FFF, Crib Update and Call for Addresses

Here's a pic for Favorite Foto Friday. She was under the desk playing peek-a-boo and I thought this was a cute shot.

I have more pics I'll get up soon I hope.

An update on the crib/sleep situation..... As expected, she is fine in the crib at night for now. She goes to sleep so fast and it's dark so I think we've got more time at night. We just have to be sure not to leave her in there long once she's awake. Yesterday's attempt at a nap was a repeat scenario. She freaked as soon as I put her in the crib and was on the rail by the time I got to the door. So, today I decided to try the pack-n-play for a nap. I put her in and she did have the same hysterics, but I went ahead and left the room. I stood outside for a few minutes until it seemed she wasn't going to get out. I went ahead and let her cry for about 20 minutes and she finally went to sleep. She's now been sleeping for almost 2 hrs!!!!! Yeah!!!! So, for now, her room will be a little on the crowded side with the pack-n-play crammed in there. But, she still needs her naps during the day and I'm quite sure she is not ready for a toddler bed. She is too young to reason and communicate the rules to.

I did talk to the people at the place we got her crib and they did say a tent won't work on the crib we have.

I'm going to try the pack-n-play for a while and see how that goes. If it solves the nap situation and nighttime continues to go smoothly, we'll just buy some time with this setup.

Lastly, I'd like for any of my blogger buddies that would like a Christmas card to please send me your address. You can email me at alleensantana@yahoo.com

SOS!!SOS!!SOS!!

EDITED TO ADD: Thanks for the suggestions for the crib tent. Unfortunately, it appears they don't work for the type of crib we have. We have a sleigh-style crib with rails that are uneven/different heights. The one several people suggested specifically says it doesn't work on that type of crib....... aye yay.....

Oh and did I mention that I don't have the toddler rail yet for the bed??? I thought we had longer before needing to think about this. No telling how long that special order will take!!

Oh my gosh. Of course, it was bound to happen. But, truly, I thought I had longer. So, here it is:

I went to put Gabriella down for her nap today and for whatever reason, she got hysterical. I went ahead and left the room and figured I'd give it a couple of minutes and then go in calm her down and try again if needed. Sometimes she will scream for a minute and then go right into dreamland. Well, not a minute or so after I left, she got even louder and more hysterical so instead of waiting I went in. Well...... I found her on the floor! She wasn't hurt, but scared. Holy cow.... So, I rocked her for a while as she was obviously tired. She was just about asleep and as soon as I put her down, she got hysterical again. I walked out but left the door cracked where I could see her. As soon as I left, she hurled herself up onto the side of the crib. I ran in and got her just before she went over the side. I figured if I could get her to go to sleep, we'd be ok. So, I rocked her again until she was alseep, put her down where she promptly woke up. So, I stood there touching her back for a good 15 minutes without moving a muscle. As long as I was there, she was fine. Can I just say how hard that was???????? My arm fell asleep being over the side of the crib. If I moved, she woke. She finally fell sound asleep and I snuck out. Not 10 minutes later, she woke up screaming and before I could get in the room, she was on the floor again. Keep in mind, this is a child who has been near-perfect in the sleep department up to this point.

What to do??? Seriously, for those that have met her, you know how ACTIVE she is. How will I even keep her in a toddler bed? She will have the room in shambles given the chance. I can't imagine her sleeping if she can escape.

Weekend pics

It was so nice to have 4 days with daddy home. We were sad when he went back to work today.

Saturday, we went to the park. Of all the stuff to do, Gabriella mostly wanted to collect the acorns.

She did love going down the slide with the tunnel. I thought she'd be afraid, but she loved it!

Here I come mommy!

Partners in crime. Neither one will stay out of the pantry. Bing knows to put his paw under the door and check to see if it's latched all the way. If not, he enjoys gorging himself all night long on the cat food in the bin. Ugh, just ignore the fact that it's a disaster in there! I've never, ever called myself organized.

Caught red-handed!

Bing's up to his food-stealing tricks again too.

I put this pic on Bing's blog too, but isn't he purdy??

This morning I was sitting at the computer and Gabriella just started giggling. I turned around and she had put the hat on and was just smiling away.

Cheesy smile!!

I can hardly get her to look at me when I try to do photo shoots outside these days.

Finally, looking at me. Too bad there's not a smile.

More interested in a leaf.

FFF

For today's Favorite Foto Friday, I am posting a picture from one year ago today, Thanksgiving 2006. Oh my gosh, when I compare the pics I realize just how much my baby girl is growing up. Sniff, sniff.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. Here are a few pictures of what we are most thankful for this year.

Getting bored of the photo shoot.

I'm off to lay in bed and hope this stomachache from eating so much goes away soon!!

Rub-a-Dub Dub

a cat in a tub???????? Bing is crazy!! He jumped right in after Gabriella's bath last night. Yep, the tub is still completely wet as the water had just drained. He didn't care a bit.

Here Bing, let me dry you off.

Gabriella first met this doggie while trick-or-treating. She just loves him and he is so good with her. He likes to give her kisses.

What a Difference a Year Makes

Gabriella went to see Santa today. It was not the same experience as last year. Last year, she smiled and giggled and was enthralled with Santa. This year? I sat her down in his lap and she started crying and holding her arms out for me. She stopped crying for 2 pictures(but no smile) and then I had to sit down with her on my lap and Santa beside us(they have a BIG chair for just that reason!). They did get one big smile from her, but they couldn't crop me out of it enough. When Santa gave her a toy at the end, she threw it on the ground. He gave it to her again and down it went. Guess that summed up her thoughts on the whole thing. I'm running out of Christmas card possibilities!

I give you a sampling from last year(I bought the CD since they were all so good!):

And the best I could get this year(the quality isn't so hot since it's a scanned pic):

How Did This Many Days Go By?

Geez, I didn't realize it had been 5 days since I posted!!! Not a whole lot really going on. Just busy trying to keep up with Gabriella. She is definitely entering into the early stages of the terrible twos. She throws such fits any more and spends a good part of the mornings now screaming, crying and writhing on the floor. Why? I dunno know.

I call this first set of pictures, "The Bag Lady". Once again, she gathered up every purse of hers that she could find, hung them all on her motorcycle and admired them. Then, she put them all on her arms and took them over to the corner and sat there with them all around her. She cracks me up.

Hmmmmm, one's missing.

Ah yes, the leopard one!







Yep, this is what I'm talking about..... What a face!

I dressed Gabriella up and took her to the Santa display at the mall before Santa arrived(I stole the idea from a friend!) hoping to get some good pics. HA! She would not stay in one place or look at me and by the time I was done I felt I had finished a workout. She kept wanting to leave the area and take off running or destroy the display. I didn't really want mall security escorting me out!

So then I decided to try at home. Not much better success there. The leaves proved to be quite interesting to her.

Giving some lovin' to Bing.