maddie diary     may 1998

one year old on 29 may

this month
     - walking
            point-to-point (5/7)
            then continuous (5/24)
      - kicking a ball
      - climbing
      - saying mama and dada
      - understanding language

size
      - 75-90% height and weight

activities
      - first birthday party

interests
     - exploring with new-found
            mobility
      - baby pool
      - turning phone and TV on/off
      - Teletubbies

The First Year

I looked at her the other day, standing up, walking around, wearing a t-shirt and skirt, and I saw a little girl-- not a baby-- for the first time.  It's been an amazing year.

During the pregnancy, you have time to worry about everything: blood tests, miscarriage, birth defects, premature birth, ability as parents.  Once the baby's out, you don't have time to truly worry.  You just do what you can and marvel at the development.

It obviously helps that she developed so quickly.  Good, healthy, and chubby early, she trounced all the major milestones (save reaching) in the first few months.  When something developmental worries you slightly, you realize how damned pleasant and intelligent she is in all other ways, and you stop worrying.

Our main concerns are things like only-child status, schools (one day), daily routine.  I can't imagine two kids-- Maddie's great, and she's been a major effort.  Two would be very difficult, which I guess speaks badly for Louise's and my natural skills as child-raisers.

Sickness hits (5/1)

Bad cold for the last couple of days.  One night in particular was marked with I think 3 barfing episodes, featuring peas, yogurt, and decongestants.  She's out of the infant "puke doesn't stink" period.  I had to change both of us a couple of times.

Walking!

She seems to establish that she can do something, let it ferment for a while, then suddenly do it non-stop.  After I mentioned to a friend on the 7th that she is capable of walking, but doesn't, she decided that it would be quicker to walk from the sink to the refrigerator-- about 6 steps-- than to drop down, crawl, and stand back up.  Breakthrough.

Since then, it's been off to the races.  She can stand up alone, and (until about the 24th) walks from object to object.  By the 24th, she was doing laps around the house.  LOVES to walk.  Louise organized Maddie and Augie into an impromptu marching band with a kazoo, circling the house. 

She also learned to kick a ball.

Climbing appears next on the horizon-- she's going after that aggressively.

Communication

Early May, I handed her a phone, and she held it in position and made noises.  She wants to communicate, just doesn't have the tools.  She's said "dada" and "mama" a couple of times.  She made a sort of "baa" sound while looking at sheep in a book, but it may have been coincidental.

She understands tons of new concepts-- you can ask her if she wants water, rather than filling up a cup and seeing if she reacts positively.

I hid a toy and asked where it was.  She held her palms out and shrugged her shoulders.  I have no idea where she got that, but it's very effective.

Fun with buttons

She turns the phone on, or turns the TV on or off, and turns around and "runs" to me to be hugged.

Eating

She wants to sit with us at dinner, even if she's already eaten.