Almost two and doing great!

Yes it has been six months since we have posted something. My excuse is that Madelyn has been doing so well we have just been caught up great weather and having a Spring/Summer full of fun activites and holidays. Madelyn likes to go "bye, bye" and so we have been doing that alot.

From swim lessons at the local pool, to the splash park in the next town, to play dates at the park, bike rides, and lots of ice cream stops.

Here Madelyn is having boat ride on Clear Lake. She really does like boating, Uncle Scott would be proud.

We explored many far away lands. Well at least three hours away. Madelyn didn't remember our vacation last year at Clear Lake so everything was new again this year. Carl's family has vacationed there since the 80's and so has mine so it's a bit of a tradition that we go and I love making new memories in a place that has so many old ones for me.

We enjoyed many walks on the beach and watching the sun sink into the lake. We had great weather and the water was nice. Madelyn really enjoys the beach. I couldn't resist sharing this picture with you as it captures so much of what Madelyn is. Beautiful, energetic, living in the moment, and enjoying it to the fullest.

It has been a great summer watching Madelyn take it all in. I can only imagine what Fall and Winter have in store for us. She is growing and changing so much lately. Shoes are getting too small, pants are too short. She can reach things that were out of reach before. She can say things that just surprise me all the time. My favorite right now was when we were having a popsicle outside and a fly wanted in on the yummy goodness. She swatted her hand and shouted "shoo fly"! Gotta love when the personallity shines through.

The two year check up is coming in a few weeks. I promise a more timely post.

18 months old!

Can you believe it. Madelyn is now 18 months old. I can hardly believe how much she has grown in the past six months.

Madelyn had a pediatrician appointment the day after she officially turned 18 months old. Dr. Carson is the best. Madelyn of course is afraid of all strangers now and cried bloody murder. But Dr. C. has almost 35 years of peds experience and this did not phase him any.

Mady is now 32" long, and weighs 23 pounds. She is slowing down in the hieght range at the 50th percentile, but she is very strong in the weight curve and steady at the 25th percentile. Praise the Lord! We have worked so hard at feedings, and encouraged fun eating. She still favors breads, pastas, and fruit. But I am just so happy when she gives me the "sign" for eat, and when she says yum after every bite.

As I mentioned before, Madelyn is doing baby signing. It took a while for her to catch on. I thought that it would never happen. I felt a little silly make crazy actions for objects and actions, but my efforts have paid off. The first sign she figured out was diaper. Which is really nice because she sometimes tells me when she wants her diaper changed. Now she is signing everything, from different food, to toys, objects we see when we are out. She is catching on to words with the signs too and I am thinking that she will be stringing words together soon.

I am so pleased, I feel that Madelyn is almost just like any other toddler around. I love getting to see more of Madelyn's personality. She is so funny, strong willed, and very determined. That I guess is what makes her a survivor of CDH. God is good!

Kitty? What Kitty? I don't see any kitty cat?

Madelyn and Puzzle the cat have bonded well over the past few months. Really I think the poor cat is so baddly wanting attention that she doesn't care what kind it is. Puzzle usually lets Madelyn abuse her a little and then retreats to a corner far away.

Madelyn really LOVES her cat. This is her "hugging" Puzzle.

Snow Play

Snow arrived in southern Manitoba on December 1st. Just in time for the Christmas season. Being the excellent parent I am; I decided to get Madelyn dressed in her snow outfit and we would explore the new white blanket on the lawn outside.





Madelyn was hesitent to crawl out the door. It has been a while since I had opened the door and said, " Out you go." She also had difficulty moving wih all the outerwear on.




I thought a ride on the sled would be fun. Madelyn wasn't really that sold on the idea. Once again I think the clothing was holding her back as she wasn't even able to move any limbs or even really turn her head. I guess I'm a little over protective.

Madelyn let me know that it was time to go back inside. I guess that was the "princess" in her that was tired of having her face wrapped in a scarf. We have been out since and she has had a much better time.

Feeding Update

I have not posted on Madelyn's feeding for a while. As you can see from the above picture, Madelyn really enjoys mealtimes now. She has also moved to a sippy cup since November, and only has a four oz bottle in the morning after she wakes up and after her nap. I don't know how to get rid of these two bottle times. So if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

Madelyn's Favorite Foods:

• Macaroni and Cheese (kd)
• Spegetti and tomato sauce
• Any form of pasta
• Cheese - almost any kind
• Bread
• Crackers (ka-ka)
• Chicken noodle soup - home made of course
• Grapes
• Melon
• Orange segments

Christmas Pictures

We had an action packed Christmas week. We were able to keep the 25th free for ourselves as our own family unit. It was a good thing too because southern Manitoba was hit with a huge snow storm. We almost didn't make it to Grandma and Grandpa's on the 26th.

Madelyn giving her new "kitty" a kiss. So adorable.

Madelyn loved unwrapping, it didn't matter what was inside.

Madelyn even wanted to help everyone else unwrap their gifts.

Just can't resist this one. Notice how Madelyn looks more like me and not Carl anymore. Yeah!

Ready, Set, Go .... And we are off to the races.

Madelyn started walking a few steps at a time in mid November. But she really took off on December 14th. She had an appointment with the physiotherapist and she was just evaluating her on a chart, and stated that as she was stepping, but not yet walking. Madelyn was about 5 -

6 weeks behind. (no kidding, maybe five weeks in hospital and having major surgery does hold you back.) Madelyn must have not liked what she heard, because as we left she grabbed my hand and walked out of the office and hasn't stopped walking.

For the first weeks she was always walking with her hands up in the air. I think she was trying to be prepared for any falls, either that or she was being carismatic, and praising God for the ability to walk. Hmmm, maybe both.

Needless to say my life has become even more busy. Some days I wonder how I will get anything done. But then I think back to this,

and then I just sit back and ponder all the joy that she has brought to our lives and how much more we have yet to see.