This post is for Linda - thanks for the great outfit!

Madeleine and Madeline!

I was trying to figure out what I could use to show how Maddie is growing. I bought this ring stacker in Fernie for 84 cents (yeah, 84 cents!!) and I think it will work perfectly.

Maddie had her first set of shots today and we were all very brave! We had a fantastic nurse (her name was Mercy - could you ask for a better name for a woman sticking enormous needles into your daughter?)

Maddie and I decided to have a fashion show to celebrate (well, it was really my idea, but she went along with it). This dress makes me so excited for summer! Bosco was very interested in the festivities and desperately wanted to be "one of the girls".
See below...

Step right up Ladies and Gentlemen.
Feast your eyes on the World's Only Bobblehead Baby!

This picture cracks me up! When Jason sees this he'll say it's just further proof that I have an enormous cranium (he often uses the term "planetoid") and have passed my curse on to Maddie. I say big head means big brains.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Of course we had to have Maddie's shower on St. Patrick's day! When else do you celebrate a girl named Lucky? Jenny (Dan's sister) gave her this shamrock dress - what could be more perfect??

card made by Jolleen (founder of Markosky Blog Fan Club) - I wish I could have scanned this better, it doesn't really do it justice.

a very
Lucky Girl

Today Auntie Treena threw a terrific baby shower for Madeleine and me. She thought of so many details and worked so hard to make it a perfect day. She asked each guest to sign a photo matte (mat?) and then I can put a picture of Maddie inside. It was a true tea party with teeny tiny cucumber sandwiches, mini pink and green cupcakes, and yummy butterfly sandwiches (just for me!).

This baby shower was such a special milestone for me. This was a tradition (is that the word I want here?) that I have wanted to participate in for so long. Having a party with so many of my closest friends somehow made Madeleine's arrival so much more real (honestly, I'm not sure what could be more real than getting up at 4 a.m., but there you have it). A baby shower was something that I dreamed of for a long time and sometimes it felt like it would never happen and that made today seem extra special to me.

I am overwhelmed tonight as I write this and realize how lucky I am to have so many amazing people in my life. Eleventy billion Thank Yous to everyone. It's days like this when I am so glad to be a lucky girl!

Auntie Treena made this fabulous blanket just for Maddie.

Maddie in her special party dress (it even has crinoline!)
This one is definitely going into her keepsake box!

Look at that spread! Treena - you are such a "Martha"

Kaeleigh gave Maddie a fairy princess dress for her Tickle Trunk.

(Treena suggested that people bring clothes to create a dress up box. Other fun items: two feather boas, long black gloves, a unicorn costume, silly hats, and a grass skirt!)

the Hostess with the Mostest!

For the last few days this has been Maddie's most favorite toy. She loves to sit there and watch the colourful bugs. And I swear she sometimes tries to reach for one.




She has another chair thing that has a big smiling octopus attached to the side. Last night at dinner she sat in her chair and poured her heart out to that octopus. We've never heard such chatter from her.

I knew just how she felt. I tell Jason every little detail of my day and all he does is smile vaguely with glazed eyes... Sigh.

Jason and the Octopus. Octopus on left.

Alternate Use for Maddie's Favorite Toy:
I know some of you will be appalled at this next picture. But as Beagle Lovers - we think it's hilarious and have to share.

It took Sammy quite some time to figure out how to "get in" (she ended up going under the arch). But once inside she seemed quite comfortable. Surprisingly Bosco hasn't tried to eat any of the bugs...yet.

Just thought I should end this blog with a cheek shot... (and check out the Faux Hawk!)

Sad Day

Beagles on the Web is a blog that I have visited almost everyday for about a year now. They are a family with three beagles and everyday Laurie posts a new hilarious picture of her dogs. It may sound strange, but I feel that I know them from visiting that blog. But maybe those of you who read this often feel the same way about Maddie?

Last night Scooter, their 8 year old, died of cancer. Writing this makes me start to cry all over again. Laurie has written about Scooter with lots of pictures. At the bottom, if you click on "archives" you can see all the other pictures over the years - it's full of much happier memories. Check it out if you have time. But don't read today's if you're like me and keep crying every time The Littlest Hobo leaves. (Maybe tomorrow he'll settle down)

http://www.beagles-on-the-web.com/dailyDigital/

here are some of my favorites - please check them out if you have time:
http://www.beagles-on-the-web.com/dailyDigital/archive/oct05/oct27.html

my most favorite:
http://www.beagles-on-the-web.com/dailyDigital/archive/mar06/mar03.html

-jenn

Shel - thank you for this "just b/c it's cute" hat! What a fun suprise to get this in the mail. Most importantly, thank you for all your support and advice when I was pregnant - you'll never know how helpful it was.

And now, let's just take a moment to stare at those cheeks...

Just putting these up because they are so damn cute.
It's my blog, I can put random cuteness on any time I want.

Seriously. Couldn't you just look at that all day?

Yikes, there's a bedbug!

Miss Maddie: "Whoa Mackenzie, it's trippy under here! What's with all these dangly things?"
Cousin Mackenzie: "Hold on and stick with me kid, I'll show you the ropes"

For those who know me well - you know that this is

my own personal hell

This weekend Jason and I decided to start getting some "odd jobs" done. My task is to finish painting inside the frame of Maddie's closet and touch up the baseboards. An easy task, yes. But still so messy and chaotic. Maddie is sleeping in my office and that's where I've been feeding her (I'm getting very good at surfing the interweb with one hand now).

How much is this mess bothering me? Exhibit A:

I spent 25 minutes arranging the books in her bookshelf according to ISBN numbers. Just need a little order here (you all are rolling your eyes but I know that Jolleen and Morgan completely understand me)

The annual trip to Fernie!

Grandma and Grandpa M, Madeleine, Mackenzie, and Jackson

Great Uncle Bruce and Madeleine

Chillaxin' after a day on the slopes!

Snow Days

Ok, I know I said that there wouldn't be anymore posts this week, but I couldn't resist these photos. This is the front walk at my mom and dad's (aka Grandma and Grandpa B). They usually have a lot of snow in the winter, but this is an exception! As a reference, my dad is 6 feet tall...

Best line I heard today:
"Auntie Jenn, is that your dirty car?"
- Rogue, age 3

TGIF!!

Doesn't this face say it all?

Have a good weekend everyone. We're headed to Fernie for our annual ski trip tomorrow. We'll be gone for a week, so the blog will be shut down until then. But never fear - there'll be lots of fun photos when we return!