Madeleine at 7 and 8 Months

Of all my children, I probably have enjoyed Madeleine most as a baby. Not because she is the easiest--she isn't, or because she sleeps great--she doesn't, but because I have decided not to let this sweet time pass me by. I get told so often "how quickly they grow up" but I don't think I used to believe that when people said it like I do now. Funny then, that I go to get pictures of her for this entry, and I can't come up with anything. My hands are so full with so many other things, I just don't get the camera out as much as I used to, and I feel a little bad about that. Thankfully, we had some awesome family pics taken a few weeks ago, and when I get those, I will post them. That will be Madeleine's 8 month photo, this post only has pictures of her at 7 months (I missed posting about her at 7 months, so I'm doing both now).
The biggest development for Madeleine at 7 months (end of September) was that she learned to crawl! I don't remember seeing such a deliberate progression to crawling with my other children, but for Madeleine, it was so fun to see each progressive step. The very first time she crawled, the girls and I were all playing in Madeleine's room on the floor, so she had a full cheerleading section rhythmically chanting "Go Mattie go!" If only that video had survived my accidental delete on the camera. Madeleine mainly scoot crawls, like an inchworm, but she can also crawl traditional-style, and does so more than any of her siblings. Here are some pictures of that day that survived my accidental delete:
At 7 months, Madeleine also began saying "mamamama" and "dadadada" and I'm pretty sure she knows she is referring to us. I mean, why else would she know to call out for "dadadada" in the middle of the night, instead of "mamama" since it is always Andy who gets her at night when she is crying?
Also, for a short, beautiful few weeks, Madeleine returned to taking good naps (at least 2 times a day, at least 2 hours each time). She also seemed to like other people who aren't me and Andy a bit more for a few weeks, too. She is still breastfed but highly distractable, and there is always a distraction at our house. She loves solid food too, but still has no teeth to help her out. Poor kid, they've looked ready to burst through for at least a month now.
Madeleine is very "grabby"--she grabs anything she can. She pinches me a lot and is always finding some extra skin on me to grasp with her vice-grip. She continues to love to swing and gets excited to be pushed high.

At 8 months (end of October) Madeleine has learned to pull herself up to stand. She did it for the first time about 2.5 weeks ago. She now seems to prefer standing to sitting, whether she is being held or just alone on the ground. This month she finally got 2 teeth--the bottom center ones. The top ones look like they will follow soon. Teething has been really hard for Madeleine. It seems like with our other kids one day the teeth just popped up and were there. Not for Mattie. She feels them and we can see them for weeks before they finally break through. She has also had bad, lingering ear infections this month--the 4th diagnosed set, but I'm confident she has had more.

She is a very determined child, and lets us know when she is frustrated by crying very loudly and urgently. I actually think I've had some hearing damage from her crying in my ears. I told my aunt this--who has 6 children--and she affirmed my beliefs after holding unhappy Madeleine and saying, "She has the loudest cry I've ever heard." Generally, though, she is a very smiley, engaging child. She still loves mom and dad above anyone else, and doesn't like to be held by anyone else, but she sure loves other people from a distance. She loves to smile adoringly at people as soon as they have returned her back to her parents arms, or sometimes, just the floor. More about her determination: she loves to play the piano. If I carry her past it and she doesn't get to play, she protests by squirming and grunting. Each day when Abigail and I get our violins to practice, Madeleine is our biggest fan. She really likes to watch, and I'm sure if she could get the chance, to play. One day she woke up crying from a nap, and after trying "everything" Abigail unpacked her violin and took it in to play for Madeleine. It was a happy distraction. She is still very determined to hang on to anything she grabs.
Sometime this month, Madeleine stopped spitting up! This is a big deal, since she used to spit up a lot. All of our girls have, but the other ones quit at 6 months. She can now pick up food placed on her high chair tray and get it into her mouth. I think Madeleine weighs in at 18 lbs. 12 oz. he doesn't grunt very much anymore, but she loves to click. And last night, as Andy was carrying her out the door, she lunged for some bananas on the counter and said, "Nana!"

I mentioned Madeleine doesn't sleep very well. None of my kids were great at this at night, and it used to really bother me. Every time I heard about someone else's kid sleeping through the night, I'd feel like I was failing and not doing something right. So it was with great joy that Madeleine slept through the night back at 2 months. Then, she stopped. She got ear infections and it all went out the window. Now she wakes up around 11/12 and 4/5 each night. But it doesn't bother me much anymore. I mean, I'm sure I'm physically altered, but still not as much as with other kids. The difference? I decided it didn't really matter much to me. I stopped waiting for it to happen and just accepted what was happening and I became less tired, and more happy. I even have treasured a few (just a few, not most of them :) of those 11/12 times together--if I haven't gone to bed yet--as I've held her close and rocked her. She is so sweet to hold, even if she is scratching my neck to pieces as I do so. Sometimes I think she wakes up and just wants to be with me and Andy. She gives us her best smiles at night. So I've decided to think that is cute rather than be depressed about it--which I definitely have been with my other kids. It really has made a difference.