Rock the cradle

Only two comments for our first video, and of Maisie walking at that?? Lurkers, you really should post a comment and tell us how cute Maisie is. Otherwise we won't know that anyone reads Maisie's blog!

This past weekend, my mom and I took Maisie to an annual event called Rock the Cradle, sponsored by our local NPR-affiliate radio station. It is a kids-oriented music event. This picture was taken at the "musical instrument petting zoo." As you can see, Maisie really enjoyed the percussion! There was also a piano and various string and brass instruments. But nothing beats a good drum (hah!)!


After the petting zoo, we headed to the Kids Disco, where we danced to awesome tunes, especially Sly & the Family Stone and other fun '70s funk. The lights were flashing and kids were running around and dancing like crazy. Maisie had a great time, and ran all around the dance floor dancing with all the other little kids there!

It was a really fun time, but it was also really tiring. When we got home, we all crashed!

Proof that she walks

Inspired by Lael's adorable video of Celia crawling... here is proof positive that Maisie walks like a champ.

It's also proof positive that our living room has been entirely taken over by toys, but that's another story...

enjoy! and check out those teeth!

Not such a big girl, yet.

I know Maisie looks like a big girl, no longer a baby, in a lot of these recent pictures... she's walking around, she's had a haircut, and all of that. But she's not such a big girl yet.

She can still sit underneath the end tables, after all.

If you're wondering if she's wearing red Converse high-tops in this picture, the answer is yes. Maisie has super tiny feet, and it's hard to find shoes to fit her. The Chucks come in small enough sizes, plus she actually likes them. We bought her some Stride Rites, which she tears right off. But these shoes, she'll bring to us and ask them to put them on her! They're so cute, how can we refuse?

Children's Museum

Today was another really cold day. It wasn't quite as cold as it's been, however - it got above zero! Single digits, sure, but on the plus side! - so we ventured out to the Minnesota Children's Museum.

I was a little concerned about going there on a day when all the schools were out. It was a complete madhouse, but I feel like that may just be the nature of the Children's Museum, and not due to any huge influx of visitors on a school holiday.

Maisie enjoyed all of it, but one of her very favorite parts was the water table. You put ping-pong balls into these clear tubes through which water flows. The water pops them out; repeat endlessly.

It is supposed to teach children about... currents, maybe? Or the weight of water? I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, Maisie really enjoyed it!

A chilly day

The title of this post is a serious understatement. It was not just chilly today, it was (and is) downright cold. The high was negative 1, and wind chills never got above -10.

So as you might have guessed, we did not spend much time outside today! Aside from one trip to Target, we spent the day inside - much of it in the kitchen.

Aaron and I both cooked (me: chili in the crock-pot, him: garlic mashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash) while Maisie helpfully unpacked the cupboard where we keep the pots, pans, and tupperware.

The clothes in that picture got messed up, so after bath we changed her clothes. So this next picture really is from today, too, but in a different outfit. (This one also ended up getting changed; she's teething now, and the drool runs like a faucet.)

It's so funny! She likes to play peek-a-boo with her plastic plates. She pushes her face right up against the plate, and we can see her little tongue sticking out as she licks it. We laugh and laugh, and so does she!

Notice how well she's standing in this picture? She's really walking now! She walks everywhere, only returning to crawling when she is especially tired or frustrated.

Driving lessons

Last picture from last weekend, I promise! This was Maisie's first time on one of those coin-operated cars that you see at the big-box stores.

She took her firetruck-driving responsibility very seriously, as you can see. You wouldn't want to crash Sesame Street's firetruck!

Although with Ernie riding shotgun, I think she was fine. He is a good copilot.

Pet store

This weekend, in addition to the shower, we went to the pet store to buy some food and litter for the cats.

Maisie really likes the pet store. She loves dogs, and there's always a bunch of friendly, leashed dogs she can say hi to. Although this time, she met a pug, which really confused her - the dogs she sees most often are greyhounds, and I think she had a hard time fitting both pugs and greys into the category of "puppy"!

She also enjoyed looking at the birds (in this pic) and the "pocket pets" (mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters, etc.). I really hope she does not want one of those "pocket pets" when she gets older... I do not care for rodents in my house! Plus, I don't think they'd last long with our cats.

But, it's always fun to look!

Trixie's shower

Yesterday we went to a baby shower, hosted by our friends Erica and Joe and in honor of our friends Bethany and Patrick, who are expecting a little girl, to be named Beatrix (Trixie!).

Maisie was a little shy when we got there, because there were a lot of people (and kids!) there already. It was a little chaotic! Even though we knew most of the people there, it took her a little while to relax and get comfortable.

A little time... and a little food helped, too. She ate some delicious yogurt with berries in it, and sampled various yummy baked goods. That also helped her get comfortable with the group, because how can you be shy when there are cupcakes?

We are very happy for Bethany and Patrick, and can't wait to meet Trixie! That little girl is so advanced, she isn't even born yet and she already has a blog... you can check out the link to the left.

Dylan and Maisie

This is a poor-quality cell phone pic, but I had to share because it is SO cute. My sister emailed it to me today.

Last month, our daycare providers took the last of their vacation days just prior to Christmas. Laura had one of those days off, so she and Dylan took care of Maisie while Aaron and I went to work. Their day started with Dylan feeding Maisie yogurt for breakfast, while they cuddled under blankets.

What could be cuter? Really, it's hard to imagine. :)

Bris

This Saturday, January 5, we attended the bris of our friends' son. It was a beautiful ceremony, and there was lots of good food to enjoy afterwards.

For her part, Maisie was not too interested in the ceremony. She did enjoy checking out the baby's carseat. She also ate her weight in lox, which really impressed all the aunties and grandmas there. They said "Maybe she doesn't know she's not Jewish!"

Maisie is now fourteen months old, and a full-on toddler! She is walking around all the time - she prefers to hold someone's hand, but can do it by herself too. She also loves to climb up onto the couch or chairs, where she will sit and "read" or "talk on the phone" (that is, jabber away with my calculator on her shoulder). Wonder where she learned those tricks from!

Happy new year!

Happy new year everyone! Maisie did not want to miss a minute of January 1, and got up at 5:00 a.m. Ugh! Fortunately Aaron and I were not out late for New Year's Eve. Then later, we went to Best Buy. Aaron had a gift card to spend, and Maisie wanted to try out the Mario baseball game for the Nintendo.

She had fun with it, even though she struck out.

We're not buying her a Nintendo, though. :)