Madeline

Madeline is 11 months old now. Wow. There was a time when I wondered if Maddy would ever come home. And now she is about to turn a year old. Madeline has done so much good for our family. We appreciate the little things now, more than ever. We are thankful for everything we have, and we don't take things for granted. When Madeline was in the hospital, it tested everything we were. It was the hardest thing I have ever experienced and I know Jeff would say the same, but we made it through.

Madeline is the toughest little cookie we know. She amazes us everyday. She is crawling all over the place and pulling herself up to walk around the coffee table. She has stood up for a few seconds without holding on to anything. I think she will be walking before her birthday. She is doing so great eating solids. She loves chicken, cheese, crackers and noodles. She still doesn't drink large quantities of formula. She will drink about 5-6oz at a time. So she often gets hungry at night, around 3am she will drink a bottle and then go back to sleep until 630a or 7am. She is our early riser.

Madeline is different from Hailey in that she isn't super smiley and giggly. We have to work to get her to laugh. Her armpits and neck are ticklish, as well as her chubby thighs. Hailey is really good at tickling her neck and getting her to giggle. Maddy is also pretty needy and when you try to take something away from her that she isn't supposed to have, she screams and cries.

Maddy is going to the same daycare as Hailey, but just for 2 days a week. Hailey checks in on her frequently at school, much to Maddy's delight. Maddy likes watching the other babies and jumping in the jumperoo.

Madeline seems to like Elmo, and points him out in books. She is saying "Mama" and "Dada" and "yeah". We think we have heard her say "caesar," but we aren't sure. She likes to point at things and made noises. She loves her binkies, and she usually has 6 or so in her crib with her at any given time. She also has the rainforest crib toy, but doesn't show as much interest in it like Hailey did.

Madeline weighs about 17 lbs, but to me, she still looks like she is 6 months old. She goes back to Children's for a 1 year check up a week after her birthday. We can't wait to see her surgeon again, and show off how well Madeline is doing.