Our little bookworm

Maddy is almost 10 months old and still growing. He has displayed a love for books recently and when he isn't crawling or walking along furniture, his favorite thing to do is sit and turn the pages of his books. It is so special to see him sit quietly and take a book in his hands and turn the pages. I can't believe how smart he is and how fast he learns. It's amazing. Maddy has also been trying to stand on his own. He has been letting go of the couch and the chairs and standing for several seconds before he falls on his bum. Maddox is getting a very big appetite and eating a variety of foods. He likes toast or a waffle for breakfast and of course he still loves cheese, yogurt and fruit. But he also eats whatever we are having for dinner so lasagna, enchiladas, quesadillas, pasta, meatballs, etc. So I am hoping he is not a picky eater and continues to like everything we give him. I have noticed that Maddox now understands what "no" means. Not to say that he listens but he definitely knows that when I say "no" he is supposed to stop whatever he is doing. Unfortunately, he also thinks it is funny when Mom has to go get him and take him away from whatever he is doing. Once taken away he then gets mad and being as persistent as he is, goes back to whatever it was he was doing. This cycle takes up a large part of our day. But I don't mind because I know he is exploring and learning and eventually, he will listen when Mom says "no"... hopefully. Maddox has been saying "mama" a lot especially when he is fussy but it is very endearing to hear him cry for me. Maddox loves swimming and playing with Cuni and Cuni has learned that he is not allowed to run away from Maddox so he just lays there while Maddox pulls at his hair and hits him. But I am teaching Maddox "soft" or "suave" so he is doing a little better with Cuni. Maddox also loves to go for walks and ride in his stroller. Maddox is a very happy little boy and very affectionate. He has a thing for girls with dark long hair. He will go to anyone that has long black hair and is very affectionate with them. It's really funny. Although he has become a little shy and when a stranger talks to him or looks at him he puts his head down and looks away. He is also very scared of the missionaries for some reason. Every time they have come over for dinner, he starts crying and gets really scared when they first walk in. I have a feeling he is going to be shy. Allan and I were both shy as children so it wouldn't surprise me. Maddox gets cuter by the day. He eyes are still bright blue and he is getting a little bit more hair which is still medium brown. Allan and I just can't get enough of him. We love our little boy so much!

A Temper & Tantrums

Maddox is only 9 and a half months and he has already displayed a very persistent personality.  When he wants something that he can't have, he does not give up.  Maddox loves to play with and chew on cords; all kinds of cords, computer cords, TV cords, internet cords, phone charger cords, etc.  No matter how we try to hide them or how high we place them, he keeps after them.  Maddox has also discovered Cuni's food and water.  Once he realizes that he can't have the thing he wants, he throws a tantrum.  He screams and cries and throws his head back.  I was so shocked the first time he did it but now I am used to it and I just try to protect his head from hitting the hardwood floor.  But last night was quite an episode.  We went to the church to watch Allan play basketball and Maddy fell in love with the court.  All he wanted to do was crawl on the basketball court and he wanted to crawl toward all the guys playing basketball.  It was like he wanted to play with them.  Obviously, he couldn't crawl onto the court while they were playing so I would grab him and hold him back.  He was furious!  Maddox screamed and cried and threw his head back.  Once he calmed down, he would try to crawl back onto the court.  This cycle lasted the whole time we were there until finally I took him home.  In between games, I would let him crawl on the court and he was so happy!  It was really cute.  It seems he is already taking a liking to sports.  Maddox has gotten a little better about eating.  I figured out that he likes baby food plain without cereal mixed in so I have been feeding him that.  Maddox had his 9 month check up and all is well.  No ear infections, his umbilical hernia has healed and he is big, strong and healthy.  Maddy also got to go on our girls' trip to Vegas.  He had a lot of fun.  My mom, all my sisters and I went to Vegas for a couple of days.  We went shopping and swimming and ate out.  It was so much fun and Maddy was a good sport.  He got a little restless on the ride home but overall, he was great.  Maddy is so affectionate and loving.  It is so nice that he loves my mom and sisters and will give them hugs and let them all hold him.  Anyway, Maddox is doing great in spite of his temper tantrums.  His two top teeth are growing in so he has been a little fussy but he is still such a happy baby.  I always have to keep my eye on him so he definitely keeps me on my toes.  He is a very busy and curious little boy!

9 months old already!

Maddox had his first Easter and his first visit from the Easter bunny. He loved the eggs! Maddox turns 9 months old in 3 days. I can't believe it. He is crawling really well now and pulling himself up onto chairs, couches and beds. I can tell he is very anxious to walk. He definitely prefers to be on his feet standing. I am realizing how "un-baby-proofed" our house is now that he is so mobile. Maddox is also becoming a finicky eater. I can't seem to figure out what he likes or doesn't like and when he is or isn't hungry. He still has a big appetite when it comes to nursing but he refuses his cereal and baby food. I'm assuming he is asserting his independence because he only seems to eat table food that I let him feed himself. So lately, I have been giving him cheese, little bits of meat, veggies, fruit, grilled cheese, waffles, etc. Stuff that he can pick up and put into his mouth all by himself. The problem is he takes a really long time to eat and sometimes just plays. My concern is that he isn't getting enough to eat so sometimes, I put the food in his mouth just to help him out a little but he gets really offended. Needless to say, I spend a lot of my day "feeding" Maddox. I am debating as to whether or not I should start feeding him three meals instead of two. Maddox is not showing any signs of starvation and is still a very large little boy. He is extremely solid though and almost muscular. His legs are really firm but massive. Maddox is wearing 18 month old size clothing already and some of the clothes are a little snug. He is also wearing size 4 diapers. The other day, my friends mentioned on Facebook how her 2 or 3 year old daughter wears size 4 diapers. Maddox is also a very good snuggler. He loves giving hugs and kisses and still loves sleeping with Mommy and Daddy. But he is getting better at not eating as much at night. I am optimistic that eventually he will outgrow nursing at night. Maddox got to spend some time with his Grandma and Grandpa Morrill. They came to visit a couple of weeks ago. Maddox was very sweet and affectionate with them as he always is. It's very nice to have such an affectionate and loving little boy. His hugs and kisses mean the world to me! Maddox's first top tooth just poked through yesterday. I can't believe he is going to have top teeth. He is growing up way too fast. Time has flown by and we sure have had fun! We love Maddox so much!

8 Month Photo Session

8 months old

Maddox has been kind of crawling. He gets around very easily but is not yet officially crawling. He uses his arms a lot and likes to stand more than anything. He is trying to pull himself up onto furniture and likes to get up on all fours but instead of his knees he gets up on his feet. It's really funny because I can tell he really wants to walk. Last week, Maddox had a really rough day and I could tell he was in pain. I took him to the doctor the next day and the poor thing had two ear infections and a ruptured ear drum. I felt so bad for him. He is doing much better. The medicine that he has to take is a stronger antibiotic than the last one and apparently, it does not have a very good taste. The first couple times, he gagged himself and threw it all up so now I have to wrestle him to hold him down, plug his nose and blow in his face until he swallows. It is quite the ordeal. He doesn't cry but he will try to wiggle away from me and refuse to open his mouth and then spit it out back into my face. Anyway, Maddox is eating better and loves table food. He likes string cheese and chicken and pretty much anything I'm eating. Maddox has also become a very affectionate and snuggly little guy. He loves giving hugs especially when he is tired. Allan and I went through the temple with Camilla several weeks ago and Aaron watched Maddy outside. He hadn't taken a nap and was super tired and when we came out of the temple, he snuggled Camilla and laid his head on her shoulder. It was so cute! Then he did the same thing to the RS president a couple Sundays ago when I had to say the closing prayer. He loves girls with dark hair! Maddox has also been sleeping with us still. He is so fun to snuggle and I finally got Allan to admit that he likes sleeping next to Maddy so at least we are all on the same page. He is doing better at not eating so much in the night and I think within a couple months he will hopefully be sleeping through the night. I know that Maddox just has a strong need to be touched and feel someone close to him and that's why he loves sleeping with us. Maddox and I have been swimming a lot because it is getting really hot. He loves the water! He plays in his little floaty or on the top step and plays and plays until he is too tired to play anymore. He loves playing with his blocks and his piano and his books but most of all he loves playing with anything that he is not supposed to play with. He has incredibly fast hands and grabs everything he can. He is also developing a temper and when I take something away from him he gets mad and does his angry cry. Maddox is pretty tough though. As he has become more mobile he has bumped his head a couple times. He usually just stops and turns around to look at me and gives me a sad face and then I tell him he's ok and he just goes right back to playing. Sometimes, I will give him a hug though. Maddox is getting so big and has been outgrowing a lot of him clothes. He is wearing all 12 month and 18 month clothes now. Well, of course I could go on and on about how much I love Maddox but I think it's clear... he is my everything. I am still obsessed with him and love him more and more every day. I love him more than I thought was possible. He is such an angel!

Stranger Danger & Separation Anxiety

Maddox has been doing really well. He is off of his antibiotic for his ear infection and has now moved on to teething including drooling and a runny nose. I think his top two teeth are coming in. He isn't quite crawling yet or at least not in the right direction. He gets up on all fours and then crawls backwards which of course frustrates him since he is moving in the opposite direction. It's actually really cute watching him make his way around the room going backwards. I'm sure eventually he will get the hang of it and like his doctor said, "bigger babies crawl a little later." He also has developed into quite a picky eater. He will only eat fruit and sweet foods. He hates vegetables and meats and refuses to eat them. I have even tried sweet potatoes, I've tried mixing vegetables with fruit but he can tell. He must have a very sensitive pallet. If a non-sweet food goes into his mouth, he makes a really funny face and shakes his head. Then he gags himself until he has completely spit out the food. He's very dramatic about it. So, I will keep trying to introduce new foods until he gets used to the texture and taste. I really don't want him to be picky. Maddox has been doing a little better at night. He still likes to nurse a lot at night but I don't mind. He is such a sweetheart. Maddy has recently become scared of strangers. An elderly female Walmart employee decided to get all up in his face while we were grocery shopping and Maddy did not like it. He started crying and I could tell he was nervous and scared. And the same thing happened when we went to dinner at the Spencers', a couple from our ward. Sister Spencer made him a little nervous and he started crying. I know it's normal so I just make sure that he sees me and I hold him when there are strangers around. Maddy also has become very aware of whether or not I am in the room. On some days, he gets very attached to me and just wants me to hold him. If I walk away, he cries and gets his feelings hurt. After a full day of this, it gets very frustrating but I just remind myself that he is an innocent little baby and needs extra security. Afterall, I have spent almost every second with him since he was born. I love how close I feel to him and I love that I get to be with him all day. I feel so blessed that I have such a great husband that works so hard so that I can be a stay-at-home mom. I love my family!

His Happy Self Again...

Well it all makes sense now. Maddox had his doctor's appointment for his 6 month shots and he had RSV and an ear infection. So I'm pretty sure that the reason he was being so fussy all those nights was because of his ear infection. I had a feeling that something was going on but it's so hard to know. The RSV was pretty evident by his coughing and runny nose. Luckily, he didn't get a fever or diarrhea but his cough was really bad. I could tell it was painful because he would cry a little every time he coughed and it would wake him up at night. For the last week and a half, I have been taking hot showers with him in the mornings and nights hoping that the steam would help his congestion. The doctor gave him an antibiotic for his ear infection but nothing for the RSV because he was already improving on his own. Almost overnight, Maddy reverted back to his normal happy self. I was so relieved! But also, I felt bad that he was fussy and miserable because he was uncomfortable and in pain. Anyway, for now on, if he isn't acting himself, I will assume that something is wrong physically and take him to the doctor sooner. Maddy is now 7 months and still growing like a weed. He weighs 20 lbs. He still isn't crawling yet but seems to be trying. He gets up on his hands and knees sometimes and seems to move around the floor but mostly by rolling or scooting. He has also started "talking" and saying "mamamama" and "bababababa" over and over again. It is so much fun to hear him getting close to saying real words! He also still loves his feet and still puts them in his mouth (I bathe him everyday and try to keep his feet clean). Maddox has also started giving kisses but they are always very open-mouthed. I don't mind though because I think it is the sweetest thing in the world when he leans in to touch his mouth to mine. He has also learned the meaning of "no" or at least understands when I'm telling him to not do something like bite me while breastfeeding or spitting out his baby food for fun. He doesn't seem to get sad when I say no, instead he gets a little mad. It's really cute but at least he is learning to listen. Maddox still thinks Cuni is hilarious and loves to watch him walk around the room which is rare since Cuni is extremely lazy. Maddy is still night nursing like a champ. He stocks up and eats every couple hours during the night. And then during the day, he only nurses about 3 or 4 times. It's ok though because I have come to terms with the fact that it's just part of being a mom. After my horrible experience with the Cry It Out Method, I have embraced a new mentality that has made me happier as a mom. It may fall under the "attachment parenting" category but I don't care. After writing my last blog post and after a night of listening to my precious angel cry himself to sleep, I had a breakdown. I cried for a couple hours and prayed for forgiveness. I know that might seem melodramatic but I sincerely felt like I had made a huge mistake and had done something terribly wrong. I decided that I would never restrain myself from comforting my son again. So I decided to do what feels right. Since then I have been mothering Maddy completely and totally according to his needs- I hold him if he wants to be held, I feed him if he wants to eat, I let him sleep with me if he wants to, etc. I honestly think that this is what works for us and makes us both the happiest. He knows that I am there for him to meet his needs and he can always trust that I will be there for him. Eventually, he will grow out of the night nursing thing and sleep through the night and eventually, he will be ready to sleep in his own room but for now, he needs to be close to his mom. On Saturday, we went to the Phoenix Zoo with Michelle and Loni and their kids. It was a lot of fun. When we went into the petting zoo area, we saw lots of goats walking around. Allan was holding Maddy and when he leaned down to let Maddy get closer to a goat, Maddy stuck out his lower lip and started crying. He was scared of the goat or something. It was so cute! So we left the petting zoo area and then he was fine. Anyway, a lot has happened and I feel like Maddy is progressing even faster now. He is starting to look like a little boy and not a baby anymore. He still doesn't have a ton of hair but it's growing and I brush it now. His eyes are still bright blue and he is still extremely thick and solid. He loves his saucer and sits on the floor and plays with his toys like a good little boy. He also still watches his Spanish cartoons: Dora La Exploradora and La Casa de Mickey. Maddox is the best baby and goes with me everywhere. I couldn't imagine life without him. He is my everything! I love him so much and am so thankful for his happy amd carefree personality. He is so easy to make smile and laugh. We are truly blessed to have Maddox as our son.