Maddie went to her first restaurant today, treated by her grandmothers. Her parents were filled with some trepidation as she had been testing her lungs but minutes earlier.
Would we make it through the meal? The tactic of both mother and child eating at the same time was employed - would it work?
It worked! (Those are dessert menus).
Taisie and Mimi knew all along. (There really is a baby in there under all of that fabric).
Today Maddie went to LA's Department of Public Health, specifically the Office of Vital Records, and got her birth certificate. There was some confusion during the process - for example, the office insisted that listing Sam's birthplace - Washington D.C. - as Washington state would be an acceptable swap because they were close to the same thing. After we insisted they weren't - they told us, they didn't recommend putting D.C. down because Columbia is a different country. But in the end - it all worked out - Maddie is now a US citizen, and Sam was still born in Washington D.C. Hizzah! (Celebration platter made by Great Aunt Lu).
Maddie had dinner and a couple of snacks at Sam's old house in Pasadena, home of the Woodwards, where Julie took these great pictures.
Taisie remembered watching Sam as a kid on this porch, and remarked on how special it was to now be holding Sam's child on that same porch.
This is how Maddie makes us feel when we look at her.
For lovely, little Lilly who just turned two.
Maddie left her parents to start making the rounds.
After a few hours, Jess began to notice something strange.
Had Maddie had help finishing all those beers?
Certainly not from the pregnant Aarin or her Taisie.
Perhaps from whatever demolished half of Elmo's head (which was described as tasting of butter, sugar and red) - brutal.
None of this ruffled the birthday girl. It's good to be at an age when you're the same size as your presents.
Today, Maddie had her first bath in a tub, in the kitchen sink.
Then we put her in the drying rack for 20 minutes to air out. No - we kept her comfy with regular pours of warm water from a spouted container.
Warm, clean, bath Maddie.
After the tiring bath, Maddie snuggled up with Dad where she slept straight through the night, waking up only once to feed and have her diaper changed - once every hour that is.