Road Trip....

....to Iowa for my Baptism and Thanksgiving.

I experienced my first major road trip.....14 hours to be exact. Everyone always complains about the drive across NE Colorado and Nebraska, but I didn't think it was that bad......granted I slept the entire way except when we stopped so I could eat, get a diaper change and fill the car with gas. It was a busy trip so I'll try to highlight the "big" moments.

We first went to Iowa State University. Mom said it was important for Dad and I to see the school and meet CY, the mascot. We got to meet lots of Mom's old co-workers and hang out for a day. It was lots of fun and actually rather funny......mom said I shouldn't tell anyone but I watched her eat an entire buttermilk pancake.....it was the first time she accomplished this and said it took 10 years of training. Dad was impressed and I just watched in disbelief. As a reward, she earned a t-shirt. To say Mom's a good-eater is an understatement.

When we were at Iowa State we got to meet a really cool girl named Kristin who has Microtia too. She was really nice and very informative. Heck, I liked her so much I didn't cry once when she held me.

Then we headed to Grandma and Grandpa Kiefer's house. It was nice to get out of the car and stretch. We got a there a few days before everyone else because I was getting baptized on Sunday, Nov. 22. The night before the baptism mom and dad learned that there was a family baptism gown which she and all her brothers were baptized in.....so instead of wearing my new dress, I got to wear the gown. Grandma and Grandpa Gacnik and Mckenzie came to my baptism as well. Uncle Tom and Aunt Mary are my Godparents so they were there too. Mom says I was a good girl for my baptism. Amazingly I was awake the entire time and didn't cry once. What a trooper! The baptism was okay.....it was a like a mini-bath where they only watch my hair and then put some smelly oil on my head. I was hoping for a dunk-tank but mom and dad chickened out. If you want to know more about that, just ask mom or dad for the details.

Uncle Matt and Dan and their families all came in town Monday night. It was the first time in 5 or 6 years that all of the kids had been together for a holiday. A rare occasion and I like to think it's because of me.....they probably wanted to meet me and see if I was going to be heart-breaker like dad says.

We had a fun week. The big kids worked in Grandpa's Workshop using their imaginations and building a boat. The dad's got to split wood for Grandpa. It was rather entertaining. I, however, focused on diaper blowouts and extreme spit-ups. I thought that was more fun. Mom and Dad took me to the John Deere Tractor Museun and I got to sit on my first lawn mower with dad. Then mom said I had to learn how to milk a cow.....I didn't have the heart to tell her it was a fake cow.

The trip back to Colorado went well too. We visited some relatives, Leon and Heather and their kids and had lunch with them. Then it was on the road again. I traveled well but was happy to get home. So happy, I stayed up until 3 AM. Mom and Dad said that was "alot of fun" but I sensed some sarcasm in their voice.

This week I'm headed to the head surgeon for some more info on my hearing and I get my BAHA hearing device on Friday. I guess I'm excited for that.

This weekend is when the real fun begins.....I'm getting my first Christmas tree. I hope mom and dad let me put it in my bedroom....that would be cool.

Until next time -

Maddie Rose

(our attempt at a cousins photo....Caleb didn't want to do it)