Ten Months with Madelyn James

Hey Miss Personality!!!

Ten months has been fun and busy! Our little girl is quite the explorer and keeps us on our toes. She’s pulling up on anything and everything, started climbing the stairs, and is an active little lady! She loves playing with her cousins and meeting new friends at the gym nursery. She’s definitely the most social Skidmore!

Her first Christmas was such a joy. She loved the candlelight Christmas Eve service at church, eating broccoli casserole and opening presents at so many family events, and looking at Christmas lights throughout town! We had a sweet Christmas morning at home playing with her new toys (this block set and this beautiful bunny), and then meeting up with the Skidmore family for Christmas lunch and family Christmas!

We wrapped up 2021 soaking up time with grandparents, great grandparents, cousins, and friends. Ending the year being beyond grateful to be back with our people in Tennessee!

About Madelyn

It’s a joy to watch her explore and test her independence. As she continues to stretch her abilities, it’s stretching mommy to practice inner calm, trust, and deep breathing 😳 ! Her personality is blooming. She is gorgeous inside and out. I love her beautiful blue eyes, her perfect blonde hair, her porcelain skin, and rosy cheeks. I love how social she is, how smart, curious and brave she is! I like that she’s up for trying new things and doesn’t often complain.

Madelyn loves our family walks in the evening, and bath time fun (she’s especially loving these stacking cups and these foam letters), and is just generally curious about all new things. While she may not have been grinning ear to ear on her first sledding ride down the hill or her first dip in the pool, I can tell she is taking it all in, analyzing the situation in true Skidmore fashion, and slowly that little grin will pop through letting us know how much she loves it.

Kyle says she isn’t “chill” (she’s an active little girl, into everything, so curious, and typically on the move!), but she is calm, easy-going, and hardly ever cries (except she definitely dislikes getting her diaper or clothes changed!) And while she doesn’t sit still often, I love when she crawls over and sits in my lap, cuddles when she is tired, and our time reading books before bed each night.

Memories & Milestones

• Pulling up on everything and thankfully getting pretty great at getting herself back down.
• She is standing in her crib each morning and after every nap, ready to be picked up.
• She’s playing more independently and slowly but surely mama is giving her that independence with a close watchful eye! 
• Climbing the stairs.
• Cruising around the furniture.
• Trying to use the spoon to feed herself. Still loves all foods, but definitely wants to feed herself now!
• Climbs up your legs when she wants to be picked up.
• Loves reading books and pointing out objects.
• Shaking her head “yes” and “no” now in response to our questions. So cute!

Lessons in Mamahood

I started this post with thoughts on how quickly time flies and then had a  “you’ve got mail” moment and deleted every single word.  “The days are long but the years are short.” – who said that again? All parents of littles get it… time goes by fast and also extremely slow.

I’ve worried about the passing of time, wanting to soak up every single little second. Sometimes at the detriment of going to the gym or hanging out with girlfriends, afraid to miss a moment with Madelyn.

So instead of mourning the quick passing of time or the fact that I’m planning her 1st birthday party 😂, I’m trying to purposefully change my mindset.

…The years are long. We’ve got time babe, so let’s enjoy today. 

On being a Working Mom

While celebrating the Holidays was wonderful! And we are beyond grateful to be settling into our new normal in Tennessee, 2021 was a lot of change! While I love change, I thrive in routines. Kyle and I both have been longing to find our new rhythms. So when our nanny fell through the week before she was supposed to start, I felt the urge to fall apart *tears were involved*. But then I was reminded that God’s plans are good plans.

Thank the Lord for Kyle’s sister stepping up and watching Madelyn 3xs a week so we can run this business on more than just “here and there” hours a couple times a week!

Month Ten Summary

Month Ten can be summed up as “Sweet Memories”! First snow (*I mean, yea… Madelyn was born in Minnesota in March so of course she has technically seen snow) but this was her first time sledding and feeling the snowflakes fall on her face, First Christmas, First swim in the indoor pool, First days officially in childcare away from mommy and daddy, First time climbing the stairs. I’m thankful for each day and holding tight to every sweet memory!

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