She's 1!!

Our little girl has celebrated her first birthday!! We celebrated your first birthday with a party and many of our family and friends came to celebrate with you! The party was at grandmom and grandpops house! You received some really nice clothes and toys! You are truly blessed and loved by many!!

It has been one of the most rewarding experiences to watch you grow during this first year! It is hard to imagine you so small and fragile; and now you are walking, talking, playing and impressing us constantly! 

You have been walking since you were 11.5 months. You pulled yourself a few days before you were 11 months and were determined to figure out how to walk. It didn't take long. Now you much rather prefer walking than crawling. Occasionally you try to run! I'll give you another month and I'm sure you'll have it. 

You have figured out how to use your voice. You say daddy, hi, doggie (I think) and Nicki (at least that's what she says). I am still waiting for mommy like you actually mean it. You've said mama before but I think you were just doing some baby talking. 

You love Charlie and Abby now. You usually wave hi to them every morning when you come downstairs. Abby usually licks you and Charlie gets scared. You like to pull their fur and they don't really like that. 

You are a really good eater. I think your favorite food right now is Mac and cheese and blueberries!! You ate a lot of blueberries this summer.  

I think you are going to be interested in music as you get older. You really like when someone sings to you and you love listening to nursery rhymes. Your favorites are: the itsy bitsy spider, if you're happy and you know it, twinkle twinkle and London bridges. Your whole face lights up when those songs come on!!

Happy first birthday! Can't imagine our lives without you!

Love,

Mom

9 and 10 months

Hey Maddi,

It has been awhile since I wrote. Sorry about that!! You are officially 10 months (and 5 days) old! You are all over the place now. You crawl everywhere, on anything, and at anytime. You get so excited to get around the house. We have to pick up Charlie and Abby's bowls now because you like to splash the water around.

You had your 9 month check up a few weeks ago. You got a few needles that you hated and they checked to make sure you were growing fine! You weighed 21.3 lbs and measured 29.5 inches. Doctor said you are doing great.

We went on vacation this month down the shore for two weeks. You will visit the shore plenty of times as you grow up. Hopefully one day we can live there during the summer. Remember, its never a bad thing to DREAM! We went to the beach and the boardwalk. You didn't really have a reaction to either, but you liked the taste of salt water. You tried to eat the sand, too. We stayed in a house with grandmom, grandpop, aunt Nicki and all 3 dogs. Daddy came down for a week while we were there. You went on about 5 rides on the boardwalk; I think you'll be able to go on a lot more next year.

You have only pulled yourself up to stand once so far, but you are so close. You have been using us to get yourself up but haven't tried things around the house. I think you'll have it down before my next post.

These next couple of months are really fun. Since I am a teacher, I get the summers off. We have been hanging out together since my school year ended. Its been pretty fun so far hanging out with you. We have been swimming in the pool during the day and you really seem to like the pool. We'll have to find a swim team for you when you're a little older!!

It is hard to believe you are almost a year old. Slow down a little, please! Don't grow up too fast on me! Love ya!

Love,
Mom

Quick Hello

Hey Maddi,

Just wanted to write a quick note about how well you are doing! You are so close to crawl. I am starting to get a little nervous. Soon you will be all over the house. You figured out how to get from crawling to sitting up and you are so proud of yourself when you do it. You clap your hands sometimes too. You say "mama" and "dada" but I don't think you know exactly what it means yet.

I'll be back in two weeks!

Love,
Mom

7/19/13

8 months (I'm late as usual)

Dear Maddi,

You turned 8 months on tuesday. Today is Thursday so I am a few days behind. It is crazy to think that you have been around for 8 months already. It is so rewarding to spend each day with you and watch you get bigger and stronger each day.

Sunday was Mother's day and the day has a whole new meaning for me this year. After spending this short time caring and tending to your needs and wants, I understand the love and devotion that my parents have for me. Thank you for the beautiful necklace you gave me. It's a piece of you I can always have with me.

You have accomplished some milestones over these past two months (sorry, I didn't write a 7 month letter). You now sit up without any support. You fall over sometimes but it is usually on your belly so you are okay. You are so close to crawling. You get up on all 4 limbs and scoot forward a little with your knees. You haven't figured out how to move your arms and knees at the same time yet. I think it will happen before the next letter.

You are doing really well at trying new foods. You really like mashed potatoes (especially when we go out to dinner.) You eat sweet potatoes, carrots, corn and peas, apples, strawberries, blueberries and mango. We have been trying to give your broccoli and avocado but you don't seem to like it. Maybe you will as you get older.

We finished our last saturday swim class a few weeks ago and you seem to be more active for the last couple of class. I am looking forward to swimming with you this summer. Maybe you will be an olympic swimmer!

I have about a month left of summer before we get to hang out for the summer! I CANNOT WAIT!

Love,
Mom

6 months (very late)

Dear Maddi,

6 months already?! I don't know how it happened so fast!! Every day is a new adventure with you. You have found your voice and are constantly babbling and "singing." Daddy thinks you are going to talk a lot (just like aunt Nicki)! You have always started sitting up without much support. You wobble a little but can usually catch yourself.

You seem to really like watching the puppies walk/run around the house. You closes your eyes when they get too close. Too much licking!!

At your 6 month check up, you weighed 18.6 lbs and were 27.5 inches tall the doctor said you are doing great!!! You are perfect!!

We are looking forward to seeing you move around. You are a pro at rolling from your back to your stomach but don't like to go the other way (only in your crib).

Keep growing strong, little one. We love you!

Love,
Mom

My 5MO

Dear Maddi,

These past 5 months have flown by. I can't believe how big you have grew (so fast). You are changing and amazing us every day.

You are rolling over from your back to your stomach all the time! You even wake up on your stomach (sometimes you wake up scared)! Your giggle is the best! It's so cute. You don't do it very often yet but when it happens I love it! You are doing really well with sitting up. Daddy and I usually let you sit on our laps and you hold yourself up pretty well - a little wobbly but getting better every day.

We have been giving you oatmeal for breakfast in the morning. You really like eating it. You have also been eating food at lunch. You've tried peaches, sweet potatoes, green beans, bananas, apples, squash, mangoes, carrots and prunes. You like everything but peaches. We are going to try again soon. Hopefully you will like them eventually.

I can't believe you are also ready 5 months. I am looking forward to watching you get bigger but slow down a little. I miss baby Maddi already.

Love you Valentine,
Mom

4 month check up

Dear Maddi,

Today you had your 4 month check up! I was excited to see how much you've grown but was sad that you needed to get some needles! You did cry when you got the needles but you were back to your smiling self after your nap! You are a tough little girl!

Here are your 4 month stats:
Weight: 16 lbs 13 oz, 92 percentile
Height: 25 1/8 in, 70- something percentile (sorry, I can't remember the exact number)
Head: 15 7/8 inches

You are growing some much! Love you.

Love,
Mom

4 Months Today

Dear Maddi,

I can't believe you are already 4 months. You are getting too big too fast. This past month has really flown by. We have sooo many things to talk about this month!

You finally got to experience my favorite time of the year, Christmas! A few days before Christmas, we and grandmom stood in line for you to meet Santa. There were tons of people in line. I think we waited for almost 2 hours, but it was totally worth it. You didn't cry on Santa's lap. Next year you will be able to give him your Christmas list. I wonder if you'll cry then!!

Finally December 25th came!! Santa brought you some presents too! Daddy helped you opened your gifts. You aren't very interested in them yet. You are a little too young for some of them but you will be using them soon. You were all dressed up for Christmas. We visited Grandmom for awhile then spent some time with some of your aunts/uncles and cousins. It was so nice to be able to share Christmas with us this year. I feel like a little kid all over again.

You are getting bigger and bigger every day. You have been trying to roll over lately. Sometimes you wake up on your stomach in your crib. You aren't very happy when that happens. You have also figure out how to turn yourself around in your crib. Maybe you are more comfortable upside-down. We go to the doctors next week for your 4 month check up. I can't wait to hear about how awesome you are!!! You have only been here for 4 short months and I can't imagine life without you!!

Happy 4 months, little girl!!

Love,
Mom

P.S. Thank you for sleeping through the night. We really appreciate it!