The Quail’s first Christmas in our arms! She celebrated in style. She let the mamarazzi dress her up for photographs posted earlier. She laughed, she played, she had her first bit of baby turkey and seemed to enjoy it. She is definitely in the midst of stranger anxiety time though. Twice this past week she has woken up to one of our friends over her and in response has startled and started to cry and as they kindly tried to console her the wailing took on a grievous tone. Poor lambie. She continued to weep tears and sniff in their general direction as they made nice with her. While I am sad for her upset- I’m pretty proud of the cognitive leap of knowing her peeps!

She received a lovely little Quail ornament to commemorate her nickname and welcome in this natural world. She got her very own busy ball popper, Elmo video, angel book, talking book, personalized wool stocking complete with snowmen parading past and a Jingle Bell singing toothbrush. Her sister picked out a soft ladybug shaped book that has become a fast favorite. We’ve been enjoying our mornings and evenings reading a few books together as a family. She has a definite interest in books- although it could just be the need for more fiber. She was an absolute dollbaby in her Christmas dress, patent fake-pleather black shoes, tights and red striped hairbow and managed to not get a spot on any of it! And word to the wise- when your party dress has glitter on it- don’t be alarmed when a day or so later you find glitter in your diaper- it’s all just part of the continued festivities!

In January she moves up to the older baby’s room. She already knows her new teacher Miss Patti- so we are hoping it will be an easy and happy transition. There is more room for floor time here and all her little buddies will be crawling and toddling past. We are hoping that will inspire her. Currently she is pretty keen on laying on her belly pressed up into a yoga-teacher-perfect cobra for a good 10-15 minutes at a time. When you call her and try to encourage her to come to you she gets all wriggely excited and starts kicking her back legs. She tolerates us pushing her into crawling position and will pop out and forward and divebomb the floor in front of her. And while she hollers at us for doing it to her she doesn’t fight it too much anymore and is beginning to hold the position more on her own and when one leg is pressed up under her she will now correct the other to get it into position. Baby steps they say…