Big Month!

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY MADELINE!!!

She was pretty timid at first, I think due mostly to the fact that everyone was watching and squealing when she would touch the cake. She only took a couple of bits before she found it more fun to smear the icing all over the highchair.
She loves this toy! Her new favorite
Very sleepy baby trying to open gifts
Playing the piano with cousin Ridge
So sleepy!

Watching TV before bed with PoohMimi and Pooh got to come for Madeline's birthday. My dad surprised us! He didn't think he was going to be able to make it. It was a wonderful surprise!
Lance found out he passed his exam that he took in November! Praise God!
She was helping Mommy hang the sign for Daddy. I looked away for just a second and she was at the top! If we had stairs I would be in so much trouble because she loves to climb stairs whenever we are around some. She throws a fit whenever I make her stop!
Daddy did this-what am I supposed to do now?
We have been watching a lot of the Australian Open these past 2 weeks. Madeline's ready to play doubles with Neely Lion!

UGH! So much has been going on this month. Please forgive for my long delay in posts. First the bad news-Lance's mom found out shortly after Christmas that her breast cancer has come back and spread to her bones. She is going to be treated by MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, TX, who are one of the best at cancer. So Lance has made two trips out there with her this month to figure out treatment options. We would trade all of our other good news for this piece of bad if possible, but truly we know that our God is good, and that all our sufferings are for His glory and (though it doesn't feel like it in the midst of them) our good as well. This has been a good reminder that we are not in control, not even of our own bodies, and has made us long for Heaven more than ever. Please pray for Gail, as she is already in a good deal of pain, all of our spirits (I have good days and bad), and that we would look to our all perfect and good God for comfort and peace as we travel this new path.

Good news, Lance found out on the 18th that he passed his actuarial exam. One more exam to go! We celebrated Madeline's first birthday on the 20th in Tuscaloosa with family. It was a fun day, though Madeline got pretty tired by the end of it, as it was about 2 hours past her nap time before we headed home. She has been so fun lately. I definitely feel like I have a toddler now, instead of a baby. She took her first steps on the 22nd! I don't think it will be long now before she is walking. I noticed yesterday (after she refused much food and was pretty cranky) that she finally has a 3rd tooth coming in. Its on the bottom like her other two. Poor thing, doesn't seem she will ever get in her top ones. She eats only from the table now and drinks from a cup (I, out of selfishness, still give her a bottle just before bed so that she will eat faster). Everything is "Dada" and "No no." She will say "Yeah" and "Mama" as well. She is trying to talk so hard, but I can tell she is frustrated because I don't understand. She has many a temper tantrum when she doesn't get her way as well. She gets so mad when she can't play in the refrigerator or certain cabinets. Also, good news for me, I finished nursing the day after her birthday. As much as I enjoyed it, it's so nice to have my body back to myself. Its been a year and 9 months since someone didn't need my body to live off of. I can say it helped develop some better habits for me. I'm not hooked on caffeine any longer and I drink a lot more water. As I have gotten older, the years do pass by more quickly, but with a child, it passes by in a whole new, and fast way. Does anyone know what I'm talking about.

The other thing that has taken much time is that I have taken on the task of coordinating our winter Women's Conference at church. So my posts might be limited until its over at the end of February.

On a side note, as many of my friends know, I love Jane Austen. Masterpiece Theater opened this season with a showing of her complete works. Its on Sunday nights on PBS. So far they have just done Persuasion and Northanger Abby. I forgot how much I like Persuasion. My ranking of male heroes is Mr. Darcy (P & P), of course, and then a far second Mr. Knightly (Emma) and then Captain Wentworth (Persuasion). Ah, reminds me of a simpler time...

Christmas

Madeline got a huge Raggedy Anne Doll for Christmas from her Papa.
Me as a baby. I know most of you are going to think this is crazy, but I had never compared baby pictures of me and Madeline until last week. I guess she does look like me. What do you all think?

Lovin' on her baby
Christmas with Lance's mom, brother and sister-in-law
My family-mom, dad, Tonya, Garry, and Sarah (Garry's longtime girlfriend). The running joke in our extended Schloemer family is that if you are an in-law or boyfriend/girlfriend you dont want to get on the end in a picture. My grandpa had all these pictures where he cut off exes!
I helped Sarah make this Bengals blanket for Garry.

We had a great time in Cincinnati over Christmas. It was cold, but unfortunately no snow. Madeline thought the paper was the best part. We didn't do much the first 2 days we were there due to the fact that Madeline caught some random fever virus as soon as we got off the plane and ran a temp of 103-104 for 2 1/2 days straight. So we missed seeing friends we normally would have seen-sorry to all those we missed! When we got home we had our own little exchange of gifts. I was very pleased that the activity table we got Madeline was a big hit. She liked it more than the paper it was wrapped in. We had a great time seeing all my extended family as well. Some of whom were just meeting Madeline for the first time. So crazy that she will be a year old in just 17 days! Happy New Year to everyone!