Our Little Baby: A Year with Our Little Baby

2011 was a good year for our family. Madeline went from a loaf of bread to a full-fledged toddler, we said so long to Lowell and bought a new house.

Other highlights? I thought you'd never ask....

(P.S. I totally stole this from here, here, and um...here.)

January:
In January, I went back to work and Madeline started daycare. It was a big transition for us, but it went smoothly thanks to Madeline's cheery disposition. She had her first cold and her first taste of solid food. We discovered she loves watching football, and we delighted in Madeline's giggle. We got 2.5 Madeline's of snowfall, which led to a lot of cozy snow days.

February:
February started off badly when our cat pulled a nutty on me and the baby. Madeline ended up with stitches in her ear, and I got staples in my head. Ouch! Meanwhile, Madeline started sleeping in her own crib. She didn't care, but Mumma did. And I experimented with making baby food for Madeline to eat.

March:

In March, Madeline turned six months old! I stopped my love affair with breastfeeding. Madeline became a bit of a diva. (Not MY daughter?!?) We celebrated her first St. Patrick's Day with a burrito and a walk with drunken corner people. And we took Madeline to the aquarium for the first time. She still loves fish.

April:

I continued experimenting with making baby food, and Madeline ate it all up...except for avocado. We began Early Intevention services because Madeline wasn't rolling over yet, and her Mumma may ~~or may not be~~ a worry wort. We went on a lot of adventures including visiting Nana and Poppy in New York, taking a day trip to Rhode Island, and a Mumma-Dada day in Boston. Also, Madeline met the Easter Bunny for the first time. She didn't cry. I bet money that this year...she will.

May:

In May, it rained a lot. (We also happened to meet our house for the first time on that same day, but I didn't mention it on the blog at the time.) Madeline finally learned how to roll over and stand with support. Around the same time, I resolved to stop comparing my child to other (less awesome) children. Meanwhile, I came up with a brilliant business idea for baby-drool anti-aging face cream. (Still in the works, P.S.) Meanwhile, I shared pictures of Madeline's old nursery.

June:
In June, Madeline helped cheer on the Bruins. Eric and I realized we are the worst parents in the world when we forgot our child at daycare. Madeline learned to clap and wave. I made Eric the sappiest father's day video ever! (But it's still pretty awesome.) Madeline got her first passport at the ripe old age of seven months. And I passed on a valuable life-lesson to my ginger-haired daughter: Always wear sunscreen!

July:

Madeline celebrated her first Fourth of July. We introduced her to Ben and Jerry on our way up to Vermont where we visited with Grammy and Bob. She learned to crawl and to say her favorite word, "baby." We Marched for Babies in Ellis' name, and thanks to my amazing family and friends, we were one of the top fundraising teams in our area!

August:

As Madeline became more mobile, we found ourselves spending most of our time trying to prevent her from doing herself serious bodily injury. We packed up our old apartment, and Eric and I once again realized we're complete opposites at most things in life. I shared what we keep in our diaper bag.

We went on an amazing cruise to Bermuda with Nana, Poppy, Auntie Carol, and Uncle Kevin.

Most importantly, we became the proud homeowners of our current little piece of the rock! Then we tested our survival skills during Hurricane Irene.

September:

We brought Madeline to her first Red Sox game. Madeline learned to walk!!! My mother took Madeline's final bunny picture to celebrate her first birthday. We had a big pink party in our new house. Our family noted the third anniversary of Ellis' birth. Meanwhile, Madeline learned to say "No" and hasn't stopped since. Finally, I practiced my baby-tossing skills after a child bit Madeline at daycare.

October:

Eric and I left Madeline overnight for the first time, and realized we should probably get out more often. (Although we still don't much. Boo.) We celebrated my favorite season in our new house, and brought Madeline apple picking for the first time. Madeline finished Early Intervention, scoring above her age range in nearly all categories. Maddie dressed as Winnie the Pooh for her second Halloween, but sadly, the holiday was ruined by a freak blizzard and the plague that keeps on giving.

November:

Madeline made a mess of herself when she discovered how much she adores spaghetti. I shared my thanks. We had a visit from Nana and Poppy. Grammy and Bob invited us over for Thanksgiving, and Madeline refused to eat anything but corn. Last but not least, my sister gave me the gift of the Baby Jesus.

December:

Madeline and Mumma did some killer arts and crafts projects. Madeline visited with good ole Saint Nick. She did not like him. Meanwhile, she developed an unhealthy obsession with another man in red...Elmo. (He's taking over the world; don't say I didn't warn you!) I discovered the complete awsomeness of Yo Gabba Gabba. Eric and I shared our picks for the worst Christmas songs of all time. And we celebrated Christmas with our family, and then drove to New York to celebrate with the rest of our family.