Poor Maddox has been sick lately. It’s scary and sad – he’s lost his voice from all the coughing, but we talked to a nurse today and hopefully will be able to give him some medicine to help him feel better. It’s the first time he’s really been sick other than a cold or sore muscles, and it makes me feel for all the parents who have had to face their children’s sicknesses before.
Even while sick, Maddox has still maintained his cheerful outlook and continues to delight us with his new skills. Last night, before bed, he repeatedly lifted the sheet, hid underneath it, and snapped it down to play peek-a-boo.
Not only is Maddox engineering his own games, but he’s finally at the stage where he has wants as well as needs, and what he wants is to express his opinion about what he needs! After peek-a-boo, we finished reading “Baby Animals” and he waved it in the air until I understood that he wanted to read it again.
Maddox has always clicked the light switches off while I’ve changed him. It keeps him busy during this indignity, and is a good way to learn cause and effect. Yesterday, he surprised me by turning the lights back on, which is a first!
Another wonderful milestone is Maddox’s speaking. He now consistently says “dada” and “baba,” and I think it’s pretty clear that “dada” is the first word. Lucky Dad!
We’re at 3 1/2 teeth now, with the 1/2 coming in quickly. It went bottom right, bottom left, top right, and now top left. And, the one next to his bottom right is making an appearance.
Maddox continues to laugh when others around him are laughing, and nothing delights him more than giggling madly with someone.
Finally, our days of sitting together and cuddling are numbered – Maddox has a Lion walker, and he’s been pulling himself up into a standing position. He’s already mastered scooting around backwards, and I think he’s decided that this is an inefficient way to move compared to the way Mom and Dad get around. If we think we are tired now, ask us how we feel in another 8 months, after chasing Maddox around the world for awhile.
Having a baby is fascinating. We are so lucky to have Maddox in our lives.
