Madison's Monthly Highlights
Weight: Since we've been off a month for her checkups (our doctor's office was so busy, the earliest they could see Madison for her 6-month appointment was when Madison was 7 months!), we went to Maddie's 9-month checkup this month. She weighed in at 19 pounds, 6 ounces.
Clothing: She got to wear her first little Easter dress! And bunny ears! Of course we absolutely keep the focus on the Lord's resurrection. He is the reason we celebrate! It is so sweet to have the same tradition I did growing up. My sister and I got a new dress to wear to church each year and we just adored the fun frocks we got to put on. Dressing up in your best clothes and twirling around just reminds me of how much God adores us, His children, and delights in us.
Sleep: About 11 hours each night with 2 naps a day. We have started rocking her not quite as long and putting her down in her crib drowsy but awake for naptime. It has been difficult to hear her crying and crying for those minutes (that feel like hours!) until she settles down and falls asleep but her naps have been so incredible since introducing this method!
I think crying it out is hardest for mamas and daddies because we think, "Oh no! My baby is hurt/in pain/needs me!" It's hard to allow the space and time for a baby to get it out of their lungs, while we're feeling helpless and like we're making the wrong decision. I'm so grateful Dean and I have been able to talk it out and continue allowing Madison to learn to fall asleep on her own as she grows. It makes for a much less tired mama and a very well-rested baby!
Eating: Madison is still eager to try new foods. Most recently, it's whatever is on Daddy and Mama's plates! We generally give Maddie some Cheerios, cut up pears or a fruit and veggie teething wafer for breakfast followed by a squeeze pouch for a late morning snack. Lunch is usually some variation of shredded cheese, plain Greek yogurt, more cut up pear bits or the latest thing - almond butter bites. (Basically I smother a whole wheat wrap with almond butter, fold it over in half and tear it into small pieces for Madison to devour). Her dinner usually consists of the items mentioned above she didn't already eat that day along with bits of what Dean and I have for dinner - maybe some whole wheat pasta, cooked veggies, baked sweet potato fries, bits of chicken.
I've also given her some smoothie (usually frozen banana, frozen spinach and a handful of strawberries/mangoes with some water or almond milk for the base) through her sippy cup with a straw. I already feel like an undercover food smuggler by trying to sneak greens and veggies in her food when I can! haha not that she won't it otherwise but some things do taste better in the guise of a smoothie, you know?
Personality: Madison has become quite the little explorer! Since she doesn't do much crawling, just scooching as we call it, she really hasn't been able to maneuver around the house on her own. Until now. I think she realized that she can scooch from place to place just fine, thank you. No need to wait for that crawling thing to all come together, let's just move around on our bums - across the nursery, out of the play room and under chairs.
So in the Fairweather house, baby proofing from the ground up has officially kicked off! We are finding ourselves saying no and putting those things on a higher shelf/off the ground more and more. It is just delightful to watch Madison move around and find new, exciting things in her world though - such a large pile of decorative yarn that quickly became tangled around her leg or peeking into cabinets in the kitchen.
Madison has also started dumping things (namely her books) and pulling out everything from bags or containers (like my purse or a box of tissues). I gave her the tissue box so that was my bad. I honestly didn't think she would pull so many out! Dean was like, "So you get to use all these, since you allowed her to pull them out." haha :) Maddie is also communicating more - shaking her head no, saying yeah along with dad, dog and mama as well as fussing/grunting and pointing to tell us she wants something. She is standing with assistance and has almost starting cruising from the outside of her crib. She has loved getting to take steps while we hold her hands.
Firsts: She got to see a horse up close at a family portrait session for our dear friends. She also attended her first birthday party for twin girls we know from church, and she tagged along for not just one, but three portrait sessions (one for my head shots, two that I photographed).
This month Madison also rolled over onto her tummy in her crib. She has been a pretty still sleeper up until the rolling started. She also had some eczema pop up on her chin and neck, which has been itchy and unenjoyable as you can imagine.
We bought foam letters and numbers for her bathtime so this was her first experience with more than one toy in the tub. She only had a rubber ducky up until now. I dumped a handful of the letters into her bath and Madison was definitely overwhelmed by them all. We know to only give her two at a time now.
She also celebrated Resurrection Sunday for the first time and we read the story of Jesus to her and explained what it meant. Madison also participated in a sweet backyard Easter egg hunt with all her cousins! My mother-in-law is SO smart. Each of the 7 cousins were assigned a specific color egg to hunt for and they all had the same number of eggs. Perfectly done so that no fighting - or hoarding - could take place.
Likes: Pointing at everything, looking at all the lights (lamps, window light, ceiling lights), all doggies, giving kisses to said doggies in the books we read (it is JUST as cute as it sounds!), standing up with assistance, taking steps while we hold her hands. She also loves being tossed back into a pile of pillows on the bed, trying to look at Mama and Daddy's phones, saying, "Da. Da!" everytime I get a call (because she thinks every call is to/from Dean). Maddie also is giving us more kisses, waving hello and bye-bye to people and things, snuggling, giving hugs, turning the pages of her books (she especially likes her Record-a-Story book from Grammy and Grandpa!). Bath time and when Daddy comes home are still two highlights of each day :)
Dislikes: Itchy skin and having a stuffed up nose.
What I want to remember: Madison motioning for me to read to her, watching her bop and clap to her tropical piano music, spending Easter weekend with the Fairweathers and the wonder and amazement of life through the eyes of our sweet child.
You may also like: Madison’s 9-Month Highlights | Follow our daily adventures with #sweetmaddiegirlgram
