Seventeen months has now gone by and it feels like you have always been here. I don't remember life without you. I'm sure it will be that way when we have more children too - but just between you and me - I will always remember these times with you. No other child we will ever have will have had the experiences you get to have with us, being our first. I will always remember and cherrish these times... when it's just you and me waking up in the mornings and dancing and singing in our pajamas; when we have breakfast together and clap when you get a whole spoonful of cereal in your mouth ALL. BY. YOURSELF!; when you take a tubby for as long as you want creating works of art on the bathtub walls with your tubby crayons or finally get brave enough and realize you can actually lay on your belly and kick your legs AS WELL AS do it sitting up; when sometimes - it's okay to just read books for 3 hours and take a tubby around 1:00-ish.
You are growing up. You have an opinion about everything and no longer blindly follow direction as a baby would. You're looking more like a little girl. There is still some cherubic angel baby chub there, but it's spreading out as you sprout those long, never stop moving, legs.You love to play. Your favorite things to do most days are play with your pink ball and your yellow Dora ball. You are very good at throwing and kicking.
You run really fast and enjoy playing peek-a-boo and tag around the house. 
You still get into everything. You have your favorite drawers and cupboards because you know what is in them. I finally moved some things around, but you are now getting tall enough that you can get on your tippy-toes and reach INTO drawers. So I need to make some more changes.You love helping me. You like to sweep and vaccuum and especially do laundry.
I realize this won't last, so I am enjoying it. I will keep praising you as you do it and clapping and telling you how "cool it is to do laundry" until you get smart enough to realize it's work, which will probably be next month at the rate you are going.You are very loving toward your dolls and stuffed animals.
You sometimes rock your baby doll and raise her high above your head as if you are throwing her in the air like your dad does to you.You are very good at stacking blocks and rings and putting shaped pieces into containers now. You understand so much. I can ask you any question and you usually understand what I am talking about.
You are talking more, but still refer to most things as "dih or dee". You now say, "Thanks!" whenever we give you something - food, a book, anything really. It's usually whenever we hand you anything. Your dad said thanks to you one day and it caught on.
You're still a picky eater, but I am trying to get you to enjoy fruit smoothies. It's a new thing I have been doing for myself and think may be the only way to get greens into you and your dad. Whenever I have one I give you some with a little spinach or kale blended in it. I still try to offer you beans or broccoli etc. on a regular basis, but you won't have it... yet.
You love to wear your dress shoes.
Every day I let you pick which shoes you will wear for the day and you always pick your red or pink dress shoes.
Some new words/statements:
Whoa! Wow! Oooo! Thanks. Uh-oh.
You like to try and pick up kitty a lot. You pull her tail sometimes and hug her to much. Laying on top of her isn't a favorite thing you do so she sometimes will lightly bite you or hiss at you. Most of the time you don't care, but the other day it hurt your feelings and you started chasing her around the house screaming a high-pitched tone. That's how you annoy her... you follow her around the house screaming at her. Through it all, she still loves you and wants to lick your hair and lay by you when you sleep.
We're still nursing. This month I am going to start weaning you, for real. It's time. There was a day this month when I was really tired and you wanted to nurse. So I layed you on my lap, like we usually do, and you started nursing, and then you started doing what you always do - where you stick your foot in my face cause you thinks it's funny if I sniff it and say "eww" and then you get up and start standing, or twisting or going upside down (all while still attached) - and I literally felt like I could stand up and you'd still be attached just spinning and spinning in a circle (like I said, I was tired) but you are getting so big now it's just starting to feel a little unnatural. Don't get me wrong, when you are peaceful and sleepy it's still nice. It still reminds me of when you were an itty bitty baby, but these moments are rare.
I'm learning now that I have to be strong. I always knew we would have a close bond and a good relationship. It's hard to let go of these moments as you change and grow. I guess life really is a series of weanings.We were getting our taxes done a couple weeks ago and there was a little baby boy sitting on and crawling all over the floor. You were fascinated with him - you love other babies and children - so you went over to him and tried to share your snack with him. He had a snack of his own and wasn't interested. He pushed you and you fell down. The look on your face was a look of utter despair and heartbreak. You couldn't understand why this little person would push you after you offered to share with him and you spent so much time smiling at him.
Why can't we all just get along? I don't know. Why can't people be kind and loving instead of cruel? Is it human nature? Maybe he thought you were trying to take his snack? Maybe he thought you would push him (his mother so desperately apologized and offered excuses like "he has an older brother at home and they push each other all the time blah blah blah")? I don't know... these are the lessons we must learn in this life. How do we deal when people are cruel to us? Do we shut them out and stop communicating? Do we forgive and forget? Do we get even? Do we allow their life situations (such as being a baby) to excuse their behavior? These are decisions we all must make for ourselves.
We hope to teach you forgiveness, patience, understanding, and to look out for yourself and be brave. It's okay to walk away. Don't let people walk all over you and stick up for yourself, but remember to show compassion. This is deep stuff.
You think that if you yell for your dad he will appear. No matter where we are, if you wonder where he is you will start yelling for him. "Daaaaaaaaaaa! Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadaaaaa!" at the top of your lungs - and you have some awesome lungs. You started yelling for him in the craft store the other day while we were waiting in line to pay for some things. You did it for a good minute or two. I kept saying, "he's at work Mads, he's at work," but no matter, you kept yelling for him.
You love grocery shopping, especially the produce department. Your dad got it in your head that you can pick up your very own fruit or vegetable every time we go. So, I let you do it while grocery shopping the other day and you ate half an apple before we got to the register. I didn't even notice. When I looked up at you and saw you with that big red apple you opened your eyes wide, took a big bite and said, "MMmmm num num." I laughed for a good 5 minutes.We now know for a surity you are NOT one of those submissive, mild children from dreamland people talk about. When you don't get your way you are a bit whiney and the tantrums are ferocious. You flail your arms and legs about and thrust your head and body to the floor. You scream and cry at the top of your lungs. Sometimes we just sit and watch you and look at each other (me and your dad) like, "what just happened?", and then, if it continues, we gently set you in your crib or in your room until you settle down. I've been trying to talk to you. I believe you are very smart and that you understand me so, with much appreciated advice from my momma, I've been saying something like, "I love you! I can see that you are upset. It's OK to express your feelings. You can be angry in your own room. When you are done I hope you will come and tell me all about it."
I make mistakes. I'm not perfect. Some would say I don't let you console yourself enough. I run to your side too fast when you fall or freak out too noticeably when something bad happens to you... do you notice this? Is that why you are quick to cry? What can I say? I'm a new mom. I'm learning too. Sometimes when you tantrum I lose my temper and I yell. Sometimes I just put you in your room without saying anything. Sometimes, I just ignore your tantrum, and you then run after me and throw yourself on my feet. We're growing and learning together.
I still love you with every fiber of my being... I always will. Even when you are at your worst, I am proud that you are my child.
You love hats
and keys, and Elmo, and ice. You love to brush your teeth. You love to dance and sing and read and run and hold hands and go for walks. You love to exercise with mommy, when I do it.
You love to draw and paint and help mommy with the house. You love to go outside and especially love being with friends.
You are so amazing Madeline and I am so proud of every single little thing you do. Thank you for always reminding me what a gift life is. I love you so much my beloved daughter.Love,
Momma
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