Mady's Milestones, 12 Months+

Please tell me how it is possible for my little baby to go from this....

to this in a matter of months?

It really is incredible how much they grow in just 12 short months.

Everyday shes make new discoveries.

I am so blessed to be able to be right by her side to see the world anew.

Just to document a few of those discoveries, here are your milestones from 11 1/2 months to 13 1/2 months (current).

Dear Mady,

• You are very verbal. You can repeat sounds and words.
• I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but here are some favorites (since our 11 month post):  
• Shawn, her Uncle's name
• GiGi, great grandmom
• Mom-mom, for my mom (her grandmother)
• Go
• Down
• Done
• Please, sounds more like Peees
• No-No, this is one word I could do without
• Flowww,  for Flower
• Baeeee, for Blankey
• Ni-Ni for Night-Night...she also refers to her Paci as "Ni-Ni"
• Sock
• Shoe
• Feet 
• Teeth
• Mady, you can now point to things on my body or your body and recognize them by name. Like: Mouth, Teeth, Nose, Eyes, Ears, Feet, Hands etc.

You are learning many concepts, like "In & Out", "Up & Down". You like to do them over and over again. Your'e also learning to throw a ball and roll it. Another thing you started doing is making Animal Sounds.

You can make the sounds of a Cow, Dog, Kitty-Cat, Horse, Sheep, Snake, Bird, Bear, Tiger and Lion (the last 3 are all "Rooaarr"). Sometimes when I ask you what the Elephant does you make a motion with your arm for the trunk. You can also recognize and point to certain animals like Pigs, Ducks and Fish. You are so observant and study things for a long time. You get that from your daddy!

Another thing you enjoy to do is build something and knocking it down. I stack my tupperware you love to knock it down. A fun game. You say: Boom! when it crashes down.

Another fun thing you started doing is dancing to the song All the Single Ladies, by Beyonce. (If you haven't seen the You Tube video of the babies who dance to this song you are missing out.) One day I wanted to see if you would dance to it, like the babies in the videos....and sure enough you did and loved it. You now sing to it, saying "Uhh oohhh" during that part of the song.

Your hugs and the kisses are becoming more intentional. Sometimes while you play you will come over and give me a hug and cuddle (called AaaHhh). Sometimes I'll get a kiss and a pat too.

Right after a kiss.

You made your 3rd trip to Maryland last month for your first Thanksgiving on Uncle Marc and Aunt Sue's farm. We had a blast. You ate turkey, carrots, stuffing and homemade rolls. As always it was delicious.

Your eating has changed since 11 months too. As I type this, you're 13 1/2 months old and officially done breast feeding. We stopped about 3 days ago. You drink whole milk from a bottle (for now) 3 to 4 times a day. I started you with it 4 times a day at 4 to 5 oz. each feeding. Warmed it and from the bottle. Although the middle of the day feeding I attempted it in a sippy cup and cold. You're not crazy about that. Now, I am giving you whole milk 3 times a day 6oz. each time. Maybe 5oz. after lunch. We're still in this midst of this transition.

You eat everything we eat. Meaning, I feed you what we are having for dinner...of course with slight moderation. You love chicken, ham, turkey, spaghetti (or anything Italian; ravioli, tortellini, lasagna etc, good thing we're Italian), mac n' cheese (homemade), green beans, cheese, yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, pears, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, breads of all kinds and much more. You snack on goldfish crackers, veggie straws and animal crackers.

You sleep 12 hours straight through the night with the occasional 4 am wake up cry and right back to sleep. You weigh in at 18 lbs and is 27 3/4 inches long.  You're still my chubby peanut. You're working on walking.....you hold on to things and walk, but haven't taken your first step. We've got the camera ready, any day now, but no rush. Each step you take is a step closer to leaving and cleaving one day :(. So we're in no rush.

You continue to bring joy to our lives Mady. You are a delight to raise and love. I am thankful for your life and pray that I can be faithful in teaching you to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind and soul. I also pray that my love for you would not overshadow the love of my Savior. I hope you can share in this love one day.

"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens. 

From the lips of children and infants 

you have ordained praise."

Psalm 8: 1-2a.