Dear Miss Maddie,

Well this post is long overdue - exactly 9 days overdue in fact. But my excuse is that we were in Ireland for your 8 month birthday. How cool is that, little one? You are not even a year old yet, and you've been overseas. My little world traveler.

Aside from that major milestone, you've managed to accomplish so much this month. All month long you were pushing up on your knees, rocking back and forth, and actually getting quite adept at crawling backwards. You took your first lunge forward in Ireland, and I was able to get it on video so Daddy wouldn't feel left out. And you're still taking your time getting from place to place - you're no speed demon yet, which is probably a good thing, as I just went out and bought the baby-proofing gadgets the other day.

What else can I tell you about you? You love to play. You're obsessed with your singing Elmo. Really, you like anyone or anything that sings to you - you've definitely taken after us in your love of music. And you've started doing this hand-banging-arm-movement that I'm thinking is a form of interpretive dance. :)

You started waving bye-bye this month. It's still intermittent, and often happens long after the person has actually left the room, but as a concept, you get it. Which I think is totally cool.

Oh, and you high-five like a pro. In fact you're far more into high-five-ing than waving good-bye (which I, as a regular high-fiver, totally understand).

You've learned the "milk" sign and use it all the time now. You seem to think it also means hello, eat, happy, sleep - a lot of things. But it's cool to see 2 months of my efforts finally realized. Now we're working on "Mommy", "Daddy", "kitty", "eat" and "more" ... you seem to know the signs, but haven't figured out how to do them back to us just yet.

You are a happy little girl that wakes up smiling, rarely cries, is so curious and interested in just about everything that I wonder how we're going to keep up with you in these next few years.

I love watching you do something you've set your mind to (like getting to the tv remote from across the room), because you look so proud of yourself once you do it. And it seems like your little brain is working overtime lately with all the things you're learning.

I catch you smiling at the cats when you think I'm not looking. I can't imagine what they're in for now that you're mobile.

You are a charmer with that gummy grin. You charmed an entire rugby team on the flight over to Ireland, you charmed every single person you met while over there, just like you charm every single person we happen upon when we're out over here. People just gravitate to you, and you, Miss Thing, love the attention!

And last but not least - you are turning into a total daddy's girl. You only have eyes for Daddy once he gets home from work and you love that play time with him. You squeal and giggle and laugh when he swoops you around, and he's the only thing you want to look at while you sit in your highchair. It's okay - I don't mind. Especially as it makes him so happy.

You are very loved little munchkin. I can't wait to see what this month brings.

Love Mommy
xxoo

PS - nope, you still don't have teeth. I've given up thinking they are ever going to get here. Oh, and Hyland's homeopathic teething tabs are the best thing in the world.