Maybe she's hungry?

Little miss Madelene Kate seems to be listening.

I've been saying that perhaps we'd have to finally give her big people food when she can sit up and has a tooth. I'd wanted to delay solids as long as I could for a variety of reasons. But with her grabbing at my food and drink, I finally conceded that once she hit these milestones, perhaps I'd have to give in.

Since James didn't get his first tooth until sometime around 8 months, I thought we had a bit of time. I mean, Madelene Kate has been drooling and gnawing on everything since she was just old enough to get her hands in her mouth. So it was anyone's guess when those things would actually mean something.

In the past few days, our girlie has been able to stay in a sitting position for increasing periods of time. She can lean forward and pull herself back up. She can pick up toys and put them in her mouth. But once she starts to lean over to one side, it's still "over she goes" (rather cute, actually!). So obviously, she's making progress on the sitting up part of the deal.

I figured I still had some time.

Even so, I have been faithfully fingering her smooth lower gums every day for several weeks. And guess what met me unexpectedly this afternoon?

A tiny rough edge.

Yes.

Madelene Kate laughed aloud as I cried in surprise, "You little stinker. You have a tooth!"

So I guess I owe her avocado sometime soon.

Because I know that

It seems these days that James is often informing me of something that I am rather sure I didn't teach him... like when we drove past a park and he told me the two guys were playing tennis. As far as I can recall, I've never discussed tennis with him.

So I've started asking him who told him something or where he learned it. Occasionally, he tells me Daddy told him or one of his cousins or some other "big friend."

But this made me grin:

As we drove past a Holiday Inn recently, James announced, "Dat's a hotel."

"Really." I responded. "How did you know that?"

"Beca-a-a-use... I know dat."

::6.3::

Madelene Kate is 6 months, 3 days old.

Already.

Today, we saw our beloved doctor for Madelene Kate's 6-month well-child visit.

James took his little stuffed dog, Happy, saying, "She needs a check up." The good doctor and the physician's-assistant-in-training both looked in Happy's eyes, listened to Happy's lungs and did an assessment of our darling boy's favorite stuffed pet. Happy is healthy (phew!) and so is our growing girlie.

Madelene Kate finds herself between the 50th and 75th percentile in head & height measurements. But she's our chunker in weight, showing up solidly on the 75th percentile line. (You should see her thighs!)

Height - 26 inches

Weight - 16 lbs 15 oz

Head Circumference - 43 cm

She rolls back and forth with absolute ease. She loves to lie on the floor, rolling back and forth, babbling. She's also fond of the exersaucer. She sucks her fingers, thumb and pacifier but definitely seems to prefer the pacifier.

Little Miss takes a bottle okay - but under rather particular circumstances. It must be relatively fresh (any frozen milk from more than a month ago seems to be rejected). It must be just the right temperature. And she must be lying flat on her back on my bed. If one tries to give her a bottle while holding her in their arms, it will be flatly refused. It's quite funny to watch her swat at the bottle trying to get it out of her face. But when she takes it, boy, does she drain it quickly!

She naps pretty well - at least one 1.5 to 2 hour nap each day and another couple 45 min to 1 hour naps. Overnight, she's still waking at least once between 1 and 2:30. But she eats and goes right back down awake to fall asleep on her own.

Unlike her brother, Madelene Kate only protests going to bed when Mommy has forgotten to change her diaper. Sadly, that happens more than one would expect. (Although I did realize the trend and have been better about changing her before naps!)

Cloth diapers have been a great blessing - not a challenge at all, in fact. I run a load of diapers (8-10) every other day. I also collect other laundry at the same time, so although I'm doing it more frequently, the loads are smaller, and that helps for following it all the way thru to folding and putting away (usually).

This past Wednesday, I put away all the 3-6 month clothes and brought out the 6 - 9 month and 6 - 12 month outfits. It's hard for me to believe that we're already there. Time is flying.

It's so fun to have our girlie interacting so much more. She loves to babble. I haven't heard any "da" or "ma" yet - we're still getting lots of "la" and even some "ga." But she loves the sound of her voice. When anyone talks to her, she gets so excited, and her volume increases. Something tells me Madelene Kate won't be shy!

She loves Peek-A-Boo, especially when it starts with a blanket over her head. She loves to be tickled. She seems to be connecting the dots of hearing the word "kiss" and opening her mouth (Mommy makes such big noises when kissing her open mouth, it would be hard to miss that, I suppose!) And she adores her big brother. Oh - to see those two side-by-side and to hear them laugh together - what a precious gift!

It's hard to believe we're already half way to our baby girl's first birthday. Each day brings more "relationship." I don't find myself missing past stages but thoroughly enjoying each new one. More times than I can count, I hear myself saying, "I'm so glad I get to be your Mommy," as I kiss her soft cheeks. She looks in my eyes and I see her happiness (even if she is just happy to see me cuz I provide her food!).

I often wonder what she will be like growing up and as an adult. I pray, most importantly, for God to save her soul while she is a young girl. I pray, too, for a God-fearing, gracious, servant-leader husband in her youth. I also pray that God will give her an enduring friendship with James. And I pray that God will fashion her into fun-loving, others-focused, joy-filled young lady who draws others to Himself - all for His glory and her joy.

And Back Again...

Madelene Kate was on her back a little bit ago, playing happily with a toy. She turned herself over. And started fussing.

Of course, I'm in the middle of making dinner with my back to her. So I began to finish my immediate task so that I could wash my hands and go turn her from her belly to her back.

But as I went to wash my hands, I looked over to see my fussing baby on her back again! (and her beloved pacifier just out of reach.) Wait... I thought she wasn't supposed to be able to turn over both ways just yet!

Now she's playing with her toes, chewing on her fist and singing a sad song.

++++++++++++++++++++

Big Brother, who was outside in this gorgeous weather, playing with the hose, came in just now, and sounding quite grown up, announced, "I'm just here to get a drink of water." He went into the powder room, had a drink, and went back outside.

++++++++++++++++++++

Have I mentioned lately what a glorious job I have?

She Did It!

Just one moment ago, Madelene Kate rolled from her back to her belly - for the very first time. She was lying on her back playing with a toy, and I looked over to see her almost over. So I moved everything out of her way and went back to helping James with his lunch and making my own. I kept looking over, and she did it! All by herself. No coaxing. No help. She rolled over.

And now she's fussing, kicking her legs and wishing she'd never done it at all!

She's officially on the move...