Christmas Elf in the making

On Friday Camila and I went out to my parents to make Christmas cookies with Grandma Nelson (ok, my mom made the cookies while we watched!) Camila just HAD to wear her new outfit. We think she likes the color red, which is great for me because it's my favorite color!

She's smiling all the time now, and we even think she's beginning to laugh! It's hard to know for sure, but we think those extra gurgles and coos while smiling are just the beginning. Grandma & Grandpa Nelson and Aunt Melissa were able to hear her first laugh, as Camila was having a great time seeing Grandma Nelson making funny faces!

The medicine seems to be helping her reflux, as she seems to be in a lot less pain that she was just a week ago. Plus, we've had some exciting developments in the naptime area. She took a nap last Wed from 11-2, and THurs from 11-3. We're learning more about her sleepy cues, and are trying to put her "down" for a nap every day around 11:00. Monday (Dec 10) we met Angie & Lily Quale at the MOA, and Camila slept in her stroller the entire time (again, starting around 11:00.) Hopefully this is just the beginning of a routine for her. If only we could get her to go to bed earlier at night. No matter what time she wakes up in the morning, or what time we start to put her to bed, she won't stay down for the night until 10:00pm. Fortunately she sleeps well overnight, only typically getting up twice from 10-9. The funny thing is, we think she actually entertains herself for a while after her 5:00 feeding, but I'm so exhausted I fall back to sleep without knowing for sure! I just hope we can get her to either drop one of her overnight feedings and move her bedtime up to at least 9:00. I go back to work in just 4 weeks (part time during Jan, full-time starting in Feb) so I'd like to have her overnight sleeping a little more in control.

Right now she's entertaining herself in her swing! We just have to remember these good times when she's fussing/crying from 5-10pm (which is usual for her!)