It's Been TOO long...

It's only been a week but it feels longer -- perhaps because a lot has been packed into these past few days. 

Updates on la bambina:

She's been sleeping so much better, and even a bit longer too!  I usually rely on her to wake me up before 7:30, but these last few mornings, we've slept in till 8:30 at least.  I will enjoy it while I can, because this is not "the norm."  She's allowed us to put her down in the crib for naps and bedtimes without too much of a fuss.  Sometimes she'll whine for up to 15 minutes, but she usually crashes by that point in time and snoozes right on through the night.  Naps are lasting about 2 hrs, give or take. 

Mia's going through another "willful" stage though too.  Everybody's version of "willful" is different, however, so I know what we consider mountains of work others consider molehills.  So I guess we trade good sleep for some behavior modification, but I'll take it.  At least we're well-rested, right??

Her brain's growing too.  She's now saying "Yes" or "Yeah," while nodding her head the correct way.  It's quite cute. 
"Do you want applesauce?"  "Yeah." *one solid head nod* 
"Do you want to lay in your crib?"  "Yeah." *leans toward crib*

She'll also sort of ask you a question in a Foreigner-speaking-American-English sort of way.  Like, "[Banana], no?" as in, "I can have this banana, right? Or not?"  It's her way of asking for our approval.  "No?  No?"  We appreciate that. 

We're trying to teach her to say, "Merry Christmas," and over the last few days it's taken its own adaptation from sounding like "Mry Kss-ss" to "Mry Ta Ta" to "Sss".  I'm not sure why we've dropped so many syllables, but she'll also nod her head as she says this like she's a very dynamic speaker.  I don't know who she learned that from, because I'm not dramatic, ever.  Srsly.

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I left Mia in the capable hands of Jenn H & her 2 charming daughters this morning while I got my hair did by my fav stylist Liz.

Jenn sent me these pictures while I was out:

She's holding hands with Loren and fiercely maintaining her grip on the travel tube of toothpaste she grabbed before we left the house this morning. I guess she wants to be prepared in case she & Loren head out on a long journey.  Through the backyard.

Mia (R) and her buddy Maddie (L).  Maddie calls Mia "Mimi"! They love playing together!

It's always nice to know your child is behaving and playing just fine while you're out.  Things always take longer than you think they will (I'm a chronic under-estimator) so at least you know your child is in good company. 

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The holidays are in full-swing and last weekend after an amazing Thanksgiving we decided to move on right ahead into Christmas.  We put our tree up, hung the stockings, furnished the TV stand with some garland, and have some other holiday-type things set up to remind us 'tis the season.  I already have ideas about some holiday menus and can't wait to try holiday round II at our house this year.  It's also only taken me 3 years of having Bright House Cable to realize that channel 433 plays nonstop holiday music.  So I no longer have to play holiday music DJ in the house...I just let the TV do it for me.  And as grainy as some of the wintery images on that channel may be, they at least make me think we're some up north, where it would actually SNOW right now.
Speaking of the north, we'll be traveling northward before the actual holiday but will be in town for the 25th, ready to start some Ciampian traditions!  We are feeling really blessed and cannot believe 2010 is just about done.