Madeleine at 11 Months

(I don't have any current pictures, so these are from October when he had our family pictures done. You want family pictures? tiffanyannphotography@live.com)
I think the cutest thing in the world might just be watching Madeleine walk down the hall to me. After a full month of being able to walk, she has gotten so fast, but she still is not very steady or graceful. I love, love, love it. Of course when she gets to me, and I don't pick her up and she bites me on the upper thigh to remind me she is the center of the universe. . .not so cute.Maddy is definitely in a moving phase. She especially loves to escape our bench at church, and bear crawl--necessitated by her dress--up to the steps leading to the stand. Or this week, she kept going about 10 benches back to hold on to the Palmers' baby seat, in hopes of seeing the baby, I imagine. Her favorite escape though, is to the backyard. There is nothing like the beckoning call of mud, a wet sandbox, dried leaves, garden dirt, the trampoline and her swing. So, her knees, bum and feet are pretty much always filthy. (This might be a good time to mention that stains on clothes have never really bothered me.) Often I find her outside, alone, on the back porch, standing next to the riding lawnmower, or just sitting, playing with some random-ness that has found it's way to our porch. I don't think that ever happened with my first 2 children. She also loves to play in the front yard, where she usually can be found tangled up in a stroller--we only have about 3 sitting on the front porch, in addition to several more in the car, laundry room and backyard.Still an eating, pooping machine. Still breastfeeding. Still taking 2 naps, but only a very short morning one. Still loves baths. Still getting ear infections. Still [sigh] teething. She is getting good at mimicking sounds back that I ask her to say, and using signs when she really wants something. Sometimes she joins us as we sing, and that is really cute.
Madeleine is also into climbing. As mentioned, she tries to get in the stroller, but she also can often be found stranded on the step stool in the bathroom. She can get up, but not down. She also climbs into the frog potty a lot.
I love the feeling of holding Madeleine--like captured energy, but still so soft. She fits so nicely snuggled against my shoulder. She sleeps all night in her crib, but every morning, about 6:15, joins me in bed to eat, and I love to be snuggled up next to her warm little body. She adores her siblings, and whatever parent has most recently walked in the door.
I love you Maddie!