SMILE
Baby Stars at Holiday Family Supper
Now that Maddie is tearing up the solid food, the dynamics of eating around her have changed completely.
The baby perks up anytime someone nearby puts something into his or her mouth, especially when it’s her mom or dad. Even when you take a drink, Maddie has no problem when it comes to reaching out for a little taste.
Today was no exception when we visited my Aunt in Central Virginia. Maddie was in remarkably good spirits after taking another road trip. We got Maddie into the house and placed her onto a blanket on the floor. My Aunt’s tiny Yorkie named Bonnie Blue couldn’t wait to come out and meet the baby.
The little pooch kept circling Maddie and trying to approach her to spread a little bit of love. The baby wasn’t sure what was going on, but the pup was dying to play with her. No physical interaction actually took place, but it was beyond cute to watch them size each other up.
With all of the relatives in the house, there was no way Maddie was going take a nap and miss out on any of the action. She put on a halftime jumping display that would have shamed Madonna at this year’s Super Bowl.
Once it was time for supper, Maddie was chomping at the bit to get in on the action. My aunt broke out an amazing array of turkey, ham, potatoes with all the works and Maddie was going wild.
I prepared an enormous plate for myself and started breaking off pieces from a roll for the Madster. She was gumming them up and setting them down while we everyone was eating around her. The baby was in all her glory because she was eating with the group, just like the big girl she is.
Each time she got the bread nice and soggy, we would replace it with a new piece to keep her interested without fear of any choking. This went on for a while until we decided to switch gears and actually let her try some turkey. Even when we finished up, the baby wanted to keep the party going.
Maddie communicated to us that is was rude to eat and run, but we had to get her back home for some quality naptime. As always, she was a perfect lady and left everyone with a smile on their face.
Maddie’s Smile Extends Unbelievable Winning Streak
My amazing daughter has both of her parents riding the wave of a truly remarkable six-month winning streak. Without exception, Maddie has made it a point to greet us with a huge array of smiles every single morning.
This habitual exuberance goes back to the very beginning before Maddie was even able to see. There is no way to resist such a sweet and endearing attitude that kicks off every morning. That’s why this particular winning streak maybe one of the most impressive ones the planet has ever seen.
It doesn’t matter how many times you have to get up in the middle of the night. When Maddie opens her eyes in the morning, she is bursting with love and happiness. Her smile overcomes a wide variety of maladies including stomachaches, headaches and of course, sleep deprivation.
It’s hard to properly articulate the overwhelming rush of emotion you experience by being greeted that way each morning. I have had some long hard nights with that little girl, but it’s always forgiven and forgotten the next morning.
It’s too easy to forget what toxins are lurking in that diaper because her morning attitude makes it all ok. I have never felt more blessed in my entire life. Every morning is a resounding win. Maddie knows that I’m completely under her spell. Absolutely helpless in the face of that glowing smile, but what can you do?
Maddie may be a few days short of her 6-month-birthday, but we can all learn something from someone who approaches every day with such unbridled enthusiasm and irrepressible optimism.
Stay Home PaPa 