Happy 1st Birthday, Madeline!

It's official!

Our baby is no longer a baby! She's a toddler. Madeline turned one on Thursday and we had a family party on Saturday.

She grew bored with opening up her gifts and, naturally, wanted to play with the boxes instead. We were letting her play with the Little People Animal Sounds Farm box until Sunday when she took a header off the box, landing onto the wood floors.

Meanwhile, we weren't sure last week if Maddy was going to have a party since her big sis came down with a suspected case of the H1N1 virus. Thankfully, she got the flu earlier in the week so she was better for Maddy's party. I also was grateful that the rest of us didn't catch it either since nothing clears a birthday party faster than saying you've got the swine flu. One of my twin nephews wasn't there because he was sick but I guess he was diagnosed with strep throat.

At 3:23 p.m. Oct. 15, I was at my mother-in-law's house. It's hard to believe that it was at this precise time we first laid eyes on our precious Madeline.

It's been hard not to dwell on how I would be about 4-5 months pregnant right now with Maddy and Erika's little brother or sister if I hadn't had a miscarriage in July.

But I do take comfort in the fact that our girls are happy, healthy and love each other.

Terrible twos, ready or not, here we come!