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Dear Christian...

Dear Christian,

Please stop crying and go to sleep. Your diaper is fine and no, 15 min is not a long enough nap. You need the rest and so do I. I promise that you'll feel better once you sleep. I love you,

Love, Mommy

Woof!

"Hello? Lucy? Peanut? Can you hear me? I'm just so excited to be watching you guys!" If Christian could talk, I imagine this is what he'd be saying at this time. It was so cute--he just stood at the door and watched the dogs play next door for at least 15 minutes, maybe more. He'd make little squeaky noises and get excited when they'd start running around; he's just so fascinated by animals. I love it!

Easter and then some

Well, while everyone else is posting their Easter stories, I might as well post ours. All around, it was a good Easter weekend. Cubby had Good Friday off, and even though we were boh bears because Emily had kept us up a lot Thursday night, we still managed to salvage the day and have fun dying eggs at Grandma's house. (Grandma was so nervous about Emily and the dye she could hardly stand it!) Emily did great though--Mommy made more of a mess than she did.

Then, on Saturday, my Mom and Grandma decided last-minute to drive up to Minnesota to visit my Grandpa who was in the hospital. He was very happy and surprised to see them--I'm so glad that he's feeling better. So, instead of having a traditional Easter dinner at my Grandma's house, we had Erin, Kyle and Harvey over to our home Sunday evening for some delicious French Toast! (We didn't make it to the store on Saturday and hadn't planned a dinner since we were going to be heading to my Grandma's house, so French Toast was what ended up on the menu!) It was a lot of fun and despite a VERY tired and touchy 3 yr old, we had a good time all around.

Fun With Friends

Well, we too went to the Zoo on Wednesday! (Such a beautiful day, who could stay inside?) The kids had a great time and Ilise and I had fun catching up and getting some fresh air. It was great because we got to do some of our "old favorites" along with some "new" sites for us that we usually don't get to (the cats and the crocs).

One of my favorite shots--Christian just chillin' and so happy! Please note, he's wearing his new "big boy" shoes! (Size 5 and he's only 9 mo old! Yikes!)

My beautiful friend, Ilise, and her youngest, Isaiah--he and Christian are "buds" (even though he's 9 mo older than Christian--they're both big boys and so they've bonded, I guess!)

Still Learning, but getting better

Thank you to all for your kind words of support! Liz, you were right, he did kick up another fight today and tonight. Those darn poopy diapers kept him from another nap this afternoon, but he also had fallen asleep in the car on the way home from the zoo so he did rest a little bit. Tonight though, he cried for about a 1/2 hr. The night cries are so much sadder than the day. I just wish I could hold him at night and have him go down by himself for naps. I guess I can't have the best of both worlds. Anyhow, that's the update. I'll post about our fun zoo day soon....I've gotta' do my brackets for March Madness!

NOT a Hard Day's Night!

Whether he's finally learning to put himself to sleep, or if he was just exhausted from the day, Christian had a terrific night! I nursed him and then put him down. He was soooo sleepy but cried for about 20 min before falling asleep. Ironically, that 20 min was harder for me than the 3 hrs earlier that day--I just knew how tired he was and how hard it must be for him to learn something new like that. However, once he was asleep, he stayed asleep ALL NIGHT LONG! He fussed around 4:30 but then put himself back to sleep and didn't start making more noises until about 6:45. AWESOME! Then, I put him down again for his morning nap...only 10 min of fussing. He took a short nap, but that was okay since Emily had gymnastics to get to anyway. This afternoon, he went down great and woke up about 40 min into his nap, but then after fussing for a bit, went back to sleep for another 45 min. Again, I'm not sure if it's because he's learning or if he's just so tired from yesterday (I largely suspect the latter) but I'll take a victory anyway I can!

Emily also had a fun night--she and Cubby spent the night at Grandma Karen's. Her first "sleep-over"! She only had to get up once during the night to potty, but otherwise slept soundly and had a great time playing with Grandma this morning after Daddy left for work and before I came and picked her up. She's even taking another great nap this afternoon. Wow, this day is soooo much better than yesterday. The sun is shining once more and the kids are well-rested. What more could you ask for???

2 Hrs and 45 Min...too much

I caved. I'm a great big failure. After almost 3 hrs of crying, I went in and got him. I acted like nothing was wrong and was cheerful and happy to see him. He had a great big poopy diaper--just as I thought. Maybe that's why he couldn't collapse. He then decided to be the happiest little baby on the block and played so sweetly for the next little while. Oh, and he produced another stinky diaper in the process. So...it was then 5:30 and he was TIRED. (He'd only napped for 1/2 hr earlier that morning, plus 3 hrs of crying.) However, he would NOT let Cubby or I rock him in his room--big fretting and crying. So, I caved (again). I let him nurse and nap on me for about 45 min. (He usually does this after dinner so it was pretty routine for him anyway.) Now it's 8 pm and time for bed. Emily and Cubby will be sleeping at Grandma's tonight and we're going to try again. I just hope it won't last another 3 hrs. Wish me luck!

Oh yeah, on a high note, Emily took a great nap today! She's been such a terrific little 3 yr old that last couple of days--it's been fun.

2 hrs and 15 min and counting...

Well, per Amber's advice, I'm going to try and let him go another 1/2 hour and then that'll be it for the "training". Granted, he's crying LESS now, but he's still not asleep and it's just so hard to hear him so unhappy for so long. He's got to be just so tired and I wish he'd just give in...I wish I hadn't let this go for so long b/c it's just so unfair to Christian....

1 Hr and 15 Min and counting...

Well, in just one more minute Christian will have been crying for 1 hr and 15 min. I was just at the end of my rope and had to start the sleep "training" early. I don't think it's going to work though. He's just so upset. He'll calm down for a few seconds and then just start up again. I definitely don't want to go in there as I just can't keep with the current routine anymore...I'm just too tired and am not getting anything done. However, he's being awfully stubborn and it's just horrible to hear him so sad. I wish he'd just give in...he's so tired....happy birthday to me, right????

Five Tag

FIVE Tag

FIVE Things I was doing 10 years ago...
1. Finishing my senior year of high school.
2. Getting ready to turn 18.
3. Probably skiing somewhere with my family.
4. Hearing that I was accepted to BYU.
5. Um...March Maddness?

FIVE Things I was doing 5 years ago...
1. Had been married for almost one year...ah, the honeymoon year!
2. Living in the world's smallest apt in Provo (400 sq ft)---it had the smallest living room--the kitchen was great though!
3. Skiing with Cubby at Alta--my favorite!
4. Missing my family...I always did!
5. Um....March Maddnes? Yes, I'm taking advantage of that answer!

FIVE Things I would do if I became millionaire...
1. Pay of Cubby's school loans
2. Move to a bigger house with two ovens and where the kids' rooms were not over the garage.
3. Buy misquito nets for everyone in Africa so that no one would have to die of malaria.
4. Invest, Invest and Invest.
5. Take a fun vacation with the whole family to somewhere warm and with a beach.

FIVE Jobs I've had...
1. Admin Asst at the Creighton Rx School Admission Office--loved it!
2. Medical Records for some great neurosx in Utah
3. Bridal Consultant at a local Bridal Shop
4. Gallup Poll taker--yup, I probably called you!
5. Mom -- hardest and best job ever

FIVE Snacks I enjoy...
1. Cereal
2. Turkey, cheese and crackers (Emily and I eat this together)
3. Chocolate Chip or E.L Fudge Cookies
4. Fruit or Veggies (I need to "snack" on these more, and on #5 less!)
5. Chocolate--especially semi-sweet or milk chocolate morsels!

FIVE Places I've lived...
1. Blaine, MN
2. Provo, UT
3. Papillion, NE
4. Pope AFB, NC
5. Lansing, MI

FIVE Things I did yesterday...
1. Cleaned the bathrooms
2. Played in the back yard and at the park
3. Fed the kiddos
4. Got both of the children down for naps...AT THE SAME TIME!
5. Blogged!

FIVE Things I hate doing...
1. Scrubbing showers or tubs--I ask Cubby to do it when I'm really not in the mood
2. Staying up late (which I am right now...but I need a little down time before bed)
3. Biased and alarmist media
4. Losing my patience with anything or anyone...it's something I'm working on!
5. Staying indoors when it's nice outside

FIVE Biggest joys of the moment...
1. Getting Christian to sleep....finally. 1 week and counting until sleep training!
2. Seeing Emily and Christian laugh together and at each other's "jokes"
3. Getting goodnight kisses from Emily (she's not my snuggler, so they're kind of extra sweet!)
4. Knowing spring is around the corner (yeah, I stole this one from Liz b/c it's soooo true!)
5. Knowing that Grandma Karen and Grandpa Harvey are coming over tomorrow so that Cubby and I can go out on a date! (Grandma's tailbone is starting to feel better so this is a raincheck date from a couple of weeks ago when she was hurt.)

As far as tagging anyone else...my sister-in-law Whitney, Camie, Heather, Lacey, and Amber! Have fun!

Good, Better, Best

Well, tonight I had a wonderful dilemma! Cubby took the kiddos to Dairy Queen and I had planned on attending "Munch and Mingle" (and Enrichment activity for Relief Society where we all get together with food, and munch and mingle--fairly self explanitory.) Anyhow, I was ready to go, had called for directions, and was putting Peanut outside, and he looked up at me with his big, sad eyes, like, "Please, take me for a walk." Well, I'd like to say that I broke down and took him right then and there, but I got in the car and drove to my mom's house to pick up some clothes she'd picked up for Christian. On the way over, I saw EVERYONE out, walking their dogs! The car ride then gave me a chance to think things over a bit.
Here I was, an evening out, and I could choose to:
1) Attend Munch and Mingle, as planned, and have a good time eating and talking with friends. (GOOD)
2) Run some errands that I haven't gotten to and then head home to do some cleaning. (BETTER)
3) Take our poor dog for a much needed (and deserved) walk and get some fresh air, exercise, and quiet time. (BEST)
So, after picking up stuff from my mom's, I headed back and took Peanut for a nice, long walk. He couldn't have been happier or more excited and it felt sooooo good to be out. Sweet dog.
Although I missed out on a fun night with friends, I'm glad that I went out for the walk. I must say that it does help to prioritize the good, the better, and the best...although on other nights, my choices may have been switched around in an entirely different order.

The Silver Lining

Well, I know I whine a lot about my kids' sleeping habits. Everyone is probably like, "Enough! Get tough!" I first need to point out the silver linings in the midst of this challenge:

1) It is convenient to be able to be out and about in the mornings and have Christian fall asleep in his car seat rather than have to be in his crib to sleep. (Emily would only sleep in her crib and it was very difficult to go anywhere or plan anything during naptime.)

2) It has given Cubby and Christian some time to "bond" (well, this is a stretch since he bond just fine, but the cuddling and sleeping is sweet.)

Okay, those are the positive things that have come out of his sleeping habits. However, I've discussed things with Cubby (as this will have to be a group effort) and since he has next Friday off, we will have Christian learn to fall asleep on his own then. In all fairness, you really need a good 3-4 days (maybe more) of doing nothing and devoting all of your efforts to this. And, since Christian is the second child, it's tough to do "nothing" all day for multiple days when you have an active 3 yr old. So, he will be able to keep Emily busy and they may even sleep over at Grandma's house so they won't have to hear Christian at night. (As I've said before, and I just can't overstate it enough, you don't want to purposely wake up Emily in the middle of the night.)

So, that's the game plan. Until then, I'll keep trying to put him down or he'll just end up in his car seat to save my sanity for one more week! Thanks' to all for the advice and support....I may just need some more next week though..and then hopefully I'll just quit whining about it, eh?

Cry or No Cry

Well, my battle with Christian's new sleeping habbits (or lack thereof) continues. I think he is now afraid of his crib b/c I've been trying to "teach" him to fall asleep on his own by letting him cry it out. Today, I put him in his crib, turned on some classical music, gave him a kiss and left the room. I then proceded to shower and get ready. After 40 mins, Cubby and I couldn't let him cry anymore and he obviously wasn't falling asleep. I'm not sure if this will be the method for me b/c it's not helping him to enjoy being in his crib. The whole problem that I have is with "the transfer". I can get Christian to go to sleep, but getting him to stay asleep when I put him down is what is giving me a lot of grief.

I googled "baby" and "sleep" tonight to see what was out there and I found two methods: the "Sleep Sense" program and the "No Cry" program. I haven't read much on the second yet, but I was intrigued by what the first one was about. However, it is just another cry-it-out kind of a thing, although it is a kinder version of it. (ie parents establish a definite bedtime routine and then determine for themselves how long to let their baby cry before going in, comforting, and then leaving again.) Christian has his routine, and maybe a predetermined time of 5 mins would work for him...or maybe it would just make him even more fearful of his crib.

Back to today though....Since he missed his morning nap, he was, of course, exhausted by noon. He nursed, promptly fell asleep, but when I tried to put him down, even as tired as he was, he still cried about going into his crib. Just as an experiment, Cubby and I put him down in his car seat after calming him down. The result? He fell right to sleep for the next two hours. Tonight, I was able to put him down in his bed....we'll see how long he sleeps tonight. I'm just praying this will be one of the nights that he makes it all the way through. I don't like having to either sleep in my recliner or bring him into bed at 4 or 5 in the morning. I know I should've taught him to fall asleep on his own LOOOOONG ago like we did for Emily, but I was just so excited that I could nurse this time around, and I just couldn't believe how easily and happily he went to sleep, that I neglected teaching him early on. I guess it'll all work out in the end...he won't breastfeed forever and will have to learn eventually.

If anyone has any advice that will help him NOT to be afraid of his crib (we have started playing in it during the day and this has helped a bit), or if anyone has any additional ideas on teaching him to transfer or fall asleep better, please let me know. I know every child is different, as are parenting styles, and I'm open minded, so whatever will help, I'm sure!

Birthday Wishes

So, my birthday is coming up in another week or so, and today my mom asked me what I wanted to do for it. She will usually cook whatever dinner we would like and then we typically open some presents and eat cake (I'm sure it's not too different from other peoples' birthdays). Today though, as we were talking, what I'd really like is to have an afternoon out shopping/browsing with my mom and sister. Of course, I'd love to do the dinner and cake stuff too, but as far as a "gift" goes, I'd love the gift of time! It just made me think and reflect on how our desires and definitions of a gift change as we get older.
Oh, and I told her that I'd also like a garlic press :-).

Emily and Logan

Logan was Emily's first friend. They have know each other since they were babies! They used to play together at Barb Capalite's house when Rosie and I both were working and Logan even clapped when Emily started walking. The Barker's recently moved this summer to Norfolk (about 2 hrs away) and so we don't get to see them very often. Emily recently asked if we could move there so that she could play with Logan more! They were in town yesterday and it was so much fun to have Logan over to play again. Here is a picture of the two of them all dressed up and also one of them when they were both little. So sweet!

Mondays vs. Saturdays

Ah, Mondays. Do I need to write more? I'll explain. Right now, I'm trying something new with Christian. I have put him in his crib. He is fed, changed, happy, and is supposed to be tired. I gave him some books to look at and even though he's not asleep yet, he's not crying! I'm hoping that he'll tire himself out playing and go to sleep on his own.

Emily was being tough as well--not wanting to nap and waking her previously drousy brother with her pleas for her princess figurines. We're having the whole family over for dinner tonight and so she just has to nap or she'll just be impossible by 6:30. Plus, she's tired--you know, the whining and crying over silly things. Why can't they just be as good on Mondays as they are on Saturdays???

Saturday was awesome. Anyone who lives here can attest that it was so beautiful that you never wanted it to end! Of course today, we're back to sub-freezing temperatures....Saturday was just a teaser. But, it was great to be out! The pictures above are of the kiddos in our tree out front. They enjoyed the day just as much as Cubby and I did. It makes me so anxious and excited for the spring and summer. We're really looking forward to some fresh air after this cold, cold winter.

I was also able to take Emily to get her pictures taken on Saturday. It was a lot of fun and the pictures turned out really darling! In the past she's always been too anxious and cried over getting her picture taken (hence, she's only had her pictures taken at 3 mo, 1 yr and 2 yr--the last two as part of family pics). This time though, the photographer made her laugh and it was a lot of fun.

Well, Christian is not falling for my "plan" and is now crying quite hard. I'll have to go get him...what a stinker he can be about naps! Good thing he's cute and happy or I think I'd end up stringing him up by his ankles!