Fun at Work

As Maddie gets older, she needs to have lots of activities at work to keep her happy. She plays on her mat, sits in her bouncy chair, jumps in her jumpster and plays in her bumbo on my desk. Whew! As you can see, Maddie is quite "productive" at work.

In her Bumbo on my desk:


In her Jumpster:


Tummy time on her playmat:

First Taste of Solid Foods

On Wednesday night (5/20/09), we fed Maddie some rice cereal for the first time. After discussing all the details with our pediatrician, we decided she may be ready since she can hold her head up, can sit up well with assistance and shows interest in food when Eric and I eat.

Overall, she did really well. She made a few faces of uncertainty at the start but ate several spoon-fulls and seemed to like it. I think her tummy will take a while to get used to solid foods so we'll take things nice and slow. Thankfully, she hasn't shown any signs of food allergies thus far. But Mommy and Daddy don't want to rush into the solid food arena just yet. Our babe is growing up so quickly - it's hard to believe she's already 4 1/2 months old!

Eric's Birthday Weekend

This weekend, we celebrated Eric's upcoming 40th birthday (May 21st) with family and friends. We had a fun party on Saturday night with lots of yummy BBQ, cake, and other goodies. Best of all, our sweet Maddie did very well around everyone in spite of being a bit tired. She's quite the social butterfly.

Here's a family photo from party day. Happy birthday, Eric (Daddy)!

Mother's Day

Today was my very first Mother's Day and I feel so lucky to have spent it with Eric and Maddie. The day included breakfast at Trudy's, a home-cooked fajita dinner (thanks, babe!) and finally blackberry dessert wine and pastries, once Maddie went to sleep.

Maddie was a bit grouchy today so we couldn't get her to smile for the camera much, but she's still as cute as a button.

4 Months Old

On Monday, May 4th, our little Maddie turned four months old. It's amazing how big, smart, beautiful and curious she is these days.

Today we took Madelyn to the pediatrician for her 4-month well-check appointment and it went very well. She's very healthy and growing each day. She's also on track or ahead with milestones for her age such as rolling over, laughing, and grasping toys by herself.

Stats:
Weight - 14 lbs, 9 oz (75%)
Height - 24.5 in (50%) [Eric thinks her head was turned a bit and is closer to 25 in)
Head - 41.3 cm (upper 50%)

We're pretty surprised that Maddie is now in the 75% for her weight since she's been so skinny and long but I guess her baby chunk has finally arrived. Mommy loves it!

Things We Want to Remember About Maddie at 4 Months Old:

• She loves people and will give a big smile and excitedly bob her head at just about anyone she sees.


• She loves to stand up with our assistance


• She has a soft but joyful laugh


• Her burp cloth is her favorite "toy"


• She's curious about every noise and activity and will practically do a backbend or turn herself around in my arns to see something.


• She has a bit of stranger anxiety when someone else holds her, even though she will smile first and then cry.


• She rolls over and over all the time now and Mom and Dad have to watch her more closely or she'll roll alway!

Sucking her thumb

Over the last few days, Eric and I have noticed Maddie transition from sucking on her fingers and fist to her thumb. Even though thumb sucking is not the best habit, we think she looks so CUTE when she does it.

Tummy Time Fun

Ever since Maddie learned how to roll over to her tummy, she does so several times a day. The funny part is she is still getting used to spending time on her tummy. Today, she happily played for a bit before she got frustrated. Each day, she gets more comfortable on her tummy.