't you?"

Why NO, no I do NOT realize that.  But THANK YOU for saying something so nice.

It just struck me so deeply that she said that.  Mostly because, I was NOT feeling like I was lighting up anything.  I was overwhelmed, stressed, sad, swirling around the drain in the crap storm of my life.

Those kind words made my day.  They made me stand a little taller, attempt a smile not only on my face, but on the inside.  And it really made me think.

You know, none of us EVER really knows what is going on in peoples lives.  We don't know the inner workings of peoples minds.  We don't know the pain, the sorrow, the joy, the anguish, the whatever they may be experiencing.  And sometimes, all it takes is just one little kind word, one compliment and it can turn that persons day, week around.

I appreciate that she took the time to say something. I appreciate that she was brave enough to say something.  I  know that many times I will think someone looks particularly nice, or pretty that day, but I usually don't go out of my way to tell them.  Because I get shy (I know, but it's TRUE), or embarrassed, or distracted.

But, I'd like to issue a little challenge to myself and to anyone that might still read this.  Let us all try to take a moment and actually open our mouths and express a compliment to someone if the thought crosses our mind.  JUST SAY IT!

You never know what good you may be doing for that persons soul that day.

The Pickle Tree

It began all so innocently.  One afternoon, about 2 or 3 months ago, Max asked if he could have a pickle.  I was only to happy to oblige.  As he sat and ate his pickle, I heard him excitedly yell..."I found a pickle seed."  And then, reverantly under his breath he exclaimed..."Now I'm going to plant a pickle tree."

 

It was, quite frankly....adorable.  I had a good chuckle. I took a picture and left it at that.

So, imagine my surprise, when a few weeks later, he was eating yet another pickle spear, and this time, there was apparently a bumper crop of seeds.  The motherload, if you will.

Again, he yelped with excitement.  "Mommy, look how many pickle seeds I have."  "I have 12 seeds."  "Now I REALLY can plant a pickle tree."  I smiled and nodded, as all good Moms do, right?  "knowing" that he would for sure drop this idea as soon as a speck of dust floated past his eyes and he became distracted.

But nooooo. 'Twas not to be.

He finished his bagel and then promptly informed me he was ready to plant his tree.  Let's get this tree planting done.  Where should we do it.

As I'm usually a crusher of all dreams, I decided that today, TODAY I would play the sweet, builder of dreams and let him plant his revered tree.

The great pickle seed haul.

We carefully carried the paper towell and it's precious content out to the front planter.

I improvised, I found him a spoon worthy of the digging.

He happily dug until he had a hole "deep" enough to plant some seeds in. (I have no idea why the pictures are looking squashed)

Then it was time:

Max carefully, and quite lovingly I might add, flicked those sticky seeds into their allotted space in our dry and barren planter box.

Next came the magical moment....the moment we covered it over and prepared to water.

We marked the spot where the seeds were with some dry petals from my flowers.  He carefully watered that area.  And as SOON as he finished watering, he said: "Ok Mom, can we watch it grow?"  "How long will this take?"  I told him it could take a VERY long time to grow.  He asked how long? I told him LONG.  Then he asked if we could just maybe sit out there and wait for it.  After some clever and convincing wording, I got him to go inside, realizing that it would be far to long to wait for it to grow.  But "surely something would sprout in time."  That seemed to appease him, and he was so excited and couldn't wait to tell Maggie that HE got to plant a pickle tree.

It was a total win win.  He felt like he'd accomplished all he ever hoped for, and I totally won the prize for good Mommy award.

I sure do love that kid and his bright mind, eager desires and great imagination.

Now, since I let so much time pass before posting about this, I can tell you the follow up.

About a week ago, he suddenly remembered that "hey, he planted a pickle tree."  You know what he said to me?  "You said my pickle tree would grow.  Well, it didn't, and pickles don't grow on trees, so you're a liar."  NOT EVEN KIDDING!  Totally got called a liar by my 4 year old.  All because I was trying to let his happy little heart plant his freaking pickle tree.  HMPH!  See if I ever do THAT again.  

Guess it's back to dream squasher for me.

Sour pickles and sweet boys,

Allyson

 

When you look up the picture for wicked....

After another "successful" evening of sucking at parenting, I decided that I should take to "the googles" and look up wicked stepmother.

Of course there was this picture:

I actually look like this A LOT!

Or this famous picture:

 
Another fairly dead on depiction of my face.

And then, shockingly, there was THIS:

You guys, this is how I feel like my face looks 90% of the freaking time.  It's exhausting, and frankly, doing nothing for my wrinkle lines.

I don't know what is wrong with me, but why is it that I have zero tolerance or patience for the things my kids do.  No really, like ZERO!

We are currently on this "new" (and by new I mean, revisited, we've been off it for many months, but here we are again) thing of Max being terrified of the dark, and of doing anything alone, AT ALL!  I mean, for heavens sake, last night he wouldn't even go out to the kitchen to fill his sippy by himself because he was scared.  Tonight, he wouldn't go find his sippy, he just cried and wailed and lamented that he was TOOOO SCARED!  Every night we find him on Maggies bed with her, even though we've threatened certain death if he continues.  And every day it's the same story, "I was too scared on my bed."

So, after I told them both to knock it off and get over it, cause there is NOTHING to be afraid of, and then went to my room....I felt bad. WHAT is wrong with me? Shouldn't I be comforting and consoling them? Shouldn't I be laying there rubbing their little backs until they feel better?  Instead, I'm just irritated that they're being dramatic.  While Max was sobbing about his fears, I hear Maggie say "Max, i need to get some freaking sleep, BE QUIET!"  Then, I felt bad enough about my suckitude that I went in and asked Max what he was so afraid of.  Between his gasping sobs he said, "the dark."  I convinced him to get up and come in my room to talk to me.  But not before Maggie insists that I leave the door open, because she's afraid.  I take him to my bed and try very calmly to ask him WHAT about the dark scares him.  He told me it's all the shadows, and that he's afraid the stickers on their closet door (large paper doll stickers of Maggies) would come alive.  Now,suddenly,  Maggie is bawling and carrying on from the other room, yelling she's so scared.  I'm trying to calmly talk to Max, reason with him, assure him, get him to talk to me, etc.  In comes Maggie with fake crying.  She's just too afraid to be alone, she tells me.  Wait a second here....was she just not miss smarty/rude pants to Max about HIS crying? So, anyway,  we talk about how there is always prayer, and that they are safe, etc.  After a prayer, while I was holding both of them, they calmed down and I was able to finally put them to bed.  THANK GOODNESS! But for reals.......am I the only craptastic "Wicked" mother out there that gets irritated by all this?

Where is all my tender love and compassion?

I think I lost it somewhere.

Or, how about yesterday when I had just finished with lessons, and there was a knock at the door.  There stood Maggie, Max and our neighbor Jessie.  Max stuck his head in the door and with a huge, proud smile stated, "Maggie and me peed our pants."

Uh, Iiiiiii'm sorry, you WHAT?

Yeah, apparently it was just to hard to get to a toilet and so, poof, they PEED THEIR FREAKING PANTS on their way home.  And by Max's very proud announcement, I knew accident was NOT a true term to use here.

I was lit.  I sent Jessie home, I pulled the kids inside and sent them immediately to the shower.  Aint no child o' mine gonna go around making golden showers in their pants "just because."

I told Maggie this was completely unacceptable.  She KNOWS how to use a  bathroom,a nd WHEN to use a bathroom.  She swore that she just couldn't make it in time.  But, that the real story with Max was, once he saw that she wet her pants, she said "ok, I can do that."  "And then he tried really hard, until he did Mom.  You HAVE to believe me on this."

So, let me get this straight, my 5, nearly 6 year old daughter was just to lazy to use the neighbors bathroom, whilst my 4 year old son just thought it'd be good times to piss in his pants.  AWESOME!

Needless to say, I wore my "wicked" badge once again. Forcing them to wash their own selves in the bath and shower and then sending them to bed early.

A short list (if you will) of my wicked mothering ways:
1. I make them wash themselves in their baths
2. I make Maggie wash her hair....ever
3. I FORCE them to brush their teeth.
4. I won't let them eat candy for breakfast
5. I buy Maggie new clothes that aren't to her liking.
6. I dare to ask them to pick up their room
7. I tell them NO, A LOT!
8. They've never been to Disneyland
9. I won't buy them something EVERY time we're at the store.
10. I am terrible about "Playing" with them
11. I yell at them

Oh, I'm sure the list could go on and on. They like to tell me on a daily basis how mean I am, and that I'm so rude.  

Good thing there is picture proof on the googles of that....Otherwise, people might believe ME when I say THEY'RE the rude ones.

Frustrations and feeling bad,

Allyson 

P.S. Word to the wise.  I may have written this whilst half asleep, and then fallen asleep and then published.  Forgive it's shortcomings.
 

It's been ONE YEAR since you came to me...

As I sat for a brief moment tonight watching The Voice, it hit me...One year ago tonight I was sitting on the couch, watching The Voice, timing contractions, trying to decide if they were good enough to be worthy of going to the Hospital.

Then I was reminded.....after Mayzie was born, I promised I'd share her birth story.  Hmm, how embarrassing, seems I never got around to it.  Soooo, how bout a little story of her birth, for her BIRTHDAY!

It is absolutely unbelievable to me that my beautiful, perfect, AMAZING MAYZIE is ONE YEAR OLD today.  Where did the time go. 

How did this sweet, sweet little alien munchkin:

Become this:

 soooo quickly?

April 2, 2012...I went in for my visit to the doc.  I'd been dilated to a 3 and 90% effaced for a week.  He went ahead and stripped my membrane (THAT was most unpleasant) and then we set up my "inducement" for Friday April 5. But the truth was, Jere was having NONE of it.  He was antsy, he wanted this baby out. He was begging me to do the castor oil and orange pop.  I had decided I didn't want to this time, and I really didn't.  We went on some errands and I had a few huge, painful contractions. I thought that was promising.  But then it seemed to subside. When nothing more happened, I decided that I would go ahead and do the castor oil.  I mean really, we all know patience is NOT my thing.  I wanted this baby here too.

At 4:00 I took an entire bottle of castor oil.........and, NOTHING!  I mean literally, nothing happened.  After a couple of hours, I was concerned. Why no poopsy?  Then, FINALLY at 8:00 I had an urge to go potty.  I went, it was not that great, but it started something at least.  The contractions began.  I started counting them at around 9:00, as I watched the aforementioned Voice. They were coming pretty regularly at about 5 or 3 minutes apart.  I knew that I could wait it out at home, but Jere likes to head to the hospital.  I held him off until about 11:00.  We waddled our way to maternity at Banner Desert and checked into triage.  I measured at a 4, this was good, but the contractions weren't that exciting.  They told me I had to be at a 5 in order to stay.  UGH!  So, i did my patented jog around the building in a hospital gown act.  I hate that.  Me in my giant bellied, naked under a gown glory jogging in place in the chapel, walking up and down the stairs, walking, walking, squatting, lunging, whatever else I could think of to get to a 5 and be able to stay.

45 minutes later I toodled back to my nurse, she checked me out and good news, I got to stay. They checked me into a room and let us settle down, and I use that term lightly,  for the night.

The night was long, and mostly sleepless, but not that thrilling.  They told me that the doc would be in around 6 to break my water.  Lies.

Just before 6 a.m. I told them I needed to go to the bathroom.  As I moved to try and get up I heard and felt the wierdest popping sound.  And then there was a trickle running down my leg.  I called the nurse in and told her that maybe my water broke, cause I certainly wasn't peeing myself, but it was pretty wet.  She said, no, you didn't break it, but maybe just punctured it.  She got me up to go to the bathroom.  I went, and there was a good amount of bloody show and I continued to "leak" down my leg.

From there it went pretty quickly.  The contractions came pretty quickly and I was dilated to a six.  I said, let's get this epidural, I'm not interested in no pain, YO!  The doc came in to administer the epidural.  It felt like he was hitting my spinal nerve, it HURT and that had never happened before. But he finally got it in the right place and put the drugs in.  And away he went.

Literally just a few minutes later I was dying.  I was like "Why, WHY does this hurt so bad? I have an epidural, holy CRAP why is this HURTING?" Let's keep in mind that I have not felt childbirth. I'm all about the drugged up birth.  I called the nurse in and she smiled and said "are you feeling a little pinch, a little uncomfortable?"  I was like, "NO, I'm feeling eVERYTHING, WHY?"  And at this point I was dilated to an 8 or 9 or something and there was no doc in sight.  He was stuck in freaking traffic, but on.his.way.  So, I'm literally doing the lamaze breathing, squeezing the crap out of Jeres hand, feeling every blasted contraction,  trying NOT to have a baby until the doc got there. Apparently, the epidural did not so much work, and I'm a fast transitioner.  FINALLY at 8:30 or something like that the Doc rolled in, sat down and told me to push.  I gave it a good push and booyah, she was on her way out.

In just a moment (well, you know, hypothetically speaking) at 8:53 a.m. Amazing Mayzie made her debut, and she was the picture of perfection at 8 lb. 11 oz.  The doc insited that she was really 9 lbs., but when they wiped her off, it took away that oz. 

She was calm and serene from the start.  I remember laying in my room listening to the baby next door cry and cry and cry and cryyyyyyyyy non-stop, and Mayzie had never so much as made a peep.  She literally never cried.  She slept and laid there and looked around and just emminated an aura of peace.  I'm always so grateful for that.  She was a champion latcher and a great little nurser from the get go.  Really too bad that I had to wake up the next morning with a blood clot and ruin the whole nursing thing.

This has been a year of pure joy when it comes to Mayzie.  She smiles for everyone, she's fairly easy to go to anyone.  She is happy, and giggly and sweet and bright, oh so bright.

She started walking 2 1/2 weeks ago, and she's just a girl on the go these days.  She loves to wave at people and blow kisses.  She LOVES dogs and her clearest word is "DOG."  She also says mama, dada, BAH which means bottle, or drink. Other words are bye bye, ba (as in bath) which she very excitedly repeats over and over when its bathtime,  and we swear we've heard Max and a Maggie once.  

She is a fantastic sleeper, she happily goes down for 2 naps a day and down at bedtime.  Rarely is there any fight, and if there is, then she clearly isn't ready. She's very good at letting you know when she wants to sleep, and when she wants something.  She's determined and strong willed.  She does NOT like to be told no, and gets rather easily offended if we say that to her.  She will cry big, sad crocodile tears.

She's incredibly patient and accomodating to all her cousins and her siblings who really love to play with her like she's their real life baby doll.  It's quite adorable to watch her get passed around and fought over by all the cousins.  There is still line ups for turns to hold Mayzie.  I'm so thankful she is loved.

I am so grateful, every day for her sweet addition to our family. I'm thankful for her smile, her peace, her beauty, her fun personality, and the happiness she brings me. She is perfect, she is AMAZING!

 Newborn

 2 mos.

 4 mos. at her blessing

 3 mos. in Greer

 3 mos.

 6 mos. Halloween

 8 mos.

 8 mos. Christmas morning

 10 mos.

 Easter Sunday 11 mos.

 8 or 9 months

 I guess it's not always Sunshine and Lollipops!