Happy ELEVEN Months, Madeline!

As usual, another month has gone by entirely too fast. This one was on hyper speed because it was the month leading up to Christmas. We have had so much fun with you in the past month...visiting Santa, reading Christmas stories, seeing lights, watching you admire the Christmas tree, loving the spotlight at parties and just watching you grow and learn so much every day. There are times where I don't even realize just how intelligent you are! We decided to get an Elf on the Shelf and I told Daddy you wouldn't understand it this year, but we would still show you. Well, we named him Krinkle and would show you what spot he would end up in each morning. About a week later, we would come downstairs, I would say "Where's Krinkle?" and your eyes would start searching the entire downstairs. When you found him you would point and say "Kaaa-kle". We were absolutely AMAZED and thought it was a fluke for at least 3 days, but it became your morning routine....and it is kind of hard to explain to you that Krinkle is gone now. Your language skills are astounding and you try to repeat and identify almost everything we say. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I talk to you all day long.hehe.  We love to hear your words and we are constantly trying to teach you more... Even though you try to repeat anything we tell you , the words you say and associate with items are... duck and you show a duck, light and point to the light, fan and point to fan, Josh when your brother enters the room, Daddy when he comes home, ball and hold up a ball, truck and grab a Hess truck, tree and point to the Christmas tree, Bop-bop when you see or want Be-pop!! There are so many things that you say and "Wassat? (what's that)" AND "Look", followed by your pointing at the item you're curious about, happens to be my absolute favorite. You truly are a little sponge, just absorbing every little thing around you. I am so proud to have such an inquisitive little baby girl.

The way you maneuver around furniture with ease has us thinking you will walk soon, but you happen to be very cautious, so maybe not! You are definitely able to get where you want to go and actually have been crawling this adorable scoot type crawl since you were 5 months old. Well, one day you just decided to get up on all fours and really crawl! It is the cutest little thing because you look like a wind-up toy, very precise with each movement.
Your favorite toys are puzzles and balls....oh, and the Hess trucks we put out at Christmas. You even have a little chick that is your favorite puzzle piece you carry around all day and I end up searching the entire downstairs for every night. Santa also brought a ball pit that you have been completely obsessed with over the past couple days....you climb in and out SO many times that it wears us out just watching.
You love other children and are such a social bug at our Mommy groups and parties! It surprises me the way you go to other people with ease even though you are with me all day long.
There are FOUR more teeth on top that have made their way through, not all the way, but just about.
We are captivated by your personality, amazed by your intelligence, melted by your cuteness and just can't get enough of you! What else can I say but Happy ELEVEN Months, Madeline! 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night

Here's a random thought, the chocolate chip cookie. They are like the official cookie of Christmas. We make them, we eat them, we give them as gifts....they all have the same name, yet they all taste a little different. We all probably like the taste of our own best, that's why we make them every year. But, the best thing about them?? You can't go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie....I have yet to have a bad chocolate chip cookie. In fact, the people in my life remind me of them....each different, whether it be a different spice, ingredient or baking process....  they're all the best.
I'm ready for bed, but I just wanted to say, Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night! At least that's what Be-pop always said and what he just said in my recordable book given to me by my husband (who asked Me-mom & Be-pop to do it for me!) a couple years ago....before they were so popular!

Daddy's little tomboy

Growing up, my Dad was one of my best friends. He was always such a fun person to be around and I loved being with him...god, was he funny. We hunted, we explored,, we carved ducks, we fixed things around the house....I was Daddy's little tomboy.
There was a rough patch there, he went through a tough time, a divorce can tear someone up inside....I saw that, it was pain he wore all over his face for quite a few years there. He even turned that pain into anger and didn't seem to want to be around people all that much. But, he would do anything for anyone even then...and he still will. Being a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald house has opened his eyes to the world around him once again.
We will NOT be seeing my Dad for Christmas this year, but that's because someone else needs him more.
When I read this email he sent out today, tears came to my eyes and pride filled my insides........


This is my friend Brook and her mother Tammy I met several months ago at RMH.
They are truely two of the strongest people I have met besides my parents and brother.
To have to spend the last year upside down and away from their family and friends.

I was talking with Tammy a couple weeks ago and she told me the MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION asked Brook to make a wish.
Her wishes were as follows:

!) To be back with her family and friends.
2) To go to a Ravens Game
3) For her father to at least call her to see how she is doing. (Divorced from Tammy and has not talked with Brook since she got sick)

The MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION said sorry they could not make any of her wishes come true.
Closest they could get would be Ravens but games sold out and had zero connection.

Since that day I used some resources and will be excorting Brook, Tammy and family to the Christmas Eve Raven Game, when I put this request out on the street I never thought it would really snowball into sky box seating,have Brook & family on the field pre-game and meeting Brook's and her mothers favorite player Joe Flacco, limo service.

Brook spent November 30th in a 14 hour operations to remove some more tumors from her shoulder and arm. When talking with Tammy yesterday she said the operation did not go as well as planned (more cancer than antisapated) and the though of the Ravens is keeping her going.
Read this and you will feel blessed......

Have your children read this and they will feel lucky.....

(((He may need to learn how to use spell check, but I think he kicks major ass!!!)))

So say a prayer for my Dad's friend, Brooke tonight.
Thank you.