April Fun - Madilynn Style!

So many of the posts lately are updates on Meredith - so I wanted to be sure to let you know what  Miss Madilynn has been up to.

She is doing well at school, and seems to enjoy going the days that she does (Mon, Wed, Fri). They are really helping to keep me on track - no longer allowing her to use a sippy cup, as well as encouraging us to get her potty trained. She has graduated to pull-ups....however mommy hasn't had any consecutive days at home to really try to officially potty train....may be a project for May - we'll see....

She is a great big sister - and loves Meredith to pieces.

 Here are some photos of her from the past month....

 

Ok, so yes this bumbo seat is actually for Meredith - however Madilynn is the one you find sitting in it most often!

 

 

BUBBLES!!!! That is what Madilynn loves most!!! Now that the weather is nicer we have been able to go out and blow bubbles more often - which she just loves! 

 

 

This silly photo was taken when I noticed on the monitor she wasn't napping in her room....she instead was getting out ALL of her pants and putting them on! I think she had each leg in 3 different pairs!!! Silly girl! I also often find shoes in her bed with her when she wakes from her naps...usually they are not matching, and are shoes that don't even fit her anymore - but she loves to get them out of her drawer and wear them!

 

 

This past week I have been trying to have the girls get their baths at the same time.

I got the ducky bath out for Meredith - but of course Madilynn was most excited about it - and HAD to be in the ducky with Meredith!!!

 

 

Madilynn loves singing....she has added many songs to her list. And though she enjoys going to Music Time at the library on Tuesdays the songs she sings at home are ones they must sing at school. The songs she sings include: ABC's; Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; Row, Row, Row your boat; The Itsy Bitsy Spider; No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed; Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes; Baa, Baa Black Sheep.

 

 

The toy box in Madilynn's room is empty - good thing - because she LOVES playing in it! 

  

 

This little girl sure does keep me busy! She loves blowing bubbles and swinging in her swing. She also enjoys watching TV - which is good because it gives mommy a chance to get things done around the house! Her current favorite is Dora the Explorer, followed by Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Little Einsteins.  Some things you may hear her say: "Yeah, Sure"  or when she climbs into her new booster seat and locks her tray into place you'll often hear "I stuck, I stuck". When Meredith cries - "It's ok Baby, it's Ok".  If she is trying to talk me into giving her some of the puffs Meredith is eating - "A little bit'a puffs". She loves to cover her baby dolls (or Meredith) up with blankets, pat their backs and say - "night, night ba-by - night, night ba-by".When she wants Tugger or Meredith to chase her - "No get me baby sister (Tugger)- no get me!" When she wants you to pick her up- "I hold you". If you are ever bored - come spend a few hours at our house!!!

Meredith is 9 months old!

Better late than never! Meredith turned 9 months old back on the 24th, however.....today was the first day I've had a chance to finally post an update! (and this is only because I had to leave work at 9:30 this morning to go pick her up from daycare because she had a fever...again...and we are just relaxing before I go pick up Madilynn later this afternoon!)

I was able to get these couple photos taken yesterday....

 

We've had quite a month, unfortunately full of sleepless nights! Mainly due to ear infections, last week an upper respiratory virus with high fever, and now today another ear infection with a high fever. I kept thinking some of the sleeplessness was due to new teeth coming - but she still only has her two bottom teeth! We've still be trying to increase the amount of food/milk she has during the day to prevent these nighttime awakenings...but they don't seem to do much. We are up to 3 "meals" a day  (usually a vegetable mixed with her rice cereal since she still isn't much of a fan of fruits). We also just started "puffs" this week, she seems to like them, and does a pretty good job of picking them up and eating them. They have also started introducing a sippy cup at school - I haven't seen her do much but chew on it when I've tried it at home, so we haven't made that a regular thing just yet...maybe we'll work on it this month!

 

At the doctor today she was 16 lbs 8 oz. ( so really she hasn't gained much weight over the past few months - probably a combination of all her sickness, as well as the fact that she is so BUSY!!!)

 

This past month she has really started pulling up on everything to stand!

It started in the crib!!!

This magazine bin is quite the baby magnet - I have a similar shot of Madilynn around this age getting into all the magazines!

 

 

Was lucky enough to catch this photo of her standing on her own (lasted about a whole 0.2 seconds)! She's done it a couple other times, but not on a consistent basis as of yet. Not taking any steps on her own, nor is she really "cruising" yet....just standing....

 

 

Meredith is apparently a good dress-up model for Madilynn....

 

 

And a couple more fun shots of Meredith from this past month....

We were able to get this swing time in the other day while Madilynn was still napping....(swinging and blowing bubbles are Madilynn's favorite activities!)  

 

Until next time....

 

 

Meredith is 8 months old!

 Who's who???  Can you tell which is Meredith and which is Madilynn?

 

I think the brown hair is what gives it away.

Notice when Madilynn was 8 months she was into standing up (so long as she was holding on to something)...Meredith isn't quite there yet....but she is getting better.

 

 

 

Here they are in the dress I made (with lots of help from Aunt Rose) - Madilynn however is 7 months old when she is wearing it, and Meredith is 8.

She still loves to suck on her two fingers.

She is a very happy, laid back baby....she loves clapping.

 She is also starting to become more vocal - and has already realized she has to be LOUD to be heard! She says what sounds like "Ma-ma", and sometimes she really does direct it at me!

She still just has her two bottom teeth, though I think a third is on it's way. We have had several sleepless nights lately and her bottom gums look pretty swollen.

Go figure - Madilynn NEVER sits for photos - yet today she came and sat in on Meredith's photos....so of course I had to get a couple of them together.

 

Meredith is just about a full time crawler. Just today she has been crawling more than she has been doing her army crawl. She is into everything - and anything she comes in contact with goes straight into her mouth! She has to be right where her sister is - which so far is ok - Madilynn (for the most part) enjoys having her right there with her. Of course if she doesn't want her to get something she is playing with she is quick to let her know - I often hear "No - Baby Sister". Meredith is starting to show her displeasure when you take things away from her - she definitely gets mad!

And when you hold her she is quick to turn herself around so she can see what is going on!

 

A few photos from the past month....

 

She is quick - and you never know where you are going to find her!

 

Our little Crawler!

Here she is on Saint Patrick's Day!

Madilynn loves having Meredith in her tent with her!

(Notice Tugger's fuzzy ear in the foreground....he's usually not too far away either!)

 

Ready for her to sleep more at night - this past month as not been much fun. Though, she did have some sort of sinus infection at one point, and now I think teeth are the issue. We've really been working hard to make sure she gets enough to eat during the day so she doesn't have to eat so often at night! She is really starting to let you know what she likes to eat and what she doesn't. Quite the opposite of Madilynn she likes to eat her vegetables, and isn't much a fan of fruit! (especially peaches - she really doesn't seem to like them)

 

We go back to the Dr for a nine month check up - will get an update on her height and weight then.

(She is probably somewhere around 16 pounds currently based on our last appointment.)

 

Until next time!

Trip to South Carolina

This past weekend we were able to go to South Carolina to visit with some of my family. Even though the weather was cool, and rainy we still had a great time!

We fit in few Easter activities including a visit with the Easter Bunny...and coloring Easter eggs.

Here are several photos from our trip!

I guess I need to be thankful there were no tears (but smiles would have been nice!)

 

Meredith and Matt didn't color eggs but we thought it would be a good time to get in a family photo.

We colored eggs the first night we were there - Madilynn did well considering this was after dinner, after a LONG drive!

She of course was Miss Independent, and wanted to do it all on her own.

She started off trying to use the egg dippers....

This cool device made the eggs look tie-dyed.

Notice she found it much easier to just pick the eggs out of the colors rather than try balance them on the dippers...luckily the dye washed off pretty well.

Even Gigi helped color some eggs....

This is her "cheese" face....we need to work on getting her to smile for photos....apparently we only get the extremes....no smile or this.

We attended Palm Sunday services at Aunt Rose's Church, we were able to hear Anna and Shalina sing in the choir. And with Kevin's help Madilynn walked down the aisle waving a palm branch.

These photos were taken after church.

Madilynn wasn't into getting too many photos, luckily Meredith didn't mind...

No, we didn't stick her in here for not cooperating....she wanted to play in the dog crate rather than get her picture taken. She spent hours playing in the dog crates....sometimes with a dog, or Anna in the crate with her.

 

Shalina, Anna, Kevin

Coloring with Gigi

Ok, so yes I picked out her outfit, but she added the headband, sunglasses, and Anna's shoes.

She sure does love the dogs - here she is with Ellie.

 

We had a great time - our visit was way too short. Thanks Aunt Rose and Shalina for including all of the fun Easter Activities - I doubt I would have been brave enough to color eggs this year! Although I think next year is the one I need to worry about!!!