12 Month Stats

Maddie went to the doctor on Wednesday for her 12 month well child check.  She is growing beautifully!  She had 4 shots, including the first part of a flu shot.  She has to go back after Christmas to get the second half of the flu shot and have 12 month hemoglobin bloodwork done.  (Poor baby!)  Since she has not transitioned very well to whole milk, we are cutting out the juice for snack and serving milk instead in hopes that she will grow more accustomed to it. 

Stats for 12 months:
Weight:  18 lbs. 11 oz.  (between 10th and 25th percentile--petite like Mommy)
Height:  29 in. (50th percentile)

Happy 1st Birthday, Madelyn Claire!

I can't believe our baby girl is one already!  How can it already be a year since we were in the hospital with her?  It has been amazing to watch her grow and change over the past year.  Oh, how many special memories we have made!  She has brought so much joy and love into our lives, and we are so blessed to be her parents.  We love you so much, Maddie!

Here is what Maddie is up to at a year old:

• wearing size 3 diapers
• wearing 9-12 month size clothing and size 3 shoes
• She has become a very good walker.  She now prefers to walk instead of crawl (most of the time).  If she trips while she is walking, she just stands back up and keeps on going.  She was even doing pretty good at walking on the unlevel grass this past weekend.
• She loves being outside and will point at the door when she wants to go out.
• Maddie loves reading books and is constantly bringing books to us to read them to her.  Touch and feel books are still her favorites, but she loves just about all kinds of books.
• Madelyn is nursing only once a day at breakfast now.  (It's been hard for both Mommy and Maddie to give this time up....but it will be coming to an end soon.)  We've run out of frozen breastmilk as of last week, so we transitioned her to whole milk.  She drinks it, but not very much; she obviously doesn't prefer the taste of it to breastmilk.  I guess it will just take some time.  She eats a variety of foods, but it still a picky eater.  She is very hesitant of new foods. 
• She now has 8 teeth--4 on the top and 4 on the bottom.  The past 4 seemed to have come in all at once, and she has not been happy about it.  Tylenol and Motrin have helped, but I know she hasn't felt the best.  Her eating habits have suffered some due to sore gums.  She usually likes it when we brush her teeth, but here lately she doesn't want anything to do with it.  I believe she is working on getting some other teeth in soon too.
• Her naps have remained pretty consistent.  One morning nap for about an hour and one afternoon nap for about an hour and 15 minutes.
• Maddie's nighttime routine has become so much easier for all of us.  After storytime and snuggle time, we are able to lay her down in her crib and let her go to sleep on her own.  She only cries for just a minute or so before falling asleep.  She is also able to do this with her naps.  I am so proud of her for being such a big girl and going to sleep on her own!  Since we have been doing this, she has been sleeping through the night.  She may still wake up once (or very seldom twice), but she goes back to sleep on her own in a matter of minutes.
• I don't feel like she has picked up on much new vocabulary in the past month, but she is coming up with ways to express what she wants, mainly pointing at things and grunting.  We try to emphasize the words, saying, "Do you want your juice?  Say, 'Juice, please.'"  I'm sure she'll pick up more words as she is ready.
• Madelyn is going through a phase where she doesn't like to get in her car seat or high chair.  She holds on tight when we try to put her down and will usually fuss when she is put in the seat.  Once she gets settled in, she's ok...she just doesn't like being put in.  I think she would just rather be on move instead of having to sit still.
• Maddie goes to see Dr. Schmidt tomorrow for her well-child check and immunizations.  We'll post updated stats after the appointment.

Our precious little 1 year old!

How can it already be a year?

11 Months

Madelyn is getting to be such a big girl!  I can't believe she is almost one year old!  Each month brings a whole new kind of fun because she changes so much! 

Here's what Maddie is up to (as of her 11 month birthday):

• wearing size 3 diapers
• wearing 6-9 month clothing and size 3 shoes
•  She is very good at standing on her own and can stand for long periods of time.  She can even squat to pick up a toy and stand back up on her own.  She can go from standing to a sitting position easily.
• She is a little mover!  If she is awake, she is on the go.  She even kicks her legs a mile a minute while she is in her high chair. 
• She loves being outside.  We take a walk at least once a day and will often take a blanket outside to sit on while we play.  She also likes sitting on the front porch to blow bubbles or going to get the mail.  She also loves going on jogs with Daddy.
• Maddie likes Hershey.  She loves when he wants to play with her.  She will hold up one of his toys and he will nose around at it and eventually get it.  She thinks that is so funny and she will just laugh and laugh.  She thinks it is funny when he wags her tail in her face.
• Madelyn still enjoys books a lot but doesn't sit still long enough for us to read one to her most of the time.  She just wants to turn the pages and look at them on her own.  Occassionally she will hold up a book to one of us and ask us to read it to her.
• She laughs when she gets powder put on her bootie during a diaper change.  Daddy makes her laugh even more by saying, "Bootie, bootie, bootie, bootie!"
• Maddie's eating habits have changed this month.  Due to her getting teeth, we are starting to wean her from nursing.  She is down to nursing at only breakfast and dinner; she is offered a cup of milk instead at lunch and snack times.  She has done great with transitioning to a sippy cup.  I know she is not drinking as much milk as she was, but I think she is making up for it with her meals and snacks.  However, she is starting to be somewhat of a picky eater.  (Wonder where she gets that from?)  She doesn't like meat, except turkey lunch meat.  I'm assuming it is the texture.  She doesn't like green beans--which we eat a lot of in our house so she better start liking them!  Some of favorites are yogurt, fruit, cottage cheese, broccoli, cheese, bread, and corn. 
• Maddie has 4 teeth--2 on the top and 2 on the bottom.  She is working on getting another tooth on the bottom.  Her little gum is white, but the tooth hasn't popped out yet.
• She is taking some steps on her own.  She will take 4-6 steps to one of us, but she has to get her balance first.  She gets so excited that she will take off running before she has her balance and end up falling.  During the past week or so, she has gotten brave enough to take 1-2 steps towards the couch, coffee table, or to a toy she wants.  She is a little more slow and deliberate with these steps so she tends to do pretty good.
• She is still taking 2 naps--one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  She naps for about an hour in the morning and around 1 1/2 hours in the afternoon.  I am able to lay her down, turn on her Sleep Sheep, and rub her back while she goes to sleep.  She may cry just a little bit, but she does a good job most of the time.  We are so proud of her!
• Nighttime sleep habits have also gotten a little better.  We have started laying her down instead of rocking her to put her to bed.  Although she does really well with this method at nap time, she still has some resistance to it at night.  She cries more, but usually settles down within a few minutes.  I rub her back, turn on Sleep Sheep and usually end up singing "Jesus Loves Me" while she falls asleep.  For the past week or so, she has been sleeping almost all night, usually only getting up once.  We even had a couple nights where she has slept all night long.
• Madelyn found out she is going to be a big sister!
• New words she can say are:  "milk" but it sounds like "mamamama", she is now using "I'm done" to mean "I'm hungry" and "I'm finished eating" which can get a little confusing, and  "okay"  
• She understands the word "no" and will sometimes stop what she is doing.  Other times, she thinks it is funny when we tell her no so she will laugh and keep doing it.  What a little stinker!
• She makes a motorboat noise when she gets mad or is not getting her way. 
• Maddie goes back to the doctor next month for her 1 year check up.

Sweet smile!



Wild child!

I'm a big girl!

10 Months!

10 months old!  I think this month just flew by even faster than all the rest of them!  Here's what Madelyn Claire is up to now:

• wearing 6-9 month clothing and size 2/3 shoes
• wearing size 3 diapers
• She can stand on her own for a few seconds at a time. 
• She is constantly on the go.  She loves to walk around the house, chase after Hershey, or just get into anything and everything!
• One of her favorite things to do is to get into Hershey's toys.  She will pull every single one of them out of his basket and hold them and look at them (and occasionally try to put them in her mouth...yuck!...we are working on trying to break her of that!).  She can throw a ball to Hershey; of course it usually lands right beside of her, but they still have fun playing together.  She also likes to tease Hershey by holding up one of his toys and reaching it out towards him.  They usually end of up in a tug of war that Hershey always wins...thankfully she lets go first!
• Maddie loves music!  She enjoys listening to Mommy and Daddy sing to her; and if she is upset, singing to her usually calms her down. 
• Madelyn loves being outside.  She loves riding in the jogging stroller while Daddy runs, going on walks with Mommy, playing outside on a blanket in the front yard, going to the church or park to go swing on the playground, rocking in a rocking chair on the front porch, or just walking to the mailbox.
• She loves books, especially interactive ones.  The touch-and-feel books are her favorites!
• Maddie's eating habits have stayed consistent.  She nurses every 2 1/2-3 hours, eats 3 solid meals (in addition to nursing) and 2 snacks each day.  However, she is getting to where she would MUCH rather feed herself than have one of us spoon feed her; so, the quantity of her finger food has increased and the amount of pureed food has decreased.  She does not like rice cereal anymore, so we switched to oatmeal.  Some of her favorites are bananas, cheese, cheerios, and grapes.  She also really likes cucumbers and turkey.
• She has three teeth and one more on the way.  Her top right tooth just popped out about a week ago, and her top left tooth is working on peeking through.  She has been a drooly baby lately.
• Maddie just learned to clap a few days ago.  I've been working on this with her, but she has had no interest in it.  She was in her high chair the other day, and I clapped because she was trying a new food, and she copied me.  It so suits her personality that she would have to decide to do it on her own--she is becoming little Miss Independent!
• Madelyn is napping twice each day, usually around 1 hour in the mornings and 1 1/2-2 hours in the afternoons.  In the afternoons, however, she has gotten into the habit of waking up after an hour and then falling back asleep in my arms while I rock her.  I've just been holding her for the rest of her nap and enjoying the sweet snuggle time.  Those days will come to an end too soon, so I am going to soak it up while I can!
• Madelyn's nighttime sleep habits are....well, let's just say there is room for improvement.  Cody and I are so ready for her to sleep through the night, but she apparently is not.  She goes to bed around 7:30-7:45 p.m., waking up multiple times per night (usually 2-4 times), then getting up around 5:45 a.m. each morning.  *Although she did sleep ALL NIGHT last night!!  Hoping for more of those nights!*  We have a consistent bedtime routine--dinner, bath, snuggle time while reading books, Sleep Sheep comes on, and she gets rocked to sleep.  We've tried only giving her one nap, putting her to bed later, letting her cry for 3 minutes (I can't go any longer than that...it breaks my heart!) when she wakes hoping she will go back to sleep on her own, but nothing has seemed to make any difference.  Anyone have any other ideas???
• Maddie's vocabulary has expanded some.  She can say, "Mama," "Dada," "Daddy," "Ee-she" for Hershey," "I'm done," and "bye."  She talks to us a lot, but most of the time we don't know what she is saying.  It's funny though, because you can tell when she is fussing at you by the tone of her voice if she is mad about something.
• She is a very sweet and loving baby.  She gives hugs and kisses throughout the day.
• She has recently become attached to her blanket.  Cody was reading a book to her and the character had a blanket, so he got out her blanket and gave it to her.  Since then, she has wanted to snuggle with her blanket while she falls asleep and after she wakes up.  She will reach for it if I don't give it to her.
• She will return to the doctor for another check-up when she is a year old.

It is getting harder and harder to keep her still enough to take pictures!  She is a little rascal!

Big girl!

Showing off her new skill--clapping

Giggling at Daddy--a constant thing in our house!

Funny face!

Dora the Explorer

Showing off my new top tooth with my blankey

9 Month Stats

Maddie went to see Dr. Schmidt yesterday for her 9 month well child check.  Thankfully, she wasn't due for any immunizations so the appointment was a happy one!  :)  Madelyn is growing and developing perfectly! 

Here are her 9 months stats:
weight:  17 lbs. 11 oz.
length:  27 1/2 inches

Her next check-up will be after she turns ONE year old!

9 Month Photo Shoot

9 Months!

Madelyn turned 9 months old on 8/12/12.  Our sweet little baby is growing up!  Here's what she is up to now:

• wearing 6-9 month clothing and size 2 shoes
• wearing size 3 diapers
• She is very good at pulling herself up to a standing position.  She will stand for a long time as long as she has something to hold on to and something to entertain herself.  Usually she just plops back down to a sitting position, but I've noticed that she is gradually gaining more control when sitting back down.  Today, she stood up using her book crate, grabbed a book with both hands, and gingerly sat back down by herself. 
• Madelyn is on the move ALL.THE.TIME!  She rarely sits still.  Even when she is nursing, the littlest noise can distract her and make her head look around to see what it was.  She hates having her diaper changed now; I assume this is because she wants to be on the move.  When she is on the changing table, her little legs pump up and down as fast as they can go.
• She loves to walk with help, and I think she would walk around the house all day if I let her.  She hasn't started crusing on her own yet by holding onto furniture; it takes a lot of encouragement for her to do this.  I'm sure it will happen soon enough, so I'm not pushing it. 
• She loves books!  She can entertain herself for the longest time (in my world, that's about 5-10 minutes) by looking at her books on her own, but she also likes to be read to.  She is very good at turning the pages herself.  Her favorite books are interactive books--anything touch and feel, Pat the Bunny, or All the Ways I Love You recorded storybook.
• Maddie loves music and being sung to.  She likes just about anything, especially when you add a little dance to it.
• Maddie is eating about every 2 1/2 - 3 hours, and is eating 3 solid meals a day, plus 2 snacks.  She eats breakfast when she wakes up which consists of nursing, some type of pureed fruit, rice cereal or oatmeal, and some kind of finger food, usually Cheerios or some kind of fruit.  Lunch is nursing, some type of pureed fruit or vegetable, rice cereal, and some kind of finger food, usually fruit, cheese, or a vegetable.  Dinner is usually nursing, some kind of pureed vegetable or meat, rice cereal, and some kind of finger food.  For a snack, she nurses and then eats a finger food.  She is also offered a cup of milk at each meal; she doesn't usually drink much though.  Bananas, grapes, and Cheerios are Maddie's favorite foods. 
• As a result of all the solid food she's eating now, her poops have changed to solids too!
• Madelyn usually takes 2 naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Her naps have been pretty inconsistent lately, ranging anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
• Maddie's nighttime sleep habits are about the same as last month.  She goes to bed around 7:30 p.m. and sleeps until about 6 or 6:30 a.m., getting up once or twice a night.  Madelyn goes to sleep listening to ocean waves on her Sleep Sheep while we bop her or rock her.  She has enjoyed having her back rubbed lately while drifting off to sleep.  She usually nurses once, usually around 4 a.m.
• Madelyn is teething right now, so everything has been different from normal.  She is not sleeping as well, she leaves a line of drool where ever she goes, she's been cranky, and her nursing habits are slacking some.  Hopefully that tooth will come in soon!
• She is talking so much!  She babbles all kinds of sounds and loves to squeal.  She likes when we repeat the sounds back to her; she'll respond back to us with more talking.  She can say, "Mama," "Dada," and "done."  She understands so much more than she is able to verbalize.  She knows her name and will turn and look at you when you say Maddie or Madelyn.
• Maddie went on her first vacation to the beach.  She wasn't sure about the ocean for the first few days, but ended up liking it a lot.  She enjoyed playing in the sand too.
• She is certainly more attached to her Mommy and Daddy.  It usually takes her a little while to warm up to anyone different. 
• She is a very happy and smiley baby.  She is usually in a good mood and it's usually pretty easy to get her to smile and laugh.  Her facial expressions are constantly developing. 
• Maddie is ticklish on her neck, belly, and thighs. 
• Maddie gives kisses!  It is the sweetest thing!  I'll ask her to give me a kiss and she'll lean in, usually with an open mouth, to give a kiss.  She has offered kisses without being asked, which I love!  But I like lots of kisses, so I usually ask for them a few times a day!  ;)
• She loves being outside, whether it is going on a walk, going swimming, letting Hershey out, or getting the mail.
• She goes to the doctor in a few weeks, so I'll post her 9 month stats then.

Sweet baby!

Giggly baby!

Mischievous baby!  Can't sit still!

8 Months

How does time move so fast?  We went to the hospital a few days ago to visit with a couple from our church who just had a baby boy, and it brought back so many memories.  It seemed like we were just in the hospital ourselves for Madelyn's birth.  How can she get so big so fast?  Everyone keeps telling me it only gets faster...

Miss Madelyn is now 8 months old!  Here's what she is up to now:

• wearing 6-9 month clothing
• wearing size 3 diapers
• She can pull herself up to a standing position.  She's pretty good at keeping her balance.  She's able to sit back down after standing.
• She loves to walk with help.  I think she looks like a little chicken the way she pulls her legs up so high to take a step...but a cute little chicken!  :)  She can go pretty fast, but she is still kind of wobbly, especially when she gets excited.
• She is a fast crawler.  One of her favorite things to do is crawl into our laundry room--Hershey can usually be found there, either eating or "protecting" his food.  I've got to either close the door or keep a close eye on her if I'm in the kitchen, because she'll make a bee-line in there every time!
• favorite books:  Puppies and Kittens touch and feel book, Bedtime touch and feel book, Biscuit, All the Ways I Love You
• favorite toys:  picnic basket, tea pot, piano, bumblebees, butterfly, anything hard to chew on
• favorite songs:  "Wheels on the Bus," "I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee," "I'm a Little Teapot," "This Little Light of Mine," "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands"
• Her eating habits are about the same as last month.  She nurses every 2 1/2 - 3 hours and is eating 2 solid meals a day, at breakfast and dinner.  We have just started adding finger food, and she is doing well with it.  She is kind of picky with the temperature of her food, just like she is with her milk--she likes it extra warm!  Bananas (one food she'll eat without being warm) and sweet potatoes are her favorite. 
• She recognizes when we get a cup of water (she thinks every cup has water in it and it is for her!), and she wants it!
• Maddie goes to sleep around 7:30 p.m. each night.  We "bop" her or rock her while she listens to the waves on her Sleep Sheep to go to sleep.  She wakes up once or twice a night, but has had a few nights where she slept all night long--we're hoping more of those will come in the near future!
• Madelyn naps 2-3 times per day, each nap usually lasting anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.  She naps in her crib--no more swing!  I guess she has outgrown the swing because she no longer seems to find pleasure being in it...she fusses every time...so, it's being passed along to her cousin Kinley!
• She is taking a bath in a regular tub! 
• Maddie can wave bye-bye.  She doesn't hold her arm up high, but she will open her little palm. 
• She likes looking at pictures and will coo and smile when she sees Cody, me, or herself.  It's so sweet!
• When someone she doesn't know comes up to her and says hello, she usually smiles, but turns her head away and buries her face.  I guess her shyness comes from Mommy, because it sure doesn't come from Daddy!
• She'll go back to the doctor next month.

Cute baby!

Look how big she is getting!

Miss Gigglebox

Bye Bye!

Each morning, Maddie and I usually go out on the front porch when Cody is leaving for work.  We watch him pull out of the driveway, and he usually stops in front of the house,  rolls the window down, and tells us bye.  We'll say, "Bye bye, Daddy!" and I help Maddie wave bye bye to him.  This morning, Maddie gave both of us a surprise!  Before he was even down the driveway, she puts her little arm up and opens her palm, waving bye bye on her own.  She did it again when he stopped in front of the house.  It was so sweet! 

God's Amazing Creation

I don't know how anyone can look at a baby and not believe in God.  What little miracles they are!  While I was pregant, I was so amazed at how a little human was growing inside of me...a little human that would respond to my voice or to my touch with little (and sometimes big) kicks.  And I couldn't get over how well our bodies could accomodate these little babies, providing space and nutrients so they can grow strong and healthy. 

As Maddie grows, I continue to be amazed at God's creation everyday.  Right now, my mind can't get wrapped around how a 7 1/2 month old can understand so much.  Maddie may not be able to communicate with the "correct" words, but it is obvious that she understands so much and is communicating in her own little way.  Her gestures, facial expressions, and verbalizations are developing so quickly...and they say so much!  You can tell when she is happy, scared, mad, thoughtful, bored, tired, relaxed, content, surprised...and even when she thinks you are being crazy!

Here is a list of the words/phrases that Maddie can understand:

• Are you hungry? 
• Do you want to eat?
• All done! (We are trying to teach her baby sign language for this one...sometimes she'll do her own little version.)
• Are you sleepy? 
• Do you want to take a nap?
• Do you want to go night night?
• Do you want some water?  (She sometimes reaches for our cups so she can have a drink.)
• Do you want a drink? 
• Mommy
• Daddy
• Hershey (She even knows the sound of his paws on the hardwood floors and get's excited and turns her head to look for him every time!)
• Maddie/Madelyn
• Let's change your diaper.
• Sit up
• Lay down
• Stand
• Come here!
• Mommy's gonna getcha!  (Not sure if she understands the words or just my hand motions on this one...I say this with my hands in the air right before I tickle her!)
• Turn the page.

I'm sure she understands so much more than we even know!  How can she be so smart at only 7 1/2 months?  The only answer...she's one of God's amazing creations!

I love this baby!

Big smile!

You can see her little teeth peeking out from her smile in this one!

7 Months

Madelyn turned 7 months old on Tuesday.  It is amazing how much she grows and changes everyday.  We are so proud to be her parents!  Here is what she is up to now:

• wearing 6-9 month clothing
• wearing size 2 diapers
• She is sitting independently.  She only occassionally gets off balance and topples over when she is looking up (like if we are standing up right in front of her).
• She is crawling and getting into everything! 
• She is working on trying to pull herself up.  She can do it if she is holding onto our fingers, but she has yet to do it on her own with something else.  (Update since Tuesday:  She pulled herself up for the first time yesterday!)
• She knows how to go from crawling to sitting and back to crawling.
• Favorite toys:  picnic basket, tea pot, piano, Lulu in a Tutu, anything to chew on
• Madelyn has 1 tooth {her bottom left} that has already come in, and another tooth that is sure to make an appearance any day now {bottom right}  (Update since Tuesday:  Her bottom right tooth came in yesterday.)
• Maddie will nurse about every 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  She is eating two solid meals--breakfast and lunch--in addition to nursing.  So far, she has tried:  rice cereal, green beans, squash, carrots, peas, bananas and sweet potatoes.  She has also tried apple juice, which she wanted nothing to do with.  Her favorites are rice cereal, squash, and sweet potatoes.
• She loves water.  She has learned how to use a sippy cup, although she is not very efficient.  She prefers to drink out of a big cup with our help.  She definitely drinks more when using the cup, but more also ends up all over her. 
• She goes to sleep at night listening to waves on her Sleep Sheep and being "bopped." 
• Her sleep habits at nighttime have just recently started to get better again.  She is sleeping for much longer periods, only waking up once or twice a night, and nursing only once around 4 am - 5 am.  She usually goes to bed around 7:30 p.m. and gets up around 6:30 a.m.
• Madelyn naps about 3-4 times per day, usually lasting about 30 minutes - a little over an hour.  Her first nap is always in her swing, and lasts about 30 minutes on the dot.  The next two naps are in her crib and are usually longer.  She has done so well transitioning from the swing to her crib for her naps. 
• Her favorite songs are "Wheels on the Bus," "I'm Bringing Home a Babybee Bumblebee," and "I'm a Little Teapot." 
• When we talk to Daddy on the phone while he is at work, his picture comes up on my phone.  Maddie loves to look at his picture and usually smiles and coos.  It's so sweet!
• She is becoming much more talkative.  She loves to talk when we are in the grocery store going through the aisles or in the car.  Many people comment on how talkative she is.
• She loves being outside.  She enjoys rocking in the rocking chairs on the front porch, walking around the yard and looking at plants, going for a walk in the Moby wrap, swimming, or going for a jog in the stroller.
• Maddie loves Hershey.  He can make her giggle just by walking towards her.  She'll try to crawl after him, but he is much too fast for her.
• She doesn't go back to the doctor until she is 9 months old.

Sweet baby girl

Her fingers are always in her mouth

Proving that she can crawl...don't worry, Daddy was close by!

Happy Half-Birthday, Miss Madelyn!

Half-way to a year, oh my!  Madelyn turned six months old yesterday!  Here's what she is up to now:

• wearing mostly 3-6 month clothing, but some 6-9 month clothing
• wearing size 2 diapers
• She has learned to sit.  Although I still like being right there with her, she does a good job and usually doesn't need any help.  She can still be a little topsy when reaching for things sometimes or if she is tired.  She is getting to where she doesn't like the Bumbo seat as much as she used to...I think she just prefers to sit on her own now.
• Madelyn is starting to move.  I'm not sure if we should call it crawling or not, but she is definitely able to move herself forward to reach something she wants.  It takes a little bit of coaxing, but she is moving (almost more pulling herself forward).  I think she'll be crawling away full speed soon.
• Favorite toys:  Lulu in a Tutu, her jumperoo, her Nuby teether, her picnic basket, Spot--her pull along doggy, her lovies, anything she can chew on
• She nurses about every 3 hours, taking about 15 minutes or so to eat
• She had her first taste of rice cereal yesterday.  She wasn't too interested, but we'll keep trying at dinnertime each day.
• Maddie will try to drink water, either from our cups or from her sippy cup.  I think more of it ends up on her than in her mouth.
• Sleeping habits have been all over the place this month.  She went from getting up once a night to getting up 3-4 times a night, sometimes for hours at a time when we were in Taylorsville.  Her sleep habits have gotten back closer to normal since we've been back home, but not as consistent.  Hopefully we'll get back there again soon. 
• She goes to sleep while I am nursing her.  We turn on her Sleep Sheep to listen to the ocean waves and snuggle. 
• She loves sleeping on her belly with her little behind up in the air--just like her Daddy used to do when he was younger. 
• Maddie takes about 3-4 naps per day, usually about 30 minutes - 1 hour long.  She naps in her swing most of the time, but she has started taking some of her naps in her crib.  I have to "bop" her up and down while she has her head on my shoulder to get her to go to sleep for a nap.  We're taking baby steps to get her sleeping in her crib for all of her naps, as she is starting to get a little big for the swing.  She loves the swing, so that will be a sad day when she no longer fits...
• Maddie loves putting everything in her mouth.  She constantly has her fingers, a toy, a blanket, or anything else she can get her hands on in her mouth.  We have to watch her while she is napping in her swing, because she has been known to reach up and grab her hair bow and put it straight in her mouth.
• Her favorite song is still "Wheels on the Bus."  We've made up some of our own verses and she loves them.  "The Maddies on the bus go ha, ha, ha," "The Hersheys on the bus go ruff, ruff, ruff," and anything else we can think of at the time.
• Her stranger anxiety has gotten better over the past month but she is still a little weary of strangers if she is tired or hungry.  She's getting more and more attached to Mommy and Daddy every day.
• She is making a wider variety of noises, making more consonant sounds now.  Sometimes it sounds like she is saying, "Hey!"  Her newest is "dadada."  Cody likes to think she is saying Dada, although I'm not sure she knows what she is saying.  Or, maybe she's just already becoming a daddy's girl...
• She had her first thunderstorm, and it didn't even phase her.  She went to sleep in the middle of it and slept right through it.
• We all went strawberry picking together for the first time.  Maddie rode in the carrier with Daddy while we picked strawberries (too bad she is a little too young to eat them), and then we all looked at the animals (they had goats, rabbits, pigs, peacocks, and a turkey).
• She likes playing with her toes.  For the first time the other day, I saw her trying to get her feet in her mouth.  I knew it was coming...
• Maddie loves being outside.  We try to go outside everyday.  We have started going on jogs as a family each evening with our new jogging stroller.  We've been going right before we put Maddie to bed, and it really seems to relax her. 
• Her hair is starting to get longer and thicker.  She had some bald spots along the sides and back of head that are starting to fill back in with hair.
• Her eyes have remained a beautiful blue.  The only change is color is that they have gotten brighter since she was born.  It's probably really unlikely that they will change at this point, but we'll think they are beautiful no matter what color they are.
• She will go to the doctor for a 6 month check-up in a couple of weeks, so I'll post stats then.

Happy girl!

Cracking up at Daddy

6 month photo from Portrait Innovations

5 Months Yesterday!

We are so blessed to have the sweetest little girl in the world!  We've been having so much fun over the past five months; we can't believe it has been five months already!  She is growing up so fast!  Here's what Madelyn is into now:

• wearing 3-6 month clothing
• wearing size 2 diapers
• She can "tripod" (sitting while using her hands for balance), but we still stay close by because she still tips over pretty easily. 
• Favorite toys:  Lulu in a Tutu, jumperoo, the remote (although we don't give her this to play with, but she still wants to hold it when it is nearby), her Nuby teether, looking at books (and trying to eat them), her lovies, her barking doggie
• She eats about every 3 hours, but she is much more efficient at nursing.  It takes her about 20 minutes to eat.
• She will take a bottle (most of the time) in the nursery at church or for Daddy, but it has to be warmed.  She still has her moments when she just will NOT take a bottle.
• She still goes to sleep while I am rocking and nursing her.  We play the ocean waves on her Sleep Sheep while she is drifting off to sleep.  She wakes up about once a night, sometimes twice.  She usually sleeps about 8 or 9 hours before waking up, then I change her diaper, feed her and put her back to bed.
• She tries to put everything in her mouth, even if it won't fit.  She tries to put her doggie in her mouth, which is a hard, plastic, barking, rolling toy that is way to big for her mouth; she usually ends up getting frustrated that she can't get it in her mouth that I take it away and give her something else to play with.
• Maddie naps in her swing about 3-4 times a day.  Her naps are about 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours long.
• Her favorite song is "Wheels on the Bus."  I'll sing it to her, moving her legs round and round, side to side, or up and down while we sing.  She just smiles and giggles.
• Madelyn is starting to have some stranger anxiety.  It seems a little early for it, but she will stick her little lip out to people she doesn't know when they say hello. 
• She loves Hershey and wants to pet him when he is close by.  Hershey prefers to keep his distance.  :)
• She likes to stand with help.  She will hold our hands and help pull while we pull her up to a standing position.
• Madelyn enjoys bath time and is really kicking in the tub.  I got soaked the other night in one kick!  Somehow she always kicks the water towards Mommy and not Daddy.  Just wait....it's coming, Daddy!!
• She enjoys having lotion rubbed on her legs.
• Sitting in the bumbo seat will usually make her poop.  We're starting to call it the poop seat!
• Madelyn loves looking at the tree in her room.  She can see it while she is getting her diaper changed or while we are rocking in the chair, and she just coos at it.
• She giggles when I tickle or kiss her little neck or blow raspberries on her belly.  Daddy can also get her laughing by making silly faces and noises.  Maddie loves her Daddy!
• Maddie coos, grunts, giggles, laughs, and squeals.  She says, "oooo,"  "uuuhhh," "gooo," "aaahhh-ooo," "whooo."  She's becoming more vocal.  We're trying to work on "Mommy" and "Daddy", but I think it will be a little while. 
• Maddie is definitely noticing food more.  She is still strictly on breastmilk, but she has interest in other food.  She tries to grab at my bowl of cereal in the mornings, wants to hold our cups, and reaches for any thing that is nearby.  We can't wait to see her reaction when she does start eating solid food...we'll probably wait until 6 months to start solids.
• She loves being outside.  We try to go on a walk everyday.  She'll either ride in the stroller, in the Moby wrap with Mommy, or in the carrier with Daddy.
• She is a good car rider.  Mommy is starting to ride in the front seat with Daddy again!
• Maddie has really started to notice her feet.  She loves the pajamas that have characters on the feet, but she also just stares at her bare feet.  I've also noticed that she will look at my feet some too.
• Madelyn was kept by her first babysitter (that wasn't family).  Mommy and Daddy went to talk to the Easter bunny and to grab a bite to eat.  She was asleep when we left, and she woke up crying!  We had to come home a little early....so attached already.
• No doctors appointment this month.

I couldn't pick just one picture....
She was getting tired, so there aren't any big smiles, but lots of cute Maddie faces!

4 Month Well Child Check

Madelyn went to see Dr. Schmidt yesterday for her 4 month well child check.  She had to get two shots and one oral vaccine.  She was already getting tired, so she was not a happy camper for any of the vaccines, not even the oral one.  It breaks Mommy's heart every time to hear her cry, but I know the vaccines are for her own good.  Thankfully, the shots did not seem to have the same side effects as last time.  Last time, she was very irritable.  This time, I could tell she was extra tired and clingy.  She didn't want me to put her down....so, we snuggled for a while before she eventually fell asleep on my shoulder while we were rocking in the rocking chair on the front porch.  I hate knowing she probably wasn't feeling well, but oh, how Mommy loved holding her sweet girl!  Her legs look a little swollen today at the injection sites, but she seems to be almost back to her normal self....maybe still a little tired.

Little Miss Maddie is developing and growing beautifully! 

Her 4 month stats:
Weight:  12 lbs. 13 oz.
Length:  24 1/4 inches

4 Months Old!

I can't believe our little girl is 4 months old!  That's already 1/3 of the way to being a year!  I know I say this every month, but time really does fly by!  Here's what Maddie is up to now:

• wearing 3-6 month clothing
• wearing size 2 diapers
• She can sit with help--either in her bumbo seat or propped up on the couch as long as we are nearby
• She has learned how to roll from her back to her belly, and she loves it!  Anytime we put her on the floor to play, she immediately turns over to her belly and holds that head up high.  This also means that she rolls over onto her tummy when she sleeps!  This worried me at first, but Maddie quickly taught me there is nothing I can do to stop it!
• Favorite toys:  Lulu in a Tutu, Doodlebug, her jumperoo, looking at books, Piglet lovie, and taggie lovie
• She is eating about every 3 - 3 1/2 hours during the day, but can go as long as 4 1/2 hours if she is napping.  She has been taking bottles while she is in the nursery at church as long as they are warmed.
• She goes to sleep while I am rocking her and nursing her.  (Bad habit, I know!) Her bedtime is at 8 p.m. She usually wakes up once during the night to eat.  Usually she'll have a good 6 - 7 hour stretch before she wakes up, then she'll usually wake up again after about 3 - 4 hours.  Most of the time, she'll immediately go back to sleep after she eats.  We are not swaddling her anymore since she can roll over.  Lately, she's been ready to get up and start the day between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m.
• She loves putting everything in her mouth!
• Maddie loves her swing and naps in it about 3-4 times a day.
• She likes being held and walked around so she can look at everything.  She also enjoys us dancing with her while we sing.
• Maddie likes the tv!  I don't deliberately put her in front of it to watch it, but I'll catch her watching it when it is on.
• She enjoys being outside!  Spring is coming, so that means more outdoor play time and walks!
• Her little legs are getting stronger.  She likes to "stand" with help.
• She will follow us with her eyes as we walk around the room.  She likes to watch Hershey too.
• She smiles, giggles, coos, squeals, makes blowing noises, and trys to talk ("oooo", "ah-goo").  I think she just likes hearing herself squeal and can get quite loud. 
• She thinks it's funny when I blow quick little puffs of air in her face or when I put my mouth on her belly and blow.
• She is a good car rider and this will often put her to sleep if she is tired.
• She goes on regular errands with us and seems to enjoy getting out and seeing other sights and sounds.
• Maddie enjoys bath time and is starting splash around a little more by kicking her legs. 
• She does a good job taking her Vitamin D every day and will often open her little mouth in anticipation, although I'm not sure how much she likes the taste as she will sometimes make faces after she swallows.
• She goes for her 4 month well child check with Dr. Schmidt on Thursday, so we'll post stats then.

3 Months Already?!?

Wow!  Our sweet baby is growing up.  She turned 3 months old on Feb.12.  I can't believe time has flown by so fast!  Here's what's going on in Maddie's life right now:

• She is still wearing 3 month clothing, but some items are starting to get a little snug.  I have a feeling she'll be needing the 3-6 month clothing soon.
• She still wears size 1 diapers.
• Her neck muscles are strong!  Her head can still be a little wobbly if she is tired.  She is able to push her shoulders and chest off the ground when she is on her belly.
• She can roll over from her belly to her back.  We've been trying to get this on camera since she the first time she rolled over, but she does not want to perform!  She rolled over 4 times in a row this morning, and by the time I thought about getting the video camera, she was done and didn't roll over again!
• Lulu remains in the number one spot for her favorite toy.  She also enjoys playing on her play mat and in her jumperoo.  She still likes reading books and has started to want to "turn the pages."  (She's really just reaching for the book and grabbing onto it, but I tell her she is helping Mommy turn the page.)  She likes holding onto her lovie when she is in her car seat or in the swing. 
• She is feeding on demand--about every 3 1/2 - 4 hours during the day and about every 4 - 6 hours at night.  She usually only needs to eat once during the night.  She has decided that she does not like taking bottles now (although Grammy did get her to take one while they babysat recently). 
• She has slept through the night once!  We're hoping more of those nights are coming!  She still likes to be swaddled at night, but likes her hands to be near her face so she can suck on them.  We try to get her in bed around 8 pm.  She's usually ready to get up between 7:30 - 8:30 am.
• She loves putting things in her mouth--hands, clothing, blankets, toys...
• Maddie still loves her swing!  She naps in her swing during the day, and it's a wonderful way  to calm her down if she gets fussy.
• Maddie had her first giggle this month!  Daddy was changing her diaper and playing with her; it was the cutest thing ever!
• Her eyes will follow us around the room.  She will also track her toys if you move them from one side to another.
• She likes playing "airplane."  We do this two different ways:  holding her with her belly down and flying around, or putting her belly down on my legs while I move my legs around.
• Maddie took her first vacation this month.  We went to Williamsburg, VA, to visit Colonial Williamsburg.
• She has started staying in the nursery at church this month.  She has done well, but she needs to eat before church is over.  She is not able to make it all the way through Sunday School and worship time without needing to eat.  Since she is not taking a bottle now, I've been having to go feed her.  Hopefully we can get her where she will take a bottle again so I can attend worship again!
• She's become a little bubble machine!  She drools and blows little bubbles almost continously, it seems.
• She is starting to be able to self-soothe.  She's become more patient about having her diaper changed (she used to cry as soon as it became dirty, and now it doesn't seem to bother her most of the time) and she can sometimes put herself to sleep in the crib if she is really drowsy.
• She is making all kinds of noises.  Cooing has continued from last month, but now she is starting to squeal.  She also says, "oooo" and "ah-goo."
• She enjoys going outside.  I'm excited for the weather to warm up a little more so we can go out more often.
• She has started to notice Hershey.  She enjoys looking at him when he is nearby.
• She is starting to "stand" with help.  She lacks much strength to hold her legs steady for longer than a few seconds, but she likes to push off with her feet.
• No doctor's visit this month; next appointment is in March for a 4-month well child check.

3 Months Old

Time progression:  1, 2, 3 months old

Squeaky clean!

2 Month Check-Up

Madelyn had her 2 month check-up with Dr. Schmidt yesterday.  She is doing well!  She is growing and developing as she should be, so we are able to expand her feeding times.  We are still feeding on demand but at least every 4 1/2 - 5 hours during the day. 

Dr. Schmidt started her on a vitamin D supplement drop, as that is the only vitamin that breastmilk lacks.  She can also get vitamin D by being out in the sunshine, but it's just too cold right now to be outside for long.  Once the weather gets warmer where we are able to be outside longer and once we start her on solid foods, we should be able to stop the vitamin D supplement.

She had to get 2 shots (one was a combo shot of multiple vaccines) and an oral vaccine.  She of course cried when she was getting the shots, but was back to her happy self soon afterwards.  The vaccines made her sleepy and, eventually, somewhat irritable.  She woke up crying after her nap, and I couldn't get her to calm down.  We tried walking, singing, rocking, swinging, eating--nothing worked.  I think she was sore from her shots, so I gave her some tylenol.  You could tell the tylenol started to work in about 15 minutes, because she calmed down and drifted off to sleep again. She was a happy baby again throughout the night and today!

Here are her 2 months stats:
Weight:  10 lbs. 8 oz.
Length:  23 inches

Happy 2 Months, Madelyn!

Madelyn turned 2 months old today!  She is growing and developing so fast!  I finally took her newborn clothes out of her closet to pack them up, even though she hasn't been able to wear them for about a month, and it was so bittersweet looking at all those tiny clothes! 

• She is wearing most 0-3 month size clothing (some brands are still a little large)
• Her next doctor's appointment is on 1/18/12, so I'll post weight and height stats then.
• She is still wearing size 1 diapers.  
• Maddie is able to hold her head up for longer periods of time while doing tummy time.  When holding her under her arms, she can pretty much hold her head up on her own, but it is still a little wobbly.  
• She continues to have a happy personality, although we have had a couple nights and one full day where she has been fussy...maybe colic or gas???
• Lulu in a Tutu continues to be her favorite toy, although she also likes to hold her Piglet lovie when she sleeps in her swing.  
• She is still feeding on demand--she likes to eat about every 3 hours during the day and about every 3 1/2 - 4 hours at night.  Due to our estimates how much I'm able to pump and how much she will take from a bottle, our guess is that she eats about 3-4 oz. at each feeding.  
• Madelyn is now sleeping her crib at night, and she has done wonderfully!  I think it was harder for Mommy to make the transition than it was for Maddie!  She usually wakes up about every 3 1/2 - 4 hours, but she has had a stretch as long as 5 hours and 20 minutes!  We are getting closer and closer to a full nights sleep!  :)  She still enjoys being swaddled at night and will occasionally use a pacifier to help her get to sleep.
• She has discovered her hands.  You'll frequently find her staring at her hands or putting them in her mouth (not for hunger, just for exploration).  
• Her favorite place to nap during the day is her swing.  It's so funny because the music on the swing is set on a timer.  Sometimes when the music goes off, she will let out a little cry as if she is saying, "Please turn my music back on!"  She also loves to stare at the mobile on the swing.
• She enjoys us singing to her and will kick her legs and swat her hands while we sing.  Some of her favorites are:  "Skin-a-ma-rink-i-dinky-dink," "Twist and Shout," and "Jesus Loves Me"
• Maddie's smiles are becoming larger and more frequent!  You can tell she is smiling on purpose when she sees Daddy or Mommy.  She smiles the most first thing in the mornings, but she will usually give you a smile at any time throughout the day if you work at it. 
• Madelyn is starting to track faces and objects with her eyes.  
• She loves for us to hold her and walk around so she can look at things.  Some of her favorite things to stare at are the tree in her room and the canvas flower pictures in the living room.  Although she recently discovered the picture of Mommy and Daddy in the living room and has started to stare at it a lot too.
• Maddie made her first big trip across NC over the holidays.  We only had to stop once each way during the 4 hour trip.
• She is cooing more.
• She has started slobbering more and blowing little tiny bubbles out of her mouth, especially when she gets excited.
• She is not really a fan of the Moby wrap right now because she has to sit facing in towards me; however, she does enjoy the Baby Bjorn where she can face out to see the world.
• She is able to grasp and hold one of her rattles for short periods of time when it is put in her hands.  She'll usually start to shake it and ends up dropping it.
• Madelyn enjoys looking at books.  We try to read 2-3 books each afternoon, and sometimes we'll read some before she goes to bed.
• When she is tired and is being held up on your shoulder, she'll squeeze your neck and nuzzle into your shoulder.  Maddie gives the best hugs!
• And guess what...she rolled over today!  She rolled over from tummy to back while laying on her playmat.  We missed the video opportunity, but keep posted!

1 Month Check-up Stats

Maddie had her 1 month check-up today with Dr. Schmidt. She is doing very well and is growing!  She didn't like the Hepatitis B vaccination too much, but she was a good little patient.

Stats for 1 month:
Weight: 9 lbs. 5 oz.
Length: 21.5 in.

1 Month Old

Madelyn turned 1 month old yesterday!  Wow....how time flies! 

• At her last doctor's appointment, which was almost 2 weeks ago, she weighed right at 8 lbs.  Daddy weighed her on our scales at home, and we are thinking she is about 9 lbs. now.  Her next doctor's appointment is on 12/22/11. 
• She is wearing newborn and some 0-3 month size clothes, although the newborn size is getting a little snug.
• Maddie is now fitting into size 1 diapers.
• Her neck muscles are getting stronger.  She is able to pull her head up about 45 degrees while doing tummy time, and she can hold her head up for short periods of time when we burp her.
• She is a happy baby most of the time and only cries if she has a dirty diaper or if she is hungry. 
• She is starting to try to grab things that catch her attention, like her toy, Lulu in a Tutu, which rattles and crinkles, or the butterfly on her play mat.
• She is eating about every 2 1/2-3 hours during the day and about 3-3 1/2 hours at night.  She eats about 2-3 ounces at each feeding.
• Maddie is usually awake and alert for a good period of time first thing in the morning and in the evenings.  She naps well during the day and sleeps good at night, usually going immediately back to sleep after eating.  She likes being swaddled at night.
• She enjoys bath time, especially since she lost her cord and can now enjoy tub baths instead of sponge baths.
• She is smiling, usually when she is drifting off to sleep.
• Madelyn loves her swing and usually will nap there during the day.
• Maddie has enjoyed going out with Mommy and Daddy to several places--church, Sam's Club, a Christmas party, and the doctor's office/Daddy's office.

Take 1...

Take 15...

 

We are so blessed to have such a sweet daughter.  She has grown and changed so much already.  We are looking forward to what God has in store for our family in the future as she continues to grow and change.