Madelyn's 23rd Month

You crack me up lady! I love hanging out with you!

Big things this month:

You still like counting and can say two. It goes something like this "da, two, da, da". You've also started saying your colors and are getting better at picking out the right color. It seems as though your favorite color is "bink" (pink), with "gween" (green) a close second. We've started working on some handmade Christmas gifts and you love any gift that involves your handprint or footprint. We have been practicing saying "trick or treat" but it comes out more like "ick OHH teat" Love it!

You are really into music right now and love singing along to your Music Together cd. You also get really excited when songs you recognize come across pandora. You will run over the ipod, sing and dance along and then start signing more as soon as it is over. You also use your blocks as microphones. I will usually hold your finger up above your head while you twirl around and recently I caught you twirling in the kitchen with your hand above your head dancing by yourself. You love singing "If You're Happy and You Know It" in the grocery store.

You can open the basement door and love letting the cats come upstairs so you can chase them around. That lasted about 2 weeks before Dad got tired of hunting for cats and put a child lock on the door knob. You are also very helpful around the house. You love to help me set the table and you will fill Ziggy's bowl with tiny handfuls of food everytime you find it empty.

I've started taking you on Mom and Madelyn dates this month. I love the one on one time and you feel like such a big girl! Our favorite spot is Panera Bread. Speaking of big girl, we moved you out of the high chair and into a booster seat at the table with the rest of us. That worked wonders for your eating habits. You will eat anything we put in front of you right now - salad, falafel, soup, any fruits or veggies, anything! Watching you eat with your fork and drink out of a big girl glass makes me want to cry! I just can't believe what a little lady you are turning into.

Raspberries

Ada has figured out how to blow raspberries! Turns out trying to videotape milestones is much harder with a toddler that wants to steal the show running around!

Madelyn's 22nd Month

Girl! You never stop moving. Never. I've had a blast with you this month! You've got all your teeth now except for those last 4 molars. I have a feeling they are moving though because you've had your fingers in your mouth nonstop. I suspect you have allergies as well. Right about the time your Uncle Caleb's confirmed allergies were driving him crazy you started getting a runny nose, were sneezing like crazy and had red eyes - poor little lady!

Poor girl is extra sensitive to mosquitos!

You are starting to get into arts and crafts this month. Loving crayons and coloring, stringing beads, and playing with musical instruments we check out from the library. You can even hold your pencil correctly! You've also been embracing the break in the heat we've had and been exercising those little legs of yours. You've gotten better at climbing and jumping and we even started gymnastics class this month. Gymnastics seems to be a perfect fit for you right now. You have the freedom to run around like a crazy woman and you just bounce off of all the equipment without hurting yourself. Plus we end the class with bubbles,  parachutes and a stamp - your favorite class activities.

A Very Hungry Caterpillar themed lunch

You have made some pretty big strides in language this month and most people are able to understand what you are saying now. You are still obsessed with Finding Nemo and we let you watch a few minutes before bed. Every night after you get your jammies on, you beeline for the living room, grab the remote and bring it to the nearest person to turn on "ishhh, ishhh, ishhh". You then bounce up and down, beyond giddy until it starts. We are working on expanding your movie choices since Dad and I have memorized Finding Nemo. A close second right now is Lady and the Tramp. You have zero interest in the Disney Princess movies.

The day you discovered stickers! and your hair discovered volume!

Favorite food right now is cheese. You would eat it all day, every day if I would just let you. Anytime you catch one of us in the fridge, you come running and open up the cheese drawer and point until we give you a string cheese. You've also started bringing us bananas out of the cabinet when you want one. Big news - you've started drinking milk and can ask for it by name! You also love peas still frozen. Forget thawing them, you want 'em right outta the bag.

Your personality cracks me up on a daily basis. You love to count but can't articulate the numbers. I know you are counting because I see you moving your fingers and using the same inflections in your voice that people use when they count with you. Your favorite thing to do is to count 1,2,3 and then scream. We probably shouldn't encourage it but it is hilarious. You can match colors but haven't quite figured out the names of each color. Your favorite toy is your colored shape sorter. You also have started doing the actions to your favorite songs - "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes", "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "The Hokey Pokey". You have been quite a lover this month and won't go to bed without giving everyone in the house a goodnight kiss. I taught you eskimo kisses and you love doing those as well.

Last bit of news - your eyes are hazel! I thought you were going to keep your blue eyes but they have slowly been changing and I looked at you this month and you definitely have hazel eyes. Just like your mama!

Gangster with her pacifier army!

Nap Time

This is what nap time at the Barish household sounds like:

First Pony Tail!

and here's Madelyn's for comparison

They both wore their first pony right around 3 months!

Warning: there is underwear in this post!

Madelyn is really mad because I won't let her push her stroller around the neighborhood while she sports my underwear like a necklace.

I know...I'm a really mean mom but I do have some pride.

Madelyn's 21st Month

Much better month Miss. M! We cracked down on your "rests" and it has made a big difference. You also seem to realize that taking the time to show us what you want is much more successful than just yelling. Awesome work!

You went to the dentist for the first time this month and did a great job. They didn't do a cleaning - just wanted to check for any major issues. Your teeth look fantastic. Your dentist did say you have a narrow palate - probably from your pacifier, but she is not concerned. You sweet talked your way into 2 toothbrushes, a ball and a little purse.

You are starting to show an interest in "grown up things". You like to help me clean the house and love using the little broom and dust pan. You could spend hours in my closet playing with my purses and shoes. Recently, you came into the bathroom while I was straightening my hair and insisted I do your hair also. You sat on the counter and stared at your reflection the entire time. Quite a little fashionista you are turning into!

You are saying more and more words every day and have even started putting 2 words together. Your favorites right now are purple, bumbo and thank you. You also love more please!

You still love your pacifiers but not really for sucking on. When I put you to bed, you insist on putting a pacifier on every single one of your fingers. I want to get a picture so badly but I keep forgetting!

Favorites right now include pushing your babies in the umbrella stroller, riding your four wheeler, feeding yourself cereal and yogurt (and you do a great job!), watching Finding Nemo (we started letting you watch tv in short 10 min increments), and covering Ada in kisses.

Madelyn's 20th Month

Miss M - you have been exerting your independence and opinions this month. Holy moly lady! I can tell you are beyond frustrated at not being able to talk. I also can feel some molars starting to poke through your gums. Combining these things with having to share your mama with Ada and creeping closer to those terrible two's has made this past month a rough one for you. Big hugs baby girl - we will get through it, I promise! I've found that keeping you on a schedule, especially "rest times" helps a lot because you tend to melt down pretty quickly when you are tired. We've started using time outs and I don't think you mind them. They help you "reset" and give you a change of scenery so we will keep using those as a method of discipline.

There have been a lot of good things this month too! You absolutely love swim class, you little fish! The instructor was so impressed with your level of comfort in the water that she thought you were ready to get water poured on your head. After she did it, you looked at her like "no big deal", I do this every day. You also have figured out how to steer your four wheeler. This has made riding it a whole lot more fun! Dad had to teach you to stay out of the street but once you figured out to stay on the sidewalk, we were in business.

We went up north for 4th of July and you had a blast. You love riding the Ranger and the 4 wheelers and would tell us you wanted to "vroom vroom" whenever you wanted to go for a ride. You also went in the pond a few times via "boat boat" and loved it. We spent a day at Lake Huron and it was your first time at the beach! Again - you loved it!
You had your first McDonald's french fries on the way up north and you savored every one of those fries.

We brought your potty upstairs but haven't really started potty training. It just serves as an option if you want to use it. You like to sit on your potty if you catch me in the bathroom. Mom's really don't get alone time once they have babies. You can tell us if you are going #2 and a lot of the time, you let us put you on the potty for it. You then like to wave and say "buh bye poop" when we flush.

You love pushing things around - strollers, grocery carts, your wheely bug, whatever you can get your hands on.

Overall, it was a pretty big month. Now if we can just get those teeth through, we'll be in business!

Madelyn's 19th Month

Oh Beans, how I love you!! (I am switching up how I write this blog. I have been writing about Madelyn - now I am going to write it to Madelyn. I use the same content from the blog to create her annual photo book but the photo book is written to her. I am saving myself time by not having to edit.)

Anyway - you had a pretty big month girl! You are now a big sister and you take that job very seriously. If Ada is upset, you get upset. You are always trying to give her a pacifier and have figured out how to rock her carseat or bounce her bouncy chair. It only took a few days of reminding you to be gentle and now you are a pro! I am so proud of you! Every morning, the first thing on your agenda is finding Ada and giving her a kiss. I love it!

You had another teething spell at the beginning of the month. It was a couple days of laying around and cuddling with mama and then you bounced back. The bad news is the teeth didn't appear yet so we probably have another round ahead of us.

We finished up your Fun at One class this month and started swim class again. Once again, I am so proud of how you have taken to the water. Most of the other parents spend class trying to convince their child to get in the water. We spend class chasing pool toys and blowing bubbles! You love it!

You've been pretty frusterated this month when it comes to communication. I can tell you are on the verge of a language explosion but for the time being, you are struggling to tell us exactly what you want. I usually have you show me what you are trying to say but I know you just want to say the words. We have been practicing words when we take walks in the afternoon. You love repeating after me and your words are starting to get clearer the more we work at it. You have also started yelling/screaming when you are frusterated which I am trying to curb.

You can jump on your mattress in bed but haven't figured out how to jump on the ground. Soon enough.

We have started leaving the doorwall open during the day and you love the freedom of being able to go outside whenever you want.

You have also started coloring a lot more this month and have taken an interest in arts and crafts. Fortunately, I have pinterest and there is no shortage of toddler craft ideas!

All in all, another great month lovely lady! Keep 'em coming!!

Madelyn's 18th Month

My sweet girl is already a year and a half! She is amazing me everyday with all her accomplishments.

She is still loving books and music! Favorite foods right now are falafel, blueberries, bananas and yogurt.

I found a play structure on Craigslist and she has already mastered climbing the ladder and loves going down the slide. I've got a fashion diva with constantly skinned knees - love it! She is the right combination of little girl and tomboy!

She loves baby dolls and her new ball pit as well. We usually hit up the library playgroups a couple of times a week plus we have her Fun at One class on Thursdays. Her favorite part of class is the bubble song. Her independence is shining through and she won't stand next to me when we move around the circle - she is going to do it on her own.

Bonus! Molly finally got her to say that a cow says moo! We've been working on that one for awhile - her answer was always "rar" or "meow".

Last Minute Thoughts

The last week or so has brought on some crazy emotions regarding the mega change about to happen in our lives. I think it has finally hit me that this baby will be here soon. Very soon. As in, any minute soon. While it opens a whole new chapter in our lives it also means we are closing the Madelyn's chapter as my only baby. I am over the moon excited to meet this new baby and having Madelyn makes it that much more exciting. I have already seen how much you just fall for these little ones and how much they bring to your life and I can't wait to do that again.

On the other hand, I am sad that I won't be able to devote all of my time and attention to Miss. M anymore. I have been reading up on bringing new babies home and at some point Madelyn is going to feel unhappy (for lack of a better word) about the situation. Having siblings is awesome. I love being able to call my brother or sister up and chat. It is someone that knows exactly what you mean when you need to vent about your parents. (Sorry Mom and Dad) And growing up, it's basically a partner in crime! But I know the adjustment period is going to be tough on my little girl and that makes me sad.

Nick and I have been soaking up every possible moment with Miss. M and I get a little weepy thinking this could have been our last weekend, just the 3 of us. I have spent more time reading books, stacking blocks and dancing around the livingroom. Nick spent 3 hours just laying on the couch Saturday afternoon while Madelyn snoozed on his chest. We've been walking to get ice cream, bringing her into bed with us first thing in the morning, and chasing the dog outside.

At the end of the day, I know she will be fine and will be a fantastic big sister. She has recently gotten obessed with her dolls and brings them to me to wrap them in blankets and then she takes them for "walks" around the house in her doll stroller. I've caught her rocking them giving kisses the same way I do with her which is the cutest stinking thing ever. She even pulled out the baby's cloth diapers so I could put one on her baby. My latest mission is to find a baby cradle because I see her mimicking me when it comes to this baby. I guess we will see in a few weeks!

Madelyn's 17th Month

This could be Miss. M's last month as my only little one - (insert sad mama face).

She is turning into quite a little fashionista, running into her bedroom when she knows I'm picking out her clothes for the day and can't wait to get dressed in the morning. After she's dressed, she runs straight to the mirror so she can check herself out. She also knows that no outfit is complete without a great pair of shoes.

Madelyn is loving music this month and will turn her cd player on in her room during the day. She has also pulled out some instruments she's had for awhile and loves playing with them. The Easter bunny brought her some shaker eggs and she loves playing with those as well.

She is obsessed, and I mean Ob.Sessed. with putting things in baskets and boxes. We still have all the Easter eggs out because she likes to put them in her basket and walk around the house with it. She is definitely working on those fine motor skills. She has been this way since she was about 10 months old.

Being outside - loves it. I can't get her to draw with crayons or markers on paper but give the girl a box of sidewalk chalk and she will draw for at least 30 minutes. She loves the uneven ground of our yard and likes trying out little steps. Most walking is done at a run now.

Nick taught her what an elephant says this month, complete with throwing your arm up in the air like a trunk.

There was some more teething going on this month and she came into our bed a couple times. Once, she decided it was playtime when she got in our bed. I looked at her and said "you either lay down and go to sleep or you are going back in your crib". Miss. Smartypants laid down instantly and didn't make a peep until morning. She has also started leaving her pacifiers close to the edge of her crib and I will catch her throughout the day becoming ninja baby and swiping them out of her crib to suck them. Big no no in our house. She doesn't fight me when I make her put them back in her crib so I think it's just a game for her.

Also, the other day she actually walked into the kitchen and said "ni ni" (night night) and then went into her room. I didn't get in there fast enough to put her in her crib so she started crying and came back into the kitchen. The second she was in her crib, she was a happy camper and asleep within minutes.

Madelyn's 16th Month

Madelyn and I fought for a good 15 minutes trying to get her picture this month. Finally, I gave up and realized - this is just Madelyn at this stage in life. She is WAY too busy to sit for any of my photo shoots so I'm just going to have to take what I can get.

I can sum up the month in 3 words - Walking and Talking.

Madelyn's favorite things to do include walking around the house (she can go in circles now and is really proud of herself) and chatting to whoever will listen. Most of the talking is Da Da Da Da but she uses inflection which is pretty funny.

Since the weather is unseasonably warm, we've been able to head outside and I now understand the whole nice clothes/play clothes thing. This kid gets trashed!

Sitting in the mud I am trying to hose out of our driveway



She struggled for a day or so with the uneven terrain of the grass and rough texture of the cement (when she falls) not to mention that sidewalks around here are not level, but she has mastered it and loves walking back and forth on the sidewalk in front of our house.

She has also been working on stairs a lot this month and is getting pretty good.

My poor girl battled another tooth in early March complete with a runny nose, fever and rosy cheeks. She wanted to cuddle and we ended up kicking Nick to the couch for a couple nights since she turned into a mama's girl those few days.

She loves to read and her favorites include The Very Hungry Caterpiller, Goodnight Moon and Where's Spot. If we read in her room the first book off the shelf is The Very Hungry Caterpiller. I have even tried hiding it in a different spot on the shelf a few times (you can only read the same book so many times before you get a little tired of it) and she still manages to find it first. Next up is always Goodnight Moon. Her favorite part is the "old lady whispering hush". Everytime she hands me the book she starts hussssshing and does it the entire time I'm reading. We keep some books in the livingroom and this is where Spot lives. She likes this one because of the snake that says Sssssss - I guess she's liking the S sound these days.

The other day she saw a poster of a dog at Target and said "woof woof" - genius baby, I know! Cats aren't called cats around here - they are rowwww's. This makes sense if you realize none of our cats actually meow, they rowwww.





Oh and she can sing row row row your boat - because she's brilliant!

Madelyn's 15th Month

These pictures are getting harder to capture!

This kid is on the move! She is now walking about 80% of the time. What's funny is she actually walks more as the day progresses, ending the night with actual laps around the kitchen and living room until I burst her bubble and put her to bed. I am pretty sure the laps are an attempt to keep moving lest she sit down and accept the fact that she's tired. Oh Madelyn, always a party!

We've also been working on using utensils while she eats. I've found she is much more accepting of foods she generally turns her nose at once I put it on a fork or spoon. She can load a spoon herself by picking up the food and putting it on the spoon and then bringing it to her mouth. Still working on stabbing things with the fork.

She loves blowing kisses and waving at me whenever she leaves a room. She also loves clapping for herself whenever she walks from one end of the room to the other. She also loves to climb into her very own recliner and read her books. It cracks me up everytime I walk in the room and find her reading to herself. New words - ni ni (night night) and raaaaa (her answer to what a lion says). She can point to her head when asked and same with her belly. She has also learned her first sign thanks to her BFF, Piper. Madelyn can now sign milk but I'm pretty sure she has no idea what it actually means since Piper uses it to nurse and Madelyn hasn't nursed in 3 months. I think she uses it as a way to show me she wants something.


Speaking of Piper, Madelyn and I went to visit Piper and her mama, Jen in Minnesota this month. It was a great few days full of baby friendly activities. We went to Mall of America, the Minnesota Children's Museum, a local baby play area and joined in on Piper's Music Together class. The girls had a great time playing together and it was nice to see Jen too!! We joked that it was Madelyn's baby moon since she will be sharing the spotlight in a few short months. Madelyn did a great job traveling and charmed both the pilots and the flight attendants, scoring herself both pilot and flight attendant wings plus oodles of cookies and pretzels. Jen shared a her travel tip to bring a whole apple on the plane for Madelyn to eat. It worked beautifully and kept her entertained for a good part of the flight. We were also lucky enough to score Madelyn her own seat for all legs of our flights which was awesome! I'm not sure how I would have managed to actually keep her in my lap.

Miss. Madelyn is during into quite the little dare devil. She climbs onto the ottoman in her room and rocks herself. She also tries to stand on the seat of her 4 wheeler. When she uses her walking toy, walking is just too slow so now she breaks into a full on run. She got her first shiner this month when she fell face first into the ottoman after walking a little too fast during one of her laps. I have a feeling this is just the first of many scrapes and bruises in her childhood.

She also had her first real few days of not feeling good. She's had a couple running noses and coughs but nothing major. Sadly, my poor little girl had double ear infections. We opted out of giving her the antibiotics because Nick and I both had tons of ear infections as little kids and as a result built up immunities to antibiotics. The antibiotics only work about 50% of the time and I don't want to jump to them every infection. We controlled her fever with tylenol and within a couple days she was back to herself again so I think we made the right decision. I still felt horrible for her while she was under the weather - ear infections are the WORST!

Last big thing - Madelyn had her first sleepover at Grandma's house! It was nice to go out to dinner with Nick on Valentine's Day and eat my food when it got to the table and drink my own water. It was also nice to sleep in the next morning but man, did I miss her little butt! My mom said she did great! Went to sleep without any hitches and slept right through the night as if she was at home.


Another great month!!