Seven Months Old! (updated with photos)

(I just took Madeline's 7 month pictures and 1)Remembered I packed away the Pound Puppy I use to show her size in comparison to every month, but we still got cute pictures but... 2)I can't find my camera cord to upload the photos, so I am guessing it is packed away)  

 7 months is a great age, she is starting to be able to do so much, but isn't moving anywhere yet! She has been a very patient girl, having had almost all or her belongings packed away. This month she met Santa at the Zoo and has seen some beautiful Christmas lights. (Future posts-when I am able to upload photos- will include: Zoo Nights, The Festival of Lights, and getting stuck in an elevator.)

7 months finds Maddy:

• still working on that darn, STUBBORN tooth (that is making us all a little cranky!)
• sitting up well on her own
• starting to get into the crawling position, but her arms are not quite strong enough yet
• standing up with little assistance (she can't get into this position on her own, but has great leg strength when out on her legs)
• wearing 6-12 month dresses, tops, onesies, 12 month pants
• wearing size 3 diapers
• blowing raspberries a lot, especially at bedtime
• eating: rice cereal, avocado, sweet potato, peas and green beans
• drinking some water out of sippy cups and my cups at restaurants
• plays with toys more actively
• loves to play peek-a-boo
• babbling more, sometimes sounds like "hi" but probably not on purpose :)

Madeline, I can't wait to tell you about how the first 7 months of your life were spent in a small condo, and that because of you, we outgrew it and found our house! 

We love you Madeline!

Love, 

Momma & Dadda

Merry Christmas!

Now that we have finally sent our holiday cards, I can now post the picture we used. We have so much to be thankful for this year! Tomorrow morning (yes on Christmas!) we are getting the keys to our house, and will move this weekend. 

We've asked Santa to drop off Madeline's presents at Grandma and Grandpa Clay's house this year. We'd like to have a Christmas tree in her "first Christmas" pictures and video. No, we did not decorate or set up a tree at all this year, we are currently shoulder high in moving boxes, and almost all packed up. I can't wait to post pictures of our new place.

Happy Holidays!

Love, 

Michael, Amanda & Madeline

Moving

Things are quiet here because we are getting ready to MOVE!!!!

We will be saying good bye to our condo and hello to our HOUSE! It is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house, about 500 sq. feet bigger and with an amazing kitchen, and a garage and backyard.  

We may possibly be  getting our keys in 2 weeks and are busy packing away. This won't make for much of a decorated first Christmas for Maddy, but it will be memorable. 

We're so excited, but our little blog may be quiet for the next few weeks. 

Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Madeline wants to wish everyone a happy  Thanksgiving! She said she is thankful for all her friends and family (we are too)!

Maddy meets Bryan

Maddy met our friend and realtor Bryan last weekend. I hadn't seen Bryan since I was about 6 or 7 months pregnant, and wobbling in and out of open houses. Bryan has been great to work with and very patient with us while looking for places to live, (un)fortunately we are outgrowing our small condo. So glad that Maddy won't have to grow up above our downstairs neighbors that Mike has named the trolls, and their stoner roommate, hopefully they haven't found this blog!! 

I love that Maddy imitated Bryan's wave for the picture! 

Hair

I am not ready to trim her hair yet (I think it'll make her look older, and I am not ready for her to be older yet!), so we have to put it up in a ponytail or pig tails everyday to keep it out of her eyes. AND...she looks so darn cute with her hair up in clips and bows! Her hair grows much longer in the front than it does in the back, so it is a challenge to get even pig tails and a straight part, I'm learning :)

First Food

At about 5 1/2 months, and after weeks of her trying to steal the food off of our plates, we introduced Maddy to rice cereal. The pictures say it all! You can see she wasn't too happy about it at first, but by the end she was enjoying it. We are planning to introduce avocado next!

Halloween

On Maddy's first Halloween, we went to visit Uncle Kevin (dressed as an Oompa Loompa), then trick or treated at Grandma/pa Clay's house and then ended the night with dinner at Grandma/pa Kitano's house. We don't get an trick or treaters at our condo, so it was fun seeing them at our parents' houses. Maddy did pretty well wearing her costume for a few hours, although the hat didn't make it to the end. Already thinking about what she'll be next year!

Half a Year!

Today is Madeline's 6 month birthday...already! She had her 6 month appointment early this morning and has been napping almost all day since, she had her regular 6 month shots, plus flu (regular and H1N1) shots. She cried for only a few seconds after each shot, and then acted like nothing happened, such a brave girl!

6 Months finds Maddy:

• weighing 17 pounds (70th percentile)
• measuring 27 1/4 inches long (95th percentile)
• wearing size 3 diapers
• wearing 6-9 and 6-12 month clothes, she wears 9 month old footed sleepers (long feet)
• sitting up (can go a few moments unassisted)
• sits in a high chair in restaurants, and child seat in shopping carts 
• laughs (she laughed at herself while we were taking her pictures today when she grabbed the pound puppy and knocked it over)
• can go 4 hours between feedings pretty regularly now
• starting to sleep in a pack & play by our bed -our pediatrician said we should get her sleeping in her own room asap :( 
• reaches out for, and pets the cats
• reaching out and leaning towards people
• the stubborn tooth I could feel last month hasn't moved at all, I can still feel it, but not see it
• rolling over more often
• babbles more
  
• strong grip/pulls mommy's hair
• has started to eat rice cereal
• she seemed to imitate Grandma Judy waving, but may have been a coincidence, she also tries to move her hands together to clap, but she is still working on the coordination 
• smiles at everyone
• tries to stand up while being held, keeps her legs straight
• teething continues!

We look forward to starting foods and a few ounces of water each day, this month. It'll make my life easier not worrying if I am low on pumped milk, knowing she can have something to eat if needed. 

It is hard to remember what life was like before she was born, it certainly is much better with her here! We look forward to celebrating the upcoming holidays with Maddy and Bella!

We love you Madeline Mae!!

Love, 

Mommy and Daddy

(I know I am way overdue for updates, I promise I am working on it!)

Almost up to date!

I have updated on all of the photos I have downloaded. Tomorrow will work on the pictures on the camera from our latest parent child class and Halloween. 

I have been swamped in grading and planning lately. Even though I am only working half-time, I still find myself trying to find the time to grade my students' work, it doesn't ever end. 

Cute picture of our kitties, the poor girls don't get the same kind of attention as they used to, but they are patient with us. They rub up against us to let us know they want to be pet. They are starting to come near Maddy, and Lula (small, grey) will rub up against her too if she (Maddy) is near us when she (Lula) wants attention.

Pumpkin Patch Trip #3

For our parent child class 2 weeks ago, we met at the pumpkin patch and got pictures of all the babies in their costumes. The babies' ages range from about 7 weeks to 7 months. Maddy wore her sock monkey outfit for this trip. We had the babies wear their costumes to class last week for more pictures, Maddy wore her lamb outfit to that class.

Celebrating

Last weekend we celebrated the October and November birthdays on my side of the family. The babies enjoyed hugging each other and posing for pictures. Happy Birthday to Mike, Grandma Judy, Auntie Laurel, Uncle Josh and Claire (Josh's mom)!

Ready to Eat!

Maddy keeps giving up signals that she is ready to try food. She grabs for our food while eating, and  chews her mouth while watching us eat. We will start rice cereal soon, but have been letting her practice with a spoon in the meantime.

Extra Pictures

Some extra cute pictures that didn't make the posts. Maddy in her Halloween outfit, trying to eat the hay, and later trying to hug cutie pie Bella!

Amanda had a little lamb...

The first time we heard Madeline cry after she was born, we both turned to each other and said she sounded like a lamb. When we went costume shopping, we knew when we saw the costume that she had to be a lamb! Luckily we took a lot of pictures this day, since we took mostly videos on Halloween.

Pumpkin Patch Trip #2

For our second trip to the pumpkin patch, we met up with the Rexons. Some adorable pictures of the cousins in their costumes were taken. Bella was a pumpkin and Maddy broke in her lamb costume. I am pretty behind on posting, these photos are from 3 weeks ago...eek!