Found her nose

This week she has been really into grabbing my nose and mouth (more so than usual) and so we started pointing at hers when she does this.
Last night we were making piggy noises for the nose and when i did it to her, she oinked right back and we had a blast making eachother laugh.




She is learning and understands so much. So much more than she can verbalize. Her signs are coming along. She knows and can use the sign for milk eloquently and can also do the same for "hat". She understands a few more like "water" "cat" and "all done" and tries to make some of these signs herself as well. I think she is picking up the sign for toothbrush as well. I can't wait until she feels like she can really communicate with us. The pointing thing works but isn't always clear.

oh- and she has been a champion sleeper this week!
i know- ive jinxed us, but i have to share the good as well as the bad and i know i've shared lots about her lack of sleep ;)

A Date with Sachin

Madeline had a date with her friend Sachin this weekend and we all had a blast. He is so much fun to hang out with that we asked for him to stay a bit longer so we could throw them in the bath together. madeline got a bit frisky when she discovered his behind - i kid you not! and other than being violated by the little miss madeline, we think Sachin had a great time!



Playing at their workshop in the kitchen

Relaxing after dinner just before tickle attacks from Don and I Madeline tries to tickle Sachin
Sachin seems to want some privacy :)

walking...

still no good videos but she is walkign 7-10 steps at a time now and without any provocation at all! We will hopefully have some evidence for our viewing audience this week :)

Roseola is all gone!

Madeline did have roseola. she got a slight rash last night at bedtime
and woke up fever free and rashless. she seems to be back to her happy
self.
whew- first childhood illness down.
now how do i cope when she gets an ear infection, diaper rash, chicken pox,
croup and all that other stuff? This mommy stuff is hard!

xoxo

Pretty in Pink!

Thanks Gramma Rose for my pretty pink dress and kerchief. I wore it to church on Sunday.
We had such a busy day I actually fell asleep on Daddy for the first time!
(truth be told madeline has been under the weather since Sun night so maybe she
was just getting her fever when we got this video. we hate for her to be sick but
it sure is nice to have a cuddly baby for a change!). Dr says she might have Roseolla
which is baby measles and if so, there will be an ugly rash soon and the worst will be
over. For now she has a small fever and we are playing hookie from life and just
taking it easy at home this week.) Ill keep you posted but here are some pics
from sun in the meanwhile. :)

 

 

 

 

Thank you Tanya!

 

 

 

We met Tanya's baby, Jasmine yesterday and we lucked out bc Tanya is professional
artist and snapped some pics for us too!
Here are a few samples.
XOXO

photo shoot!

Jasmine is so big!
She is almost 5 months old and is so sweet and cuddly. we are hoping she
rubbed off on our active little monkey in that respect. AND she has AMAZING
baby thighs...like a big old turkey leg you wanna bite into! She sits up and
plays, smiles and loved having madeline visit yesterday.
don got a few great snuggles in!
thanks chris and tanya. she is amazing!

 

 

 

 

first attempts...

I still dont have a good one yet- but here is a teaser or two

faking out mommy!:


almost caught her on tape!:


just missed a good one:

Working on a walking video

So, it seems that with her first steps this week, she has also taken to standing

and playing without holding on to things a lot more.

She is more talkative and speaks baby-ese much more these days and in general

seems to be understanding more of her world, exploring how things work and learning

how to do things: take stuff in and out of a box, open and close our doors, turn

on and off her toys etc.

I have a few quick clips of steps but they are weak. She is timid to venture off more

than a step or two unless she is walking between Don and I and so the whole

filming thing is hard. But i will get a good clip soon. You can tell she is excited and

not scared about walking, i just havent gotten a good action shot yet.

meanwhile, here is a video from last night's bathtime so you can hear her babbling a little bit.

And I will post the few snipits i have of standing and walking. When i get a really good

one i will send out a mass email so that those of you who don't check all day or who

dont have feeds that tell you when there is a new post, can know to pop online and check

it out.

thank you for your patience...my dear madeline fans- its in the works!

Daddy's Twin!

These two are unquestionably father and daughter!
Even their expressions are the same!



playing around before bedtime in our tent.

dancing with her favorite person:

Camping at memorial park

dinner with the four families

keeping warm with mommy

goofing around in our tent

My first Bike ride! I LOVED it!

I'm Walking, yes indeed....

Madeline took her first steps on Sunday.
She loves to walk in between mommy and daddy and has found a few places
in the house where she is willing to adventure a step or two on her own.
She has tried to walk from object to object now a few times and really gets excited
with her new skill!
Im working on a video. Right now i have some shots of her standing holding toys
in each hand- so she no longer needs to hold on, and a few where she takes 1 or 2 steps
but im trying to catch her walking 4-5 steps on tape before i post.
We are all pretty excited.

This past weekend's camping trip seems to have inspired her to do this in addition to
her new constant stream of talking. She is telling some stories! I just cant understand
what language it is in. ill get some of that in a video clip to and try to post both this week.
xoxo

Mom and Dad have some fun

    \
We are gearing up (literally and figuratively) for another camping trip this weekend
(Memorial Park, dad...so you can find it on Google Earth and Google Maps) so I have not spent
much time doing anything other than shopping and packing but Don convinced me to head out to the Giants game
to see Bonds hit 757 last night and it was a blast.

Playing outside

It has been so chilly here this week we have not played in the water for a few days but yesterday it got warm enough for me to fill up a basin of water and let her explore splash and of course, drink from it!
Here she is just hanging out on our patio.

She is a reading fool i tell you!

 

You're so Vain...

we are going to have to nail that thing in very securely since it is
her favorite place to play these days. She squeals and enjoys giving herself
big wet kisses!



she LOVES the mirror!



(ok...maybe she takes after mommy a little)

Messy eater

Is ANYONE else's baby as messy as ours at the table?!
She is a little pigpen.
and she loves it.

Madeline and her friends

Daddy spent a lot fo QT with Madeline last week but this week he was away on a business trip so mommy made sure that we had lots of friends over and activites planned. Here are some pics from both:
daddy reads to Madeline and Eliana before brunch: strawberry pecan pancakes with whipped cream and blueberries, bacon and maple syrup (thanks Greg Partch for the syrup straight from his backyard in NY)

Jed and Ella, Don and Madeline before dinner: tri-tip and orzo pasta, zucchini and corn followed by chocolate lava cakes and extreme chocolate denali ice cream...and wine!

Madeline celebrating Jordanna's birthday with Ayane and Donna

Tina (our 15 y/o friend from next door reads to Eve and Madeline while her mommy got an ultrasound for Eve's little sibling on the way!