May

Summer is approaching, and Madeline is prepared to live it up. We've had lots of fun outdoors this month, from helping me get prepared for my weeklong trek in the Grand Canyon to playing on the beach at Grandma's house.

Not much has changed with Madeline since last month, with the exception of her height. "Growing like a weed" is a common saying, but not far from the truth. We find dandelion stalks a foot tall in our yard just a day or two after mowing; likewise, Madeline's height markings on the back of her bedroom door show almost an inch of growth in about two months.

It also seems to me that her mood has mellowed in recent weeks, after last month's parent-draining bouts of "two-dom." She still has tantrums - mostly in the evenings around dinner and bathtime - but otherwise is often in great spirits and very loving. Maybe all of us - parents and child - are getting a better handle on how to deal with issues. Or, perhaps, she was in discomfort last month from the above-mentioned growth spurt. We are finding that there are so many gray areas in parenting - so many issues with no explanation or rational basis. Fevers, tantrums, fixations that arise out of nowhere and eventually pass, leaving us scratching our heads for lack of a clear answer.

Potty training: While Madeline has been wearing underwear around the house for a while, we have grown confident enough with her skills to actually run errands and let her take naps without a diaper. Her favorite part about the potty - the M&M's she gets as a treat afterwards (or "enemens," as she calls them).

Here are some pictures (and video) from this month:

Madeline was a big help in getting my camping supplies ready for my Grand Canyon trip.

Madeline enjoyed a pretty bouquet.

Madeline celebrated a Mothers Day lunch with Nana.

Madeline came down with a mystery illness for a couple days after I returned from my trip, so we just hung out around the house. I wish she hadn't been sick, but it was nice to spend some quiet time together after having been apart for so long.

Kickin' some tunes on mom's iPod.

Madeline loves being outside, and can usually be conscripted into some yardwork without too much trouble.

Daddy's little girl.

There isn't much that Madeline loves more than swimming in the river at Grandma's house. I see some swimmies in her future.

We also built some sandcastles and lighthouses on the pleasantly shady beach.

Madeline spent Memorial Day afternoon in her new backyard pool. Here, she's making water pancakes for our guests.

And in the video Madeline regales us with two of her favorite pieces - "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and the ABC song.