Besides napping...

Here's what else we have been up to!

(Oh, and nap camp day #7: 20 min!!!! Both kids asleep!!! YES!!!!)

Weekly Tiny Tots swimming at good ole CIHS! Olivia loves the water!

Aidan's 1st stroller ride! He loved it! And he's 10 weeks today!

Umm.....she was excited about her new crocs...

Children's Museum w/best friend Michael for birthday celebrations!

Nap Camp Update & Aidan's 6 wk. pics

Aidan's pictures done by Awesome Photographer Bridgit:

www.hinklephotography.com/client/babyaidan

Nap Camp Day #3: Fell asleep immediately after coming home from daycare.

Nap Camp Day #4: Relatives at our house, teething, and a cold...not a great combination!! Took 45 min. to get her down--cut back from 2 hours!!

Nap Camp Day #5: Miserable with a cold and teething--Daddy put her down for nap--15 minutes. :)

Nap Camp Day #6 (today): 40 min!! Day 5 was a fluke because she was so sick she just cried herself to sleep for 15 min. and even though today was back to 40 min. I think I only had to go in her room 7 or 8 times!! Way better!! I feel very encouraged! And Aidan is putting himself to sleep for naps when I put him in his crib! I have to give him his nukie a couple times, but he just fusses, doesn't even cry. Hooray!

Stats

The kids both had their well-child checks yesterday--Aidan's 2 month and Olivia's 2 year. It was hectic with both of them at the same time, but yet nice not to have to make 2 trips. Ryan's mom came with and was in the waiting room (she was coming to watch Aidan during Olivia's swimming afterward) so I could bring Olivia out during Aidan's shots--That helped!!!!

Aidan:
10 lb. 12 oz. (22%)
22.5" (26%)

Olivia:
26 lb. fully dressed (40%)
34.5" (67%)

At Olivia's 2 month she was 10 lb. 10 oz. and 23"...they are so close in size!

Nap Camp Day #2

It's 11:58 and Olivia is down for her nap.

However, she fell asleep on the way home from ECFE today--she never falls asleep that early in the day, but she has a cold and is teething. She woke up when we got home and I put her up in her bed and she went right down.

I don't know what this means or if it hurts or helps nap camp. We shall see what Day #3 brings!!

Nap Camp Day #1

Alternately Titled: The Strict Super Nanny Diet
Alternately Titled: I better get something good out of this.

Okay, thank you all for your napping advice whether on blog, facebook, or email. The consensus is Supper Nanny's Stay in Bed Technique. I have tried this to "some degree", which I know Jo would say doesn't work, and it hasn't worked. It is hard for me to be organized with 2 kids to complete the task successfully. Well today was day one of being organized.

Camp took place in Aidan's room, next to Olivia's. Supplies included: Aidan, play mat, bouncy seat, nuk, burp rag, cell phone, home phone, and a glass of water (all that lifting back into bed makes me sweat!). My sweet little man to look at:

Nap Camp began precisely at 12:43, when we got back home from a play date in town. Olivia was tired on the way home, but not tired enough apparently! I made sure she was fed and changed before we left the play date so we could begin immediately with as little attention from me as possible, as this only seems to fuel her fire. At first, I thought we were golden. She went a full 20 min. staying in bed in her room. Silly me however, she must have just been storing her energy for the big play. From 1:17 until she fell asleep at 2:45, she got out of her bed at least 30 times (I lost count). Whenever I would hear her out and playing with something, or opening the door, I would get her and put her back into bed. Not saying a word. I would also remove the play things that could be moved out of her room and put them in the hallway. Outside of the room I did some deep breathing and relaxation techniques (good thing I'm a therapist!) which truly did help me stay calm. Hallway outside her room when it was all said and done:

(and yes, she will be helping me put it all back.)

Aidan and I played for a while, but fortunately, he fell asleep around 1:45 and slept for an hour until just after she woke up. That part worked out great. And if there is a benefit in all of this, I think he my learn to put himself to sleep in his crib awake! Fantastic! After she was finally down, I headed downstairs for my sweet reward:

Here's hoping tomorrow takes less time! Oh crap, it has to, we have Dr. appointments at 3:00...now what? How to handle this one, Super Nanny?

What? 9 weeks??

Where did that time go? I have been dreaming the last few weeks that I am pregnant--yipes! Don't worry, I'm 98% sure that's not true!!! I think it's just my minds way of wondering if these past 9 weeks happened, or if Aidan man is still inside me.

Last week was SUPER busy for us--many birthday celebrations and each day I created an extra-busy morning for us, just so I didn't have to deal with naptime drama. Is that bad?? I just made sure we were super busy and then came home right at naptime and she went right to sleep! Worked great, but I can't do that every day! Today was our first day where we didn't leave the house in the morning (except to play outside) in 8 days! It was nice to be home, but of course, naptime drama returned. Only one hour though and she was down--I guess that's a good thing. I'm hoping this phase will be done with soon because it's awfully draining.

I know I've asked you all about your kids and naptimes before--but give me some more details. Do you have kids who just stay in their beds when you tell them to? Because I don't. Who has kids who repeatedly get up and how do you get them to stay in bed? I know Olivia's not the only one... fess up! :) I'm just thankful that it's only at naptime and not at bedtime too! That is smooth sailing (knock on wood!).

Right now I'm sitting on the couch, laptop on lap, Aidan sleeping next to me (for ease of re-inserting the nuk to get him to sleep a little longer--he's a cat-napper, but going on 2 hours now!), watching the snow fall outside, and wishing it was springtime! :)

Olivia's Birthday!

I remember enjoying brithdays SO much as a kid! It began with anticipation, oh months in advance! Laying in bed the night before your birthday, willing yourself to fall alseep so the big day would finally be here. Waking up to a pile of presents on the kitchen table and a special birthday breakfast, having a party, and just being the special person of the day!

Did you ever know that your parents were not as excited as you were? Or that they were even sad?? I didn't! Maybe my parents were just excited for me to move past wheter year I was in...I was a little, well we'll use the term "spunky", as a youngster. Probably similar to Olivia...maybe vivacious would be a good term... Anyhow, I was sad on Olivia's birthday! Just a little, of course, because I was thrilled to celebrate with her. But my baby girl is 2!! She isn't a baby anymore!

Well we had a great day, starting with dinner with my parents the night before. (Darn blogger for not putting my pictures in the right order, and darn me for never remembering about that!!)

We went to Adventure Park to play with our friends Marci & Michael (Michael's birthday is the day before Olivia). She had a blast!

Monkey bread for breakfast at Daddy's work.


Just proof that I was there too...

Yum!!

Olivia's pink pig cake!

The Haircut

The battle rages on...

I keep getting more and more humbled by the minute.

I was going to make a post and complain about the 3 hour nap battle that I just engaged in, resulting in no nap, a tired mom, and a very tired toddler who just wouldn't give in. I was going to write about how I "neglected" my 7 wk old in the process. I say "neglected" in quotes because I tended to him every time he cried, brought him toys, cradled him to sleep (2x), and nursed him. But I felt neglectful because I couldn't do as much as I wanted and was frustrated with the situation. It's a battle I usually chose to fight because I am not willing to allow her to not take naps anymore. That's my fight to win--but after 3 hours today it was enough.

Then I thought about how "neglectful" I would be if I had 14 children. Or how frustrating it would be to have 14 children who wouldn't nap. Or even 4 children who wouldn't nap. I have one child, and it's one day. I felt guilty for being angry, frustrated, yelling, and even though those feelings had subsided during the process and I once again became consistent and caring mom...how do you do that for 14 children?

Then I was humbled once more. My mother-in-law just called to report that Ryan's cousin's wife, Leah, who is 30 weeks pregnant was just taken by ambulance down to the cities because she has a blood clot in her leg. She also has a disease where they cannot put in a "strainer" (I don't know the technical term) to keep the blood clot from moving to critical areas of the body. All they can do is blood thinners. And they may have to take the baby early. She will be in the hospital until this clears up. She also has a 2 year old and a one year old at home. And her husband is working in Madison, WI right now. And there is a blizzard making it difficult for him to come home.

Please pray for them. Pray for healing for Leah, for the baby to be okay and not have to be taken early, and safe travels for Matt.

My nap battle is just not that big of a deal anymore... (but if you do have some nap tricks, I'd be thrilled to hear them!)