Intervention Threat

I figured I ought to offer an update on the blog, since I was threatened with an intervention this Sunday in the mother's nursing room at church. Cori and Heather had been reading my blog and they were planning one to make me let Jacob cry it out. He is five months after all. It is time. We've been doing some sleep training around here the last week and a half or so (pre-threat, mind you). Jacob has learned how to sleep without swaddling, put the binkie back into his own mouth (if he can find it), started "solid" foods like rice cereal and settles himself again after he wakes and cries a little bit. All big steps in growing up. We're getting a consistent 5 hours of sleep at a minimum, usually more. The bad news is that those 5 hours begin about 9 pm and I can't find the will power to make my 5 hours start then. Still, he eats quickly and goes right back to sleep until 5 or 6 am, eats again and sleeps another hour. Loads better than what we were doing just two weeks ago when I wasn't sleeping at all. So, ladies, no intervention needed. We're cool after our rough sleep training nights and naps. Of course, as I think about it, how the heck are you going to do an intervention? One of you has an eight week old and the other, what, a ten DAY old?!?! You ladies have your own problems. I'm getting LOADS more sleep than you will for a while. But then again, maybe that's how you can manage an intervention. Heck, you're up anyway, why not come over at 2 am? Love you guys! You make me smile. Here's hoping you read this post at 3 pm, not 3 am. :)

I Cry

I don't know that I will ever understand why I cry. I cry at everything. Today I was teaching preschool and we were talking about what the kids should do if they ever get separated from their parents and are lost. I told them to look for a grown up to ask for help. Then we played the song from the Safety Kids Series that says, "Look for a grandma or mother with children." I was tearing up and had a huge lump in my throat. I hate being such a baby. I cry at everything. It's totally embarrassing. I avoid reading "The Friend" magazine because all the stories make me cry. They touch my heart because the kids in the stories ask for God's help or do a secret kind deed or whatever and I cry. My kids don't get it and honestly, neither do I. I have a hard time telling people I love them. It just hits too close to my heart and I can't take it. What good is a tender heart if it is that sensitive? Some days I just wish I was tough.

Nicknames

I'm reviewing Jason and Alex's wedding video again for final details of cropping, transitions, and the works. Maddie was watching and saw Aunt Alex. I asked if she knew who it was. She answered correctly. Then she pointed to Jason and said, "And that's Tio Jota." (our nickname for Jason). "His name is Jason." Then she asked, "Den wat is Aunt Kwistie's name?" I told her it was just Kristie. She is not to be convinced. Aunt Kristie must have another name. On a side note, apparently I have chosen Jacob's nickname. I have noticed myself calling him "Little Man" consistantly for weeks now.

A Note From Ben

DOG I LUVU GRAMPO GRAMO

Full Credit for Brian

Jacob has had a rough time sleeping for a bit now. I was getting really rundown and not sleeping much at all for days and days. Nap time wasn't going well. I would give explicit instructions that Ben was to watch his movie/build blocks/play computer and NOT wake me up because I hadn't slept at night. He couldn't seem to do that. Three days of trial and total failure. So, no naps for me and the sleep deprivation continued to build up. Thursday night Brian, a very bright and perceptive man, offered to take the night shift so I could finally sleep. Great plan! About midnight, Jacob was settled in for the night, in Brian's arms. They came in at 2am to eat and at 6am. Only getting up twice in a night? That was a fantastic night!! Even Brian didn't have to get up much, but he didn't know that going into the night. He gets full credit for being such a great guy. It could have be a rotten night and he was so willing to help me. Last night, Friday, Brian helped again. The night was so much better for me (and Brian). I think maybe, just maybe, Jacob is learning to sleep better. He is too big and too strong to stay in his swaddle anymore and gets so upset when he frees himself. Now he can get the binkie back into his mouth by himself and that is huge. He was only up once in the middle of the night and once really early. We no longer swaddle him and he's learning the ropes. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Jacob's First Hickey

Last night we had things to do and had to put Jacob down, despite strong objections that he loudly voiced. He flipped himself onto his stomach immediately and cried. After a few minutes, he had calmed himself by sucking on his arm. He totally went to town on it and when we picked him up ten minutes later, it was BRIGHT red. A half hour later, we saw the damage he had done. He had a huge hickey. His wrist was bruised so deeply that it was bright, bright redish purple in the chubby crack. The bruise goes half way up his arm and is still very visable this morning. It makes me smile everytime I see it.

Ben's Perspective on Cavities

Today I asked Ben if he had brushed his teeth yet. He said he wasn't sure, so I asked him to go ahead and brush, just to be safe. As he headed up the stairs, he said, "Yeah. I'm going to brush again just to be extra careful, 'cause I don't want to be strapped down in that chair again to fix my cavities." The other day I was in the nursery with Jacob and overheard Brian in the bathroom with Maddie attempting to brush her teeth. He commented that they needed to brush her teeth so that she wouldn't get cavities. Ben also overheard from his bedroom and yelled out to Brian, "I hope that Maddie gets cavities." Brian yelled out to ask if he heard what he thought he heard. Ben confirmed, yes he does want Maddie to get cavities. When we asked him why, he said that if Maddie got cavities, Brian would have to take her to the dentist and then he would get to stay home with mom and have alone time so he could play with his toys and she couldn't ruin things.