Hola and Nightmares maybe??

As Quinn grows and becomes harder to entertain for a few minutes (much less hours)--(some days I wish she liked TV!!) ... I have researched more on child devo. One of the websites I've used since pregnancy is "baby center". This is what they have to say about 15 month olds....


"Other developments: A budding sense of humor, Mom vs. Dad, and nightmares

Everyone loves a clown, and your 15-month-old already realizes this. Once he recognizes that a certain behavior — dancing, crawling like a baby, doing somersaults — gets a positive response from you, he'll do it over and over not just because he can, but because he loves to be the center of attention. After a silly dance performance, for instance, he'll look around the room just to see what kind of effect his moves have had on the audience, and if he has everyone's attention, he'll offer an encore.

Don't be surprised if your toddler already seems to treat you and your spouse differently. Whichever parent he spends the most time with will be the one he demands more of and is hardest on. If Mom's around more, Dad will be treated like someone special, and vice versa. While this may make one of you feel jealous, know that it's normal and is your child's way of testing out his relationship with each of you. Family dynamics, and your child's shifting loyalties, will be more and more evident during the next few months as he becomes increasingly independent.

Finally, as toddlers begin to experiment with imaginative play, they also sometimes start to have nightmares. A 15-month-old is reaching an age where he can start to think on a symbolic level and is able to transform reality into fantasy (not that he could explain this to you!). It will be several years before your child can distinguish between dreams and reality. Since he probably can't use words to tell you about his dreams, you'll have to rely on unusual behaviors to alert you. Children who are stressed or anxious (usually related to tension in the family or problems with daycare or preschool) are prone to nightmares. If your usually sound sleeper awakens crying in the night and can't tell you why he's upset, try talking to him in a soothing voice and rubbing his back until he settles down.

At this age, all you can do is comfort your child and perhaps establish some sort of routine to banish the "monsters" from his room. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests reading your toddler some stories about dreams and sleep, such as In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak, to help him understand that they're nothing to be afraid of."

I tried a cup in the crib with her last night. Not only did she drink it all and talk to it for an hour before she initially fell asleep, she drank it all, and then still wanted TLC at 3 am. For the record, it was 4 oz of water each time!! This girl is a thirsty one at night and during the day. The ped told me no more than 45oz of fluids a day (inc breastmilk) ... I think it is recommended for fear of ruining appetite with picky eaters at this age. She definitely isn't a picky eater!! We're due for her 15 month shots so I guess we'll see if there's advice from them.

Flights Denver to NYC are also running on time (about 10 minute delays), the snow has stopped and hopefully Mike will make it home today!!!!! We'll anxiously wait to watch updates on the flight status (what a life, right??). :)