"What a Day, Huh?"

Isaiah has quite the dramatic flare.  His new saying is "What a day, huh?".  The funny thing is that sometimes he will say it after he has to pick up his toys or finishes playing a game.  Not exactly an action-filled, busy kind of day in the adult world, but in the eyes of an almost 5 year, it must be! 

Now I've already had a quite day.  It started at 2:40am when Samara was wide awake and insisted on talking about going to her pink castle (???), seeing her friend John, and me buying her princess dresses.  For two and a half hours, she wanted to talk about this and move all around our bed.  Finally a little after 5am, she settled down and fell asleep on my legs (she was on her tummy with her rear way up in the air).  It was highly uncomfortable, but having her get some sleep was essential.  So in answer to your question Isaiah, yes, it has been a day =)

Bright Light, Good Night

In the middle of the night, Samara has continually made her way into our bed.  I will wake up to being smashed in between James and her.  But before she even falls asleep, she will stand on anything and everything in her room to turn her light on.  Shopping cart, table, chairs, baby high chair, a play castle have all been used as her stepping stool.  This girl is fearless and relentless.  Countless are the times that she will turn  her light on just for me to march in there and turn it off.

A few nights ago I wanted to experiment with her bedtime.  I wanted to see if I left her light on if she would then more easily go to bed .  So far the results have been phenomenal.  Not only has she gone to bed better, she has actually stayed in her room all night.  I've had my whole side of the bed to myself!  There was one night where James turned her light off right before we went to bed, but within 10 minutes, she woke up and was in our bedroom to sleep.  She has a light on her dresser that I would prefer her to use, but a long time ago, I left it on for her and she knocked it down because she didn't want it on.  While I'm happy with this progress, we're going to have to fine-tune it so that her main light is not left on all night.

*We've tried a night-light, but she unplugs it immediately...little stinker!*  

Hump Day

Normally, James has Wednesdays off which is such a nice mid-week treat.  This week, though, the other guys in the office were out, so he will get Friday off instead.  I'm kind of at a stand still on what I can work on to finish the house because I am waiting for James to wrap up a few of the projects.  I decided today that I would begin the daunting task of packing up the non-essential items. The built-in book shelves by the fireplace was the first stop.  I had old nursing books, baby "how-to" books, and movies we hadn't watched in years just collecting dust.  They are now on their way to the attic for storage.  It didn't take very long to pack up the unnecessary items and I was planning to tackle the kitchen when I noticed something so sad, but yet, so sweet.  My plans for the day changed at that moment.

A few minutes before I had walked past Samara and she was laying with her rear up in the air and said her tummy "huwt".  She seemed pretty content laying there so I just left her.  When I walked back in the living room, she had moved across the room and was sound asleep.  Mind you, it was only 11am.  Considering the struggle this girl causes during her nap time, it was quite the experience for her to fall asleep on her own. She took a little power nap there and then took another nap during her regular time.  She hasn't been her active self today; she's just wanted to cuddle so how could I be too busy for that?  Hopefully she's not coming down with the yucky flu bug going around because we have big plans this weekend (not to mention, I have big plans for finishing up these last few projects!)  Get well little sis!

Park Fun

I could really get used to this weather.  The kiddos (and Mommy) have such a better attitude when given the chance to run around in the warm, sunny outdoors.  During the lunch hour yesterday, we went to the library park again.  Needless to say, we all had a blast. Below are pictures of our trip. 

As a side note, last night, I went on my scavenger hunt to find where Samara fell asleep.  She took her pillow and blanket into the boys' room and laid on the floor next to Malachi's bed.  It made me realize that she is the only person in the house to have a room to herself...poor thing just wants company, I guess.

Where Oh Where Did My Samara Go?

During the middle of the night, it seems that Samara is starting to play a new, fun game...it's called Hide and Seek.  It all started 2 nights ago when I had had enough of her kicking me in the back while trying to sleep. I laid her back in her own bed, but she kept coming in our room attempting to sneak in our bed.  I told her repeatedly to go back to her room and would watch her silhouette walk in her room and close the door.  I must have fallen asleep when she came in again because I had no idea she was not in her room.  James was leaving for work and whispered to me if I knew where she was at.  I had no idea!  James then found her curled up in our rocking chair across from our bed.  She stayed there until it was her normal wake-up time.

Last night I returned from my girl's Bible study.  Around 11:30, I went upstairs to get ready for bed.  I noticed her door was opened.  I figured that she had crawled into our bed.  But she wasn't there nor was she in the rocking chair, under her bed, or in her tent.  I kept hearing her breathe, but just couldn't figure out where else she could be.  Then I noticed her small body laying right next to the boys' bedroom door on the cold hardwood floor.  She was on her tummy on top of her pink blankie.  Her night-time diaper had been removed and she had put her pants on backwards.  I was so relieved to have found her and that the boys hadn't got up to go to the bathroom and stepped on her.  I gently picked her up and tucked her in her bed.

This morning I found her sleeping at the foot of our bed. Unfortunately, this is probably pay back for me doing the same thing to my parents.  My favorite sleeping places were: the first step going downstairs, the bathroom floor, or in the hallway. I hope this phase goes by quickly because it is very stressful trying to find where your sleeping child may have wandered to. I'm thinking we may need to put a homing device on her!

Unusual Napping Spot

As an update to the previous post about Samara's struggle with nap time, she's been doing a little better about the whole situation. It will take her quite awhile to settle down, but eventually she will dose off inside of the tent.  Today, though, I found her all curled up here next to the heater (perfect day to be by something warm!)

Then she woke up...Isn't she precious?!? (crazy hair and all)

A Successful Nap Time = A Happy Mommy

Since changing to a toddler bed almost a month ago, Samara has yet to take an afternoon nap.  It's been a daily dreaded battle.  With the boys, they would eventually fall asleep, but Samara's stubbornness prevents her from giving in.  I have definitely paid my dues for being a stubborn nap-taker when I was a little girl.

We've tried many different ways of approaching naps with Samara.  First, we pushed back nap time until later in the day. I've laid on the floor next to her bed.  She's laid in our bed.  We've let her read books in her bed in hopes that would get her to settle down.  I've tried rocking her before laying her down so she might get sleepy.  Nothing, I repeat, nothing has worked!  It doesn't bother her that she has red circles under her eyes from exhaustion.  When I walk in her room to put her back in her bed, she will shush me because her babies are sleeping.  Samara, I want MY baby sleeping!!!

Today, I had a new idea.  For her 2nd birthday, she was given a little tent that is already set up in her room and for Christmas, she received a sleeping bag.  I asked her if she wanted to sleep in her tent.  Of course, she was thrilled.  I placed a pillow inside along with 2 stuffed animals and her sleeping bag.  She looked so cozy in there.  For the next hour and a half, I kept listening to her door to hear her talking or playing, but it was completely silent.  I finally wanted to sneak a peek so I walked in and this is what I found:

She had moved all of her animals and blankets inside the tent and there wasn't enough room for her in there. I tried to sneak back out before she woke up, but she opened her eyes and immediately said, "Hi Honey!"

I don't know if nap times will now be continuously better, but I certainly enjoyed this little victory today!

The End to Personal Space

Yesterday was over the top and, in the middle of the night, you just had to laugh. Samara was in the mood where if I left the room she would cry, scream, yell "Mommy!" and then immediately run to where I was and want me to hold her. I knew she was tired from all of the Holiday events so I was hopeful that a good nap would be just what she needed. Unfortunately, her new "big girl bed" stood in the way of that.

This week she began sleeping in a toddler bed. We held off as long as we could since we enjoyed knowing that when it was her nap time she was actually IN her bed and not playing. That is no longer the case. After tucking her in and singing her favorite lullaby, I went to check to see how my exhausted little girl was doing. I found her on our bed putting lotion on George (our yellow lab puppy). I put her back to bed and a little while later she comes downstairs, wraps her arms around my neck and says in her sweetest little voice "I play now?" I knew this nap would be a lost cause. So I let her sit on my lap and snuggle. George, though, wanted to snuggle, too, and thus began the battle that would last the rest of the day. Both insisted on being on my lap at the same time and would inch their way closer to taking over my entire lap if the other moved just a little.

Before I started staying home full-time, the kiddos would climb all over me and it never would phase me. At work, I had my own cubicle and enjoyed having personal space throughout the day. When I came home, I didn't mind being a jungle gym. But now, I have to wait until bedtime for a possible chance of not having a child or animal jumping on me for attention.

Last night, though, there was no end. After the kiddos were tucked into bed, I was laying on my tummy in my own bed enjoying not having anything but PJ's and blankets on me when Bob (our tabby cat) came and laid right on my rear-end. Then I felt a little hand on my shoulder. Samara proceeded to climb on me so that she could sleep with us. I let her stay there for a little while, but then tucked her back into bed. But this fun game would go on until 4:30 am this morning when struggling with sheer exhaustion, I let her sleep in between James and I. She is a very restless sleeper so I was kicked and hit in the face on multiple occasions.

When it was time for the kiddos to get up and eat breakfast, James was a dear and took care of the kiddos and I slept and enjoyed S P A C E, beautiful space.

I know that too soon the kiddos will be of ages that it will be embarrassing to snuggle in my lap or the idea of sleeping in our bed will never cross their mind so I try to enjoy this time, but days like yesterday, whew, are tiring to say the least!