Dinnertime!

Sophia sat in her highchair for the first time last night for dinner! Perviously, we fed her in the exersaucer. She also tried pureed bananas for the first time. Too funny! It is so much fun introducing new things to her. Her reactions never disappoint.

In her highchair for the first time

Aren't I cute sitting in my new highchair, Mom?

I'm ready to eat! I want to try bananas!

That's bananas? Yuck.

I don't think I like bananas very much.

Yup. I'm pretty sure bananas are gross.

Mommy, please, no more bananas.

Sophia, what did you think of your bananas?

Bright Eyes

Sittin' Pretty

Look at what a big girl Sophia is becoming! She is really working on sitting up on her own now. I have her play sitting up for awhile each day, while I spot her. If she starts to fall, mommy is there to catch her, but otherwise I let her try to balance herself. She is so close.


She has no problem lounging in the easy chair however...

Rice!

On Sunday, after we moved, we sat down to enjoy some pizza. Sophia was grabbing at our pizza and watching each bite travel to our mouths (she had been doing this at every meal for quite some time now). She had also been displaying all the other signs of "readiness," so we decided it was time to give her some rice cereal. We got out the camcorder, and in front of several relatives, she tried her first bites of rice. Yum! She liked it! Everytime she saw the spoon coming, she got very excited and leaned towards it. Everytime the spoon entered her mouth, she bite down, and I had to wiggle the spoon out of her strong clamp! She did a very good job and stayed fairly clean too! Yay for big girl food!







She has been eating rice cereal for dinner every night now, and just loves it. She has a bottomless stomach when it comes to her cereal, and most of the time, we just have to cut her off because she would eat the whole box if we let her. I can't wait to see how she likes fruit and veggies!

Dinner at Josh and Shinae's

"Oooo! Juice!"

"I think it's for me!"

"Mommy, look! Uncle Josh gave me some juice!"

"Alright. Ready to try this."

"Echh. This is funny tasting juice Uncle Josh.*"

*She did not really taste any. Just so we're clear;)

The Hardest Yet

The past four months have been difficult in the sleep department for Sophia and me. She is the world's lightest sleeper. I'm not kidding. She awoke this morning when I was slipping ever-so-quietly into my pants from across the entire room. Ahh, the soft rustle of jeans rings like the morning rooster's crow in her delicate little ears.

So I decided it was time to try something new. She needs to be on a good sleep schedule before Poppy arrives, or this momma will go cuckoo. I realize I have some time, but now is a good time to start. I would like to get some sleep during this pregnancy.

On any given night, I nurse Sophia and she falls asleep in my arms. I hold her for awhile, then gently ease her into the crib. Whether or not she remains asleep is very hit-or-miss. Sometimes she does great all night. Mostly though, she wakes up immediatly. The process starts all over again, and by the middle of the night I am so exhausted that she usually ends up in bed with us (where she is guaranteed to sleep soundly all night. Happy baby. Happy mommy.)

So tonight, I nursed her and cuddled for a few minutes. While she was still drowsy, but not asleep, I laid her in the crib. Of course the crying started immediatly. I quietly walked toward the door and allowed her to cry. I sat in the living room, listening to my baby cry her eyes out. It took everything in my being not to go in there and rescue her from her peril. Every ten minutes or so, I walked in, stuck her nuk back in her mouth, gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and reassured her of my love, then turned around and walked out again. It was seriously one of the hardest "mommy moments" yet. Soon the tears started flowing down my face as well. Gary came downstairs and prayed with me. I am so glad that God sent him down to encourage me. I needed it. (Jared is out helping a friend tonight, or he would have been by my side too.) After what seemed like an eternity, the moniter stopped screaming at me and the room grew quiet.

She has been peacefully sleeping for 30 minutes now. I am encouraged, and exhausted. Listening to your child cry like that and not running to their rescue takes a lot of strength. But God is watching over her, and teaching us both through the process. I love my little girl. I hope she always knows that.

Sheeeee'll Scratch Your Eye Out!

Yesterday morning before church, Sophia and I were enjoying some early morning moments together. We were sitting on the couch, talking and playing, when suddenly her razor nails came full speed at my eye. Before I could even react, she made a nice clean slice across my cornea. YOWZA!!! My eye slammed shut, and remained that way for the rest of the day. It stung and burned when my eye was closed. It stung and burned when my eyes were open. It even stung and burned while I took a nap.

After "the incident," I toughed up and got ready for church. We made it, late of course. By the end of the service, all my resolve melted and I turned into a pool of self pity. My eye was drooling more than Sophia, and my nose was trying to keep up. I had a kleenex for my eye, and a kleenex for my nose-- both soaked. This kept up fo the rest of the day. So after church, I eagerly took my dad's invitation to let them care for me while Jared did some more packing. I got to spend the afternoon under the watchful care of my dad. He administered eye drops and antibiotics when needed. He made up the bed for me so I could take a nap. He found an eye mask to keep out the light. (Which I wore for several hours, including during lunch. Going about the day blind gave me quite a different perspective. It was so frustrating.) All the while, Grandma, Aunt Anna, Aunt Shinae, and Uncle Josh took care of the wee babe. Thanks everyone for your help.

Last night when I went to bed, not only did my eye burn, but it was also swollen and red. I awoke this morning to a new eye. It feels so much better and I can actually use it again! Not completely restored, but a huge step up from yesterday.