Week 79: July 15 - 21

LOTS to say this week! Man, I really thought these posts would get LESS interesting, since she’s achieved all the “major” milestones (roll over, crawl, walk, talk, etc.) but the little things are infinitely more fascinating and precious to me!

GENERAL DISCLAIMER
I have been much better lately about taking notes of the things Madeleine does so that I can put them in this blog. But this week, she was just too much. She’s changing so much, learning, growing, becoming her own little person. It is impossible to remember to write down everything she does. This makes me sad because I don’t want to forget anything.

Watching this little baby turn into a little girl is the most incredible, awe-inspiring thing I’ve ever witnessed. It is such a blessing, and she is such a joy. I so wish that I could record every little detail, no matter how seemingly insignificant. But I can’t. And it hurts to know that I’ve already forgotten some little new thing she did last week.

I know that I’m recording a lot of memories, and I am happy about it. I just want the whole collection, the exhaustive record. She’s just so incredibly amazing and precious and I love every second with her.

Well, okay, maybe not every second. But even the hard ones can be special and make memories.

Basically, Madeleine is a super SWEETIE. I just marvel at her little self and how much I enjoy her. As Matt said many months ago, she is truly a delight, in every sense of the word.

PRETTY THINGS
I’m not sure if or when I’ve recorded it on the blog—surely I have!—but I will mention it again here: Madeleine loves pretties. She loves to walk around with the big purple hollow cylinder on her arm like a bracelet. She loves to hold my necklaces up to her neck and hold them there by pinching them between her chin and her chest.

She has a strong interest in all things shoes—hers, mine, Matt’s, anyone’s. She enjoys shopping.

Sunday, I put on a new-to-her dress. When she stood up and saw herself in it, she smiled and kind of turned to look at herself.

And remember that skirt she picked out last week? Yeah. This week, I put it on her, along with the shirt that I got to go with it. She noticed the skirt right away. When she stood up, she looked at herself in the mirror in her whole outfit, and she smiled this little, “I look pretty” smile. Like she was admiring herself in the mirror. I about melted. It was just this little … I can’t describe it … humble, shy, but really happy little look on her face. Priceless.

WORDS & SIGNS
Madeleine continues to sign for us to sing to her. ALL THE TIME.

There’s a song about a wise man and a foolish man building houses. It has hand motions. Usually at bedtime, she will ask for this song by putting her little fists together, one on top of the other. Her tiny little baby fists. Ugh, it’s more than I can handle sometimes!

She can also now say “kick,” as in “kick the football.” Not even joking, she said, “kick football” when she and Matt were playing one day. She also enjoys kicking soccer balls, juggling balls, and squirty bath balls. She is no respecter of balls.

One of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE developments is Madeleine learning and using the word “hug.” Now, she says, “gug,” but when she wraps her little arms around me and rests her head on me, I know what she means. And I never, ever want her to stop. Fortunately for us, she loves giving hugs right now, and will often come up to me and hug my legs while I’m doing something.

Her vocabulary is definitely on the verge of expanding. She seems to be saying a lot more lately; at least, TRYING to say a lot. It’s only a matter of time before words start coming out! Can’t wait!

Now if only we can figure out why “ow” means cup!

SLEEP
Sleep continues to be awesome. So I just keep waiting for something to go wrong. LOL….

The bedtime routine got a little shake-up this week. Madeleine has dropped the before bed nursing (meaning we are down to just one a day, first thing in the morning). Now, after daddy reads her books, she sits with me and I sing to her. However, she’s been wanting a drink during this time too, which is fine.

The first night we did this was awesome. She just leaned back, drank her water, and I rocked and sang to her. She was a super sweetie, even gave me some kisses before bed. The nights since haven’t been so precious, and now I think she just wants her cup (her “ow!”) because she’s always had it when we sing and rock… But whatever.

LITTLE THINGS
One day this week, Madeleine was helping me put away glasses. She saw the mugs on the second shelf, and she pointed to them and said, “Mimi.” Because Mimi always drinks coffee from a mug. :)

Madeleine has been super thirsty this week. She wants a drink first thing in the morning, before nursing, food, anything. Same with after naps, and even before bed now. I’m hoping it’s just part of her development and not a sign of something wrong.

One night at vacation Bible school, a very nice woman told me that Madeleine was a pretty baby. She said, “There are just some babies you just fall in love with, and she is one of them.” That makes a mama happy!

She says “hi” to her shadow whenever she sees it, and she even waved at her shadow and mine in the tub during bathtime. Brilliant, right?

Also in the tub, she likes it when we make waves. And she still wants the water on for filling and pouring cups. So she wants to play in the water while waves crash around her. LOL. And when we stop with the waves, she asks for them by moving her arms in the water like we do to make the waves. Sometimes, she makes a few little ones by herself!

At church on Sunday, Matt and I witnessed her give Chad (the sweet boy who likes playing with her) a high five. Like, just like that, like she’s been doing it all her life. No biggie, I’m such a big girl, mommy. Matt also reported that he saw her give Chad a fist-pump, too.

Most of the time, after meals and snacks, Madeleine protests the clean-up part, especially of her face. One day this week, however, she surprised me. I set her on the floor, left the rag on the table, and went into another room. When I returned, she had the rag and was wiping her face—and then the floor! And then her face and the floor again.

I’ve started getting Madeleine to help me pick up her toys before bed. And she does! Now we just need to get it established in her routine.

On that note, I’ve noticed that she is very good at following commands. She totally knows what we’re saying, and there is usually no challenge when I ask her to do something. Since I posted that “discipline” paragraph a few weeks ago, there’s been very little need to do any discipline. She got the picture quickly. But, she’s brilliant and fabulous and no other baby has ever been as brilliant and fabulous as mine. Right? RIGHT? ;)

(You know I’m kidding, right?)

ONE MORE THING
Last week, I mentioned that Madeleine will point to our laundry and say “mama” or “dada.” On Thursday of this week, after a nap, we were on my bed, hanging out. She saw a sweater of mine hanging on the hook, and she pointed to it and said, “mama.”

I asked her if she wanted to try it on, and her eyes said “yes, please!” (she doesn’t do anything to say yes yet, but she shakes her head no—though sometimes, I think she means yes when she does this!). So I got it for her, put it over her shoulders. She was so pleased. Then I put her arms through the sleeves and rolled the cuffs up a lot. Even pleased-er.

She played in that sweater for the next 20 minutes. Have I mentioned that I love her? That I am completely crazy about her? No? Well, I am.

SLIDESHOW