way off schedule

As I type this Sadie is in her crib sreaming bloody murder. She went to bed fine but within a couple of minutes she started screaming. Jackie went in to check on her twice and she immediately stopped screaming and said "bye bye" and waved. She's fine, she's just really into controlling her environment right now.

Last night she woke up at 3:20 AM screaming, when I went to her crib she was sitting up and said "milk" like it was time to get up. I got her out of the crib, changed her diaper but she wouldn't go back down, she wanted milk. I took her into the kitchen and she was wide awake and in a great mood, except it was 3:30 in the morning. After a full cup of milk I took her back to our bed and layed down. She layed on top of the covers and stared up at the ceiling for about 40 minutes then let me put her back into her crib. Needless to say today has been tough. Her mood swings are frequent and dramatic. Dinner was a fiasco i.e. she didn't eat and just sat in her chair screaming.

She is extremely particular and demanding, she must choose her own plate, her own cup, her own straw, her own fork and if she doesn't get to choose there is hell to pay. Her granola bar has to be unwrapped exactly so or she will through it down and cry as if mortally wounded. Getting dressed, getting in her stroller, food, on and on - she's in total control. Its kind of nuts and wears us down.

All that being said she is so cute and loveable most of the time you just want to eat her up. She's got personality in spades and charms everyone she meets. She's such a great kid it makes the tyrannical behavior almost tolerable.

Here's a video from today:

Catching up

Sorry for the long delay in posting but its been a busy few months. Sadie's first holidays in the US were low key for the most part and we all spent a lot of quality time together. After the holidays things at home really changed with Mom being home full-time and Sadie leaving day care. The transition has been great for Sadie, she's happier, healthier and more secure.

Sadie has been making lots of friends in the neighborhood and is going on play dates nearly everyday. Her vocabulary is exploding too; banana, tunnel, Mommy, stuck, help, big star, keys, taxi, big bird, Ernie, airplane. She understands everything we say to her, even seemingly obscure things like "catch you later" said in an offhand manner and she'll respond without missing a beat, "bye" and not even look up from her playing. Scary.

She loves her "blanky" and keeps it close by most of the morning. When she's ready for bed or nap time she'll announce "nigh nigh" and motion to the bedroom. When we put her in her crib she'll mess around a bit and say "bye bye" when we leave the room.

In the mornings we hear her wake up about 6:45 most of the time and sing and talk to herself for a half hour before calling out for us. Her little voice is so soft and sweet as she babbles it brings tears to your eyes. I can't think of a sweeter way to wake up.

Recent pictures....

first haircut. it was not fun. Sadie lost it.

first snow was fun, she liked it. the matching leopard skin boots and jacket helped.

January day in Central Park.

Mom and Sadie on Bow Bridge in Central Park.

Often meals become a test of wills.