Sam and Misty: Starting to eat big people food

We started Elly on solids two evenings ago. (Which has me wondering when did my baby grow up. Can she really be ready for food already?) We decided to try solids because recently, she has not been sleeping for more than 2 hours at a time at night. Thinking that perhaps she was waking because she's hungry we decided to give it a try. I cooked some sweet potato and made a little rice cereal. Sam was armed with the camera. She didn’t know quite what to think of it. She seemed to like the cereal, but wasn’t sure about the sweet potato. She didn’t eat much. When we finished Sam realized he hadn’t had the video going so we missed it. Too bad. I was a little bummed, but couldn't change it so we just decided to try again last night. We stuck with cereal that time and she really enjoyed it. I even made up a little bit more for her.

I don't think hunger is why she keeps waking through the night though. I've thought alot about it because she used to sleep 4-5 hours before waking up. I think it stems from our month in Alaska. During that time she slept in bed with me and then when we got home her sleep was all messed up because of the 10 hour time difference. Just when she was starting to get over that we set our clocks back an hour. I think all of it together has just caused her to wake alot through the night and want the comfort of nursing. I know I should put her in her crib at night, but I so love having her sleep in the same room as us that I just keep her in the co-sleeper. I do think she would sleep better by herself though because when she does wake she wouldn't see me there beside her in the bed. I'm not changing anything before we go to the states, but when we get back I'll have to start putting her in her own room at night :(

The last 3 nights she has woke up around 2:00am.....wide awake....talking to herself. The first couple of nights I pulled her in bed with us and she laid there talking until she dozed off again. Last night I took a different approach and decided to ignore her. I turned over in bed, facing away from her and tried to go back to sleep. She laid in her bed talking for probably an hour, but finally went back to sleep and slept several hours. I don't know why she is so wide awake at that hour.

Last week Sam was sick with a cold. I’m assuming Elly picked up the fake coughing from him. So cute! Sometimes we wonder if she’s not getting sick because she really coughs, but I think it’s just her trying out that new sound. She's so funny.

I love seeing her sit up. That adorable, chubby little body sitting up. The last couple of nights when we were getting ready for bed I sat her in the co-sleeper and she played until I was done and ready to feed her and put her to bed. I can’t get enough of her. Her chubby little baby hands, the way she screws her little mouth up to try and talk, her smiles as we’re coming down the stairs in the morning, hearing her “talk” to her toys, the way she puts her blanket over her face then stiffens her legs and breaths funny and even her screams. She’s just adorable through and through. I’m so thankful and blessed to call her my little girl.