9 Months

It's hard to believe but Madelyn is 9 months old!  Crazy how fast time goes.

We had her 9 month check up last week.  She is 30 inches long (97+%) and 21 lbs 6.5 oz (90%).  She is doing great other than her ears.  Unfortunately she still had a little fluid in her ears so the dr prescribed another 7 days of Augmentin and we have a recheck on Jan 30th to see if her ears have cleared up.  If they haven't cleared up she is going to refer us to an ENT doctor.  We are currently on week 6, round 4 of antibiotics for this ear infection.

You would never know Madelyn still had/has an ear infection.  She has been so happy!  She is walking like crazy.  Moving all around the house.  She'll transfer from one object to the next.  It's so fun to watch her little mind work so hard at what her next move should be.  She babbles all the time......just as if she is talking like us.  So cute!  She has been sleeping much better lately.  She is exhausted by 6:45 so is usually sleeping by 7:00, then she gets up between 4-5 to nurse and then sleeps until 6:30 (and some days we even have to wake her to get ready for daycare).  Last Saturday she slept until 8:00!  It was the first time we had been able to sleep in on the weekend and it was such a treat!

She started eating table food last week at daycare.  I had wanted to start her on table food right after Christmas but then with her ear infections she didn't have a very good appetite so figured it was best that we wait.  She has really caught on quickly.  She eats with the other kids at daycare so she has learned how to feed herself by watching the other kids.  Her daycare serves yummy food - chicken stir fry, Mexican rice with chicken, blueberry pancakes, waffles, turkey & mashed potatoes.  Just another reason I love our daycare.  I told Ryan we need to spice up the food choices at home as she is going to be bored/uninterested with what we have been giving her!  

helping mom with laundry

I love to hug my doll!!

Ear Infection

Madelyn has been battling a double ear infection since the 1st week of December.  She is on her 3rd antibiotic.  We are hoping this one does the trick!  We feel so bad for her.  This past week has been the worst.  The latest antibiotic is just ripping up her stomach.  She has dirty diapers all the time, has been throwing up after we give her the antibiotic, only eats a few bites of fruit at every meal, doesn't nap/sleep during the day and just hasn't been herself.  There were times when she screamed when we held her, rocked her, put her down.  She was just miserable.

We have been to the doctor 5 times since the beginning of December.  4 of the 5 have been for her ear infection checks & rechecks.  The other appointment was because she spiked a fever of 103.5.  This was the day before we left to celebrate Christmas with our families.  Thankfully she recovered quickly from that.

We have her 9 month appointment this coming Friday so we are going to talk to our doctor about our options.  I know she's too young for tubes but we can't keep going through 2-3 antibiotics every time she has an ear infection.

New Years Weekend

On Dec 30th, we went to Jon & Jennie's to celebrate Christmas with my dad's side of the family.  It's always a fun time and Jon/Jennie have a beautiful house and do a marvelous job entertaining.  Madelyn did great - she loved their 2 dogs.  It was cute to watch Bishop & Madelyn play together with the dogs.

On New Years Eve we went to my best friend, Katie's, house.  We hung out with their family & her sister's family.  We went early & were home early but Madelyn actually made it later than we thought.  We were planning to leave around 7 but she did great so we didn't leave until a little after 8.  Madelyn loves people and especially other kids.  Katie's kids are a little over 2 1/2 and her sister's daughter is 2 1/2.  Everyone had fun and we love this tradition that we have started.

On New Years Day we went to my sister's house to watch the Vikings-Bears game.  Since the Bears have lost many of their starters to injuries the outcome of the game didn't matter much but we always have a fun time!  My parents came up too.

Bishop, Nana, Papa, Madelyn

Madelyn, Auntie Carla, Bishop

I ended up getting sick on New Years Day night, Ryan didn't feel well when he got up in the morning and then we took Madelyn into the doctor that morning (Jan 2nd) and found out she still had her double ear infection. 

My good friend & co-worker Shari offered to take Madelyn for an hour or two that afternoon so Ryan & I could rest.  It was the best thing for all of us!  I felt so refreshed after getting some sleep & Madelyn had a great time with Shari & Max.  Here are a few pictures of their time together.....

Riding my cart

Sleeping on Shari

Reading & snuggling with Max

I learned how to wave and now I do it all the time!

I love the elevator game with my Dada!

Christmas

We had a great Christmas! It was so fun, especially having little ones around. That also makes it a bit crazier but we all had a blast.

We celebrated with Ryan's family on Friday the 23rd. Everyone was able to make it so that was fun. Madelyn got a ton of things. Ryan and I ended up getting Madelyn a super soft stuffed animal as she didn't have any......well we should have waited until after the Bormann Christmas. She got a dog, a pink giraffe, a Chicago Bear, a pink pillow pet and a dinosaur so she is all set! She got a walk-behind toy which she loves as she is walking all over the place these days.

As tall as all my presents!

Madelyn loves talking dolls!

Madelyn's favorite present - the pig that shakes when you press his nose! She giggles & laughs!

Then we traveled to Owatonna to celebrate with my family. We went to church on Christmas Eve afternoon. Madelyn did pretty well - she entertained everyone sitting behind us. Then she fell asleep on Nana during the Family Blessing. She was in desperate need of some sleep as she didn't nap well on the road (I wasn't surprised).

My grandparents joined us for dinner so we had a nice Christmas Eve meal and then opened gifts. Some families open one gift at a time.....we have never done it that way so everyone is opening gifts at the same time - it was crazy but so fun! Madelyn got a Mickey push toy/walker. It was the same one that Bishop got last year so at first he thought it was his - thankfully there were plenty of walkers for Madelyn and she didn't know the difference.

Madelyn & Bishop have so much fun together. It's awesome to watch as they are so young yet they definitely know who each other is and they both light up when they are together. Bishop is so nice to Madelyn, always giving her kisses and wondering where "baby" is! Precious!

We came back to our house on the afternoon of the 25th. It was such a treat to be at home on Christmas Day and then have the day after Christmas at home too.

My mom's reaction to the iPad we got them for Christmas (from all of us). This was our way of saying thank you for EVERYTHING they do for us. They come up 1x/week and will drop whatever is going on if one of the kids is sick and come up so we can go to work. We are so fortunate!!! Plus now we can FaceTime since we all have Macs/iPhones.

Walking behind her Mickey airplane - she gets better & more balanced every day

Eating Mac & Cheese (my favorite!) for my Christmas meal. Grandma Emily made the bib! She makes one for every holiday. Love them!!

December

We had a good December.  Not sure where the month went?!? but it's always busy between Thanksgiving & Christmas and even busier now that we have a baby.  The days and weeks go by so fast because by the time we pick her up from daycare, get home, have dinner and play for a little bit, then it's time to put her to bed.  She is sleeping better which we are all very excited about.  She goes to bed around 7:00 and usually sleeps until 5, if we are lucky somedays it is closer to 6.  I'll definitely take that!

Madelyn is growing up more & more all the time.  She started army crawling & walking behind things.  She is so proud of herself.

We didn't take her to see Santa this year.  We'll try that next year.  

Here are a few pictures of Madelyn from December......

I match my favorite dolly!

My cousin Bishop & me - the best picture we have gotten so far of the 2 of us

My dada and me, just hanging out

Reading up on golf.  My papa would be proud!

Taking pictures for our Christmas card

I love reading books with my Papa!

My friend Max - we always have a good time together!

Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend. We celebrated with Ryan's family on Thanksgiving day. This year Ryan's family Thanksgiving was "smaller" because some of his aunts/uncles were not able to come. "Smaller" still meant around 20 people.....which is more people than if everyone on my side gets together and that includes both my mom & dad's side!

Madelyn had a great time and was so happy. We were a little nervous with how she would sleep in the pack and play but she did awesome! Back in October (the last time she slept in the pack & play), she woke up midnight and wouldn't go back to sleep in the pack & play. She slept until 4-4:30 both nights we were in Iowa.....yay!

We left for Owatonna on Friday mid-morning. We stopped by the Algona Hospital (where Grandma Emily works) so her co-workers could meet Madelyn.

Then on Saturday we celebrated Thanksgiving with my side of the family. There were 13 people (plus the 2 kiddos). Both sets of grandparents were able to make it. My grandpa (my mom's dad) was admitted to the hospital earlier in the week as he was having a hard time breathing. He was discharged on Thanksgiving day and he was feeling up to coming on Sat. I feel so blessed to still have both sets of grandparents, who we are able to see often.

We came back home on Saturday night. On Sunday we put up the tree & lights. Now it's onto the Christmas holiday......

The Bormann Family

I think this is the 1st time (since I've been around) that we have gotten a picture with everyone!

Reading with Uncle Chris

Walking.....and so proud of myself!

Playing and laughing with Grandpa! Always such a fun time!

The Bishop Family

Bishop & Madelyn reading with Papa

Making music on my piano

We (Papa, Ryan & I) took Bishop to the park on Friday afternoon. Bishop is so much fun~I just can't get enough of him.....and he is such a cutie! He loved going down the slides, swinging, digging in the sand and chasing Papa all over the park. I am so excited that next year Madelyn will be able to join Bishop in all these activities. Bishop laughed & laughed! There is something so magical about a child's laugh - he truly loves life!!!!