playgroup

Our first official playgroup, a spin-off of the birthroots class we have been taking right along. It has been great for Carey to share and receive stories with all the other moms. We can't say enough about the value of these classes, the wide range of knowledge we have been exposed to and the friends we've made.

These kids (I know, I know...a kid is a baby goat. I can't help it) have some pretty cool names: starting at Maggie (center bottom) and going clockwise: Clara, Ethan, Kell, Jackson, Asher, Colm, and Mannix. Missing from the photo is Penelope.

so fast!

Maggie continues to grow in leaps and bounds, pushing nearly 12 pounds now. We are psyched that she is doing so well but already are experiencing the "they grow up so fast" motif so often spoke by seasoned parents. Here are two of our favorite outfits in which the little one no longer fits:

The gnome sweater jacket and, sadly, the I (heart) daddy pajamas.

Of course, now we can start breaking out some of the bigger outfits she CAN fit into. Yay!

Pirates

Here we are taking our little girl to her first professional ice hockey game. The Portland Pirates v. Springfield Falcons. The game was okay but having Maggie in the stands with us was really something special...and we didn't have to explain why they were fighting. The people seated near us were just as interested in her as they were the hockey game. Well, duh!

(photo courtesy of our friend, jesse)

one month!

Yes, Maggie is one month old! We can't believe it. Seriously, where has four weeks gone? She is growing fast, up to 10lbs now, and developing new skills all the time. Here is our newest game: she actually swings and hits the animals dangling in front of her. This will prove itself a valuable skill as she beats off suitors because she is so beautiful.

co-sleeping

Yes, we've graduated Maggie from our bed into the co-sleeper. Well...a little. She starts off in there and eventually worms her way back between us, somehow (?), in the middle of the night.
For those of you interested in it's construction I made it with red oak (sanded but completely unfinished) and 1/2"mdo plywood. The plywood extends over two feet between our mattress and box spring so no legs are required. It didn't take long to construct...about two beers!

Mom's real close and can easily reach over and drag Maggie into bed for feedings or comfort. Everyone is getting better sleep. Maggie's mattress is a warm, soft, washable piece of sheepskin. She thrashes around in her sleep, like her pappa, and really seems to enjoy having her own bed...for short durations, anyway.

Pappa's girls

HI PAPPA!!

Hi everyone!! I just wanted to dedicate this post to Pappa!! Greg has been the one to invent and then diligently update this blog and it has been really fun to see what he comes up with! He has taken some beautiful photographs and written some fantastic posts, and I have enjoyed them as much as all of you! I can't express how amazing Greg has been as a father, so I thought I would take the opportunity with my first blog post to try my best.

It has been nothing but a joy to watch Greg and Maggie form their bond and how impressed I am with the confidence and gentleness in how he interacts with her. The support he has given me throughout this experience of pregnancy, birth and motherhood leaves me smiling at the memories and more in love with him than ever before. Here they are enjoying some quality time watching the Bruins kick butt this year.

It is very clear that Maggie adores her father. She calms right down when she hears his voice or when he picks her up. Her eyes follow his movements and watches him with curiosity as he keeps her entertained by dancing, singing, reading, snuggling, talking and playing with her.

It would be unfair of me not to mention our first daughter, Vittoria.

Here is Pappa sailing his girl Vittoria NO HANDED with his "sheet to tiller" steering arrangement.

Maybe not all of you are aware of Greg's passion for sailing? Let me tell you he takes extreme pride in caring for and sailing Vittoria and it is where we look forward to spending a lot of time as a family. Greg has put some serious time in over the last few years making this boat beautiful and comfortable for us so we can take cruises up the coast of Maine and sometimes wherever the wind blows.

Sailing or girl up into Oven's Mouth, a beautiful and pristine anchorage way off the beaten path up in the Sheepscot River.

Pappa rocks our world!

hey, mom

Wha-choo doin' up there, anyway?

weight gain

This is how we monitor the health of our child: behavior, alert time, temperature, skin color, interest in Bruins hockey, temperament, poops, feeding and weight gain. Maggie is scoring high marks in all categories; here she is on the scales:

She has gained 11 ozs. in just eight days!!! Now weighing in at a respectable 9lbs. 2ozs, she is hard at work forming her McCain jowls and puppy belly. It is amazing to watch the transformation of her body. We see differences in her each day, and we're with her 24/7.

our water girl

I guess it's not a big surprise that a daughter of two raft guides turned sailors would love the water, but this girl LOVES the water! When we bathe her she eats it up like it's the best thing in the world. She settles in, relaxes, smiles (I swear) and has the most pleasant, serene way about her while in the water. Psych!

New Year's

The Soule Family ushered in New Year's 2009 at Christie and Dave Mac's house. Maggie was prepared for the event by having a nice little sink shower, after which her hair just wouldn't go back down no matter how much spit we rubbed into it.

Our friend Lance observed "you know you're getting old when the party starts at 7 and you show up at 7:05 and you're the last one to arrive." Dave Mac had been waiting for his opportunity to meet the littlest Soule with incredible patience. Once he had her in his arms he was reluctant to share the hot potato for long. Here she is all dressed up in her new pink hoodie:

Thank you Foo, Dave, Sara, Carter, Lance, Christie & Lillian for a super New Year's party. We all enjoyed a great evening of delicious food, games, memories and fun with the little ones...especially Dave