Sleeper

I don't know why, but lately I have become strangely sentimental over "peeping" a looksie at my little sweetheart while she is sleeping. There is something so cozy and peaceful about watching a baby sleep. In my younger days when I used to baby-sit up a storm, I would always check on the babies I would care for after they fell asleep. But, it never felt quite as good as this.

Since Ellie has learned how to roll over, most of the time these days I catch her dozing on her belly, lovey in hand (her "lovey" has become any type of little cloth diaper, burp cloth, or small blankety animal with a head on it (I know, sounds creepy, but it really isn't...)). The other times I see her curled on her side, usually with her lovey clutched just above her shoulder. We rarely ever see her sleeping on her back any more.

It is cool and strange to think that even at this age, she has opinions and ideas about what makes her the most "comfortable" for sleeping. She has free choice to move about and catch her "zzzs" in any position that she wants. There is something so sweet about this.

This picture was taken after church. She had only been sleeping for about 15 minutes or so when I went to check on her. I couldn't resist taking a picture, and of course the "snap" of the camera woke her up for a few minutes after that. Luckily, she went back to sleep. I learned my lesson to wait until the nap is almost going to finish before I try that again. Oh well, I just couldn't help myself.

I also put a little flower plush toy in the crib, and after going to peek in on her in the morning yesterday, she was cozied up to it as if it was a little pillow (with slightly creepy eyes...). When I went to come back to take a quick picture of this, she had woken up, head raised, huge smiled plastered on her face. What a way to start the day (for her with such a smile, for me to witness such a genuine, earnest look of joy).