Maddie, the moment you came out and Ash announced you were a girl, your Dad and I just melted...and we were pretty shocked!! We both cried and looked at you in amazement that we grew a girl!! We couldn't wait for Jake to come in and meet you, so Daddy went out into the waiting room where our family was and brought your brother in. All of the sudden he looked so big and grown up to us, which was really emotional. He climbed up in the bed with me and held you and kissed you and said "Awww I wanted a boy, can you put her back? Is there another one in there mommy?" HAHA!! Then we let Lovey, Granddad, and Nana (whose maiden name is Brooks) come in and Jake announced to them you were a girl, which was so very special. And don't worry Maddie, your big brother Jakey is the BEST brother ever! He loves and adores you and enjoys being a good helper with you. Your bond with him is the sunshine in our life, and I love that you look just like him!! He is always thinking of you and doing sweet and thoughtful things for you. I really couldn't ask for more from him with how engaged he is as a sibling, which makes us so proud.
Each morning when yall wake up, it's Jake that you can't wait to see. Your entire face lights up with a giant smile when you meet eyes first thing in the morning. And then yall cuddle and laugh and babble to each other in the most adoring way. Below are three pictures of things that happen when you have an older brother around! You are such a happy girl-- very talkative and smiley. You are pretty much sitting up by yourself now, and I'm sure crawling isn't too far away. You're a true wiggle worm and roll all over the place. You found your voice at about 4 months old and haven't been shy about using it ever since! You are LOUD, particularly when you really want something or get excited!! You love solid foods, and even beg for it (we maybe should have given you the nickname "Oink" instead of "Moo").
Bath time makes you really happy and your favorite thing is to smile at yourself in the mirror while we dry you off. Now you are big enough to take a bath with brother and you two have the best time splashing and playing each night. Everywhere we go people stop to look at you, and you are graciously friendly with your smiles, letting them all know you realize just how cute you are! You have a precious feisty-ness about you that always makes us laugh. You are super strong willed and refuse to be ignored! You love to bounce in your jumperoo just like Jake did-- you look like you're going to jump right out of it you bounce so hard! You love to play with your feet, do patty cake, and hear animal sounds. You are very expressive and we love seeing how you interact and respond. I always say your voice should be recorded for baby commercials because your babbling is the most adorable sound.
My sweet Maddie, you were born with hip dysplasia and had to wear a body harness for the first 5 months of your life. We were blessed that it was discovered in the hospital the day after you arrived, so treatment could begin immediately. Initial projections were that you'd be in the harness for only 6-8 weeks, but your improvement was very slow and it ended up being not until after Thanksgiving that you spent your first day of life totally free from the harness. It was really hard not being able to bathe you the first two weeks and not holding you skin to skin, but we knew the harness was keeping your hips in place so they would grow correctly, and that we had to be patient. Once the bi-monthly ultrasounds started showing signs of growth in the right direction, we were able to take the harness off for an hour each day so you could bathe and stretch your precious little legs. Eventually you were weaned down to wearing it just 6 hours a day, which was wonderful compared to the 23 hours we started with. I will never forget the day your wonderful doctor told me your hips were in normal range and you no longer had to wear the harness. I was caught off guard because I had become used to the disappointment each month of another "no change" report. It felt so good to throw that harness in the trash and celebrate! Mommy was so ready to buy you some pretty dresses and pants once you were no longer restricted by that thing! We are so thankful that God healed your hips without needing surgery, and that your doctor was so compassionate and encouraging. We will see her again when you're 8 months old for an x-ray to check and see how your hips are doing. You were so strong and persevered through this Maddie, and we are so proud of what a trooper you were. Luckily you will never remember having to wear the harness, but mommy and daddy certainly will never forget seeing you go through it.
Madeline, you represent great redemption in our lives, and everything that is strong and joyful. Your Daddy and me went through a very difficult year and a half after your brother was born. Daddy is my best friend, and there is no one else I would rather share the privilege of parenting with than him. He is the best Dad and you and Jake are so darn lucky to have him- he is so much fun! We knew we wanted a sibling for sweet Jakey boy, and finding out I was pregnant with you was the best 30th birthday present ever! Your presence symbolizes everything that Daddy and I fought for and believed we could have. No matter how sleepless of a night we may have with you or how fussy of a day it was, we never lose sight of how incredibly lucky we are to have you and Jake. Yall bring us more joy than we ever could have imagined, and seeing the two of you together is pure bliss. Jake makes you laugh like nobody else can. You watch every little thing he does and I can see the wheels turning in your little head trying to figure out how you can do it too! When we first brought you home from the hospital, any time you cried, Jake would valiantly run across the house saying "I'm comin Maddie!" Now he talks to you and tells you all kinds of things and you listen so intently. He sings you songs (Itsy Bitsy Spider and I See the Moon are your favs) and he holds your hand when you are upset in the car, which calms you down. You pretty much think he's the funniest thing ever and it doesn't take much for him to get a huge grin from you! I can only envision what it will be like when you can actually walk and talk what crazy adventures yall will have together. He constantly tells Daddy and me how much he loves you and he smothers you with affection every day. My prayer is for you two to be the best of friends and each other's number one fan, always. He is already quite protective of you, which we love! You and Jake were baptized together in October, and in typical Jake fashion, he was leaning over kissing you on stage in the middle of the ceremony for all the congregation to see! Yall love to "cuddle wrestle" and something tells me as soon as you're able, you will be pinning Jake to the ground! I think you may give him a run for his money and keep him on his toes once you are up and about. You have already managed to spit up in his mouth twice, which made him cry and made your parents laugh! You also have a cute little growl that you do pretty consistently which also tickles us.
Maddie you have the most precious spirit, it's exuberant and playful and strong and curious and we are just so smitten with you, we can't get enough! As your Lovey says, you have a twinkle in your beautiful blue eyes (which your Daddy says are the prettiest eyes ever!). You have full filled such a special place in our hearts and in our family. You make us laugh every day and its all going by so fast how quickly you are growing and changing. We feel so fortunate to have had a boy and now a baby girl. The differences between you and how you've each developed are so interesting. As cute and girly as you seem to be, I have no doubt that Daddy and Jake will try to turn you into a tough little athlete!
For some reason it was hard for me to imagine myself having a little girl, but now that you are here, I really can't picture our lives without you! And now having seen your darling personality unfold, God truly gave you the most perfect demeanor that fits right into our family. My heart is just overflowing with love and joy and gratefulness for you, my sweet baby girl! Words can't describe the joy you've brought us or how much we love you, Maddie-Moo!!! You and Jake are our live's greatest blessings and Daddy and I are immeasurably blessed to be your parents!! We know God has wonderful things in store for you and I can't wait to see what they are!
Psalm 139:13-16
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
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