Seriously, can this sweet little baby be this old already? Ten months --- not so much baby anymore. It's been a busy month for Madeline. First and foremost, her personality has always been so laid back & happy, and she continues to be that way. However, she is really starting to show that she has a mind of her own as she explores and takes in the world! She continues to draw strangers to her with that wide open two toothed grin (soon to be four toothed grin) and her famous "oooohhhhh!" when she gets within earshot of anyone. Her wild hair used to attract strangers, but now her little personality, squeals, and wild waves attract strangers. This child has absolutely no fear of anyone. She'll blow you a kiss or lunge for your face to plant a sloppy, wet kiss on your cheek if she sees you as a friend. (I foresee stranger lessons as soon as she can understand what we're telling her.) Madeline LOVES other children and babies, and now that school is out, some of the older children at the gym nursery have really taken an interest in Madeline. It is very sweet to watch a 6 year old little girl talk and play with Madeline ever so gently, and it is even sweeter to hear that little girl tell her mom as they're leaving, "I love that baby. I love to play with that baby! Are we coming tomorrow? I hope that baby is here tomorrow." She especially lights up when her Daddy walks through that door in the evenings. Squeals, smiles, waves, clapping, and bouncing around are all coming from Madeline when she sees or hears Eric come through the door. It is so endearing to watch her express her love for her Daddy like that. I get the sweet hugs & kisses and a smile when I've been away, but Daddy gets the full blown fanfare. Madeline definitely has an infectious, outgoing personality that elicits that famous question from other adults, "Is she always this happy? Is she always this good?" To which, I get to say, "Yes! I am very lucky and blessed to have such a happy baby."
Madeline has made the big leap to all table food as her primary food source, and wow, how much easier it is to cut up some chicken, green beans, cheese, grapes, and an Eggo waffle. Ring the dinner bell because dinner is served. Up until now, I was "testing" different foods while still feeding her a jar of peas or green beans at lunch and dinner, and I will continue to do that until the jarred food runs out in the cabinet. She loves just about everything I put on her tray, and I have to say that I have a little carnivore on my hands. The meat is usually one of the firsts to go, but mac-n-cheese, peas, cheese, and green beans are probably the next favorites. Yogurt is a breakfast favorite. At this point, I don't feel like Madeline is a picky eater. She's gotten the sippy cup mastered for drinking juice, but my girl loves her bottles before her naps & bedtime. Basically, Madeline eats 3 meals a day with some snacks in between, and she only receives her bottles right before naps and bedtime.
Madeline has never been what I would call an awesome sleeper. Yes, she sleeps for 11-12 hours at night, but naps have always been a struggle around here. With her new found mobility, naps have become even more of a challenge, but I'm determined that this child will nap especially in the afternoons. This is why I am so strict about her schedule and routine --- Madeline needs to know that naps are part of her day,
everyday. The morning nap can be anything from a power nap to a full blown 2 hour nap, and the afternoon nap typically is about an hour and a half to two hours. That sounds great in writing, but it takes her anywhere from 30 min. to an hour (or more on some days) to fall asleep now that she can do this all by herself:
So, she plays until she's absolutely exhausted which is fine, but I don't like that she spends so much of the daytime in her crib "napping". Maybe it's normal or just a phase with all these new "tricks" she can now do, but it's driving me nuts. I know she's tired, and she knows she's tired, but she fights falling asleep so badly!! This is when she really shows that she has a mind of her own. I have yet to decide if me going in there to lay her back down over and over again until she falls asleep OR just leaving her alone until she falls asleep is the best tactic here. I've tried both, and either way she's back in her room squealing, laughing, and carrying on with delight having her own little party. Oh well, she could scream and cry it out for 30 minutes to an hour, and that definitely is no fun. So all in all, Madeline is a decent sleeper, and I shouldn't complain.
Speaking of mobility, Madeline eyeballs something, and she goes for it. Not so much in a crawling fashion. It's more of a lunge/scoot/stretch movement with a lot of "Uhhhhhh!!" that propels her to the object of her desire. If that effort doesn't get her to the desired object, she finds something else to play with. Now that's why I call her a little bit lazy. Madeline can sit herself up from laying down and vice versa, and she can pull herself up by holding onto anything those chubby hands can reach. She can sit herself back down once she's stood up as well. Needless to say, I'm very aware of the surroundings that she happens to be sitting in because she doesn't just sit and play anymore. Madeline is hearing and feeling the word "No" with a swat on the hand more and more as she reaches to grab things she should not be touching. I'm just not completely undecorating my house because she's curious. She will learn what to touch and not touch. More work for Mommy, but better for everyone in the long run. It's exhausting, but it's so much fun to watch her little mind work to figure out how to get places, get things she wants, and explore this world around her. I find it interesting the little things she notices with her famous "oooohhhh!" that I think we as adults either ignore or take for granted. Madeline loves to "dance" -- she bobs her head (shades of Saturday Night Live: Night at the Roxbury) and waves her hands straight out in front of her when she hears music she likes. I'll turn on the Noggin channel for background noise during the day sometimes, and I'll catch her "dancing" when the music plays. She loves her Baby Einstein CDs that sing nursery rhymes too. I decided that I needed to expose Madeline to more than just the Classic rock channel even as great as Bon Jovi is! :) Seeing the world through Madeline's eyes is tiring and exciting all at the same time.
Madeline has really slipped into our lives and made us the little "perfect" family of three that Eric and I'd talk about while I was pregnant. She can go with us just about anywhere whether it's to a friend's house for dinner, run errands, out to lunch, to the pool, or on a mini vacation to the beach. Madeline, our sweet girl...what did we ever do before you? Eric and I have been so blessed and so smitten with parenthood over the last ten months.
Seriously, can this sweet little baby be this old already? Ten months --- not so much baby anymore. It's been a busy month for Madeline. First and foremost, her personality has always been so laid back & happy, and she continues to be that way. However, she is really starting to show that she has a mind of her own as she explores and takes in the world! She continues to draw strangers to her with that wide open two toothed grin (soon to be four toothed grin) and her famous "oooohhhhh!" when she gets within earshot of anyone. Her wild hair used to attract strangers, but now her little personality, squeals, and wild waves attract strangers. This child has absolutely no fear of anyone. She'll blow you a kiss or lunge for your face to plant a sloppy, wet kiss on your cheek if she sees you as a friend. (I foresee stranger lessons as soon as she can understand what we're telling her.) Madeline LOVES other children and babies, and now that school is out, some of the older children at the gym nursery have really taken an interest in Madeline. It is very sweet to watch a 6 year old little girl talk and play with Madeline ever so gently, and it is even sweeter to hear that little girl tell her mom as they're leaving, "I love that baby. I love to play with that baby! Are we coming tomorrow? I hope that baby is here tomorrow." She especially lights up when her Daddy walks through that door in the evenings. Squeals, smiles, waves, clapping, and bouncing around are all coming from Madeline when she sees or hears Eric come through the door. It is so endearing to watch her express her love for her Daddy like that. I get the sweet hugs & kisses and a smile when I've been away, but Daddy gets the full blown fanfare. Madeline definitely has an infectious, outgoing personality that elicits that famous question from other adults, "Is she always this happy? Is she always this good?" To which, I get to say, "Yes! I am very lucky and blessed to have such a happy baby."
Madeline has made the big leap to all table food as her primary food source, and wow, how much easier it is to cut up some chicken, green beans, cheese, grapes, and an Eggo waffle. Ring the dinner bell because dinner is served. Up until now, I was "testing" different foods while still feeding her a jar of peas or green beans at lunch and dinner, and I will continue to do that until the jarred food runs out in the cabinet. She loves just about everything I put on her tray, and I have to say that I have a little carnivore on my hands. The meat is usually one of the firsts to go, but mac-n-cheese, peas, cheese, and green beans are probably the next favorites. Yogurt is a breakfast favorite. At this point, I don't feel like Madeline is a picky eater. She's gotten the sippy cup mastered for drinking juice, but my girl loves her bottles before her naps & bedtime. Basically, Madeline eats 3 meals a day with some snacks in between, and she only receives her bottles right before naps and bedtime.
Madeline has never been what I would call an awesome sleeper. Yes, she sleeps for 11-12 hours at night, but naps have always been a struggle around here. With her new found mobility, naps have become even more of a challenge, but I'm determined that this child will nap especially in the afternoons. This is why I am so strict about her schedule and routine --- Madeline needs to know that naps are part of her day, everyday. The morning nap can be anything from a power nap to a full blown 2 hour nap, and the afternoon nap typically is about an hour and a half to two hours. That sounds great in writing, but it takes her anywhere from 30 min. to an hour (or more on some days) to fall asleep now that she can do this all by herself: 
So, she plays until she's absolutely exhausted which is fine, but I don't like that she spends so much of the daytime in her crib "napping". Maybe it's normal or just a phase with all these new "tricks" she can now do, but it's driving me nuts. I know she's tired, and she knows she's tired, but she fights falling asleep so badly!! This is when she really shows that she has a mind of her own. I have yet to decide if me going in there to lay her back down over and over again until she falls asleep OR just leaving her alone until she falls asleep is the best tactic here. I've tried both, and either way she's back in her room squealing, laughing, and carrying on with delight having her own little party. Oh well, she could scream and cry it out for 30 minutes to an hour, and that definitely is no fun. So all in all, Madeline is a decent sleeper, and I shouldn't complain.
Speaking of mobility, Madeline eyeballs something, and she goes for it. Not so much in a crawling fashion. It's more of a lunge/scoot/stretch movement with a lot of "Uhhhhhh!!" that propels her to the object of her desire. If that effort doesn't get her to the desired object, she finds something else to play with. Now that's why I call her a little bit lazy. Madeline can sit herself up from laying down and vice versa, and she can pull herself up by holding onto anything those chubby hands can reach. She can sit herself back down once she's stood up as well. Needless to say, I'm very aware of the surroundings that she happens to be sitting in because she doesn't just sit and play anymore. Madeline is hearing and feeling the word "No" with a swat on the hand more and more as she reaches to grab things she should not be touching. I'm just not completely undecorating my house because she's curious. She will learn what to touch and not touch. More work for Mommy, but better for everyone in the long run. It's exhausting, but it's so much fun to watch her little mind work to figure out how to get places, get things she wants, and explore this world around her. I find it interesting the little things she notices with her famous "oooohhhh!" that I think we as adults either ignore or take for granted. Madeline loves to "dance" -- she bobs her head (shades of Saturday Night Live: Night at the Roxbury) and waves her hands straight out in front of her when she hears music she likes. I'll turn on the Noggin channel for background noise during the day sometimes, and I'll catch her "dancing" when the music plays. She loves her Baby Einstein CDs that sing nursery rhymes too. I decided that I needed to expose Madeline to more than just the Classic rock channel even as great as Bon Jovi is! :) Seeing the world through Madeline's eyes is tiring and exciting all at the same time.
Madeline has really slipped into our lives and made us the little "perfect" family of three that Eric and I'd talk about while I was pregnant. She can go with us just about anywhere whether it's to a friend's house for dinner, run errands, out to lunch, to the pool, or on a mini vacation to the beach. Madeline, our sweet girl...what did we ever do before you? Eric and I have been so blessed and so smitten with parenthood over the last ten months.
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