11 Month Update

Once upon a time when Madalyn was 11 weeks old I took her to the doctors office because she would not stop pulling on her ears and crying. I was worried that she had an ear infection because I had recently gone back to work and she was now bottlefed breastmilk. Once at the doctor's office the PA told me that Madalyn did not have an ear infection, rather she was teething. She felt her gums and told me that Madalyn would probably be one of those babies who cut teeth early. Teething! The horror to a breastfeeding Mommy to think of her not quite three month old getting teeth early!

Fast forward eight months, when Madalyn is just three weeks shy of her first birthday and still toothless! I guess the doctors dont always know what they are talking about. Madalyn has done quite well for a baby without teeth and has managed to enjoy pretty much every food that she possibly could. For days I would rub her gums, doing a daily check to see if there was the promise of a tooth anytime soon. I had pretty much given up hope! Really, it didnt matter to me when she actually got teeth, but as her mother I know how miserable it has been for her to be cutting teeth and drooling and miserable all of the time. Last Friday morning when I came home from a 48 hour shift I noticed a little speck of white in her mouth... and its her bottom tooth!

Madalyn is quite proud of her new tooth and to celebrate we bought her a toothbrush. Her toothbrush is a little pink care bear brush that sings "You Are My Sunshine" for two minutes to make sure you brush long enough. Madalyn is so excited when we give her the toothbrush! She knows to put it in her mouth (sometimes she gets confused as to which end actually brushes, but she is learning. :)

In a little less than two weeks Madalyn will be celebrating her first birthday. I for one cannot believe how amazingly fast this year has flown by and how many changes she has gone through. It is so incredible to see her little personality develop as she grows.

Two days ago we were out in the yard and Madalyn actually was digging through all of the leaves and pulling out the sticks and making herself a little pile of sticks. (Hmmm.... I wonder where she gets her sense of organization from?!)

She isnt quite walking, but will take a step or two before she realizes she is walking without holding something. It is definitely a confidence issue, because the kid can stand on her own for hours, and she can walk all over the place as long as she is pushing something.

Madalyn has started talking a little bit (as in talking so that Mommy can understand, it isnt perfectly clear yet.) She says "hi" and "duck" and will pretty much mimic anything that you say to her. The other morning she was sitting on the floor playing with Allie and she was pointing and yelling like she was telling Allie what to do. (Yes, I have a bossy baby.) It was so cute.

At about 6 months old, while out at breakfast, Madalyn happened to wave at a waitress who was talking to her. She got such a reaction from her waving that she realized it was the best way for her to get attention and since then she has waved at absolutley everyone. Well now, she has started waving, then acting bashful when people wave back. But as soon as they look away, there she is waving again.