I love being a Mom

I love being a Mom. I love those early mornings, when I hear Madalyn wake up and start to play in her crib. I love hearing her coos and squeals as she wakes up, ready to start the day. When I go in to get her, she always greets me with a huge smile and immediately puts her arms up for me to pick her up. When I pick her up she will put her head on my shoulder and cuddle into my neck. This absolutely makes me melt. I love changing her diaper... no matter how much she squirms and tries to fight me... she just hates sitting still long enough to get cleaned. Madalyn is so inquisitive... she is always looking for something to get into. I love the early mornings when she will sit and play with her toys... everything is so new and exciting to her after a good nights sleep. I love watching her scoot around on the carpet and lately she will attempt to crawl a few paces to get around to her toys. For a baby who isnt crawling completely she sure gets around! I love how she watches me watching her... wanting to see my reaction to her adventures. And adventures she has.... I cant get enough of watching her learn. She studies everything, wants to touch everything, wants to taste everything.

When I call her name to get her attention she smiles.... her face lights up and there is nothing more amazing in the entire world. She has a dimple in her left cheek.... similar to the one her uncle Ben has. And her eyes are so big and so blue....with the longest lashes framing them. (Thanks to her Daddy!) I think she has my nose, and my ears... not sure whose smile. My mom swears that she has her fathers eyes... and I think she has my fathers cheek. Her fingers are just like mine, and her toes are the same as Shawns. She is the perfect blend of Shawn and my families... all come together to make the most beautiful baby I have ever laid eyes on.

Bathtime is special time for Mommy and Baby.... and we play in the tub. After her bath I give her a baby massage and then I just want to hold her and cuddle her, breathing in the scent of baby shampoo and lotion. She is always touching my face with her little soft hands... feeling my mouth and letting me kiss her fingers.

Madalyn has learned to kiss.... thanks to Allie! She opens her mouth and gums at your face, simulating a kiss. And when I kiss her back she giggles.... her laugh is so infectious! When she laughs, I laugh, then she laughs even harder and then I am crying from laughing so hard. She laughs the most when we play Peek A Boo.... and I say "wheres Mommy?" and then hide and show my face and say "there she is!" Madalyn thinks this is hilarious. So of course I want to do it more and more to see her reaction.

I think my favorite time with her is nap time. When I am home I will sometimes get her to lay down with me in bed, and we snuggle then and fall asleep and take a nap. There is nothing better than having her snuggle against me and fall asleep. When she wakes up before me she will stroke my face of my hair (okay, sometimes she pulls it!) until I wake up and play with her.

Madalyn loves to wave "hi" to people and its always so cute to take her in public and see her wave to people. It makes me so proud to see her interact with other people. She especially loves other babies and waves at them until they notice her. I can already tell she is going to be a social butterfly when she gets older.

Being a Mother has been the most rewarding thing that I have done... and the most challenging thing. It has been quite the challenge learning to juggle Mommyhood with working and being a full time student... but it makes me proud to say that Ive been able to do all of these things. I have definitely learned how to manage my time!

I look forward to many more milestones that my precious daughter will reach... and I know how special it is to be able to view the world though her eyes.