Madison

Oh, how I LOVE this girl.  She kills me with her cuteness and goodness.  I have so enjoyed having one on one time with her everyday.  I have never had a child home alone since Brock was 15 months.  At first I did not like it.  When I wrote this post in my head back in September it was about how one on one time is WAAAYYY over rated and not good for children at all.  All that attention... not good.  All my kids had to wait their turn and find ways to entertain themselves while I fed babies and prepped meals and put kids down for naps.  In August and September and part of October Madison and I were kind of at odds.  She was demanding and whinny and never satisfied - and it was so much worse when the kids came home.  I had concluded that children do better with siblings at home.

Then mid October something switched - and she just started to rock her new life.  She became incredibly independent and happy and just a pure joy to be around.  I love having her as my little side kick all day.  I totally see why some people only have 1 kid and think it is just fine.  She is so happy to just hang out with me while we go about our day.  We have a great time running errands, cooking dinner, cleaning up the house, and watching other peoples kids.  She rarely complains or gets tired.  A few times a week she has a play date - and then when we get home she plays so happily and well with her dolls and toys - in a whole elaborate way that none of my other kids really did - becasue  the house is quiet and all hers.  If she was my first and only I would think that her life was just perfect and she didn't need siblings.  Although I know how much better it really is with brothers and sisters - but I am just saying I never understood WHY or HOW people felt like one child was good enough - and I am just saying now I can see their point.

One thing that has been awesome about Madison is that I go into the school everyday to volunteer and she just comes with me - she never complains or is bored or bad - she just reads a book in the corner (did I mention she is on about a 5th grade reading level!) or plays with math manipulatives (or what ever the teacher has in her room).  She is a rock star and I am so glad I got this year with her.  My heart just bursts with joy almost everyday just hanging out with her.