March

March is over, April is here and we've bid farewell to a winter that seemed like it wouldn't end. The past couple weeks have been beautiful - perfect, even - and we've taken advantage of it by being outside whenever we get the chance. Madeline loves walking outside and far prefers pushing the stroller to riding in it. We've spent many hours just checking out the buds and blooms in our new yard (it's our first spring in this house, so everything that blooms is a new surprise). Here's what Madeline's been up to:

Alphabet: In December's post, I mentioned that Madeline's new alphabet puzzle would be her challenge for 2010. Well, that didn't last long. She can assemble that puzzle with ease, rattling off the letters and their representations by rote ("A is for apple, B is for basket..."). Aside from the puzzle, she can identify most of the upper-case letters that she encounters in the world. And, with some minor guidance, she can sing the ABC song. Of course, the ABC song has little meaning for her in relation to the actual alphabet. She's just memorized the tune and the sounds - so "lmnop" is a single phrase and not five separate letters. But she's definitely getting the idea that letters make words. For instance, she knows that we're supposed to be reading the letters when we're looking at a book - when she realizes that we're not reading exactly the words printed in the book, she'll point to them and say "Read this!"

Defiance: As Madeline explores her newly gained "Two-dom," she's exhibits more and more traits associated with that age. While I certainly wouldn't describe her as "terrible," she definitely is more vocal about what she wants and what she doesn't want. This is nothing new, but it can seem more intense at times than it has in the past. Her new phrase, coined just this week, has been to yell "it's mine!" when we try to take something from her that she shouldn't have. It's funny to watch because she's not doing it in a selfish or particularly angry manner, but you can tell she's throwing that phrase out there to see what happens. She's testing limits, which is exactly what she should be doing.

Here are some pictures from the past month:
In early March we took Madeline on her first real hike - to Ragged Mountain near Charlottesville. We had been camping and hiking before, but for the first time Madeline walked much of the trail herself.

Madeline enjoys hiding in the bushes that line the front of our house.

Madeline checks out the first flowers of spring.

Madeline enjoys playing the piano and the guitars. Who knows - will she be a musician? It intrigues me to think about the interests and hobbies she'll pick up along the way.

Stomping in an early-spring puddle.

One of the last times we had to put on the winter coat and hat.

Madeline's been eating with us in her booster seat at the big table for a few weeks now (and, yes, she's reaching for her vegetables!).

Madeline gives the blooming daffodils in our yard a good sniff.

Under mom's tutelage, and drawing some inspiration from her pink tutu, Madeline practices her ballet moves.

The cutest ballerina I've ever seen.


On a gorgeous spring day we went to Maymont to visit the animals and enjoy the weather. Madeline enjoyed the eager, friendly goats - from a safe distance.

2-year check-in

Today we took Madeline for her 2-year check-in with the pediatrician. She weighed in at 28 pounds and is 34.5 inches tall. She's grown more than 2 inches since her last check-in, which was six months ago. But this was no surprise to us - we've been keeping tabs on her height with marks on her bedroom door, and there are already a few inches between measurements even though we've only lived here less than six months.

The doctor was happy with Madeline's progress. She didn't bother finishing the developmental checklist because Madeline is so obviously ahead of the game. Three-word sentences? Madeline reads entire books by herself. She frequently asks me 9- and 10-word questions. The doctor described her as "so smart" and "precocious."

But then she turned it against us. Since Madeline already "talks like a 5-year-old," she might end up being more devious and wily when it comes to disregarding her parents (she is still a 2-year-old, after all). So, while we sometimes feel like we've been experiencing the "terrible twos" for 8 months already, things could get much worse.

Note: Yesterday we stopped the pacifier. She had only used them at naptime and bedtime, but she had gotten to the point where she needed two to get to sleep - one for her mouth and the other to hold. A few weeks ago we stopped giving her the second one in anticipation of altogether ceasing after she turned 2. Yesterday we went cold-turkey. As it turned out, I think she was ready to give them up. On the first day she was acquiescent, today was a little more touchy. Hopefully things will smooth out over the next few days.

February

February has come and gone, with little news to share other than the fact that Madeline is now 2 years old. This year we celebrated her Leap Year birth on the 28th, both because it fell on a Sunday (the easiest day to get family together) and because she's our February baby - even if the 29th doesn't come every year, she arrived in February and that seems to be what feels right.

We celebrated another family member's birthday earlier in the month, and that gave us an entry to explain the concept to Madeline. She now happily tells people her birthday is February 29 and that she'll be 2 years old. She was also excited for weeks about the party and the cake - and blowing out the candles. And the day did not disappoint - her first birthday was somewhat dampened by teething issues, but this year Madeline had just gotten over a(nother) cold and was in great spirits.

Generally in these monthly posts I wrap up major themes or developments, but there doesn't seem to be much new to report this month. Of course, every day I am amazed at the thoughts she expresses - both the complexity of her ideas and the way she expresses them. She seems to have an uncanny command of her vocabulary. Her sense of humor seems to be expanding and deepening as well. It's fun to talk about imaginary, unrealistic situations and watch her process the visual in her mind and then laugh at the silliness (and sometimes throw in a "silly daddy!").

Here are some pictures from this month:

Remember last month? And the month before? Richmond's record-setting snow continued in February, and Madeline became more accustomed to the ice and snow blanketing the yard.


She also grew more accustomed to the refreshing mug of hot cocoa after a romp in the snow.


Last year we met Cousin Ozzy. This year Madeline got to hang out with Ozzy and his new little sister, Scarlet.

Madeline enjoys a book with Nana.

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After more than a winter's worth of snow, we welcomed a springlike weekend by spending most of it outside.

One of Madeline's favorite pastimes these days is pushing the stroller around the driveway. And when she gets tired? Well, there just happens to be a stroller for daddy to push her around in!

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Madeline loved all of the gifts she received for her birthday and, not wanting to seem ungrateful, spent lots of time with each gift. Lots of time. Like reading-the-entire-book-twice time. . .

and walking-in-circles-around-the house-for-20-minutes time with her new baby-doll stroller.

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Finally it was time for the main event - blowing out the candles on her cake (homemade carrot cake by mommy, with icing/decoration assistance from Aunt Hannah). It took a couple tries but she got the job done. And she's not telling what she wished for!

Two years

Happy birthday, Madeline!

Crushing bananas!

It's been a while since we've posted video, but I captured this exchange this weekend and couldn't resist sharing it. And it's got subtitles for viewers not fluent in 2-year-old.

January

In contrast to the last few months of 2009, January has been a very quiet month. Mostly we stayed close to home, working on house projects and, in general, exhaling from a whirlwind holiday season. Madeline was sick for about a third of the month and we got more than a foot of snow this week, so our out-of-the-house adventures were kept to a minimum. But there are still plenty of highlights:

Questions: We were at the bookstore in early January, looking at a display of stuffed-animal toys. Madeline was naming them - bear, bunny, doggy - and then she got to a fanciful pink creature that was sort of a mix between a unicorn and a dragon. Instead of faking something, she simply looked at me and said, "What's this?" It was her very first question, and since then she's been peppering us with interrogatives more and more frequently. "What's this?" "Who's that man?" "Where's mommy?" I love this development because it opens so many avenues for conversations with her, and gives her curiosity a more precise outlet.

Names: Somewhere along the way Madeline learned her parents' real names. And she uses them at the most opportune times. I was buttoning up her onesie after a diaper change one afternoon and clumsily snapped the buttons out of alignment. When I realized the error and started to re-button, she looked at me and said, her voice dripping with mockery, "Come on, Jeremy!"

Filling in: As Madeline takes her linguistic skills in new directions, she's also filling in the cracks of her basic foundations. She's now often includes the smaller parts of speech in her sentences - the conjunctions, the pronouns, the articles. Instead of pointing and saying, "Doggy!" she now will say "That's a doggy." Her sentences are getting longer and longer as she adds these smaller elements. One of the better examples has arisen from our efforts to get her to ask for things nicely. Instead of yelling, "more cereal!", she'll say, "Please may I have another bite of Daddy's cereal, please," with every word fully formed and enunciated (though not necessarily sincere).

Here are some pictures from the past month:


Madeline had a blast exploring Maymont's Nature Center. It was the perfect antidote to a frigid winter day.

Madeline got to get up close and personal with some of the Nature Center's inhabitants, many of which were almost as big as she was.

The highlight, though, was the river otters that swam and frolicked right in front of us, and even came over to investigate Madeline.

This scene was typical of the last few weeks - finding ways to entertain ourselves indoors. It also shows Madeline's pretty blue eyes!

We got a few days of spring-like weather, and didn't waste a minute getting outside. Here Madeline goes for a ride on her scooter with a little help from Mommy.


And then it was winter again. We spent some time outside trying to catch snowflakes on our tongues. The snow was deep, but soft and powdery enough for Madeline to walk through pretty easily.

If you spend enough time indoors, you find new places to sit, such as this spot in the laundry basket, complete with blanket, pillow and several books. Not a bad way to spend a cold winter morning!

Madeline is really coming into her own when it comes to phone conversations. She would probably talk for an hour or more if her interlocutor was willing.

Nothing beats a mug of hot cocoa after a jaunt in the snow. In fact, Madeline was having a great time outside when I casually mentioned we could have some cocoa when we got in. And thus the outdoor adventure ended rather abruptly.

December

Whew! We've just capped off an amazing holiday season, filled with everything that makes the season what it is - Christmas decorations, family visits and tons of food. Madeline, now 22 months old, was completely immersed - she even learned how to operate the cd player in our living room so she could turn on the Christmas music every morning ("Jingle Bell Rock" was her favorite tune, though she also learned most of the words to "Silent Night"). She loved decorating the tree and going on Christmas-light tours in the neighborhood, and even inspired us to string up lights on the columns and rails of our front porch.

Aside from the holidays, Madeline has had an active month. She can now count to 13 without interruption or repetition, and can accurately identify small numbers of similar objects (two shoes, three squirrels). Her longest sentences have contained seven words, but five- and six-word sentences are common.

The most exciting part for me is that we can have genuine conversations together. Each night as I put her to bed we talk about that day, and it always amazes me what details she remembers. I don't feel like I'm coaxing words from her, but rather I'll briefly mention an activity and she'll describe what she remembers, such as where she was standing, the texture of an object or who else was there. When I talk to her on the phone (she loves talking on the phone) I can ask what she had for dinner or what she did with the babysitter that afternoon, and she'll tell me with accuracy.

Perhaps it shouldn't surprise me that she can remember those types of details. I'm more impressed that she can verbalize her thoughts so well, and by her huge vocabulary (one baby-development site says a typical 22-month-old's vocabulary consists of 20 words). She's even started to pluralize words and experiment with pronouns.

Potty training is going well so far - she lets us know when she has to go (sometimes) and seems to be pretty good about controlling it and waiting until she's ready to go. And she makes adults feel special by cheering when they emerge from a restroom, just like mommy and daddy cheer for Madeline when she's successfully used the potty.

At the beginning of this year I speculated that the major story of 2009 would be Madeline's cognitive growth, and she hasn't disappointed (although her physical growth has been impressive, too, according to the pencil marks on the back of her bedroom door). In fact, I don't think I quite realized the amazing development that would take place in the past 12 months.

Here are some photos from the past month:

In the spirit of the season, Madeline made her own wrapping-paper-tube trumpet.
























All decked out in daddy's "outdoorsman" flannel jacket and holding a spatula, Madeline is ready to assist with the steak-grilling duties one late-fall evening.

Madeline enjoyed a visit with her great-grandparents and other family members during our annual holiday trip to Roanoke.

Madeline, holding Baxter the Dog, spread her holiday cheer throughout the retirement community where her great-grandparents live.

Madeline lends mommy a finger - a duty she relished at wrapping time.
























Madeline writes a greeting on a gift that she will later present to Aunt Hannah.

A late-December storm left about 8 inches of snow at our home - Madeline's first experience with snow since March,
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This time, Madeline loved being outside in the snow, although it was so deep and dense she couldn't really walk in it.










Madeline hugs her very first snowman.
























Madeline, taking a break from cooking Christmas treats in the kitchen, spends a quiet moment with the nutcracker. Madeline and mommy could be found in the kitchen many mornings this month, and I always enjoyed waking to the delicious smells of whatever was cooking.

Madeline spent a few days on Christmas week hanging out at Grandma's house with mommy and Hannah, doing Christmasy things with the girls. Daddy later got to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Madeline gives Uncle Stephen a hug during our Christmas Eve visit to Nana's cabin at Bear Creek Lake State Park.

Madeline readies the milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, and was perhaps confused why she couldn't share them.

The first gift Madeline saw on Christmas morning was her new kitchen set, and she played with it for most of the day. We had to pry her away to get her to notice other presents and people.

Madeline helps Papa extricate her new baby doll from the seemingly adult-proof packaging.

Madeline enjoys an alphabet puzzle she received from Santa - the old color and shape puzzles had become too easy for her, so now she has a new challenge for 2010.

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Madeline chats on her new Pooh phone after Christmas morning breakfast at Granddaddy's house.

Madeline's 2009 Christmas portrait.

November

The season is in full swing here at the end of November, and it's been an eventful month for us. Aside from the usual holiday hubub, we've also had a big family wedding to celebrate (see a few pictures from the wedding here).

Madeline continues to impress us daily with her intellect. She can express herself with accuracy in almost every situation, using five- and six-word sentences to convey action, emotion and nuance. Even the words that she would have no reason to remember come out in the proper context days later.

The same is true with her books - she's familiar with them after the first reading, and she can recite several phrases per page of her favorite books. She sometimes sits and reads for 30 minutes or more, and I love listening to her read aloud, and realizing where she is in the book from the words and inflections she's using.

Her counting is coming along, although she seems to have forsaken the number three. Madeline counting sounds something like, "one, two, four, five, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine," getting hung up like a broken record on the "four, five" segment.

Here are some pictures from this month:

Madeline explored the live oysters on display at the Urbanna Oyster Festival.


Barely awake, Madeline clutched Debby the doggy during a long car ride.

Madeline enjoyed being showered with leaves in the backyard.

Madeline shoots the breeze with friends and family on the porch at Grandma's house on a pleasant fall weekend.


Clowning around.

Madeline proudly shows off her half-marathon finisher's medal. She spent much of the morning calling herself the "champion" and offering high-fives.

Spending a lazy fall afternoon on the front steps.

After mastering the skill of walking along the railroad tie on the edge of our driveway, Madeline looked to mommy for assurance before jumping off the side.

Making the leap.

Pleased with her success.

Madeline cautiously investigates a large slug. . .

and then reaches out to touch it.

Grasping on the kitchen counter for a tasty snack.

Madeline enjoyed helping us decorate the tree, and is a huge fan of Christmas music. She dances and sings along, and her favorite song so far is "Jingle Bell Rock."

Here's an outtake from Madeline's holiday photo shoot. Stay tuned in late December for Madeline's annual Christmas portrait!