More pictures

Here are more Christmas pictures...

Maggie's First Christmas

Sorry for the delay in a new post but we have been traveling a lot during the holidays and this is the first chance I have had to post.

Anyway, Maggie's first Christmas was an extraordinary one for her. She got a lot of very nice presents from everyone. She definitely has a lot of new clothes to wear and new toys to try out. We started out the trip at Meme and Pap's where Maggie played hard with her cousin Anna. On Christmas day Maggie made the trip down the Natchez Trace to see Gran and then to see Gigi and Papa.

Andy and I came out to Las Vegas on Wednesday and Maggie is staying with Papa and Gigi until I return on Sunday. She is having a blast from what she has told me.

And of course, here is the important stuff...the pictures.

-Katie

What a Weekend

What a weekend for Maggie and me. Well, more me but she is with me every step of the way. I spend 99.9% of my weekend baking for the holidays. I started Friday night, continued all day Saturday and finished with a pot of chili at lunch today. I made peanut butter cookies dipped half way in chocolate sprinkled with chopped peanuts, cracker candy and chocolate dipped pretzels. I also made a chocolate cheesecake to take to a Christmas party tonight. So, needless to say I am worn out.

Maggie is also tuckered out tonight. She wasn't the best napper today and we left the house at 5 to go to the party. I assumed she would take a nap in the car since it was a 45 minute ride, nope. She preferred a mix of talking and fussing. She did, however, fall asleep on the way home at 8 pm and is sound asleep now.

Maggie is ready to get to see all of her family this week!!

-Katie

Weatherpeople

Here were the headlines from the news last night and then again this morning:

Last night- Winter Watch 2005

This morning- Ice Storm 2005

Now what happens if there is winter weather in the next 16 days? What will it be called? Ice Storm 2005 Returns, Ice Storm 2005- The Revenge of the Freezing Rain?

Anyway, when I woke up this morning there was a nice coating of ice on the power lines and trees but, of course, I still had to work. This is what I heard when I called the Emory University Inclement Weather line: "Emory University is operating on its normal business hours. Thank you." No, thank you Emory University. That's just what I want to do on a rainy, sub-freezing Thursday morning. Bundle up my 8 month old and attempt to not fall flat on my face trying to get to my car just so I can go to work the week before Christmas. It just took me a nervous 15 minutes to navigate across the deck and down the 2 stairs to get to the driveway.

I also got my parking bill for the 2006 year and Merry Christmas to me, it will now cost me almost $300 to park my car on campus. Oh, wait, no it won't. I'm moving to a city where it's actually free to park most places.

Needless to say it was freezing cold and rainy for the rest of the day. Tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful but I head the weatherpeople on the news tonight saying something about more winter weather this weekend.

Well, that's about all for tonight. I have a date with Resolve floor cleaner and the carpet to try and clean the mud that a prospective buyer tracked all over my carpet today. I'm trying to contain my excitement about doing this. Jack will be sulking in one corner thinking I'm cleaning up something he did. I guess we can call this The Mud Investigation 2005.

Disclaimer- I'm really not in a bad mood, just a dry-sense-of-humor-sarcastic one. Also, these pictures are about a week old so that cut on her face is healing nicely and almost invisible. I don't want to freak the grandparents out.

-Katie

And here is the real reason for my joy...

HO, HO, HO

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I Met Santa by Maggie Anne Kennedy

I put on my green dress,
I did not look a mess.

Who was this I was about to meet?
Santa, with rosy cheeks.

I waited in line
for what seemed like a long time.

But then, who is that I see?
It's Santa, and I am sitting on his knee.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, Maggie was introduced to Santa yesterday. Even though we made an appointment we still had to wait in line for almost one hour for Maggie's turn. She was a champ. We were a little afraid that she would get upset when we put her in the lap of a strange man with a white beard. But, she didn't get upset, but she didn't really smile either. All in all it was a successful visit.

On the developmental front, Maggie is just about there with crawling. She can get up in the crawling position and she will rock back and forth but she hasn't figured out how to get one hand in front of the other. She is also now eating Cherrios successfully and drinking out of a sippy cup.

The biggest part of the weekend was that Andy was home. He flew back in town on Friday night and we have been able to spend a lot of time together. We are sad that he has to go back to Las Vegas tomorrow morning, but it's only for 9 days this time.

We had an open house at our house today and several people came by so keep those fingers crossed that we will get an offer!!!

Have a good week.

-Katie

It's Official

It's official. Maggie definitely knows who Jack is and what a camera means. She finished her dinner bottle and obviously wanted more so when I took the bottle out of her mouth, her brow scrunched up, the bottom lip poked out, but then... What was that she heard, Jack scratching his collar and then the smile appeared and the legs kicking. Maggie absolutely loves Jack. I'm not so sure how he feels about his hair being pulled out but he doesn't seem to mind too much.

And, boy was she smiling for the camera tonight. The pictures are all below. Today is her 8 month birthday- wow!!! Only 4 more to go until it's cake-all-over-the-place time.

Happy 8 months Maggie! Mommy and Daddy have loved every minute of it.

-Katie

Dear Daddy,

Dear Daddy,

I miss you very, very much. Mommy showed me the picture of our new house in Las Vegas and it looks very fun. I can't wait to play on the playground. Mommy also said that you are coming home on Friday. I can't wait to see you. I'm about to get this crawling thing figured out but Mommy asked that I not crawl until you were home. I'm trying to wait Daddy but I'm just not sure how long I can hold out. Jack's bed looks really comfortable and there are so many things that I haven't seen yet.

Also, Mommy's cool to play with but I miss you playing the piano for me and letting me play on it to. When you get home can we have story time and piano time? If I promise that I won't crawl can we??? Jack also misses you but I'm trying to play with him but Mommy keeps telling him to stop playing with me- I don't understand.

That's all I have for now, it's about time for a nap and I think Mommy needs to wrap some Christmas presents.

I love you and can't wait to see you at the airport.

Love you,
Maggie

The past 24 hours

It has been a crazy 24 hours around the house. Yesterday, I woke up not feeling so good but went on about my day. Well, by about 4 o'clock yesterday I knew something was wrong. Fever, aches, headache, chills, sore throat, etc... . So, I assumed I was coming down with the flu. I made the decision to ask for help because I knew if I did have the flu, I couldn't be around Maggie. So, Tara was able to drop everything and come take care of Maggie. Thankfully, when I woke up this morning I did not have a fever or aches but I had lost my voice. The voice has been in and out today but I can deal with that. Maggie and I are very thankful that Gigi could come help.

On a side note:

COUNTDOWN UNTIL DADDY COMES HOME- 8

Here are some pictures.

Katie

Vegas Baby...

I have returned from Las Vegas. I had a great time and I tried to bring Andy back with me. Here are a few pictures from the week but there is too much to write now so I will try and post a few times this week with what's going on.

Here are the highlights:

1. I loved the house/condo that we have purchased (much to Andy's relief).

2. The dancing waters at the Bellagio are amazing.

3. Las Vegas is much more mountainous that I thought.

I am going to pick up Maggie tomorrow night and I can't wait. She said "Mama" this week!!!

-Katie

Tis the Season

Tis the season for...

1. Ridiculously large crowds at shopping malls.

2. Winter coats.

3. Wrapping presents.

Gran came in town this weekend to visit Maggie. Maggie enjoyed all of her playtime with Gran. We had an open house at our house on Saturday so Gran, Maggie and I went to the mall to get some Christmas shopping done. We had 3 hours and I figured we would have ample time to get everything bought. Nope, I only got half of what I anticipated done. Oh well. Tis the season.

While shopping at the mall we were in baby Gap and came across an adorable brown suede coat/poncho in Maggie's size. It looks so precious on her and it is so soft. Now that the temperatures are getting pretty cold Maggie has to wear a coat and this one is much easier to put on her. Tis the season.

It's a very quiet evening around the Kennedy household. Andy just landed back in Las Vegas for three weeks, Maggie is sound asleep and I have Christmas presents to wrap. I love wrapping Christmas presents. Tis the season.

On a side note, this may be the only post for a week or so. Maggie is headed to north Mississippi to spend Thanksgiving with Meme and Pap and she is leaving on Tuesday morning. I won't get to see her again until the next Monday and I'm very sad. So, as soon as I can after, I will get new pictures up.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Katie

We're Still Here

No, we haven't already moved to Las Vegas. The Kennedy household has been chaotic lately. I was in Kentucky for work last weekend, came home and hosted a baby shower. Monday, Andy came down with the stomach virus so I became Mrs. Clean Monday. And so the week continues like that. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Georgia Pacific was bought out, but Andy's job is secure.

Okay, now about Maggie. She is doing wonderful. Her second tooth has quit bothering her (YEAH) and she is free of ear infections and coughs. Maggie will be going to north Mississippi on Tuesday to spend Thanksgiving with Meme and Pap while I travel to Las Vegas (for the first time EVER). And I am traveling on the busiest travel day of the year- great decision on my part. I am just going to plan to get to the airport super early.

Maggie has a big weekend in store for her. Gran came in town to visit! I think we are planning a trip to the mall to do some Christmas shopping. And speaking of Christmas, we were going to take Maggie to Phipps Plaza to have her picture made with Santa. This is the real deal Santa- he gets paid over $100,000 to do this. Anyway, you have to make an appointment- online. So, I tried about 3 weeks ago to do this and all the November appointments were booked. Today, all the December 1-15 appointments opened and surprise, surprise, the website is so busy I can't log on. It appears that Maggie will be visiting another Santa this year.

Okay, so here are some pictures of Maggie from last week as I was doing laundry and she was helping with her clothes. So, maybe by the time she is 2 she'll be doing her own- just kidding.

Sorry there aren't any newer pictures, but I tried to take some last night but it just didn't work out.

Have a good weekend.

-Katie



Okay, there are more pictures but I can't get them to come up. So, I will try and add them when I get home but I can't promise anything because our internet was down last night- again.

Where in the World Is...

Where in the world is Daddy?


Is he hiding behind his clothes? No.


Is he over there? No.


Is he in my burp cloth? No.


Is he under the bed? No.


He's in Las Vegas!!!!

COUNTDOWN UNTIL ANDY COMES HOME: THREE!!!

On a side note, Maggie got a clean bill of health plus a flu shot at the doctor today. Yeah:)

-Katie

Yet another birthday

Sometimes I feel like I am in a time machine and time is going by faster than it can be measured. Example: Maggie is 7 months old today!!!! It's so hard for me to imagine that in 5 months she will be a year old. It seems like it wasn't that long ago that we had the sonogram that let us know that we were having a girl- AND THAT WAS A YEAR AGO!!!

It was my and Maggie's first weekend apart from Andy- EVER. We miss him terribly but Papa and Gigi came to visit so we had great company. Maggie played very hard and enjoyed her birthday weekend very much. She now has her first purse, cell phone and car keys. She immediately put all these items in her mouth. I realized today why- her second tooth is days away from making its appearance.

Maggie is starting to feel better though. She went back to the doctor on Friday because I knew she wasn't getting any better. And it's a good thing that I did. Her ear infection had spread to both ears and she had full-blown bronchiolits. So, we were sent home with a prescription for another antibiotic and breathing treatments, all of which seem to be working.

COUNTDOWN UNTIL ANDY COMES HOME: Five.

Oh, and what is with the weather. It is Nov. 6th and I had to turn on my air conditioning!!!

Have a good Monday.

Katie

Update

Here is a recent conversation between Andy and myself:

Katie: Do you think her (Maggie) cough sounds worse or better? Do you think she is wheezing? She just sounds congested to me. When I think of wheezing I think of an old lady with emphysema.

Andy: I don't know. I can't really hear her over the sound of the humidifier.

Katie: Should I call the doctor anyway?

Andy: (says nothing but I know the look, it's the- Katie are you kidding you just talked to the doctor- look).

Katie: Yes, I know I'm just being paranoid. When we have coughs they don't go away automatically after one dose of medicine. But, if you think she needs to go to the doctor, let me know.


Okay, so this conversation happens weekly except substitute something else with cough. I guess this is just how I am going to be for the rest of my life. Paranoid and overprotective. When we were at the pediatrician's office on Tuesday (by the way, Maggie has a cold and an ear infection) a little boy, also in the sick area, tried to climb in my lap next to Maggie. Okay, I gave his parents the look that says, "Yes, my daughter is sick too but that doesn't mean I want your sick kid in my lap too!!"

Anyway, Maggie seems to be doing better but the germs have implanted themselves in both mine and Andy's sinus passages. At least we can take over the counter medicine.

Andy left tonight to start his new job in Las Vegas tomorrow. He will return home on the 11th for 9 days and we are already counting them down. I would make one of those paper chains counting down the days but I'm not sure my realtor would appreciate that.

And, of course, here are some pictures.