My girl

First, a sleep update. After getting advice from several different kind people, we decided on a strategy to get Meron to be a better sleeper. First, we cut down on naps. She likes to take two naps a day, and still begs for a nap about 9:30 or so, but now 9:30 is 'go outside and play time.' She is falling asleep MUCH faster, and that helps a lot. We put her crib mattress on the floor next to our bed and have been putting her down to sleep on that.
The first night was kind of traumatic. We showed her the mattress and had her practice sleeping on it. I laid down on my bed and showed her how close I would be. Mer was fine with that. When she woke up in the middle of the night, however, she was really upset. Nathan put her on the bed next to me, and she crawled on top of me and laid down, whimpering, with her cheek on mine. Then, she took one of my hands and wrapped it around her body. She took my other hand and put it on her face, spreading it and smoothing it like a balm before making me stroke her hair. For about two hours, if I moved either hand from it's position she would wake, whimper and put it back. It made me so sad. She hasn't needed to sleep on top of me like that for months, although she used to want to. Every night, though, it has gotten better. Last night she slept in her bed until 4:30, then just stood up and patted me on the shoulder until I picked her up and brought her into our bed. I'm so hopeful!
I love my girl. She is... sweetness. All sweetness and sass. I'm so glad that she is beginning to understand that I will be there, and so glad that she cares so much if I am. So lucky to be able to wake up to her patting my cheek and saying "Hi!" every morning. So lucky to be able to play and cuddle in bed for about 10 minutes before she starts signing 'Eat!' I am so lucky that I have a daughter that chose every piece of the sweater/green leggings/tutu outfit above... and was so persistent in bringing me each piece of her ensemble until I put it on her. Later, she added her pink cowboy boots. She tried to put her sparkly shoes on, but sadly, they are now much too small and we had to put them on her doll instead. Lucky she is so clever she can figure out how to take off her own pajamas... and is working on the diaper cover. So lucky that she will sit and let me do silly things to her hair for hours, but she looks gorgeous even covered in peanut butter with crazy bed head. I love my girl- my big, 18 month old girl.