Annual Rideau Canal Outing

It was a relatively warmer day yesterday, so we took our annual trip to the canal for a Beaver Tail and some hot chocolate. Maggie seemed to really like all the people and excitement. She seemed to quite enjoy being outdoors as well, despite all of mom's worrying about her being cold. We saw quite a few moms and dads pushing running strollers on the ice while skating. We'll have to get into that next year!
"Being carried by Daddy is much better than sitting in my stroller!"

"Stop watching TV Maggie and come play with me!"

Xander and Maggie actually kind of played together last night. It was fun watching them grabbing for whichever toy the other had. It was just a taste of the game of "Mine!" that's sure to come in the future. Ha!

Mmmmmm... toes.

Strike a pose!

Our almost finished kitchen!!

Brrrrrr.. It's cold!

Maggie's starting to walk!!

Ha! Just kidding! But she is able to sit up on her own. You have to watch her though, because every now and again she leans too far to the front, back, or side and falls. The backward falls usually lead to tears.

It was pretty cold here the past couple of days; -25 on Wednesday! I bundled Maggie up so much to go out that she couldn't budge, she was like Ralphie's brother in The Christmas Story movie. In protest, she'd turn red puffing her chest out as if she was the hulk about to bust out of his clothes!

Here she is finally free from the confines of her winter straight jacket. Here she is during a rare 3 hour nap on the couch Monday afternoon.

Learning to eat is a slow process

We gave Maggie rice cereal for the first time on Saturday morning. I did what they said at the workshop (Introduction to Solids) and fed her breastmilk first and then the cereal, but I think she was full by the time I tried the cereal. She would only swallow a tiny, tiny bit and then push the rest out. She wasn't nearly as excited as I was :-(

That evening I tried to get her used to the spoon by putting it in my mouth as if eating from it and then to her mouth. Not the most sanitary, I know. But after about 2 minutes she was opening her mouth for the spoon.

This morning we tried her with the cereal again, but this time fed her cereal first. She was way more receptive this time and managed to swallow almost half of the little bowl I had made. I'd put the spoon right in her mouth and kind of pour the cereal in and I could tell she tasted it by the expression on her face. It's a slow, slow process and I think after trying this, Chad has a new appreciation for our mothers!

Here are some cute pics from the past few days.

Peek-a-boo

Peek-a-boo!

Maggie can now support herself on her arms. She pulls herself up for a few seconds to look at whatever toy is in front of her and then face down for a closer look and maybe a quick taste.

Maggie started swimming lessons this past Tuesday with Xander. So far it's alot of draggging her around on her stomach and back and then a few songs with actions in the water. She didn't smile the whole time in the water, but she didn't cry either, so we're going to say she likes it. Maggie put her face in the water a few times while on her belly, but just blinked her eyes a whole lot and coughed a bit. She didn't seem to mind it at all.

Here is a pic of Maggie in her cute new bathing suit which seems to be a bit too big yet.

This is Maggie's new gang of friends. It's hard to believe that she's not much bigger than a stuffed Winnie the Pooh.

Maggie and I went to an Introduction to Solids workshop yesterday and I think this weekend we'll start her on cereal. By the way she watches me eat and the amount she currently drinks, I think she's ready for food, but we'll find out on Saturday.

We're going to get Maggie's second set of immunization shots today. Hopefully she'll be as good as she was last time. And hopefully I'll be as good as I was last time ;-) It's not easy watching the nurse put the long needle into her little pudgy leg. She's going to get lots of extra cuddles today for sure!

Yummy toes

Maggie's growing so fast now, it's like we can see a difference in her every day. At her doctor's checkup last week, she weighed 14lbs. 11 oz, which means she gained 2 lbs. in a month! Must be all the Christmas goodies Mommie indulged in ;-)
She had a rash on her thighs, belly and cheeks that the doctor seemed to think was this virus called Roseola. She said that it lasts for about 10 days and she should never get it again. The doctor didn't prescribe anything and it doesn't seem to be itchy or uncomfortable for Maggie, but it just looks like it needs something on it. It's been kind of drying out lately, so we've been putting vasoline on it to moisten it.
Maggie is also recovering from her third cold since she's been born. Actually, we're all recovering. It was a bad one with alot of muscus on the chest and even sore eyes. Poor Maggie woke up the other morning and gave Chad a big smile eventhough her poor little eyes were crusted over and she could only open one just a bit to see him. She didn't seem to mind it, meanwhile Chad and I were rushing trying to get a wet cloth to wipe her eyes. I think she preferred the crusty eyes over the wet cloth.
All the Christmas coming and going seems to have screwed up Maggie's nighttime routine of going to bed at 7:30. We're lucky if she settles down by 9:30 now. Our plan is to start the routine earlier and earlier every night to get her back to 7:30. Wish us luck!
Maggie no longer spends hours and hours eating, she seems to get what she needs in about 20 minutes these days. So that means more time for playing! We tend to do circuits during the day; 20 minutes in the exersaucer, 20 minutes in the jolly jumper, 20 minutes on her back with toys dangling over her, 10 minutes on her belly, 10 minutes up in mom's arms, then 20 minute nap in mom's arms (she won't sleep anywhere else during the day except in mom's arms or in her carseat). She grabs a toy, squeezes it, pulls and pushes on it, sucks and bites it, and then throws it to the side. Now I know why babies have so many toys; they only play with each of them for about 2-5 minutes and then on to a new one.
She also has a funny new trick of sucking on her toes. As soon as we take off her socks, up goes her foot and she grabs it with her hand and shoves her big toe in her mouth. Lucky for her she has the cleanest toes around!