Melba Toast

OK, I've got to praise the makers of Melba Toast. Sophia loves this stuff. While it has very little nutritional value because it is basically thin, crispy, white toast, it gives her extra calories. After a long day of grumpy baby I also found it has a new use. She'll eat other foods off of it and beg for more! I was having a heck of a time getting her to eat from a spoon today and she ended up eating a ton of dinner in dip form. She ate her spinach as a dip and her pumpkin applesauce. I just hope she'll continue to eat from a spoon on occasion.

American Music Awards

Miracle of all miracles: Sophia has been sleeping better for the past week or so. It has been really nice. Franco and I have even had time to sit together and watch a little television after dinner. Last night we didn't have a lot to choose from, so we decided to watch the American Music Awards. It all started out OK -- Christina Aguilara opened and we like her (she can actually sing really well). Then various stars tried their best to give out awards but seemed to have difficulty reading their lines off of the teleprompter. That was just funny. Then there was an act that was just plain disturbing... the New Kids on the Block. Have you heard that they are back?? Yeah, I don't think it will be for long. I was a big fan back in 1990 but they thoroughly trampled all of my fond memories. The guys must be in their 30's and 40's now -- not one kid amongst them. Unfortunately for the "kids" their voices aged and it seems that none of them can sing anymore. Their dance moves were pretty much like they were in their glory days, except slower and stiffer -- like geriatric patients. Franco said that he and Dan could master them in a couple hours if they had a few beers. The audience gave them a pity standing ovation. I couldn't watch anymore. I can't believe that Donnie Walhberg, who has had a fairly good acting career (we loved him in Band of Brothers), allowed himself to be talked into this. Sad, sad, sad.

Pee Wee Gym

On Thursday we took Sophia to the community center to what they call the Pee Wee Gym. For a small fee you can take your small child in to run around and play with their equipment during open hours. It's kind of like your high school gymnasium, except clean, with balls and bikes and tunnels all over the place. We happened to catch a freebie day -- not sure the occasion. Sophia had a blast. All Franco and I did was chase her around as she trotted from one area to another. She wanted to play near the bigger boys. And in true toddler style, she wanted whatever toy anyone else was holding. We stayed for about an hour, until she was crawling from being too tired to walk anymore. Naps permitting, we will definitely be going back again.

Sophia had trouble deciding which ball was the best, but the blue one was her favorite for about a minute.

Paging Doctor Salluce...

Sophia found a little cord in the office that she started putting over her head and on her shoulders. I thought, she never sees us wearing anything around our necks... where did this funny little behavior come from? Franco saw her do it yesterday and said that it looks like the stethoscope the doctor drapes around her neck. I like it. We'd better start saving to send her to medical school.

Fast as a Flash!

Maybe she isn't as fast as a speeding bullet, but I noticed this evening that Sophia has picked up speed. When Franco and I were on the phone she was running from one place to another in the room. It's probably because she has been free to roam the house most of this week. She'll follow me from room to room and, when she does wander out of sight, she'll come when I call. My little duckling.

As a follow up from the last post, Bella has been especially good with Sophia today. Bella let her pat her, feed her a bottle, and kiss her. I even got a little video of the love-fest.

Bella Exiled

Sophia and I were sitting on the couch last night and Bella decided to come sit next to us. Sophia began kicking at her gently, which the cat seemed to like at first (lots of purring). In a flash, it all got ugly and the stupid cat ended up scratching my baby on the leg. It wasn't a huge scratch but there were lots of tears. Bella, the strictly indoor cat, got pitched into the garage for an hour for a time-out. As I see it, she had a choice of whether or not to sit by us. Had Sophia cornered her or picked her up I would have been a lot more forgiving. Bella was thoroughly traumatized by her visit to the garage (I even left the light on for her) and had to be located and carried back into the house later in the evening. Today Bella seemed to walk near Sophia a lot and let her pat her extra before running away. I think she was trying to make amends...