No fun being sick!

I got my first cold this past week and it has not been much fun. I have an ear infection, a runny nose, and a really bad cough. I got sick first and now I've gotten mommy and daddy sick also. The doctor says my ear infection is almost gone but I might have my cough for awhile. Here is a picture of me while I was sick and mommy was singing me to sleep.

What's new with me lately you ask? Well I can sit by myself now which is fun because now I can sit on the floor and play with all of my toys. My favorite toys right now are my cups that can e stacked I don't know how to stack them yet, but I love to bang them together and especially love banging them on my highchair tray! I have also learned the fun game of throwing things on the floor when I'm in the highchair and watching mommy and daddy pick them up for me. I've also been trying really hard to crawl, but I can't quite figure out how to move my arms and legs to propel me forward. But once I do, watch out because I will be everywhere!

This Thursday is my 7 month birthday and on Friday we leave to go to Wisconsin. We are driving because we have too much stuff to fly. First we will go to Wisconsin and celebrate Christmas Eve with daddy's family. Then on Christmas morning we will drive down to St. Louis to spend Christmas day with mommy's family. We will stay there for a few days and then drive home. Mommy probably won't be able to post anything until we get back from our trip. I got a new car seat for Christmas and here is a picture of me trying it out. This thing is really big, but much roomier and more comfortable than my infant car seat which will be nice for our road trip.

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

New pictures!

As promised, here are some new pictures of me.

Me and daddy at Thanksgiving

Playing with my new toy!

Before heading out to pick out our Christmas tree!

I went to the doctors last week for my 6 month check-up. I weigh 13 pounds 4 ounces and I am 25.5 inches long. The doctor says everything looks great. I had to get some more shots and they hurt! The doctor said it was time for to start eating baby food. So this past week I have been eating rice cereal and sweet potatoes twice a day. I like the sweet potatoes, they're pretty good! Mommy says this week I get to try bananas! Eating baby food is very messy! I like to help mommy with the spoon and she sometimes lets me, but then it winds up all over my face and clothes!

Last weekend I went with mommy and daddy to pick out a Christmas tree. Mommy and daddy said the tree we got is a little charlie brown tree. It's the perfect sized tree for me. Mommy and daddy put lights and ornaments on it and I love to look at it when it's all lit up. Hopefully mommy can get some pictures of me in front of the tree to post here.

My 6 Month Birthday and First Thanksgiving!

Mommy has been very busy lately and apologizes for not being able to help me update my blog lately. So two big days have passed for me in the last couple of weeks. First, I turned 6 months old on November 20! I have been teething like crazy lately and mommy thinks it's only a matter of time before a tooth or two pop out. I can sit by myself for a minute or two before I topple over! A little more practice and I should have no problems with sitting up on my own. I've also been trying very hard to move around when I'm on the floor, but I can't quite figure out yet how to move my arms and legs at the same time to propel me forward. And mommy and daddy have really loved me lately because I have been sleeping for about 9-10 hours every night. I used to wake up every time I rolled onto my belly but now I actually sleep much better on my belly so when I roll over I just go right back to sleep! This may not come as a surprise to many of you since my mommy talks a lot, but I am trying really hard to say da da and ba ba. I've said both a few times, but I keep trying to say them over and over again.

For Thanksgiving, I hung out with daddy, mommy, and uncle John. They had turkey and lots of other things, while I got to eat some rice cereal and milk. Yummy! Then we went over to daddy's friend's apartment so they could all have pie. It was a pretty uneventful day, but it was fun to be home with mommy and daddy.

Mommy wants me to tell everyone that she doesn't have any new pictures to post right now but promises she will post some very soon.

Grandpa and Grandma Stahlschmidt's Visit

My grandpa and grandma Stahlschmidt (mommy's mom and dad) came to visit me last weekend. They must really have missed me lots to have driven all that way for such a short visit. On Friday they picked me up from the nanny's and I was a little confused at first as to why daddy wasn't picking me up. But it didn't take me long to realize that I was going to have lots of fun with them. On Saturday we hang out all day and I went shopping for a little while with mommy and grandma. Then Sunday they had to leave! Even though it was a short trip, I am glad I got to see them!

My First McCormack Family Reunion

Last weekend was my first visit to Green Lake, Wisconsin for the annual McCormack family reunion. This year was the 30th anniversary! I finally got to meet all of my daddy's aunts, uncles, and cousins. Green Lake is really pretty, but it was chilly! On Saturday everyone threw me a "Meet Maddy" party. I got lots of new clothes and toys! I had fun the rest of the weekend just hanging out with everyone all weekend.

Playing the piano with grandpa.

Enjoying spending time with my great uncle Jerry.

In my new Packers gear asleep on grandma's lap.

Who thought I would like this?

Daddy and mommy gave me my first bite of rice cereal on Saturday and as you can tell I wasn't quite sure what to think of it. While I didn't spit too much of it back out, I can't say that I actually enjoyed eating it either. Mommy and daddy only gave me a few bites so that I could get used to eating something other than milk. Daddy showed me a couple of times how to eat it and I could tell he didn't like it either! If daddy didn't like it, why did they think I would?

This was also the first time I got to sit in my highchair. I actually like sitting in my highchair. When I was done eating, mommy moved the highchair into the kitchen so I could watch her make dinner. My highchair can recline to three different positions and the height can be adjusted also. This way mommy and daddy can adjust it so that I can always see what is going on around me!

Trick or Treat!

Yesterday was my first Halloween! Me, mommy, and daddy went over to mommy and daddy's friend's house and helped give out candy to trick or treaters. We had lots of fun! I had two costumes for Halloween. My first costume was a penguin and that costume is really soft and I will probably be able to wear it when it gets cold out.

My second costume is one that mommy's friend Julie and daddy decided I had to have when we all went shopping last weekend. So here I am in my second costume as a skunk:

As you can tell I was very excited to be wearing my costumes!

My First Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

On Sunday, me, mommy, and mommy's friend Julie went to the pumpkin patch. It was a huge farm where you could pick your own pumpkin, apples, tomatoes, and corn. First mommy and Julie ate caramel apples that they said were really good! Then mommy bought some apples, fresh brocolli, and a little pumpkin for me.

Next we went on a hayride that took us to the patch so we could pick our pumpkins. I was in awe of both the hay and the pumpkins. I didn't want to look up at the camera for a picture because I was too busy checking out the hay and the pumpkin. Mommy had to stop me a few times from eating the hay!

I Am 5 Months Old!

Saturday was my 5 month birthday! I got to spend most of the day with daddy. It was really nice outside so he took me for an hour and a half walk. We went to the playground and daddy took me on the swing and down the slide. I loved it! Mommy was out shopping for a dress so she didn't come with us. Mommy and daddy are going to the Marine Corp. Ball and mommy needs something to wear to it.

I can't believe I have been here now for five whole months! (I don't think mommy and daddy can believe it either!) I'm an old pro at rolling over now and I love to eat my feet! It doesn't matter if I have socks on, I'll eat those too! And I'm starting to realize that if I don't like the taste of my socks, I can just pull them off! My teeth still haven't come in yet, but boy do my gums really hurt! I'll be sure to let you all know when I get my first tooth.

Aunt Mindy's Visit

Last Thursday Aunt Mindy (that's mommy's sister) came to visit me and stayed until yesterday. We had so much fun together. She watched me on Friday and yesterday when mommy and daddy went to work. On Saturday, Aunt Mindy, mommy, and me went shopping at the Leesburg outlet mall. Mommy bought some clothes for work and bought me a few things too like a pretty pink lamp for my room, some new pjs, and some pants. Mommy and Aunt Mindy said I was a very good girl considering we were there for 7 hours! The rest of the time Aunt Mindy was here we just hung out and had fun together. I like hanging out with Aunt Mindy cause she makes me laugh! I am going to miss her but I can't wait to see her again at Christmas!

Welcome to my blog!

Well mommy and I decided to start a blog with updates on new things I am doing and pictures for everyone to see. People are always asking mommy for new pictures of me so she thought this would be an easy solution. Check back often for new updates and pictures. Mommy is hoping to post new things at least once a week.

I'm about 4 1/2 months old today and I am very active! I can roll over from my back to my tummy, but I've only rolled over from my tummy to my back once. I usually only like being on my tummy for a short time, so after awhile I will let mommy and daddy know that it's time to roll me back over! I have very good control over my head and can sit up with some support. I am very nosy and love to see everything that is going on around me -- I don't like to miss a thing! I am teething right now, so I always have my hands in my mouth and I have recently discovered that my feet can also fit in my mouth! I love to hear myself talk and I always have lots to say (people keep telling me that I get this from mommy!).

I am starting to look more like mommy, although my hair is still darker. My hair is starting to thin out and I have some bald spots in the back from rubbing my head around and I also have a very bad habit of pulling on my hair which daddy apparently used to do also. I have had a haircut already about a month and a half ago. I am going need another one soon because my bangs are getting in my eyes. I have big blue eyes that everyone loves! At my 4 month check up I weighed 11 pounds and was 23.75 inches long.

Mommy and daddy share a nanny with another couple, so during the day I go to their house where the nanny watches the other baby and me. The other girl is two months younger than I am and bigger than me, but I can hold my own! One day the nanny laid us both down on a playmat and she left the room for a minute. She came running back cause she heard one of us screaming. The other baby was crying because I had grabbed hold of her hair and was pulling on it!

I like bathtime and just sit in the tub sucking on my hands and talking to mommy and daddy while they clean me. My favorite books are the Olivia books, that pig is too funny and makes me laugh every time! My favorite song is Mary Had a Little Lamb, which makes me smile when mommmy sings it to me.

Well I think that pretty much brings you up to speed on the 4 months of my life so far! Stay tuned for more info on me and from time to time I may even tell you what's going on with mommy and daddy!