Patrick the Puppy

Cindy got online a week or two back and decided to get Margaux her first Christmas present. She hit FAO Shwartz (haven't seen the bill yet and I'm very afraid...) and got Patrick the Puppy, a giant (4') stuffed dog that is very smushy and soft. We gave it to Margaux yesterday, and she has really grown to love Patrick. She climbs all over him. It's very funny to see a wee little 9-month-old climbing a stuffed animal like it's a mountain--she goes up one side, and down the other.

Here's Patrick...tomorrow when the baby's awake, I'm going to put Fergus (the real dog) in there next to Patrick and take a pic to show the scale (real dog much smaller). Note the alien in the background. We picked it up in Roswell NM a few years ago. Margaux was kind of attached to it, but Cindy was afraid she would grow up and have dreams that she was abducted by aliens as an infant. (The UFO-ers will recognize the alien, which is often draped with Mardi Gras beads and sporting an LSU shirt.)



Margaux was a little standoffish at first...



...but then she did the canine 'nose sniff' ritual...




...and then decided that she LOVES Patrick the Puppy. Whenever she's near Patrick, she goes up to him and lies down on top of him. Even softer and squishier than Dad's belly!

bye-bye gramma & grampa

Well, Lolan and Faye packed up the RV and hit the road, after spending all autumn here in Stillwater. We were very sorry to see them go, but we're so grateful they hung out for these last several months. Nothing better than having grandparents around! Margaux spent lots of time with Gramma and Grampa, walking, playing, shopping, etc. Now that it's just Cindy and I here, I think Margaux's getting a little bored with us. Here are a few pics of M and her grandparents:

Here's little M rolling around on the floor with Faye. Margaux went from rolling to crawling to pulling up on stuff in the months L & F were here.



Grandpa spent hours playing with Margaux, telling her stories, and showing her stuff. He says he can't wait until she's old enough for him to teach her to throw rocks.



Here are the 3 of them. It looks like they're explaining something to her: "Well, honey, I know you want to go with us in the RV, but your mom and dad would miss you if you left..."