Madelyn - 9 months

HUGE month in the life of Madelyn.  Crawling everywhere, first teeth, pulling up on everything, finally starting to sleep really long stretches, and first family vacation to the beach.  Time is flying by!

Size: 

We had your 9 month check-up and you are weighing in at 19lbs 10oz (75%) & 28.25 inches long (76%).  You are wearing 9 and 12 month clothes & I just moved you up to size 4 diapers (although you could have stayed in size 3 a little while longer). 

Sleep: 

After a VERY rough patch during & after vacation, you are finally getting back on track (hopefully for good J).  You have just started sleeping until anytime between 4:30am and 6am.  You wake up to eat and will go back to sleep until about 7:30 or 8.  This is a great improvement & I will take it!  Hopefully you will keep sleeping longer now that you are eating more solid foods. 

Activities:  You are pretty much into everything now.  Since you are crawling and pulling up you can make an activity out of ANYTHING.  You are not in your jumper nearly as much, but you just crawl around the house and grab anything you can get your hands on & pull up on anything possible (coffee table, couch, toys, baby gate, chairs…really anything).  You love to bang toys together & play with anything that makes noise.  You have also been sneaking into your brother’s room & going through all of his stuffed animals. 
 

Food: 

You LOVE to eat.  I never remember your brother wanting to eat this much but you want to eat anything & everything.  You are eating all kinds of puffs, teething biscuits, cheerios, black beans, blueberries, cheese, turkey, and are still eating homemade baby food.  You can chew food up like a champ.   You are still EBF when it comes to milk & we are working on you mastering a sippy cup. 

New things: 

This month was full of new things for you.  You are now a speed crawler & you can pull all the way up to standing on anything.  We have lowered your crib because you love to sit up and pull up when you don’t feel like sleeping.

You also got your first two teeth this month (bottom 2). 

You took your first family roadtrip to Florida & did great in the car.  You weren’t a huge fan of the sand & the beach though.   You also took your second plane trip to Austin, Texas to meet your new cousin Bowen.  You had your first visit to the University of Texas campus & even visited the Chi O house with mom (future Chi O!). 

You went swimming in the pool for the first time while we were in Florida & LOVED it.  We put you in a floaty & you just kicked your legs & splashed the water over & over again. 

  






You clap all the time, too.  You are very proud of yourself that you know how to.  You clap when you’re playing with your brother in the car & when you feed yourself & are all done. 

You can also climb the stairs in the tv room which is SCARY.  The baby gate went up blocking you from the stairs so that there’s no risk of you falling down them (there are only 3), but if you are in the tv room you go directly to the stairs & want to climb them.   

You also have your first ear infection.  You have had so much congestion & runny nose this winter, but even if you were running temperature your ears were always clear.    I even took you to the doctor between Florida & our trip to Texas & they were clear, however when I took you in for your 9 month appointment they were infected!

You ride in the grocery store carts & eat in high chairs at restaurants all the time now.  It is very dangerous though because you want to grab EVERYTHING (and will grab everything). 

You are still LOVING your brother.  Y’all play together, laugh together, and have even started to rough house play a little bit which scares me.  It’s the best sound when he makes you belly laugh.    

Madelyn - 8 months

Wow…we have some major changes around here.  Madelyn is officially crawling & into everything!  Life with a toddler & a baby that sits in one place is officially over.  Bring on the baby proofing & baby gates in this house.

Size:

You currently weigh 19 pounds.  You are currently in size 3 diapers & are wearing 9 month clothes.  Your hair is still growing!  You are a big baby compared to your brother!

Sleep:

We are going through another little phase with you waking up multiple times during the night & we are working through it.  You normally sleep from about 7:30/8pm to 7-8am.   Sleep training is a bit difficult with you. No matter how long you cry, even checking on you periodically, you will NOT go back to sleep.   And now that you know how to sit up & crawl around your crib, nap time has been challenging.  You just want to look at everything & play and are having a hard time napping.

Activities:

You still love your jumparoo & I love it because it keeps you contained when I need you in one place.  Otherwise, you love to crawl around the living room & explore anything & everything. 

Food:

You are eating 3 meals a day and we have expanded the list of fruits & veggies you are eating. We have not tried meats just yet but that is next on the list. You LOVE to eat.  You really cannot get enough and are constantly reaching for your brother’s food whenever it is nearby.  I really can’t even decide what your favorite is because you love it all!

You are still EBF & nurse about 4-5 times a day. 

New Things:

Obviously, crawling is the biggest new thing in your life.  A few weeks ago you were rolling all over the place to get where you wanted.  Then you started getting on all fours & rocking back & forth.  And then you just started slowly crawling one day.  Our first official crawl video of you is crawling to a plate of pizza on the floor…you love some food!  Now you are picking up speed & crawl to food, your pacifier, & toys. 

You are a wiggle worm.  I knew that your brother was always pretty calm on the changing table, but you are constantly grabbing everything & trying your hardest to roll onto your stomach.  You do NOT like being on your back where you cannot see what is going on. 

You still do not have any teeth but you are drooling a lot & I keep thinking that they are coming! 

You were baptized at Brentwood United Methodist Church on March 16.   It was a special day that we loved being a part of in front of the congregation.

You have started sitting in high chairs at restaurants & in the cart at Target (when your brother isn’t with us).

Your brother still loves you so much.  You are still “baby” to him, but he is constantly giving you hugs & kisses.  He loves to make you laugh & you love watching him.  He picks on you a little bit when yall are in the backseat of the car & will take your paci away from you, but he also helps calm you down when you are upset & reports back to mom if “baby nap” or “baby bow.”  He is the bow police & makes sure to let me know if you take your bow out & are chewing on it.  He does freak out now that you can touch & play with all his toys…we are working on sharing with his sister.

Madelyn's Baptism

Madelyn was Baptized at our church, Brentwood United Methodist, on March 16, 2014 by our Senior Pastor, Dr. Davis Chappell . 

It was a great weekend celebrating with both sets of grandparents and it was a bonus that we were able to celebrate my 31st birthday, too (what?!  so old....). 

No photography was allowed during the actual baptism (we will get the video soon), but we had fun taking pictures after the service even though Madelyn was getting a bit cranky (see pacifier :))

Madelyn wore the same gown I was christened in about 30 years ago which was so special.  I have loved sharing clothes that I wore as a baby with my daughter (thanks for saving them all these years, mom!).  There is something so precious & meaningful about it.

Unfortunately my dad got sick the night before the baptism so he was in bed all day Sunday.  We missed him dearly but thankfully "Gigi" and "Janie & Pa" were there.

This is the beginning of Madelyn's lifelong journey of faith and it was such a special day.