She does tricks!

Before We get into the topic at hand, I'd like to mention that I'm convinced our little girl is teething.  It's been weeks since she slept through the night.  Weeks and weeks.  She hasn't ever slept through the night consistently, but occasionally she'd surprise us with a full night's rest.  More often than not she'd wake up just once, but lately she's up three or four times a night.  Starting at midnight, then 2:00 a.m. 4:00 a.m. 6:00 a.m.  Sometimes I'm sure it's her teeth bothering her.  Other times I'm not so sure.  Is she cold?  That's certainly possible.  She does seem to be a light sleeper, which might explain things.  Is she uncomfortable because her bed isn't soft enough?  Firm enough?  There are several possibilities.  If only she could tell us!!  The result is that Jon and I get to walk around like zombies day after day after day.  Last night she and I slept on the love sac just so I didn't fall over on the third waking (which almost happened the previous night) and so Jon could get a less disrupted night's rest.  She went four hours before waking up again.  So nice.  So needed.

Even though she's made our nights rough, she's always been a very considerate daytime eater.  I've brought Sophie to Young Women's sure that she would be ready to eat ten minutes into our activity and she always surprises me by waiting until my responsibilities are completed.  Isn't she sweet?  She also seems to know that once she's in her carseat she's going to have to wait until she's out before she gets to eat.  She's generally a pretty good sport about it.  Doesn't complain much at all.  I've tutored my neighbor knowing that I'll have to make Sophie wait a little longer than she'd probably choose herself, but she puts up with it all.  It might have something to do with the fact that I'm holding her and she knows I'll take care of her when I can so she doesn't complain.  I have no idea what her reasons are for being so considerate, but I sure appreciate it!  Plus this girl gives the best hugs ever!  I can't get enough.

On to the tricks... Sophie is a mover and a hopper.  She gets both feet off the ground when she jumps in her bouncer.  Her whole body gets into it.  I love watching her!  She spins in circles on the floor and rolls over and over again.  She's even inched her way toward very desirable things.  Things like Lydia's Tato Heads or my phone.  A little plastic spoon motivated her to do her neatest trick yet.  I was reading Big Bad Bunny to Lydia while Sophie sat in her "rainbow" (Bumbo, though Lydia has re-named it rainbow) and as much as I tried to focus on the story, I couldn't help but keep an eye on Sophie.  She was reaching for this plastic spoon from Lydia's kitchen that was only inches from her chair and she was so intent on grabbing it that she kept elevating herself in the rainbow, getting closer and closer to her prize.  Every reach seemed to get her closer and closer to popping out of her little chair.  And finally!  As I sat watching her stretch her little fingers toward that orange spoon she popped out of the rainbow and belly flopped on top of her spoon.  Then she rolled over and sucked on it.  Totally worth all that effort.  Totally worth it.  And she wouldn't let go.  Would not.  Not for anything.

These photos were obviously staged, but you get the general idea.  She's amazing!  Should have taken one of her on her tummy.  It was quite the belly flop!