Happy Birthday, Mad Dog!

Unbelievable. Last year at this time I was in a hospital bed, anxiously waiting for you to make your grand entrance. When you did (2:44PM), I couldn't believe how small you seemed. Even though you were healthy at 6lbs. 13 oz., it's easy to forget how tiny a newborn is. Unbelievable. And it's easy to forget how light they feel in your arms. (Especially when I'd been used to the heft of 28-something pound Eli.) Your dad and I named you Maddux, after the great Cubs' pitcher (he was in Chicago before he was in Atlanta, folks!), and you completely fit the Mad Dog name in every way. For the first week, your weight was an issue. You nursed great, but the scale went down more than it went up, which caused the doctors some concern. But once we brought you to the pediatrician's office and saw that you'd gained a huge percent in just a few days, you never looked back: you've been in the 90th percentile (or higher) ever since! Unbelievable. When we first brought you home, Eli was a little apprehensive about your presence. Even when we gave him the train table that you picked out for him. (We thought it might sweeten the deal a bit!) But within a few days he was asking to hold you and the kisses started immediately. You won him over right away. Unbelievable. Those first few weeks were difficult and I know that I did not give you the one-on-one attention and focus that I gave Eli when he was that age...balancing the needs of two kids was difficult and since you slept most of the time, I used those extra minutes to reassure Eli. But you never held it against me. Unbelievable. You were still so happy to see me each time I'd wake you from a nap or pick you up to be fed and changed. You were so laid back and mellow when Eli would pet your hair and roughly kiss the top of your head. And when we let him hold you and rock you, no tears were shed at all...you knew the way to his heart was adoration and you gave it to him every step of the way. Unbelievable. Eli calls you "Max" because he can't quite get the 'd' in your name, but he says your name with such endearment that yet another nickname has stuck. He loves watching out for you and I truly believe it's because you adore and idolize him and he knows it. The two of you are such good friends and I hope it always continues. When we put Eli's pajamas on each night, he asks, "Crawl with Max?" and when you get up in the morning you make a bee-line for his bedroom door. Life is good.

Maddie-Maddie, every day I am surprised at how full of your own personality you are. You give love so freely, allowing so many opportunities for hugs and kisses, yet you can be so independent, playing by yourself in a happy state for so long I often forget you are there. Your rough-tough side comes out every day when you wrestle with Eli or tackle me after I change your diaper or take one fall after another only to keep going. And even though I think you are gorgeous (you're going to be a heart breaker with those eyelashes!), you have some of the goofiest facial expressions I've ever seen... Maddux, you're proving to me each day that a girl is not all ribbons and bows (thank goodness), but more fun and laughs than I thought possible. Thank you for making our family happier and more full of love than it could have ever been without you. You are Maddux, Maddie, Daddy's Mad Dog, Eli's Max, and my Maddie-Maddie. And you are unbelievable.