Madilynn - 18 Months!

Where did the time go? How is it that Miss Madilynn is already 18 months old?!?

Sometime in July Madilynn moved into her big girl room - which daddy did an excellent job of painting, and getting ready for her! She also moved into her big-girl bed (the mattress on the floor - not the one Tugger is on).

Because she could now "roam" her room we invested in a camera monitor so we could keep an eye on her....this has been so WONDERFUL, and has also provided some entertainment for us too!

Check out some of the photos below - for the most part she does a great job of sleeping in her bed - but sometimes for naps she just falls asleep wherever she happens to be....

Beside the bed

Up by the curtain

Right up against the wall/door

Sometimes when I take showers I put her in her room with some toys (which are normally not in there)....guess she got a little tired....

 

This is a face she makes several times a day - and ALWAYS brings a smile to our faces! Usually it is when she sees or hears something she isn't expecting. (Like the animals at the fair, or Meredith making noises)

 

Madilynn is our big eater - she will eat just about anything you put in front of her. Haven't really found anything she doesn't like - some days she might get picky and not want what you made for her, but then the next day she'll eat an entire plateful and keep asking for "more". Fruit is still by far the winner, and her top choice! She still mainly eats with her hands, though we do try to use her fork - and she is getting better. She does still have a bad habit of putting her messy hands into her hair - or trying to put cheerios or peas, etc... into her ears. Here she is the other night being silly - and getting her macaroni covered hands into her hair!

I'm trying to be better about letting her color - here she is the other day - once she found out she could color her hands she didn't need the paper so much anymore! She tends to color primarily with her right hand - but will use her left as well.

 

We went to the Dr the other day for her 18 month check-up - she is 22 lbs 6 oz. and 32 & 1/4 inches long. She seems to be doing well, and even over the last week she has really started saying more and more words. She is getting better at consistently signing Thank you, and please (and now will even do so with a "PEAZE"). She still calls Meredith "baby", and loves her to pieces. Poor Meredith doesn't get much floor or swing time unless Madilynn is at daycare - or in bed for the night....Madilynn always wants to hug and kiss on her, and though she is trying to be careful - she is still only 18 months and her version of gentle is not quite appropriate for a baby!

 

She and Tugger are still the best of friends and it is not unusual to find Madilynn running through the house chasing after Tugger with one of his toys shouting "TUG-GA, TUG-GA, TUG-GA".

Current likes: baby dolls, books, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

 Madilynn LOVES playing with her baby doll - she got a new one when Mommy brought home Meredith - and if she has that and a blanket to cover it up with she will be busy for hours! She also really enjoys all the places she can put her baby - a swing, a bouncy seat, and a carseat! (So long as Meredith isn't using them!)

She also LOVES reading her books - she can sit and look at them for hours as well.

Lately she has also really enjoyed "Ashes, Ashes" (Ring around the Rosie), "Row-Row" (row, row, row your boat), and If you are happy and you know it....she loves the "boo-hoo" part. 

 

She is still attending daycare while mommy is on maternity leave, and has recently moved up to the young toddler room, I think some of this is what is helping with her improvement in her talking - for the other day she tried out her new words - apple and peach on us - we were very surprised! Guess we'll also need to invest in a potty since they said she sat on the potty at daycare the other day....Not sure if I'm ready for this - but sure would love to cut down on the amount of diapers being used at the Snider household!

 

We don't have any official 18 month photos - since it is difficult for her to stay still long enough for mommy to get a good shot....but have a wedding coming up, and a trip to South Carolina - hopefully between those two we'll be able to get some good photos of her as well as our growing family!