2009

Happy New Year!!! We're looking forward to another exciting year and we hope the same to all of you!!!

The Hungry Caterpillar

These are a few of Maya's favorite things...

A few of Maya's favorite things this holiday season:

crawling, clapping, pulling herself up, bouncing on Daddy's knee, playing with her shapes, trying to grab the tv cords, learning to feed herself cereal, blowing raspberries, shoes, socks, feet, basically anything to do with toes, rubber ducky, throwing her sippy cup onto the ground, and of course, books :)

Maya exploring

Maya loves to explore these days! She has crawling completely down and can pull herself up onto her knees quite well! With these new found talents she has begun to acquire a couple of small bumps and bruises. Still, she continues to work hard and play hard and explore EVERYTHING!!!

Time flies! Jack is turning 5 this week!

Jack Christian Dailey November 15, 2003

Turning 5 very soon!!!!!!!!!

This is my nephew who is turning 5 and I can't believe it! Happy birthday Jack!

I'm pumped

Barack Obama is the first African American president of the United States!!!

I voted for the poor, the hungry, the sick. I voted for Obama because I'm tired of seeing those who need Jesus alienated instead of served. We need to come alongside people and help them. I am pumped for this new season in our country. I, too, am praying for our leaders, but not in a fearful way, in a proud, excited, at-peace way.

"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered. " Proverbs 21:13

Proverbs 22:16 "He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty."

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!!!!





















We sure did!

First Snow

Maya got to see her first snow today! She was all bundled up!

Never too early for art!

Maya had her first experience with finger paints today!!! Mark held her hands so she could focus on her art and not worry about tasting the paint. She really liked painting!

Feeling better

From "The Little Prince

by Antoine de Saint-Exupery:

"Grown-ups like numbers. When you tell them about a new friend, they never ask questions about what really matters. They never ask: 'What does his voice sound like?' 'What games does he like best?' 'Does he collect butterflies?' They ask: 'How old is he?' 'How many brothers does he have?' 'How much does he weigh?' 'How much money does his father make?' Only then do they think they know him.

If you tell grown-ups, 'I saw a beautiful red brick house, with geraniums at the windows and doves on the roof,' they won't be able to imagine such a house. You have to tell them, 'I saw a house worth a hundred thousand dollars.' Then they exclaim, 'What a pretty house!' That's the way they are. You must not hold it against them. Children should be very understanding of grown-ups."

Virus

Maya has a virus this week. She has a little rash and fever and that sort of thing. She has been trying to have fun, but has been pretty grumbly. She got a bath last night to try to help her feel better. It worked for a little bit. We hope she will be back to herself soon and we can all get more sleep!!!

Tag from Erin

4 things I was doing 10 years ago...
Begging for the car keys
Wishing for a date for Homecoming
Babysitting the Maurer kids (when they were babies) :)
doing homework

4 things on my to do list for today...
Laundry
Maybe make apple bread
Watch Audrey Hepburn movies
Play with Maya

4 things I love about my husband...
He works hard
He's cute
He loves to play with Maya
He changed the big poopy today

4 jobs I have had...
Nanny to the Maurers
Avogadro's Number at MSU (sandwich artist)
Starbucks barista/shift sup.
Daycare/Preschool Teacher


4 places I have lived...
Laurel, MT
Bozeman, MT
Myrtle Beach, SC
Stoughton, WI

4 places I want to visit...
India
Venice
Oregon (pronounced with an "in" sound at the end for you wierdo Wisconsin people!)
Stoughton ( I already miss it's cute-ness!)


4 (or 5-6) things you may not know about me...
I'm not a phenomenal cook (OH, WAIT! You already KNOW that!)
I can play the piano
I dislike squirrels (there is one I am currently keeping an eye on in our neighborhood. He is suspicious)
I hate using the cruise control
I actually sort of like Ozzy Osbourne music (I know, but only some of the songs!)

Now it's Jean's turn.

Playing outside

Mark hanggliding

Mark was able to go hang-gliding in Paradise Valley by Livingston, MT last Saturday. He used to hang-glide in college and is currently working on building up hours to become an instructor! Maya thinks it's cool that her dad can fly!

Cereal

Maya loved her very first cereal today! She was VERY ready!!!

Peace

Maya's Visit to the Salon

My friend Brittney did the honors of giving Maya her first haircut at the Elite Salon in Laurel!!

We decided to take a little off the layers, trim up the back and give her bangs ( mostly because tummy time was getting frustrating with hair in her eyes all the time!) She was a very good girl and didn't cry, but she didn't smile either. She was very serious the whole time. I think she was just taking it all in! Thanks for all the votes! Maya likes her new hair-do!!!

small towns....

Well, I was going to post this really cute picture of us on a hike with Maya from the weekend today, but our little memory card doesn't jive with my mom's computer (or possibly, operator error). Either way I will say this:

1) I like small towns because there are little huts that sell ice cream and old guys that remember every single "good ol' day" because they've lived on the same block for 87 years. Everybody can figure out some way that they "know" you and most of the time this is a wonderful thing.

2) I don't like giant german shepherds, cars on blocks, giant potholes, and weeds the size of a medium christmas tree (minus the twinkling lights, but still.)

3) I must come to terms with the fact that my opinion of "charge more taxes and have a better place to live" is wildly unpopular and may conclude with giant german shepherds bounding over previously mentioned potholes to devour me and then mark territory on giant weed.

I'm not entirely sure that Louis Armstrong was right about the world, but I plan on reading "The Last Lecture" this week to help balance my perspective. I also plan on continuing on a steady regimen of coffee and chocolate and cute shoes to cope.


Coming soon: Maya's trip to the Salon

Maya's Hair

Maya rolled over today! She also giggled for the first time on Sunday! She is very busy getting used to her new life in Montana!

We left Minneapolis for Montana Wednesday night at 7:30. We drove all night. Maya rocked. She slept all the way until Mark had to break hard for some of Bambi's relatives in North Dakota. I saw the biggest buck I've ever seen right on the shoulder of the road that night. I was freaked out! We pulled over for a rest after that guy and then when the sun came up finished the drive to Laurel. It took about 14 hours! Not bad considering we did it with a 2 month old!!!!

Jelly Belly Factory

Today we visited the Jelly Belly factory. Maya listened very intently to our tour guide, but by the end she was pretty worn out!

I recommend...

Firework girl

Well, we took little Miss Maya down on to the lake for fireworks last night. She was in her jammies and a sweater with a thick pink blanket. She fell asleep in her carseat which was wrapped in mosquito netting. She slept through the whole thing! I couldn't believe it! They were so loud and she didn't even flinch! She also hung out with Grandpa Tim and Grandma Chris on their boat yesterday while Mark and I went tubing! We had a blast!

This is my girl. It blows my mind how big she has gotten. She is growing out of clothes like crazy. Her swimsuit is too small and she's grown out of size 1 diapers (which I concluded after being pooped on 3 times...slow learner.) Anyway, she rocks. She lets me sleep all night long and she laughs at my jokes even when they're really awful. :) I heart Maya.

Vacation

The boxes are packed, loaded, and waiting to be unloaded in Montana. The jobs are done, the house is sold, the baby is healthy. We are able to settle into a couple of weeks of R&R. Maya took her first boat ride on Grandpa Tim's boat yesterday and then she got to ride with just Mark and I today. She is doing awesome! The cat has made it this far... much to my dismay...He is currently cuddling up to me as I type in a last ditch effort to convince me not to abandon him. It might be working. We are so pumped to get to Montana! We are also thrilled to have this time to relax at Tim and Chris' place and enjoy time with Maya and family.