Mixed Results

The past three nights Gabrielle has slept with both arms out of her swaddle - meaning she had the swaddle wrapped under her armpits and around the rest of her body with her arms free to flail. It has not been a complete disaster.... The first night she woke up at about 2:00, 6:00, and 6:30 and slept then slept until 7:30. The second night she didn't wake up at all until 6:30 then went back down until 7:30. Major score! Last night was a bit more rough waking up at 2:00, 4:00, and 6:00 approximately and then sleeping until about 7:30. Not great but not awful. And now that I think about it, I don't think she will be getting rid of her swaddle completely for a long time. She can't have any sort of blanket because she will pull it completely over her face EVERY single time you give her one. With the swaddle wrapped around her body (with her arms free) it acts like a blanket, but it is secured so she can't suffocate herself with it. And then she uses the little crocheted blanket square to cover her face up that my mom made just for her with big holes throughout it. Perfect!

Nick's parents just got back from Florida a couple of days ago so we went over there last night for dinner. We were very nervous because Gabi has had some weird complex about their house. Every time we have been over there she has a complete meltdown and is awful. When we got there yesterday I took her out of her carseat, she looked around, and just started screaming. Bright red face and big crocodile tears. OMG. Really?? I calmed her down, got a couple of her toys out and played for a few minutes. She was calm but still looked like she was on the brink of freaking out. I fed her her rice cereal and gave her a bottle and after that she really warmed up! She was a very pleasant little baby and let Grandma Billie and Grandpa Ron hold her and play with her. She smiled, sat up, bounced her legs, and showed her Grandma and Grandpa everything she could do. We went for a long golf cart ride around the property and she had a great time. She even took a very good nap in Grandma Billie's pack 'n play (a first...usually she will only sleep in her carseat there...if at all). ::Sigh of relief:: Crisis averted! We made a commitment to spending more time there and more quality time with Grandma and Grandpa Taylor.

While we were over there, Billie has this big soft teddy bear and I was playing with it with Gabi on the couch. Gabi was sitting on the couch and I was sitting on the floor with the bear. I would nuzzle the bear on the Gabi's face, bring it down below the couch to hide it from her, and then bring it back up kind of peek-a-boo style. Usually when I hide the bear she just kind of looks with me with a blank stare on her face. This time when I hid the bear below the couch she leaned way forward to look down past the couch onto the floor to where the bear was. Wow! Yeah, that probably seems like "Who cares?" but something clicked in her brain that things don't just disappear, they go somewhere and you can find them. Way to go Gabi!

Today we made an addition to our menu; green beans! Each time she took a bite she made this awful face, swallowed, then opened her mouth for more! She happily ate the whole bowl (about half a jar) icky face and all so I guess it couldn't have been that bad?

Mmmmm.....rice cereal and green beans...My Grandpa gave Gabi some money while we were up north so we went and picked out a few new toys for her this past weekend. Nick got her a giant singing penguin that she just loves! It's inflatable and bobs back and forth.

Our tulips are bloomed and beautiful so I thought I'd get some pics of Gabi in front of them.
"Haha! No more pictures for you!"

I bought an area rug for our living room too. Now that Gabi can sit up really well she likes to play on the floor. Our hard woods weren't very baby friendly so I got a rug and now she can play. It also adds something to our previously somewhat boring living room. I took a chance and just ordered it online - huge sale and free shipping! Who could pass that up? It turned out great I think!

Baby can do a full push up on her tummy now (when she wants to, of course).