Foto Friday - Share, Please!

"DADDY! I know you're eating something...share, please!!!"

Hoppy Easter!

Ok peeps, here's some pictures of Madison's first Easter. :)

She refused to wear the bunny ears long enough for me to get a picture. So, this is the best I got. Poor girl really hated them. It's too bad because she looked SO cute. Maybe next year....

After our photo attempts, she spit up a bit on her Easter onesie...I think she was rebelling since she never really spits up, so she checked out her Easter "basket" naked. She was most interested in her new tub for toys...could really care less about what was in it.

Later that afternoon, Josh requested to color eggs with her, so, I obliged. What happened was Josh colored eggs and Madison held her egg so close to her and tried to just eat it the whole time. It was really cute and funny. She loved her little egg...

As expected...no more egg for M.

Later, we headed to Great Gma Bev's for the family dinner. Madison had her second egg-coloring experience. Madison once again attempted to eat her egg. (And yes, I know babies under a year are not to have egg whites, so she was carefully watched so she didn't crack it while it was in her mouth.)

Here she is checking out the pretty colored egg.

I wish I would have taken more pictures of her and Ava! They had a lot of fun talking and playing with each other after dinner. We did video it...but it's actually hard to hear the girls due to the background noise. I was bummed. :(

I'm already looking forward to next Easter when she will be able to participate in her first egg hunt!

Foto Friday - Easter Preview

Cute onesie...bad picture (It says, "Have a yummy Easter.")

The Easter Bunny texted me this picture of his plans for Madison's Easter basket - toy blocks, a sun hat, bibs, and a stuffed bunny - all in a cute little tub. At least he listened to me and didn't get her any candy. Although I despise stuffed animals...he snuck that in on me...

Foto Friday - No way

"No Daddy, do not make me put my feet in the grass!!!"

Eight Months

Eight months...EIGHT! Already!

Madison weighs about 20 lbs. and is around 28 inches long.

"Hi, Mr. Pooh. I'm 8 months old today. How old are you?"

"Mmmm, mmm...my bottom lip tastes gooooood!"

MOVEMENT

This past month has been a whirlwind of Madison discovering and perfecting her abilities to MOVE. She crawls like a champ...EVERYWHERE...and she's fast. She pulls up with ease, and this last week perfected her ability to safely get back down to her knees. She holds on with one hand sometimes testing her ability to balance. She's also working on "walking" along the couches once she's pulled up.

"Mom! Dad! Let me out!"

She LOVES going for the stairs in the 4 seasons room - she's working on getting up them - with Mom or Dad right by of course. I'm terrified of her falling back and bonking her head...

EATING

She nurses 4 times a day - breakfast, lunch, dinner, and before bed...and sometimes a 5th time if she wakes in the middle of the night...her middle of the night feeding is becoming more sporadic though. I should probably try and wean her totally from the middle of the night one at this point...*sigh*

She decided she doesn't like carrots anymore. So, I've given her a break, but will probably try again soon. She will eat green beans if I mix them with apples, and she also tried plums and peaches last month. She still loves squash, sweet potato, apples, and pears. She loves her Gerber puffs and 'lil crunchies (cheese puffs for babies) and can feed herself those little snacks!

I've also introduced a sippy cup to her (with water for now). She mostly plays with it, and has gotten a few sips if I tip it up, but still needs to figure out how to tip it up herself. She has also drank a few sips of water from a regular cup, too.

I think I am going to try yogurt with her this month.

TEETH
Just the two on the bottom...no visual sign of anymore...yet...but there's LOTS of drooling and chewing...so...

SLEEP
Still working on getting her to regularly sleep through the night...although, I wonder if my expectations are not realistic since the girl could be teething and is still only 8 months. I'd say she makes it through the whole night (9-11 hours total) maybe 3-4 times a week...so, I guess that's not too bad.

DOGGIES

She loves chasing after Winky and Benny. She routinely tries to "pet" Winky when he's up on the couch. He is SO patient and good to her. She pulls his hair and ears regularly and he just looks at her. He's never growled or nipped at her.

And Benny, well, Benny doesn't really like her...although she LOVES him. She always smiles at him...he just avoids her as best he can. Haha! So, I don't have a picture of the two of them. Yesterday the dogs went to the groomer, and Benny had to share the back seat with Madison. M was SO happy...she laughed and talked to him the whole time! Benny just looked annoyed and couldn't wait to get out of the car! Ha!

VOICE

Madison jabbers and squeals a LOT. It's so fun! She can be SO loud, too! No real words or regular sounds though. And, she's found her whiny voice :) She'll sometimes whine if I take a toy from her or something else she shouldn't have...or if she gets frustrated.

FAVORITES
Madison LOVES pulling all her books off her self. She also likes dumping her blocks out. Basically, all I have to do is put away all her toys and books and then let her make a mess. Whenever Daddy sings or dances she'll immediately light up. She still enjoys "Yo Gabba Gabba," and also loves the show "The Fresh Beat Band" because there is lots of singing and dancing. She still occasionally likes to be read to, and will read along with me (talks the whole time usually).

RANDOM PHOTOS

Josh wanted to take her outside yesterday to experience the grass for the first time. This was her reaction. She didn't like the way it felt. She'd try and crawl, and once her hands touched the grass she'd scream and sit right back up. It was also right before nap...so...I think we'll try again today.

Playing with Daddy.

She looks like she's in a 3-point stance and ready to play some football.

Such great posture!

I know I ALWAYS say this, but I can't believe how fast Madison is changing and how much she learns every day. She seems to do something new, cute, and/or fun EVERYDAY and I'm loving being her Mama!

Push It!

I'm pretty sure Madison's laughter and squealing is the best sound ever!

Josh bought this soccer ball for her when we went to Williamsburg a few weeks ago. She really likes it. Josh was trying to help her learn to roll it with him, and apparently, the phrase, "Push it!" is hilarious.

Foto Friday - Teeth

She's got 2 now...she's had the second one for a while...but, I finally got a picture! She's kinda making a funny face...but...whatev.

(If you click on the picture, it should show up larger so you can see her little teeth better!)

(Yes, I know it's Saturday.)

Mommy's Turn to CIO

I have a confession.

I like cuddling/walking/rocking my babe to sleep.

I stare down at her beautiful little face while she so peacefully enters dream land, sometimes smiling, sometimes furrowing her eyebrows, sometimes cuddling more into my shoulder or chest, sometimes with her mouth open...you get the idea. I study her face, the shape of her eyes and mouth, and I silently tell her how wonderful she is, and how smart she'll be, and how her Daddy and I will always be there for her, and I dream with her about all the things she'll experience in life and how we will do anything and everything to ensure she has a happy and healthy.

Well, let me re-phrase. I like that moment at 8pm, when it lasts about 10 minutes or so...not so much at 1, 2, 3, or 4 in the morning...then, I'm thinking other things and it lasts much longer than 10 minutes.

I've been weak these past few weeks.

And, I've paid for it the past couple nights when all M wanted to do was to sleep on my chest while I held her. The other night we were up 2 hours (3:30-5:30am), me holding her, her falling asleep, me putting her in her crib, her waking immediately, and repeat. (For whatever reason, she goes down great for naps and at her bedtime...it's just that pesky middle of the night waking that's getting us, and I don't want it to progress....)

After all the work we did to help Madison learn to sleep in her crib AND to fall asleep on her own, I've started to regress. Yes, I say ME. I've given in too easily. I know she knows how to fall asleep on her own, because some nights she sleeps 11 hours straight.

She looks so innocent here...

Seeing this picture reminds me I should remove her crib mobile...little baby growing up so fast!

So, for the past few nights, we've had to let her fuss after her feeding until she falls back asleep. I don't know why I've saying "we." It should be "I." Somehow Josh manages to sleep through her fussing (so he says) while I'm slowing dying inside while attempting to send her sleepy thoughts and silently begging for her to just give in and to forgive Mommy for ignoring her pathetic cries.

It's sad. But, I know it's what's best for her. Sunday and Monday she fussed for about 30 minutes before finally falling asleep.

But, last night, it was only 5 minutes.

Thank goodness!

Foto Friday - Future CPA?!

Taxes are soooooo easy...even Madison can do 'em!!!