Second Attempt at an Update

It's been much longer between updates than I intended, but I don't have much free time these days and when I finally do have some time to myself I end up resting to trying to get some housework done.  It seems like so much has happened since I last updated. 

Smiles are in full force.  She literally smiles with her whole face.  Morning time is often the best times to get smiles.

Lots of cooing: guh guh, ahhhh!, all sorts of fun sounds.  We practice conversing back and forth often.  She really loves to "talk".

Movement. She loves to kick and move her arms at the same time.  Usually this happens while I'm trying to change her diaper.  Before tummy-time I will let her kick and squirm as much as she wants.  She's mastered scootching around in a circle while laying on her back.  It's becoming normal to find her completely horizontal in her crib.  When I flip her to her tummy she gets her legs going - like she's trying to get up on her knees.  The poor girl just doesn't have the upper body strength yet for crawling.  I have a feeling though that I'm going to be even busier once she starts crawling.  She's ready to go!

Sleep.  Daytime sleep is not great.  Usually I'll get 1 or 2 decent naps out of her and one of those usually is sleeping on me.  She often cat naps.  The best success with naps has been when I lay down with her on our bed.  The crib is useless during the day.  Night time is getting better.  A good night usually involves two four-hour stretches a bad night is her waking about every 2-3 hours - so really not too bad in my opinion.  After we got back from Canton on Sunday, I got her down about 9:30 that night and she didn't wake until 4:15 that morning.  That's the longest she's ever gone and I couldn't believe it when I saw what time it was.  I'm not holding my breath for that to ever happen for awhile.  We still have some nights where it's difficult to get her to sleep, but it's getting easier. 

Travel. She did okay when we went back this past weekend.  She slept a bit, but she also cried/wailed a lot as well.  It was pretty stressful for all of us.  Needless to say, we won't be coming in too often for awhile.  I really do hope we make it back before Christmas though.  I think she hates being restricted in her movement.  She doesn't like to be "worn" in a carrier, she doesn't like the swing (although she's tolerating it a bit more these days) and it when she's in her car seat she's trying to lift herself out.  She's been doing this movement lately where she looks like she's straining to sit up or lift her head up.  Anyhow, short trips to the grocery store are at least tolerable.

Overall, I feel like she's coming "alive" so to speak.  She's a lot of fun to be around when she's in a good mood.  I'm really looking forward to watching her grow up!

I don't have any pictures this time.  Her newborns pictures FINALLY came in today.  It took long enough!  We don't have the birth announcements yet, but hopefully I'll have them soon.  I'm hoping to send some of the pictures out soon.  I'll probably make an online album for family, so they can choose what they want.