72% humidity

It was hot today.
The first day of 2008 that I was actually sweating.
The first day of 2008 that I wore a sleeveless shirt.
The first day of 2008 that I wished I had air conditioning.
The first day of 2008 that the weather channel said it "feels like 92."
The first day of Noah's life that he ate a popsicle! (yes, the whole thing)
And just so all the sugar purists out there don't think I'm a crazy mother, it was a homemade 100% orange juice popsicle. Thanks Ikea for the molds!

He was in popsicle heaven.


So was Dylan (as always).

Dylan Goes to the Dentist

Such is the title of several children's books that we have checked out over the past month to prepare for this event. Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist, Vera Goes to the Dentist, the list goes on...

She did awesome. The dental hygienist painted her teeth purple and she got to brush the paint off, showing off her brushing "skills." I waited to be ashamed, and she did me proud! :) No cavities (thank GOD...all those times I forgot to brush her teeth...phew!).

The picture is of her trying out all the tools (this one the suction) with the hygienist before the dentist came in to see her.

Check that milestone off!

less sleep

I guess it gets worse before it gets better? I'm clinging to that hope. Two more nights under my belt. The second easier than the first, but the third way worse than either of the first two. So, now where are we? Frustrated and exhausted. Well, I'm still committed to trying this for a solid week and then reevaluating if necessary. So talk to me on Friday I guess. Please God let this get easier.

If you are wondering how the rest of our life is, say during daylight, well it was remarkably unphased and fun, until this morning. Noah is clingy, overtired and grouchy. I wonder if it is from lack of sleep...

sleep issues

How can your child's sleep torture you so much that it causes you to be up all night, then think all day about it, yet never come up with a plan that lasts more than 24 hours without being questioned, doubted and redefined. Am I indecisive or just plain crazy?

We moved Noah into Dylan's bedroom last night. I had this grand plan - I would not nurse him (which I already was trying not to do between 11 and 5am) but make him go to sleep on his own - checking on him periodically. I knew it would interrupt Dylan's sleep, but I just figured I would dive in headfirst. I prepared her, and she really did pretty good. The first time he woke her up at 11:56 I thought they were both never going to stop crying. She eventually calmed down, but Noah? He was standing up awake and screaming crying from 11:56 until about 2:15. I went in every 15 minutes and reassured him. But it never stopped. Finally at 2:15 I put my hand on his back as he laid down until he fell asleep. It only took about 5 minutes. But then he was up again at 3:30. So, I did the same thing - holding my hand on his back until he fell back asleep. And he did, until about 4:50. When he woke up this time I was beat. I hadn't slept since 11:56 - questioning myself, doubting myself, trying to psyche myself up for this "sleep training." But I was done. So, I brought him into bed and nursed him back to sleep, and did that off and on for the next two hours. At least he wasn't crying anymore...

This sucks. I'm now at bedtime, night two. And I totally feel like I am doing the wrong thing. I know he needs to sleep in his own bed now - for my sanity if nothing else. And I think he should be in there with Dylan. Those things I believe. But how to make that happen is totally in question. I don't think I'm doing the right thing by leaving him in there to figure it out, so I guess I'll try to help him get back asleep tonight right away - with my hand on his back? If he can't fall asleep on his own at the beginning of the night - how am I expecting him to do so in the middle of the dark night?

Now you've seen a window to my crazy sleep world of doubt. You probably stopped reading this post last paragraph, but that's ok, it's therapeutic for me anyhow.
Why can't this be easier? Nothing in all of my three years, one month and thirteen days of parenting has caused more frustration.

I am so unsure of what I should be doing right now. So if I seem a little obsessed with pediatric sleep issues, you now know why. I need therapy.

a day in the life

Note: this post is insanely long. It is inspired by my sister Lara, who wanted to answer the question she always got from people who didn't quite understand the stay at home mom thing: What do you DO all day? Here goes...

6:02. Dylan wakes up (still thankfully on New Mexico time) and Jason goes in, convinces her to lay down for another 30 minutes so we can all sleep.

6:32. Dylan can't wait to play any longer. With daddy's permission, she gets up and plays quietly on the floor reading books and drawing with her magna-doodle.

6:58. Daddy gets up to get ready for work. Dylan comes in to wake up mommy and Noah. She brings every book (around 25), stuffed animal and the magna-doodle that she was playing with onto our bed.

7:06. I get up to make coffee - I can barely keep my eyelids open...this must happen now. Noah comes with me and Dylan stays on our bed reading for awhile.

7:25. Dylan comes out and decides she wants pancakes for breakfast. Why not? So, she comes up on the counter and helps me mix up some batter. (i'm trying to be more spontaneous)

8:03. Pancakes are done. Pancake picnic in the kitchen!! (this picture is what started this post)

8:10. Noah takes his straw out of his milk cup for the 5th time, dripping it all over the floor. OK. All done.

8:12. Noah and Dylan are blissfully playing in the family room by themselves. Right next to each other. Not bothering each other!! Quick, get a picture! I take a few moments to check my email.

8:17. Dylan asks, "Do I have a Pull-up on?" Me: Yes. "Then I'm going to poop in my Pull-up." Me: Why don't we go poop in the potty? Dylan: "No, I'll just poop in my Pull-up." (we have only been potty-trained for about a week now, so we got the peeing down pat, but mister poop is still iffy)

8:32. Diaper changes for both. Dylan gets on underpants. Noah escapes and runs NAKED BABY around the room playing ball.

8:40. Noah sits in front of the kitchen wall and throws the ball against it and back to himself repeatedly. I remember some stories about Jason doing this sort of thing with balls when he was little. Let the obsession with sports begin. I take this opportunity to empty the dishwasher.

9:15. I catch a quick shower (phew). Dylan reads to Noah on our bed, showing him the pictures so sweetly. Noah "listens" in crib.

9:30. Dylan and Noah want to play legos. No, trains. No, legos. No, trains. Noah: Help mommy!

9:39. We did it! Finished track. Dylan creates a track jam with her foot. Noah is not amused.
10:01. Yogurt snack!

10:19. Our friends arrive (Calvin is on the right - I babysit for him two mornings a week. Megan with Ruby and Iain on left)! Train fun for all.

10:24. Noah and Ruby love. They are literally hugging every 5 seconds for awhile. It's overwhelmingly adorable.

10:50. Bike time! Noah got this great little bike as a hand-me-down from our friends the Steelbergs at church. Thanks Cameron and Graham! He loves it.

11:03. Dylan and Calvin build castles in the playroom. Dylan tries to verbally keep Noah from knocking them down. (look at Noah eyeing Calvin's tower)

11:04. Noah tries to knock them down, but he gets diverted by dumping out all the kitchen stuff and then tossing it one by one back into the box.

11:41. Lunch time. Vegetable appetizers while the pasta cooks. Dylan eats the carrots but skips the broccoli and snow peas.

12:12. Ruby and Noah are still eating lunch. Ruby keeps taking bites from Noah's pasta bowl. Noah keeps eating the noodles with his fingers. There might not be anything messier for two one year olds than a bowl of slippery noodles with red sauce. This picture is just after Ruby stole Noah's carrot from his tray and now she's trying to feed it to herself whole on the fork. Noah looks to be in a trance and hasn't noticed...or cared.

12:45. Clean up time! We set the timer for 4 minutes and all run around the house like crazy while we put every toy in sight away. The kids do awesome and even Noah and Ruby try and "help." Cleaning up is always easier with a timer to beat!

1:00. Downtime. Megan, Ruby and Iain have gone home, so Calvin, Dylan, Noah and I sit on the couch to read for awhile before Calvin's mom comes to pick him up. Noah falls asleep nursing. I successfully transfer him to the crib (after some crying, falls back asleep).

1:35. Dylan and I read stories together in her bed. Today it's "Not THAT Bear," "Happy Father's Day" and "Pig Pig Rides Again." It's a rare treat to get to do this just the two of us since Noah is asleep. After a cuddle, an animal and a stack of books, it's time for quiet time.

2:04. Seriously, whoa. I have a few minutes to myself. This is divine and I can now catch up on writing this long entry (while watching a few minutes of tivoed So You Think You Can Dance).

3:05. Just finished writing and uploading pics. Noah woke up 30 minutes ago and is now sleeping on my lap as I type on the laptop.

Jason will be home soon so I can run to the doctor. So, I'll sign off for now and stop carrying my camera around. Hopefully now you get a better picture of how full a day can be - even when you are a "homemaker." :)