August

August has come to a humid end and we look somewhat eagerly to the fall. While the multitudes of mosquitoes have driven us from our own yard, we have been active at the local parks, soaking up the warm summer days and exploring nature where we find it.

Sickness: Madeline's monthly sickness reared its head again in August, as expected, but was a bit worse this time. We took her back to the doctor and they suspect her tonsils may be to blame. If it happens again in September we'll go back to the doctor and they will make a determination at that point. Poor Madeline has been sick to some degree every month this year. Thankfully it usually only lasts about 24 hours and generally hasn't been much more than a high fever.

Big bed: Madeline made the move to a big-girl bed this month, and she has been very excited. She shows everyone who comes over and regales them with the details. And she's very good about staying in bed (see more below).

Make believe: For the past week or so, Madeline only answers to the name "Marta." Or "Doggy." Or "Princess." She has a vivid imagination and often assimilates situations from her favorite books into her own life. She also received a tea set from her babysitter, and she loves to share tea time with anyone who will join her.

Potty training: Several times this month, Madeline has been able complete the potty process completely by herself, from start to finish. The first time was a surprise - we just looked over and she had prepared herself and sat down without even mentioning it to us.

Whistling: Often when we ride in the car, Madeline is lost in her own little world of wonder, talking and singing and otherwise emptying the contents of her mind. At one point recently, I noticed a different sound coming from the back seat. I turned and saw Madeline, lips pursed, whistling. I watched her for a minute and realized what was happening, but when I laughingly mentioned it to her, she started to laugh as well, and the momentum was difficult for her to retrieve. She has tried again several times since, with varying success.

Some pictures from this month:

Madeline had a great time when the Hartsons spent a weekend with us. A highlight was the Maymont Nature Center, where the kids watched the otters and then picked up stuffed versions to take home.

Madeline finally got her hair cut. After scoping the place out a week earlier, she was excited to return for a trim from the hairdresser, Kim.

Our little artist knocked out a couple commissions - one of which proudly hangs in her dad's cubicle at work.

Madeline got her first bee sting, at a summer picnic this month. It was a small bee, and a small sting, so it became more of a curiosity than an ordeal.

At an early age, Madeline showed a penchant for jewelry. Her love of accessorizing has not diminished with the passage of time.

Madeline impressed me when she put together this drawing of a flower. For the first time, she deliberately drew it in two parts - the flower itself and then the long stem below. She's good at drawing circles (and calling it a sun) and other squiggles, but this was an instance that required some precision and forethought.

Madeline made the transition to her big-girl bed this month. She's very good about staying in bed - almost too good. She's so conditioned to being picked up when she's ready to get out that she won't get out on her own, even with the side removed. I'm sure she'll figure it out soon enough, but for now we're not letting on that getting up on her own is a possibility, even if it means that we deliver a book from the nearby bookshelf that she could otherwise easily get on her own.

Our little kitchen helper loves offering a hand preparing dinner. And she loves corn on the cob, so in this case, a win-win.

Maymont continues to be a go-to destination for pleasant days. This time we visited the Japanese Garden for the first time, and my little adventurer got a kick out of climbing the rocks beside the big waterfall.

July

It's been a fun summer so far, with days spent at the river, at the park, with family, and having fun at home. Madeline is becoming a regular chatterbox, and can talk for minutes on end, weaving together disparate thoughts connected by the occasional
"because. . ." or "so I. . ."

Just today she counted to 20 for the first time that I've heard - she previously stopped at 14 but today just kept on going. She can spend entire car rides and neighborhood walks entertaining herself with one-sided conversation, and even seems perplexed when I occasionally remark on her thoughts, as if she didn't quite realize herself that she was lost in a distant world of imagination. So mostly I just listen and enjoy (see the video at the bottom of this post).

Haircut: Last week we took Madeline to the salon for her first haircut - her hair is so long and is looking a little shaggy when it's not held back or put up in a pony tail. As I expected, the first visit to the salon was spent just checking the place out - she clutched and climbed me but was happy to look around and even have her hair brushed while I was holding her. But no haircut. But our intent was to introduce the idea - we'll try again this week (she has already excitedly agreed, but we'll see what happens when we actually get there.)

Sickness: For the past several months, Madeline has come down with a high fever almost every four weeks to the day. There are no other symptoms, just the high fever (up to 105) that spikes for about a day and a half and then fades away. She's fatigued for a few more days and then it's back to normal. It's curious that this happens so regularly - the doctor found no cause when we took her the first or second time it happened - but at least we're getting more of a routine when dealing with it when it pops up.

Here are some pictures (and video) from the past month:

Madeline got a kick out of eating lunch in her high chair one day, which for several months had sat unused in a corner of our dining room. Usually she eats at the kitchen counter or in her Buzz Lightyear chair (seen in the background).

Madeline eyed her drink on a warm afternoon while helping me with some grilling on the back porch.

In honor of the World Cup, which Madeline frequently watched with me, we had our own little Cup in the backyard, complete with shouts of "Goal!" and "We won the game!"

Madeline made her first visit to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The trip was cut short as Madeline became increasingly sick with her monthly illness, but we enjoyed the time we spent and look forward to going back when everyone is feeling well.

Madeline tried out her mommy's sunglasses, and felt pretty cool.

Taking care of Baby Maddie.

We took a three-day mini-vacation to Grandma's house, and spent a morning at Haven Beach in nearby Mathews. Madeline had fun swimming and watching daddy get nibbled by the fish.

Madeline also spent some time exploring the tide pools and their curious and bountiful inhabitants.

Madeline even took the oars during an outing with Grandma.

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I guess we're pretty lucky to have a 2-year-old who loves to sit and read to herself for long periods. Here is a video I shot surreptitiously as she read one of her favorites.

June

Summer has appeared with a vengeance, with this month being the hottest June on record in Richmond. Madeline spent much of her time focused on indoor pursuits - drawing, fingerpainting, cooking and watching lots of World Cup soccer with me. She also enjoyed spending quiet time with her stuffed friends, reading to them, taking them to the imaginary doctor or grocery store, or just taking them for a walk in the doll-size stroller.

There haven't been many major developments, other than her continued growth. She's actually starting to look tall now, and the latest bedroom-door marking sits nearly three-quarters of an inch above the last measurement, taken in May. Potty training is going well - she only wears diapers at night now, and has even made use of public facilities when the need arises while we're out and about. This makes us think about putting her in a kid bed now, but we're not quite ready for the secondary effects - the refusal to get in bed at bedtime and the midnight visits to our room. That time is coming soon, though.

Here are some pictures from this month:

We went camping early this month at Otter Creek on the Blue Ridge Parkway. When we set up camp on the first afternoon, a tired Madeline quickly settled into the tent with her books and her friends. This was not the case at bedtime later that night, when it took almost four hours to get her settled down.

Madeline's favorite part of the camping experience was playing with Mommy in Otter Creek, which trickled peacefully next to our campsite. Here she plays in the afternoon. . .

and it was her first order of business early the next morning.

With apple in hand, Madeline hiked most of the mile-long trail to Johnson Farm.

Madeline and Mommy surveyed the grounds from the window of the historic farmhouse.

Madeline even got to see the dolls that the girls who lived on the farm once played with.

We also hiked up a mountain - at the top, one of us was full of energy, and the other was not.

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We were amazed when Madeline swept this paper off the kitchen counter and it landed as you see here - on its side.


Madeline enjoyed playing dress-up on a muggy, lazy afternoon at Grandma's house.


Madeline still gets plenty of enjoyment from her kitchen - a Christmas gift last year. She cooks stews and cookies using spices and kitchen supplies borrowed from Mommy.

When the weather returned to more seasonable temperatures later in the month, Madeline and I jumped at the chance to spend a morning hiking along the James River.

Here Madeline's thinking, "Hmmm, what can I throw into the water?"

We stopped at a shady bench to eat a snack and watch the water roll by.

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.

April

When it comes to being 2 years old, Madeline is definitely getting her game on. Last month I hedged a bit when describing Madeline's defiant attitudes, but this time around there's no denying that she's brimming with all-out 2-year-old glory. Combine that with a nasty virus that hung around for a good portion of the beginning of the month, and you have the formula for frustration.

Madeline's frequent displays of "oppositional behavior" range from yelling, screaming and crying to running away to completely ignoring us. While it's not unexpected from a toddler, it can still become trying at times, but we seem to make it through each day. And through the clouds there usually shines some sun. At her best, Madeline is a very sweet, loving and fun kid (we even have our own inside jokes - just mention the phrase "in the water" to her and she's bound to smile). She loves going to the gym day-care, story time at the local library and the grocery store. And she really loves playing outside in the yard.

Singing: Madeline knows all the words to several songs, and many a car trip is spent singing all of them in succession. Favorites include "Itsy-bitsy spider," "Monkeys on the bed," "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" and the alphabet song.

Potty: We're deeply into potty training now, and Madeline is getting very good at it. She even wears regular underwear around the house and has yet to make a mistake.

Here are some photos from this month:

Madeline had a great time hunting eggs on Easter. In fact, her basket became so heavy that she could hardly carry it as she scampered from tree to tree.

Many fun hours are spent in our backyard, playing with the soccer ball, checking out flowers, plants and bugs, and even helping mommy and daddy with yardwork. . .

and many a wish has been made with soft breath on a dandelion.

We made a trip to York River State Park, and Madeline had a great time. Here she checks out the wildlife display inside the park's nature center.

And here she sits with mommy on a small dock, watching people launch canoes into the river.

But the best part was Fossil Beach, where Madeline searched for shells, dug in the sand, and watched the waves roll in.

When we got home from the park, she was wiped out and needed a rest on the living room floor before dinner.

April went out on a beautiful note, as our little family spent a gorgeous morning together outside.