Three Months Old!

Well, another month has passed and so much has changed!

Maddie is riding around facing forward in our Snugli carrier, and she is rockin' the Bumpo:



I am in my final week of working part-time before having to do the real thing starting next Monday. I am really glad I went back early and did the part-time thing for a few weeks. I think this has been a good transition. I am very sad at the prospect of going full-time, but at least it won't be as traumatic for us as it might have otherwise been. The worst part is that Maddie is sleeping so well that I know my "awake time" with her will be limited. Most nights she is falling asleep between six and seven, and I don't even anticipate getting home with her before six when I pick her up after work. Most nights, it may be a struggle to get Maddie into the bath before she has to go to bed. There have been nights already when Hank has gotten home just a little bit late and totally missed seeing Maddie at all during the day, which is just so sad. Fortunately, since I am taking Maddie and picking her up from her grandmother's every day, I know I will at least spend some time with her, but this is not going to be easy. I know it's ironic that I am upset that my kid sleeps so well!

I have continued to meet a couple of the mommies that I have met with babies nearly the same age as Madeline. It has been so nice to have others going through everything that I am at the same time. We lean on each other for support and give insight, which is great. Hopefully, we will continue our friendship for a long time, and our kids can be friends. Here is a picture of Maddie with her baby-friend Alex:

Here are a few more pictures from the past two weeks...

I love when Maddie looks at me adoringly! I am whole-heartedly of the opinion that everyone should have someone who looks at them like this:

A very typical Madeline face:



So many friends!

Checking out the feet:

"Mom, I'm cold! Stop taking pictures!":

With Gramma:

Video Frustration

Well, I was really hoping that I would be able to post video today, but no such luck. After giving up on the video camera, I realized that my regular camera has video function, and I was hoping to be able to use that. However, I am getting all kinds of errors when I try to load it onto my computer, and I am getting frustrated! I feel like we are missing a lot of terrific moments that should be recorded! I'll keep working on it, but if anyone can help me figure out how to get the video from the camera to the computer and then on the web, I would be extremely appreciative. Either that, or recommend an inexpensive digital recorder that would be easy enough that even I could figure it out!

Anyway, I was trying to post video of Maddie cooing. I still can't believe how vocal she is!


The other night, I had Maddie in my lap while I sat in the recliner. She wanted to sit up, rather than lean back, and she has been rather insistent on being able to use her neck muscles now that she has good control of them. As we were sitting there, Maddie was studying her feet with interest, and began leaning forward. I tried to straighten her back up, but then decided to see what she would do. Well, she wanted those feet in her mouth! She slowly bent over all the way to her big toes and starting sucking on one and then the other. She also bent so far that she was able to caress her cheeks with her feet! It was hysterical, so much so that I was crying and laughing at the same time. (That would have been a great video too, huh? Darn!)


I took the picture below on Sunday night. Let me tell you, Maddie has figured out that the TV is VERY interesting. We are having to make a more conscious effort to turn it off or take her to another room when it is on now. Here she is entranced:

I can also tell you with all honestly that every time Barack Obama is on the TV, whether it is his voice or his face, Maddie stops what she is doing and pays close attention. I think it must be his voice, and also that he is looking straight at the camera in many of his commercials. A couple of weeks ago, both of the candidates were on 60 minutes. The interviews were taped so that their faces were pretty close up and there was a white background. I noticed that night that Maddie was very interested in Obama, and I think she recognizes him now as someone she has seen or heard before. Of course, I'm sure that my Republican-leaning loved ones will think this is abominable, but I honestly just think it's really interesting how responsive Maddie is to someone she has seen on TV.

(I just made some people really mad.)

Anyway, I am working really hard to catch Maddie's giant grin on camera, and it just isn't working! The flash confuses her every time. Here is another close one:

Back to Work

Well, I started work again on Monday, and I survived the week! I must admit that, in a way, I was glad to be back. I miss Maddie like crazy when I am not with her, and I can't even think about her much when I am at work because it makes me a upset. However, I know that her grandmother is taking very good care of her, and the best thing for our family is for me to work. In the last few weeks of my maternity leave, I had even started to feel like the walls were closing in a little bit, and I must say that it is nice to have the social interaction and mental exercise of being at work.

Hank's cousin Nicole hosted a Halloween bash yesterday. Maddie and I both went dressed as black kitty cats:


Nicole and Maddie:


Cat Nap:



I'm posting a few other pictures from the past couple of weeks. Here is Maddie with her Aunt Liz:



Maddie playing with Daddy:



Overall, we are doing great. I finally feel like I am breaking loose from the post-partum cloud. Maddie is sleeping like a champ, so we are all sleeping well. Hank has been amazing as an equal partner in taking care of the baby and keeping our house going. Honestly, I couldn't ask for more!

And as for Maddie's sleeping habits, I hate to share this with other parents less-fortunate, but our little girl has been sleeping for TEN WHOLE HOURS at night. Most nights this week, we put her down around nine in the evening, and I had to wake her up at seven in the morning. So many parents I have told this to have shared stories about how their kids didn't sleep through the night for years, even one as old as FOUR!!! Hank and I know we are lucky lucky lucky!

I am also happy to announce that as of Friday, I do believe Miss Maddie is fully capable of holding her head up. She has just a little wobble when she is tired, but I would feel confident enough to put her in her Bumpo chair or use a front carrier at this point. Everyone who holds her can't believe how strong she is, including her back, legs, and grip.