Count-Down to Crawling

Although Maddie can sit up like a rockstar, she hasn't been all that interested in crawling until about a week or so ago. Now, she seems to be getting closer and closer to crawling every day. Eric and I are excited about this milestone but nervous too. Having a baby who will sit in one place on her playmat for long stretches - those days are numbered.

Here's Maddie doing some pre-crawling tonight after dinner:

School is Cool

Time has gotten the best of me lately and I've neglected the blog a bit. To make up for it, I thought I'd put some recent pictures of Maddie having fun at school. School really is COOL. :-)

Playing with one of her friends:


Water Play:

7 Months Old

Today, our little Maddie turns 7 months old. She is an absolute ball of joy, curiosity, silliness and beauty. Mommy and Daddy love you lots and lots, Maddie!

A few new changes:

• She likes to squeak and babble a lot more now.
• Still isn't interested in crawling or scooting much but likes to stand ALL the time (with assistance of course).
• Cannot leave the house (or even her room) without a bib on. She's juicy!
• Likes watching kids shows on TV.
• She's always been a people person but is even more so now. She's most happy/smiley when other people or babies are close by.
• She loves to play peek-a-boo.
• She only let us dress her if she's sitting or standing up. If we lie her on her back and start to dress her, she gets very mad at us. :-)

Peek-a-Boo

Maddie loves to play peek-a-boo with her Daddy.

Grandpa and Grand'ne Ramirez Visit

My parents visited us for a few days and we had a wonderful time as usual. Maddie got extra hugs and kisses, we took her swimming, went out to dinner, enjoyed delicious homemade enchiladas, played board games and watched old slides of when I was a child. So funny!

Thanks for a lovely visit Mom and Dad! We can't wait to see you again soon!

Maddie's First Swim

While Grandpa and Grand'ne Ramirez visited this weekend, we decided to take Maddie swimming for the first time. A Mommy friend of mine had recommended a local wading pool called Little Stacy Pool. It's only 2 feet at it's deepest and is well shaded by Oak trees. It's perfect for babies. We went on a Friday afternoon so there were only a few people there.

Maddie LOVED swimming. We took her floating fish toys and she had a blast. She splashed and kicked and watched other kids playing too. Overall, it was a big success for her first time.

I'm sure we'll visit again soon.

Mommy & Baby Brunch

On Saturday, Maddie and I hosted a brunch for a few of our Mommy and baby friends. Eric decided to go see a movie with one of his friends, so it worked out perfectly.

Each Mommy brought a yummy breakfast dish, so we had plenty to eat while our little ones played together. It was so fun to see how much all the babies have grown as they interacted with each other, shared toys and had staring contests. It's also interesting to see each one at a different stage in development: some are crawling or scooting, some are sitting up by themselves, and all are "talking". (They've got so much to say!)

The brunch was so much fun that all the Mommies decided to meet every month for more playtime and Mommy conversation.

Playing with Her Feet

Maddie has become more interested in her feet and toes recently. When she's lying on her back, especially on her changing table, she loves to play with her feet and study her little toes. More cuteness for Mommy and Daddy!

The New Picasso?

Maddie certainly has lots of fun at school these days. Here she is practicing her finger-painting skills. Looks like she was a bit startled by the camera. :-)

Our little Picasso:

6 Month Well Check & First Cold

This past week, Maddie caught her first cold and it was a doozy. She had a fever that topped out at 103, a stuffy nose which forced her to breathe out of her mouth and a few restless nights. She also lost her appetite for one day which made Mom and Dad worry quite a bit. We had to take her to her pediatrician the day before her well-check appointment just to make sure everything was OK. After 3 tough days, Maddie recovered nicely and is almost 100%. Her pediatrician told us that she's going to continue to get sick every now and then as she builds up immunity to all the stuff she's exposed to at school.

Well-Check:
In spite of being sick just before her well-check appointment, Maddie "passed" with flying colors. She was in a great mood and let the doctor exam her without a single complaint. She didn't have to get any shots this time since she'd been sick so that also made for a pleasant appointment.

Stats:
Weight - 17 lbs 5oz (75%)
Height - 25 1/2 in (50%)
Head - 43 1/4 cm (75%)

Maddie at 6 Months Old:

• She's got 2 bottom teeth and one top tooth that just popped out.


• Smiles all the time


• Laughs more often when tickled, at toys or when Mom and Dad are silly.


• Babbles more and makes sounds that sound like Momma and Hi.


• Can be put in a sitting position and play for 15+ mins but still topples over on occasion


• Passes her toys back and forth between her hands. She's a little juggler.


• Bobs her head to Raffi songs


• Finally enjoys playtime on her tummy


• Can roll across a mat or bed really quickly. Eric and I watch her closely!


• Has started to scoot forward with knees folded underneath her - crawling is right around the corner!


• Loves solid foods for dinner. So far, she's enjoyed every vegetable we've given her.


• Still really likes people and is most content when she has people to study or flirt with.


• Reaches for and grabs everything. It's like she's got magnets for fingers.


• Every diaper change is like wrestling with a jitterbug. She's got more important things to do than lie still for a diaper change.


• Sleeps about 10-11 hrs each night and no longer needs to be rocked to sleep or swaddled. Yay for sleep training!

Horsie Ride on Daddy's Legs:


Two Teeth! (sorry the picture is blurry)