Madeline at 14 Months

Our precious girl – you are 14 months old today! At 14 months you:


• Are still eating everything in sight. Some of your favorites are waffles, grilled cheese sandwiches, Coco multi-grain snacks (our local grocery store's version of a rice cake that also has wheat and corn in it), oatmeal, cinnamon toast, bananas, mandarin oranges, and of course, there's your ongoing love affair with green beans. On the dislike list: watermelon (you like the juice and flavor - just not the pulp), cantaloupe (same story), and cottage cheese. You still love milk. You drink everything from a sippy cup except one bottle before bed. Dr. Bub said he’s okay with that until 15 months, so it’s going away soon! You are drinking more and more water – probably because of the crazy summer heat!

Eating a rice cake and admiring your balloon.
You've recently discovered how fun balloons are!

• Are still wearing size 4 diapers.

• Are wearing 18 month clothes with the exception of a few outfits that are 12 months. You still wear 12 month pj’s, but some are getting a little tight – and the tops are getting short!

• Weigh 24.5 pounds according to our rough calculations at home. You will have your 15 month checkup before my next stats update and we will have “official” numbers to share then.

• Have a total of 10 teeth: 4 on the top/front, 4 on the bottom/front (your lower left lateral incisor FINALLY came in about a week ago) and your first set of molars on the top. We brush your teeth once in the morning and before you go to bed. You don’t mind having your bottom teeth brushed, but still fuss (most of the time) when we brush your top teeth. You “help” us sometimes by holding onto the brush.

• Still take both a morning nap and an afternoon nap, most of the time (thank you, Lord!).

• Usually go to sleep between 7:30 and 8:00 pm and have started waking up around 6:30 am. We’re not too fond of the later part; could you work on that for us, please? :)

• Still say "Mama" and "Dada" (mostly "Dada"), but this past weekend started saying “bye-bye”. It’s usually in response to one of your toys automatically shutting off and saying “bye-bye” – you say it back to the toy! Most of the time you’re actually saying “dye-dye”, but we hear the ‘b” sound sometimes.

• Tried to “hug” Bond a few times. He wasn’t very receptive – got away from you as fast as he could! You LOVE hugging all of your stuffed animals and anything soft. You squeeze them and let out a sweet little squeal of joy. SO SWEET! You also love rolling around in and playing with soft blankets.

• Are recognizing more and more words every day. This past week, you have gone CRAZY pointing at things wanting to know their “name” – especially photos of people. You ask to be picked up for a better view of things and then point at everything you can see. You've started pointing at ceiling lights and night lights. You especially like the decorative bird plates at Gran and Daddy Bill’s house. When you were eating breakfast there this weekend, I heard the birds chirping outside. When I asked you if you heard the birds, you pointed at the plates. It’s so fun watching you learn and soak up information!

• Still love your baths! When we say it’s time for a bath you walk quickly to your bathtub.

• Can be SO sensitive at times! When we sternly tell you “No No!” or “Don’t Touch”, you stop what you’re doing and quickly come to us crying, wanting to be cuddled. Just breaks my heart! Alan and I now understand the phrase, "This hurts me more than it does you".

• Still kick your feet whenever you get excited. I love it when we read books – you’re still while I’m reading, then as I’m turning the page, you kick your feet like crazy! You’re so excited to get to the next page, you just can’t stand it! Then while I read, you’re still again – until I turn the page!

• Are walking faster and faster every day. We haven’t seen anything we could classify as “running”, but you’re close. You still crash into things at times – mostly because you like carrying things in your hands (usually a matching pair of something – balls, blocks, etc.) and your hands aren’t available to catch you when you fall. A pretty green bruise on your head is quite common.

• Taught yourself how to snap. Yes, SNAP! We have no idea how. You just started doing it one day while you were eating dinner!

• Still use your pacifier, but only when you’re sleeping and sometimes in the car. We let you take it with you to the church nursery, because if we don’t, you swipe other babies’ pacis!

• Sleep with a blanket (any soft one will do), Purple Puppy, Piglet, and Green Puppy.

• Are especially ticklish down the middle of your back.

• L-O-V-E splashing and playing in the water – whether it’s in the bathtub or your wading pool. You also got to swim in Lake Frankston for the first time over the 4th of July weekend!

• Are still “dancing” when we sing or play music. Your usual move now is bobbing your head up and down – in the grocery store, listening to the TV, Mommy singing, wherever you hear music.

• Get in this funny position we call "Sumo Sue". While playing with your toys, you crouch down as low as you can get without actually sitting down.


"Sumo Sue"

 • Love playing with big plastic balls - ANY kind of ball for that matter. You have a red one that's as big as a beach ball, and you love walking around the house with it and rolling it it around.


Notice the lovely green bruise on her forehead?

• Really enjoy riding in your vehicles - your tricycle and Cozy Couple. You can get on your trike and in/out of your car all by yourself! You like taking trips in your car to get the mail.

• Are doing GREAT with learning your body parts! The ones you have down pat are: head, eyes, nose, ears, tummy, and toes. We’re working on mouth, teeth, knees, hands, and fingers.

Rosy-cheeked after a LONG afternoon nap!

We realize we're a little biased, but we think you're the most beautiful creature on earth - inside and out. Thank you, Lord, for our precious blessing! Love you, girl!