11 Weeks

Madeline is getting to be such a big girl already.  I know I say this all the time, but she's changing soooo fast.

Her new favorite way to spend her time is to sit on our laps and try to "sit" up.  This usually results in us desperately trying to catch her before she rolls onto the floor.  The poor girl has as much muscle control as a jelly fish, but that doesn't stop her from trying! We have to watch her very carefully these days.

When we help her sit up, she gets this look on her face like she knows she's accomplishing something big.  She smiles and looks around all wide-eyed.  Then, she stares at whoever is holding her with such intensity that you know she's soaking up as much information as her amazing little brain can process.  I can spend hours gently supporting her neck as she sits on my lap and makes faces at me.  It's so fun.  

She's becoming more and more vocal as well.  For the first time, I feel like the noises she's making are deliberate.  When we talk to her, she watches our mouths closely and then starts trying to repeat the sounds.  She mostly makes a lot of "Oohh"s, and "Uhhh"s.  And again, she seems to be congratulating herself. (Those sounds are coming from me?  Whoa!  Nice job, me!)

She is most definitely no longer just a little lump of a baby.  Her personality is starting to develop and shine.  It's amazing watching her grow and learn.  It's going to be sad to go back to work in a month...I'm going to miss so much.  La sigh....

Meanwhile, her mood continues to improve.  Gone are the endless hours of inconsolable crying. (Please do not smite me Internet gods!)  She still has her moments, but not half as bad.  Last night was the first night in a week where we had real trouble getting her to sleep at night.  She just wouldn't let us put her down.  Eric and I took turns walking her around the bedroom, and eventually she fell asleep.  A few weeks ago this would have been torture because she would have been screaming at the top of her lungs the whole time.  Last night, as long as we were holding her, she didn't cry.  She just wanted to be cuddled.

The only annoying part is that she won't let us sit down and comfort her when she gets upset.  We have to be walking around.  I could be rocking and holding her the same exact way sitting on the couch as I was standing up, but nope, she wants none of it.  My gal knows what she wants.