I love Madeline

"The only way I can describe what it's like to hold you as you make these high-pitched, exhilarating outbursts about the simplest of things is, well, use of illegal drugs. People ruin their lives with illegal drugs because they want to feel that feeling I feel when I'm holding you in the morning.

Because it is the purest essence of that which hasn't been desensitized by pain, loss, disappointment, or failure. It's the thrilling rush of hope and possibility shooting right into the core of what it means to be human: we are alive! We live! Look! Another day to be alive! That is the fundamental principle behind everything meaningful. We are alive to witness."

I read lots of blogs and there have been several times when I'm like NO WAY I FEEL THE SAME WAY! But I just read this a few minutes ago so I'm remembering to share. This is from www.dooce.com, written by a mom in a letter to her two year old daughter. I'm sure every parent knows the feeling she speaks of. How easy it suddenly becomes to forget everything else in the world because what is most precious is right there in your arms. And then seeing, with help and reminders from your child, all of the wonder and possibility and opportunity that is there for you. I wish everyone could have and hold on to one of those moments at least once a day. I'm gripping on to my sweet moments with Miss M with everything I've got, and I'm never letting go.

An update

Madeline has a book that she has loved ever since she realized how to turn pages. It's called Peek-a-boo Kisses. Every other page has a part that folds out so you see the animal (peekaboo!) and you can feel the animal's fur. So, she also kisses these animals. Big slobbery open mouthed kisses. Naturally, after she kisses, I wipe the slobber off of the page. Tonight she started wiping her own slobber off the page. Turn page, open flap, kiss, wipe, turn page. Repeat. I guess she does more of a slap on the slobber, but still it's pretty funny to see her do new things.


Other new things...

She says so many words. They don't always sound quite right, but I think she says milk, puppy, doggy, cat, ball, book, milk, water, cow, baby, outside, snack, uh oh, uh oh spaghettio (hahaha very funny to hear her say that, and I don't know how to spell it), bath, hi, hello, mama, dada, bye-bye, eyes, go, hat, hot, shoes, and probably lots more that I can't think of right now. And I'm sure there are so many words that she is attempting to say but I haven't picked up on it yet. She also likes to scream, just for fun. :)

She dances! Wiggles, shakes, gets lows... she dances around the kitchen with mama and she dances around her playroom to elmo songs or whatever noisy toy she can get her hands on.

Madeline has pooped in the tub. It was disgusting and now I try to bathe her quickly, the whole time thinking 'please don't poop. please don't poop. please don't poop.'

She really likes all toys, but books are definitely her favorite. She wants me to read her every book every night. She also likes toys she can ride on, pull toys, dolls, and stacking toys.

She loves hats and puts them on by herself. Also loves shoes and tries to put them on by herself!

She has a HUGE pot belly. When I take her shirt off of her, she looks down and smiles at her belly and smacks it!

Madeline sings. Anytime someone is singing to her, she usually sings along. When you stop singing, she continues. It's adorable. And she usually sways when she sings.

She is a snuggler. Some kids are all GOGOGO, but Madeline wants to sit in your lap and be with you.

She is getting so big, and it's making me happier than I've ever been but breaking my heart at the same time. Story of a mom's life, right? Just bittersweet.