A Little Off Kilter

Not much going on...getting ready for Christmas and the trip to Santa Clarita--so I guess there is a lot going on, just not very exciting stuff. Leila had a fever for a couple of days which totally through off her schedule. She never got completely sick, so I think she was able to fight it off. I don't know if the fever is to blame but she has been totally resisting sleep lately (naps, bedtime, everything). Or maybe it's because she is getting older and more mobile (almost walking, but not quite...stay tuned!) and with that she's finding this new sense of self autonomy...who knows?





Whatever the reason, she is not getting the sleep she needs---which i admit she probably gets from her mother--without sleep, she is a totally different person: most babies get cranky when they are sleepy, Leila gets crazy. It's some kind of combination of cranky, hyper, and delirious(see her picture below).



So Ry and I are having to buckle down and go back to the whole "cry it out" thing. She did better last night (about 10min. of screaming) and I write this as she is taking her first nap (tear free :) ) So hopefully we can get back on track---so we can then leave town and completely throw her off again! Ahhh, parenthood...




Getting ready for bath time...one of her "delirious" moments

Leila's First Haircut

As most of you know (and have seen) Leila got her first haircut the week of Thanksgiving. She has been blessed with a beautiful head of hair....living up to her name: "dark haired beauty"

Anyway, it took some convincing on Daddy's end--he did not want to cut it, but we eventually agreed that she at least needed a little trim to keep the hair out of her face. So, Lita and I took her to our hairdresser, Gloria, for a trim. She was not scared at all (Gloria was very impressed...she gets a lot of first time criers). She just kept staring at Gloria like "what are you doing?" She wanted to take the comb and scissors away to play with, but other than that she handled everything like a pro; which is good, because with her hair, this is the first of many haircuts to come!

Before

After: "So that's what you look like!"

Video Exclusive!!

In answer to popular demand (grandparents, tios, aunties....you know who you are!) here are some videos we have been hoarding to ourselves...hope you enjoy!!

The first is a clip of Leila tackling the stairs(yet again)...if you haven't already heard, we are proud parents of a very active little girl (thanks a lot Daddy!) ...she starting climbing the stairs(all 16 steps!) and going to our bedroom at 6mos. Now she is finally learning how to come down without falling! Yea!


No! Please don't get me!


You thought I was scared? I was acting!


Watch out! Here I come!!!





A lot of ppl think Leila doesn't smile often; not entirely true---she just makes you work for those smiles. But when she does...it is more than worth it!!!
Here she is when she has the giggles:

Pictures, Bye-bye, and Barking?

Yesterday we went to take our Christmas pictures...a seemingly simple task that turns out to be anything but---getting a smile (at least for a picture) from Leila Joy is far from simple. The photographer, Keisha, definitely earned her pay working with us. She did everything short of standing on her head to try and get a smile out of our little one. She was actually very good (which is why I am remembering her name for future appts.)---she was even able to get Leila to smile and laugh; problem was by the time she stepped back to take the shot, the smile was gone. I felt a little bad for her; she was jumping, running, making noises and totally out of breath (I think she even tripped a few times running backwards to take the picture). Anyway, an hour later we had some decent pictures....I'll post one or two when we get them in.
Other than that, not much going on. Ryan has been gone the last few days taking a couple of certification classes; Leila misses him...she gets so excited when he gets home :)

Leila's got her second tooth coming in and she has figured out how to wave hi/bye...very cute! She's also really into her mirror right now...talking to herself and barking--yes barking! She got a stuffed dalmatian from Grandma that she loves and I sometimes take it and have it "bark" at her. This morning I caught her looking into the mirror (with her doggy in her hand) and "barking" at the mirror! Later, when I was playing with her and the dog, everytime the dog would bark at her she would bark right back. It's pretty funny....as long as she doesn't start biting!

Leila's first Thanksgiving and a Tooth!

Thanksgiving turned out to be a double "whammy" for Leila Joy. Mama and Leila hitched a ride to LA with Tia Emi...not sure if she'll be doing that again; Leila does not like being in the carseat and she was not quiet about it. But we made it to the hospital and Leila got to peek in and see Abuelita.

Then we headed to Saugus to get settled in and ready for Leila's first Thanksgiving. We got off to a rough start, though, and Leila had a pretty long night.....she was up crying and crying, which is not like her because she is usually a very good sleeper. We knew something was up. We made it through the night and in the morning we discovered the reason for all her fussing.....daddy looked in her mouth and found her first tooth poking through! (bottom right) It's about time, considering she started teething around 3 months old---it only took 5 mos to break through. So at exactly 8mos old Leila Joy has her first tooth...aka her "turkey tooth!"

The next day we went to Grandma and Grandpa's for Thanksgiving II and Papa(Ryan) introduced Leila to a new tradition: eating whipped cream from the can! She loved it! Like father, like daughter!