Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Maggie had a wonderful Christmas. She & her parents would like to send a big THANK YOU to everyone who sent cards and presents. Here's to a fabulous 2008!!

Halloween

Maggie & her parents had a wonderful Halloween. Maggie said "Trick or Treat" and "Thank you" to everyone. Below she is jumping like Tigger.

Pictures Papa took

Here are some pictures Papa (Grandpa Gardner) took on their last visit to Durango. I'm not going to list the words Maggie says anymore; it would be easier to list what she doesn't say. And she counted to 10 last Tuesday.

Ate a Smurf

Our beautiful girl Maggie made a big mess recently. She got into the food coloring and had a grand ol' time.

Apologies for not updating the blog in July. Maggie & I were directing the children's show "Cinderella" at the Durango Arts Center. Click here to read the article.

So life is returning to normal after a very busy month. Mags is still in daycare 3 days a week, and loves it. Mommy works at Qwest

those 3 days, while Daddy continues to work himself silly.

New words Maggie says (list not complete as new words added every day):

balloon, change, chair, ear, hair, eye, Daddy, Mommy, belly button, teeth, duck, star, night, train, that, shell, cow, toast, juice, cry, please, count, bird, Cookie (Monster), spoon, cold, some, mine (!), dawn, sing, show, cheek, Angelina, banana, swing, jump (which she's working on accomplishing).

Maggie has even begun to form short sentences. For example, "Cinderella" was "Mommy show". And, of course, there's "Book mine", "Train mine", "Juice mine", etc, etc. Bye for now!

New Toys

Maggie LOVES her new swing & tricycle. The swing is called "wee" (cuz that's what you say when you swing in it) and she just climbs into her tricycle when she wants a ride. (Note the ever-present Elmo.)

Words Maggie says:

Dog, Duck, Hat, Jacket, Cracker, Dada, Vava (that's what she calls her momma), Elmo, Cat, Car, Truck, Side (meaning outside), Shoes, Cheese, Ball, Wee (for swing), Doll, Drive, Stomp, Aoo or Wawa (water), Rock, Sock, Book, Hi & Bye, Chalk, Zoo, Sierra, More.

Some words are enunciated better than others, of course. Sometimes she babbles away and we have no idea what she's saying, but it is VERY important.

Two baby Magpies

Maggie has had an exciting week. First, she got to ride a horse and go motorboating Memorial Day weekend. She loved both; I venture to guess that the horse ride was more exciting as she giggled all during that but fell asleep in the boat.

Later that week we found a baby magpie flopping around in the neighbor's yard. We kept an eye on him (there are LOTS of dogs and cats running loose in our neighborhood), and when he tried to follow us back across the street, we scooped him up and put him in our backyard. We gave him water and kept him safe, but sadly he didn't make it.

Today Maggie went to the Shriner Circus. She saw horses, dogs, bears and elephants. She didn't care much for the human acts. She drew quite a crowd herself when she, unbidden, began to pick up other people's trash and throw it in the trashcan.

Maggie's walk to the mailbox

Maggie & Momma walk to the mailbox in the afternoons before naptime. It's a far ways when you have little legs. Maggie hasn't made it all the way yet without stopping to sit a few times. Collecting rocks and sticks is also fun. Mags is pointing at the horses on the hill above our neighborhood; her dad says it looks like she's calling me a loser for not taking her up there.

The Great Hunter Returns...and Maggie is SO Happy!

Mike returned from a successful turkey hunt and Maggie enjoyed petting the bird and watching Elmo with her daddy. When you ask her where her nose is, she often sticks her finger UP her nose.