The fifteenth week

This week's story was Madeline's first real laugh. Grandma Vera was here for a visit Friday and was playing with Madeline in the living room while Lacey and I were elsewhere in the house. All the sudden, Madeline burst into laughter - something Lacey or I hadn't heard before. She's made plenty of squeals and chirps of happiness, but this was pure Ha Ha Has of joy.

Just shy of four months, Madeline is gaining strength quickly. She can hold her head up high and look around the room while she's on her tummy. She loves standing and also enjoys laying on her back - she'll babble incessantly when she's laying on her playmat or the changing table. She'll talk and talk to whoever's there, and sometimes when no one is there at all.

Assuming Madeline has been putting on weight at a constant rate, she finally doubled her birth weight this Tuesday. She was born at 7 pounds, 2 ounces (before losing almost 14 percent of that in the first week) and should have reached 14 pounds, 4 ounces this week. It's obvious to anyone who carries her that there's a little more of her, especially when she's in her carrier! We'll have an official four-month weight check in a couple weeks.