June 25th

Dear Madison,

I've been meaning to post something on here for months. You are now 9 1/2 months old. I can't believe how close you are to turning one!

We've finally moved to Ohio. I think you are adjusted to our new home now. You didn't hesitate to REALLY start crawling the first day we got here. (The 24th of May). I guess you decided there was plenty of open space, so you got up on those knees and moved yourself around. Before that you were doing the belly crawl!

We left SC the 23rd of May after Dwight got out of school. I was so sad to leave I couldn't help but cry. Our house held so many wonderful memories. I thought about the Poker Nights we shared with our family and friends, the day I brought you home from the hospital and how my mom slept on the full-sized bed in your room. I thought about the walls we had to sand down and paint in your room and how beautifully it turned out after all. There were so many memories in that house. It's the first time I've ever lived somewhere and wished I could stay!

The first couple of nights after leaving SC you didn't sleep too well. We stopped at your Aunt Tina's in TN the first night. It was the half-way point between SC and our new home. That was when I discovered you were saying more than just Mama and Dada.

You saw Aunt Tina's cute little puppy and kept saying, Dah!

"I think she's saying dog." Tina told me.

Sure enough, that's exactly what you were saying! That's when I started paying more attention to what you were saying.

I'm sure it was strange not sleeping in the room you've been used to sleeping in for the entire 8 months of your life. You were especially clingy once we got to our new home. I felt so bad and wished I could explain to you what was all going on. We all miss our home in South Carolina!

The day after you were crawling, you started to say "no, no!" It WAS so cute and funny. You would look at your brothers, shake your fingers and say, "nah, nah!" to them. They just giggled and laughed at you. Don't worry, they very rarely take me seriously either!

Since then, you've learned how to say, "Bite,Ibuh!), Nurse, (Nuh!), all done, (sometimes it's just done, as in "duh!" but other times you say all "ah" too). You can say stop and stop it, Bubba, you try to say Donavan, you say Hannah very easily (the first time you said it I was calling her and you decided to mimick me, raising your voice and everything!). You also say Fox, (fah), up, and bye bye. You even started waving (I think last week) by shaking your hand up and down.

So needless to say, you've reached many many milestones. You're about to get your first tooth (bottom right). It's just surfacing and should break through any day now. Until then you'll continue to need mommy a lot! Oh yes, and you LOVE Graeter's icecream - Rasberry Chip. Yum!

Right Before My Very Eyes

Last night I had a dream that Madison started crawling around really fast. But it was only for a brief moment. She quickly stood up and before I knew it, she was running at full speed. I was shocked. I mean, my baby went from crawling across the room one time to running around the house! I was sad at how fast my little girl was growing up right before my very eyes.

This morning I woke up thinking about how funny my dream was. And wouldn't you know it, this would be the day Madison started to crawl! So today marks another milestone, but at least she isn't running around.

I think having that dream inspired me to enjoy watching her scoot her little body forward even more than I would have on a typical day. She still hasn't mastered crawling like she did in my dream. In fact, she got a little frustrated as she struggled to press her little feet into the carpet and push her body forward. But I know all too well how quickly the days go by. Soon she will be running around the house and I'll watch her pass me by...wishing I could take back the days - the moments that so easily slip out of my grasp as I'm consumed with every day responsibilities and tasks. I can't take them back, but if I stop to enjoy those special moments, I'll be able to play them in my head over and over again. It's the memories I stop to cherish that makes being a mom a joyous calling. What a joyous calling it is!

Six Month Pics

Dear Madison,

Today your Aunt Tina, cousin, and I took you to have your six month pics taken. I can't wait for them to be uploaded to the internet so I can post them on here! The photographer was absolutely awesome and you were just perfect. You smiled for every pose.

Needless to say, I spent a LOT of money. She took over 22 shots, and I bought about 70 sheets. Thank God I had a coupon because I spent over $300.

Today you hit another milestone. You said, Da-da! Of course, the first time you said it was in bed when Daddy was talking to you and he got to hear it. He was so excited. You also started saying "blah blah blah" yesterday. I guess you decided it was time to start sharing your thoughts with us!

We started feeding you baby food at about 5 1/2 weeks and you LOVE to eat. You will eat anything and every time you take a bite you say, MmmmmMMMMmmmmmM! Tonight your cousin Alexis fed you peaches for the first time and you were so loud eating them! MMMMM! You gobbled them right up!

I can't believe you will soon be crawling, and I think you are starting to feel the first irriations of teething. You've been biting on everything and chomping on your gums. I keep dreaming that that first tooth appears but so far, nothing. Poor baby!

Anyway, I started a post on your six month birthday, but life has been crazy. We are about to move from the Carolinas to Ohio. I'm going to miss it here. So many memories, your birth being the best.

I love you, beautiful Baby.

Love,
Mom