17 months

Dear Sweet Madelyn,
Life with you is precious. We treasure each day and look forward to the next. This last month I have enjoyed viewing the world through your curious, bright eyes. Your excitement for just about everything is so stinkin' fun. You love people, play time, purses and so much more. It's harder and harder to keep track of all of your stats because so many new things are added all the time. New foods, extended vocabulary, new favorite toys, friends and places. Although I want to list some of them, the most important thing I want to remember is how much fun you are!

You laugh all the time and it is so contagious. Sometimes you even laugh for no reason at all. Nothing will have happened or changed...the next thing you know, you are cracking up! You love to chat with your friends on your play phone (aka anything that will fit in your hand). Your conversations go about like this, "Hellllooooo! Good (as if someone has asked you how you are)! Oh no! Ok! Love you. Bye Bye!". You have on average 10 of those conversations a day. Some times they are longer. Some times shorter. However they always make me smile.

 

 

If you could choose to do anything, I think you would choose to go to the park every day of the week. Being outside is the coolest thing since table food in your world. I think you forgot what it was like to be outside after a couple of unusually cold winter months around here. Lately, if it's not raining we have been out side. We hit up several local parks, use our zoo membership on a weekly basis or we just roam around in the yard at the house. I love that you love the outdoors!

Some of my favorite things that you say are (in your own little adorable way of course!):

• one, two, three go!
• please mommy
• thank you
• welcome
• excuse me
• more please mommy
• good
• I love you
• let's go!
• a, e, i, o, u, y
• a b c d h m and it trails off from there...
• buckle up
• fish
• sleep
• night night
• bath
• oh my
• oh no
• swing
• grapes
• bananas
• nugget
• water
• wash
• see you later
• park
• zoo
• puppy
• Target (just kidding...but I am thinking you will say it any day now!)

You say lots of names these days as well:

•  Maddie
• Mommy
• Daddy
• Rachie
• Grandma
• Gigi
• Papa
• Emmy
• LoLo
• Ella

I love that you even though you can point to all of your body parts when we name them, you rarely perform for others. I know it's not because you are shy. I am not sure there is a shy bone in your body. You talk to strangers every where we go and will dance for anyone. Every once in a while you get a little embarrassed and cover you face. Even that is precious.

I would say that everything you do is precious, but sweetie, that is just not the case. In true toddler fashion, you get a little irritated when you don't get your way. We've had a few fits around our house this last month. You are getting a little more used to the word "no" and your protests don't last long. You don't do much (yet) that warrants a whole lot of discipline, but your defiance lands your  happy little hiney in time out a couple time a week. Overall, you have such a sweet disposition and you although you may hesitate at first, you generally do what we say. We are still working on getting you to NOT destroy the bathroom while I get ready in the mornings. By the time I get out of the shower you've TP'd the place and emptied the drawers. Oh dear.

I am not sure how much you weigh or how tall you are but I know you sure are growing. Most of your 12 months jeans are finally getting too short to wear and we found a few pairs of 18 months that don't swallow you whole. As for skirts and shorts, you are wearing all 12-18 months. I put a pair of 24 months on you the other day and they kept sliding off. You got so tickled by that. You can wear anywhere from 12-24 months tops and I have loved putting some of your 6-9 months dresses on as shirts. It's amazing how much you have grown and it is very obvious when we look at the pictures of you in them as dresses. As for shoes,  you are wearing a 4. Unfortunately for you, your feet are thick so your shoe choices are very limited. I have purchased a few pairs of squeakers because they are all that fit well! You still wear a size 4 diaper and I don't think that will change any time soon. You are definitely one growing girl!

Someone pointed out to me the other day that we call you lots of different names. MK, Maddie Kate, Mad Kat (when you are throwing your fits of course), Madelyn and Maddie. Apparently it hasn't confused you too much because you answer to them all.

You are full of spunk, sass and equal parts sweet. You love to give hugs and pat people on the back. You are the queen of slobbery kisses and you blow them at rapid fire pace. It always brings a smile to the receiver's face. 

You have many, many teeth. Seven on top, two on bottom and several more that are about to pop through. Those teeth come in handy with all the food you eat. Some days you are picky and I think I am going to have to hold your mouth open so you will eat. Others, you are a human garbage disposal. You love Chick-fil-A (who doesn't), drinking from straws and eating with forks. You are too big for your own britches if you asked me.

Most of all, you are loved.

I am so blessed to be your mom. Love you now. Love you always.

Love,
Mommy