Merry Christmas To All

Well I hope all of you had a great Christmas with your friends and family!!! The 3 Kalivoda's had a very blessed Christmas! Christmas Eve we celebrated our Christmas as a family of 3...we had a great time with Maddox and it was so much fun watching him open his presents from us. He was in a great mood and loved everything! We finished the evening by reading the Night Before Christmas (all 3 of us snuggled in the rocker...it was so much fun)

Christmas Day we went to my mom's house and we spent the day over there. It was great to be with family and to experience Maddox's first Christmas!!!

We are celebrating Christmas with my Dad on New Years Day...we are also looking forward to that!!

It was fun to look back at last year and how "clueless" Brad and I were about what our next Christmas would be like. I was almost 9 months pregnant and terrified of the "unknown" We had a blast with our little man and we were truly blessed!

Here are a few pictures from Maddox's first Christmas

Maddox sitting in the pile of presents

Loving on Maddox

The gang at Grammy and Papa's house

My mom, me and sister Carol

Our little man, very excited!

Maddox, giving me a hug

Me and my man, just enjoying the day together

Santa Clause is Coming to Town

Well we are defiantly getting ready for Christmas in full force these days!!! Can you tell what song Maddox is trying to play with this plastic spoon and metal pot???

If you guessed JINGLE BELLS, you would be correct!! hahhaha!!!

Today, Santa visited Brad's work

I placed that Santa hat on Maddox's head and began to say "HO HO HO" and now Maddox repeats it to me, he even greated Anutie Sarah at the door saying "HO HO HO" oh it is so precious.

The 3 of us are going to celebrate Christmas tomorrow evening and I am so excited! I cannot wait to begin our own traditions as a family of 3! Christmas Day we will head over to my mom's house and spend the day over there, it should be a lot of fun!

Here's our little Santa walking to town!!

Video

This is the video of Maddox walking...it was the best that I could do while holding the camera and catching the Madd-man walking towards me, thus falling into me...hhehehe!! It is so much fun watching him get the hang of walking...arms in the air, (like he just don't care), huge grin on his face and those wobbly legs trying so hard to keep up with his fast motion body!

Walkin Free

Maddox took his first unassisted steps yesterday evening!!! We are so excited, proud, and a little nervous to know that we have a walking little man in our house!!! It couldn't have worked out better, Brad called and told me he was on his way home; therefore, Maddox and I sat by the front door as we do most evenings and waited on Brad/Daddy to arrive, we saw the head lights through the front door and Maddox and I stood up to wait on him. Maddox was standing, holding my hands and he started giggling as Brad walked in....he let go of my hands and started walking to Brad!! It was perfect! Brad and I were both shocked!!! I am so thankful that Maddox waited to take those precious first steps when Brad was home!!!

I did attempt to get the walking on video, but I was not able to get any good footage, I'll keep working on it and post a video as soon as I can!!

Here is Maddox waiting on his Daddy to get home from work!!

My boys playing!!! Oh I just LOVE this picture

Santa came early to our house and he told Maddox it was time for him

to drink out of a sippy cup!!!!This video is of Maddox playing on his new rocking horse!!!

Catch Up

Wow, it has been far too long since I have updated this blog....I have been in a bit of a funk and have not made the time or effort to update. This past week I was able to go on a business trip with Brad while my mom kept Maddox for a couple of days, (well, let me clarify that a little bit, Brad had to do business and I got to rest and shop....what more could I ask for!) Let me tell you I sure felt spoiled, not having anything I HAD to get done and I had a few days to spend with my sweet husband. I did not realize how much I needed a small break until it was upon me! Oh I feel so refreshed and reconnected with my busy busy husband! Thanks mom for watching Maddox for us and making everything so easy for us!






Maddox is doing great! Working on two more teeth, standing by himself, walking with his little walker (or his favorite walking helper....ME!!!), "talking" and getting into EVERYTHING!!! He loves remotes and wires, drawers and cabinets!!! Oh its so much fun watching him discover new things!!!






Our little man turned 11 months old on December 8th and it is such a strange feeling to know that in just under a month he will be a year old. This past year has been the most amazing, exciting, nerve recking and life changing experience! I am working on plans for his first birthday (I finished his custom made birthday invitations today, and I am so excited about them, I think they turned out great, I will post one after I get them mailed to everyone)






My heart has been torn this Christmas season, I long to create lasting memories for Maddox, Brad and I as we celebrate Christmas every year, I want to begin traditions and make the holiday season truly JOYFUL!!! I want to make sure I do a good job teaching Maddox about the real meaning of Christmas, to instill in him the values that it is better to give than receive, and I want him to learn how to help others who are in need. While teaching the birth of Christ, I also want him to enjoy the excitement and wonder of Santa as I feel learning to believe in something is the first step in learning how to believe in God who truly is REAL and ALIVE!!! I simply want the Christmas season to be full of CHRIST, imagination, wonder, joy, and Family.


Sorry this post has been a bit random, I will try to do a better job of updating!!


Here are my 11 favorite things about our 11 month old:



1. Bath Time-while in the bath, Maddox kicks his feet like a frog and gets the biggest grin on his face, he LOVES the water



2.When he finds his stuffed elephant, Maddox hugs him and makes a sweet cooing sound...oh its precious



3.Maddox loves to have his teeth brushed, he opens his mouth big and smiles the entire time (well, when he's not trying to eat the tooth brush)



4. Watching Maddox walk with his push walker-Oh its hilarious, watching his little legs chase after it and hear the pitter-patter of his little feet



5. The car sounds Maddox makes-when Maddox is playing with a toy car or anything that moves like a car, he makes his engine sound....it is the funniest thing I think I have ever seen. He does it every time, with every car!!



6. Watching him sleep- Maddox likes to sleep on his tummy with his bottom in the air, Brad and I go check on him every night and most of the time we end up having move him because he is cuddling" the bumper pad!

7. Watching him bang things together, he loves to have something in each hand and "Drum" with them, it doesn't matter what it is, as long as he has something in both hands he will bang them together even if they don't make any noise. I do believe we have a musician on our hands...hahahha

8. Sitting by the front door with him as we wait for Brad to get home, Maddox gets the biggest smile on his face when he sees his Daddy walking up to the front door!!!

9. Watching him turn into a little boy! He is already loving guy time with daddy and wrestling

10. Dancing- Maddox has learned to dance while Brad plays the guitar (by dance I mean, bend his knees and throw his arms around like a madd-man)

11. Knowing that sometimes all he needs is me. Nothing melts my heart more than to know that Maddox wants ME to hold him, love on him and play with him!!!