Photographic Evidence of Madeline's Cuteness

Our Madeline is just the greatest thing.  Parenthood has definitely been an adjustment, and I have days where I feel more like a homicidal maniac than a loving mother, but despite the lack of sleep she has still managed to completely capture my heart.  She regularly renews my faith in this world just because she is a part of it.  Here are some pictures from the past few weeks for the family and friends who have requested more photographic evidence of her cuteness...

Peek-a-boo 

One of the first smiles we managed to catch on camera

 Chillin with Dad

Chillin with Mom

 Everyone who meets her comments on her long fingers.  You should see her toes.  

Apparently we have a ballet dancing pianist on our hands.

One of my favorite faces that she makes is when she puckers her lips into the shape of an O.  She will sit and stare at us with her puckered lips for a long time.  It cracks me up.

Maddie was born with incredible focus.  She really likes to zero in on whatever she's looking at and will stare  at people's faces or her toys with a lot of concentration.  I try not to project personality traits onto her, but she really does appear to have a very focused, thoughtful nature.  

Maddie is growing faster length-wise than she is width-wise.  She fits into newborn sized clothes better around the neck and body, but she can't wear many newborn sized things since she's too long for most of them.  So she ends up wearing mostly 0-3 month clothes, even though they're super baggy on her.  We're working on it. 

 Lately she's been into furrowing her brow, which only makes her look even more serious when she's concentrating on something.

She much prefers being held to being set down, especially if she's tired.

 She currently has very indecisive hair: it's dark on top and light on the sides.  I don't know which color is going to win out, but I hope a single color eventually does win out.  The Cruella De Vil look might not serve her well in job interviews.  Just sayin.

So cute.

We went hiking in St. George last weekend.  Madeline wasn't so sure about the bjorn at first, but she ended up liking it and was a champ on the trip.

She has been smiling a lot lately too, which is pretty much the greatest thing ever in the history of life.

My family says she looks like Mike, and Mike's family says she looks like me.  I think she has Mike's eyes, long fingers and toes, and maybe his coloring, and I think she has my mouth and chin.  I can't get the picture of Mike to rotate, sorry.  But you get the idea.

Mike and I are doing well.  Between bedrest and having a brand new baby, I have been in solitary confinement for a loooooooooong time.  We are getting out of the house more often now that she's old enough to go places without me feeling like the world's germs are conspiring against her, which has been glorious.  Apparently fall and most of winter happened while I was indoors.  Considering my intense aversion to snow, it wasn't the worst season to skip.  We are planning all sorts of adventures outside our house for the coming weeks and months, since, you know, we can now.  It's great.  If anyone wants to go scuba diving or take a spur-of-the-moment trip to Mexico one weekend, and doesn't mind hearing Madeline when she's up in the night, let us know.  Our sleep-deprived-selves are up for anything at this point.

Happy February!